We are living a time when the word of God is being attacked. Times in which it is more important how I feel than how I really am. Times in which the financial situation overcomes the spiritual values. We are changing and not for good.
However, this is not new. Humanity has always walked looking for its own benefit. Even above the common benefit. Christ taught us the importance of watching over our relationship with God and our neighbor. This would lead to a general blessing, since I will serve you and you will help me, we will both be happy.
Achieving this mutual blessing entails the willingness to make changes in our lives.
This brings us to a second recital. Many times our lives are very negatively influenced by external evil elements. Not only demonic, they have a lot to do, but also social.
The people with whom we relate influence us. Their points of view can make people who do not have a strong or defined personality, a firm and clear self-esteem or defined values in the Lord, be drawn to their ideas, views and decisions contrary to their wishes.
Therefore, a change is necessary. A change that will help us to be blessed and blessed. This is what we see reflected in this Biblical story. The Ex Gadarene demoniac. A man who changed for good and impact to his community.
THE CHARACTERS OF HISTORY
This story presents us with many characters. Each of them with a history of changes that can help us build ours.
- The demoniac
In the life of this man we see a before and after. As in all of us. We can notice changes in its inner and outer nature
EXTERNAL VISIBLE FEATURES
BEFORE I did not wear clothes. It was a shame to the people around him. His way of dressing left little to the imagination.
Before I did not dwell in houses. I could not assess the importance of good family living. He lived in the tombs. I was in solitude. The fact of being possessed by these demons influenced him to turn away from those who loved him and wished to have an integral communication with him.
It was not controlled. Their actions were potentially generating dangers for others. Even for himself.
All this contrasts with the great desire of our God that we live in this earth soberly, justly and piously. [Titus 2:12]
BUT THANKS TO God there was a change in him. That change was created by the direct influence of our Lord Jesus Christ in his life. AFTER that intervention, we see him Sitting, Dressed, in his full judgment. Preaching to others of Christ.
BEFORE I was possessed. He had given control of his life to others. I was screaming. I was tormented. He had no will of his own. I did not have my own goals. He hurt himself. His life really did not make sense. This is why many people tormented by the evil one end up hurting themselves. Losing the most valuable humanly speaking.
This man had a religious vocabulary, but a carnal behavior. This was because of the influence of evil and the non-presence of Jesus Christ in his life. His first approach to Jesus demonstrates the knowledge of his person, but not the appropriation of his deity. This clearly denotes the control of the demon in him. AFTER we see him in his full judgment. He had a will of his own. He had goals for his life. Before I was fierce now happy! He had let Christ direct his life. I was trying to imitate him.
** THE DEMONS**
A second group of characters that we find in this story are the demons. We know that they are fallen angels whose final resting place is with those whom Judas 6 masterfully describes: "6. And to the angels who did not keep their dignity, but abandoned their own dwelling, he has kept them under darkness, in eternal prisons, for the judgment of the great day ";
They were afraid. They knew that they were facing the one who could send them to the place of torments and they wanted to continue enjoying doing evil in this world.
They had a name: Legion. They were numerous. Brothers, we have a daily struggle and it is not against a handful of demons. It's against legions! We need the real presence of God in our daily lives.
They were harmful. The Word says that the work of these evil beings is, like that of their leader, to kill, steal and destroy. Never think that we will have a good payment to walk around snooping and flirting with evil.
They knew what rolled them. They knew what their eternal future was.
And in them there was also a change. But a change for the worse. His change generated misfortunes for others.
THOSE WHO APPROVED
Here we have a third group of characters from this story. They were working doing their daily lives and changes in others affected their lives. We are all affected by the decisions of others, but it is our own decisions that truly impact us.
They fled the place. Frightened. They accused Jesus of what had happened. They did not notice the blessing to the man who for years had caused them problems. They accused the one who could make them live forever in heaven.
Let us beware of the midst of the heat of our battles turning against our church, our God, his anointed ones.
THE CITY
A fourth group are the citizens of that place. They tied the demoniac (They wanted to solve the problem). They were afraid (and it was logical, because there were demons influencing the place).
They rejected the Lord (After seeing the problem resolved, they valued the material more)
They marveled at the testimony of the ex-demoniac. (They rejected the Lord, but they accepted the preacher.
Men and women willing to explain to others the blessings of the Christian life are needed)
B. ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE HISTORY.
What do these characters teach us? I think the best teaching that we have been able to write so far is that we all change. More important, we can all change for the better. There are things that are not in our control, however, our response always is.
JESUS
Come to Gadara
He meets a demoniac
He takes out the demon
People get upset with Him
Jesus leaves Gadara
There is no longer demoniac
THE ENDEMONY
It is a problematic case
Have an encounter with Jesus
Your life changes
THE DEMONS
They were inside this man
They were taken from man by Jesus
They got into the Pigs
THE PIGS
They were alive
They put the demons in them
They killed themselves
PEOPLE
They were worried about their physical safety because this demoniac threatened them.
They were upset because they lost their finances
WHAT DO WE NOTT? CHANGES!
Everyone changed!
Our attitude generates our reality.
Our decisions change our actions
Maybe we walk like the Gadareno: Living life following the patterns and directions of another: Del Diablo, carnal desires, financial aspirations ... but we are not worrying about what God wants for our lives. When this man changed, everyone benefited.
The change in a person's life should benefit their community. The great commandment is dual: To God above all things and to your neighbor as yourself.
For there to be a change there must be a decision.
C. HOW DO I CHANGE GADAREN?
He recognized who he was. A demoniac directed by the devil himself in his attitudes, emotions, direction, goals, etc.
He recognized who he is. God made man. Who paid the price for our faults.
He sat at his feet. I'm looking to learn from him. I'm looking for your address. I try a relationship with him.
He got involved and took spiritual goals. When he met Jesus Christ he immediately understood that he should do what he commanded. He decided to imitate him. He went out to reach others as Jesus had reached him.
He recognized what Jesus had done in his life
He decided to tell everyone.
He became a servant in the service of his God.
APPLICATION TO OUR DAILY LIFE
Life is forged in the changes we make. Changes that must be made for good. As the Gadareno we are from a place, how are we behaving in that place? In the church, the house, the school, the work.
Who are we relating to? Either we frequent the place of the dead and loneliness or we decide to sit at the feet of Christ and his disciples, going out to the cities to speak to others. And not only this ... you can find much more, because the word is alive and effective. Let's make decisions in our lives. Let's draw closer to the Lord's feet, and let God change our lives for the better. Our and our community.