Don Fredenburg
Jim Tucker
H.E. 'Hub' Bowen
Mike Coble
Ron Bowen3/9/2018
The men that had the work of caring for the pigs ran away.
They went into town and told the people what happened. They told about all that
happened with the pigs and with the men that had demons. Then the whole town
went out to see Jesus. When the people saw Jesus, they begged him to leave
their area.
— Matthew 8:33-34
KEY THOUGHT: The status quo is very powerful! We would rather things not change if they are going to threaten us or our livelihood, even though that change might mean something better for others. We would rather things not change when the change makes us look at things differently or forces us to treat others differently at our expense. We would rather things not change if we don't understand the change or the reason for the change. So we had better not be overly quick to pass judgment on the folks who asked Jesus to leave. Change makes most of us uncomfortable in one way or another. Jesus' goal, however, isn't merely change; he is about deliverance, blessing, and transformation. He wants us to be transformed by the Holy Spirit to become more like him. That is his goal; and if we seek him as Lord, his transformation in us will be every bit as dramatic over time as it was with the men who had demons. So the question is, do you want him to leave you alone or to leave you changed?
TODAY'S PRAYER: Righteous God, forgive me when I see the irritating things in others rather than their need for salvation. I know that your work of transformation needs to continue in me, so that I might live for you in today's world. Change my heart, my behavior, and my thoughts to be like my Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE IN CONTEXT: Jesus saw that all the people were around him. So Jesus told his followers to go to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, I will follow you any place you go." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes to live in. The birds have nests to live in. But the Son of Man has no place where he can rest his head." Another man, one of Jesus' followers, said to Jesus, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first. {Then I will follow you.}" But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the people that are dead bury their own dead." Jesus got into a boat and his followers went with him. After the boat left the shore, a very bad storm began on the lake. The waves covered the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The followers went to Jesus and woke him. They said, "Lord, save us! We will drown!" Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You don't have enough faith." Then Jesus stood and gave a command to the wind and the waves. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm. The men were amazed. They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!" Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people. There, two men came to Jesus. They had demons inside them. These men lived in the burial caves. They were very dangerous. So people could not use the road by those caves. The two men came to Jesus and shouted, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to punish us before the right time?" Near that place there was a large herd of pigs feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you make us leave these men, please send us into that herd of pigs." Jesus said to them, "Go!" So the demons left those men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. All the pigs drowned in the water. The men that had the work of caring for the pigs ran away. They went into town and told the people what happened. They told about all that happened with the pigs and with the men that had demons. Then the whole town went out to see Jesus. When the people saw Jesus, they begged him to leave their area.
Matthew 8:18-34
What Jesus Did is a one-year devotional guide through the gospels, using one short passage each day and following the Gospel in consecutive order. Each devotional consists of a passage, reflection and a prayer which opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges you to live for Jesus.
What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware.
Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
