Telling How Much God Has Done For You!
Passage: Luke 8:26-39
Date: June 30, 2025
Pastor: Pastor Horton
There’s something to be said for coming home. Be it after a long vacation and getting to finally sleep in the comfort of your own bed, or the happy reunion with your pet after boarding them, or seeing family again and having that favorite meal that mom always makes as your personal comfort food. Home is familiar and welcoming and more often than not, something we long for. It’s where we feel connected and loved. Some of the children of our church may know that very feeling if you are away at a summer camp and spend the night there. It may be fun to be with friends, but by the end of the week, it’s also fun to come home.
Biblical homecomings abound in Scripture. Some are really good reunions that are even better than expected: remember Jacob returning home to brother Esau as they heal up their relationship, or the Israelites returning home from exile to rebuild God’s house – the temple in Jerusalem, or Naomi (with Ruth loyally journeying alongside her) to Bethlehem, and then there’s the joyful forgiveness and restoration we find in the parable of the prodigal son returning home to his father who runs to meet him and throws his arms around him.
I’m guessing that may not have been the initial reaction of the townspeople for the formerly demon possessed man in our reading. This miracle was incredible. And his return home was made possible entirely by Jesus.
And you might expect him to be cautious on his return home – many people are. They may feel unsure or embarrassed by their life or the lack of stability in their life. They may have found themselves in trouble and are not proud of their situation. At times people feel adrift, alone, or unwanted. They may suffer through many things that separate them from family and friends: depression or battles with mental health and various disorders.
But these are not the reasons why this man was ostracized by his hometown. The inspired Word of God tells us that he was possessed by demons. One of these devils would be unwanted and bad enough, and yet we are told that there were numerous cohorts of the evil one at work inside this man. “Legion” was the self given description of the invaders. A Roman legion in those times was about 5,500 soldiers strong. That’s a lot of evil at work. This man had suffered intensely and for a long time. He was shackled but broke the chains with supernatural strength. He was in torment, violent, naked, and living in the desolated areas where the dead were buried. His condition was helpless and hopeless. His new home was filled with death all around him and under the control of these dark forces.
And yet see our Savior set foot into this region – thought to be a place most likely inhabited by unbelievers since we find pig herds (the locals were farming what would be considered unclean animals to the Jews). But pay special attention to the limitless love of God moving in ways that would serve this man. Jesus knows him, knows all that is tragically going on with him, knows where to find him, and knows how to help him. Jesus knows that this man would be called and given faith and be considered one of God’s very own.
And what a powerful reaction to just the presence of Jesus by this drove of destructive devils! Many humans today diminish the divinity of Jesus and poopoo the fact that he is true God, but watch the response of these vile and wicked creatures – who, unlike so many today, they know exactly who is standing there and exactly what the Son of God is able to do to them. And they shudder. We’re told, “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, ‘What do I have to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!’” The power dynamic has in an instant shifted away from them to him who is alone the Son of the Most High God. In Philippians 2 we are reminded “that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” So off the unclean entities were sent into the unclean animals – and down the steep hills they ran – stampeding into a watery grave. Interestingly enough, the same lake Jesus so often lifted up and saved his followers above the surface – now would see these possessed pigs sent down below.
The locals were horrified by all of this. Upon further investigation they were shocked to find the same once out-of-control man now clothed, sane, and sitting at Jesus’ feet – at home with his Lord. Jesus had a lot to tell him. And the man would have a lot to tell the locals. The people had a hard time dealing with this reality of who Jesus was, and did what is so often the case in unbelief: push the reality of this truth aside because it was simply too much to process and apply in their own lives. “Jesus we don’t know who you are, and who you might be makes us afraid, and we’d just like you to go away from us now,” was their response. And what else should be expected from the natural unbelief of man when confronted with the authority of almighty God in action?
There are a number of things we are able today to take away from this reading. The first involves seeing Jesus’ clear authority even over demons. His victory at the cross marked their demise – the abyss of hell becoming their forever home. The devil himself has now been made into a footstool of the Almighty. Yet their power and threat to our faith is real. That is their goal now: to tempt and to distract us away from our Savior. There can be possessions (although they are exceptionally rare), as well as what we might call oppression (the account of King Saul may perhaps serve as an example of this), and then from the human perspective: people often have an unhealthy obsession with evil realms and entities. God calls dabbling with such powers “despicable” before him. He steers his children away from them. He holds us close by faith to himself and even sends out his angels, ministering spirits, to guard and protect us.
And what a good reminder: that we are considered by God to be to his children thanks to Jesus! We need not cower under the covers even if “devils all the world should fill.” We have a champion in Jesus! Just as this man was in a spiritual sense shackled to sin and the power of the devil. So were we by nature. We could not free ourselves or escape his clutches – and for our sin the eternal grave awaited. Jesus had to act to save him – and Jesus had to act to save us. And he did that through his suffering and death on his cross to win for you and for me full and free forgiveness before God. His victory and his perfect status with God the Father are now yours!
The next good reminder for us in all of this? Where was this man most at home? Where did he want to be? At his Savior’s side and learning God’s Word. Our lesson concludes this way: “As Jesus got into the boat and started back, the man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you.” Then he went through the whole town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.” Jesus had a plan for this new man of faith: his vocation would be back home, amongst his own people. He would stay there and be a walking, talking testimony of God’s grace shown to sinners. God’s saving act wouldn’t be the thing of local legend – his story would not be a regional tall tale. For years the next generation could go ask the guy who lived right down the street about his experience firsthand. And would he have a lot to tell them about Jesus!
The same holds true for you. As you get a breather this summer, go on vacation or off to camp – we will come home. Take a moment and reevaluate your home with the Lord. Home is where God has placed you and sent you. The Triune God has already won your heart and converted it into a dwelling place for Jesus. You carry the gospel of salvation with you. And you go home with it. So how has that been going? I know for myself I’ve always got 100 things to do or places to be. Yes, even the summer months tend to fill up fast. But what is the number one focus in our homes? Where is it that we can congregate as a family? It is around the same gospel of salvation that this man was given through Jesus. We have lots to tell in our very own homes about God’s goodness to us! As we tell and live and share the very same joy of salvation this man had in our homes, consider a renewed focus on your prayer life or maybe starting that family devotion time! Let’s look to make our homes a place where Jesus lives and dwells, where we like him sacrifice and love, forgive, encourage, and grow in the Word.
After all, you and I and our families are going home. We are headed home to heaven to be with the Lord forever. That is the goal of our faith. We will get to be reunited there with loved ones thanks to Jesus. We will get to be with the greater family of believers forever. We can’t wait. But today we can rejoice, and, beginning in our homes and on to the world, tell how much God has done for us in Jesus. Amen.
