Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. (Luke 8:35, NKJV).
Jesus had calmed the raging sea before stepping onto the shore of the Gadarenes. Now, a raging savage confronts him and his disciples. What He does for the tempest, He will do for this man. We don’t know this man’s name or identity, for these had long been eclipsed. His image resembled more of a beast. He was naked, wild, unkempt and dirty, and he bore distorted features and actions. This demoniac was also bloody through self-abuse (Mark 5:5). He was terribly lost!
His situation appeared hopeless; he lived with the dead and was often driven into the wilderness. No one or thing could tame him (Mark 5:4). Chains and shackles he could break, but not the oppression of the demons. This man had no power to alter his situation.
People would flee before his presence out of fear and disgust. But not Jesus! Jesus comes to this man. What a picture of the spiritual condition of mankind, for “all have sinned” and there is “none righteous” (Romans 3:23, 10). Our home too is the tombs, this “body of death” (Romans 7:24). The image of God is obscured by selfishness and pride. We stand guilty and naked before God, as did Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3:10). We are in bondage to the flesh and we are prey to “the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). This is why Jesus came to us. He is our only hope!
After a short dialogue with the demon forces, Jesus casts them into a herd of swine. When the natives arrive on the scene, they found the man transformed. He is now sitting at the feet of Jesus, fully clothed and in his right mind. Sitting at the feet of Jesus is how this happens. When we recognize our condition and need, we can turn to Jesus and find healing. He clothes us with His righteousness and our standing becomes that of innocence and purity. It goes further, as God empowers us to be transformed.
This man had a powerful witness now. He wants to follow Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. Instead Jesus tells him to go to his own people. "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you" (Luke 8:39). His own house would be able to identify the freeing and transformational power of Jesus in him. Jesus bids us to do the same. It’s when your families, friends, neighbors and workmates sees and hears about the work of God in you, that they will ask what has happen? You can tell them you have been sitting at the feet of Jesus.
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