Luke 8:22-56: “
By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we looked
at verses 1 through 21 of chapter 8.
1.1.1. Jesus taught the Parable Of The Sower.
1.1.2. There was a challenge given by Jesus that one does not light a lamp and
put it under a bushel. Rather, a lamp is
to be placed in such a position so that it can shed light for all to see.
1.1.3. Jesus’ mother and brothers came to visit Jesus.
1.1.4. There was a consistent theme that ran throughout each of the stories we
looked at and that is the importance of heeding the word of God when you hear
it.
1.2.
In our study today, we are
going to look at verses 22 through 56 of chapter 8.
1.2.1. Jesus performs four miracles:
1.2.1.1. Jesus falls asleep in the boat when He and His disciples cross the
1.2.1.2. Jesus heals a man possessed by a legion of demons who lived in the
tombs.
1.2.1.3. Finally, Jesus agrees to go with Jairus’s and heal his daughter who is
gravely ill however on the way a woman who has had a hemorrhage for twelve
years touches the hem of His garment by faith and is healed.
1.2.1.4. Jairus receives word that his daughter has now died, then Jesus goes
with Jairus and raises his daughter from the dead.
1.2.2. Each of these miracles performed by Jesus reveal once more His
authority. They again demonstrate that
Jesus has authority over the forces of nature, the spirit realm, sickness, and
death itself.
2. VS 8:22-25 - “22 Now on one of those days
Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over
to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. 23 But as they
were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the
lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24 They
came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And
He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became
calm. 25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were
fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands
even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”” - In the boat with His
disciples, Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves on the
2.1.
In this story, we see that
Jesus tells His disciples to get into a boat and to go over from Galilee to the
other side of the
2.2.
The Sea of Galilee, also known as the
2.3.
One thing that Jesus’
disciples failed to take into account on this day was the fact that when Jesus
tells you that you are going across the lake, then you are going across the
lake. Nothing can interfere with the
completion of God’s will when He has sent you!
2.4.
Jesus’ disciples were
panicked in this storm. One has to have
peace in his heart in order to fall asleep, and here we see that Jesus is
resting like a baby even when all around Him a huge storm has brewed and the
boat He is in is being storm tossed.
Interestingly, Peter eventually learned from the faith and peace that
Jesus possessed for in the twelfth chapter of the book of Acts when Peter was
due to be tried the next morning for preaching the gospel we see him fast
asleep between two guards. Peter was
sleeping so soundly that the angel sent to deliver him had to strike him hard
in order to wake him so that the angel could then open the prison gates and
lead him out of the prison.
2.5.
Notice here how that Jesus
rebukes the wind and the waves and then they immediately become calm. Three things about this stand out:
2.5.1. Jesus didn’t see a demon under every rock (as some do) and rebuke a
demon here, He rebuked the wind and the waves.
2.5.2. The wind and the waves calm at the mere word of Jesus (this speaks of
His authority).
2.5.3. The wind and the waves calm immediately, yet once a storm raises the
waves up it takes hours for them to settle down after the storm has ceased.
2.6.
After rebuking the wind and the
waves, Jesus rebukes His disciples for having little faith.
2.6.1. We can criticize the disciples here for their lack of faith, yet how
many times do we Christians doubt that the Lord is going to come through for us
even though He has given us His many promises to hold onto and claim in every
trial, testing, and temptation we might go through? God calls us and sends us and then we enter a
tempestuous storm and our circumstances seem to contradict that calling. Faith, persevering faith, enables us to
complete that calling.
2.6.2. We Christians need to realize that just as it was with the disciples on
this day, Jesus is in our boat therefore we need not fear. Jesus lives right within our hearts and He
has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5) and that
though we are faithless that He remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).
2.7.
Note the disciple’s reaction
to this event for a moment. They are
filled with awe and fear wondering who this man could be who could command the
wind and the waves and they obey Him.
After just a few more miracles Jesus’ disciples will be at the point
where Peter is ready to make his great confession of Jesus, “Thou art the
Christ the Son of the living God!” (Mark 8:29)
2.8.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “It
has well been said that faith is not believing in spite of circumstances; it is obeying in spite of feelings and
consequences. The disciples looked
around and saw danger, and looked within and saw fear; but they failed to look up by faith and see
God. Faith and fear cannot dwell together
in the same heart. A woman said to D.L.
Moody, “I have found a wonderful promise!”
and she quoted Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in
Thee.” “Let me give you a better one, “
said Moody; and he quoted Isaiah 12:2,
“Behold God is my salvation; I will
trust and not be afraid.””
3. VS 8:26-30 - “26 Then they sailed to the country
of the Gerasenes, which is opposite
3.1.
This country of the ‘Gerasenes’
is referred to in different translations of the Bible as being the “Gaderenes”
or “Gergesenes.” The New Bible
Dictionary has the following entry for this country of the ‘Gerasenes’ :
GERASA. An important city of the classical period, ranking
in importance with
3.2.
In Matthew chapter 8, in
Matthew’s account of this story, he tells us that when Jesus and His disciples
landed at the Gerasenes that there were actually two men who were possessed
with demons whom they met. However, one
of the men was in a much worse state of possession than the other. It is the man with the worst case of possession
whom Luke and Mark include in their gospel accounts of this story.
3.3.
In the gospels, the word
that is used for demon ‘possessed’ actually means “demonized.” There are differing degrees of which a person
can be influenced in his life by a demon.
Its not just a matter of being possessed or not being possessed. However, on a scale of 1 to 10 of being
demonized, this man whom Jesus met on this day was a 12. He was off the scale in the influence that
the devil had over his life.
3.4.
There are many descriptions
given of this man that indicate the severity of his being demonized:
3.4.1. He did not wear clothes anymore.
3.4.2. Instead of living around people or in a house the man lived in the
tombs (in that day tombs were usually naturally made caves or those hewn out of
the hillsides outside of town).
3.4.3. When Jesus asks the demon his name, the demon responds that his name is
“Legion” for many demons were possessing the man. A ‘legion’ of soldiers could have up
to 6,000 men.
3.4.4. He possessed supernatural strength at times when the spirits would
seize him, and he would break the chains and shackles which people guarding him
had used to bind him.
3.5.
Notice that the demons
recognize Jesus as being the ‘Son of the Most High God’ and having
authority over them. The man possessed
by the demons comes and throws himself before Jesus and asks Him not to ‘torment’
them. You see, the demons knew that
Jesus, the eternal Son of God, would one day judge them and cast them into an
eternal punishment, and thus they feared Jesus and what He might want to do to
them. Mark, in his account of this
story, Mark 8:29, supports this view, “29 And they cried
out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You
come here to torment us before the time?””
4. VS 8:31-37 - “31 They were imploring Him not to
command them to go away into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of
many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to
permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And
the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down
the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the herdsmen
saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in
the country. 35 The people went out to see what had happened;
and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out,
sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they
became frightened. 36 Those who had seen it reported to them how the
man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people
of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave
them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and
returned.” - Jesus commands the legion of demons to enter
a herd of 2,000 swine (Mark 5:1 tells us the number of them), and then the herd
runs into the sea and is drowned; then,
the people ask Jesus to leave them
4.1.
The demons begin to implore
Jesus not to send them into the ‘abyss.’
Strong’s Greek Dictionary has the following entry for this Greek word “abussos,”
which is translated here as ‘abyss’ :
ἄβυσσος [abussos /ab·us·sos/] n f. From 1 (as a
negative particle) and a variation of 1037; TDNT 1:9; TDNTA 2; GK 12; Nine
occurrences; AV translates as “bottomless pit” five times, “deep” twice, and
“bottomless” twice. 1 bottomless. 2 unbounded. 3 the abyss. 3a the pit. 3b the immeasurable depth. 3c of Orcus, a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth
used as the common receptacle of the dead and especially as the abode of
demons.
4.2.
For whatever reason, demons
much prefer having a host to dwell within rather than have to exist in that
dimension of spiritual ether of the spirit world. Secular scientists have in recent years
speculated that there might be as many as six or eight different dimensions,
including the space and time dimension that we currently live in. The spirit world where demons and the Lord
Himself primarily exist is one of those dimensions.
4.3.
By the way the demon
possession of these swine is the first historical record of “Deviled Ham.” Also, it is curious that after these swine
became demon possessed that they committed “soooee-cide.”
4.4.
Many have wondered why the
Lord would have allowed these demons to enter into the swine if knowing all
along they were going to run down the cliff and drown bringing financial ruin
to their owners. We can only speculate
at the reasons why the Lord allowed this to occur:
4.4.1. If these people living in this region of the Gerasenes were Jews then
they were breaking the Law of Moses by having pigs, an unclean animal to be
avoided by God’s people.
4.4.2. The pigs perishing in the water in this way gave testimony to the
authority of Jesus over the spirit world.
4.4.3. The lives of these two men were much more valuable than the lives of
the swine, as Jesus reveals to us :
4.4.3.1. Matthew 12:12, “12
“How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep!”
4.4.3.2. Matthew 10:31, “31
“So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”
4.4.4. The Lord certainly has the prerogative and right to do as He chooses.
4.5.
Not only does the demons entering
the swine causing them to perish in the lake testify to Jesus’ authority, when
the herdsmen brought the people from the villages to see Jesus who had
performed this act, the man who had the demon cast out of him also testifies to
Jesus because he is found by them sitting at Jesus’ feet, ‘clothed and in
his right mind.’
4.5.1. All Jesus’ healings portray aspects of how He brings people to
salvation. Isn’t it wonderful when Jesus
transforms a human life through His grace and mercy. Receiving salvation through Christ causes a
person to be ‘clothed and in his right mind.’ He becomes clothed with the righteousness of
Christ, and having escaped the insanity of the sinful nature and its
self-centered and self-seeking thought life, a newly saved person begins to be
transformed in his mind through God’s word to see and understand the true
nature of things.
4.6.
It states here that because
of ‘fear’ that the people ask Jesus to leave their country after this
miracle, however we wonder if their motive for asking Jesus to leave them was
because they were more fearful about sustaining further financial loss. Also, isn’t ironic and sad that after seeing
Jesus perform such an incredible and wonderful miracle in restoring this man’s
life that they want Jesus to leave instead of remain with them so that they can
learn and be benefited from Him?
5. VS 8:38-39 - “38 But the man from whom the demons
had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away,
saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God
has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what
great things Jesus had done for him.” - Jesus commands the man whom He had cast out
the legion of demons to go and be an evangelist and a witness of Christ to His
people
5.1.
This man out of whom a
legion of demons was cast out begs Jesus to allow him to accompany Jesus as His
disciple, but Jesus refuses him.
5.2.
One of the things that we
see happen consistently in the gospels is that Jesus had a very specific plan
for each person to whom He ministered to carry out. Jesus did not want some people to tell
anyone. Yet, Jesus wanted others, such
as this man, to go and to tell their testimony to as many people as would
listen. We can only speculate at Jesus’
motives for this. However, it is clear
that in certain places Jesus did not want too big of crowds to follow Him
because the people would get caught up in seeing the attesting signs He was
performing instead of listen to the things He was teaching and preaching about.
6. VS 8:40-48 - “40 And as Jesus returned, the people
welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. 41 And there
came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell
at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; 42 for
he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He
went, the crowds were pressing against Him. 43 And a woman who had a
hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came
up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her
hemorrhage stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched
Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are
crowding and pressing in on You.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did
touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” 47 When
the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down
before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she
had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And He
said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”” - Jesus agrees to go with
Jairus and heal his daughter, however on the way to Jairus’ house a woman with
a hemorrhage for 12 years touches the fringe of His cloak and is healed of her
disease
6.1.
In this story, we are
introduced to a man named ‘Jairus,’ a man who is an official of the
synagogue who served on the governing board and was responsible for planning
the worship at the synagogue. This story
shows us that not all Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day had hardened their
heart against the Lord and rejected Jesus.
6.2.
It was great need that
brought this man Jairus to Jesus. This
was his only daughter, a girl who was the age of 12, the age when girls were to
soon be married, and yet she was sick and at the point of death. Jairus had heard of the great miracles that
Jesus had performed and thus he sought Jesus out
6.3.
Note again how Luke makes it
a point to reveal ways in which Jesus personally touched people’s lives. Luke had previously mentioned that the boy
raised from the dead by Jesus was the only son of a widow. Now Jesus will raise a man’s only daughter.
6.4.
In Matthew’s account of this
story (Matt. 9), he tells us that Jairus asked Jesus specifically to come and
to lay hands on his daughter so that she might live.
6.5.
We see that as Jesus is
walking with Jairus to his house that an unnamed woman comes up behind
Him. This woman has had a horrible
condition for 12 years (interestingly the same number of years as the age of
Jairus’ daughter). She has had a
hemorrhage, probably a uterine bleeding, for 12 long years. This condition has caused her immense
physical problems as she has surely been very anemic and weak. Also, she has been “unclean” for 12
years and thus has been separated from community and fellowship in the
synagogue. People have avoided her also
for to touch her would make them also become “unclean.” She has probably tried every remedy known for
illness yet we see here that none of those remedies has helped her.
6.6.
This woman has faith that
Jesus can heal and yet her faith is not perfect but actually a bit
superstitious. She believes that if she
comes up and just touches the fringe of Jesus’ cloak and yet believes that she
will be healed that she will be healed.
And, amazingly she is healed. It
was prophesied of Jesus that He never snuffs out the smolder wick of faith in
people but rather accepts it and fans it to flame (see Isaiah 42:3; Matt.
12:20). Jesus accepts her faith and she
is healed and be sure of this, Jesus knew all along who He healed. She thought she was seeking out the Lord, but
this was a set up for in fact He was seeking her out. This is always how it works, people never
find the Lord apart from Him drawing them to Himself.
6.6.1. It is wonderful for us as Christians that the Lord accepts the faith
that we have and does not reject our faith because it is not strong enough or
pure enough. The Lord doesn’t require a
certain amount of faith in our lives, rather it is whether or not we have faith
period that matters and causes us to have His blessing in our life.
6.7.
It has been pointed out that
though many press around Jesus that it is those who, like this woman, actually
touch Him who receive of His healing touch in their lives. We must never be satisfied with less than
touching Jesus.
6.8.
The woman probably wanted to
come secretly up to Jesus for healing because she was ashamed of her condition
and didn’t want anyone to know about it.
6.9.
Realizing that power had
left Him, Jesus stops and asked who it was who had touched Him. Initially, everyone denies touching Him. Peter steps in and tells Jesus in essence
that with all of the people pressing in around Him that it could have been
anyone who had touched Jesus.
6.10.
Realizing that she hadn’t
escaped notice, the woman who had been healed fell before Him trembling with
fear. She was afraid of what Jesus might
do to her since she had snuck up and been healed in this way. She was probably also concerned that Jesus
might be angry with her because according to the Law of Moses by touching Him
she had made also Him unclean.
6.11.
Finally the woman comes and
bows before Jesus and declares for all to listen the reason why she had snuck
up to Jesus and touched the fringe of his cloak to be healed, as well as the
fact that she was now completely healed of her hemorrhage.
6.12.
Filled with compassion and
love for this woman Jesus tells her that her faith has made her well and that
she may now go in peace.
6.13.
More than just allowing this
woman to go in peace Jesus comforts and assures her by calling her His ‘daughter.’ She now is in the family of God. By faith in Christ for salvation each one of
us becomes a child of God, as John tells us in John 1:12-13, “12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children
of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were
born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of
God.”
7. VS 8:49-56 - “ 49 While He was still speaking,
someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your
daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” 50 But when
Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer;
only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came to the
house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and
James, and the girl’s father and mother. 52 Now they were all
weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not
died, but is asleep.” 53 And they began laughing at Him,
knowing that she had died. 54 He, however, took her by the hand and
called, saying, “Child, arise!” 55 And her spirit returned, and she
got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to
eat. 56 Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no
one what had happened.” - Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead
7.1.
Because Jesus had delayed
coming to Jairus’ house to heal Jairus’ daughter due to the healing of the
woman with the hemorrhage and His subsequent discussion with the woman, Jairus
receives news that his daughter is now dead.
7.2.
The messenger bringing the
news to Jairus of his daughter’s death did not think that Jesus should be troubled
any longer about healing Jairus’ daughter because she was now dead. He didn’t think that Jesus had the power to
raise anyone from the dead.
7.3.
Jesus tells Jairus not to be
afraid any longer but if he will just ‘believe’ that his daughter shall be
made well. This emphasizes the
importance of faith in our lives. God
can and will do great things in our life, however we must exercise that muscle
of faith if we shall receive most of the Lord’s blessings.
7.3.1. Like Jairus, is your faith being stretched in many ways today, maybe
even beyond your comfort zone? Don’t be
discouraged by this. Praise the Lord for
it because this shows that the Lord loves you and is honored by your faith. In the end your faith will be much stronger.
7.4.
When Jesus gets to Jairus’
house note that this is the first time in the gospels that only Peter, James,
and John are allowed to go with Jesus and see the things that He will do. They alone will also be with Jesus at His
transfiguration as well as in the
7.5.
When Jesus gets to Jairus’
house the mourners had already been called and they were all weeping and
wailing at the top of their lungs. Jesus
tells the group to stop weeping for the little girl was asleep. At Jesus’ announcement the group went from
sorrow to mocking laughter. They knew
that the little girl was really dead and they were well aware of the finality
of death. They probably felt sorry for
Jesus at this point.
7.6.
In the New Testament we see
that “sleep” is a metaphor that is used for death. God’s people who have died are described as
having fallen asleep. For instance, 1
Thess. 4:13-18 shows this truth, “13 But we do not
want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you
will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those
who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the
word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the
Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then
we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore
comfort one another with these words.”
7.7.
Undeterred by the mocking
crowd Jesus takes the girl’s hand and commands her to ‘arise.’
7.8.
Like a good physician making
His rounds, Jesus orders the parents of the girl to give her something to
eat. He knew she needed nourishment.
7.9.
Again we see that Jesus has
a specific plan in mind for Jairus and his family as a result of this
miracle. In their case, Jesus does not
want them to tell anyone. Evidently, Jesus
knew that further publicity in this area of the land would hinder His being
able to reach the people with the message He had for them.
7.10.
We Christians need to keep
our eyes on the rewards of our faith that we know that we will receive. We need to keep trusting, keep believing, keep
expecting the Lord to work on our behalf.
If we will do this then in time we will not be disappointed.
8. CONCLUSIONS:
8.1.
We’ve been encouraged by the
demonstrations of Jesus’ authority which were revealed by His :
8.1.1. Calming the wind and the waves.
8.1.2. Casting a legion of demons out of a man who lived among the tombs.
8.1.3. Healing a woman who had had a hemorrhage for 12 long years.
8.1.4. Raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead.
8.2.
We’ve had our faith
challenged as we looked at :
8.2.1. The disciples in the boat fearful that they would perish yet Jesus had
told them they were going to cross the lake.
Jesus’ rebuked them for their little faith. Faith and fear cannot exist in the same
heart! We must be obedient to the Lord
in spite of our feelings or the consequences of doing so, for this is what true
faith consists of.
8.2.2. A woman who has faith to believe that if she just touches the hem of
Jesus’ cloak that she shall be healed of her illness. We need her faith so that we will reach out
and touch Jesus, for only in doing so shall we receive His touch in our lives.
8.2.3. Jairus being challenged to trust that Jesus could raise his daughter
from the dead if only he will continue believing. Don’t be discouraged if your faith is
stretched beyond your comfort zone, just keep on believing.
8.3.
How wonderful it is that
Jesus does not wait for us to have perfect or strong faith before He works in
our lives. He takes that small and weak
faith of ours and fans it to flame as He encourages us in faithfulness and in
our faith.