4th Sunday after Trinity – Sermon 268

4th Sunday after Trinity
10.00am Holy Communion – CW
19th June 2016

Prayer to start      

May the words of my lips and the thoughts of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ

AMEN

INTRODUCTION

Some years ago – my wife Pauline and I were fortunate enough to go on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

And one of the sites we visited was Kursi – on the  East Shore of the Sea of Galilee – where there are remains of a 5^th Century Church commemorating the place where the confrontation between Jesus and Legion took place –

I was fortunate enough to read this lesson to the rest of the group at that particular spot –

The incident happens immediately after Jesus calmed a storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee with his disciples.

In Jesus’ time this was called the Decapolis – Gentile territory – where farmers raised pigs – something forbidden for Jews –

Having demonstrated sovereignty over nature, Jesus now takes command in the spirit world.

First Point   

First-century listeners to this story must have caught their breath when the demon-possessed man said his name was Legion.

That was the term for a unit of the Roman army that included five thousand men and an equal number of auxiliary troops!

The army of ten thousand that Rome used to subdue Palestine—and eventually destroy Jerusalem—was the Tenth Legion. The symbol of this hated occupying force was . . . a pig!

We don’t know why Jesus decided to go there – then as now it was disputed territory – but Jesus remains calm before His human storm as he had before the wind and waves on the Lake –

Luke’s focus is not on dismissing the hated foreign Romans into the sea – which would have been the dream of revolutionary leaders in the first century –  but on the man himself – and on Jesus –

For Luke what happened to this man is not just a remarkable healing – it is a salvation –

The salvation which God promised long ago – which has appeared in Jesus – and was reaching many in Israel –  and was now spreading – to the Gentiles

The demon-possessed man is one of those least tolerated by society – naked- living among the tombs – chained – guarded – mentally unstable – driven to abandonment – yet here is someone Jesus is determined to free – from the forces that bind him more effectively than his chains –

But the real point of the story comes at its close-

The reaction of the people who had seen the demon released from the man –

They became afraid – the man who was evil – had now become good – and Jesus had changed him –

If Jesus could do this for this man – what was He going to do to them?

And the reaction of the healed man – he understandably wanted to stay with Jesus – He was now bonded to Him through this amazing rescue –

but for him – Jesus does not say ‘follow me’ – but ‘go home and tell’

Having experienced the good news in action – the man must now go and tell others about it – and begin with those who knew him – well

Point 2         Who is this Jesus?

So – let’s look again at the crowds reaction-

Who is this stranger? – Who is this man? – the villagers must have said – that comes into our village – and changes our world –

How can He bring such peace – into such turmoil – How can He deal with such evil?–

Legion called Him ‘Jesus – Son of the Most High God!’

Is He the expected Messiah – the Jews are talking about?

Legion was a man we all knew – we all tolerated – a man we kept under control – Look at Him now – sitting calmly at His feet –

What kind of power does this Jesus – have that can bring such a change – in such a man?

And look what He did to the pigs!

When we read that story today – we might have expected the villagers – to be jumping for joy – at what had happened – praising God for ridding them of this nightmare –

Not a bit of it – Instead of celebrating Legion’s release from his forced imprisonment – the people became fearful –

This stranger – they concluded- was too dangerous to have around – too powerful – next He will want to change us– and our way of life – they begged Jesus to leave –

Sometimes – fear of the unknown – makes us want to flee from God – from ourselves and from one another –

because of what might be required of us – because we might be asked of something we are not prepared to give –

The thought of the kind of changes that Jesus would bring was tormenting to the people of this region – they wanted Jesus to go – because He was getting close to home – – getting close to where they lived

they wanted things to stay as they were – and Jesus was threatening to change all that –

The villagers – clearly missed a unique opportunity – through fear – of change – to get to know Jesus and to establish a relationship with Him – let’s make sure we don’t make that same mistake – today

Point 3         Go home and tell!

Now what about the man who was healed-

He wanted to stay with Jesus – but was told to leave and ‘go home and tell others –about his experience

He knew this would be no easy task – he feared he might get the same – reluctance and fear from those at home – who knew his tragic circumstance – as he had witnessed from the villagers –

They might not welcome him back – as a member of their family or their village –

but despite this we are told that – he resisted these fears – and went forward and told all –

Luke doesn’t offer us any information – as to how he did it – except to say that he went into the city proclaiming about Jesus – and what Jesus had done for him.  Telling the people that ‘God was in Christ’- and hoping that they too would listen and respond and discover Jesus for themselves –

Like the man – our answer to overcoming our fears begins when we let Jesus into our lives –

because of His love for us – Jesus will reach out to all who turn to Him – even those who are despised and rejected – by society –

He welcomes us with love – and through His grace – snatches us from the darkness – putting us into His Spiritual limelight –

We may not fully understand how He makes those important changes in us – but if we allow Him to do so – allow Jesus to take control – He will overpower any darkness within us – and release us from that which holds us back in fear and bondage –

Conclusion

The Kingdom of God is breaking through all around us – Jesus is here today- ready to provide us with a new beginning – ready to bring us freedom and salvation –

Jesus heals those who accept Him –

Let’s not follow the crowd – allow our fears and prejudices to push Him away –

But welcome Him like the healed man – speaking out about the difference He has made to our lives and what it means to be saved by Him –

“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” says Jesus

There can be no better message to give out than that –

Prayer to Finish

In the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit

 AMEN

Video of Sermon 268 on You Tube