Coast Bible Church - Power, Pigs & Purpose - Audio

Pastor Neil discusses the deliverance of the demon-possessed man in the eighth chapter of Luke, illustrating that God's power often manifests itself in the changing of hearts and lives. He asks each of us to consider how we will respond to evidence of His power: will we try to hold on to the status quo? or will we embrace the power of God, therein finding our purpose?

Broadcast on: 17 Aug 2014

Good morning. Hey, if you have a Bible, turn to Luke chapter 8, Luke chapter 8. That's where we'll be parking it here this morning, continuing on in our series through the gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 8, we're going to begin in verse 26. Type O, along your Allen, there's somewhere it says 22. That's incorrect. 26 is the verse that we'll be starting with. And why don't you stand with me as we read today's text. Luke chapter 8, beginning verse 26. Let's all stand in honor of God's word and take a look at this great gospel story that we have for us this morning. Luke 8, beginning in verse 26. It says, "Then they," that is Jesus and the disciples, "then they sailed to the country of the Gatorines," which is opposite Galilee. And when he, Jesus stepped out on the land, there met him, a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he, this man, he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." For he, Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized the man, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles, and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. And they begged him, Jesus. They begged Jesus that he would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine, or pigs, was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Jesus that he would permit them to enter the pigs, and he permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out, the people went out to see what had happened and came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind, and they were afraid. They also who had seen it, who had seen the miracle, told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Verse 37, "Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gatorines asked Jesus to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear, and he got into the boat and he returned. Now the man with whom the demons had departed begged Jesus that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away saying, 'Return to your own house and tell what great things God has done for you.' And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him." Let's pray. Lord, would you bless this time in your word? We thank you for it. We ask that your spirit would guide us now, Father, as we read, as we try to understand that you'd give us spiritual eyes, eyes of wisdom, God, to see what it is that you have for us today, what it is you want to teach us. We are open and willing and ready for what you have for us, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. The title of this message is "Power, Pigs, and Purpose." Power, pigs, and purpose. Three peas. The story starts with power. Great power, as a matter of fact. In fact, if you look at the Gospel of Luke in this section of Luke, Luke 8 and 9 and the stories around it, it's all about power, all of it. You see, prior to this story of vignette that we're not covering, because again, we're not covering every vignette in the Gospel of Luke. We're trying to move through a little bit more quickly. But in the previous story, one that we haven't covered, Jesus calms the sea of Galilee. The disciples in here in a boat and the waves are crashing and Jesus is sleeping and the disciples come to him and say, "Jesus, wake up, we're drowning." Jesus calms the storm. Power over nature. Here in our story today, we're going to see how Jesus has power over the spiritual world and spiritual affliction. In the next stories after that, you'll see Jesus interacting with a woman who is perpetually bleeding and he heals her. Jesus has power over physical illness. And in another story after that, you're going to see Jesus interact with Jairus' daughter, a girl who was deathly ill and then died. And yet Jesus came to the scene and says she's not dead, she's merely sleeping. And he raised her up from physical death. Power, power over nature, power over the spiritual world, power

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