The story of the Gerasene denomiac wields terrific and terrifying spiritual and psychological power as it touches on such issues as the Gentile mission, Jesus' messianic identity, discipleship, and even homiletics itself. We begin our brief study aware that absolutely everyone agrees that this story (which is found in all synoptic gospels) is an authentic Jesus story.

Healer/Messiah/"Son of the Most High," Jesus is revealed hanging out with the wrong type (a demoniac), in the wrong place (the Gentile lands "opposite Galilee"), at the wrong time (before any Gentile mission was established). But in the midst of all these social and ecclesial "wrongs," Jesus does everything "right." He heals, he banishes evil, he shakes up the local population, he changes the landscape, and he leaves an endur…