Driven by the Demons

Luke 8 contains many well-known, though - according to Rob Bell - misunderstood/underappreciated stories/teachings. In this chapter Luke details who is financing the ministry, he records the famous "seeds" parable, a revision of Matthew's "lamp" teaching, and another version of Mark's "storm" story; also we find the man possessed by Legion, Jairus' dying daughter, and the bleeding woman.

There are two major themes found in this Luke 8 chapter: proclaim the good news (Jesus and the Gerasenes Man); believe/have faith (the seeds parable, the storm story, Jairus and the bleeding woman). They are intertwined messages; the good news prompts believing, having faith is good news. Jesus' proclamations are almost always tied to brilliant teachings that bring freedom and forgiveness, remarkable resurrections, fantastic healings of bleeding, blind, crippled, deaf and demon-possesed people.

What accompanies our proclamations of the good news of Jesus? What kind of Jesus are we proclaiming? Does our proclaiming of Jesus' good news resemble His Way?

I think it is fascinating that almost every Christian I know likes to think of themselves as the seed that falls on good soil. But in the stories that follow, it is the man driven by demons that illustrates seed falling on good soil, it is fear-full and faith-less disciples, it is a desperate, bleeding, furtive woman, it is a pleading and begging control-freak, pride-streaked father.

Jesus says: My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.

It took the disciples a long time to "put it into practice", but Jesus stuck by them. The woman almost snuck away unnoticed, but Jesus wanted to bless her and raise up her head so she could continue to "put it into practice". Jairus could have let all his knowledge and prestige keep him from Jesus, but a dying daughter can change your perspective, he begins to "put it into practice" and his daughter lives again.

And the man driven by demons? He begged to go with Jesus, but He sent him away to "put it into practice"; Return home, He said, and tell how much God has done for you. So the man driven by demons went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

What am I driven by? It isn't a legion of demons. What I am driven by can be used by Jesus to provide me with a good news message. What drives you? Whatever it is, let it be fodder for telling everyone how much God has done for you.

If you don't have much to tell anyone about what God has done for you, than either you don't have anything bad happening in your life, or you won't let Jesus do anything about it. Are you crazy? Let Jesus get involved with your hurt and suffering. Don't be afraid, where is your faith?