Luke 8:26-31; 35-37 Seized With Fear

Luke 8:26-31; 35-37 Seized With Fear

[26] Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. [27] As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. [28] When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not
torment me"--[29] for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times 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 wilds.) [30] Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. [31] They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

[35] Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they 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. [36] Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. [37] Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear.

What is happening in this scripture? – This is the story in Luke of Jesus healing the demoniac. Several phrases really catch me in this scripture: “a man of the city” “For many times 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 wilds.”
Jesus asks the man, (or the demon) “What is your name?” The answer given is “Legion”. Of course this word means, many, but it is also the name of the units of Roman troops occupying Judea. In this scripture, Jesus is in complete control over the demons. They beg him not to send them back into the “abyss” (the man had been living in the tombs). Is this allegory? Whether it is or not, the imagery is powerful. Jesus sends the demons into the unclean swine, and then to their death, over another kind of abyss.
Then another curious thing happens. The people of that area see the man clothed and healed and they become afraid. They in fact, were seized with fear. Two kind of seizures: First the man of the city was seized by demons, a legion of them, then the people were seized by fear. What were they afraid of? Why did they not rejoice? Why did they ask Jesus to leave their area? Was it Roman retribution that frightened them? Did seeing a man they had known as possessed for so long, healthy and normal just blow their minds so much that they just got scared? Maybe they thought, “If others hear about Jesus being here, and doing this, we’ll be overrun with sick, crazy, possessed people wanting a cure.”
One thing is for sure. They wanted to be rid of Jesus.

How is this happening in the world today? – Not too many years ago, the mentally ill used to be considered possessed. I am glad those days are over. But looking at this story, there is more than one definition of being possessed.
Imagine you live in a little village in Poland or France or Austria during World War II. The Nazis have invaded and now occupy your finest buildings. Patrols are in the street, night and day. People who have spoken out have disappeared. Anyone with a Jewish heritage has been taken away. A young wandering minister comes along and somehow the Nazis are powerless over his presence. Some of them even run off a cliff, to their death. You live in this village. What do you feel? You know the village will surely pay a price for this. Someone will pay. Would you not want this young man to just get out of your town?
Or consider that you are addicted to something. For years you have tried, over and over and sometimes break the shackles of the bottle, the pills, the needle, only to wind up in the wilderness of the alley or the bars, and you go right back to the habit. There seems to be no hope for you. You are possessed. A young man with eyes like you’ve never seen before comes up to you, tells you that you belong to God and you are loved, forgiven, and gives you something you’ve never had before, real hope and self respect. You are no longer naked, exposed to the ridicule of others or the exploitation of the pushers. Jesus tells you to go form a local 12 step chapter and share the love.
One more. You are a Roman Centurion. Daily, you are called on to do horrible things to people, to keep the Pax Romanus. One day a young man named Jesus sees you, calls you out, and says the he loves even you. You must leave now. If you stay you will be caught and killed as a deserter. But you will never forget this young Jewish healer, who offered you a new way to live.

How is this story my story? – Lord, without your grace there is no health in me. You call me out of my life among the tombs. I am possessed by the culture in which I live, and the only alternative is to the wilderness of self contempt, or believing in your Grace. This is not the level of love we are used to seeing, and frankly it is frightening in its power and scope. Can the world really work this way? Are we to believe this is possible, to love and forgive and treat each other like we would treat ourselves?

Do we send you away Lord, or do we accept your acceptance?