Jesus & the Gentiles

Those poor pigs. What did they even do?

Luke 8:26-39 | Acts 13:42-14:7

Both of our passages today involve the message of Christ coming to Gentiles (non-Jews). Somewhat a rarity for Jesus, it’s an interesting story of exorcism. One particularly noticeable feature is that Jesus tells the man not to follow him, but to stay where he is and tell other people what happened.

In Acts 13-14, the Church continues to exert new influence. Paul is at the center of the journey now and will continue for the rest of Acts. He truly is instrumental in the expansion of the early Church.

Not to be overly-repetitive, but let’s continue to notice that the singular factor in determining who will and who won’t accept the gospel message is simply by choice of the individual. Jewish, non-Jewish - it doesn’t matter. Some Jews get mad. Some Jews join the movement. Some Gentiles get mad. Some Gentiles join the movement.

It really does reinforce the notion that humans make choices. God makes an offer and humans choose.

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Luke 8:26-39

Jesus and his disciples sailed to the Gerasenes’ land, which is across the lake from Galilee. As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a certain man met him. The man was from the city and was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had lived among the tombs, naked and homeless. When he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down before him. Then he shouted, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” He said this because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had taken possession of him, so he would be bound with leg irons and chains and placed under guard. But he would break his restraints, and the demon would force him into the wilderness.

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had entered him. They pleaded with him not to order them to go back into the abyss. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission, and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.

When those who tended the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside. People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully dressed and completely sane. They were filled with awe. Those people who had actually seen what had happened told them how the demon-possessed man had been delivered. Then everyone gathered from the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their area because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and returned across the lake. The man from whom the demons had gone begged to come along with Jesus as one of his disciples. Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell the story of what God has done for you.” So he went throughout the city proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.

Acts 13:42-14:7

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to speak about these things again on the next Sabbath. When the people in the synagogue were dismissed, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism accompanied Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to remain faithful to the message of God’s grace.

On the next Sabbath, almost everyone in the city gathered to hear the Lord’s word. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were overcome with jealousy. They argued against what Paul was saying by slandering him. Speaking courageously, Paul and Barnabas said, “We had to speak God’s word to you first. Since you reject it and show that you are unworthy to receive eternal life, we will turn to the Gentiles. This is what the Lord commanded us:

I have made you a light for the Gentiles,

so that you could bring salvation to the end of the earth.”

When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the Lord’s word. Everyone who was appointed for eternal life believed, and the Lord’s word was broadcast throughout the entire region. However, the Jews provoked the prominent women among the Gentile God-worshippers, as well as the city’s leaders. They instigated others to harass Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their district. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet and went to Iconium. Because of the abundant presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, the disciples were overflowing with happiness.

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas entered the Jewish synagogue and spoke as they had before. As a result, a huge number of Jews and Greeks believed. However, the Jews who rejected the faith stirred up the Gentiles, poisoning their minds against the brothers. Nevertheless, Paul and Barnabas stayed there for quite some time, confidently speaking about the Lord. And the Lord confirmed the word about his grace by the signs and wonders he enabled them to perform. The people of the city were divided—some siding with the Jews, others with the Lord’s messengers. Then some Gentiles and Jews, including their leaders, hatched a plot to mistreat and stone Paul and Barnabas. When they learned of it, these two messengers fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area, where they continued to proclaim the good news.

Prayer

God,

I’m not completely sure if you chose to give us agency and free will or if it was a requirement of your loving nature. Either way, I’m grateful for the autonomy of choice. To choose to love you seems much more authentic to me and I want to love you all the more because of such freedom. Is that weird?

Regardless of the origin of humanity’s choice-making ability, I ask for your help to do well with it today. From what I spend to what I say to what I do, give me that sweet spot of wisdom and love to choose what is right and just.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.