Restoring GloriOus Ruins
Introduction: As we traveled on vacations as kids, my mom would pay my brother and sister and me a nickel for every antique store we saw. We would stop at many of these antique stores as we traveled throughout Missouri or the Northeast.
At one of those antique stores, my dad bought an old rocking chair. You couldn’t tell it was a rocking chair because it was in a box and in pieces. When I looked in the box all I saw was kindling. What may have once been a beautiful piece of furniture was now worthless in my eyes. My dad is a visionary and a pretty good craftsman. He saw in that box what no one else was able to see. When my dad looked in the box, he saw a beautiful rocking chair.
Out of the ruins in that box, he began to reassemble the broken pieces. Over time, the pieces took the shape of a rocking chair. After he had reassembled the chair, you could see that some of the spindles were missing. Important pieces were lost forever. But he made new ones, so you can’t tell now what is original and what is new. He worked the finish to strip away years of dirt, misuse, and neglect. Soon the luster was back in the old chair. After a year or so of a little work here and a little there, the box of kindling was restored to a beautiful piece of furniture.
We appreciate the work of skilled craftsmen who can take a broken old house and restore its original grandeur. The kind who can take an old Mustang and patiently re-work the engine, the body and the undercarriage. Or, the person who finds a worn Amish quilt and carefully reattaches each torn piece.
Turn in your Bibles to Luke, chapter 8, verse 26. Our passage this morning is one of four events Luke ties together that reveal an important part of Jesus’ identity. The first event was with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee and shows Jesus’ power over the natural world. The third and fourth events involved the bleeding woman and Jairus’ daughter. These events show Jesus’ power over sickness and death.
The event we skipped begins in verse 26 of chapter 8. Here we will see Jesus’ power over the spiritual world, and in the process we will also see the heart and hand of a craftsman. Not a craftsman who works with things, but a craftsman who works with people, people ruined by sin and Satan but restored to new life through an encounter with Him.
26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:26-39)
This can be a troubling passage for modern western minds, so let me make a few comments before we look at it in depth. First, it is argued that Jesus was accommodating Himself to his culture when he spoke of or encountered demons. It is important to know that Luke and the other gospel writers see a sharp distinction between Jesus’ ministry of healing sickness and His ministry of exorcizing demons from people.
Second, some wonder why we today do not see the same types of demonic activity that we see in the gospels. My response is that we would expect a greater degree of demonic activity when Jesus is present on earth as a counter attack to the work of God on earth. Imagine you are the coach of the NBA Knicks and you are going to play the Chicago Bulls. You need a strategy to guard and neutralize Michael Jordan. The situation is similar in Palestine when Jesus shows up. Only Satan is not limited to five players on the court at one time. He can mount a full court press with the whole bench if he wants.
Some people dismiss demonic influence in the gospels as an unnecessary leftover from a pre-enlightenment and pre-scientific world. There are cases in less developed cultures which seem explainable only on the basis of demonic influence. Voodoo and its effect on the people of Haiti would be an example. But demonic activity is not something to relegate only to less developed cultures. In 1989 while preparing for a teaching series on alternatives to Christianity, I watched a video from a New Age bookstore in Webster Groves. On this video, Ramtha, a 35,000 year old ascended master from the lost continent of Atlantis spoke through a woman from Washington state named J. Z. Knight. His voice was different from that of Miss Knight who spoke in her own voice prior to becoming the channel for Ramtha. I believe that Ramtha is an example of demonic possession similar to what we see in the gospels. Only Satan has gotten smarter than he was in the gospels because he weaseled five bucks out of me to research him.
Jesus encounters a demon possessed man. (26,27,29)
In my opinion “demon possession” is not the best term we could use, but since the NIV and NASB use the term, I will, too. I prefer the term “demonic influence” because it better communicates the idea that there are degrees of influence on the part of demons. And in our passage the man whom Jesus encounters is extremely influenced. Four characteristics mark this man. As we look at them, we can think of them as the fingerprints of the demonic world.
The man has lost personal dignity. One of the extreme behaviors that Luke points out is that he has forsaken clothes and lives in nakedness. Not just one time like some 70’s streaker, but he has lived this way for a long time.
The man associates himself with death. He has a house but he doesn’t live there anymore. Instead he is living in the tombs. In biblical times, people were often buried in the natural caves or tombs that are part of the mountainous landscape of Palestine. Day after day, he is living among the dead.
The man is violent and self-destructive. This man scared people because his behavior was erratic and violent. He was so violent and dangerous to himself and possibly to others, that the people of the town tried to control him by chaining his hands and feet and keeping him under guard. They tried this many times but it never worked. Look at verse 29, “For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.” When chained he goes ballistic and with a rush of adrenalin, he breaks the chains and the demon drives him away from people into the wilderness.
The man is also self-destructive. In Mark’s account of this event, he tells us that, “night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” (Mark 5:5) One of the fingerprints of demonic influence is self-destructive behavior. When the demons leave the man and enter the pigs, they drive the pigs to self-destruction. The outcome we see in the lives of the pigs was the intended outcome for the man. In all the cases of demonic possession in the gospels, the person involved is being destroyed whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. Why are demons so set on destroying people? Great question. Hang on to it because it will become obvious in a little bit.
The man is alienated and isolated from people. The demons drove him away from his town—away from community with other people, away from his family and away from loving people. He is alone and separated not only from God but from people, too.
This man demonstrates these characteristics in an extreme way. I find discerning demonic influence to be a very difficult endeavor. It is hard to distinguish what is personal sin, what is physical chemistry, and what is emotional confusion. We can experience similar kinds of characteristics but to a lesser degree. If you find yourself isolated or self-destructive or fascinated by death, you may have bought a lie about yourself or the world that the Father of Lies (John 8:44) has promoted in our day.
Now keep in mind that Jesus and the disciples were on the boat in the sea of Galilee before this time. As Jesus steps out of the boat, this demon possessed man runs up to him. At that moment, two spiritual worlds collide. A power encounter erupts on an earthly battleground. As swords are drawn, …
Jesus demonstrates authority over the demonic world. (28-33).
Do you want to see a good contrast? What were the disciples asking after Jesus calmed the sea? Look back at verse 25, “‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.'” While the disciples are scratching their heads, …
The demons recognize Jesus’ identity. One of the marks of Jesus’ encounters with demons is that they know who He is. Look at verse 28, “When [the man] saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!’”
This is what happened in another power encounter back in the synagogue in Capernaum. The man with the evil spirit stands up and says, “Ha … I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” (Luke 4:34). The demons know who Jesus is and they cause the people they possess to proclaim it with a loud voice, so that everyone can hear.
Satan and his demons have caught on that this is not a smart thing to do. I can imagine them around a conference table talking and saying, “Why are we telling people who this guy is? Are we stupid or what! I got a better idea. Let ’s start promoting the idea that this guy is just a prophet. Or a good moral teacher. I got a good one, how about this idea: Jesus has a Christ-conscienceness.”
They not only recognize who Jesus is, but …
The demons recognize Jesus’ superior authority. When the demons asks the question, “What do you want with me?,” the question is not simply for information. It has an angry edge to it. It is as if the demons are saying, “what are you doing here? This is my turf!”
Normally, the demons submit to and take their orders from Satan. When Jesus is present, they know that they must bow down to the superior authority that Jesus has. First, they beg Jesus not to torture them. When Jesus asks their name, they don’t hem-haw around. They respond immediately with their name—Legion.
A legion in the Roman army was 6000 men. Whatever number a demonic legion has, we do not know. Luke comments that this was their name because many demons had entered this man. (8:30) The internal struggles of this man must have been fierce. Many demons torment him. But numbers do not imply superiority, because Luke says in verse 31 “they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.”
In the future, the freedom that Satan and his demons have on this earth will end. We see this in Revelation, chapter 20. When they see Jesus, these demons are afraid that the future time is now. They think the gig is up. They begin pleading to the one who has authority.
Jesus commands the demons to leave the man. We see this in verse 29. And His authority is demonstrated one last time when …
Jesus permits the demons to enter the pigs. The demons speaking through this man beg Jesus to let them enter a herd of pigs that are feeding on the hillside nearby. Jesus lets them do what they request. The fact that they must seek Jesus’ permission shows that they could not do what they wanted without first getting His approval.
If you are in Christ, you do not need to fear the demonic world. 1 John 4:4 says that ” the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” We have authority on our side. This is what makes being a part of the church such a hoot. As we press against the gates of hell with the keys to the kingdom, we have the authority to do it. Kazan, North St. Louis, Far West County—Jesus wants to reclaim the world and He has given us the authority to do battle. Jesus is our general.
Now two weeks ago, Mike promised you that I would answer the question about what a group of Jewish farmers were doing with a herd of pigs. He thought he had me stumped! The text does not hint in any way that these pig farmers were wayward Jews who somehow didn’t get the memo telling them that raising pigs is not kosher. Jesus and the disciples had sailed across the lake from Capernaum, a city along the Northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, an area on the Southeast side of the lake.
This put Jesus in a Gentile region on the other side of the Jordan River. Since the Jordan River was the main line crossed by Joshua to enter the promised land, Jesus is now in an area where there will be a higher concentration of non-Jewish people. These people have no dietary restrictions. They would have no problem raising hogs. (Plus Jesus may have been anticipating Easter Sunday when there would be an immediate need for Easter hams.)
Seriously though, two legitimate questions arise from this action. One is whether Jesus’ treatment of these animals is in some way unethical. Another question is why Jesus has an apparent lack of concern for the economic and material well-being of the herdsmen. These questions are good, they are questions of value. What does Jesus value?
Jesus reveals His values in His ministry to the man. (33-35 )
By permitting the demons to enter the pigs, Jesus is not saying that He does not value animals or the economic well being of the farmers. He is saying that …
People are more important than animals or economics. (33) Scripture makes an extraordinary claim about people that runs counter to the spirit of our age. The Scriptures teach that people are made in God’s image. People did not originate through a chance process of evolution, but through a conscious and purposeful act of God. In that purposeful act, God made people different than animals or anything else in the universe. The difference is that people are made in His image and His likeness, bearing the marks of His moral character and the ability to have relationship with Him. This distinction raises the value of a human being so much so that one author has written that, “This value of a person does not come from his goodness or creativity, his contribution to the state or the economy, the size of his bank account or even the number of press clippings. His value is because he carries in his whole being the image of God.”[i]
This man is worthless to society. He does not add anything to the economy. He is a troublesome man. He produces only fear and hardship for the people in the area. But Jesus views him totally differently. Jesus has a biblical world view. He sees in this man the image of God ruined by sin and ruined by the demons. When people look in this box, they see kindling and they call him the Demoniac. When Jesus looks in the box, he sees a Glorious Ruin.[ii] Though the pieces are broken and years of sin show predominately, Jesus still sees the image of God and He ministers to the man.
Satan wants to destroy people because they bear the image of God. Even the most extremely sinful people show those characteristics. Our culture has bought into the lie almost completely. In our culture the dying grandmother is a burden and an economic liability. The unborn child is a choice. The boy with physical or mental disabilities is to be pitied. Jesus thinks differently about each one. They are valuable because they each bear the image. Period. You are valuable, too. This is biblical humanism.
How do you think about or treat people? How you treat people reveals your fundamental beliefs about them and ultimately about yourself. The humanists stole their ideas from God and then perverted them.
Let’s restore a biblical humanism and let God work through us to communicate value to the homosexual, to the patient on our rounds, to the employees of our company, the clerk at the store and the guys with the long hair and the cigarette hanging from their mouths who pick up our trash. Jesus probably views each of them differently than you and I do.
His work in the life of the man shows us His values and His mission.
Jesus seeks to restore broken people. The second extraordinary claim the Scriptures make is that though every person has worth because they are made in God’s image, we are not worthy to restore our relationship with God because our sin is too great. Our flight from God has left us broken. Look again, beginning at verse 34,
“When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.”
The contrast between before and after couldn’t be more remarkable. He was naked, now he is clothed. He was out of his mind, now he is in his right mind. Once he was violent and wild, now he is at rest at Jesus’ feet. Jesus has restored this man—restored his life, restored his mind, restored his humanity.
Before the Craftsman shows up, this man is nothing more than a box of kindling. Now with a word, the Craftsman has begun to restore the grandeur of the creation. This man is now a follower who will walk a journey with Jesus and continue to see the restoration process lived out each day.
Millard Erickson has written that “we experience full humanity only when we are properly related to God. No matter how cultured and genteel, no one is fully human unless [they] are a redeemed disciple of God.”[iii]
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, ” Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ ….” (2 Cor 5:17-18) If you are a believer, Paul says that as you put on the new self, you are “being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator .” (Col 3:9-10) The Father wants to restore your character, your thinking and your actions to resemble more fully the mold from which you were first cast. He wants to restore the humanity that He designed but that was marred by our sin and flight from God.
As a follower of Jesus, are you working with or against the Craftsman? If someone asked you, “what difference does Jesus make today,” could you show me areas of your life that Jesus is restoring? What part of the chair is He working on this year? Making a spindle? Bringing out the old luster? What part of the restoration project would you tell them of? Or have you closed the door to further restorations?
Now you would think that you would get a unified “Yippee” from this kind of ministry, but instead we see that …
Jesus’ ministry results in a mixed response (36-38) .
The first response comes from the people of the region. At the end of verse 35, the people who see this transformed man are afraid. Look again at verse 36, “Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.”
What the people could not control, a Jewish carpenter controlled with a word. The evidence sits before them. God has been present. When Jesus makes His presence known, fear is a good response. Fear can lead to worship or to flight. The first response is better than the latter.
The people of the town tell Jesus to leave. Look at what Jesus does at the end of verse 38 without comment. Luke says, “So he [Jesus] got into the boat and left.” Jesus does not force Himself on anyone. People often want miraculous evidence of God’s existence, but the reality is that miracles are no guarantee of faith. Can you imagine seeing this and then saying “Hey, hit the road!”
If you are not a Christian this morning, be careful about how you respond to the work that God does in people’s lives. I have a good friend who can share my testimony for me, but the tragedy is that he does not believe that Jesus can be His Savior. But the man who had been possessed has a different response.
The man tells the people of the town about Jesus. Look at verse 38, “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”
This man cannot contain himself. He wants to be where Jesus is. He wants to go to seminary and join the staff. But Jesus refuses to grant the request of the devoted and transformed disciple. This is odd. He said yes to the request but no to the request of the believer. Hmmmm. We often interpret “no’s” as a sign of disfavor. But Jesus’ “no” to this man’s request is “yes” for a different course in his life.
He sends the man back home, back to the town. Now this is a gracious thing. Even though Jesus is asked to leave, He is leaving one of His people behind. So by himself, this man becomes a lone witness in this Gentile, pagan area. He is the only one speaking about the grace of God.
Please never underestimate your commission as a minister of Jesus. Are you the lone believer in your family, your office, your class, your whatever? Becoming a pastor is not the avenue of freedom. You are in full time ministry. I believe that about you to my core. You are not a grocery clerk. You are not a chemist. You are not an accountant. You are a chaplain and God has got someone else paying your salary so that you can minister where you are.
Witnessing begins by simply telling anyone all over town how much Jesus has done for you. The man has no Four Spiritual Laws. He has no Jesus video. All he has is his story with evidence. What has Jesus done for you? Start your ministry there. Ask God to open opportunities to tell your story. Don’t start by fighting abortion, fixing the government, correcting people’s theology. It starts with a simple, “Hey, I have been changed. I read the self-help books but they didn’t work. When Jesus found me, the things that were out of my control have come under better control. When a car is restored what does the restorer do with it? Keep it in the garage? No he displays it at the car show. How about a house? You open up the house for a house tour.
Conclusion: From my vantage point this morning, I see chairs. Each was once in a box but is now being restored day by day from the inside out (2 Cor 5:16-18). Don’t lose heart. Let us be amazed that the Craftsman who looks in the box of broken pieces sees a Glorious Ruin. His restoration work is the way He will demonstrate His power in our time.
Tags:
Demonism
Alienation
Authority
Brokenness
[i] Dick Keyes, Beyond Identity, 37.
[ii] This term, “Glorious Ruin,” was coined by Francis Schaeffer.
[iii] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 516)