From Possessed With Devils to Purposed Disciple

Amen. I appreciate that song, and I hope you can answer yes to that question.

And if you can't, then today's that day, hopefully. The Lord will speak to your heart.

Turn with me to Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8 is a full chapter. There's a lot going on here.

Luke 8 · chapter mention Luke 8 · chapter mention

In the first couple verses, we see Jesus Christ, he's casting out devils, specifically mentions three women.

One who has seven devils cast out of her, and then after that, it says many others.

So who knows how much. The Bible even says that if they were to record everything that Christ did,

there would just be so many books, we wouldn't be able to read them all.

After that, we have the parable of the sower. He explains that to his disciples.

Then we see that he passes over a stormy sea to get to the Gadarenes,

and that's where I want to focus today, is he meets a man there who's possessed with a legion of devils.

After that, we're introduced to Jairus' daughter, and she's resurrected from the dead.

There's a woman that had an issue of blood ever since her birth, and Jesus heals her.

I mean, this chapter is just packed, and it's exciting to read about.

Hopefully, you've found your place in Luke chapter 8.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

Don't stand yet.

I wanted to just share a little, I call them nuggets.

When I go through Scripture, my type of personality just naturally is cynical.

I'm doubtful of things. I question things.

So when things immediately don't add up, it sends up a red flag.

And there's parallel passages.

Matthew chapter 8 and then Mark 5 both share the same account.

Matthew 8 · chapter mention

And it stood out to me, even though I've read it several times,

Matthew 8, it says that two men in the Gadarenes who were possessed with devils met Jesus.

And then in Mark and Luke, it just says a certain man.

So immediately, you know, my cynical self is like,

Oh, this doesn't add up.

You have two, and now these other guys are mentioning one.

And so I had to study this, because I believe God's Word is infallible.

There's no mistakes.

So if there is a misunderstanding or a mistake, I realize that's on my end.

So I had to start digging, figure out what is going on here.

And to make something a contradiction, it would have to be the one statement would be impossible.

So Matthew, he mentions that there's two men.

Mark and Luke, they both just mention a certain man.

They don't say one.

They just choose to focus on this certain man.

I got to thinking about that.

Well, why?

Well, because this man, the Bible says a legion of devils.

That word legion is a military term that the Romans would use.

And that's kind of like we would call like a unit or a platoon today.

It's 6,000 military men.

That's a big deal.

In the beginning of Luke chapter 8, he specifically mentions these three women.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

And he says one has seven.

So if seven would be a big number, maybe they hadn't met somebody who had seven devils cast out.

Now they're meeting somebody with at least 6,000 devils.

That's pretty notable.

So that's why they focus on this guy.

Matthew, he's also a tax collector.

He's good with numbers.

I think that's maybe why he focused.

He has to be very deliberate, make sure these numbers add up.

That's just something he does in his normal life.

So I saw that.

It was interesting.

I think it also shows character, the different gospels, just the different authors and how God uses those people.

So I just wanted to share that with you.

If you happen to see that, or if you happen to read through scripture and notice, hey, things aren't adding up.

Take the time.

If you realize that God's word is perfect, I guarantee you, if you take the time to study it out.

I don't like grammar or composition, but that was a composition thing.

God will give it to you because it's true.

God's word is true.

Stand with me, if you will, since you should be there by now.

Luke chapter 8.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

We'll start reading in verse 26.

It says,

Then verse 37.

It says,

Lord, I ask that you would just let our hearts be open to your word.

Lord, I ask that you would calm my nerves and just let me speak what you've put on my heart.

And I just pray, Lord, that my studying will come through this morning.

Lord, I just ask that you be with those who are not here.

Lord, we especially think of Brother Josh.

Lord, I just ask that you would touch him and help him with his recovery.

And just be with his family.

I thank you and I love you in Jesus' name.

Amen.

You can go ahead and be seated.

As I was kind of studying this, I noticed there was kind of three forces at work during this passage of Scripture.

And these three forces are still at work today.

The first one is Satan.

He's a thief, a liar, a murderer.

And his ultimate purpose is to destroy.

And he's still at work today.

The second is society.

All that society can do with problem people is isolate them, maybe keep them under guard.

If they're really bad, they'll put them in bondage.

And I think we can be thankful for the restraint that society can put on these people.

But ultimately, they're still in trouble.

They still need help.

And that's where the third force comes in.

And that's the Savior.

He came to these people in love.

He braved a stormy sea to get to them and to talk with them.

And Jesus is still wanting to talk to us today.

If you can't answer yes to the song that was sung, I'm telling you, Jesus wants you to say yes.

He's here waiting.

He wants to talk to you.

I've heard people tell me, well, I'm just too far gone.

God can't save me.

Me.

Wrong.

That's a lie.

Look at this man possessed with all these devils.

God can touch his heart.

I think about Saul, a man who was so zealous in murdering Christians.

God changed him.

You know, we have to be willing to put away our pride, be willing to let God break us down

and talk to our heart.

The first thing I saw here is what sin does to the soul.

Let's just look at this individual.

We see, starting in verse 26, it says,

And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time,

and wear no clothes, neither abode in any house but in the tombs.

So this is Jesus' welcoming party.

There's this one crazed lunatic who isn't clothed.

He's been living, it says, in the tombs for a long time.

I would venture to say he was dirty.

He was filthy.

He was probably quite a sight to see.

Verse 27, or I'm sorry, verse 28, it says,

This guy had problems.

Sin, first off, left this man unclothed.

As I was studying this, I was thinking to myself,

Do we see the type of, and I say devil, just another tidbit, demonism in the Bible,

and I think the most scriptural is devil, because that's who they, devils, they do the devil's work.

It's just like Christians, Christ, we do Christ's work.

So devil's is the most accurate account.

Do we see people possessed of devils today?

Got me thinking about that.

And I would say we do.

If you look at these things that we're going to look over, we do.

And that's where society kind of comes in and tries to help polish some of that up.

Just a quick example, in the Bible you have the word drunkard.

People find that term offensive.

So then we changed it as a society to alcoholic.

That makes it easier for us.

But then even alcoholic, now you say that word, and ooh, it's bad.

Now they say someone with alcohol disuse or disorder, alcohol use disorder.

Society is constantly trying to make things fit.

God is just saying what it is.

This man had a problem.

He was unclothed.

Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 64.

Isaiah 64 · chapter mention

We're going to be doing some running around in the Bible.

So I hope you're ready.

Isaiah 64 verse 6 says,

Isaiah 64:6

It says,

But we are all as an unclean thing,

and all our righteousness are as filthy rags,

and we all do fade as a leaf,

and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

I believe it is in Mark.

It talks about this man had unclean spirits.

Romans chapter 3 verse 10.

Romans 3:10

Many of us could quote that.

Romans chapter 3 verse 10.

Romans 3:10

It says,

There we go.

As it is written,

There is none righteous,

no, not one.

That's what sin does to us.

It just unclothes us.

It makes us unclean.

That's the second thing we see here.

In the parallel passage in Mark chapter 5 verse 2,

Mark 5:2

it says,

And when he was come out of the ship,

immediately there met him out of the tombs,

a man with an unclean spirit.

Isaiah 59.

We'll look at verses 1 through 3.

Starting verse 1, it says,

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened,

that it cannot save,

neither his ear heavy,

that it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,

and your sins have hid his face from you.

That he will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood,

and your fingers with iniquity.

Your lips have spoken lies.

Your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

Basically, that's debunking the whole,

I'm too far gone.

It doesn't matter.

God can hear.

God is waiting for us to come to him.

Not only was this man unclothed and unclean,

he was uncontrollable.

See that in verses 28 and 29?

They had tried to bind him before,

and he would just break those fetters,

break those chains.

That's scary to think about.

I mean, the work that I do,

I work with trees,

and I've had big, heavy trees

break some really thick ropes.

And that's scary,

because that's a lot of power.

Think about it.

This man had 6,000 soldiers,

evil spirits inside him.

Basically, this type of devil possession,

it just means the devil has taken over the mind and the body.

So you think you've got 6,000 men,

strong fighting men?

They can probably do some serious damage,

break these chains.

It's something scary to think about.

He was uncontrollable.

2 Corinthians 4,

starting in verse 3,

says,

But if our gospel be hid,

it is hid to them that are lost,

in whom the God of this world

hath blinded the minds of them

which believe not,

lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,

who is the image of God,

should not shine unto them.

I know that we still have people

who are possessed today,

because I came up to two conclusions.

We have them,

and maybe society,

you know,

has done a good job of kind of

letting them camouflage in.

You can still see this stuff.

But then my other thought was,

and I think this is a scarier thought,

what if as Christians,

we're not effective enough

for Satan to resist?

There's no reason for him to show himself

because we're not doing our job.

That kind of stung me.

I was like, wow.

Because obviously when Jesus is around,

there's a struggle.

So it got me thinking,

we need to be doing better as Christians.

He was uncontrollable.

Ultimately, I think this led him to be unhappy.

The first thing he says to Jesus is,

torment me not.

As you read,

I didn't want to spend a whole lot of time on this,

but you read through Scripture

about people who are possessed.

The Bible, it talks about,

first off, there's physical things

that happen to these individuals.

They can get deformities.

The Bible even talks about suicide.

They will try and cast themselves into fire.

The Bible talks about stuff like that.

But here he is, this man.

He's hurting.

He's unhappy.

It left him homeless.

We see that.

It left him helpless.

Mark chapter 5, verse 4, it says,

Mark 5:4

because that he had been often bound

with fetters and chains,

and the chains had been plucked asunder by him,

and the fetters broken in pieces,

neither could any man tame him.

He was helpless.

He needed help.

He was hurting.

Again, in Mark chapter 5, verse 5, it says,

Mark 5:5

And always night and day he was in the mountains

and in the tombs,

crying and cutting himself with stones.

Turn with me to Proverbs chapter 8, verse 36.

Proverbs 8:36

I mean, sin is spiritual suicide.

And he's, this man needs help.

Proverbs chapter 8, verse 36.

Proverbs 8:36

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul,

and they that hate me love death.

Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 57.

Isaiah 57 · chapter mention

Isaiah 57, and we'll start reading verse 20.

But the wicked are like the troubled sea,

when it cannot rest,

whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

There is no peace,

saith my God, to the wicked.

You know, earlier in Luke chapter 8,

Luke 8 · chapter mention

we see that Jesus, he's asleep in the back of the boat,

and a storm rages up,

and the disciples are scared.

And it's interesting,

he kind of rebukes them a little bit,

asks, where's your faith?

Have you ever been woke up for something in your mind

that had been kind of silly to be woken up for?

You're just kind of irritated.

And I can kind of see Jesus,

because he's fully God, fully man,

and wakes up,

and he's like, I'm in the back of the boat.

What is in the back of the boat?

The rudder, okay?

So I'm at the driver's wheel.

You know, we were going fine.

You wake me up for this?

And he just talks to the wind and the waves,

and he's like, you know, be still.

And I just think he turns around to the disciples,

and he's just like, where's your faith?

And he goes and lays down

to kind of let them think about that.

You know, Jesus, he was able to speak to the stormy sea,

and now here he is.

He's speaking to the stormy soul.

This man, just sin has wrecked him.

That's what sin does to the soul.

But secondly, I want to focus on

what the Savior does for the sinner.

Turn with me again to our text there

in Luke chapter 8.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

We'll start reading in verse 30.

And Jesus asked him, saying,

What is thy name?

And he said, Legion,

because many devils were entered into him.

Now, this is just my take on all this,

so you do with it what you will.

But Matthew, or I'm sorry,

Mark chapter 5, to me,

Mark 5 · chapter mention

gives the best description of what happens here,

because Jesus asks him,

What is thy name?

And the man says,

My, okay, that's singular.

Trust me, I never,

I had to take remedial English twice.

I am not an English anything,

but some things stick.

My is singular.

He says, My name is,

and then it says,

Legion, for we, that's plural, are many.

I think this man, right in front of Jesus,

was trying,

maybe he was sober enough

to say, My name is,

and then these devils took over,

Legion, for we are many.

I personally believe

6,000 voices came out of that mouth

when they said, Legion, for we are many.

I don't know about you,

that would give me the heebie-jeebies.

There's been a handful of times

where I have, I'll just say,

met evil face-to-face,

and that's something, it scares me.

And here Jesus Christ,

he dealt with this,

and they said, Legion, for we are many.

I think it's interesting,

you know, God asks a question

and they answer,

because they're subservient

to Jesus Christ.

He's all-powerful.

Not only does the wind and waves

obey him, even these devils.

We see here the effort

of the Savior.

We see the work of the Lord,

verses 22 through 25.

We see that he passed through the storm,

but also Jesus Christ

passed through the storm of Calvary for us.

You know, he loved us enough

that he was able,

when I think about him

being in heaven,

deciding to become mortal,

be born,

a lowly birth,

be raised,

and be able to

be God,

and allow earthly parents

to have the, you know,

leadership and the authority

over him,

to be raised up,

knowing what he's going to do for us,

to be beaten,

mocked,

ridiculed,

to know ultimately

that he's going to die

for people

who, frankly,

are undeserving,

completely,

and he loved us enough

to go through all of that.

That says a lot.

And he didn't just do that

for Christian people.

He did that for everybody.

Before you were even born,

God loved you enough

that he did this for you.

I see through here,

not only do we see

the work of the Lord,

we see the winds

of the Lord.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15.

I once heard a joke.

They said,

why is Christianity

the most dramatic religion?

And the answer was,

because all other religions

say do, do, do.

But Christianity,

through Jesus Christ,

it's been dun, dun, dun.

You know,

God has done it all for us.

All we have to do

is accept what he's done.

It's mind-blowing to me.

You know,

my daughter's about

to have a birthday,

and we're, you know,

she's going to get presents.

She has grandmas.

She's going to get presents.

And can you imagine

if she just said,

no thanks.

I'm good.

Can you imagine

if she rejected those gifts?

But here,

Jesus Christ,

he's offering to everybody,

here's a free gift

of salvation.

The only stipulation is

you have to receive it.

And people are like,

no thanks.

I'm good.

It's crazy.

1 Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15.

Let's look at verse 54.

So when this corruptible,

or I'm sorry,

let's start over.

So when this corruptible

shall have put on incorruption,

and this mortal

shall have put on immortality,

then shall be brought to pass

the saying that is written,

death is swallowed up in victory.

O death,

where is thy sting?

O grave,

where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin,

and the strength of sin

is the law.

But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord,

Jesus Christ.

Therefore,

my beloved brethren,

be ye steadfast,

unmovable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labor

is not in vain

in the Lord.

The winds of the Lord,

he's defeated sin,

death,

hell,

Satan.

Turn with me to

Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

I love that song.

I'm on the winning side.

Colossians 2, 15.

It says,

And having spoiled

principalities and powers,

he made a show of them

openly,

triumphing over them in it.

Again,

Christ is victorious.

He's a winner,

and we're on the winning side.

Revelation chapter 1,

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

let's look at verse 18.

I am he that liveth

and was dead,

and behold,

I am alive forevermore,

amen,

and have the keys of hell

and of death.

He's a winner.

Christ has done

all these things for us.

All we have to do

is accept.

We see here also

the effects of salvation.

Let's go back to our text

in Luke chapter 8.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

And we'll look at verses

34 and 35.

It says,

When they that fed them

saw what was done,

they fled and went

and told it in the city

and in the country.

Then they went out

to see what was done

and came to Jesus

and found the man

or I'm sorry,

and found the man

out of whom the devils

were departed

sitting at the feet of Jesus

clothed

and in his right mind

and they were afraid.

First off,

he had peace.

Romans chapter 5,

Romans 5:1

verse 1.

This world needs peace.

Romans chapter 5,

Romans 5:1

verse 1 says,

Therefore,

being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ.

The only way that you can have

true peace in your life

is through Jesus Christ.

I mean,

we read earlier about

having sin in your life

is like a raging storm

that throws up the mire

and the dirt.

Peace can calm all those things.

We see that

with Jesus Christ,

he had provision.

Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 61.

Isaiah 61 · chapter mention

Isaiah 61,

Isaiah 61:10

verse 10.

I will greatly rejoice

in the Lord.

My soul shall be joyful

in my God,

for he hath clothed me

with the garments

of salvation.

He hath covered me

with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decketh himself

with ornaments,

and as a bride adorneth himself

with jewels.

Christ has done that.

He's provided those things

for us.

Turn with me to

Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

We see that he has presence

of mind

when he's with Christ.

Philippians chapter 2,

Philippians 2:5

verse 5.

Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus.

When we get saved,

we can have that same mind.

It's sin that rejects that.

Another effect of salvation

was power under Christ's control.

Again, in Philippians chapter 2,

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

let's look down at verse 13.

For it is God which worketh in you,

both to will and to do

of his good pleasure.

Then turn over to chapter 4,

verse 13.

Many of us

are very familiar with this.

I can do all things

through Christ,

which strengtheneth me.

I used to have a co-worker.

He would wear a shirt,

and it says,

I can do all things.

It used to annoy me

because it's like,

well, you can't.

It's through Christ

that you can do all things.

As I was studying this,

I noticed

through this passage

three requests.

This was just something

I thought was interesting.

First off,

the demons,

the devils,

they requested

that Jesus send them

into the pigs.

We see that in verse 32.

And I got to thinking,

why?

Why would they want

to be sent into the pigs,

but be sent into the swine?

I think,

for one thing,

doing it this way,

Jesus gave proof

to all the spectators

that a miracle of deliverance

had really taken place.

I think the destruction

of the pigs

gave assurance

to the man

that had the unclean spirits

that they were actually gone.

Frankly,

I think seeing

2,000 pigs drown

would be

an object lesson

that no one

would ever forget.

The society

saw all of that.

It was definitely

a vivid object lesson

to that Christ-rejecting crowd.

I think it was

an object lesson

that to Satan,

a pig is just as good

as a man.

And under Satan,

he can make a man

as good as a pig.

You know what I'm talking about.

If you've been around

and seen the way

unsaved people act,

it's true.

The second request

we see

is in verse 37.

The citizens,

they request

that Jesus leave the area.

I was thinking to myself,

this man,

we'll call him Legion,

if that's his real name,

I think you would be

wanting to have Jesus

stay around.

Be like,

hey,

this guy was a serious problem.

You know,

we couldn't walk around

at night

for fear of this lunatic.

There's other people

in the area

that need help.

Why don't you stick around?

We'd love to have you.

But instead,

they're like,

we're afraid.

You need to get out of here.

And I got to thinking,

why would they do that?

You know,

I think these

pig herders,

whatever you call them,

farmers,

their business

was being interrupted.

I don't know

what the cost

of 2,000 pigs is,

but that would be

quite a hit

to your little economy.

And they were more

concerned about

money

than this man's soul.

And that's just

how it is.

This world is more

concerned about

material things

and we can't fault

them for that.

That's just natural.

The last thing

is this man,

he requests of Jesus,

he says,

let me come with you.

I want to be a disciple

and follow you.

And you would think

to yourself,

that's a good,

that's a righteous request.

That's a good thing.

And what does Jesus

tell him?

No,

you stay here.

And I think

that would probably hurt

at the moment

thinking,

why doesn't he want me?

Is it because

I used to be

this devil-possessed

individual?

And I think

this is what it was.

The man's request

was motivated

for love

of Jesus Christ

because what a testimony

he had.

But Jesus knew

that the man's place

was in his own home

with his loved ones

where he could bear witness

to the Savior.

After all,

effective Christian living

must begin at home

where people know us best.

If we honor God there,

then we can consider

offering ourselves

for service

elsewhere.

This man became

one of the earliest

missionaries

to the Gentiles.

The Bible said

that he went

throughout Decapolis,

another English thing,

Decc,

that's ten.

These ten cities

all clumped together.

And if you remember

when we first read

when Jesus and the disciples

showed up to the Gadarenes,

there was one person,

one welcome wagon.

We'll look at verse 40.

And it came to pass

that when Jesus was returned,

the people,

get this,

gladly received him

for they were,

what's that word?

God,

all waiting for him.

You think that man

did his job?

It shows right there

he did.

Here we have this guy

who's possessed.

People are like,

we just want him gone.

We've tried binding him up.

We want him out of here.

And now,

he's leading the way

and everybody's with him.

And they're happy.

They're grateful

that Jesus is coming back.

What a testimony.

That's awesome.

It gets me to our third point.

What the saved do

for the Savior.

First off,

we see this man's mission

was from the Lord.

His motive was right.

Let's turn to

2 Corinthians chapter 5.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

When I was younger,

I used to be kind of discouraged

about my testimony.

It would be called

what I would say vanilla.

I grew up in church

and I got saved.

The end.

And I remember thinking,

that's not a cool testimony.

And I remember

a guy that I went to Bible college

with,

his testimony was cool.

They even wrote a book about it.

And it's,

I mean,

he's in a rock and roll band

and then he goes to jail.

He comes up with this contraption

with a shotgun

to get money

from this guy

who rips off drug dealers.

He goes to solitary for years.

And I remember thinking,

oh,

that's cool.

What a testimony.

That'll really talk to people.

And I remember making

a comment to him one time.

I wish I had something like that.

He's like,

brother,

your testimony is amazing.

He's like,

I wish I had your testimony.

He's like,

I wish I didn't have to

have the temptations

of the things that I do.

And he's like,

you'll never know that.

And I got to thinking about that.

And I was like,

wow,

that's true.

And I started taking

a little more pride

in my testimony,

even though I thought

it was vanilla.

And then you read

through scripture.

I think about the blind man.

What was his testimony?

He said,

I don't know.

I was blind,

but now I see.

What a great testimony.

He's like,

I don't know what happened.

I just know this man,

Jesus,

he healed me.

That's all I know.

And you know what?

That's all you need to know.

You share your testimony.

If you're out there

trying to witness to people,

that's all you need.

I'm telling you,

I'm living proof

in the moment.

God just gives you words

and you're like,

oh,

this is great stuff.

This is good.

I got to remember this

because God gives it to you.

If you're out there trying,

you're doing his will,

he will equip you.

That's one of the greatest things.

God does not call

equipped people.

He equips the called.

So you don't have to be,

you know,

any person

that has a whole library

of books.

You don't have to have

a college degree

behind your name.

Just be usable

and willing

and God will do the rest.

It's awesome.

All right,

let's get back to my notes.

His motive was right.

2 Corinthians 5,

2 Corinthians 5:14

verse 14 and 15.

But their minds

were blinded

for until this,

oh,

I'm sorry,

that's chapter 3.

What's getting right?

Here we go.

2 Corinthians 5,

2 Corinthians 5:14

verses 14 and 15.

For the love of Christ

constraineth us

because we thus judge

that if one died for all,

then we're all dead

and that he died for all

that they which live

should not henceforth

live unto themselves

but unto him

which died for them

and rose again.

Drop down to verse 20.

It says,

Now then,

we are ambassadors for Christ

as though God

did beseech you by us.

We pray you in Christ's stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

Not only was his motive right,

his mission was clear.

Let's turn to Acts 1,

Acts 1:8

verse 8.

Many of us know this.

Acts 1, verse 8.

Acts 1:8

But ye shall receive power.

After that,

the Holy Ghost

has come upon you

and ye shall be witnesses

unto me both in Jerusalem

and in all Judea

and in Samaria

and unto the uttermost

part of the earth.

Just if there was

somebody here wondering,

once you're saved,

the Holy Spirit comes in,

there's no room

for anything else.

So,

saved people cannot be

devil-possessed.

If that question

was floating around,

they can't be.

His mission was clear.

Thirdly,

his message was life-changing.

2 Corinthians 5,

2 Corinthians 5:17

verse 17.

I'll read this real quick.

Therefore,

if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold,

all things are become new.

I think for this man,

this verse probably

would have been

even more personal

because he was a creature.

Here he is running around

without clothes,

filthy and dirty,

cutting himself.

That'd be terrifying.

Any of us would be concerned.

We would,

whoa,

what's going on?

And the Bible says

that God can take all of that

and create you into something new

and something beautiful.

That was his mission

from the Lord

and now we see his commitment

to the Lord.

First off,

we see his obedience.

Turn with me to Luke chapter 14.

Luke 14 · chapter mention

Start in verse 16.

It says,

Then said he unto him,

A certain man made a great supper

and bade many

and sent his servant

at suppertime

to say to them

that were bidden,

Come,

for all things are now ready.

And they all with one consent

began to make excuse.

The first said unto him,

I have bought a piece of ground

and I must needs go and see it.

I pray thee,

have me excused.

And another said,

I have bought five yoke of oxen

and I go to prove them.

I pray thee,

have me excused.

And another said,

I have married a wife

and therefore I cannot come.

So that servant came

and showed his Lord these things.

Then the master of the house,

being angry,

said to the servant,

Go out quickly into the streets

and lanes of the city

and bring in hither the poor

and the maimed

and the halt and the blind.

And the servant said,

Lord,

it is done as thou hast commanded

and yet there is room.

And the Lord said unto the servant,

Go out into the highways

and hedges

and compel them to come in

and or that my house

may be filled.

For I say unto you

that none of those men

which were bidden

shall taste of my supper.

And there went great multitudes with him

and he turned and said unto them,

If any man come to me

and hate not his father

and his mother

and his wife

and his children

and his brethren

and his sisters,

yea,

in this life also

he cannot be my disciple.

So I think about that.

This man had a very clear message.

We see he was obedient.

He went and told

all these people they came.

We as Christ's disciples,

we're also given this

to go out to the highways and hedges.

So many times we look at people

and we're like,

ugh,

you know,

they're not wearing the right clothes

and they don't talk the right way.

Those are exactly who Jesus wants

to be at church with us.

We see his obedience.

We see the opportunity.

Turn with me quickly

to Acts chapter 5,

Acts 5:28

verse 28,

saying,

Did not we straightly command you

that ye should not teach in his name?

And behold,

ye have filled Jerusalem

with your doctrine

and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Then Peter and the other disciples

answered and said,

We ought to obey God

rather than men.

The God of our fathers

raised up Jesus,

whom ye slew

and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted

with his right hand

to be a prince and a savior

for to give repentance to Israel

and forgiveness of sins.

And when we are his witnesses

of these,

I'm sorry,

I'm going to start

in verse 32 again.

And we are his witnesses

of these things

and so is also

the Holy Ghost

whom God hath given to them

that obey him.

We also have the opportunity,

when you read that verse

in the Bible

and it says

that the fields are white

unto harvest,

in Scripture,

in that time,

the white means

it's ready.

It's ready to be picked.

It's ready to be,

you know,

reaped.

A lot of times,

it's so easy

to get discouraged

when you watch the news

and you see the craziness

and to think,

oh, no one's heart is open.

That's not true.

God said their heart

is open.

It's white.

It's ready to harvest.

The only thing God needs

is willing people

to go out and pick.

So,

that's my message

and I'd ask

that you'd bow your heads,

close your eyes

as we have the song leader

come forward.

If God is working

in your heart today,

maybe you can say,

you know,

I don't know

Jesus Christ

as my Savior,

but I'd like to.

I pray that you would

come forward

this morning

and ask about that,

get that taken care of.

You may be saved already.

You may be born again.

Maybe

the Lord has spoke to you

through this sermon

and I just pray

that you would deal

with the Lord

as He's calling to you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I just thank you, God,

for the stay you've given us.

Lord,

I just ask that you would

speak to our hearts

as the music

is about to begin.

Lord,

I just ask that we would

be found faithful

servants of you.

Lord,

I pray that we would

not let any excuses

into our hearts.

Lord,

I just ask that we would

want to serve you

and share others

what you've done

in our lives.

I thank you

and I love you

in Jesus' name.

Amen.