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INJ
St Luke 11:14-28
'I've Had Enough of the Devil'
Morning Service
Oculi | 11 March 2007
Dear Saints,
We've been hearing quite a bit about the devil these past few weeks, the first three weeks of Lent. Two weeks ago he heard of the devil tempting Adam and Eve, and the Lord's promise of the devil crushing Savior. The Gospel told of Jesus' fasting and temptation of the devil. Last week the Syrophonecian woman, whose daughter was “severely demon possessed”, came to Jesus asking, begging Him to set her daughter free and heal her. Jesus answered her prayer. In today's Gospel we hear of how Jesus answers that prayer for all people, how Jesus defeats and overcomes the devil for us.
The first thing we want to be clear about is that there is a devil, the fallen angel who has as his aim and goal the destruction of God's people and the thwarting of God's will. It is true that the modern mind doesn't have room for the devil and the angels, but this simply cannot be squared with the Biblical testimony that the devil is a real created being. Texts like the Gospels these last three weeks are a case in point. If you were to take all the references to the devil out of the Gospels they wouldn't make sense. Our minds are captive to the word of God. The Bible teaches that there is a devil, and that settles it. But what about him? How does he treat us, and how does Jesus treat him?
To answer these questions, let us consider verses 21 and 22 of the Gospel lesson appointed from ancient times, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger that he come upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divided his spoils.” [St Luke 11:21,22] This is the New Testament version of the promise of Genesis 3:15 that we considered two weeks ago: the Seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent.
The strong man, fully armed, that's Jesus describing the devil and the way he haughtily rules the world. He thinks he is secure, for even Adam and Eve, the pinnacle of God's perfect creation, could not overcome him, they could not even resist him. How much less their children, sinners who are we and given to all manner of temptation. When this strong man guards his palace his goods are in peace.
His goods, do you see that that is you that Jesus is talking about. You are born a sinner, that is a child of the devil, a citizen of the kingdom of darkness, and there is nothing you can do to escape. That is what original sin means. His goods are at peace, the devil is not worried one bit out you working your way out of his grasp. Such is the strangle hold that sin and death and the devil have on us. Jesus is saying this that we would know that we cannot save ourselves, help has to come from another. But with a tyrant like the devil sitting on us, what hope is there?
This is when we get to the beautiful part of the text: “But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils.” Who is stronger than the devil? Ask ye who is this? Jesus Christ it is. The one, the only one stronger than the devil.
And look what Jesus does to the devil: He overcomes him, strips him of all his armor, divides all his stuff. This is violent, armed robbery. But Jesus isn't stealing, He's taking back what is His, He's taking us back. The devil is the one who comes to steal and kill and destroy, not Jesus, He comes to give life and joy and salvation, He comes for us, to rescue us, deliver us, to steal us out of the devil's grip and take us as His own.
We are the Lord's creation, He is our proper owner. We are the devil's only because we are given over to sin and death. But look, Jesus on the cross is winning that forgiveness of sins, He's destroying death, and so He is overcoming the devil.
“But pastor,” you say, “Settle down. You're not really saying that the devil is destroyed, are you? Just look around. Things are such a mess.” True. We know the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour. But he is our defeated enemy, stripped of his armor and his strength, all that he has left is his lying, deceiving slithering tongue; his words of deception.
But when I tell you that the devil is defeated, I'm not making stuff up. It's what the Bible says. Listen to Hebrews 2:14 and 15: “14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
This is a wonderful and beautiful text, Jesus, through His death, destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Jesus' cross is the devil's defeat, his destruction. Your wondering if Jesus is destroyed only needs to go as far as your wondering if Jesus died on a cross. And this is good news. The old tyrant has been vanquished, destroyed, undone. Whoever believes in Jesus is safe and secure.
What, then, is the devil to do? If he cannot speak to our Heavenly Father about our sins, who does he speak to? To us. The devil comes to us reminding us of our sin and trying to convince us that God couldn't forgive us. This is his last resort. He tries, day and night, to tempt us to sin and push us to despair over our sin.
The devil is still part of the unholy triad of the world, the flesh and the devil, who roams around like a “roaring lion, seek who he may devour” [1 Peter 5:8], but the victory is already won. The victory belongs to Jesus, so it belongs to us. We can “resist him” [1 Peter 5:9], giving him no place [Ephesians 4:24] and he will “flee from us.” [James 4:7] The devil sets snares for us, the Lord's saints [1 Timothy 3:7], but “we are not ignorant of his devices” [2 Corinthians 2:11] and have been give the “shield of faith which quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” [Ephesians 6:16] Indeed in our baptism we are clothed in all that we need to “stand firm” against the devil, truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation and the Word of God. [Ephesians 6:24]
“But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils.” May God continue to grant us His Holy Spirit that we would rejoice in being the devil's spoils, captured and kept safe by our dying and conquering Lord Jesus. Amen.
And the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Hope Lutheran Church | Aurora, CO
For more reading on this topic, please consider the following articles:
Scriptures Showing the Cross as the Devil's Defeat [one page]
The Devil's Destruction [two pages]
