Luke 8:26-39: Power to Deliver

We are all familiar with the concept of power, we just have to think of the country of China and we have an immediate picture of power, it has economic power, military might, it represents one 7th of the world’s population. We can think of past powers like the USSR; Hitler; Napoleon; the USA at the height of its powers, but power to do what? Power without goodness is perceived to be a threat. Christ has power and authority, Christ as the vice-regent of God has ascended to the right hand of God and been given all power and authority over everything, but power for what? We are in Luke chapter 8, a chapter that looks at Christ’s identity and His power over nature, demons, sickness and death. These are all enemies that we face that are stronger than we are. This power we will see is a power to save, to liberate, to heal, to restore.

Today as we look at Luke 8:26-39 we see a man who is in the grip of satan who is delivered by the power of Christ. Christ encounters a man with multiple demons, in other words, one man Christ stands against an army. The clear purpose of this portion is to show us who is Boss. Christ is the Lord who has all power and authority, and this is clearly demonstrated by the exorcising of the demons. But this is no vulgar display of power; no surge of power without goodness but a picture of Christ’s restorative and healing power that rescues, restores and employs us. It is one thing to say God is powerful, it is another to say that He exorcises His power to save sinners. As we look at Christ’s power exercised to save we will look at it under three headings, firstly, the confrontation, then the deliverance, then the commission.