He is Lord: 2016 Gospel of Luke #30
This is an exposition of Luke 8:26-39. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 25, 2016.
Intro:
Jesus Christ. Today these words are most frequently used as swear words. They are uttered in order to vent anger or frustration. Just a few years ago that would have been considered blasphemy – today it is commonplace. Michael Green observed, “It is remarkable that the name of the Man who founded the world’s largest religion should be most familiar as a term of abuse. That doesn’t happen to Muhammad or Buddha.”
But who is this Jesus? To some He is a good moral teacher. A bit misguided, somewhat delusional but on balance a good moral teacher. Others say He was a revolutionary seeking to liberate his homeland from the oppression of Rome. Some are willing to grant him the status of a prophet. But the clear, unmistakable testimony of scripture is that He is Lord.
He is the unquestioned Sovereign.
He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
But what evidence is sited to support that claim?
That is the focus of our text this morning.
Text: Luke 8:26-39
Luke is writing to Theophilus.
Purpose = evangelistic. Aimed at the heart as well as the head.
Luke pulls together stories, events, miracles, and teachings from the life of the Lord Jesus and offers them as proof that he is indeed the Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the world.
A couple of weeks ago we witnessed the power of Jesus over nature. He, along with the 12, took a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. As they crossed the Sea a violent storm erupted. The disciples, in a panic, woke Jesus up and said, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” With a word, He calmed the Sea. The disciples wondered, “Who is this man that even the wind and the waves must obey him?” This morning we witness again the power of the Lord Jesus. Let’s look beginning with the 12:26 of the 8.
[Read Text]
Luke gives us some insight in our text this morning that can profoundly alter your life if you grasp the truth of it. We sing, “He is Lord, He is Lord – He is risen from the dead and He is Lord” but what does that mean? What is the significance of that?
Thesis: Jesus’ encounter with the demon-possessed man unquestionably demonstrates his lordship over evil and his power to deliver.
This is “gospel” truth. This is good news. We live in a fallen world. This is not the world as God created it. This is a world dominated by sin and thus infected with evil. I know there is a reluctance to use moral language today. We see the affects of sin all around us. Daily we witness the fruit of moral corruption but we hesitate to refer to the existence of evil. We are quick to label it something else but evil exists. There are evil people and they do evil, wicked things. The gospel declares there is One who has overcome. There is One who came to destroy the work of the evil one. He has conquered sin and death and the devil. One day all will be made right and paradise will be restored. Until then witness what His power can do.
Our text unfolds in a four-act drama.
- The presence of a tortured soul – (8:26-29)
- The arrival of a Sovereign Savior – (8:30-34)
- The response of stubborn resistance – (8:35-37)
- The command to evangelize – (8:38-39)