Asking Jesus to Leave
December 5, 2004
Dear Friends,
Can you imagine having Jesus in your presence and asking him to leave? That is exactly what the men of the Gadarenes did. “Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.” (Luke 8:37) Jesus had just healed two mentally ill men who we living in the local graveyard. In modern parlance, the locals were “freaked out” by the whole episode and reacted in an extraordinary way–they asked Jesus to leave.
Interestingly, the very next verse tells us of an entirely different reaction by one of the former insane men. “Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him.” How much does this story mimic our experience? Seemingly sane men want nothing to do with Jesus Christ all the while perceiving those of us who do wish to be in his presence as crazy. This was the Apostle Paul’s experience when he wrote “The message of the cross is folly for those who are on the way to ruin, but for those of us who are on the road to salvation it is the power of God. As scripture says: I am going to destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of any who understand. Where are the philosophers? Where are the experts? And where are the debaters of this age? Do you not see how God has shown up human wisdom as folly? (1 Cor. 1:18-20 NJB)
Judas was one who forsook the presence of the Lord. After the Last Supper, the Gospel of John records: “As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out.” (v. 30 NJB) It also records later “he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” (Matt. 27:5) While all of the apostles departed from Jesus at one point in time during the evening of the crucifixion, only Judas never returned. Many faithful people have at some point in their life left the presence of Jesus or at least wanted to do so. When coming face to face with the realization of the Son of God, Peter himself “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8)
It is not incidental that we are called “followers” of Jesus. This term is filled with meaning. It means we follow his teaching. It means we follow his example. It means that wherever he leads us, we will follow to remain in his presence. The exhortation for us is not leave the Lord but to follow him. However, if you do leave like the so-called Prodigal Son, come back. Don’t be a Judas and let guilt, shame, pride or humiliation keep you from running back to the open arms that await. We have this promise–”I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb. 13:5) That doesn’t mean can’t forsake him.
May we be like those followers of Luke 4:42 and of whom it records “he [Jesus] departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.”
Have a great week!
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