When the Moment Becomes Greater Than the Eternal
Read the Text: Luke 8
Memorize the Text: He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say, Father, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation. (Luke 11:2-4)
Consider the Text: Luke 8:26-39
Luke shared one event of Jesus casting out a legion of demons and allowing them to enter a herd of pigs in Luke 8. During this engagement, we see how the working of Christ in the life of this one man sent concern and fear among the people of the region. These feelings came because of the people seeing only the momentary effects instead of understanding the reality of eternity. As Jesus left the region, he commanded the healed man to stay and bear witness to the people there. As we analyze this passage, may we seek to keep our focus on eternity and not fall prey to the temptation of focusing on the momentary. Can we see the calling Jesus gave to the healed man to be a witness and live in the same manner? May we learn from this passage about the threat of the momentary and the mission of the eternal.
Luke spoke of the POWER OF EVIL when he introduced the demon possessed man. People often overlook the power of evil that can overcome one. The tendency is to make a justification for evil and, as a result, minimize the reality of its power. The demon possessed man was held captive by the power of the evil demons. The captivity led him to living separated from others and in a state of constant torment. The greatness of the power of evil becomes known as the demons identify themselves as legion.
The power of evil remains a reality today. We face various forms of temptation and evil that challenge us. When we look at the world, the influence of evil becomes obvious as the world lives in opposition to the ways of the Lord. The power of evil threatens each of us and seeks to cause us to live under the captivity of its influence. Such is the life separated from Christ and controlled by sin. The power of evil controls this individual, and they desperately need freedom.
When Jesus engaged the demon possessed man, we find the VICTORY THAT CHRIST GIVES. Jesus did not ignore the captivity of the man. Instead, he engaged him and worked to set him free from the imprisonment he lived in. The man probably attended several ways to gain release from the demon possession and each of them failed. This all changed with Jesus. When Jesus arrived, he engaged the man and set him free from the power of evil. Jesus alone sets the captives free and releases one from the power of evil. Thus, victory occurred not because of the efforts or attempts of the demon possessed man, but because of the work of Christ.
The same rings true today. The only way to gain the freedom from the power of evil in life comes through a relationship with Christ. All of humanity deals with sin and experiences captivity and separation from the Lord because of sin. But God made a way through Christ that we can experience the needed freedom. This comes through faith alone in Christ and a proper response to him. Thus, victory is available to each of us through Christ because he alone is the giver of the victory.
The people in the region responded in a manner than demonstrated the WRONG PRIORITY OF HUMANITY. The people of the town could not understand what had occurred. The owners of the herd of pigs focused on what they lost with the death of the pigs. The community feared the power of Christ because they could not grasp the truth of what had occurred. Instead of seeking to understand and learn more, they decided to ask Jesus to leave.
When God works, people of the world struggle to understand. They see the effects of his work in the moment and they lose focus on the blessing of eternity. They focus more on what the work of Christ might do to their life in the moment and do not concern themselves with what is coming. As a result, they ask Jesus to leave because they are caught seeking earthly gain and comfort.
The freed man served as a constant WITNESS OF CHRIST WORK. When the people desire Jesus to leave, he honors their request. He does not force his presence upon them, even though he desires for them to know him. As he leaves, the freed man asks for permission to journey with him. The response of Jesus centered on the ability of this man to be the needed witness in the immediate area instead of joining the journey. Thus, the man became the needed witness to continue to carry out the work of the kingdom as Christ proceeded to the next place of ministry.
When we become followers of Christ, we are like the freed man. We are to serve as the witnesses to what Christ has done and share the truth of the gospel. We serve as the ambassadors of Jesus so that others can see the freedom we have experienced in Christ and hear of how they can receive the freedom over the captivity of sin. Each believer is the freed man from demon possession. Sin used to define us and hold us, but in Christ we gained freedom. Now our calling is to be the witness of that available freedom.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
