They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. The man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of Him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he relied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man-and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with Him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

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There is so much to unpack in this story. However, I want to point out the reaction from the people. Jesus had restored a man who was possessed by multiple spirits and it says the people were afraid. Why? Notice how the demons did not want to leave the area. It seems like the people had become comfortable and satisfied with a worldly mentality to where even the demons felt welcome there. At one time they could bind the man…but the longer the demons were allowed to stay the stronger they got. The demons were on vacation in this Gerasene region and when they realized their vacation was over they decided they would rather enter the pigs then leave the area. I wonder what sins you have allowed to set up camp in your life? What worldly patterns are comfortable around you? Be aware that the longer you allow these things to be present, the more comfortable you will become and the more foreign the things of God will be. Don’t allow the enemy any room in your life…but offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God.

That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

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The question that Jesus asked sticks out to me. It wasn’t that they were afraid a storm may come or that they were upset and complaining about something minor. It says they were in the middle of a storm! I think I would be reacting about the same way. But Jesus questions their faith and courage here. So often we can talk a big game…but when the storms come we run and hide it give in too quickly. It’s in these storms that our faith must be most evident. It’s in these storms when we must trust that God is in control of our waves and wind. Build a foundation for your faith now…so that when the storms come up you have faith to stand on. Stand tall against the storms…because we have the one who can wipe them away.

Again He said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything.

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The kingdom of God begins as a very small part of someone’s life once they have had the word of God planted on them. But as that word is nurtured…it can quickly become the biggest part of their life…as it should. When we truly allow God to change us…it has a great impact on every aspect of our life. When left alone…it remains just a small seed. Let that seed grow within you. May it’s branches be your love, kindness, courage, joy, etc. Let it change every aspect of you. Let the kingdom of God grow wildly in you each day. Then you can provide comfort for those in need…as they seek rest in the branches of your life. It’s a beautiful thing.

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soul produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

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Our job as a follower of Christ is to plant the seed of the word of God in the hearts of people. God is the one who will take that seed and grow it. We cannot transform the life of another, but we can plant the seed that puts it all in motion. But how can we plant the seed if the seed is not growing in us? Are you allowing God to grow His word in you? Be diligent in keeping your heart open for a him. Don’t allow anything else to steal your heart away. Let that seed continue to grow in you so you can plant His Word in another.

He said to them, “Do you being in a lamp to put it under a bowl or lamp? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”

“Consider carefully what you hear,” He continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you-and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

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We must shine our light for all to see. To keep it hidden means we have no light to shine. If we truly are the light, the world will see it and know. If you have heard these words from Jesus…you will be measured by those words. If you are a follower of Jesus…then your life better prove it because His word is our measuring stick. Shine the light of Christ in your life today.

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in His teaching said: Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

When He was alone, the twelve and the others around him asked Him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parable so that, “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? The farmer does the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitful ness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

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Where are you in this parable?

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples were not even able to eat. When His family heard about this, they went to take charge of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons He is driving out demons.”

So Jesus called them over to Him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a Kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, the house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they told Him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” He asked.

Then He looked at those seated in a circle around Him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Jesus begins to teach those around Him using parables. He is responding to the notion that He has an impure spirit. But did you catch it? Did you see? Jesus has invited you and me to be part of His family. He declares that all those who do the will of God are His family. Maybe you’ve been cast out by those around you in the world…alienated by others. Stand on this truth today…Jesus welcomes you into His family. There’s no greater joy then to experience the love of Christ. Are you living out the will of God in your life? Are you loving God fully and loving others? Have you allowed the grace of God to cover your flaws? We can be part of an amazing family…and all are welcome.

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve that they may be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

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It started with an invitation to follow…and it turned into an appointment of discipleship. Jesus has also invited you and me to be His disciples. We are ordinary…so were they. We are flawed…so were they. We have weaknesses…so did they. The common factor…Jesus. We are invited and called by God to be His disciples. It’s up to us to accept the invitation. But understand this…to accept the invitation is to then be appointed a disciple…which means its time to get to work for God. Let’s work together! God deserves it all!

Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all He was doing, many people came to Him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd He told His disciples to have a small boat ready for Him, to keep the people from crowding Him. For He had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch Him. Whenever the impure spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But He gave them strict orders not to tell others about Him.

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Jesus healed many…and many were pushing to get closer to Him. It just makes me think…how desperate are we to be near Jesus? How often are we in pursuit of Him in our life? We spend so much of our lives pursuing the things of this world, when in reality, we should be chasing after Him. So how important is it to you in your life right now to be near Jesus?

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

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Because of the stubborn hearts of the people around Him, Jesus became angry and distressed. Let’s face it, sometimes we can have stubborn hearts as well. We can decide our life is going to be a certain way based on what we want. Our actions and words will be certain things because it’s what we want. When our hearts are stubborn, we are blocking out Jesus. When our hearts are stubborn, we can only focus on self. I don’t know about you…but I don’t want to make God angry and distressed. I want to make Him proud and happy. Let your walls of stubbornness fall today. Live for and by God…and He will be pleased with you.