Luke 8:22-39 - Control Issues

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

Thank you all. Can you pray with me?

Father, that's the desire of our hearts, the prayer of our hearts this morning,

that you would make us more like Jesus.

Our beautiful, glorious Savior, that as we learn of Him, as we sit with Him,

that you would make us more like Him, that we would love the way He loves.

We would trust you the way He trusts you.

We would be kind and gracious and merciful and full of grace and truth.

Father, would you make us that way, even as we come to your word this morning.

Holy Spirit, would you do that work in our hearts.

For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Turn with me this morning to Luke chapter 8.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

Luke 8 is on page 864 of the Bible in the pew in front of you.

We've been gone from Luke for a few weeks now,

so let me reorient us briefly as we jump back in.

Luke here is in the midst of giving us his well-researched,

well-researched, historical account of the life and times of Jesus.

He's been telling us all about the one who has come,

whose coming means good news of great joy for all people.

Because Jesus brings a kingdom,

a kingdom that upends the world's value system,

turns it on its head.

A kingdom and a community that pulls outsiders into the midst of what he's doing.

Most recently, Jesus has been teaching about that kingdom.

He's been talking about what it means to follow him,

to be a part of his community.

Through the parable of the sower,

reminding us, instructing us to hear his words and do them.

In the rest of chapter 8 that we're going to pick up in the middle of this morning,

we're going to see four miracles,

four stories where Jesus puts his amazing power on display.

We're going to look at the first two this morning,

the next two next time.

But these are stories that Luke tells to reveal more of who Jesus is

and to teach us more of what it means to follow him.

Two really remarkable stories,

one of which we've already talked about with the kids.

As I read, try to put yourself in the shoes of the disciples

who are walking with Jesus in these stories.

Notice first what it is that Jesus does

and then how people respond to his incredible deeds.

Luke 8, we'll start reading at verse 22.

One day he got into a boat with his disciples and he said to them,

let us go across to the other side of the lake.

So they set out and as they sailed, he fell asleep.

And a windstorm came down on the lake and they were filling with water and were in danger.

And they went and woke him saying,

Master, Master, we are perishing.

And he woke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves.

And they ceased and there was a calm.

He said to them, where is your faith?

And they were afraid.

And they marveled, saying to one another,

Who then is this that he commands even winds and water?

And they obey him.

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.

When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons.

For a long time he had worn no clothes and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice,

What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

I beg you, do not torment me.

For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.

For many a time it had seized him.

He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles,

but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.

Jesus then asked him,

What is your name?

And he said,

Legion.

For many demons had entered him.

And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,

and they begged him to let them enter these.

So he gave them permission.

Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs,

and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

When the herdsmen saw what had happened,

they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

Then people went out to see what had happened,

and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone,

sitting at the feet of Jesus,

clothed and in his right mind,

and they were afraid.

And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes

asked him to depart from them,

for they were seized with great fear.

So he got into the boat and returned.

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him,

but Jesus sent him away saying,

return to your home and declare how much God has done for you.

And he went away,

proclaiming throughout the whole city

how much Jesus had done for him.

Thus far God's holy,

inerrant,

inspired word

that we might know him more.

Amen.

I've known for a while

that I probably have some control issues.

This week I confirmed it scientifically

through one of those internet

psychological analysis tests

that are very scientific and professionally done.

I took one of those

and scored it

and found out that I scored

just at the top of the

you might have some control issues range

and just below

you are definitely a control freak.

Stayed out of that range narrowly.

That was a great relief to me.

But I do have some concerning tendencies.

I can be a backseat driver.

To be honest,

since I'm usually the one behind the wheel of my car,

a rear view window driver,

a windshield driver,

telling people in other cars who can't hear me

how they should be driving.

Every week I look over the bulletin

right before we print it,

even though I've already planned the service,

just to make sure there are no missing

or misplaced commas

because that bothers me.

But,

go on vacation with me

and this goes to new levels.

I go into hyper control mode.

I analyze weather forecasts.

I analyze discount days

at tourist attractions.

Kids eat free nights

at restaurants in the city

that we will be visiting.

All of these things

I take into account

to construct the perfect trip,

not just which days

we're going to do

which activities,

but what time

we'll need to be there,

what bus we're going to need to catch

at which time

and at which location

to save the most walking

and strollering

that we can.

All in an effort

to have it under control.

It can be a bit overwhelming

at times

to guests

on my well-planned

military marches,

I mean,

relaxing vacations

that my family enjoys with me.

It's pretty bad,

but the comfort is

at least I'm not a control freak,

right?

Officially,

not.

I just have some control issues.

If you're like me

and you have some control issues,

I'll tell you

from what I've wrestled with

this week

that this sermon

could be particularly painful

or it could be

in some ways

particularly helpful.

Perhaps both.

But even if you wouldn't

think of yourself

as controlling,

we all have control issues

in some ways.

We all like to be in control

in some areas,

don't we?

There are parts of our lives

that we really want to go

the way we really want them to go.

And we'll do whatever it takes,

won't we?

We'll plan,

we'll work,

we'll manipulate others,

whatever we need to do

to get what we want

and feel in control there

in those areas.

And it can be very difficult

to run into our limitations

and feel life is spinning

out of control,

can't it?

How do we respond

when that happens,

when we feel that way,

when we realize

what we're faced with?

The question of who is in control,

of who has power

and authority

in a particular situation,

is at the heart

of both of these stories

this morning.

The first thing

that we must see

as we come to this

is who Jesus truly is.

That's what's at issue

in these stories.

It's the question

the disciples ask

in the boat

after the storm calms down,

right?

Verse 25,

what do they say?

Who then is this?

Who is it?

What's his identity?

And we're gonna see

some really important answers

to this question

in this text

as Jesus demonstrates

for us his power

to control things

that we can't.

It's really quite remarkable.

The first story

we talked about

with the kids already

so I won't belabor it,

but remember

some of these disciples

were fishermen.

These were things

that of all the things

in the world

they felt like

they might could control.

A boat on a lake

was one of them.

On this particular

sea of Galilee

they'd been there.

They'd controlled fish

and boats

and they'd been

through storms.

But try as they might

on this particular day

they're in over their heads,

aren't they?

They're certain

that they're going to die

and so in verse 24

they come

and wake Jesus up

saying,

Master, Master,

we are perishing.

and he awoke

and rebuked

the wind

and the raging waves

and they ceased

and there was a calm.

That's a pretty quick verse,

isn't it?

A lot happens there

real fast.

Jesus wakes up,

rebukes the waves

and there's calm.

Jesus speaks

with the only voice

to which creation

must respond.

the voice

of the Creator.

Just moments

before this

we see Jesus'

full humanity

on display

as he sleeps

after an exhausting day.

and now we see

Jesus'

full divinity

at the same time

demonstrated.

In the Old Testament

God himself

is the one

who commands the seas.

It's not unclear.

Yahweh

is in control

of the seas

and he in fact

rebukes them.

He rebukes

the sea.

Psalm 106 says

for instance

when the Israelites

are leaving Egypt

and walking through

the Red Sea

on dry ground

how'd that happen?

Because God rebuked

the sea

the waters moved back

and his people

walked through

on dry ground

so does Jesus

rebuke

the sea

and exercise

divine control

over creation.

So the sea calms

and Jesus

and his disciples

continue

on their voyage

to the other side

of the sea

on calm waters.

And here

as they get

to the other side

I thought you were

looking at a mountain

yeah that's

a nice screensaver.

That's not

an object lesson

it's just a screensaver

for a moment.

But as they go over

there might have been

some mountains

there is a cliff

that the pigs

are going to rush off

of in a minute.

But what happens

is Jesus is demonstrating

his divine control

over spiritual evil.

Not just natural world

and creation

but over spiritual evil

as well.

these demons

had controlled

this man

for a long time

verse 27 says.

But today

they've met their match

and they know it.

There are many

of them.

A legion

would have been

thousands

perhaps

the name

merely indicates

many

but they recognize

these demons

do

the son

of the most high

God.

They know who he is

immediately.

It's interesting

isn't it

that the

clearest statement

of Jesus' identity

the clearest answer

to the question

who then is this

that the disciples

ask in the first story

in the rest of this

who gives the clearest answer?

Demons

in a man

who's never met

Jesus before.

Jesus

son of the most high

God.

Then look what

the demons do

verse 31

they begged him

not to command

them to depart

into the abyss

and a large herd

of pigs

was feeding there

on the hillside

and they begged him

to let them

enter these

so he gave them

permission.

The demons

came out of the man

entered the pigs

the herd rushed

down the steep bank

into the lake

and were drowned.

One of him

thousands

of them

and it's

not even a fair fight

is it?

They begged

they begged

and he gave

permission

and so it happened.

The power

of Jesus

how great

is his power

on display

as the large

herd of pigs

goes hurtling

over the cliff

just because

he gave his

permission.

Then the story

shifts back

to the man

left behind

free from

this demonic

possession

now talk about

something people

couldn't control

the people of his

town had been

working hard

on controlling

this guy

they'd set a guard

on him

they'd put him

in chains

and shackles

time and again

and every time

what happened?

He broke out

and he goes rushing

off into the desert

again

he can't be

controlled

over and over

and over

now

look at him

what happens

after he encounters

Jesus

people went out

to see what

happened

they came

to Jesus

and found

the man

from whom

the demons

had gone

sitting

at the feet

of Jesus

clothed

and in his

right mind

they were afraid

and those who'd

seen it

told them

how the demon

possessed man

had been healed

healed

referring to this

holistic

healing

all of him

he's been

rescued

everything

is different

this man

this man

who was

naked

is now

clothed

this man

who ravages

through the

tombs

and lives

there

is now

sitting

at the feet

of Jesus

he's been

outside of his

mind

not thinking

straight

and now

he's

sitting

calmly

in his

right mind

Jesus

has

divine

control

over

tormented

people

it's

personal

and individual

God

alone

is able

to save

and to

restore

them

these

tormented

people

to the

people

he created

them to be

that the

world

and the

devil

and their

own

sin

has

so

shattered

in them

the man

himself

knows

this

see how

he points

this out

it's a

third

clear

identification

in this

one

passage

of Jesus

as equal

with God

it's in

verse 38

the man

begs that

he might

be with

Jesus

but Jesus

sent him

away

saying

return to

your home

and declare

how much

God has

done for

you

and he

went away

proclaiming

throughout

the whole

city

how much

Jesus

had done

for him

it's

interchangeable

isn't it

the man

recognizes

proclaiming

how much

Jesus

had done

for him

is the

same

thing

as

proclaiming

how much

God

had done

for him

the saving

rescuing

work of

Jesus

and the

saving

rescuing

work of

God

are one

in the

same

that's

who

Jesus

is

this

reminds us

of another

important

aspect

of Jesus

identity

to which

all of

these

power

and control

things

point

he's

powerful

divinely

powerful

yes

but he

uses

his

power

to

protect

and

rescue

his

people

we

see

Jesus

power

but

many

of us

are

pretty

skeptical

about

power

aren't

we

how's

it

going

to

be

used

can

I

really

trust

the

person

who's

got

this

power

I'm

not

sure

what I

think

about

that

it's

vital

we see

who

Jesus

is

that's

that's

who

he

is

here

in

this

passage

God

himself

come

to

save

right

he protects

disciples

from

certain

death

defends

a

possessed

man

against

spiritual

evil

rescues

a tormented

man

from

humiliating

and

isolating

beastliness

changes

everything

for him

so a

major

message

in this

passage

is that

if Jesus

is the

divine

deliverer

in these

situations

and from

these

powerful

enemies

if he

loves to

rescue

like this

how much

more so

can he

and will

he

rescue

you

how much

more so

is he

powerful

to defeat

the enemies

in your

life

to rescue

you

from what

you

fear

let me

just stop

and say

this is

meant to be

a great

comfort

to

controlling

anxious

hearts

that one

word from

Jesus

redirects

a deadly

tornado

or every

aspect of

the natural

world

God's

own

creation

the

spiritual

evil

that

appalls

and

frightens

you

both

the

one

inside

you

and

the

one

outside

you

in the

world

around

you

they

all

quake

before

the

son

of

the

most

high

God

and

his

power

Jesus

loves

to heal

and

transform

broken

tormented

people

like you

and me

if you're

stuck

in a

double

life

full of

deception

and you

don't

know how

to get

free

from it

you feel

there's

no way

out

maybe

you're

haunted

by pain

and scars

from the

past

you just

feel so

broken

and stuck

no one

can help

you

Jesus

can

you're

not beyond

the reach

of his

great

power

and he's

demonstrating

it for

you again

this morning

come see

me

let's

pray

together

let's

go to

him

together

he loves

to

rescue

you

he will

use his

divine

power

to protect

and defend

you

even in

ways you

don't know

you need

that's who

he is

you know what

probably reveals

my control

issues more

than anything

else

when I

see them

and they

come out

most clearly

it's my

responses to

things that

I thought I

had control

of that

I lose

control

of

it's my

anger

at the

weatherman

who missed

the storm

coming in

on one of

my vacation

days I had

planned

it's my

frustration

with my

child

whose heart

stubbornly

resisted

my incredibly

brilliant

parenting

idea

I said

earlier we

all like to

be in

control in

some areas

that's

true

it's equally

true that we

all run into

areas where we

have to admit

we're not

in control

don't we

it may be

the weather

or the

hearts of

your children

it may be a

medical crisis

that produces

deep anxiety

it may be

the evil

in the world

that terrifies

you for

yourself

and your

family

it may be

finances

and the

whims of

the stock

market

that worry

you constantly

in all of

these situations

and many

others

we are not

in control

are we

we've already

been reminded

that Jesus

is in

control

in all

of them

but this

passage

particularly

raises the

issue of

how we

respond to

that

not just

do we

know that

like thanks

for the

helpful

information

Jesus is

powerful

and he's

in control

I knew you

believed that

Will

how do I

respond to

that

how does

that impact

me

how do we

respond to

him being

in control

and not

us

this passage

asks more

than just are

you impressed

by his

power

but do you

know who

he is

and long

to be

with him

see the

miraculous

power of

God

when it's

on display

has one

consistent

response

throughout

the Bible

and it's

fear

fear

an appropriate

thing you might

say when the

power of God

is on display

it happens in

both of these

stories here

look at verse

25

oh you can

even look up

here at verse

25 now

he said to

them where is

your faith

and they were

what

afraid

Jesus has just

calmed the

waters and

they are

afraid

and then

verse 35

the people

went out to

sea and

they find

this man

sitting in

front of

Jesus and

everything is

okay with

him now

but they

were what

afraid

that fear

is natural

isn't it

you've

felt it

being

overwhelmed

overwhelmed

at the

power

of God

on display

seeing

myself

as

unworthy

and undone

before the

might of

the almighty

one

we've all

felt that

fear

when we

realize our

utter lack

of control

of the

medical

diagnosis

of the

negative

influences

on my

kids

of

whatever it

is

and I

realize I

don't

control

that

I've

felt that

fear

it's

deep

and it's

difficult

and it

doesn't

really help

to just

say

stop being

afraid

quit

fearing

stop

feeling

that way

now it's

a natural

fear

at recognizing

this is out

of my

control

but the

question is

how will

I respond

to that

fear

that fear

can drive

me to

Jesus

or away

from him

and the

difference

between those

two paths

is actually

pretty scary

here

many of you

are like

me

and when

you're out

of control

you tend

to turn

to self

to ratchet

down

to work

harder

plan better

manipulate

the system

whatever you

need to do

manipulate

people

anything

in order

to regain

control

that's

your

tendency

we only

trust

ourselves

so anyone

else being

in control

is scary

and so we

turn inward

and in doing

so push

Jesus

away

look how for

the townspeople

their fear

pushes

Jesus

away

they come

out to see

what had

happened

they came

to Jesus

found the

man from

whom the

demons

had gone

sitting at

his feet

clothed in

his right

mind

and they

were afraid

and they

were told

how it

happened

how he'd

been healed

that Jesus

had done

this to

him

and all

the people

of the

surrounding

country

having heard

these things

having heard

the description

of how this

man was

healed

what do

they decide

leave

Jesus

please

get away

and leave

us alone

why

for they

were seized

with great

fear

they don't

deny the

power of

Jesus

they know

it

but they

beg him

to leave

them alone

anyway

why

they see

his power

but they

remain

fearful

fearful

perhaps that

he will

disrupt

their lives

he just

sent a

huge herd

of pigs

over the

cliff

that was

somebody's

livelihood

someone's

business

that you

just

destroyed

who cares

what good

you did

Jesus

look at

the damage

you cause

around here

Jesus

you're too

unpredictable

fair enough

to make

another

Narnia

VBS

plug

Mr.

Beaver

would say

he's not

a tame

lion

you can't

control

Jesus

and that

can be

scary

it's

very sobering

when you

think about

what these

people are

saying

to Jesus

we'd

rather be

in control

than risk

your power

disrupting

our lives

any further

leave us

alone

we would

rather be

in control

than risk

your power

disrupting

our lives

any further

so leave

us

alone

and Jesus

leaves

perhaps

they realized

as their

economic

livelihood

rushed over

the cliff

that trusting

or depending

on Jesus

would cost

them

something

you might

send Jesus

away

because it's

too costly

too painful

to deal

with the

sin

and the

scars

so stay

away

you might

send Jesus

away

because it's

too costly

to see your

business

suffer at

the hands

of others

who act

unfairly

you might

send Jesus

away because

it's too

costly

and painful

to see your

kids get hurt

while you

pray

and wait

for him

to show up

and so

instead of

being in that

posture

we grasp

to get

control back

do whatever

we can

because we

don't want

it hurts

to wait

and trust

see Jesus

does deliver

here in both

these stories

doesn't he

but the

disciples were

fearful for

their lives

for a while

before Jesus

woke up

there were

many many

days where

this demon

possessed

man cut

himself with

stones and

raged against

everyone around

him before

Jesus healed

him

and in those

moments of

waiting

in our

fear

we often

choose to

stick with

ourselves

and our

own desperate

efforts at

control

don't we

instead of

running

to Jesus

I love that

question Sally

Lloyd-Jones

puts in

Jesus mouth

we read with

the kids

did you

believe your

fears

instead of

me

the fears

are there

they're natural

did you

believe your

fears

instead of

me

Jesus says

that's a

decision we

face in

each and

every

situation

we're in

it's not a

one time

thing

he says to

the disciples

again here a

question he's

asked before

where is your

faith

he knows they

have faith

where is it

here

where are you

placing it

right now

in this moment

in this crisis

where are you

placing your

faith it's in

your fears

again isn't

it

you're believing

your fears

again instead

of me

remember you

know who I

am

you've seen

it

you can

trust me

but he

asked him

again where

is your

faith

here

remember who

I am

all powerful

God

bring your

faith back

and place

it in

me

what's the

situation in

your life

today

where God

is asking

you

where is

your

faith

okay so

you believe

he's the

all powerful

son of

God

that Jesus

is the

one who's

in control

how is that

impacting your

response to

this failure

to this

diagnosis

to this

crisis

to this

child

how's it

showing up

here

God is

calling us

to run

to Jesus

listen there

are legitimate

dangers

and evils

that are

acknowledged

in this

passage

they're

legitimate

in this

world

and there's

an entirely

good

all powerful

trustworthy

deliverer

for you

who ultimately

gives his

own life

to rescue

us

he's so

committed

to that

he gives

himself up

for it

so God's

calling us

to take

our fear

and to run

to Jesus

I love the

picture of this

and the man

who's now

defined as the

one from whom

the demons

had gone

he's sitting

at Jesus

feet

and what does

he ask

what does

he ask

of Jesus

he begs

that he

might be

with him

they might

stay with

Jesus

Jesus is

leaving

they've asked

him to

leave

he begs

to be

with them

and you

might say

well of course

right

he's not

desperate to be

in control

anymore

he just

wants to

be with

Jesus

but ask

yourself

how's that

going to go

where does

Jesus go

if he's

going to be

with him

according to

this passage

he goes

into dangerous

storms

into hostile

territory

where you

encounter

demons

and terrifying

people

fearful

places

Jesus

goes

but the

man from

whom the

demons

have gone

trusts no

one

not even

himself

the way

he trusts

the one

who has

rescued

him

have you

seen

Jesus

not merely

as an

impressively

powerful

person

but truly

as one

you can

trust

the divine

deliverer

who is

for

you

who

rescues

you

and protects

you

when you

know who

he truly

is

you just

want to

be with

him

don't you

you want

to be

where he

is

whatever

it is

if he's

there

with you

it'll be

okay

that's what

he's made

us for

to be

with him

he's created

us to be

people who

run to

him with

our anxiety

and cast

it on him

because he

cares for

us

and isn't

it so sweet

when we

finally do

cast our

anxieties

on him

and know

his care

he's created

us to be

parents who

who plead

on our

knees

with him

for our

children

that we

love

because he

loves them

too

and isn't

that a great

comfort

that he

does

he's created

us to be

people whose

fear leads

to faith

who relinquish

control fearfully

but joyfully

because we

found the

one who

truly is

in control

is safe

to trust

that's what

he's created

us for

that we

would be

those who

have fears

we're weak

fear will

come

he's created

us to have

fear that

leads us

to faith

in him

one last

thing in this

passage because

many of us

are really

not sure

it's safe

to trust

him

we don't

deserve for

him to be

safe do we

after what

we've done

what we've

said about

him

what we've

thought about

him

I've

rejected him

too many

times I

couldn't

possibly

ask again

most commentators

see Jesus

leaving

when the

townspeople

ask him

to leave

them as

a warning

a warning

that if you

reject Jesus

he may walk

away and

leave you

on your

own and

it certainly

is true

that sometimes

God leaves

us to

ourselves

until we

come to

the end

of ourselves

and our

control

we're willing

to trust

him

but I think

actually Jesus

is up to

something a

little different

here

something more

gracious

something more

persistent

in what he

set out to

do

this is part

of the good

news of great

joy for all

people that Luke

is telling us

about

Jesus has

already taken

the initiative

to go across

the lake to a

Gentile region

in case the pigs

didn't tip you off