Storm on Gallilee

LUKE — LESSON 8

Scriptures for this lesson are taken from Luke 8.

Jesus is still in Galilee preaching and teaching in the area around the Sea of Galilee. The time frame is often called the Great Galilean Ministry. Jesus has called the twelve to be His apostles and they are with Him, learning as He teaches, heals and meets the needs of the people.

[Luke 8:1-3] (1) After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, (2) and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary from whom seven demons had come out; (3) Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

We are told here that the twelve apostles were traveling with Jesus and some women. Each of these women had been healed of some ailment by Jesus. At least one of them, Joanna, had a husband, Chuza, who was the manager of Herod Antipas’ household and she was one of the women to whom Christ appeared after the resurrection. Antipas was the king of Galilee and Perea at the time and he is the ruler that imprisoned and had John the Baptist killed. In the Eastern Orthodox Church she is considered to be a saint. Mary from Magdala, called Mary Magdalene is considered by some to be the woman Jesus saved from being stoned. This is not substantiated by scripture. In addition there was Susanna and other women that traveled along with Jesus and His apostles. These women ministered the men and helped to provide financial support for Jesus’ ministry.

[Luke 8:4-15] (4) While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: (5) “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. (6) Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, he plants withered because they had no moisture. (7) Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. (8) Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (9) His disciples asked him what this parable meant. (10) He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand. (11) “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. (12) Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. (13) Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. (14) The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. (15) But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

In the parable, the good seed represents the word of God. Jesus would teach in parables so that those hearing that wanted to hear, had receptive hearts would understand and those who were cold, calculating and critical would not grasp the meaning.

The Word of God Fell:

1. By the wayside or path — the person hears the word but is easily swayed by Satan who steals it away.

2. Upon the rocks — the person hears but his/her heart is hard and the word can’t take root and falls away.

3. Among thorns or weeds — The person hears but is so involved with worldly pleasures and desires that the word is chocked out of their life.

4. On good ground — the person hears with an open and willing heart so that the word can sink in and grow and produce spiritual fruit.

Which group of persons in the parable actually obtained eternal life? The answer is #4 above: those who bore fruit.

[Luke 8:16-18] (16) “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. (17) For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (18) Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Jesus is using a common household item for His day to add meaning and purpose to the parable above. Their lamps were like an Aladdin lamp with oil in it. They would light the oil and it made light for their homes. Jesus said that no one would cover the lamp so that the light would not shine for the purpose of it was to give light. Using this example, His meaning was for those who had heard the Word of God and believed. Their faith should be a light and a witness to the unbelievers and those new believers who were just finding their way in the Christian life. In Jesus’ day and years after His death in the Jewish communities it was very unpopular and sometimes dangerous to openly admit that you were a follower of Jesus. Believers were kicked out of their Jewish families, their businesses were shunned so that they lost their incomes and sometimes they were imprisoned or killed for their beliefs. Even in our world today, it is not easy be open about our Christian beliefs but our witness is as important now as it was then. Following Jesus takes faith and courage.

[Luke 8:19-21] (19) Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. (20) Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” (21) He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

It was not that Jesus did not love His mother or His brothers, but His time on the earth after He began His ministry was very short and He is showing be these remarks that our spiritual relationships have priority over our physical relationships. Our earthly family is temporary but our heavenly family is everlasting.

[Luke 8:22-25] (22) One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. (23) As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. (24) The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. (25) He asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Jesus and His disciples entered a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to the other side. A big storm had come up while they are out on the Lake which is about 8 miles across and 13 miles long. This lake gets very rough during a storm. Several of these men are fishermen who are used to being on this lake so it must have been ad very bad storm for them to be so afraid. Jesus was sleeping in the boat during this bad storm. He must have been very tired to sleep through such violent tossing of the boat. The disciples woke Jesus afraid the boat was going to turn over and they were going to drown.

[Luke 8:26-39] (26) They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. (27) When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. (28) When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” (29) For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. (30) Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. (31) And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. (32) A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. (33) When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. (34) When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, (35) and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. (36) Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. (37) Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. (38) The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, (39) “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus and His disciples had crossed the Sea of Galilee from near Capernaum and had gone to the southeastern shores of the lake to a town called Geresa. He was met on the shore by a demon possessed man known as Legion. The word “legion” was a term for 6,000 soldiers, so this man had many demons dwelling in him. Legion was a crazy man who wore no clothes, the demons caused him to cut and hurt his body. He lived away from people in the cemetery. When the demons tortured him he had super human strength.

What are demons? They appear to be spiritual beings that do the will of Satan. Are they real or were the people who were healed of demons actually sick with a mental or physical disease? If we deny the existence of demons then we deny the truth of the written Word. I believe in many instances in the Bible that people were healed of some illness but not all. Like in this scripture passage it was most likely some demonic beings who dwelt in this man. Do demons exist on the earth today as they did in the first century AD? I have had no personal experience with demons that I am aware of, thank the Lord, but the Catholic Church has trained clergy who exorcise or drive out demons today.

In the first century, the whole world believed in demons, they could be good or bad, but usually bad. To the Greeks, every spring, grove, mountain, tree, stream, pool, rock had its demon. For the Jew there was the shedim, evil spirits who haunted empty houses. The Egyptians had amulets, incantations, magic, etc. Every evil spirit had a will, intelligence, distinctive character of its own. The people believed that diseases were caused by demons and were used by the gods for punishment of sins.

When Jesus saw this tortured man He knew that he was demon possessed and Jesus commanded the demon to come out of him. The demon, being a spiritual being, knew that Jesus was the Son of God, called Him by name and it knew that Jesus had the power to destroy and begged not to be tortured and not to be thrown into the abyss. In verse-30 it tells us that there were many demons in this man. The abyss means a bottomless pit, depths of the ocean or in this case probably the depths of hell.

Even Satan’s demons don’t want to go there. Jesus had commanded the demons to come out of the man, Legion, so knowing they had to go somewhere, they begged Jesus to let them go into a herd of pigs that were nearby. When Jesus allowed this, the poor pigs went crazy and ran over a cliff into the depths of the lake and drowned. Now the men who had been watching the herd of pigs were in trouble because they were responsible to the owners of the pigs and this large herd would have had a lot of value. When they ran to report what had happened the people came down to the lake to see for themselves. There they found Legion, the crazy man dressed and quiet sitting at Jesus’ feet and the pigs were probably floating on the lake dead. Instead of praising God for the miraculous healing of this man and bringing others who were ill to Him to be healed, they asked Jesus to leave. They may have been afraid of losing more of their animals. They lost the opportunity to accept and believe in Jesus and to bring healing to their sick. They chose worldly possessions over eternal salvation. Sounds like people today! But Legion begged to go with Jesus, to be one of His followers. Jesus, however, wanted Legion to stay there and be His witness in his own area.

[Luke 8:40-56] (40) Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. (41) Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house (42) because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. (43) And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. (44) She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. (45) “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” (46) But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” (47) Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. (48) Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (49) While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” (50) Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” (51) When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. (52) Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” (53) They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. (54) But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” (55) Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. (56) Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Jesus and His disciples had now gone back across the Sea of Galilee up north near Capernaum. The crowds of people were still around watching for Him. Jairus who was the leader of the Jewish synagogue, probably in Capernaum, came pleading with Jesus to heal his only child, a twelve year old girl who was dying. As Jesus made His way through the pushing crowd of people with Jairus to see the young girl, someone touched Him.

People were touching Him all the time but when this woman touched Jesus He could feel power coming from inside and He stopped and asked who had touched Him. As Jesus looked around at the large crowd of people, the woman came forward and fell to her knees at His feet. She told Jesus that she had been bleeding for twelve years and was healed as soon as she touched Him. Many people had touched Jesus but this woman was healed because of her faith. While Jesus was talking to the woman, someone came from Jairus’ house and told them that his little girl had died. Jesus told Jairus that if he had faith the girl could be healed. So they went on their way to the home of Jairus where the mourners had already started the wailing and funeral mourning for the girl. Jesus told them to stop the wailing, the child was not dead, just asleep. The people laughed because they knew that she was dead.

Jesus went into the house but would only allow Peter, James, John and the parents of the girl to be in there. As Jesus took the girl’s hand, her spirit, which had already left her body, returned and she got up. Jesus instructed them to give her some food. If she had been sick for a while, her body would need food and water in order for her to regain her strength. Then Jesus told her parents not to tell anyone that she had really died and had come back to life.

Why would Jesus tell them not to say that the girl had come alive again from being dead? Jesus could have had several reasons. His ministry was not over and the Jewish religious leaders were following and testing Him all the time trying to find some reason to have Him arrested. The crowds that were following Him all the time were beginning to believe that He was the Messiah. They believed when the Messiah came that He would raise up an army to overthrow the Romans. So Jesus did not want to advertise that this girl had been raised from the dead. Why did the people at the house who had seen the girl was dead believe that? It was easier to believe that she was asleep than to believe that she came back from the dead.

Lesson for us from Luke Chapter 8:

1. True salvation requires repentance and faith and will bring forth fruit. I believe that our churches today all full of professing Christians who have never been saved.

2. As a Christian it is our ministry to let our light shine through our words and our actions.

3. When the storms of life come our way, we just need to keep our eyes on and our faith in Jesus.

4. Faith is required for both physical and spiritual healing.

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