Matthew 8:28-34  This is one of my favorite stories of Jesus' ministry.  Jesus gets in a boat and sleeps through a horrific storm.. calms the wind and sea with His voice and lands in a... graveyard.  He is met by two "exceedingly violent" demon possessed men.  In Mark's gospel, one of these men was called "Legion" for he was filled with "many" demons.  He was so strong that not even shackles or chains could hold him. 

The demons instantly knew who Jesus was and they pleaded with Him to be sent into the herd of swine. Jesus answered their pleas with one word.... " Begone".   Mark and Luke tell us that after the demons left, the man called Legion was completely changed.  He was in his "right mind".  He put on clothes. He sat at the foot of Jesus. He wanted to go with Jesus.  The Kingdom had come to that man that day!   The reign of Jesus was clearly demonstrated.. darkness had to flee in the presence of the King. Hallelujah!

The herdsmen saw everything and ran into town to report it. The "whole city" came out to see what happened.  Their reaction to what they saw was one of fear and dread. They begged Jesus to leave.. and so He did.  Before He left, He gave Legion some new instructions.."Return to your house an describe what great things God has done for you." ( Luke 8:39) And he did!

So, why do I love this story so much? Because Jesus crossed a storm-tossed sea.. to meet one man.  A man so demon filled and hopeless that he lived in the graveyard.  A man who was the most unlikely to become a follower of Jesus as any of us can imagine.  Jesus went to him anyway.  One man.. one divine appointment.. to bring light into great darkness.. to set free one soul from a legion of demons.. to transform one man from death to life.  To give one man a purpose and mission.. to tell his people about what God did! 

Gadara or Gerasa.. were gentile cities in the area called the Decapolis.  Jesus returned there one more time as recorded in Mark 7:31-37. He had been to Tyre and had healed the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman.  He had told her that it was "not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  And she had asked for the crumbs.. with bold faith.  Tyre is on the Mediterranean coast, north of Galilee and the Decapolis was an area east of the Sea of Galilee.  It was quite out of the way for Jesus to travel there on His way back to Israel. But, He went anyway.. and this time a "multitude" met Him.  Perhaps.. the testimony of the man formerly known as Legion.. had traveled all through the area? I like to think so..  We are only told of one man being healed.. "one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty".  Jesus told them to not tell anyone about this healing.. but they did anyway.  "He had done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak." ( Mark 7:37)

Father, thank You for going out of Your way to bring us salvation!  Thank You for making a divine appointment for me.. for each of us.  Jesus came to each of us.. one by one.. to shine the Light into each of our hearts, casting out the darkness and filling us with Your Spirit.  Yes, He does "all things well"! Praise to You, our Father, for Your Name is great and greatly to be praised.  Praise to the Son, our King forever!  Praise to the Holy Spirit, our Counselor and Guide into all truth. Thank You for the Word in which we abide. Fill us again! We love You, Lord our God, for You have first loved us.. Amazing grace!

Amen.