Matthew 8:28-34 KJV
(28) And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there
met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that
no man might pass by that way.
(29) And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son
of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
(30) And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
(31) So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the
herd of swine.
(32) And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd
of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into
the sea, and perished in the waters.
(33) And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing,
and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
(34) And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they
besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
Every area has that home that no one wants to go by, whether the rumors and story
of that house is true or not. It is the stories handed down from child to child, and
adults whisper at nights about, how strange those people are that live in that house.
Some people are really not that strange and other times there is a good reason to
avoid that home. There was such an area in the country of Gergesenes, Two
possessed with devils were living in a cave. As the story goes no one went that way
because of these two possessed. No one went through that area except for those
caring for pigs that went running over the hill in the story when Jesus cast the
demons out of the two people. Two people delivered from there job as security for a
town were free from their demons. They no longer had to deal with their torment
for they were free, and yet that freedom would causes those who lost their prized
pigs to go and tell the towns people what Jesus did. It caused such a stir that Jesus
was forced from the town despite he had free the two possessed by demons. Pork to
the Gentiles was food but to the Jews it was consider a meat of uncleanness, so much
that pork was not eaten. Yet to the Gentiles they had lost their livelihood to the
freedom of two they were scared of all those years. It was not one pig sacrificed but
a whole herd.
When personal injury occurs to loss of property then it must be repaid. Yet pigs
were unclean animals, and Jesus did not repay those who protected pigs. It does not
say he did not compensate, but it does not say he was willing to fix the herds men
problem. What is curious about the story is those herdsmen recognized Jesus as
being the healer of the two possessed. Recognized God’s power, but it was not
enough for them to bow and cry have mercy on us. It was better for them to chase
Jesus out of town.
When Jesus begins to the hurt the profit of a town, a community instead of bringing
salvation they see no need for Jesus. What is more valuable a person healed, or a
person lost of income. That is the question that is the debate of the world. It
happened more then just in the time of Christ for Paul and Silas healed a girl in the
name of Jesus that was demon possessed. Paul and Silas was then beaten and
thrown in jail because of the income lost by the girl’s master on claims they knew
not the way of their town.
One might ask why help if you are just going to get kicked out, or beaten and jailed
someone needing to be delivered from demons. It is sometimes the first open door
for the Gospel to come in. Freeing someone that is desiring in the heart the freedom
from devils that have entrapped and ensnared their life. Freedom from self abuse,
freedom from persecution and segregation from society. Yet sometimes society
rather not have their outcast freed if it effects their purse strings. For the joke of the
town or the joke of a county is the only things they have to laugh about.
Freedom in Christ is freedom of persecution in the next life, but often not from
persecution in this life. It only takes one to stir up a business man to stir up a crowd
to get what he wants. It only takes Jesus to heal and deliver, yet this town could not
be delivered from their greed, that the illness that the demons had caused, but it was
a matter of the heart. Christ will not free you unless you want to be freed.
Dear Heavenly Father, free us from the hurt of society has you mend the heart of
each believer to be more like Jesus. Willing to stand firm in faith, and help those in
need of freedom. In Jesus precious name, Amen.
