Healing One Man: Luke 8:26-39

As Jesus traveled around from town to town and village to village, crowds flocked to see Him and in probably every case, included in each crowd were dozens, if not hundreds, of people bringing themselves or friends of theirs to be healed by Jesus.

However, there was one man who needed to be healed by Jesus, but there was no way to get Him to Jesus. It is in this case that Jesus, prompted by the Holy Spirit, crosses the lake specifically to meet this one individual and heal him.

Three of the four gospels share this event, and for our podcast episode this week, we will be looking at Luke’s version of this event, which can be found in the gospel of Luke, chapter 8, and starting in verse 26. Reading from the New International Version, Luke tells us that:

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.

Some people might read or hear this story and think that Jesus doesn’t like pigs. However, looking from this angle at this event completely misses the big picture. All of the pigs in that herd were destined to be killed at one point or another, and so it made little difference exactly when that would happen – that is, except for the pigs’ owners and those tending the pigs.

However, while the demons likely didn’t want Jesus to gain popularity in another part of that region, they preferred an exit that demonstrated how extensive in number they were – and an exit like this would certainly attract attention.

But the biggest idea I see in this event is that Jesus made the trip across the lake for this one man. Matthew references the idea that there were two men, but regardless of the exact number, Jesus was willing to go to someone who needed help but who was unable to come to Him. Our passage begins with Jesus sailing across the lake to this man, and it concludes with Jesus being asked to leave and Him setting sail back across the lake.

This brings out another big idea: Jesus is happy to negotiate and He doesn’t want to force Himself onto others. When the demons know that they have been caught, Jesus is willing to grant their request for a different exit plan than the one they feared or claimed would be likely. Once the townspeople came out to see what the commotion was, they were scared of Jesus and asked Him to leave.

About the only person or thing in this passage that doesn’t get their request answered is the man who Jesus healed. Luke tells us in verse 38 and 39 that “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.” I’m sure that the man was happy to witness for Jesus, but that he would have rather become a disciple like the twelve that were with Jesus.

This brings us to a third big idea: Sometimes our mission is not to travel with Jesus but to share what Jesus has done for us. While our lives in the 21st century are different, as our relationship with Jesus is different than literally walking with Jesus in the flesh, we don’t have to pick between leaving our world behind to follow Jesus vs. sharing what Jesus has done for us. While all of us are called to leave our past, sinful lives behind, and while many are called to travel as missionaries, with the Holy Spirit and a regular time alone in prayer with God and our Bible, we can be with Jesus wherever we are at, which leaves us with the challenge to share with others what Jesus has done for us.

Jesus was willing to cross the lake to help one individual who could not travel to Him, and He is more than willing to do the same for us. Jesus is willing to come as far as He needs to in order to reach our hearts – and after He has touched our hearts and our lives, He calls us to tell others what He has done for us.

Our stories are our testimony and they are the best invitation for others to invite Jesus into their lives as well. Jesus is not interested in forcing His way into our hearts, but He is more than happy to enter our hearts and our lives when invited.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

If you haven’t invited Jesus into your heart, I invite you to do so today. Ask Him to come in and change your life from the inside into being more like the person God created you to be. If you have already asked Jesus into your heart, and/or when God has done something significant for you, choose to not stay silent and share with others what He has done.

Also, while it is easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and doing ministry, be sure to take time to personally pray and study the Bible for yourself. Now that Jesus is in heaven and we have been promised the Holy Spirit, when we pause, pray, and study our Bibles, we are able to draw close to God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit and we are able to learn what He wants to teach us. If you depend on me or anyone else for your spiritual truth, you are limiting what God wants to teach you personally.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or ignore where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!