June 16, 2016

“When He arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met Him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.” Matthew 8:28-34

I was planning my children’s sermon one week, and the text appointed for that Sunday was the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). It was a good text to use my “puppet theater”, and so I went to the “Dollar Spot” looking for some props. Wouldn’t you know it, they had a bin filled with “Pig Poppers”. “What’s a “Pig Popper?”, you may ask. Well, it is a pig in which you insert a plastic ball into the pig’s mouth. When you squeeze the pig’s belly, the ball “pops” (not poops) out making a popping (not pooping) sound.

In the Old Testament, pigs are one of the forbidden animals in the Jewish tradition and religion. The Torah (the first five books of the bible) contains passages in Leviticus that lists the animals that people are permitted to eat. It qualifies certain animals that are ok to eat:

Any animal that has a cloven hoof that is completely split into double hooves, and which brings up its cud that one you may eat.
— Leviticus 11:3

Examples of animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud are cows, sheep, and deer. Then the text goes on to describe specific animals that are known and meet one, but not both, of those qualifications, thereby prohibiting their consumption. It does not give an exact reason for prohibition other than physical characteristics. Among those animals is the pig:

And the pig, because it has a cloven hoof that is completely split, but will not regurgitate its cud; it is unclean for you. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
— Leviticus 11:7-8

It was into that herd of pigs that the demons begged Jesus to be cast. And when they were, they went straight into the lake to drown. It is an odd story. Yet, we know that evil seeks to destroy whatever evil can latch onto. Evil seeks to destroy relationships, destroy people, and destroy communities. With the help of Jesus, we can drive out evil – or like a “Pig Popper”, we can blast evil right back to where it belongs. But it will take all of us, working together, not against one another — living as Christ calls us to live, loving as Christ calls us to live, and being disciples as Christ calls us to serve.

Pastor Dave