I couldn’t agree more! Sin is destroying us! Luke 8 shows the works of our Lord, but it also shows us how the people did not want him to stay in their town.

The Bible describes a man who was full of demons and was a menace to society. Surely, the town folk did not appreciate this man or his actions. We are told that he wore no clothes, lived in tombs, and couldn’t be bound. However, the Lord came to town to remedy the problem for everyone. He delivered the man by casting out his demons. The demons entered some swine. Afterward, the hogs ran down a steep place, into a lake, and drowned.

This caused the people to ask the Lord to leave town, which didn’t make sense. The Lord took a man that lived in the graveyard, who was an outcast and embarrassment to the people and changed him. But they want the Lord to leave.

In essence, they’re saying we want to get rid of our problem, but we want to keep sin. Their problems are because of a sinful life. Most problems in America today are because of sinful lives. Most people aren’t satisfied with the path America is on, yet they’re not willing to get rid of their sins, to experience true change. When it comes to the things in their life, they’re “not so bad.”

However, this man saw what others could not see. He had been changed. His problems were gone and he was sitting at the feet of Jesus. He was clothed and in his right mind. He was tired of the old life. He wanted something better, and he found it in Jesus.

But apparently, he was one of the few. The people in town didn’t like this man or his ways, but they were not willing to give up their sins for the cure. See, the Lord revealed, rebuked and redeemed the man from darkness. Everyone else rejected the light and decided to live in the darkness. There are three things that are relevant for our day.

First, there’s disorder in the community. Things were not right. They needed help! There is an obvious problem. But the Lord has an immediate concern. His concern is the helplessness of a man who was enslaved to sin. His sin was a danger to everyone around. This is truly a picture of sin. Sin affects others and causes folks to avoid us.

We live in an age of wonder. It’s amazing of all the things we have at our disposal. But we also live in an age of worry. We don’t know what to expect next. What good does it do to conquer space, if we cannot conquer self or sin? Sin is blatant in our day. People are helpless.

Then there was the willingness of man. The citizens were Jews, and they knew it wasn’t lawful to have hogs. They’re disobeying the law of God. To the Jew, pigs were unclean. But, they’re willfully disobeying God and they’re making money by it. This describes America today. People sin right before God, who has plainly told them it’s wrong, and they have gone so far as to merchandise it for gain.

Secondly, there’s disturbance in the community. The Lord walked into a place of disorder and confusion. When he arrived, the whole scene changed. He announced a cure to the problem and changed the whole picture. He was able to do what no one else could do for this man. There’s nothing more true than this: Christ is more than able to cure any problem.

The people found themselves confronting a power that was greater than any human power. But when they saw the man sitting at Jesus’ feet, they were disturbed. They hear about this man’s deliverance, but they’re more concerned with their dealings. The Lord delivered the man, but the people lost their hogs. We’re prone to say Lord, take care of my problem, but don’t kill my hogs. If the Lord had just removed the threat from their town, they would have been fine, but the Lord interfered with their living. They became uncomfortable when they were challenged about their lifestyle. Sin can be uncomfortable, and when we are uncomfortable, we look for relief.

Too often, however, we look away from the Lord instead of toward Him. Sin can be sociable and profitable. Let’s be honest, there are some areas that we do not want the Lord to interfere with. We want marriages and society to be better, our country and our homes to be better, our schools and our churches to be better, but we do not want the Lord dealing with our sins. We say we want change, but we don’t want the Lord to be THE LORD of our lives. Most people today want America to change, but they’re not willing to give up their sin. This is an inexcusable tragedy.

There are many people telling the Lord to leave them alone. However, it’s not just the wretched and vile turning away the Lord, it’s often the saved. Their sin is more important to them. We thank the Lord for saving us from hell, but we are not willing to change to live a godly life. The Lord left town, and it seems as if he has left much of our nation. However, let’s make sure he hasn’t left us.

Do we really want change, or do we just want to talk about it? This man was thankful for his change, and he wanted everyone to know. Let’s keep the Lord in our area; there is somebody who needs Him. Do we really want change? Will you give up your sins so the problems can go away? Are you willing to let the Lord have His way?