I. THEY WERE NAKED. (Lk 8:27) “No clothes”

1. (Luke 8:27 KJV) "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

Note: Clothing speaks of Righteousness or lack of it.

2. No Righteousness before God.

a. (Rom 3:10-14) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. {12} They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. {13} Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: {14} Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:"

b. (Isa 64:6) "But we[1] are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

B. THEY WERE UNCLEAN. (Lk 8: 29) (Unclean spirit)

1. (Luke 8:29 KJV) "(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)"

2. Sin not only strips man of his righteousness before God, but polutes him also.

a. (Mark 5:2) "And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,"

b. (Psa 14:2) "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God."

c. (Isa 59:1-2) "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: {2} But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

d. (Isa 59:12) "For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;"

C. THEY WERE UNCONTROLLABLE. (Mt 8:28) (Exceeding fierce) (He broke the bands) (Mk 5:3-4)

1. (Mat 8:28) "And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."

2. Man cannot control himself though he may proudly recite “I am the master of my fate! I am the captain of my soul.”

a. Compare (Romans 7:9-15 & 21)

D. THEY WERE UNDER THE POWER OF ANOTHER. (Possessed with devils) (Mt 8:28) (Demons and Satan) (Lk 8:30)

1. (Luke 8:30) "And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him."

a. Compare: (Eph 2:2) "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

2. Compare: (2 Cor 4:3-4) "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: {4} In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

3. Compare (Col 1:13) "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

4. Compare (Acts 26:18) "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

E. THEY WERE HOMELESS. (Came out of the tombs) (Mt 8:28) See also (Lk 8:27)

1. (Luke 8:27) "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

2. This is a fit picture of the world.

a. (Eph 4:18) "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:"

3. (1 Cor 6:9-11) "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

F. THEY WERE WOUNDED.. (Cutting himself with stones) (Mk 5:5) (Sin is spiritual suicide)

1. Man wounds himself each day he continues in sin.. (Mk 5:5)

a. (Mark 5:5) "And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones."

2. The O. T. describes such a condition also.

a. (Prov 8:36) "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."

b. (Hosea 13:9) "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help."

c. (Isa 1:5-6) "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment."

G. THEY WERE DANGEROUS TO OTHERS....

1. (Mat 8:28) "And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."

2. The sinner is a spiritual menace to himself and others ---outside of Christ.

a. Sometimes, the better one is, the worse he is.. (Isa. 64:6)

II. NOTICE THEIR DELIVERANCE DELIVERANCE. (Mt 8:29-32) (Lk 8:28-36)

A. JESUS CROSSED THE SEA TO FIND THEM. (Mt 8:23-28; Luke 8:22-25)

1. (Heb 12:2) "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

2. Christ passed through a “Storm” ere he could reach and save them.

a. Surely this is a picture of Calvary and the storm of God’s wrath that Jesus endured for us.

B. THE DEMONS WERE CAST OUT. (Mt 8:31-32; Lk 8:33) (There was no cure while they were in control.)

1. When Jesus saves a man, the demons of pride, etc. have to go.

C. THEY RECOGNIZED JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD. (Mt 8:29; Mk 5:7; Lk 8:28)

1. The cults refused to do this.

a. (1 John 4:15) "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."

b. (1 John 5:1) "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."

c. (John 20:31) "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

2. (1 Jn 4:3) "Every spirit that confesseth 'not' that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is 'not' of God:"

a. The Agnostics denied this doctrine and many today do the same.

D. THEY CAME AS THEY WERE WITH THE CHAINS STILL HANGING ON THEIR WRIST. (Mk 5:4)

1. (Mark 5:6) "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,"

Ill. The Song Writer well wrote: “JUST AS I AM.”

E. THE WORD OF POWER WAS SPOKEN.. (Mt 8:31-32; Mk 5:8; Lk 8:30-32)

1. Compare: (Mark 5:8) "For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit."

2. (Mat 28:18) "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

3. (Luke 8:30-32) "And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. {31} And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. {32} And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them."

4. (Mark 10:27) "And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."

F. THE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. (Mk 5:15; Lk 8:35)

1. They now had peace..(Lk 8:35)

a. (Mark 5:15) "And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."

2. They were now clothed. (Mk 5:15; Lk 8:35)

a (Luke 8:35) "Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."

b. Compare (Isa 61:10) "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

c. (2 Cor 5:21) "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

d. (Rom 3:22) "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"

3. They were now in their right mind. (Mk 5:15; Lk 8:35)

a. (Eph 4:23) "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;"

b. (Phil 2:5) "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"

4. They were now under the control of Christ. (At the feet of Jesus) (Mk 5:15; Lk 8:35)

a. (Phil 2:13) "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

III. NOTICE THEIR SERVICE...(Mk 5:19; Lk 8:38-40)

A. THEY DESIRED TO FOLLOW CHRIST.. (Mk 5:18; Lk 8:38)

1. (Mark 5:18) "And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him."

2. (Luke 8:38-40) "Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, {39} Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. {40} And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him."

B. NOTICE THEIR COMMISSION...(Mk 5:19; Lk 8:39)

1. Where did they begin? ...Their home....(Mk 5:19)

a. (Mark 5:19) "Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."

2. Their message....What the Lord had done for them. (Mk 5:19; Lk 8:39)

a. (Luke 8:39) "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."

b. (Psa 66:16) "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul."

c. (Rom 10:9-10) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

CONCLUSION: Imagine the fear that must have struck his family as they saw him coming down the lane toward home after all those months or years of sin and shame.