Jesus frees a demon-possessed man
26 Jesus and his disciples sailed to the Gerasenes’ land, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a certain man met him. The man was from the city and was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had lived among the tombs, naked and homeless. 28 When he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down before him. Then he shouted, “ What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me! ” 29 He said this because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had taken possession of him, so he would be bound with leg irons and chains and placed under guard. But he would break his restraints, and the demon would force him into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, “ What is your name? ”
“ Legion, ” he replied, because many demons had entered him. 31 They pleaded with him not to order them to go back into the abyss.t32 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission, 33 and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who tended the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside. 35 People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully dressed and completely sane. They were filled with awe. 36 Those people who had actually seen what had happened told them how the demon-possessed man had been delivered. 37 Then everyone gathered from the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their area because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and returned across the lake. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged to come along with Jesus as one of his disciples. Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “ Return home and tell the story of what God has done for you. ” So he went throughout the city proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.
The Way of Grace will delight small-group participants who find within its pages a fresh approach to the Gospel of John. This fourth release in the Companions in Christ series invites us to travel with 8 Biblical characters (or groups of characters) who discover God’s grace through their encounters with Jesus. The eight characters include: Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathaniel; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman; the lame man; the woman caught in adultery; the blind man; Mary and Martha; and Simon Peter.
The resource is more than a survey of the Biblical stories. It is a transforming interaction with the events and the characters. And it is an invitation for us to open our hearts to a deeper knowing of God’s grace.
John Indermark holds true to the popular Companions in Christ weekly pattern. Each of the nine weeks begins with an article that introduces the week’s theme. Five questions based on a scripture text follow the article. Throughout the week we reflect on one question each day and note our thoughts in a notebook or journal. On the last day of each week, we attend a 2-hour meeting and share our insights and a deeper exploration of that week’s theme. Woven throughout the resource are spiritual practices (classic and contemporary), rich stories from the tradition, and varied worship settings.
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