Luke chapter 8, verse 26. And they arrived. Our Lord Jesus
came on a ship. He'd been teaching much people. And they come into the country
of the Gadarenes. It was a little town next to
Galilee where our Lord Jesus was. And when he got out, left
the ship, and I met him out of the city, a certain man, which
had devils a long time, didn't wear any clothes, neither bowed
in any house but in the tombs. And when he saw the Lord Jesus,
he cried out and fell down. But I want you to look down there
in verse 30. And our Lord asked him, saying, What is thy name?
What is thy name? And he said, Legion. Legion. Because many devils were entered
into him. Now, beloved, that's what I'm
going to talk about. I'm going to name this message
this morning, Legion. Legion. The love and power of
our Lord Jesus Christ is the mightiest force in heaven, in
earth, and in hell. There's no power, no force like
the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was love that constrained
His Father to give His Son to save sinners like ourselves.
And it was love for His people and love for the glory of His
Father that constrained our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, to
come and to come into this world and confront sinners, confront
sinners like they were, like they were and like they are.
And that's what caused Him to come and confront a sinner like
this man right here. And here we see our Lord's absolute
power over the devil. You remember there in Luke 11
where it talks about the strong man armed? Accused our Lord Jesus
Christ of casting out devils by the devils, by the prince
of the devils. He says, you know, if the devil
cast out the devil, a house divided against itself can't possibly
stand. And he says this, he says, you
know, as long as a strong man's armed, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes
upon him, He spoils his goods and takes them from him. Well,
Christ here comes upon this strong man armed, and a strong wind
comes upon him, and he does something for this man. And this tells
us also, remember when we were over in Colossians 1, it says
this, this is why Paul says, giving thanks unto the Father
who has made us meek, made us fit, made us worthy, and has
delivered us from the power of darkness. This darkness that
this man was in, like that, delivered us, saved us, laid hold on us
and delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us
and put us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. God done
that. He never said about anything you did. He talked about what
He did. And let's look first of all at this man. Look what
a miserable, miserable condition he's in. In verse 27 it says
this, And when he went forth to land,
there met him a certain out of the city, a certain man which
had devils a long time. And look, here's the first thing
about him. He wear no clothes. This man had no clothes. He is
shameless. And you know why he's shameless?
Because he had no sense of his shame. He had these devils. He was naked. And he was so completely
possessed that he was unconscious of his nakedness. absolutely
unconscious of his nakedness. And it's like when our father
Adam sinned and Eve, when God created them, they were naked.
They were naked and they were happy, they were content, they
worshiped God, they come in His presence, they had fellowship
with Him, they had communion with Him, until they partook
of that fruit of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil.
And when that happened, The Scripture says that they went and hid and
got them some fig leaf to cover their nakedness. And God said,
where art thou, Adam? And he says, we are naked. He
said, who told you you was naked? Nobody ever told this man he
was naked. And I bet nobody's told some
of you that you're naked. And this man was naked. We've
had a conversation about this last night at the house. How
come, you know, little Riley didn't have any clothes on and
she was just, you know, she don't think nothing about it. The baby
thinks absolutely nothing about it. She has no shame, no guilt. Why do we cover ourselves up? Because we're ashamed, we feel
guilt, we don't want nobody else to see us for a dozen reasons. But here's this man shameless,
and how many people are shameless, run around naked in the sight
of God, and are shameless of it, and don't care about it,
unconscious of it, until Christ confronts them? Huh? And oh, beloved, I'll tell you
what, you get your sickly black Adam and Eve again, and it won't
do you any good. And I'll tell you, I'll give you two reasons
why. First of all, God didn't provide the coverage. That's
the first reason why it don't work. Secondly, it's a fig leaf,
and every time you pull a fig leaf down, it's covering yourself
up with something else. That thing will dry and rot and
wither away, and you got to get you another one. And that's what
people got to keep doing in religion, just keep getting fig leaf after
fig leaf after fig leaf, and it never ever satisfies them. They have to keep getting them
over and over and over. And I tell you, beloved, to not know you're
naked before God, that you're naked before God, is a grand
delusion of the devil. I mean, that's a grand illusion
of the devil. And, oh, listen, you've got clothes on this morning,
but are you clothed before God? Are you clothed before God Himself?
That's the question. I know you've got clothes on,
but what are you dressed like in the sight of God? What does
God look at when He sees you? The Scripture says that we're
open and naked before Him with whom we have all things. God
sees everything, and everything is open and naked before Him.
Look what else it says about this fellow. Not only was he
naked and wore no clothes, but look what it says, neither abode
in any house. He didn't live in anybody's house
but in the tombs. He was friendless. You know,
he didn't want anybody, and nobody wanted him. You know, his condition
cut him off from his relatives, cut him off from his friends.
They didn't say, come to our house and we'll take care of
you. And he didn't want to go to their house and didn't want
to be took care of. Here was a man that his condition cut
him off from his relatives and his friends. And I tell you,
beloved, there is something about this business at work. Our family
and friends get in such a condition that they don't want to be with
us, and we certainly don't want to be with them. That they cause
us such grief and such shame, and they're so sinful and so
self-willed and so self-righteous and so bound by sin that they
came back to be in our home, and we came back to have them
in our home. That's mothers and daddies that's
got children. Their nakedness and their sinfulness
is so bad that they're such a grief. And he certainly, when he dwelt
among the tombs, he certainly couldn't fellowship with the
dead. But you know why he stayed among the tombs? Because he was
comfortable among the dead. Comfortable living among the
dead. comfortable living among graves, graveyards. And here's the sad thing about
it. He didn't know anything about those dead people. He was in
such a bad condition, he didn't care. I bet he never read a tomb. I bet he never said, boy, that
fellow right there, I remember him. I bet he never read, you
know, well, you know, what's that saying? As I am what you
were, and as I am you shall be. But all he'd rather be among
the dead is among the living. And no man can help him. No man
can help him. Ain't that what it says there?
It says over here in verse 29, And he was bound with chains
and fetters, and break the bands, and was driven of the dead. They
went and tried to catch him two or three times. Probably tried
to do something with him. Probably said, You know, He was
dangerous to Himself and dangerous to other people. No man can help
Him. Who can help those who are slaves
of sin? Who can help Him? And not only
that, but look down at verse 29. It says down the last part of
the verse, And He was kept bound with chains and fetters, and
He broke the bands and was driven, driven of the devil. The devil just drove Him wherever
He wanted to. That means drive him to insanity, drive him to
hurt himself, drive him to break those chains, drive him to live
among the dead, drive him to scream and holler, drive him
to cut himself, drive him to keep him from coming from Christ.
He couldn't be controlled. And I'll tell you something,
beloved, he couldn't help himself. And he was driven like a wild
beast by the devil. And boy, what does it say, driven
into the wilderness. into the wilderness. Let me tell
you something that couldn't help this fellow. Moral persuasion
couldn't help this man. That's one of these things that,
you know, religions come up with. If we could, you know, man's
a moral being, and if we could just morally persuade him, and
talk to him, and convince him that he needs Jesus. Now, I'd
like to send a soul, when I went out and dealt with this fellow,
I remember that there was a bunch of Jews. One time there was this
fellow that had devils in him, and they, the seven brothers,
decided one time that they were going to cast out a devil out
of him. And they called that because they saw Paul casting
out devils. And they saw Peter casting out
devils. And they got around, the seven men, got around this
fellow that had a devil in him. And they said, We have cured
thee in the name of Paul, who preaches Jesus, and Jesus whom
Paul preaches, come out of him. That fellow went crazy and whipped
all seven of those men. Started tearing their clothes
off of them. And they was run away, beaten, I mean, black eyes
and probably bloody eyes and busted lips, and I mean, he probably
kicked them and broke them some ribs, and I mean, hurt them bad.
And that devil said this, Paul I know, Jesus I know, but I have
no clue who you fellas are. And that's what, beloved, that's
the way this folks are. This fella right here. I'd like
to see somebody more... Reformation can't help this man.
Reformation can't help him. Well, he just needs to reform.
He needs to change. He needs to turn over a new leaf.
He needs to go to church. Going to church would really
help him decide. Going to church will be the best thing that can
happen to him. Telling him the law is the rule
of life. Listen, I'll tell you what you need. You need the law
as the rule of life. If we just give the law to you
and get you straightened out and you start using that law
as the rule of life, you'll know how to live. You'll know to quit
running around naked. You'll know to quit acting like
a crazy man. You'll know that that devil can't control you
then. Oh, he is blinded by the God
of this world. And oh, tell him to pray through.
Pray through! You know, you've got a free will,
you know. You've got a free will. And you've got faith. I tell
you, all you need to do is exercise that free will, make the right
decision, make the right choice, and when God gives you a chance,
take advantage of it, and you'll be alright. Do you reckon this fellow would
have heard anything this man said? No. You know, and our Lord Jesus
was driven one time too. Over in Luke chapter 4 it says
that he was driven of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided him, compelled
him, constrained him to go into the wilderness to conquer the
devil. Oh, listen, beloved. Look at
his attitude here towards the Lord Jesus in verse 28. When he saw Jesus, oh my, when
he saw Jesus, there have been a lot of folks
who saw the Lord Jesus Christ, and some have had a profound,
a profound life-changing experience of Him. I mean, it's
just a compelling, life-changing, radical change in them when they
saw Him. Others that saw Him, and did see nothing in him that
they should desire. But here he says, and he saw
Jesus, and watch what happened, he fell down before him. Fell
down before him. And the first thing he had was
this fear. He cried out, cried out, and fell down before him. And oh, beloved, when a soul
is brought face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ, His inner
thoughts, his intents of his heart are revealed. And you look
at men who came face to face with Christ in this scripture.
Isaiah said, I saw the Lord high and lifted up, and the first
thing he cried out was me. John the Revelator saw him in
his glory, and he fell as a dead man. Daniel saw him, and he says,
my comeliness turned into corruption. Job said, I heard about you here
near my house, and I abhor myself. And beloved, if you really come
face to face with Christ, there ain't but one thing you can do,
and that's get him. Fall down before him. And he
did. And oh, beloved, those under
the dominion of sin and the devil, They don't want to be separated
from their sin and their bondage. They don't want to. And oh, when
Christ comes, when you see Christ, I mean, beloved, there ain't
but one thing you can do. Pow-down. Pow-down. Look what happens, he said. And
then he cried out with a loud voice, What have I to do with thee?
Jesus, thou Son of the Most High. And oh, listen to me. The devil
has nothing to do with Christ. Nothing in common with the Son
of God. Nothing in common with the Most High. You keep this
and look with me over in 2 Corinthians with me. Just a moment. 2 Corinthians
chapter 6. I want you to see this. 2 Corinthians
6. What have I to do with these?
You know, the devil has nothing to do with Christ. And that's the way most people
are. I mean, really, what do I have to do with Jesus? What
does Jesus have to do with me? I'm all right. I'm not in trouble. I'm okay. I'm happy where I'm
at. I'm content with what the life
I've got. But look what happens. Socrates said here in John, 2
Corinthians 6, 14, talking about Christ and the devil have nothing
in common. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what
communion hath what with light and darkness? What communion
hath light and darkness? You know, it's either light or
darkness. It's either righteousness or unrighteousness. No middle
ground. And if you're righteous, you can't be unrighteous and
have no communion with. And if you're in light, you can't
dwell in darkness. And if you're in darkness, you
can't dwell in the light. And that's why he says you cannot
be, you cannot be, don't be yoked together with the things of the
devil. And look what he says, in what contort, what unity hath
Christ with the devil? Or what part hath he that believeth?
with an infinite. And oh, beloved, I tell you,
what communion has light with darkness? And look what he said
over here again. Look what he said. And there in verse 28,
he said, What have I to do with thee? What have I to do with
thee? Son of God, Most High, what have
I to do with your will? What have I to do with your will?
What have I to do with your holiness? What have I to do with your righteousness?
What do I have to do with your love? What do I have to do with
you? I have no part in it. And our chain has no part in
it. You have the powers in your hands. And you know, let me tell
you something. This is the condition of man.
The carnal mind is enmity against God. And that word enmity means
it's furious. I mean, it rebels, it's against
God himself. And oh, beloved, and I'll tell
you something, and here's the thing about it.
You say, well, I'm not bound like that, but what have you
to do with the will of Christ? What have you to do with the
righteousness of Christ? What do you do with the wholeness
of Christ? What do you do with the love of God? What do you
do with the gospel? You may not be bound like this
fellow was, but I'll tell you what you are bound by. You're
bound by sin. You're bound by self-righteousness.
You're bound by self-confidence. You're bound by self-will. You're bound by self-deception.
And any way you boil it down, you're in bondage, and who's
going to set you free? Huh? Who's gonna do that? I can't do it. Church can't do
it. You can't do it. What have you to do with the
Lord Jesus Christ? Huh? And oh, and look what happens
now. You know, that's what our Lord said. You're from above.
I'm from... You know, our Lord's from above,
and He said, you're from beneath. And we oppose it by nature. And
I want you to see this before I get on with it. Look here with
me. Look at John 14, 29. This is what I'm saying. John 14, 29. Oh, and if you willingly, gladly,
joyfully bow to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you want His will,
you want His holiness, you want His righteousness, you want His
love, you want His power, bless God for it. Bless God for it. that he overcome that opposition,
that he overcome that power, that he overcome that self-will,
that he overcome that self-righteousness. Listen here now. He said in verse
29, And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it
is come to pass you might believe. Listen now. Hereafter I will
not talk much with you, for the Prince of this world cometh and
hath nothing in me. Nothing in me. Lord, would you want To be brought
to that place where you have nothing in Christ? That'd be
a horrible thing, wouldn't it? And then look what else he says
to him there. Back over here in Luke 8.28. He said, O thou most son, son
of God most high, I beseech thee, torment me not. I beseech thee,
torment me not. You know what he's saying here?
Judgment's in your power. To do with me as you will is
in your power. He says, you've got the power
to put me in the place of torment. Torment. Have you ever been in
torment? Torment, pain so bad that it
torments you? Have something on your mind so
bad that you just couldn't let it go and it just stayed with
you, you couldn't sleep for it or anything? Well, this fellow
says, you know, I beseech thee, torment me not."
Christ torment a man? Christ himself bring torment
to a man? And I'll tell you this, if our
Lord Jesus Christ didn't come to a sinner, and doesn't come
to a sinner, torment would be the final place for him. I don't
like to talk about these things, but that's true. You look with
me over here in Luke 11, and let me show you just exactly
what Luke 16, I mean. Oh my! If you come to torment
me, if you come to torment me, Luke 16, 20. If Christ doesn't
come to a sinner, torment will be the final place for him. Look
what it says here in verse 20. Excuse me, verse 19. There was
a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen. And
oh my, he lived good. He lived a good life. He lived
a high life. And there was a certain beggar.
His name was Lazarus. They'd carry him out there and
he'd lay him at his gate. And this poor old fellow was
just sick, full of sores. And he was just wanting to be
fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. It's
like that woman said, Lord, even the dogs get the crumbs from
the master's table. And moreover, the dogs came and
licked his sores. Now watch it now. And it came
to pass that the beggar died. Something was going to happen
to all of us. And was carried. into Abraham's
bosom, carried where Christ is, carried where Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob is. Now watch this, the rich man
also died, and watch the difference in it. One was taken to glory,
and the other was buried. Now watch this, and in hell he
lift up his eyes, being in torment. Torment. And seeth Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus.
He wants Lazarus to do something for him. Now he didn't want to
do nothing for Lazarus, but now he wants Lazarus to do something
for him. He didn't want to do anything to help this poor man,
now he wants this poor man to help him. Send Lazarus that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. Now listen,
for I am torn. tormented in this way. And that's what this man said.
You're going to torment me? And I tell you, you're talking
about a mercy. I know lots and lots and lots
of people that has passed into eternity. Lots of people went
without God, went without Christ, went without hope. But God does
something in our brain to keep that from tormenting us. Keep that from tormenting us.
My father never knew Christ. Never claimed to know Christ.
My mother never did. All my uncles never did. I went
and seen the last two. One died a week after I seen
him, and the other died two weeks after. Went to see one of my
aunts. She stood over six foot tall.
She's laying on her deathbed. And I said, you want me to pray
for you? No, I don't want you to pray for me. I never prayed. There ain't no sense in starting
now. Believe me, they're in torment right now. And aren't you grateful that
God someway, when a believer goes, it fills your heart with
such joy, you rejoice. Oh, you bless God for it, you
rejoice in it. But God someway puts something
in our brain that we can't grasp, somebody being lost, being in
torment. Going where our Lord Jesus said,
where the worm doth not, and the fire is never quenched. where they're always, always,
always, internally so, wanting to be relieved and can never
be relieved. And, O Beloved, He must save
us by His power. He must save us by His power. By His blood He must cleanse
us. By His love He must overwhelm us or else. He must make us willing
in the day of His power or else. And then, whoa, listen, this
be salvation now. He says, you know, for he had
commanded, verse 29, the unclean spirit to come out of the man.
And Jesus asked him, said, what is thy name? You're going to
have to confess. What's your name? Who touched
me? And what's what it says here? And he said, Legion. Oh my, what's
your name? Legion. He didn't even know his
name. Granted, he didn't know his name.
He just said, I'm Legion. Devils must have had such control
of him that the devils didn't even let him know his own name.
You know good and well his name wasn't Legion, it was that Legion
of Devils talking through him. What his name was, we're not
told. But that Devils, and you know what a Legion is? It's from
4,200 to 6,000 soldiers, Roman soldiers. And the average of 5,000. And
they broke down into companies of 50, 100, in the 50s. And broke down 5 times 1,000
to the legion. And there's 5,000 of them. And
here this fellow says, you know, my name is 5,000 devils in a
mess. We know there was at least 2,000
because there was 2,000 hogs that they went into. And you
say, well, you know, we're these devils out now. I'll tell you
where you want to find devils. Go down to Nashville and get
down there on Broadway and watch those folks sitting down there
that ain't took a bath in months and months and months, sitting
on the side of the streets, talking to themselves, begging. You want
to see people that's devils within? Go to a state hospital. Go down
to Marcus and Ben. Go to a state hospital. go into
a sane asylum, go into a criminal insane jail. And I tell you, they tell
me, they got what they call the special housing units, they call
it SHU, where they keep these prisoners in, in these federal
prisons. And they've got a prison where
people are so mean, that they put them out in Colorado, and
they put them in a cell, and they have to stay there 24 hours
a day. They get to see nobody, talk
to nobody, or visit nobody until the day they die. That's how
mean they are. They have to be kept separated
from everybody. And those folks in those shoes,
they told me about those guys in those special housing units,
when you go in there, they take their own estimate and throw
it at the guards that come through there. Cuss them and rant and
rave at them and say, I'll kill you if I can get my hands on
you. There's still plenty of people
got devils in them. There's people right here in
Cumberland County, no doubt, got them in them. Oh, what's your name? Legion!
He confessed many thieves had control of him, and I tell you,
he just told the truth. What good could come out of him
trying to hide it, to cover up his state and condition, when
you come in the presence of Christ? I am what I am! Oh! What's your name? Jax the Huckster,
I'm just a poor sinner and nothing at all. What's your name? I'm
Legion. What's your name? I'm sinner. And oh, but look at his deliverance
now. Look at him, verse 35. Oh, then they went out to see
what was done. Oh my, what happened? And came
to Jesus. Now here's some folks that came
to Jesus too, look at a different reaction. And found the man out
of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed, and in his right mind, Here they found this man whom
the devils had departed. First of all, he was sinning.
You know everybody is going to end up sinning at Christ's feet.
That's where you're going to end up. Either you're going to
end up there, God's going to put your hand on his neck and
you're going to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, or you're
going to bow. Or else you can do like this fella. Say, I'm
going to sin at the Lord Jesus' feet. He's sinning. Sinning. And then he was clothed. Remember
his son didn't have no clothes on? Where did he get his clothes
at? I don't know if the Lord Jesus
made him and put him on him just like that or not. I don't know.
I know he clothed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And there
wasn't nobody there to see it. I know one thing, Christ didn't
bring clothes with him. I don't believe all those fishermen
that was with Him. I don't believe His disciples
said, here, I've got an extra suit of clothes, let's cover
you up, He's naked. I don't think that's what happened. I personally
think Christ Himself clothed this man. And to show us that
Christ has to clothe your nakedness, which shows that Christ alone
can clothe your nakedness and cover you with His righteousness
from the top of your head to the sole of your feet. That Christ
does. And what's this? And then it
says, He's in His right mind. Old Rothbard used to say, a lost
man is insane. He's crazy. Anybody that won't
come to Christ from these positions, he's crazy. And I tell you, this
man was clothed and in his right mind. He knows who he was now. Knows what he'd been. Knows where
he'd been. Now he knew Christ. He knew things
that he hadn't known for years, and years, and years, and years. Oh! And the greatest thing he
knew was this. He knew who the Lord Jesus was
now. And he said it in his faith. And all beloved whom the Son
sets free is free indeed. It's freedom from the dominion
of sin. Here is this homeless man now, restless and finding
no refuge. Now he's sitting at the feet
of the Lord Jesus Christ, finding rest at his feet. The devil that
used to drive him now, now Christ is leading him. Used to be driven
of the devil, and the Lord Jesus now is leading him. You sons,
sit among the beds. And now he sits at the feet of
life. And then look what our Lord told
him to do here. Verse 38, Now the man, out of
whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be
with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to your
own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee.
And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city what
great things he had done." Oh, beloved, he went his way, and
he published. And he started telling, Oh, you know, Christ
does great things. Great things for me. You keep
this and look with me at Psalm 66 just a moment. Psalm 66. Psalm 66, verse 16. You know, here was a great Savior,
confronted a great, great sinner, and wrought a great, great, great
salvation. Here in verse 16 it says, Psalm 66 and verse 16, Come and
hear, all ye that fear God, and I will
declare what He hath done for my soul. What's He done for you? What's He done for you? You know,
David said it in another place, Lord, if I was to reckon up in
order thy mercies towards me, I cannot reckon them up in order.
If I can't tell the sum of the thoughts that you have towards
me, look over Psalm 107 with me. Psalm 107. This whole psalm is about God
setting people free. Setting people free. Psalm 107 says this, Oh give
thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endureth forever. Listen, let the redeemed and
the Lord say so. I've been redeemed by the blood.
I'm redeemed, I'm redeemed. Christ my Redeemer paid my debts. Christ, my Redeemer, set me free. Christ, my Redeemer, shed His
blood. Christ, redeem me with His own
blood and power. Let the redeemed of the Lord
say so. Who may I redeem? What's this? From the hand of
who? The enemy. God's enemy and your
enemy. And watch this, not only did
he redeem them, but he gathered them. Tell this, he gathered
me out of the lands. He gathered some from the east,
some from the west, from the north, the south. And here, why? Because they wandered in the
wilderness in a solitary world. They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Watch it. Then
they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them. Save them out of their distresses. Well, what happened to these
devils? Let's go back over here and see what happened to all
these devils. Back over in Luke 8. What happened to them devils?
That legion of devils that was in him. And oh, he says in verse 30,
Our Lord asked him, What's your name? He said, Legion, because
many devils were in it again. And they besought him. Now the
devils say this now. He didn't say he. They. They
besought him. This many devils. This legion
of devils. This legion of demons. And they
besought him that he would not command them to go out into the
deep. Don't command us to go out into the lake. Don't command
us to go out there. You can. You command us to go
anywhere you want us to go. You can do that. And he said,
there was a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain. And
they said, I'll tell you, send us into them. Send us into those
pigs. See all these hogs here? One
place, it calls them 2,000. 2,000 hogs. And they said, oh, put us in
those pigs. Put us in those pigs. Put us
in those hogs. Allow us to go in there." And
he said, okay, go. Then went the devils out of a
man, and watch this, and entered into the swine. And you know
what happened when this man, and who those devils was, he
beat himself, thrashed himself, went naked, went homeless, dwelt
among the tombs. Hogs can't even stand devils.
Watch what happened. And the herd ran violently. Wherever
the devil's at, he's going to cause people to act crazy, even
animals to act crazy. And violently ran down a steep
place into the lake, and they were choked. They ended up destroyed
anyway. I'm going to tell you something.
I've probably told you this before. Where'd those devil's webs that
come out of there? come out on the other side, and
they started preaching water salvation from baptism, and that's
when the Church of Christ was started. That's the doctrines of devils. It's the doctrine of devils.
There's no doubt about that. And watch what happens now. In
verse 35, they went out to see what was done, and here they
found this man. Oh, everything was right with him now. Everything
was wonderful. He was just, oh, they couldn't
believe. And what happens? And they were afraid. What happened
to this fellow that he was changed so dramatically? And oh, listen
now. And they also, we saw it, told
him, but what means he that was possessed of the devil was healed.
There's some people standing there watching this. They watched
these demons go out. They watched them talk and listened
to them talk to the Lord Jesus Christ. Listened to them say,
would you put us in the devil, put us in the dogs. And watch,
this is a frightful prayer. Then the whole multitude, the
whole great big crowd of the country, the gatherings round
about besought Him to depart from them. Leave us. Leave us alone. Just leave us alone. Leave our
country. Leave our country. Leave us alone.
Leave our hogs alone. Leave our living alone. Leave
these demons alone. Leave them alone. Just get away
from us. We don't want you in our city.
We don't want you in our country. We don't want you in our town.
We don't want you. And you know, You get your concordance
one of these days, and you go through the New Testament and
says, find out how many times you find people said, depart
from me. There was one fellow said, even Simon Peter said,
Lord, depart from me, because I'm a sinful man. And the Lord
never departed from him. And the reason he said, Lord,
I'm such a sinful man, how could you possibly have anything to
do with me? If you leave me to myself, you're just doing what's
right. But the Lord never departed from it. But He did depart from
this. Look what it says. And He went up into the ship
and returned back again. He said, You don't want me? I'll
never be back. You don't want me? I'll never
come your way again. You don't want me? I'll never
preach to you again. You don't want me? You'll never hear my voice again.
Never have my presence again. And, O beloved, here are some
that besought him to depart from them, and here was one who was
found of him who sought him not." And I know this, before salvation,
before God confronts a man, before salvation, a man's not in his
right mind. A man's not in his right mind
who trusts his own righteousness, is he? A man's not in his own
mind who thinks that you know that his good works is going
to save him. A man's not in his own mind who thinks that his
merits, something he's said or done, is going to cause God to
look on him with favor. And I know also this, before
salvation, a person's not in their right place. They're not
in their right place. You know where everybody's right
place is? At the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, God puts
you in your right mind, puts you in your right place. And
I tell you something else, you're not. You're not clothed right
either until Christ clothes you. You're not in your right mind
until He saves you. You're not in your right place
until He saves you. And you've not got the right
clothes on until He saves you. Is that not right? And may He do that. May He do
that. Our Father, our blessed, blessed
Savior, thank you for allowing us to have this time together
today. I pray you bless the message to the understanding, to the
heart, to the soul. Lord Jesus, we cannot begin to
tell the desperate condition of men apart from you, apart
from your salvation, apart from your grace, your love, your mercy.
And we can't tell men how glorious your power, and your might, and
your love, and your grace is, and your righteousness. Lord,
no matter how hard we try, and where we preach from, we just
don't have the ability to say what things really like. But
the Holy Spirit can. And O Holy Spirit, take the things
today and open hearts. May someone truly see where they're
at. And may you bring them, Lord Jesus. May they see you fall
at your feet. And you clothe them. Give them
rest and peace at your holy feet. We ask these things in Christ's
name. And Lord, when we go to eat this afternoon and have a
fellowship together, I pray you bless our time together and thank
you so much for the food that's been prepared, for the dear ladies
and the brethren that prepared it, the love that went into it.
God strengthen and encourage this body of believers. Add to
it as such seems good in your sight. We ask in Christ's holy
name. Amen. Amen. Let's turn to 2.36 and let's
stand together and we'll sing this and then you ladies can
go back and start getting things ready for us.