Thoughts on Luke 8:26-38

A link to the passage... http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208&version=ESV

In this passage, Jesus cures a man who was demon-possessed. Scripture says that the demons, with Jesus' permission, come out of the man and enter into a herd of pigs, who proceed to run off a cliff and drown in the sea. When they realize what has happened, the people of the city beg Jesus to leave them, because they are afraid. The cured man, however, begs Jesus to allow him to go with him. Jesus says, instead,

"Return home and tell how much God has done for you."

I find two things odd about this story. (That isn't true. I find MANY things odd i.e. a herd of pigs running off a cliff...) But, there are two things that have had me thinking. Jesus is met with two requests from the human characters in the story. The people of the town ask Jesus to leave, and the healed man asks if he can go with. Now, if I am Jesus, I am going to say "No" to the townspeople (because they need me), and "Yes" to the man (because he knows I am the truth and can learn a lot from me). The real Jesus has another plan: missions.

Jesus does not force himself upon the townspeople, the 'non-Christians'. He does not fight his way into their city. He humbly steps back. But note that he doesn't abandon them. He sends into their midst one of their own, a Gerasene (what a name!) who has felt the healing power of God. This man, who wants to leave and go away with Jesus, is given the command to go and tell what God has done. Although it would be good for the man to be with Jesus, what is great is that he go and proclaim the good news.

This is missions. God uses his people to go into dark places, to tell all that he has done for us, that others might also believe on His Name. It would be much easier if we could accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, and go directly to heaven to be with him and skip the suffering of this world. But that is not God's calling... if it were, everyone else in the world would be left to suffer on their own, without the hope of Christ. Jesus sends this man away with a command... to return home and tell how much God has done for him. Jesus left us with a command, too. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."