Crazy

The Gasarene Demoniac

Step 2-Alcoholics Anonymous-
"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity".

Luke 8:26-37

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When 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.

Comment: We who have had relatives on drugs do not find these events as hard to imagine as one might expect. Some people may doubt the existence of God but most do not doubt the existence of a personal evil. They have seen it and experience at one or more occasions in their lives. So interestingly, the existence of Satan and demons is actually fairly easy for modern man to believe. It is interesting that he was living in the tombs. Although physically alive, he was spiritually dead. How ironic that the tombs were his home.



When 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!” For Jesus had commanded the evil 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.

Comment: This man was under the control of evil. Evil does not treat its subjects well. Here a Higher Power had come into the man’s life and the evil within recognized this Higher Power. Evil drives people to “solitary” places. They are dangerous and people do not want to be around them.




Jesus asked him, “What is our name?” “Legion” he replied because many demons and gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. A large heard of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When 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.

Comment: How strange that Jesus would show mercy to this group of demons. They were called Legion because they were many; but they were also strong. It is absolutely clear that the demons preferred not to go to the Abyss because a worse fate awaited for them. Jesus did let them go into the pigs. Unclean spirits for unclean animals so to speak. But that did not really help them for pretty soon, the animals were dead.


When those tending the pigs saw what had happened they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside and the people went out to see what had happened.

Comment: News travels fast.



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. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.

Comment: Jesus frees us from our insanities and brings us to our senses. Interesting, a man who was free from his demons scared the people more than the demons themselves.


Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.

Comment: Now here is the story behind the scenes. A insane person did not scare the townspeople. However, someone who could bring him to his right mind scared them. We become comfortable living with our familiar demons and are more afraid of being cured from our insanities than being sick. We love insanity because we fear change. Some would rather lives with their demons than have Jesus in their lives.


So he got into the boat and left.

Comment: If you don’t want Jesus in your life, he will respect your choice and leave. The choice is up to you. Jesus makes the insane, demon possessed man sane and in his right mind. The townspeople who were sane made an insane choice. It is a story filled with ironies. What is the story of your life and your choices?