6th Sunday of Luke
Most of us are familiar with the healing of the Gerasene Demoniac.
Jesus travels into foreign territory where he encounters a crazed man living among the tombs.
When Jesus confronts the demons possessing the man, they respond that their name is “Legion” and they beg Jesus to leave them alone.
In the end, Jesus drives them into a herd of pigs, which run off a cliff and drown in the sea.
Most likely, the original 1st-century hearers of this gospel would have thought of it as we understand political cartoons.
It’s clear that the demons represent the power of Caesar.
The Roman military unit—called a “Legion”—in Palestine at that time had a pig on its standard.
Today’s gospel message is about how the gospel threatens our relationship with the authorities in the world.
Scripture: Luke 8:26-39 (click here to read)
Bottom Line: Jesus frees us for a new master—one who can give life!
Discussion Questions
- Gerasene is a foreign territory. Symbolically, the man in the story represents non-Judeans (non-Christians). The man lives among the tombs and he’s demon-possessed. What do you think this represents? The man is healed by Jesus. What does this say about the power of the gospel?
- Notice: Jesus travels into the land of the Gerasenes. What does this tell us about our mission to preach the gospel? Where are we to go? What are we to do?
- If we’re called to confront “Caesar” with the gospel, how do we do that? How did the man do that?
- Why wouldn’t Jesus let the man go with him? Why did the man have to stay “home”?
Moving Forward
If the demons, both because of their name and the pigs, represent Caesar, then it’s clear that the gospel confronts human power.
Caesar, like many powerful people throughout history, is able to grasp power and maintain it through the threat of death: fall into line or else!
Yet, Jesus takes Caesar head-on.
While both have the power of death, the difference is that Jesus also has the power of life.
So, when we choose to follow the gospel and the world puts us to death, it doesn’t matter.
God will raise us up and give us new life in the Age to come.
Our response should mirror the formerly demon-possessed man’s: to challenge Caesar not with violence, but with the gospel message.
Changing Your Mind
“And the man from whom the demons had departed begged that he might stay with Jesus; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your house and relate what God has done for you.’ And he went off throughout all the city, proclaiming all the things Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8:38-39)
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