PT-1 "His Accessibility" (Luke 8:40-42a)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/30/2026 8:55 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                 Focus: “His Accessibility”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 8:40-42a

            Message of the verses:  “And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.  And there came a man named Jarius, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.”

            In earlier SD’s we have been looking at Jesus and His disciples in a boat when a great storm came up and He was sleeping.  They woke Him up out of great fear, and He calmed the storm.  Next He meet a man who was manic, actually there were two of them but it seems only one got all of the attention.  Jesus drove out the demons and the man then became a missionary for the cause of Christ. Now we are looking at the return trip across the lake and as the text says the people welcomed Him back.  Not too sure about their motives for wanting Him back, but we will see that Jesus is about to do healing to two people, one a twelve year old girl, and the other a woman who had a bleeding issue for twelve years.  At this time I will begin to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary and quote any verses that he mentions.

            “As the story opens, Jesus had just returned from the region of the Gadara, on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.  The Lord had gone there seeking relief from the ever-present throngs of people that followed Him wherever He went.  On the voyage to Gadara, Jesus and the disciples had been caught in a powerful storm, which He miraculously calmed…After they arrived, Jesus encountered two demon-possessed maniacs and casts the demons that infested them into a herd of swine…The terrified inhabitants of the region then begged the Lord to leave, and He got into a boat and returned across the Sea of Galilee to the familiar town of Capernaum (8:37).”  It kind of looks like MacArthur wrote something similar that I wrote in my first paragraph.

            “Upon His arrival, Jesus immediately was engulfed by a large crowd (Mark 5:21) who, in contrast to the people of Gadara, welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.”

(Mark 5:21)

“21 ¶  And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.”

“Many in the crowd were crippled, blind, deaf, and plagued by various other diseases.  They had been anxiously awaiting His return, hoping to be healed.  Jesus was a hero for those already healed, and for some the ultimate celebrity.  They were captivated by the miraculous signs He performed and further hoped that He would use His power to free them from the yoke of Roman occupation.

            “Unlike most religious leaders in Israel, who avoided the common people so as not to be defiled by them, Jesus secluded Himself only occasionally to rest, to give further insight and instruction to His disciples, or to spend time alone in communion with the Father.  Apart from such occasions, His entire ministry was spent in public, mingling daily with the people in town and village streets, the fields, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and wherever else they gathered.  Summarizing His ministry to Pilate, Jesus said, ‘I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues [cf. Matt. 4:23; 9:35] and in the temple [cf. John 7:14, 28], where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret’ (John 18:20).”

[cf. Matt. 4:23; 9:35]

“23 ¶  And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”

“35 ¶  And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.”

[cf. John 7:14, 28]

“14 ¶  About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.”

“28  So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.”

(John 18:20)

“20  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.”

“That was consistent with His purpose in coming into the world—to proclaim the gospel message of repentance and forgiveness (cf. Mark 1:38).”

(cf. Mark 1:38)

38  And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

            “Despite their eager welcome of Jesus, the crowd was fickle.  Some, easily led by the hateful religious leaders, would eventually scream for His blood and cry out, ‘Crucify, crucify Him!...His blood shall be on us and on our children! (Luke 23:21; Matt. 27:25).”

(Matt. 27:25)

“25  And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

“Others were sign seekers (Luke 11:29) who would soon become disenchanted with Jesus and abandon Him (John 6:66).”

(Luke 11:29)

“29 ¶  When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”

(John 6:66)

“66  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”

“Only a few were enduring, true followers of Him (Matt. 7:14; 22:14; Luke 13:23-24).

(Matt. 7:14; 22:14; Luke 13:23-24)

“14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

“14  For many are called, but few are chosen."

“23 ¶  And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24  "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

9/30/2026 10:00 PM

 

 

 

 

 

Intro to “Jesus’ Compassionate Power” (Luke 8:40-56)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/30/2026 10:23 AM

My Worship Time                                                 Focus:  Intro to “Jesus’ Compassionate Power”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:40-56

            Message of the verses:  “40 And as Jesus was returning, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. 41 And a man named Jairus came, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began urging Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him. 43 And a woman who had suffered a chronic flow of blood for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had left Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and admitted in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” 49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” 50 But when Jesus heard this, He responded to him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him except Peter, John, and James, and the girl’s father and mother. 52 Now they were all weeping and mourning for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” 53 And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. 54 He, however, took her by the hand and spoke forcefully, saying, “Child, arise!” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He ordered that something be given her to eat. 56 Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.”

            John MacArthur writes the following introduction to these verses:  “Ever since the fall, life on the cursed earth has been subject to disease, disaster, and death.  Tragedy, sorrow, misery, and suffering are woven into the fabric of human existence.  Death is a universal experience, and into the fabric of human existence.  Death is a universal experience, and all sophisticated modern medical technology can do is postpone the inevitable.  Because of man’s God-given capacity for love and relationships, sickness and death also produce intense grief and sadness.”  I certainly know all about that truth, as my dear wife of almost 53 years passed away two months and one day ago.

            “Jesus understood the suffering associated with disease and death.  He was, as Isaiah predicted, ‘A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’ (Isa. 53:3).  As He observed the outpouring of sorrow and grief over the death of Lazarus, ‘He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled’ (John 11:33; cf. v38) and ‘wept’ (v.35).”

(John 11:38)

“38  Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.”

“The Lord, of course, knew that He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead.  But He grieved over the universally devastating impact of sin in a fallen world.

            “But despite the ruinous effects of sin, there is still hope.  There is One coming who has the power to reverse the curse; to heal all diseases and restore paradise.  He is the One promised by the Old Testament prophets; the Messiah, Savior and King.  He will set up the millennial kingdom, an Eden-like world where long life spans will be the norm (Isa. 65:20).”

(Isa. 65:20)

“20  No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.”

“After the millennial kingdom, the present earth and heaven will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10), and the Lord will create a new heaven and a new earth from which disease, death, sorrow, and suffering will be forever banished (Rev. 21:1-5; cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22)”

(2 Peter 3:10)

“10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

(Rev. 21:1-5; cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22)

“1 ¶  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." 5  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

“17 ¶  "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”

“22  "For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.”

            “The New Testament makes it unmistakably clear that only one person can accomplish those things—the Lord Jesus Christ.  All other claimants are charlatans, fakes, and frauds (cf. John 10:7-8).”

(cf. John 10:7-8)

“7  So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

“The New Testament was written to establish that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, Lord, and Savior, the second person of the Trinity incarnate.  He alone was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, rose from the dead, and demonstrated absolute power over the natural realm and the spiritual realm.

            “This section of Luke’s gospel presents two more illustrations of Jesus’ supernatural power over disease and death.  It is the story of one miracle, the raising of a synagogue ruler’s daughter, sandwiched around another miracle, the healing of a woman with hemorrhage. This account provides insight into the personal aspect of His ministry; what He was feeling.  It takes us as far into the nature of the God-Man as the human mind can go, revealing that the Lord Jesus Christ not only had the power to heal, but also the compassionate desire to do so.  As the story unfolds, eight aspects of Jesus’ ministry to people become evident:  His accessibility, availability, interpretability, inexhaustibility, faithfulness, perspective, power, and priority.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have mentioned the death of my wife earlier in this SD, and this section reinforces the truth that Jesus cares for me as I go through this difficult time in my life and I believe will help me to get through it.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to do what He does in order to help me to get through this period of mourning over the death of my wife.

9/30/2026 10:59 AM

 

 

 

 

 

“The Daming Power of Sin” (Luke 8:36-39)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/29/2026 7:14 PM

My Worship Time                                                                 Focus:  “The Daming Power of Sin”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:36-39

            Message of the verses:  “36Those who had seen everything reported to them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been made well. 37And all the people of the territory of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Him to leave them, because they were overwhelmed by great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. 38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might [s]accompany Him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your home and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

            I will continue to do what I have been doing for the last few months, and that is copy most of MacArthur’s commentary and add any verse references that he has to help us better understand the passage.

            “In stark contrast to the delivered maniac, the response of the sane people tragically illustrates sin’s power over the lost.  It blinds them to the truth and causes them to hate it and reject all evidence of it.  They obstinately cling to their false illusion of well-being because love of iniquity dominates them.  Jesus had performed an undeniable miracle that clearly manifested His absolute power over the supernatural realm and to deliver people from the force of hell.

            “The herdsmen, as noted above, who had seen Jesus cast the demons out of him and into the pings, reported to the people how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well (or delivered).  They heard the complete story in all its details.  Some argue that sinners will be convinced if they see a powerful enough miracle, but here is proof that that is not necessarily the case.  Before them was undeniable evidence of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is hard to envision more dramatic, compelling proof than His casting thousands of demons out of the two maniacs.  But so powerful was sin’s hold on them that instead of believing in Jesus, all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surround district asked Him to leave them. Their hearts were like the hard-packed roadside soil in the parable of the sowers (cf. chap. 20 of this volume), which the seed of the gospel cannot penetrate.

            “Luke reiterates that the reason the people wanted Jesus to leave was that they were gripped with great fear.  Knowing that they were in the presence of God, loving their sin (John 3:19) and blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4), they wanted only to rid of the one whose presence intimidated and terrified them.”

(John 3:19)

“19  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

(2 Cor. 4:4)

“4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

“There was not a word of thanks for delivering them from the danger the man had posed; astonishingly, they saw Jesus as an even greater threat of their sinful lifestyle.  Thus they preferred a maniac to the Son of God; to be terrified by Satan rather than offer reverence to God; to endure the presence of demonic danger rather than the presence of divine deliverance; the unholy to the holy; a tomb dweller to the Lord of life.  David Gooding writes,

What a sad comment on man’s fallen and unregenerate state it is, that man should feel more at home with demons, than with the Christ who has power to cast out demons.

Yet it is often so.  Men who would try to help a criminal or a drunkard, or, if they should prove incorrigible, would want the one imprisoned and the other put into hospital, find it embarrassing and somewhat frightening if the criminal is saved by Christ and turned into a sane, wholesome, regenerate disciple.  (According to Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987], 146)

In tragic reflection of their missed opportunity, Jesus got into a boat and returned to Capernaum.  There is no record that He ever returned to their region.

            “But the story, mercifully, does not end there.  The man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Jesus that he might accompany Him.  His willingness to forsake all and follow Christ shows that he had been delivered from his sin as well as from the demons.  Jesus was his Lord, Savior, and deliverer, and he naturally wanted to go with Him and learn from Him.  But Jesus had a different plan and sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’  Since he knew enough to be saved, he knew enough to be a missionary.  The priority for him was not further training, since he was the lone witness to the gospel in that region.  Though they had rejected Him, Jesus had not totally rejected them.  In obedience to the Lord’s command, the man went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  Jesus had commanded him to tell others what God had done, and he told them what Jesus had done, since Jesus is God.  As a result of his testimony to Jesus’ power, everyone who heard him was amazed (Mark 5:20).”+

(Mark 5:20)

“20  And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

            “This remarkable story teaches several important truths.  First and foremost, it reveals Christ’s absolute authority over the demonic realm.  It also illustrates the truth that the good news of the gospel is for Gentiles, as well as Jews (cf. Matt. 12:18, 21).”

(cf. Matt. 12:18, 21)

“18  "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.’

“21  and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

“The passage also demonstrates that God graciously reaches out to those who reject Him.  Finally, the story of the maniac who became a missionary illustrates that it is the responsibility of all Christians to tell others of how Jesus delivered them from the power of sin (Matt. 28:19-20).”

(Matt. 28:19-20)

“19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

9/29/2026 7:59 PM

The Damning Power of Sin” (Luke 8:36-39)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/29/2026 8:55 AM

My Worship Time                                                                Focus:  “The Damning Power of Sin”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 8:36-39

            Message of the verses:  “ ³⁶ Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. ³⁷ And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. ³⁸ But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ³⁹ "Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

            “In stark contrast to the delivered maniac, the response of the sane people tragically illustrates sins’ power over the lost.  It binds them to the truth and causes them to hate it and reject all evidence of it.  They obstinately cling to their false illusion of well-being because love of iniquity dominates them.  Jesus had performed an undeniable miracle that clearly manifested His absolute power over the supernatural realm and to deliver people from the forces of hell.

            “The herdsmen, as noted above, who had seen Jesus cast the demons out of him and into the pigs, reported to the people how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well (or delivered).  They heard the complete story in all its details.  Some argue that sinners will be convinced if  they see a powerful enough miracle, but niable evidence of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is hard to envision more dramatic, compelling proof than His casting thousands of demons out of the two maniacs.  But so powerful was sin’s hold on them that  instead of believing in Jesus, all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them.  Their hearts were like the hardpacked roadside soil in the parable of the sowers (cf. chap. 20 of this volume), which the seed of the gospel cannot penetrate.

            “Like reiterates that the  reason the people wanted Jesus to leave was that they were gripped with great fear.  Knowing that they were in the presence of God, loving their sin (John 3:19) and blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4), they wanted only to be rid of the one whose presence intimidated and terrified them.  There was not a word of thanks for delivering them from the danger the man had poses; astonishing they saw Jesus as an even greater threat to their sinful lifestyle.”  

(John 3:19)

“19  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

(2 Cor. 4:4)

“4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

“Thus they preferred a maniac to the Son of God; to be terrified by Satan rather than offer reverence to God; to endure te presence of demonic danger rather than the Lord of life.  David Gooding writes,

What a sad comment on man’s fallen and unregenerate state it is, tat man should feel more at home with demons, than with Christ who has power to cast out demons.

Yet is is often so, Men who would try to help a criminal or a drunkard, or, if they should prove incorrigible, would want the one imprisoned and the other put into hospital, find it embarrassing and somewhat frightening if the criminal is saved by Christ and turned into a sane, wholesome, regenerate disciple (According to Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987],146)

“In a  tragic reflection of their missed opportunity, Jesus got into a boat and returned to Capernaum.  There is no record that He ever returned to their region.

            “But the story, mercifully, does not end there.  The man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Jesus that he might accompany Him.  His willingness to forsake all and follow Christ shows that he had been delivered from his sin as well as from the demons.  Jesus was his Lord, Savior, and deliverer, and he naturally wanted to go with Him and learn from Him.  But Jesus had a different plan and sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’  Since he knew enough to be saved, he knew enough to be a missionary.  The priority for him was not further training, since he was the lone witness to the gospel in that region.  Here is an example of God’s grace in the face of man’s rejection.  Though they had rejected Him, Jesus had not totally rejected them.  In obedience to the Lord’s command, the man went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  Jesus had commanded him to tell others what God had don, and he told them what Jesus had done, since Jesus is God.  As a result of his testimony to Jesus’ power, everyone who heard him was amazed (Mark 5:20).”

(Mark 5:20)

“20  And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

            “This remarkable story teaches several important truths.  First and foremost, it reveals Christ’s absolute authority over the demonic realm.  It also illustrates the truth that the good news of the gospel is for Gentiles, as well as Jews (cf. Matt. 12:18, 21).”

(cf. Matt. 12:18, 21)

“18  "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.”

“21  and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

“The passage also demonstrates that God graciously reaches out to those who reject Him.  Finally, the story of the maniac who became a missionary illustrates that it is the responsibility of all Christians to tell others of how Jesus delivered them from the power of sin (Matt. 28:19-20).”

(Matt. 28:19-20)

“19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

9/29/2026 9:48 AM

 

PT-2 “The Delivering Power of Jesus” (Luke 8:29a, 30-35)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/28/2026 7:52 PM

My Worship Time                                         Focus:  PT-2 “The Delivering Power of Jesus”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                          Reference:  Luke 8:29a, 30-35

            Message of the verses:  “For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man…³⁰ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

³² Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. ³³ And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.”

            I continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary:  “After the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine, Jesus gave them permission.  Here is further confirmation of Jesus’ divine power over the demons; they could do nothing that He did not allow them to do.  In an amazing scene the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd, acting with the same maniacal, self-destructive frenzy that had characterized the demon-possessed man, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.  This shocking development offered vivid, unmistakable proof that the demons had left the man.  It also demonstrated Jesus’ absolute authority over them, since they had no choice but to do so.  Their destruction of the pigs also displayed the demons’ evil propensity to kill and destroy.

            “After they recovered from their shock, the herdsmen who saw what had happened ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  In response to their excited report, the people went out to see what had happened.  Matthew notes that the entire city turned out (Matt. 8:34) to investigate.  Having heard the eyewitness account of the herdsmen, they came  looking for Jesus.”

(Matt. 8:34)

“34  And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.”

            “Some have argued that the people were upset at the loss of the pigs, and came to Jesus to hold Him accountable for their deaths and the economic loss.  But the owners of the pigs are never mentioned in the gospel accounts, nor are the pigs the issue.  The focus is on the sensational transformation of the formerly demon-possessed man and above all on Jesus, who transformed him.  When the crowd arrived, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  His radical change was complete, undeniable, and inexplicable from a human perspective.  The man was clothed, not naked; seated at the feet of Jesus, not wandering aimlessly; away from the tombs, the realm of the dead, and in the presence of the Lord of life; quite, not shrieking; calm and peaceful, not out of control and deadly; confronted, not tormented; in short, manifesting God-given sanity, not demon-inspired insanity.  This is a magnificent picture of salvation transformation.  No doubt Jesus explained the gospel to him, telling him that He had come to save lost sinners (Luke 19:10), and the man had repented and been forgiven.”

(Luke 19:10)

“10  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

            “One would have expected the people to rejoice with the man over his deliverance, or at least to be relieved that he no longer posed any threat, but instead they became frightened.  Frightened translates a form of the Greek word phobeo, which refers to extreme fear or terror (the related noun phobeo, is the root of the English word ‘phobia’).  They realized that they were sinners in the presence of the holy God (cf. Luke 8:25).”

(cf. Luke 8:25)

“25  He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

9/28/2026 8:15 PM

 

 

PT-1 “The Delivering Power of Jesus” (Luke 8:29a, 30-35)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/28/2026 9:47 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-1 “The Delivering Power of Jesus”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                          Reference:  Luke 8:29a, 30-35

            Message of the verses:  “For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man…³⁰ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

³² Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. ³³ And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.”

            John MaccArthur writes “In a typically understated report of the astounding miracle of Jesus over the forces of hell, Luke reports that the Lord commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  Jesus addressed His command to the unclean spirit who was acting as the spokesman for all of the demons.  That Jesus had the power to order the demons to leave this man is a mark of His deity, since only God is more powerful than angels.  Angels are superior to humans in intelligence, power (2 Peter 2:1), influence (Dan. 10:13, 20), experience, since they are ageless and have lived throughout all of human history, and in nature, since they are spirits who live outside the realm of the physical.”

(2 Peter 2:1)

“1 ¶  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

(Dan. 10:13, 20)

“13  The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,”

“20  Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.”

            “Addressing the man, even though He knew the demon would answer, Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’  No name for the man is given, and instead the spokesman for the demons, who had control over the man’s voice, said, ‘Legion.’  That was an appropriate designation, for many demons had entered him.  Legion is not a proper name, but a term referring to a unit of Roman soldiers, which could have as many as six thousand men.  This poor, benighted, tormented soul was indwelt by literally thousands of demons, since there were two thousand pigs in the herd, there could have been that many demons indwelling the man and his companion.

            “The panicked demons were imploring Jesus not to command them to go away into the abyss.  The abussos (abyss), or bottomless pit (Rev. 9:1-2) is a place where some demons are currently imprisoned.”

(Rev. 9:1-2)

“1 ¶  And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2  He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.”

“Some of these imprisoned spirits will be released for a brief time during the tribulation (Rev. 9:1-11); others, apparently those who indwelt men who then cohabited with women before the flood (Gen. 6:1-4; cf. Jude 6), are permanently bound (2 Peter 2:4).”

(Rev. 9:1-11)

“1 ¶  And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2  He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3  Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4  They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5  They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6  And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7  In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8  their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9  they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10  They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11  They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.”

(Gen. 6:1-4; cf. Jude 6)

“1 ¶  When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2  the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 ¶  Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years."  4 ¶  The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

“6  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day”

 

(2 Peter 2:4)

“4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;”

“They will remain in the abyss until they are cast into the lake of fire.  These demons were terrified, knowing Jesus had the authority to imprison them in the abyss to await their final sentencing to eternal hell.  In desperation, they proposed an alternative destination: a herd of many swine that was feeding there on the mountain.  Their bizarre request reflects the demons desire to continue to operate their corrupting plan in the physical world (cf. Matt. 12:43-45)—even, if need be, in animals.”

(cf. Matt. 12:43-45)

“43  "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44  Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  One of the things that has kind of been a mystery to me when looking at this passage is why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the swine.  Now I know that He is God and can do what He wants to do, but nonetheless it is still a mystery to me.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to guide me as I go through this very terrible time in my life due to the death of my wife, and also due to the terrible motorcycle accident of my grandson.  I am so thankful that my grandson has the determination to work through his injuries and go on with his life.

9/28/2026 10:53 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

PT-4 “The Destructive Power of Demons” (Luke 8:26-28, 20b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/27/2026 8:15 PM

My Worship Time                                           Focus:  PT-4 “The Destructive Power of Demons”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  Luke 8:26-28, 20b

            Message of the verses:  “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me.”…For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”

I was suppose to write this, this morning but lack of sleep has caused me to not get it done, and so I want to finishing this section this evening by quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary, and as I look it over there are not too many verses that he has added.

            “On this particular morning, the two men spotted some potential victims coming ashore.  In typical fashion, they raced down the hill toward them, shrieking and howling like banshees.  But while the two men did not recognize the Lord, the demons indwelling them did.  Seeing Jesus, the demon spokesman cried out using the man’s voice in sheer panic and the man, expressing the demons’ fear, abruptly fell before Him in a posture of submission.  The last person the demons wanted to confront them was the Lord, who is sovereign over them and has already determined their eternal destiny.

            “Aware that he was in the presence of his divine judge, the demon said in a loud voice, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?’ (cf. 4:34).”

(Luke 4:34)

34  “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

“It may seem strange for demons to give testimony affirming Jesus’ true identity.  But they, unlike their human victims, are all too aware of who He really is—God the Son, Lord of heaven and earth in human form.  Even Satan, the leader of the demons, was forced to acknowledge that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity (Luke 4:3).”

(Luke 4:3)

“3  The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

            “Specifically, this demon expressed his fear that Jesus was going to judge him before the appointed time (cf. Matt. 8:29).”

(cf. Matt. 8:29)

“29  And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

“The demons understand biblical eschatology, and know that their final judgment does not take place at Christ’s first coming.  Therefore he pleaded with Him, I beg You, do not torment me before the designated time.  The demons know their ultimately fate—eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).”

(Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10)

“41  "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

“10  and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

“They are aware that both their freedom and their power are restricted.  In the presence of his executioner, the demon could only plead that the appointed time of his and his fellow demons’ punishment had not yet arrived.”

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is a wonderful thing to know that God is in total control even over the difficult this that are going on in the life of my family.  Sat with my daughter and son-in-law for evening church listening to Psalm 33 being taught.  My daughter showed me that part of this psalm had a lot to do with my grandson’s accident and what was done afterwards.  She is a smart one.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Looks like I need to do a better joy of listening to the sermons that are being preached.

9/27/2026 8:40 PM