Go

Many of us are familiar with the event in which Jesus cast demons out of man and sent them into a herd of pigs. The details are recorded in Matthew, and if you use a red-letter edition of the Bible, then you will see two little red letters stand out among the black letters. Jesus simply says, “Go.” And with that imperative a host of demons flee into a host of swine.

Demons obey Jesus.

This event reminds us that Satan and his minions are subject to God. We also see in Scripture that the wind and waves, fish, the dead, and even donkeys obey the voice of their Creator.

If these demons immediately obey Jesus at His command to go, then shouldn’t we? This command in Matthew 8 reminds me of another command in Matthew 28. At this point Jesus has already died, risen again, and spent 40 days teaching His disciples, and then He leaves them with a final commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”

Unfortunately, the demons obey Jesus’ command to go better than most Christians do.

To be fair, the word used for go in Matthew 28:18 isn’t a “drop what you’re doing and go” kind of command; it could better be translated “as you are going.” Since you are going to be going anyway, teach all nations as you go.

As you are going to work, tell your coworkers about me.

As you are going to school, tell your classmates about me.

As you are going to lunch, tell your waitress about me.

So as believers in Jesus, let’s not let the demons out-obey us. As you are going today, tell people about Jesus.