“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”
How do you respond to power?
The disciples had already seen Jesus teach, heal, and cast out demons. They had watched crowds gather around Him and listened as He spoke about the Kingdom of God.
But knowing about Jesus and trusting Jesus are not always the same thing.
As they cross the Sea of Galilee, a violent storm arises. Experienced fishermen suddenly find themselves overwhelmed. Waves crash into the boat and water fills it. Meanwhile, Jesus is asleep.
The disciples wake Him with a question that reveals both their fear and their doubt:
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Jesus speaks, rebuking the wind and the sea, and immediately there is calm.
Then He asks them a question of His own:
“Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Notice that Jesus does not ask whether the storm was real. It was. Nor does He ask whether the danger was serious. It was. Instead, He asks whether they trust Him in the middle of it.
The disciples are left asking,
“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
That question is answered in the very next account.
When they arrive on the other side of the lake, they are met by a man possessed by many demons. This poor man is completely captive. No one can restrain him. No one can help him. Human strength has failed.
Yet when Jesus arrives, the demons recognize Him immediately.
The storm had obeyed His voice.
Now the demons do as well.
What no one else could accomplish, Jesus does with a word. These two accounts together reveal something important about Jesus.
There is no force in creation beyond His authority.
The disciples feared the storm because it was stronger than they were. The people feared the demons because they were stronger than they were.
But neither was stronger than Christ.
And that is still true today.
The things that frighten us may be real. The struggles we face may be larger than our own strength. But the answer to fear is not finding more strength within ourselves. It is recognizing who Jesus is.
I asked at the beginning how you respond to power. The key to this is realizing the character of the one who is holding the power and their disposition towards you.
Storms can be frightening because they damage without regard for who is in their way. Tyrants can be frightening because they do evil and prey on the innocent. God can be frightening because He is holy and we are sinners. But Jesus, who is God, changes things.
The people from the land of the demon-possessed man pleaded with Jesus to leave them. They were afraid when they saw His power. However, Jesus had come for their salvation, just as He came for your salvation.
Don’t send Jesus away. Instead, draw close to Him. The Holy God is frightening for sinners, but Jesus takes away your sin and makes you holy. So, you know the character of God, He is love, and you know His disposition towards in you Christ. He died for you. So, you have nothing to fear.
Let’s pray…
Lord Jesus,
When fear overwhelms me, help me remember who You are. You rule over all things and nothing is beyond Your authority. Strengthen my faith to trust You in every trial and keep me secure in Your care. Help me to not run from your power, but look to You for my protection, care, and salvation.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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