June 22 – Sermon
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the opportunity to be in worship today. Please help us to direct our lives by Your word. Please help us to entirely rely on You and to put Your will above our own. Please help us to use Your word for encouragement, and counsel. We pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.
One of the all-time favorite Bible scriptures is the one about David and Goliath. We all remember the gutsy little shepherd boy, David, going up against the giant Goliath, a professional soldier. David was so scrawny that armor didn’t even fit him, so without protection and armed with only a sling and five stones David faced Goliath who, at the time, thought it was a joke but stopped laughing when he was hit by a stone from David’s sling. David quickly eliminated the giant and gained the victory.
This narrative is a favorite because it is the classic weak gaining victory over the strong, the small over the big, and good overcame evil. But we must never forget, David conquered Goliath because the Lord was with him. God gave him the victory.
In the gospel text today, we have a similar situation, only this time it was Jesus versus a demoniac man. Like the account of David and Goliath, it inspires us and it also empowers us to boldly step into new areas of mission and ministry.
It would be easy to get lost in the details of this scripture and miss its powerful message. The point of the story is not to prove the existence of demons. Nor does it mean to be a soapbox for animal right activists on the cruelty inflicted on a herd of pigs. The theological symbolism of water isn’t the main point, either. Jesus expects us to step out in mission and ministry to the least of these and the lost.
Jesus expanded the scope of his ministry as He traveled to the threatening, pagan, Gentile land on the east side of the Sea of Galilee which we know as the Golan Heights. Jesus stepped out of the box in the same manner that He asked His follows to step out of the box when He made them witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the outermost parts of the earth.
When Jesus entered the Gentile territory He was immediately confronted by evil. Jesus didn’t get flustered or back down; He was and still is, more powerful than any demon or legion of demons. He immediately cast them out of the man which meant the man was healed and the demons were destroyed.
There is nothing too powerful for our God. Believers in Christ know God is with us, and He will do great things in and through us. Paul writes to the Ephesians, “He the Lord our God, is able to do exceedingly above all we ask or think.”
Whether we admit it or not, we all have our personal demons – we may not label them as such. And God accepts us for who we are, but God desires that no one should perish—that all might come to the knowledge of salvation. God also wants to cast out the demons in our lives and that we might grow into God’s image. The Christian Life is a life-changing experience—it’s more than just getting better–it is a transformation of our being. Many situations in life like depression, fear, inadequacy, self-hatred, pride, addiction, greed, or many others could be referred to as demons. But God is more powerful than anything that might be controlling our lives.
It goes without saying, life contains many challenges. Our health, financial wellbeing, relationships can all be threatened at one time or another. There are times when we seem to be overwhelmed—thinking the circumstances of life will destroy us. God is greater than anything we face. God wants us to be all that we can be. God has given us an abundant life through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As Paul writes to the church at Rome, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
As a congregation, facing many challenges, don’t ever take Your eyes off the goal. The mission of reaching people and changing lives near and far must always be the number one priority. Currently we face the challenge of financing the ministry to which Christ has called us. The evil one will stop at nothing to overwhelm us. But the Lord our God is greater than any challenge or evil we may face.
Jesus always calls us to step out in faith– outside our comfort zone and expand the circles of mission and ministry.
When Jesus was ready to ascend into heaven, He promised the Holy Spirit would be with us… and He is… His spiritual presence is the same Jesus who defeated a legion of demons.
The only way we can lose is if we deny Jesus or do nothing.
Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender all I am and all I have. Humbly at Your feet I bow. I will ever love and trust You, and in Your presence daily live. Fill me with Your love and power, that I might know the joy of Your salvation! Thank You dear Jesus! Amen
