The Third Sunday in Lent – Vicar Anderson sermon
Text: St. Luke 11:14-28

In Christ Jesus, who taught His prayer to us so that we call on God the Father to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, dear fellow redeemed:

In the many different categories of history that I love, one of those categories is the battles of the Civil War. Now the Civil War is not a bright spot in our Nation’s history. The divisions had come to a point where the country was at open war. Brother against brother, family against family. There are many stories that are found when the men went to war against one another. This is contrary to what the Psalmist writes in Psalm 133, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Civil wars do not bring unity. That is what Jesus tells those who accuse him of being in league with the devil. Jesus fighting for Satan?! That doesn’t make any sense. Not only does Jesus refute this nonsense, but He explains what is happening. Jesus is not on the same side as the devil, but it is the finger of God that is going to war against Satan for us! As Satan looks to attack us with all his might, Jesus teaches us that we are delivered from the enemy!

The father of lies continues his attacks against Jesus, this time using Jesus’ enemies to do his bidding. Those who are against Jesus lie about what He is doing by saying He is using the power of the devil. Let’s look at what Jesus does. A man was suffering under the pain of being mute. Not able to talk to anyone. This demon had such a firm grip, it looks like it won’t let go. Jesus with one word sends the demon out, letting loose his grip. And all Jesus’ enemies can do is say that He is in league with Satan. Does this look like being in league with Satan? Jesus cured this man taking him out of Satan’s grasp.

They try to trick Jesus as they declare that He is in league with the devil. They ask for a sign from heaven that they know Jesus will not produce. Satan wants Jesus discredited. Jesus knowing what they are attempting to do, explains to them their accusations are not true. He points out that if Satan had a civil war on his hands, his kingdom could not stand. As He explains how their accusations are false, and that the devil would not go to war against himself, Jesus also gives a warning to those whom He has helped. Satan doesn’t rest. He sees how people’s lives are put back together and he comes back with an even stronger force.

As Jesus’ enemies accuse Him of working for Satan and Jesus refutes them, we see how serious it is that Satan is working from a unified front. He begins to come after us by making an alliance, an unholy trinity of the devil, world, and our own sinful flesh. They make attacks against us every day. The flesh works on us to succumb to its wants and desires. Sexual pleasures, laziness, drunkenness, and the like. He uses the world to get us to be upset and angry. Violence, injustice, cursing, slander, and lying are ways that the world gets us to turn on one another. Satan attacks spiritual matters viciously. His work is to destroy God’s will on earth. Jesus warns us about these attacks.

Satan attacks us right here at church. He uses our sinful flesh and the world to come after us. Our sinful flesh commits sins that we can have a hard time confessing here at church. We can feel embarrassed or think that God can’t forgive them. We might also not want to give them up. He sends the world after us to call us bigots and hypocrites. The world is nonstop trying to get rid of the church. With these attacks then Satan comes in with more foes, stronger than ever as he works on us spiritually. He tempts us with terrible sins, and he wants us to doubt God to the point that we leave the church entirely. This is what Satan wants, to disturb and destroy God’s kingdom.

As the devil is fighting from a unified front against us, it is the finger of God that casts out the devil and his minions. God is much stronger, and the devil is outmatched. Jesus explains to His enemies that they cannot beat him. The Pharisees’ sons could cast out demons. This was not on their doing; it was because of God’s doing. We also see the power of the Gospel. Jesus’ enemies want to believe that Jesus is on the same side as the devil, except we see how He is the One who has come to destroy the devil’s work. Jesus died on the cross, destroying sin, death, and the devil. We see what Jesus Words bring, forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation to those who hear and learn it.

Jesus then explains how the strong man is defeated. Satan is a strong man that fights hard, but Jesus is the stronger man. Satan had our number from the beginning. He tempted Adam and Eve to sin. He tempts us and gets us to fall. We see how hard Satan fights against us using the world and our very own flesh. And as Satan points out our faults and tries to get us to despair, Jesus explains that this strong man has been defeated. Satan’s kingdom does not fall because it is at war with itself, it falls because of Christ’s death and resurrection. Satan can’t judge or condemn anyone because of what Christ has done, Christ takes the punishment that we deserved. He redeemed us not with gold or silver, but with His innocent suffering and death.

Jesus tells us how Satan is sent away. “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” This is an important connection. The finger of God is not just anything, but here we see the power of the Word on display. With God’s Word, Jesus uses it against the devil. With one word He sends demons packing. We see the power of the finger of God. God’s Word comforts and defends us. It’s there for us when we need it most.

Christ warns us that Satan will come back and continue to fight us. He specifically warns those who have had demons driven away. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” His warning is that those who persist in their sins, the devil will come back.

What are we to do when the strong man comes back? There is nothing that you can do to stop him. It is what your Savior does for you. He comes to wage battle for you through the means of grace. We see the power of His Word. It is sharper than a double-edged sword. In your baptism you are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, the ways in which He destroyed Satan’s kingdom. His body and blood brings you the comfort of all that Christ has done for you. He takes away your sins. Your Savior also taught you, His prayer. You are taught to pray for God’s will on earth and for your daily bread. He provides you with strength and comfort in this life. He forgives you your sins as you forgive others, He leads you not into temptation and delivers you from the evil one. The evil one who thinks he has your number. The stronger man delivers you from the hands of the strong man. Jesus Christ delivers you from the devil.

In their zest to discredit Jesus, His enemies do point out a scary truth. There is no civil war happening within Satan’s ranks. He is bound and determined to come and attack Christians with all sorts of strife and temptations. His goal is to get us to doubt God’s Word and to bring us away from Christ entirely. Jesus is the stronger man, who overpowers the strong man. Through His death and resurrection, He has taken the strong man and thrown him out. We have been delivered from the enemy with Christ’s redemption. But Satan is not content with laying idle. He comes back to fight against us and get us to sin. As Satan continues to badger us, we know where we find our comfort and strength. We pray to God, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We put our faith in Christ. He delivers us from our enemies, pointing us to the truth. It is what He has done that we are saved. The truth of Christ is found in His Word. He points it out when he says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.

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(picture from “Exorcism” woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872)