Have you ever witnessed true power? This week, I saw a video of a New Zealand politician commenting on the war in the Middle East. And what caught my attention the most was actually in the comments section of the video where someone said sarcastically to the effect, "I wonder if the United States war cabinet really cares about the opinions of New Zealand politicians."

Now think about that for a moment. You see, in the scheme of things, we are not a nation with much power, with much influence. Compared to China, the United States, or many other countries. If the United States tomorrow decided that New Zealand ought to be levelled, there is not a thing that we could do about that. We don't have power. But we are not concerned about that happening, are we? Because it's not power itself that is a danger to man; it is power devoid of goodness.

We are back in Matthew's gospel, chapter eight, and we come to witness a war of power. And there is one that shall triumph over the other. This is a power of a different kind to which we are accustomed. In this wider context, Matthew wants us to understand where the true locus of ultimate power and authority lies, and it's actually found not in a nation, but in a single man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus works with benevolent goodness, more power than we can possibly fathom. A power like no man, like no king over an empire, or even any tyrant has ever known. Such is the power of Christ.

Jesus, as we have seen, is the divine Son of God. And to quote the apostle John in John 1:3 of his gospel, he says, "Through him all things were made. Without him, nothing was made that has been made." So the power that Christ has is on display.

In the previous section, recall that Matthew shows Jesus as possessing authority even over nature itself. Remind yourself of these words from Matthew 8:26, it says, "He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and they said, 'What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?'"

And that's where we left off last time. This haunting question that any mortal man would want to know in the face of such power as they have witnessed in Jesus: What sort of a man is this? Am I to fear this man if he has this kind of power? Is he to me a friend or is he to me a foe? Am I to love him or am I to loathe him?

And we know that the disciples of Jesus were often gripped in fear as they witnessed the power of Christ. There was a time in Luke 5:8 where it says, "Peter fell down at Jesus' feet saying, 'Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.'" What sort of power does Jesus wield? What should our reaction be?

In this morning's text, we come to a scene where Jesus encounters rival spiritual power through two demon possessed men. And here we find that unlike the power that Satan has in this world for evil and for destruction, in Christ we see ultimate authority. He is one who comes to use his power for man's good; to liberate those in bondage, to heal the tormented, to transform those under the dominion of darkness. But you know, the great question that is hanging over this text that I want you to see as we consider it is how you and I will respond to the authority and power of Christ. That's what Matthew is challenging us with.

Last time we saw that Christ has authority over nature. This week, we see he has authority over the spiritual and demonic realm. And then next time, we're going to see he has authority even to forgive man's sins. The question is, will you bow before him and confess him as Lord or will you drive him away in fear and refuse to make him your king?

The Two Men

So first of all, at verse 28, consider this first heading with me: the two men. Matthew 8:28 states, "When he came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon possessed met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way."

The first important detail we need to see and make note of is that Matthew places us in Gentile territory, non-Jewish territory. You may not recognise this territory in verse 28 because it's an area not referenced in the gospels outside of this account that's also recorded in Mark and Luke. And so for a moment, we enter the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, and it shows us again the Gentile aspect to the life and ministry of Jesus; a saviour that is not only given to the Jew, but also to the Greek.

It's notable that it's Gentile territory because of this huge herd of pigs that we encounter, of course. The Jews were not pig farmers! But Jesus clearly has a very specific agenda in coming to this area. You'll see in Matthew 8:18 it says, "He gave orders to depart there." Why did Jesus want to come here? Well, now we encounter these two demon possessed men, the focus of Christ's travel. Luke and Mark focus on one of the more prominent men, identified as Legion, but Matthew decides to include both in his description of events.

Now as modern people, as we think of ourselves, we have a tendency, due to the secularisation of our culture, to think of demonic references in the Bible as something perhaps fretted over by ancient peoples. Or as a naturalist might say, the claim is that demonic activity is the unscientific whims of people who could not explain certain mental, physical, or emotional conditions in any other way, and so they called it demon possession. This is the thinking of our secular culture.

But you see, the Bible is very clear that what is visible to the human eye is not all that God has made. In fact, think about the human conscience for a moment. This is not something that can be seen, but it's something that is very real, isn't it? We are spirits that have bodies; we have a soul with a body, and the two go together. There is that which is seen and unseen even in our own existence.

I'm reminded of two Kings 6:17 where it says, "Elisha prayed and said, 'Oh Lord, I pray open his eyes that he may see.' And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha," the unseen realm revealed. We forget that our believing forebears, Abraham, walked with angels. We forget the words of the apostle Paul who said in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." The demonic world is real, friends.

What are demons? Demons are those fallen angels who no longer, as they once did, serve God, but through rebellion, subjected themselves to one who is called the ruler of demons, Satan himself; that beautiful angel of the Lord who rebelled against the Lord. Demons are therefore evil spirits and they, as we learn here in Matthew eight, even have the ability to possess human beings. They can enter the human person, subvert the will, bind the mind, torment, and even influence behaviour.

So here are two men demon possessed by a great horde; an army of demons even. They live among the tombs. They've been known for violence against passersby because of the demon horde who occupy them. Mark records that incredibly, even these demoniacs were unable to be bound with chains as people had tried, because they had supernatural strength and they would break the chains. The powers of darkness grip these men. They are in total bondage.

And we have many questions, of course, that we're not given answers to, but we should not speculate. What we are told of is their sorrowful state and the way that Satan uses his power.

When we take into consideration the parallel accounts of Luke and Mark, along with Matthew, we see that first, these men are unclothed. In the Bible, nakedness is associated with shame, with defacement of the image of God. And so the evil spirits have made these men roam as if they are wild beasts. They are naked.

We learn, second, that they are alone in the tombs. They do not enjoy what God created for us, that is community of peoples. They are isolated. They are by themselves.

Third, in Mark 5:5, it says, "Constantly night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, gnashing himself with stones." Demons are full of hate in their cursed and fallen state, and they will seek to destroy man where they can. They torment their victims.

And so what matters for these men the most is the presence of Christ. He's the only one who can break through and give them release; the one before whom the darkness in this cursed world is dispelled. Others for so long have been unable to even pass by, but before Jesus, they find themselves bowing before the only one who has authority over the spiritual realm.

The Two Questions

So that brings us to our second heading: the two questions. Audibly, they cry out in verse 29, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"

This phrase, "What business do we have with each other?" has the idea of we are enemies; there is nothing in likeness between us and you, the demons are saying. And this question, you'll notice, contains the central theme of messiahship in Matthew, a reference to the Son of God. You see, when we left off last time in Matthew 8:27 with a question about who Jesus really was, if the disciples could not yet see it, well, here, the demons are telling them: this is the Son of God.

You see, dear friends, there is not a single conscious life, be it angel or man, that God has made that will not eventually confess Jesus as the Son of God. I think of James 2:19 where it says, "You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe and shudder." You see, even through bared teeth, as it were, the demons will acknowledge the identity of Christ. It's not only that Christ's power is recognised here, but his person as well.

I love the comments of John Calvin on this section. He says, "Here, the whole of Satan's kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ. For the devils, when Christ summons them to appear before him, are not more at their own disposal than the wretched men whom their tyranny was to drive about in every direction."

You see, friends, when we stand with Christ, we never have to fear any influence of evil that shall overtake us. It does not make us ignorant of Satan's schemes. He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But the believer may put on the full armour of God. And Christ can quench any fiery arrow that you may fear, may kill your faith or take your zeal or destroy your hope.

Satan wants nothing more than discouraged Christians; he wants nothing more than Christians who will not go to church and be built up in the word of God. He wants only to destroy what Christ has built. Jesus shows us through the mouths of demons that even what man rightly fears, they cannot help but confess the name of the Son of God. The demon's leash is one held by Christ, and their access to the believer is subjugated. You see, even as Luther says, "Even the devil is God's devil."

And their second question confirms this. They say, "Have you come here to torment us before the time?" The demonic horde knows that their time, to which God for his own reasons permits on earth, is limited and short. They know theirs is a sentence of judgement without opportunity of redemption. You see, it is not only man that has fallen from God's grace. It is also many of the angels. For them, redemption has not been supplied, but for man, it has been. Their fate is lost forever.

In Matthew 25:41 it says, "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels."

The Demons Cast Out

A third heading, coming to verse 31: the demons cast out. I look at verse 31 in particular. It says, "The demons began to entreat him saying, 'If you are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.'"

Charles Spurgeon says here, "Devils would sooner dwell inside swine than be in the presence of Jesus." You see, if their time is up with tormenting these men, consistent with their nature, they would sooner destroy lesser creatures if permitted. Unclean spirits for unclean swine. And their intent is clearly to stir up hatred and animosity against Jesus through the destruction that they will cause.

Of course, Jesus knows this. He is the one with divine knowledge, and it's not there. Christ does not waste words. He does not deny the demons their desire. So with a single word, Christ could have sentenced every demon straight to hell, but instead, he allows this horde of demons to inhabit this herd of swine. So with a word from Christ, the men are freed and the demons swiftly torment their next victim. And the herd of pigs all perish in the waters.

We're reminded here through the sheer number of demons, the massive herd of pigs, of the power and authority of Christ. It is Christ as one man against an army of spiritual forces. They are subjugated to his word. And he simply says, "Go." Just as in the previous section, Jesus said, "Be still." Here he says, "Go." All authority and power belongs to Christ.

Unto their death, the pigs rush. And again, as Charles Spurgeon said, "He whom the devil drives, he drives hard." And so they perish.

And if you are baffled by this account, just remember that evil is always senseless. The result is what we are to mark down. If you follow the demons and their doctrines, if you worship them as the unconverted nations do in their idolatry. You see, every Hindu that makes an offering to Buddha, or any other man made religion, is making an offering to demons, the scriptures tell us. If you allow yourself to come under their influence, the outcome, no matter in which way you are influenced by the evil spiritual realm, that outcome is always death and destruction. Evil is senseless.

So what matters is not the fate of the swine, but the freedom won by Christ for the human soul. Human life is infinitely more valuable than the lives of animals. The demons want us to believe otherwise, of course. In fact, I'm unsurprised to see so many of our woke politicians in the New Zealand government fighting to give personhood status to our country's whales and to mountains, while simultaneously legalising the murder of unborn children. Evil is always senseless.

See, human life is more valuable than any amount of animals.

Jesus Cast Out

Fourth heading: Jesus cast out. We're beginning to get to the crux of the matter. Jesus cast out. Verse 33 states, "The herdsmen ran away and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they implored him to leave their region."

The first two things that happened after Jesus cast out the demons are not unexpected. First of all, one man has just lost all his livelihood. His pigs are now in the water drowning. And so he runs to the city. That's understandable. And they spread the report. The second expected result is that the whole town then wants to come and see what's happened. And so they all come out to see Jesus. That's not unexpected either.

But Matthew really wants us to notice what happens next. How will the people respond to the miracles that they can now witness; the power of God over the demonic realm. Jesus has demonstrated without question extraordinary divine power. They would have never seen anything like this. Instead of welcoming Jesus and rejoicing with these men, they give in to their fear, and in turn, they cast Jesus out of their town.

Now did you notice the key phrase, I believe, in this section? Look at what Matthew says. He says, "Including what had happened to the demoniacs." So the herdsman who owned these pigs, he goes to the city, and Matthew specifically wants us to see that he includes what happened to the demoniacs. That's the key phrase. Christ's person, the Son of God, has borne witness to here by this miracle. These men are now in their right minds. They're no longer demon possessed. And so for these people to cast out Christ, they had to ignore this great divine work that only God could do.

To get rid of Jesus, they had to overlook these two men who are now completely in their right minds; no longer violent, no longer unclothed, no longer isolated, but with complete freeing of demonic possession. They are healed. They are transformed by the power of Christ.

The peoples neglect to recognise the person of Jesus here is inexcusable.

Often in the Gospels, the Gospel authors are quick to highlight the rejection by the Jews to Jesus. Here is one example where unbelief is present in a Gentile community as well.

Conclusion

And it's here we can conclude and summarise the message of this passage. As Don Carson says in his commentary on Matthew, "These people preferred pigs to persons. They preferred swine to the saviour."

And so Christ has just exposed the state of their own souls. It's a test: what are you going to prioritise? The death of these pigs, or are you going to witness the power of God that's being on display? Who are you going to prefer? Where do your priorities lie? Christ has exposed them, and he's proved that you do not have to be possessed by demons to be under their spell and doing their work of unbelief.

In 2 Corinthians 4:4 it says, "The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." You see, Satan's work in this world is like rebar is to concrete. It is to harden the human heart in its own hardness. It is to imprison those who are imprisoned. It is to further blind man to his spiritual needs. It is to twist the truth of Christ, to malign the message of Christ so that man may not believe; so that Jesus and his gospel are far removed from man's mind, and he will drag as many as he can down to his own pit of hell that he can.

Of false teachers who teach a twisted gospel, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:13, "For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

You see, friends, we ought to see from this Gentile town, belief, and a forgetting about the pigs. To say, look at this man who is among us. Who is he? What is his message? Instead, the praise and the following of Christ is limited to the men who have been freed from their demon possession.

In Luke eight, the parallel account in Luke's gospel, listen to this. It says, "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. But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging him that he might accompany him. But he, that is Jesus, sent him away saying, '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." So what should have been true if this whole community became true of only one or two.

You know, if we have believed in Jesus this morning, you and I have a great message to tell others, don't we? We have met the one who has all power and authority in and under heaven. Are we too, like these men, been freed from the domain and kingdom of darkness and transferred into Christ's kingdom that he brings. When Jesus died on the cross for his bride, the church, he earned with great power the right to redeem his people; to free us from the wages of sin and Satan's own grip. He made himself the sin bearer and was judged by the Father in our place.

Jesus freed these men by saying, "Go." And then he says, "Go and tell of the great things that God has done for you." Will we recognise Jesus this morning? Or will we, like the people of this city, prefer pigs over people, swine over the saviour, and want nothing to do with Jesus? But know this day that Christ has the power. He has the power to save a soul. Do not reject him in your heart, but believe upon him and he will deliver you.