God Conversation

Matthew 8:28-34

When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”  Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Two or one?

The Matthew account mentions two demon-possessed men, while Mark and Luke only mention one. Is there a discrepancy in these accounts, and do the Gospel writers contradict one another?

It is unclear why they chose to mention only one, but that does not negate the possibility of a second demoniac being present

Mark and Luke do not say there was “only one” demon-possessed man. They simply state that one of the two met Jesus and spoke to Him

Context

After calming the storm on the Sea and impressing upon the disciples His Lordship over both wind and sea (8:23-27), Jesus and those who followed Him came "into the country of the Gadarenes,"

The country was Gadara, but the region was Gerasa on the northeast shore of the Sea, in the Gentile area of the Decapolis.

The demons

The demons that controlled the men had attacked them spiritually, physically, and mentally.

The demoniacs lived among the tombs, a graveyard of sorts

They cut themselves with rocks—indicative of devil worship—and walked around naked (Luke 8:27) which was the epitome of shame in Israel (cf. Lev. 18:6-19).

The pigs

The demons know who Jesus is. They call him the “Son of God”

The number of pigs isn’t mentioned in Matthew like it is in Mark 5:13 (“about two thousand”)

the herd is called large so that when the demons go out from the two demonized men into the herd and they all perish, we get the very clear sense of how big, how large, how serious these men’s bondage was, and how even this was no problem for Jesus.

Humanity Restored

The first amazing thing that happened is two demon-possessed men were now free, and their humanity was restored.

The second amazing thing that happened was a large herd of pigs was destroyed.

Jesus is triumphant over unclean spirits.

Jesus liberates the captive, and gives hope to hopeless people — even Gentile people.

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Matthew 8:23-27

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Suddenly

We’re flooded by numerous types of storms daily.

The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden raging storms, and many of Jesus’ disciples were seasoned fishermen. So, it would seem the disciples would have been prepared. But things were happening beyond their control

Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:24-25).

when things come upon us suddenly, we find out what’s in our hearts.

God Is Faithful and Merciful

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out (Luke 8:22).

Jesus knew he was on a mission of mercy and that the Father was faithful to get him there, so he went to sleep

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples (Luke 8:24-25).

The Miracle

Jesus may have rebuked the disciples for their weak faith, but he didn’t abandon them to let them drown. Instead, he calmed the storm

The wind and the waves that surrounded the disciples were huge and scared all on board except Jesus.

The disciples choose fear before they choose faith, but today we have the opportunity to choose faith over fear.

Trust God in the storm

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.Romans 8:28

How can we take active steps to trust God in the middle of the storms in our life today?

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Luke 7:11-18

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them,

Jesus resurrected someone

The New Testament records three of these resurrection miracles, including the raising of a widow's son, of Jairus' daughter, and of Lazarus

Luke the physician is the only one to record the raising of a widow's son

The widow's son lies in an open coffin on his way to his grave when Jesus performs the miracle

His miraculous power to resurrect

is not dependent upon whether a person has just died, has been dead for days, or is already decomposing

The same principle holds true regarding spiritual salvation: God and Christ can save any sinner no matter how old he is, how long he has been a sinner, or how badly he has sinned.

The Family

He knows all the specifics of the case. His disciples see only a funeral as they pass, but He understands the circumstances of the corpse stretched out in the coffin. He knows that the deceased is a young man, the only son of his mother, and that she is a widow!

He does not wait for anyone to plead with Him

He sees the widowed mother, He has "compassion on her

Jesus is not pretentious when He touches the coffin, but in humility He offers hope

The Miracle

This miracle produces fear in those who witness it, but this fear turns into a deep feeling of awe for His compassion and power

His primary purpose is to glorify God. The people glorify God when they say, "A great prophet has risen up among us" and "God has visited His people."

Deuteronomy 18:15

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,

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Matthew 8:5-13

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

The centurion

To give you some context, Jesus had just finished His Sermon on the Mount and was passing through Capernaum. Word must’ve gotten out that He was there because a Roman centurion sent Jewish leaders to find Jesus.

This man was Gentile and a Roman soldier. He should have been one of the last people to trust Jesus.

The centurion placed his trust into Jesus. He believed his servant would be healed.

Centurions were Roman officers who were in charge of 100 soldiers, and it was very unlikely, bizarre even, to find one hanging out with Jewish leaders

The Authority of Jesus

For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. Luke 7:8

Just as the centurion recognizes how unworthy he is and how worthy Jesus is, he also knows that Jesus has the ultimate authority.

Jesus didn’t need to do this to prove anything but he still chose to heal the centurion’s servant, who He deeply loved.

Jesus was Amazed

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. Luke 7:9-10

The centurion didn’t even view himself as worthy enough to go and meet Jesus or make Him walk all the way to his house, instead he humbled himself and trusted Jesus.

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Mark 1:40-45

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

The disease

In the Bible, the word leprosy is mentioned upwards of 40 times

Leprosy is a painful and infectious disease that is seen on the skin.

The symptoms range from white patches on the skin to running sores to the loss of digits on the fingers and toes.

Incurable by man, many believed God inflicted the curse of leprosy upon people for the sins they committed.

A leper wasn’t allowed to come within six feet of any other human, including his own family. The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within 150 feet of anyone when the wind was blowing. Lepers lived in a community with other lepers until they either got better or died. This was the only way the people knew to contain the spread of the contagious forms of leprosy.

The Miracle

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:  “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

The Significance

When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.  If the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.  On the seventh day the priest is to examine them, and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days.

On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a rash.

Leviticus 13:45-46

45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip[a] and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

Jesus blessed the leper and used the words ‘be clean’ he was not only talking about his physical body he was also healing the leper to be clean spiritually in Gods eyes

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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Mark 1:30-31  Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. Sohe went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left herand she began to wait on them.

Peter's wife's mother was sick with fever. In the Talmud, fever is described as a fire. The original Greek implies that she was seriously ill.  Just as Christ healed this faithful woman, he can heal us

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Mark 1:23-28 Jesus was teaching on this occasion when He was suddenly and violently confronted by a demon-possessed man. The evil spirit immediately recognized Jesus as the Son of God, and, at the Savior's command, left his victim. This is the first of seven miracles where Jesus casts out evil spirits. This is the first of at least 3 occasions when evil spirits gave terrified testimony that Jesus was indeed God's Son

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Luke 5:1-11 The Great Catch of Fish. Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number offish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

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The father was a nobleman, yet the son was sick. Honours and titles are no security from sickness and death. The greatest men must go themselves to God, must become beggars. The nobleman did not stop from his request till he prevailed. But at firsthe discovered the weakness of his faith in the power of Christ.

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As found in the Gospels, here are miracles Jesus performed up to His Crucifixion and Resurrection. There are many miraculous works of Christ recorded in the Bible, as He continues to help mankind in heavenly ways today! Jesus changed water into wine The first recorded miracle in the New Testament

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