Luke 8-9: Jesus Scares People

Jesus said His purpose was not "to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:56). So why are people so scared of Him?

In Luke 8:26-39, Luke recorded Jesus' encounter with "Legion," the man with many demons. What did this man desperately need? He needed the forces of evil cast from his life. He needed a power much greater than his own. These demons had complete control over him. He was literally out of his mind because something (someone?) else had taken over his mind. What a terrible place to live!

When Jesus came along, the demons were NOT happy to see Him. They knew Jesus had power greater than their own. They knew when the Son of God gave the word, they had to obey. They begged to be sent into a herd of swine nearby and not into "the abyss," which I suppose is where all demons are locked away today.

And after Jesus cast the demons out of this man, and when the Gadarenes found the man dressed and in his right mind once again, they asked Jesus to LEAVE! They were not happy with Him either, as astounding as that is.

This event is illustrative of the human heart. Many today act just like the Gadarenes. Jesus did not come to hurt, but to heal. He did not come to condemn, but to save. So why does Jesus scare people? In truth, each one of us could be called "Legion" - we have many SINS which leave us naked and exposed to Satan's forces. We do many terrible things. We walk among the tombs in the grave yard; we are among the living dead, zombies of the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13). We need Someone who has POWER greater than our own. We need Someone who has POWER greater than the forces of evil. We need deliverance! And Jesus has that power. He reaches through the darkness to take hold of us and bring us into His kingdom of light. He gives us direction and purpose.

Those of us who have taken the hand of Jesus and allowed Him to lead us out of the darkness LOVE Him with a great love. We know Him. But those who don't know Him are scared. They see His power in our lives. They see the power He holds over the forces of evil. They realize, on some level, they need that same power, but accepting Christ Jesus would mean great changes in their lives. They are scared of getting out of their "safety" zones. They are fearful at the power they see before them. All they want is for Jesus to leave them alone so they won't have to face the TRUTH of their own sins.

Jesus scares people. And for good reason. If they don't obey Him, they have every reason to be fearful! Woe to those who refuse Him now - because they WILL bow the knee later (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). Let's not be like those Gadarenes. When we see the great power of Jesus to save and to heal, let us ask Him to STAY and perform His great work of salvation in us.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 10-11