He heals two possessed
with devils.
The devils have nothing to
do with Christ as a Saviour; they neither have, nor hope for any
benefit from him. Oh the depth of this mystery of Divine love; that
fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have
nothing to do with him! Heb 2:16. Surely here was torment, to be
forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and yet they had no
part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to do with
Christ as a Ruler. See whose language those speak, who will have
nothing to do with the gospel of Christ. But it is not true that the
devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge; for they have, and
they know it, and thus it is with all the children of men. Satan and
his instruments can go no further than he permits; they must quit
possession when he commands. They cannot break his hedge of
protection about his people; they cannot enter even a swine without
his leave. They had leave. God often, for wise and holy ends,
permits the efforts of Satan's rage. Thus the devil hurries people
to sin; hurries them to what they have resolved against, which they
know will be shame and grief to them: miserable is the condition of
those who are led captive by him at his will. There are a great many
who prefer their swine before the Saviour, and so come short of
Christ and salvation by him. They desire Christ to depart out of
their hearts, and will not suffer his word to have place in them,
because he and his word would destroy their brutish lusts, those
swine which they give themselves up to feed. And justly will Christ
forsake all that are weary of him; and say hereafter, Depart, ye
cursed, to those who now say to the Almighty, Depart from us.
The Gospel Reading:
Matthew:
8:28-34
28And
when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there
met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding
fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29And,
behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou
Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30And
there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.
31So
the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away
into the herd of swine.
32And
he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd
of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep
place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33And
they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every
thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34And,
behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they
besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
The Epistle Reading:
Romans
10:1-10
1Brethren,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2For I
bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge.
3For they
being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their
own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of
God.
4For
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5For Moses
describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth
those things shall live by them.
6But the
righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine
heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from
above:)
7Or, Who
shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the
dead.)
8But what
saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that
is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation.
