Text: Luke 8:26-39 | Listen to Message
No Longer Slaves
The Gospels tell the story of a wild, demon-possessed man with superhuman strength, commonly referred to as “the maniac of Gadara.” Devils had overtaken his mind and body, and he was little more than a pawn in their ongoing hostility toward God. They drove him into the desert where he lived naked among the tombs, cutting himself with sharp rocks, shrieking at any who would pass his way. His name was simply “Legion” – for an army of devils had claimed his identity for themselves.
On the surface, he was so bizarre, I’m sure it seems like we almost nothing in common with this freak show of humanity. But let’s take another look.
The demons had isolated this man, humiliated him, defiled him, enslaved him, and renamed him. Ultimately they wanted his self-destructive behaviors to kill him. So deep down, this poor man wasn’t so unique after all. That’s what sin always does, everywhere, to all of us.
Sin always isolates. Sin is inherently antisocial. It creates conflict with others and pushes them away. It destroys relationships. Sin makes us lonely and alone.
Sin always humiliates. It causes embarrassment and disgrace. It leaves us naked and exposed in our guilt and shame.
Sin always defiles. It makes us morally impure and unfit for the presence of a holy God. It leaves us filthy, disfigured, and battle-scarred.
Sin always enslaves. It promises something desirable like freedom, pleasure, or control, and then once we take the bait, it sets the hook. And we are the ones who are caught. We are not in control, but controlled – unable to escape certain thought patterns, attitudes, and behaviors. Sin makes us prisoners and slaves.
Sin always renames. It strips away what God says about our identity and it says, “That’s not who you are; you’re a liar, a thief, a murderer, an adulterer, a traitor. You’re worthless. You’re pathetic. You’re the mayor of Loserville.”
Sin always kills. Some sins take longer than others, but all sin is self-destructive. It destroys the mind. It destroys the emotions. It destroys the soul. And it destroys the body. Ultimately, by separating us from the Giver of life, it kills us in a forever sort of way by condemning us to hell.
So every person everywhere should be able to read the story of the maniac of Gadara and think, “I’m not so different after all. God, help me!” And He will.
See, in this story, Jesus associated with the isolated. He clothed the humiliated. He cleansed the defiled. He liberated the enslaved. He gave life to the walking dead. And what’s incredible is how simply he did these things. There were no incantations, no lengthy processes, no epic battle between good and evil where the outcome hung in the balance. The moment Jesus stepped into this man’s life, it was game over. The demons knew he was the Son of the Most High God. They had to leave. He was no longer a slave to sin – he was a child of God!
If you see in yourself that you are a slave of anyone or anything…run to the same Jesus, the Bondage Breaker, and let him set you free today.
Sermon Notes & Application Questions