Sermon - Oculi - Luke 11:14-28

Do you believe in the devil? Because according to a Gallup survey conducted just two years ago, only 6 out of 10 Americans said that they believe the devil is real. But the devil does exist, and Jesus really did cast a demon out of this mute man in the Gospel. Jesus is still to this day casting demons out of people. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus casts Satan out of his demon fortress.

That’s right, I said Satan has a fortress. And he does, Satan is strong and powerful, he’s the ruler of this earth. Jesus calls it a kingdom, and Jesus calls Satan strong: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe.” Don’t be deceived; the devil is not weak. 

We like to picture him as a red bodied creature with a long pointed tail, horns on his head, and brandishing a pitchfork. Yet, he’s no bigger than a little smurf who sits on one of your shoulders, powerless and easy to flick right off and ignore. Like the Jews, we think of him as weak and powerless, someone that we can control and defeat if we just put our mind to it. The Jews referred to him as Beelzebul, which is translated to mean “lord of the flies.” While this is a title that infers Satan is a lord of disgusting things, like manure, trash, and death; this title also infers that he is weak, one who is no more than a nuisance and easy to bat away, one killed with but the slap of a hand. 

With conceit, we consider ourselves free from the devil, secure against him, and lords over him as if he is no more than a feeble fly. Thus if Satan is so easily defeated, we have no need of Christ or God’s Word to rescue us from such a one. Satan is all the merrier to bear this contempt from us if it causes us to desire less and feel less our need for God.

Nevertheless, instead Satan is in actuality a strong man, fully armed, guarding his own palace. His fortress is impenetrable by the weak works of mankind, especially since we consider him to be no more than a fly, we end up entering into battle against him armed with a flyswatter. No, as Jesus said, “if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The slap of man’s wrist isn’t going to cast out any demons, since they will not be cast out except by the finger of God. 

What is this finger of God? As Matthew explains in the parallel to this pericope, “it is by the Spirit of God that Jesus casts out demons.” The finger of God is nothing other than the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the power by which Jesus casts out demons. What is the Holy Spirit’s power? His power is the Holy Word of God that causes demons to shriek and flee at it’s proclamation. 

But where the Holy Spirit does not dwell, there you can be assured that Satan dwells in his fortress. Dr. Luther writes “The unavoidable conclusion then is that, as long as the Holy Spirit does not enter our hearts, we are not only incapable of any good, but are of necessity in the kingdom of Satan. And if we are in his kingdom, then we can do nothing but that which pleases him, else it could not be called his kingdom.” Indeed, the devil captures people in his snares to do his will, as St. Paul explains to Timothy.

“But when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.” There is one stronger than Satan, Jesus is the stronger man who has come and attacked the devil. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus wields a blade sharper than any two edged sword, He wields the sword of God’s word with power and might, dashing to pieces the devil’s armor. Having conquered the strong man, Jesus plunders his palace, taking what once belonged to Satan for His own. 

This may sound like a heroic and exciting battle, and so it is, because this is the battle over your body and soul. In this battle, Jesus has defeated the devil by causing His Holy Spirit to enter into your heart. The treasure overwhich Jesus fought is you. You are the treasure that Jesus fights so valiantly to win. You are the reason Jesus became incarnate by the virgin Mary. You are the person Jesus went to the cross to save. You are the spoils of the battle Jesus waged upon the cross. When Jesus returns again, you are the spoils that He will carry with Him to His heavenly kingdom there to do His will by living eternally.

But why don’t we see these exciting battles today? Why don’t we see people demon possessed and exorcisms taking place in our towns? Where’s the excitement now? 

Satan isn’t stupid. He changes his tactics depending on the people and the culture. 4000 years ago, Satan utilized idols made out of wood and stone. 2000 years ago, possessing someone and causing them to be mute or to hurt themselves was effective. Today there are many other ways that are just as effective. It can be something simple, like the desire in little children to be drawn to water and drown is the devil’s work. Or it can be something elaborate, such as the desire to accept and embrace sin as a blessing in the “church”, is also the devil’s work.

You better believe it, there are many exorcisms still to this day when the Holy Spirit casts the devil out of people by the power of His Word. In fact, I’ve been present for such exorcisms, and so have many of you. On a Sunday morning you’ve heard the words said: “The Word of God also teaches that we are all conceived and born sinful and are under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own.” In an older rite of Baptism, the words were then spoken: “Therefore, depart, you unclean spirit, and make room for the Holy Spirit.” 

Quite properly speaking, the sacrament of Holy Baptism is an exorcism. When the person is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit casts out the demon and enters into the person, making their heart a dwelling place of Christ instead of Satan. All of you who have been baptized have been exorcised. The devil has been cast out of you, and the Holy Spirit has entered in. 

Like the mute man, after you’ve been baptized, what do you do? “When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.” You speak! You don’t just speak any old words, but having been saved by the finger of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, your voice proclaims the word of God! “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” God’s Word is the power of the Spirit to save you, and God’s Word is the power of the Spirit which will keep you in the true faith.

You’ve heard God’s Word, it saves you, but you also need to keep it! Just because the devil was cast out of you, doesn’t mean that he isn’t going to try coming back in. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest.” That is to say, the Devil never rests, he never takes a vacation. He says “I will return to my house from which I came.” He wants to return to your heart from which he once lived! He’s not coming alone, but he’s bringing friends! “Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil then itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” 

The need to remain in God’s Word, to keep His Word, doesn’t lessen the longer you’ve been a Christian. Many of you have been Christians longer than I’ve been alive, longer than my parents have been alive. However this doesn’t excuse you from being in God’s Word, rather it actually reinforces the importance for you continue to keep God’s Word by which the Holy Spirit rescues you.

Studying God’s Word so that you can keep it in faith only becomes more important the longer you’ve been a Christian. Consider this: we encourage our children and grandchildren to go to Sunday School and catechism class; we expect them to go so that they can learn. If we consider it to be so important for a young child, then how much greater is the need for those of us who are no longer children! 

Ask yourself this question: How are you keeping God’s word? What are you doing to study God’s Word on a regular basis? Once a week on Sunday morning is great, but Satan is busy working on you every other hour of the week. If you need help getting into God’s word more regularly, let me know so I can help you. We have Bible Study once a week, and for those who attend it’s such a blessing, but so few of you attend. If that time doesn’t work for you, let me know, and let’s get another Bible Study going. Demons are going to continue assailing you harder and more fiercely until either they prevail or Christ prevails in your death. 

The only way that Christ shall prevail against Satan for your heart, is by the finger of God, the power of the Holy Spirit in His Word. Hold this Word ever before your eyes; hear it and keep it. My brothers and sisters, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”