The Book of Luke
James J. Barker


Lesson 22
DEMONS CAST OUT OF THE DEMONIAC IN GADARA

Text: LUKE 8:26-39


INTRODUCTION:


  1. Our story begins with our Lord and His disciples arriving "at the country of the Gadarenes," which is on the other side of the Sea of Galilee (8:26).
  2. Luke tells us our Lord was approached by "a certain man, which had devils long time" (8:27).
  3. This is an unusual story that makes some people uncomfortable. But I am convinced that we are seeing an increase in demonic activity today; and it is difficult (if not impossible) to explain what is taking place in society today without believing in the existence of Satan and unclean spirits.
  4. For example, consider ISIS and other Muslim terrorists who gleefully run around chopping off heads. This barbaric persecution and terrorism is a result of the widespread demonism in the Muslim world.
  5. By the way, AIDS is now running rampant among the ISIS terrorists. It has gotten so bad that they even set up an AIDS center in Syria.
  6. Early reports were that an Indonesian terrorist was infected with AIDS and donated blood at a hospital, and that he had also infected a 15-year-old Yazidi girl whom he had raped.
  7. Later reports revealed that many ISIS terrorists are homosexual and bisexual. They sodomize their male prisoners before executing them.
  8. But we have our own problems here in the USA. Consider all these worldly entertainers like Miley Cyrus and Madonna and Lady Gaga and Beyonce. They are all under strong demonic influence. Miley Cyrus now claims she is "gender fluid." She has been photographed kissing her lesbian girlfriend.
  9. She has no shame. Even secular newspapers have noted her lascivious and demonic performances. It is hard to even look at the photographs.
  10. Hollywood and TV are full of devils.
  11. Today psychiatrists and other so-called "mental health professionals" tell us that demonism is a "disease," but this is not true.
  12. There is a distinction between devils and diseases (cf. 9:1).
  13. Devils can cause sickness. They disturb men physically, mentally, and spiritually. They destroy the souls of men and then lead them off into eternity in hell.
  14. This story of the demon-possessed man of Gadara is very instructive. Let us see what God’s Word has to say about this important subject.

 

I. THE DEGRADATION OF SIN

  1. This man that was possessed by devils is a dreadful picture of the degradation of sin. Notice right away, he "ware no clothes" (Luke 8:27).
  2. There is a definite connection between nudity and demon-possession. It is shocking the way women are now walking around in public half-naked. Sadly, most people are no longer shocked!
  3. Devils are called "unclean spirits" (8:29) because they specialize in uncleanness – immorality, adultery, fornication, indecency, homosexuality, foul language, dirty jokes, pornography, etc.
  4. Millions of lost souls are enslaved by pornography and other sins of the flesh.
  5. People can get drawn into pornography through cable television, videos, sleazy theatres, the internet, magazines, etc. The devil is working overtime destroying lives through pornography. This demon-possessed man "wore no clothes." As Christians we should always dress modestly.
  6. The Center for Disease Control reports there has been a big increase in syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, and HIV.
  7. Those who live for sin have no peace in their heart. And this demon-possessed man had no peace in his heart (8:27-30).
  8. Mark 5:5 says, "And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones."
  9. Parents and school counselors and psychiatrists are baffled as to why so many young people are cutting themselves with razor blades, or burning themselves with matches. It is demonic (Mark 5:5).
  10. Luke 8:27 says this man did not abide "in any house, but in the tombs" (8:27). He spent his time roaming naked around the grave yard.
  11. These Scriptures provide a perfect picture of fallen man under the absolute control of Satan – "always, night and day…crying, and cutting himself with stones" (Mark 5:5), being driven here and there by these horrible unclean spirits.
  12. I am speaking of the degradation of sin. Sin produces restlessness. Isaiah 57:20, 21 says, "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."
  13. Sin leads to restlessness and madness (Luke 8:29). There are a lot of people that the world classifies as insane. The world cannot figure out what causes their insanity. They have been to psychiatrists and therapists and social workers. They’ve been doped-up and experimented on, and been to all the mental hospitals and insane asylums, and no one can figure out what the problem is. The problem is SIN.
  14. Luke 8:29 says this demon-possessed man "was driven of the devil into the wilderness." Oftentimes he was kept bound with chains and in fetters, but the Bible says, "he brake the bands" (8:29), indicating the supernatural strength of the devils.
  15. We do not know in what way the devil fully gained control of this poor man, but it is evident that somehow he had opened the door to the demonic realm. There are many ways this happens to people.
  16. Indulging in sin – this could include pornography, homosexuality (which leads to more and more wicked perversions), and other immoral behaviour -- often opens the door to demons.
  17. Drugs – pills, marijuana, crack, etc.
  18. The occult world – "Dungeons and Dragons," ouiji boards, fortune-telling, botanicas, Santeria, voodoo, spells, witchcraft, etc.
  19. Idolatry – the Bible says there are devils behind idols. Deuteronomy 32:17 says, "They sacrificed unto devils, not to God."
  20. First Corinthians 10:20 says, "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils."
  21. Rock music, rap music, MTV, etc. Do a little research into popular music and you will find demons are all over it.
  22. False religions – Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, JW’s, Mormonism, Moonies, Hari Krishna, Scientology, transcendental meditation, etc.
  23. There are many different ways people get trapped by devils, but one thing is clear – it happens when people turn their back on the Lord Jesus Christ – which brings us to our next point.

 

II. THE POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

  1. This poor, wretched, demon-possessed man immediately recognized who Jesus is – "thou Son of God most high" (8:28).
  2. This should come as no surprise to those of us who know the Bible. James 2:19 says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
  3. The evil spirit in Ephesus said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15).
  4. Jesus "commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man" (Luke 8:29). Only Jesus, or a Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit, can command an unclean spirit out of a man.
  5. The vagabond Jews in Ephesus, who were exorcists, were unsuccessful in casting out the evil spirit (Acts 19:13-20).
  6. But whenever our Lord commanded the unclean spirits to leave, they left. In Luke 8:30, Jesus asked him, "What is thy name?" "And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him."
  7. Our Lord cast the devils out and they entered into an herd of many swine. Mark 5:13 tells us there were about 2,000 pigs in this herd.
  8. These swine would rather drown in the lake than live with devils (Luke 8:32, 33). One preacher put it this way: "Apparently a self-respecting hog, unlike some people, would rather be dead than demon-possessed!" (G. Coleman Luck).
  9. Consider this: Two thousand hogs could not hold the devils (6,000?) that had possessed one man!
  10. Now look at the man that had the devils cast out of him (8:35). He is "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind" (8:35).
  11. When a sinner gets truly saved, he will sit at the feet of Jesus, he will put some clothes on, and he will be in his right mind.
  12. Beloved, Jesus is the only one who can help a lost soul like this, enslaved by sin, out of his mind, driven by devils naked into the graveyard. Only the Lord can save sinners from Satan’s grip.
  13. Psychiatry cannot help them. Education cannot help them. Money cannot help them. The government cannot help them. Religion cannot help them. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can help them (8:35).

 

III. THE JUDGMENT OF SATAN AND HIS FALLEN ANGELS

  1. Notice what the unclean spirit through the lips of the man said: "I beseech thee, torment me not" (8:28).
  2. Matthew tells us they said: "Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Matt. 8:29).
  3. Satan knows time is running out, and judgment is coming. His fallen angels know judgment is coming. But many sinners live as if there is no judgment coming. They are in for a big shock!
  4. This legion of devils knew that Jesus will soon sit on His throne of judgment, and they know they will soon be cast into hell. But they do not know when that hour of judgment will begin.
  5. These devils feared that our Lord was going to cast them "into the deep" (Luke 8:31), the abyss, the bottomless pit. They know they will be going there someday and they are looking for an extension of time.
  6. There’s a day coming when Satan and all his fallen angels will be cast into the lake of fire. And there’s a day coming when all lost sinners will be thrown in there with them.
  7. Our Lord said, "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41).

 

CONCLUSION:


  1. We have been looking at this demon-possessed man, and the demons that came out of him and entered into the herd of swine.
  2. But what about the other Gadarenes?
  3. What was their reaction when they saw this wonderful conversion? Did they fall down at our Lord’s feet confessing their own sins?
  4. No, in fact their response was just the opposite. They told our Lord to get out of town (Luke 8:37).
  5. Isn’t it amazing that worldly people are very comfortable around devils and pigs, but very uncomfortable around God.
  6. They would rather have swine (and the money they produced) than Jesus. They should not have been owning swine anyway because this was against the law of Moses.
  7. Some sinners do not want Jesus around because they love their sin too much, and they love their money too much, and they love the world too much.
  8. When the Gadarenes told our Lord to depart, He did (8:37b). Our Lord does not stay with people who do not want Him around. If you are not saved, then now is the time to get things right with God.


<< Back                                       Next >>