Sermon on 19th June 2022, Trinity 2

Healing of the Demoniac

What does the word freedom mean to you?

It’s a commonly used word, isn’t it?…..and it can apply to large groups of people – like talking of setting people free from an oppressive political regime – and it can also apply to individuals.

We usually think about being freed from something – I wonder if there is anything you need to be set free from? An unhealthy relationship? Depression or anxiety? An addiction – to alcohol, wealth, thinness? There are so many things all too common in today’s society, which bind or control us – they may be things we haven’t even noticed are taking increasing amounts of space in our lives and decisions.

And the readings we heard today both examine the idea of freedom. In Galatians, it is freedom from the a legalistic approach to the law, and from labels – from the things that divide us, male, female, slave, free as we are told – it is through faith we are justified and united as God’s children.

In the gospel reading, it is the freedom from demons. This reading is particularly interesting, because the people who first heard this story would have understood the strong political message included, which most of us today would be oblivious to.

In Jeffrey John’s book – the Meaning of the Miracles, he explains how Gerasa was a place of Jewish Revolt, brutally put down by the Roman Army in 67AD in which 1000 rebels were slaughtered and the whole area and surrounding villages destroyed. This story is set in the place of conflict and oppression.

And what does Jesus say to the man? He asks him his name. Names mean something – they are part of our identity. Jesus is saying – who are you – who are you really? And the name of the demoniac is Legion. Now the word legion represents 6000 soldiers – a military force. There is a very intentional link between the powers occupying the demoniac and the Roman oppression.

And on a personal level – legion represents a lot – there are many demons – many things that have taken over this man’s life and effectively ruined it – the sources of his brokenness are myriad. The assault on his mind, soul, and body is multi-pronged; it comes from many sources braided together.

And Jesus sets him free – but how does he do it? He sends the demons into the pigs, effectively comparing roman soldiers to unclean animals – a bit of a dig at the soldiers.

The reference to the pigs charging also invokes the language of the military. We are clearly in a battle ground. But this is where the animal lover in me objects – why did Jesus have to send the pigs into the sea – what had the pigs ever done?

However, the symbolism here is that the sea was considered a place where there were monstrous forces of chaos. Evil powers dwelt there. It was a place of demonic forces and darkness.

So, Jesus sending the demons back to the sea, back to the darkness, showing that the man has been fully healed and is now free.

This exorcism is therefore a symbol of both corporate and personal liberation – it proclaims that the power of the Romans is no match for the liberating power of God in Christ. And it shows the man healed and liberated by Jesus – now sitting at Jesus feet. This is the place where we find liberation.

Christ came to give us freedom – freedom from all those things that bind us and stop us being the people God made us to be – freedom from our addictions, disfunction and fear.

But the thing with freedom is that we need to keep choosing it – we need to keep saying yes to the love from God, which is the foundation of our liberty.

And choosing it can be scary, because it means letting go of our security blankets, our comfortable patterns of disfunction, and our coping mechanisms. Just look at how the town’s people react – they beg Jesus to go away – they don’t want what he has to offer. Freedom takes courage - it means trusting in God’s love and being willing to change.

And what does the change bring? Jesus sends the man out – to tell of what God has done for him – to share the good news – the possibility of resurrection and freedom. The most unholy and messed up of men, is the one Jesus chooses as his first gentile apostle…..the one he sends to teach others the gospel of love and transformation.

We are all on a journey – the journey of transformation from slavery to freedom – the journey to grow into the amazing people God has created each of us to be.

We all know this journey is not a smooth one – We encounter good times and bad, we face challenges, have difficult decisions to deal with and we all make mistakes. But through all of it, we have the love of our heavenly Father, who sent his son to bring us freedom.

As Debie Thomas says - this is a story about our truest names, a story about resistance and resurrection. This is a story about the Jesus who finds us naked among the tombs, clothes us with dignity, scatters the demons to save our souls, and turns us into storytellers who will help heal the world.

As a church community – our job is to help each other on this journey – to understand and recognise God, in our world and in our lives – to build a relationship with our loving Creator so that we can draw strength, courage and peace from God’s Spirit, and live a life of freedom, joy and love.

This is what God is calling us to do for ourselves and for each other. So today – let’s again try to let go of those things which bind us, and centre ourselves in God’s care as we continue our journey together towards liberation and love.