New York UBF – NY University Bible Fellowship (NYUBF)

Luke Lesson 26 (2009)

“WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?”
(Ultimate Power)
Luke 8:22-39
Key Verse: 8:25

“‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement
they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds
and the water, and they obey him.’”

In the previous passage, 8:5-21, Jesus spoke two parables: the parable of the soil and the parable of a lamp on a stand. One of the main themes of these parables is the importance of listening. In order for us to grow in faith and bear good spiritual fruits, we should first be good listeners of God’s words. Good listening requires a lot of discipline. Our faith requires constant searching and rediscovery of God’s truth, which is like hidden treasure. Good disciples are good listeners. But just listening to God’s word is not enough. We also have to put it into practice.

In today’s passage, Jesus performs two great miracles which only God the Creator could do. By the power of his command, the wind and the raging waters of the lake subsided (22-25) and nearly 6,000 demons were forced to come out of a man in the region of Gerasenes (26-39). In fear and amazement the disciples asked one another, “Who is this?” “Who is this man who commands even winds and water?” “Who is this man?” “Who is he?” Do we really know who Jesus is? But according to today’s passage, knowing is not enough. Even the demons know who Jesus is. Our knowledge about Jesus is important, but this knowing has to be transformed into faith. That’s why Jesus asked his disciples, “Where is your faith?” Let’s think about who Jesus is and how our knowledge about Jesus can be transformed into saving faith.

Look at verses 22-23. One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they were heading toward the region of Gerasenes, which is the opposite side of the Lake of Galilee, Jesus fell asleep. Obviously, Jesus must have been very tired so that he needed to take a nap. When we are tired and lack of sleep, we sometimes fall asleep during classes, in the subway or even while driving. After taking even short nap, we feel much better. The phrase “Jesus fell asleep” reveals that Jesus was fully human, just like us. Luke introduces the fact that Jesus fell asleep before mentioning the storm-breaking at the lake of Galilee, perhaps because he wanted to show the contrast between Jesus’ peaceful condition and the storm. We have trouble falling asleep when we are too worried and anxious. But we can also have peace and sleep like Jesus when we fully trust in God our Father who is in charge of everything.

The lake of Galilee, which was surrounded by many high hills, was often subject to sudden storms. While Jesus and his disciples were in the boat, a squall suddenly came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped. They were in great danger. They were afraid that they were going to drown, and momentarily lost their faith and panicked. Look at verse 24. They went to Jesus and woke him up, saying “Master, Master, we are going to drown.” They were desperate. But Jesus wasn’t. He was still sleeping as if he either didn’t know what was going on or didn’t care. According to Mark’s account, they said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Even though the storm was sudden, Jesus who is all knowing knew what was coming ahead of them. And yet, he fell asleep and was still sleeping peacefully in the midst of a storm. This reveals that Jesus is fully divine. This was, however, for the testing of faith for the disciples.

Look at verse 24b. When Jesus got up, he didn’t panic, saying “Oh, no. Guys! Hold fast to each other. Stay calm. We can’t die here. We have a lot to do. Let’s ask God’s mercy! Pray, Simon Peter!” That would be considered very courageous. But Jesus didn’t do that. He simply rebuked the wind and the raging waters, perhaps saying “Be still!” Surprisingly enough, the storm subsided and all was calm. Incredible! Normally, the winds may immediately have diminished, but it still requires considerable time for the waves to subside. Yet, as soon as Jesus rebuked the winds and the water, all was calm.

Then Jesus rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith, saying “Where is your faith?” When Jesus said this to his disciples, he could have meant “You don’t really trust me, do you?” or “Why didn’t you trust me?” One of the greatest insults to someone is distrust. When we underestimate somebody’s wisdom and ability, we cannot trust the person. It appears that as though the disciples knew Jesus well, they still didn’t know him well enough. They didn’t know that Jesus is God who has ultimate power and authority over all things, visible and invisible, natural and supernatural. They might have had knowledge about Jesus, yet their knowledge had not been fully activated in their practical lives because of their lack of trust in him.

That happens a lot to us when we are in the midst of life-storms. Instead of acknowledging and trusting in God’s absolute power and sovereignty, we fall into doubt and fear. We become overly anxious and worried. Even though we might say, “God is good all the time, we still doubt God’s goodness when we face an unexpected tragedy, such as the severe illness or death of loved one, an accident, a job situation, a visa problem or breakdown of a relationship. We even doubt God’s leading in our lives. We feel that we are left alone to fend for ourselves. But that’s not true at all. Sometimes, God tests our faith in order to strengthen our faith in Him. God disciplines those whom He regards as His children. (Heb 12:5-11)

We need to hear from Jesus, “Where is your faith?” In this world, we will always have problems. The bottom line is “Do I really trust in God’s love and power?” “Do I really trust that God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according his purpose? Where is your faith?” This reminds us of Proverbs 3:5-8, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”

Romans 8:31-39 reads, “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave himself up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?… For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Look at verse 25b. “In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Jesus is God the Incarnate who is fully God and fully human. This is a real miracle. The disciples were overwhelmed by the divine power of Jesus when he calmed the winds and raging water. But Jesus’ ultimate power is demonstrated also in the events in the following verses, verses 26-39.

In verses 26-39, the author Luke, a medical doctor, describes Jesus’ healing of a man from demon-possession, which was as serious problem in his time just as it is today. These days, psychiatrists, physicians and psychotherapist have a different name for it. Last week a young man wanted to commit suicide. He tried to jump off the building naked. But his body was caught by electric wires. We don’t know whether he was demon-possessed or mentally challenged. Whether the diagnosis is demons or paranoia, maniac-depression, or schizophrenia, the reality is that many people are emotionally disturbed and mentally challenged now more than ever. More people are hospitalized with various kinds of mental illnesses than with any other one ailment. So what we read here about the healing of a demon-possessed man can be helpful to all of us.

Look at verses 26-29. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had remained naked and homeless. He lived in the tombs, a place no one in his right mind would choose to live in. The fact that he had not worn clothes and had lived in the tombs showed that he had no sense of shame and was very lonely. According to verse 29b, many times, but not all the time, the evil spirit had seized him. We are not sure whether this man was violent or not. But he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, considered to be very dangerous. But he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. He was a solitary man. This shows the man’s horrible condition. He was cut apart from God, he was cut from his family and friends and he was cut from himself. He isolated himself and the rest of the world. (27) Now, the devil was in charge of this pitiful man and ready to destroy him.

We don’t know how he became like this. Something must have really damaged and hurt him. Maybe he was bullied a lot in school, or was deeply hurt when he was rejected by the girls he liked. Maybe his father died in the war or his parents divorced when he was young. Perhaps he was so abused or oppressed that he became angry and bitter toward others. But we are not sure.

Look at verse 28. “When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” We see here that the man’s action and his words are conflicting. He came to Jesus and fell at his feet. Then he was saying “Leave me alone.” He was reacting this way because Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. (29a) Actually, we cannot be sure whether it was the evil spirit or the man who spoke. The devil knew that he had to come out of the man because Jesus ordered him to.

Look at verse 30-33. After Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out, he asked the man, “What is your name?” Then the man replied, “My name is Legion.” That’s a strange name. In fact, that’s not is the man’s real name. The man was actually saying “I am lost. I don’t really know who I am.” A legion was comprised of 6,000 soldiers. This indicates that the man might have been possessed by many demons. It indicates how serious the man’s condition was. However, at the command of Jesus, all of them had to move out of the man. And these demons begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss, the place where the devil is doomed to be chained at the appointed time for a thousand years. (Rev 20:1-3) When the demons saw a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside, they begged Jesus to let them go into them instead. And Jesus gave them permission. And all the pigs became demon-possessed and rushed down the steep bank and committed mass-suicide.

Look at verse 34-36. When those tending the pigs saw that had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demon had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind.

Nobody could help this man overcome his serious condition. Whether it was demon-possession or multiple personality disorder, the good news is that Jesus the Son of God came to this world to rescue and heal the man from his serious problem. And the man was cured, and wholeness was restored in him through Jesus. What a great wonder it was! Before I met Christ personally, I wouldn’t say that I was demon-possessed. But I felt lost and didn’t know myself. In fact, I didn’t like myself. I was a person who is hard to please. I was proud inwardly, introverted and fearful. I always felt insecure. I had a lot of problems. In short, I was not happy about myself. I became like a hippie in Korea. I had long hairs down to my shoulders. But nothing could satisfy me until Jesus came into my life and I began to see myself from God’s point of view. When I accepted that God created me in His image and for His good purpose and the grace of forgiveness of sins, I slowly began to accept myself. God has been restoring wholeness in me through the grace of Jesus. Now, I have peace, hope and joy in Jesus Christ. Saint Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

But in verse 37 we see that the townspeople were afraid and earnestly asked Jesus to leave them. Why? It’s because they thought that the cost of healing this one crazy man was too high. They were saying “If that’s the cost of healing, no thanks. We don’t want it.” It’s easy for us to condemn them. Many of us may not be too different from them. If a friend of ours has a serious emotional breakdown and we are challenged to make sacrifices to take care of the person. For example, God said to you in your prayer time that you may quit your job and spend a year with that person so that that person will get well. I wonder how many of us would be willing to make those sacrifices. I am not sure if I would. We know that the cost is often very high for the healing a person through a person-to-person ministry. That’s what our one-to-one ministry is all about. From a secular business viewpoint, it might be considered as a waste, but not to Jesus. It’s easier to say than to do. But one person is more important and precious than many pigs. One-to-one Bible study may not be effective in terms of number, but it is one of the best way to learn Jesus’ compassion for wounded souls.

Look at verses 38 and 39. “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus didn’t allow him to. Instead, he sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told everyone how much Jesus had done for him. To this man, Jesus was not just a great teacher but the Holy Son of God. This man didn’t have knowledge of the Scripture. But the divine healing he had experienced through Jesus was evidence to him that Jesus is God, the Son of God and God the incarnate, fully human and fully divine. Jesus didn’t allow him to go with him, not because he was inferior to other disciples but because Jesus had a special mission for him to share God’s wonderful grace with others through his testimony, to his own family members, friends, townspeople and beyond.

We know that Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior and Lord. But our head knowledge is not enough. Unless we share the grace of God through Jesus, our faith does not grow strong. That’s why Jesus told the man, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” (39) When we face difficulties in life, we fall into doubt and fear. While struggling in the world full of stress, we may even become spiritually exhausted. Without the grace of Jesus, our faith cannot be sustained. Faith is God’s gift through His Son Jesus Christ. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit and our decision. It’s easy to forget God’s grace unless we share with others. Like the man from whom the demon had gone out, we should go back home and testify to our family members, friends and relatives. We should go back to our community and campuses. We should go back to our towns and our cities where people gather and share what God has done for us. Unless we hold on to the grace of Jesus and share it with others, our head knowledge about Jesus is of no use. Jesus asks each of us, “Where is your faith?” Jesus is God for us, God with us and God in us through the Holy Spirit. He is real. His ultimate power is real. He is everything to me and to everybody. “Where is your faith?” My faith is in the grace of Jesus Christ. “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”