A Passion to Tell

“And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, ‘What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.’ For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert.

And Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned.

And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them; for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned.

But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8:27-39

This despicable man lived in a graveyard and cut his flesh with rocks. Every time people tried to tie him up, he burst his bonds and ran back to the tombs or to the desert, wherever the demons drove him (Luke 8:29).

No wonder he was overcome with gratitude when Jesus set him free from demonic dominion. The healed man fell down and begged his newfound Savior to let him come along. Nothing else mattered to him; Jesus had restored him, and he understood that now his life belonged to Him, in wholeness and completion. He knew the horror of the existence from which Jesus had saved him, so he was thrilled all the more for a chance to start over.

When you recognize the sin and hopelessness that Jesus has pulled you from by His matchless grace, you have the same deep, abiding appreciation. The apostle John says: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

You love your Savior because He loved you first and gives you a new life that you cannot get for yourself. Do you have a passion to tell others what He has done for you? You cannot be silent when you feel the fullness of His love.