Luke 8:34-36

Luke 8:34-36

And after the keepers saw that this thing has become, they escaped and brought a message into the city and into the fields.  And they departed to see that which has become.  And they came to Jesus.  And they found the man from whom the demons came out sitting near the feet of Jesus, having been clothed, and being in sound mind.  And they were afraid.  And the ones who saw told them how the one who had demons was being saved.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The keepers of the pigs – herdsmen, as many translations call them – run to the city.  I think that there are fundamentally two reasons at work in this action.  I think that they have just seen an amazing thing and want to talk about it.  Human beings love to gossip about what we’ve seen.  We want to be the bearer of really cool news.  But I think that there is more to it than this.  The verb that Luke uses to describe the action of these herdsmen is very unique.  They escape.  Another way to translate this word is flee.  These are words that describe the actions of a person who feels threatened or cornered.  These herdsmen run away out of fear, not just amazement.  When faced with the incredible power of Jesus, they feel the need to escape.

What does it say about these herdsmen and their message by describing their actions with “escape?”  Have you ever felt the need to escape the presence of God?

Second Thought:

The man is sitting at the feet of Jesus.  He is clothed.  He is in his right mind.  He is a completely different person.  The presence of Jesus can change people.  The presence of Jesus can change people drastically.  Jesus doesn’t fear interacting with this demon possessed man because the presence of Jesus will win.

How does this describe the power of God?  Can this passage inspire you in your life?

Third Thought:

The people respond.  We’ll deal with this point in far more detail tomorrow.  However, what we can see right now is that the people are afraid.  They confront something they don’t understand.  They confront that this man has been changed in an instant with Jesus in a manner that the people could not bring about with years of struggle.  They are afraid.  This is a great time for us to ponder how we respond to things we cannot explain.

How might the herdsmen’s earlier reaction have influenced the reaction of the people?  When you face something that you cannot explain, what is your reaction?  When are you prone to fear?  Why can that fear hold you back from what God is doing in your midst?  How can your reaction influence the response of others?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 8:37-39