Luke 8:34-39 (ESV)

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

The townsfolk asked Jesus to leave? Seriously? What’s up with these people anyway?

The demoniac had to be just about the scariest thing they’ve ever seen, what with the breaking chains and all that. But now that he’s normal they’re even more afraid. Of what?

Could this have something to do with all those pigs drowning? No. Notice that they were afraid before those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. They didn’t know anything about the pigs when they first got scared. It was seeing the demoniac sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind that frightened them.

The demoniac is no longer scary, so it has to be Jesus. So why are they scared of Him?

He isn’t “safe.” He’s powerful beyond their wildest dreams and He’s also good. That’s unpredictable. To people (who, by our fallen nature, are not good) that’s scary. This is the lesson CS Lewis teaches in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” when the Beavers tell the children about Aslan.

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

People are afraid of all things holy. We claim to love goodness, but when it comes right down to it we just want to be left alone.

And so they ask Jesus to leave.

We should be afraid of God. If not, we have a problem. When we lack total awe at all things holy, we think too highly of ourselves.

This highlights our need for humility. Our stinking sin makes us completely unworthy of God’s favor.

Sure, he gives us grace but we shouldn’t act like it’s no big deal – like we aren’t surprised (or even impressed) by it.

Who do we think we are anyway?

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies