Luke 8:26-39 (New International Version)

The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man

²⁶They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. ²⁷When 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. ²⁸When 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!” ²⁹For Jesus had commanded the evil^[b] 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.

³⁰Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ³¹And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

³²A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. ³³When 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.

³⁴When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, ³⁵and 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. ³⁶Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. ³⁷Then 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.

³⁸The 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.

Growing up in the church I have heard many sermons preached on this reading. The explanations for the ‘demon possessed’ man have usually been that the man suffered from schizophrenia and that Jesus, through spiritual healing powers, removed the mental illness and restored him to his community. This explanation would make sense in the light of the mission of Jesus to heal the sick and restore people to life.

I have also heard this reading preached in a light that spiritual powers had possessed this man and that actual demons inhabited his body requiring an exorcism to spiritually cleanse him. This particular slant on this reading has led to many damaging actions taken in the name of Jesus, causing pain and suffering on many levels.

I have never really believed in spiritual warfare. It is something that I have never witnessed and would struggle to believe in. In the same token I have never seen anybody miraculously healed from mental illness using spiritual powers. In this light, I have usually struggled to sit through sermons on this topic.

I do see this reading as a vitally important reading in the context of our community. I think that it is easy to see this reading as yet another example of the amazing spiritual powers of Jesus, I also think that type of understanding makes this reading irrelevant.

We all know someone who struggles with life. Problems with alcohol, gambling, sex and drugs are all aspects of our community that cause destruction, break families and cost lives. This, for me is where we can enter the call of Jesus in this reading. We are called to lead people who are ‘possessed’ to a place of wholeness. How this looks will vary depending on the ‘demon’ and your understanding of wholeness.

For those of us who are battling our own ‘demons’ we can take heart from the fact that we are not alone, and will not be left alone. God is all about bringing people to life. Taking you from a place of death and despair, to a place of life and meaning.

For those of us who drink to fill a void, who gamble to fill a space in our lives, who use sex to feel complete, God is calling you to let your demons go. Search yourself and find the broken part of you that causes you to destroy yourself and have the courage and grace to allow yourself to be healed.

For those of us who may consider ourselves ‘demon free’ we need to examine our actions and our attitudes that may be causing the ‘possessed’ members of our communities  to continue to suffer. Do we allow the space, love and support needed to allow open, honest dialogue that will lead to a life based on love.

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.