Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. —Luke 8:22 (KJV)
Jesus tells his Disciples to take the ship onto the other side of the lake. And so they set sail to the Gadarenes, a place where no respectable Rabbi would think to venture—a strange land of Gentiles and pagans. But for Jesus this land provided an opportunity to demonstrate that the good news of salvation would be proclaimed not just to his own people but throughout the world.
The anxiety of the Disciples as they approach this forbidden area is aggravated as the storm of wind on the lake fills the boat with water. Scripture says, “they were in jeopardy.” Meanwhile Jesus is asleep, and they awaken him concerned that they will all perish. Jesus rebukes the wind and raging water and there was a calm. And then he said unto them, “Where is your faith?”
When they arrive on the other side, there is a fascinating encounter between Jesus and a demon possessed Man. Jesus speaks with the demon and then banishes him into a herd of pigs. Within minutes, the pigs rush into the sea and drown. The locals, after hearing of the miraculous healing of the demonic and the economic disaster caused by the violent death of the pigs, ask Jesus and his Disciples to leave.
The story is exciting and curious, and there are important lessons to be learned. Jesus calms the winds and the sea and thus shows his Disciples that he even has the power over nature. The story also reveals that there are in fact demons who can possess both men and animals. This is not something to be taken lightly. Have you ever been to that place where it appears that the wind is raging and where the waters around you seem like your life is in Jeopardy? Who among us wants to be in the presence of those who live on the other side? And despite the anxiety and tension, it is Jesus that provides the calm in the midst of a storm.
So why bring up this story as we focus on Jesus and his road to Calvary? Because this is a story of how fear and anxiety of the unknown and the unfamiliar can impact our spiritual lives. The ability to preach the good news to the Gentiles and throughout the world would have been more difficult had Jesus not challenged them as he did in this story.
Second, each of us has to reflect on the role that faith plays in living the life of a Christian. There often is a tension that exists as we walk into the unfamiliar. At some point the tension gives way to faith, which is why Jesus admonishes them with the question, Where is your faith?
In our story, while the people ask Jesus to leave, it is the healed man who asks if he can come with them in the boat. Jesus instructs him to return to his house and to tell all about the great things God has done for him. And so the demonic becomes the first evangelist on the other side.
The story is more than a series of miraculous events. It describes a Savior willing to go to the other side to find us and the calm that only he can provide. Maybe we can be more like the healed man and tell others about the way Jesus has transformed our lives.
Mark von Esch is an attorney in Orange County, married to Leslie, and leader of Outlook Sabbath School class.