TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
  • Home
    • Missions
    • Swaddling Clothes
  • What We Believe
    • Christian Education: Sunday School and Catechism Program
    • Baptism
    • Worship
    • Confession and Absolution
    • Holy Communion
  • Our Pastor
  • Sermons
  • Calendar
  • Choir

"For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17

Casting Out Satan

3/21/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
James Tissot, Blind and Mute Man Possessed by Devils, 1886-94. Public Domain.
Lent 3 Oculi 
Luke 11:14-28 
Pastor James Preus 
Trinity Lutheran Church  
March 20, 2022 
 
In Genesis chapter three, after Adam and Eve fell into sin, the LORD God said to the serpent, who deceived them, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heal.” This is known as the protoevangelium, that is, the first proclamation of the Gospel in the Bible. Jesus is the seed of the woman, who will crush Satan’s head even as his heal is bruised on the cross. Yet, this proclamation of the Lord predicts another truth that is often overlooked. “I will put enmity between you and the woman” predicts that Satan will establish his kingdom here on earth and wage war against the children of Eve. Satan is the strong man Jesus mentions in his little parable, fully armed, guarding his own palace, so that his goods are safe. Yet, Satan’s kingdom is not a geographical place with borders, so that you can leave his dominion by crossing a line in the ground. Satan is a spirit. He establishes his palace in the hearts of Eve’s children, so that they become his children. That is why when John the Baptist preached repentance to the scribes and Pharisees, he called them “brood of vipers,” (Luke 3:7) that is children of serpents. Satan is the great serpent, who tempted our first mother Eve.  

​Now Christ, the seed of the woman, has come to wage war against Satan. It’s interesting that Jesus points out that Satan would not divide his own kingdom, when he is accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Satan certainly wouldn’t divide his own kingdom to lay it waste, but that is exactly what Christ has come to do. We learned two weeks ago how Jesus strove with Satan in the wilderness and overcame each temptation. Then, as he begins his ministry of preaching the Gospel and healing the sick, demon possessed persons cry out in every city against him, until he casts the demons out. The devils know that they are at war. Jesus, the stronger man, has come to strip Satan of his armor and divide his spoils.  


Of course, casting a mute demon out of a poor man only foreshadows the great exorcism Christ will perform on Good Friday, when he will strip off all of Satan’s armor by bearing our sins on the cross and redeeming us with his blood. Satan’s armor in which he trusts are his lies. He lies to lead us to sin and unbelief. Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the life. He overcomes Satan’s lies with the truth of his Gospel. He takes our sins away, undoing Satan’s work and removing our guilt, so that Satan may no longer accuse us before God (Revelation 12:10).  


Yet, there are those who see Jesus cast out this demon and they accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus points out the absurdity of Satan dividing his own kingdom and laying waste to it. But then he points out, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” These are sobering words.  


In Numbers chapter twelve, Moses’ older sister and brother, Miriam and Aaron, opposed him. God appeared in a cloud, as he would, and rebuked Miriam and Aaron, pointing out that unlike the other prophets, to whom he spoke in visions and dreams, he spoke to Moses face to face like a friend. Then he concludes, “Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” They should have been afraid to speak against Moses, because they weren’t speaking against their little brother, they were speaking against God, who spoke through Moses.  


Well, how much more should these blasphemers be afraid to speak against the Christ, God himself in the flesh! Yet, they don’t see Jesus as the Christ, even though he fulfills every prophecy Scripture says of the Christ. All they see is the man. They think they’re speaking against plain flesh and blood. But no, they are speaking against God himself. And so, they have found themselves on the wrong side of a cosmic war between God’s Kingdom and Satan’s Kingdom. “The Kingdom of God has come upon you, and you opposed it! You should be afraid.” That is what Jesus says to these blasphemers, who accuse him of being in league with Satan.  


Yet, people continue to find themselves on the wrong side of this war. Jesus said to his disciples in the previous chapter of Luke, “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16). And so, people continue to speak against Jesus without realizing it, because they are speaking against one of his ministers whom he sent. All they see are two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. But if they would consider Jesus’ words, they would take the words from that mouth more seriously. Certainly, every Christian should speak against false teaching, especially if it is spoken by a pastor. Yet, we only know the difference between true teaching and false teaching from the Bible. Yet, most people look at the Bible as just an ordinary book. It’s just paper bound together with ink on it, like any other book. So, they dismiss anything in it that they don’t like.  


Beware that you do not behave that way. God’s Word written on paper is still God’s Word as if Christ spoke to us from heaven. And when Christ’s minister speaks God’s Word as it is taught in Scripture, Christ himself is speaking to you. If you speak against God’s Word, no matter who speaks it, you are opposing God’s Kingdom.  


God’s Kingdom comes to us today through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments. This is because Christ has accomplished everything to win our salvation. He has fulfilled the Law for us. He overcame Satan in our stead. He suffered and died for the sins of the world. He is risen and ascended to the Father’s right hand, from which he showers the Church on earth with his grace. So, until Christ returns to establish us in his Kingdom of Glory for eternity, we live in Christ’s Kingdom of Grace here on earth. That means, we receive God’s Kingdom through faith. As Satan established his kingdom on earth by stealing the hearts of Eve’s children, so Christ today evicts Satan from our hearts through the Gospel. The preached Gospel, which declares the forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake, and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which also declares the forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake, are received through faith alone. So, God’s kingdom comes to us through the preached Gospel and administration of the Sacraments, and his kingdom takes root in our hearts through faith alone.  


And here it is important to point out that it is not only those who actively speak against God’s Word and Christ, who are on the wrong side of this spiritual war. Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” There is no neutral ground in this war. You are either a Christian or you are an unbeliever. You are either a citizen of God’s Kingdom and at war with Satan, or you are in league with Satan and at war with God.  


Jesus tells a simple parable to explain this. If an unclean spirit is cast out of a man, but returns to find him swept clean and put in order, then he returns with seven more spirits eviler than himself and the last state of that person is worse than the first. This is to say, that if you repent of your sins and turn to Christ, but do not continue with Christ, but become apathetic, then Satan will return with a vengeance! You can’t stand on the sidelines. Jesus says that whoever confesses him before men, him also will he confess before his Father in heaven, but whoever denies him before men, he also will deny before his Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33) Silence is denial. Indifference is enmity. Neglecting God’s Word is despising God’s Word. Apathy is unbelief. This is why Jesus says to the church in Laodicea in Revelation chapter 3, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” 


Last week, I exhorted you to win when wrestling with God by clinging to the promise he gives you. This is a good exercise when reading the Bible or listening to a sermon. Where is the promise? What is Christ promising me? What must I cling onto? Here is the promise in this lesson, which should give you great comfort and joy. After a woman blesses Jesus’ mother for his great teaching, Jesus says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Blessed means to be eternally blessed, to be saved, to be an eternal citizen in God’s kingdom. The word, which we know saves, is the Gospel. No one will be saved by works of the Law. We believe in Jesus; we trust in his forgiveness, and we are saved. Christ Jesus is the strong man, who plunders Satan and rescues us from his kingdom. The word keep, I think would be better translated as guard. It is not that Jesus is promising eternal blessedness to those who keep the Law. That is hardly a comforting promise, since we fail to keep the Law. Rather, Jesus is teaching us to guard the Gospel given to us. We do this by hearing it, learning it, and taking it to heart. And of course, those who trust in the Gospel bear good fruits and perform works of the Law pleasing to God.  


This word for guard is the same word used to describe Satan, the strong man guarding his palace. Satan guards his palace with lies. He keeps us captive by tempting us to sin and causing us to doubt God’s grace for us in Christ Jesus. Yet, the Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins for Christ’ sake disarms Satan. We guard and hold fast to the Gospel by continuing to hear it and apply it to our guilty conscience, by receiving the Sacrament and trusting in its benefits. “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it” says very much the same thing as Jesus’ saying, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The Gospel is true. It sets us free from the lies of Satan. Those who hear the Gospel, believe it, and guard it against Satan’s lies by continuing to hear it and trust in it are blessed. They are citizens of God’s Kingdom. And they will dwell in God’s Kingdom of glory forever. Amen.  
0 Comments

The Great Exorcism of Baptism

3/8/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794–1872), Der liebende Jesus jagt Dämonen in Schweine. 1860. Public Domain.
Oculi Sunday (Lent 3) 
Luke 11:14-28 
March 7, 2021 
 
There has been a debate within the Lutheran Church concerning whether the Baptismal rite should include a rite of exorcism or not. An exorcism is when the minister casts a demon or Satan out of a possessed person, as Jesus did in our Gospel lesson, when he cast the mute demon out of the possessed man. Historically, the Roman Catholics had rites of exorcism in their Baptismal rites, so the Lutherans inherited this custom. It used to be that when a baby was baptized in the Lutheran Church, a rite of exorcism would be performed. We do not have a rite of exorcism in our current hymnal, but we do have an alternate rite of Baptism not in our hymnal, based on the one written by Martin Luther, in which the pastor says, “Therefore, depart, you unclean spirit, and make room for the Holy Spirit in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  
The reason many Lutherans objected to the rite of exorcism was because it is not certain whether the unbaptized is actually possessed by an evil spirit, and since the exorcism doesn’t make Baptism a Baptism, but rather the words of Jesus which command us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit do, the exorcism is really unnecessary. Besides, unclean spirits are cast out by the word of God and prayer, so if a person were possessed by an evil spirit, then the actual Baptism would certainly cast it out.  
Yet, the removal of the rite of exorcism from the Baptismal rite should not confuse you into thinking the unbaptized is in no danger from the devil! One possessed by a demon has an unclean spirit in control of his physical and even mental faculties. But everyone born of the flesh is born under the dominion of Satan. Now which is worse? A demon blocking your tongue from speaking or your eyes from seeing, or Satan himself grasping your very soul and keeping you from believing in Christ and his forgiveness for you! Scripture says that we are all born and conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and that by nature we are children of wrath following the course of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3). No, the unbaptized have a much greater concern than being possessed by some unclean spirit, who will block the senses. All mankind is born in sin, under the tyranny of Satan himself.  
Satan is the strong man, who guards his spoil. We are the spoil. Jesus is the stronger man, who comes to plunder the devil’s house. Yet, Jesus does not do this the way some ancient pagan myth would describe a battle of the gods. Rather, God’s own Son came disguised as a weak man to lure Satan to his doom. Have you heard of the alligator snapping turtle? It has a neat way of catching its prey. It has an appendage on its tongue that looks like a worm. The turtle opens its mouth wide and flicks its tongue to attract fish, who think it’s a worm to eat. But when the fish goes for the bite, snap! the turtle eats the fish! And so, Jesus, who in Psalm 22 is described as a worm and not a man, takes the form of one of Satan’s victims. He assumes our human flesh, so that he is truly and ever will be a man like us. Although Satan failed to get Jesus to sin in the wilderness, Jesus bears all our sins willingly, so that he looks like the most despised and miserable sinner to ever exist. On the cross, death goes to devour Jesus and Satan reaches to claim his prisoner, but it is death who is devoured and Satan whose head is smashed in and is locked up in prison.  
Satan’s kingdom is divided, because our Lord Jesus conquered Satan and scattered his spoil. He did this by dying for our sins on the cross and rising from the dead for our justification. Yet, we remain under Satan’s power until we are freed by the Holy Spirit who gives us faith to receive this forgiveness and salvation. Jesus told the people that he casts out demons by the finger of God. The finger of God is a figure of speech meaning God’s almighty power. It by the power of God that Jesus casts out demons. In Baptism, it is the finger of God at work. Baptism is a greater sign from heaven than any we could dream up, because it works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. In Baptism, God puts his name on you and clothes you in Christ, the same Christ who conquered Satan. That means that in Baptism, you become Satan’s conqueror. Scripture promises that Baptism washes away your sins, because it joins you to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21). Scripture promises that in Baptism we are reborn by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Titus 3). This means that Baptism is the greatest exorcism, because it not only casts out Satan, but delivers the baptized out of Satan’s kingdom and into the kingdom of Christ.  
Yet, our Lord Jesus solemnly warns the baptized in our Gospel lesson, saying, “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.” This is a warning that baptized Christians can fall away. Baptism does not save apart from faith in Christ.  
You are not baptized in order to become a prince or princess. You are not baptized in order to become an American, or a Jones or Smith. You are not baptized to become rich or powerful on earth or to acquire some earthly status or human abilities. You are baptized in order to be delivered from Satan’s kingdom and to become Christ’s own possession, to live in his kingdom, to be his little lamb, who listens to his voice and follows him. In short, you are baptized in order to be a Christian in Christ’s Church! 
Jesus says, you are either with him or against him; you either gather with him or you scatter. You are either delivered from Satan’s kingdom into Christ’s kingdom or you are bound in Satan’s kingdom outside of Christ’s kingdom. There is no neutral ground. The purpose of Baptism is to be delivered from Satan’s kingdom, so that you can live in Christ’s kingdom. But if you do not live in Christ’s kingdom, you will return to Satan’s kingdom.  
Too often people think this way: “The Gospel is not complicated. Jesus died for my sins. I believe it. So, why do I need to keep hearing about? What am I going to gain from church?” But this way of thinking does not come from the Spirit of Christ, but from Satan. We cannot believe in Jesus Christ and remain in his kingdom by our own strength, merit or works, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit, who works through God’s Word. We know that Baptism without God’s Word is plain water and no baptism. So likewise, we cannot remove the baptized from God’s Word. It is through his Word that God rules and guides us in his kingdom, as Jesus says, “My sheep hear voice, I know them, and they follow me.” (John 11:27) and “If you abide in my word, you are my disciple indeed, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)  
This is why Jesus responded the way he did to that woman in the crowd. She cried out, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” She was calling Mary blessed! She was being a good catholic. Amen. Mary is blessed. But Jesus says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” We must never underestimate the power and craftiness of Satan. He is much more powerful than we think. He convinces us to commit sins we know are wrong and harmful to others and to ourselves. And he is very good at convincing us to sweep our house clean of God’s word and put it in order, so that it is ready for seven more demons to move in. Yet much more, must we never underestimate the power of God’s Word to forgive, to strengthen our faith, and to save. The one who holds fast to God’s Word holds fast to Christ Jesus, to the Holy Spirit, yes indeed, to the Holy Trinity Himself. And where God dwells, there is no room for Satan.  
This warning does not meant that Baptism is a once and done event that won’t do you any good anymore. No, your Baptism continues to work with you and for you your entire life, but never apart from God’s Word and promise. Through Baptism, God leads you to repent of your sins, to crucify your sinful lusts and drown your old Adam every day, and to rise to live before Christ in faith and love. To walk by the Spirit, so that you do not gratify the desires of your flesh is to walk according to your Baptism, because it is in your Baptism that you received the Holy Spirit and were clothed with Christ. You can rejoice every day in your Baptism, because saying, “I am baptized.”, is to say to Satan, “I am free from you and you cannot harm me.”; it is to say to death, “You’ve lost your sting.”; it is to say to God, “I am your dear child and heir. I wear as a permanent garment Christ himself. I love you, because you love me.”  
Through Baptism we are placed into the kingdom of Christ. And we live in this kingdom through faith in God’s promises. Faith comes from hearing God’s promises. God promises to forgive us. He promises to strengthen us. He promises to rescue us from every evil and give us eternal life for the sake of Christ who bought us with his blood. Through God’s word we keep hold of the promises of our Baptism and we remain citizens of Christ’s kingdom until he will come to establish us in it permanently. Amen.  ​
0 Comments

Being on the Right Side

3/15/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Exorcising the blind and mute man by James Tissot, late 19th century, wikipedia.org. No Known Copyright Restrictions
Oculi (Lent 3)  
Luke 11:14-28 
March 15, 2020 
 
On June 16, 1858 Abraham Lincoln gave an acceptance speech for his party’s nomination for US Senate, where he emphasized his belief that America could not remain divided between free states and slave states. He opened his speech with the line, “A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” In his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office in January of 1989, President Ronald Reagan defined a phrase he had made popular during his political career, “a shining city upon a hill.” Reagan saw the United States of America as that “shining city upon a hill,” because America was an example to the whole world of a beacon of freedom. In November of 2001, less than two months after the infamous attacks on America in which terrorists used commercial airplanes to kill nearly three thousand people, then President George W. Bush famously said, “Overtime it’s going to be important for nations to know they will be held accountable for inactivity. You’re either with us or against us in the fight against terror.”  
All three of these presidents of the United States quoted Jesus Christ with these statements. In all three of these statements, the respective presidents were speaking of the United States and its fight against evil. In all three of these statements, Jesus spoke about his heavenly kingdom and its fight against evil.  
It’s not necessarily wrong to quote Jesus to make a point about an earthly matter. Jesus often used earthly examples to make heavenly points. Yet, it is remarkable how consistently Jesus’ words concerning spiritual matters are used to focus on earthly matters that are far less pressing.  
Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? People speak of “the right side of history” and the “wrong side of history.” Everyone wants to be found on the right side of history. No one wants to be found on the wrong side of history. But what is the right side and what is the wrong side of history? Who are our enemies? China? Russia? Iran? Democrats? Republicans? The coronavirus? Is America the beacon of all that is good? How do you know whether you are on the right side? 
Jesus makes clear who our true enemy is. It is Satan. He is the liar, who tempts all people into sin and unbelief. He led our race into death and damnation. He comes to murder and scatter Jesus’ sheep. The Jews called him, “Beelzebul” meaning, “Lord of the Flies,” a term of derision that didn’t take Satan seriously. And Satan isn’t taken seriously today. When people think of their top ten problems, Satan usually doesn’t make the list. If you were to suggest that Satan were our greatest enemy in public, you would likely be looked at as a lunatic. Yet, Satan is real. And he has real influence on this earth. He is the true enemy. And Jesus came to conquer him.  
Jesus conquered Satan by rescuing us from his clutches. Satan’s goal is for us all to go to hell and be separated from God forever. This is why he lied to Eve those many years ago. That is why he lies to us today. All people are born under Satan’s power, as St. Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 2, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)  
That is the situation we are all in from birth. This is why we needed to be rescued. Satan is the strongman, who guards his own palace. We are the goods he tries to keep in his control. Jesus is the stronger man, who comes and disarms the strong man and divides his spoil. Jesus did this by himself becoming a human being. Yet, when Satan attacked him to lead him to sin, Jesus did not fall. He remained obedient to God. Then Jesus took on the sins that plagued all mankind, and he died for them as if he himself committed them. Jesus silenced Satan’s accusations against us by taking our place under the Law and by being punished in our place. When Jesus was raised from the dead and exited the tomb, he left all our sins nailed to the cross. That means he left all of Satan’s lifework along with all his armor that he trusted in nailed to that cross. Jesus won. Satan lost.  
And we share in Jesus’ victory through faith in him. It requires no works on our part. We don’t conquer Satan with our own holiness. Rather, we receive Jesus’ victory over Satan as a pure gift when we believe that God forgives all our sins for Christ’s sake. We are saved by grace! Jesus fights for us here and now.  
We witnessed Jesus fight last Sunday when Bayla was baptized. We saw the very finger of God at work. Yes, they seemed like plain words spoken and ordinary water poured. But they were God’s words. And they carried with them the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Satan, who held Bayla captive was expelled. He was disarmed and sent away and his goods were taken from him. And that is what happened when each of you were baptized. The power of Baptism is the finger of God: God’s holy Word, specifically the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
Yet, Jesus has a warning for us. When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none, it returns to the place where it was cast out and when it finds it swept and put in order, it goes and finds seven more demons more wicked than itself and the last state of that person is worse than the first. This is why babies who are baptized need to continue to be filled with the Word of God. Baptism drives out unclean spirits. So, the Holy Spirit must take their place. Where the Holy Spirit is, there is Jesus. Jesus must abide with that child.  
It is a perversion of the Gospel to say that because Jesus forgives our sins apart from our works, we can continue to sin without fear. Holy Scripture says, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:1-4) 
By the finger of God, that is, by the power of God’s Word, specifically the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which comes to us through words, God drives out Satan and his minions from us. He does this by forgiving our sins and giving us his Holy Spirit. Yet, when we do not continue in his word and do not walk by the Spirit, then Satan and his minions come back to claim their former place. The state of a former Christian is worse than his state before he was a Christian. This is why we do not just get our babies baptized. We baptize them and then we teach them every day of their lives the words and promises of their Savior Jesus. This is why we who have had our sins forgiven continue to be filled with God’s grace, so that there is no room in us for Satan.  
Christians should not partake in sinful behavior. St. Paul warns, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Use your mind to think on God and his word. Use your mouth to confess Christ and sing his praises. When you do that your mind will not have room for impure thoughts. And your mouth will not have an opportunity to speak crudely.  
God’s house cannot be divided, so we must not use our bodies, which are the temple of the Holy Spirit, to do what is evil. And Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” We also must remember that we cannot be neutral between God and Satan. There is no neutral ground. Silence in the face of evil is condoning evil. The man had a mute demon. This was an especially evil thing. The man could not praise his God or confess his Savior. Satan kept him silent.  
Jesus says, “Whoever confesses me before men, him also will I confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever is ashamed of me before men, of him also will I be ashamed before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32; Luke 9:26) And St. Paul says, “With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:10) Our faith causes us to confess. We don’t just hold our faith privately in our hearts. We confess our faith. We acknowledge God with our lips.  
Jesus warns against complacency and apathy. Jesus doesn’t drive Satan out of your heart, so that your heart will remain empty. He drives Satan from your heart, so that your heart will be filled with the Holy Spirit, faith in Christ, and love for your neighbor. Faith in Christ brings us to repentance every day. We seek to avoid sin. We seek to do good to our neighbor, to be patient with those who might annoy us, to forgive those who sin against us. We flee those sins that drag us away from Christ, lest Satan take hold of our hearts yet again.  
Jesus wants us to be aware, that we are currently under assault from the devil. He doesn’t want to give up his palace without a fight. If he sees an opening, he will try to barge his way in. Yet, Jesus also tells us that we have a weapon that wards off Satan; a weapon that does not fail. This weapon is the finger of God, which is the very Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have the cross of Christ on which all our sins are nailed along with Satan’s armor. We have our Baptism through which God drove Satan out of us. We have the Lord’s Supper by which we commune with the very body and blood that conquered Satan here on this earth. We cling to the Gospel of Christ in order to drive Satan away from us and to keep us from sin.  
A woman cried out “Blessed by the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” She was speaking of the Virgin Mary. Mary is certainly blessed beyond all women, having born our Savior. Yet, she is truly blessed, because she trusted in Jesus. Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  
“Keep it” means to guard it. We guard our faith in Jesus Christ, because Jesus is our champion over Satan. We don’t get tired of Jesus. We don’t get bored with his words. We need his forgiveness every day. We need his wisdom every waking hour. He fends off Satan for us by strengthening our faith. And he undoes Satan’s work by forgiving our sins. When we guard the promises of Jesus in his word, we are on the right side. We are united with Christ. And no foe will ever divide us. Amen.  
0 Comments

Oculi (Lent 3) Whoever is not with me is against me

3/26/2019

0 Comments

 
Luke 11:14-28 
March 24, 2019 
 
“As Jesus said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’” I find it very fitting that this woman shouted out this praise to the Virgin Mary. It fits well, because today is March 24th. Tomorrow is March 25th. In nine months, we will be celebrating Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus. Traditionally the Church has observed March 25th as the Feast of the Annunciation of our Lord, when the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would bear the Christ Child.  
It is fitting that this woman mentions the Virgin Mary, because of the stark contrast between the words spoken about Jesus by the angel Gabriel to Mary when he told her she would be the mother of the Lord and the words spoken about Jesus here by these scoffers. Some, who had just witnessed Jesus cast out a demon from a man, said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul.” Beelzebul means “Lord of the Flies.” It is a title for Satan. Actually, a belittling title for Satan, insinuating that he isn’t all that powerful or dangerous, just a king fly on a dung heap.  
Yet, how does Gabriel, the messenger from God, describe Jesus to Mary? He says, “he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:32-33, 35) 
Oh, how wrong these people were about Jesus! Jesus doesn’t work miracles by the help of some fly lord. Jesus is the Most High Son of Heaven. He has a Kingdom that will last forever. He comes to sack Satan’s kingdom and divide his spoil. Jesus works by the very finger of God, the Holy Spirit. This is the same power God showed over Pharoah in Egypt. By mocking Jesus in this way, they are mocking the very God of heaven.  
Yet, these mockers were not only wrong about Jesus, they are wrong about Satan too, whom they cutely call Beelzebul. Satan isn’t some fly lord buzzing around causing minor annoyance. Satan is the arch-enemy of God’s kingdom. Satan comes from the Hebrew for Adversary. He is God’s adversary. He caused our first parents to fall into sin, plunging our entire race into death. Jesus calls him a murderer and the father of lies. He should not be underestimated. Rather, St. Peter warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) 
Satan hates you. He wants to cause you pain. While God might let you suffer pain for a while for your own good, Satan wants to harm you. He wants to harm your body and your soul. He enjoys suffering. That's why he caused that poor man to suffer muteness. He leads people into sin. He lies. He sees where you are weak and what sinful desires you struggle to keep at bay, and he strikes. He entices you with sweet words, with perfect logic, with forgetful, wrath, lust, laziness, selfishness. And he does this in order to draw you away from Christ.  
Satan’s kingdom and Jesus’ kingdom are diametrically opposed to each other. Jesus speaks plainly, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” You can’t be neutral in the war between Satan and Jesus. You must be opposed to sin or you are against Christ. You must be against false teaching and false worship, or you are against Christ. A person cannot be against Satan, but neutral on Jesus. You are either in Jesus’ camp or in Satan’s camp.  
Now, this hurts people’s feelings. Understandably. Who wants to think that they or someone they love is in Satan’s camp? Isn’t that a bit extreme? Well, it is the truth that we must acknowledge about our sinful condition. The Holy Spirit caused St. Paul to write in Ephesians 2, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (vss. 1-4) 
You see, by nature we are all born in the clutches of Satan, because of our sinful condition inherited by our fathers. We are the spoils guarded so diligently by the strong man, Satan. Yet, when the stronger man comes, he overpowers Satan and divides his spoil. St. Paul continues, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (vss. 5-6)  
Well, how did Jesus, the strong man, go about plundering Satan and rescuing us from his clutches? You know the story. He became a human being in the womb of the Virgin Mary, he hid his divine glory and submitted to his parents, loved his neighbor, fulfilled God’s law perfectly. And then, bearing the sins of the whole world he died. God crushed him for our sake.  
On earth this seemed like a disappointing end. A man, who seemed to be something, turned out to be nothing. Perhaps he was just using tricks from the old dung-heap king. But, no! As women watched with tear-soaked eyes Jesus yield his breath and bow his blood-soaked head in death, a great battle in heaven was being won. Revelation 12 says, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”  
Satan was cast down and defeated by the blood of Jesus. Now, he who lures us into sin and who accuses us day and night before God has been cast down. He is silenced, because God has washed away our sins in Jesus blood. And Christ having been raised from the dead gives life to us too, whose sins he has washed away.  
Yes, Satan is still dangerous. He still prowls around like a ravenous lion. He still can and will lure you into sin. But he cannot accuse you, who are in Christ Jesus, of sin before God. God has forgotten your sins, removed them as far as the east is from the west. When you repent of your sins, God eliminates your guilt with Jesus’ blood.  
Knowing all this, it should be well understood that we cannot then enter into league with Satan in any way. We must oppose him. We are not neutral. We are solidly on Jesus’ side. And we want nothing to do with Satan.  
We read about the war in heaven, but we do not see it. We’ve all heard and read of the crucifixion of Christ, which conquered Satan for us. Yet, none of us actually witnessed it or know anyone who did. But you have been baptized. And even if you do not remember it, you likely know or have known someone who does. And every time a person is baptized, you remember that that same thing happened to you. Those words of God were spoken to you.  
In Baptism, Jesus plunders Satan. God through the power of his word joins you to Christ’s victory in the cross. He pulls you out of Satan’s grasp. He washes away your sins. He makes you alive in Christ Jesus. In Baptism, God saved you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:21) 
In Baptism, God took you out of Satan’s strong hold and placed you into the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom the angel Gabriel tells us will never end. This means, that you are a sworn enemy of Satan. 
At your Baptism you were asked, “Do you renounce the devil; do you renounce all his works; do you renounce all his ways?” And to each of these questions you, or your sponsors answered, “Yes, I renounce them.” You are on Jesus’ side. You are Satan’s enemy.  
Many are confused by the Gospel, because God freely forgives our sins for Jesus’ sake apart from our works. And even if sin were to increase, grace abounds all the more from our loving God to forgive us. So, people wonder, “Why not just go on sinning?” St. Paul answers this very question in Romans chapter 6, “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:2-4) 
Baptism has changed you. Yes, you will still fall into sin. No one living does not sin, even those baptized into Christ. But Baptism means that you will repent of sin and trust in Christ for forgiveness.  
It is possible to reject your Baptism. You do not remain in your Baptism simply by trying to live a good life. You remain in your Baptism by remaining in Jesus. When an evil spirit is cast out of a man, which is more or less what happened to you in your Baptism, the evil spirit passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finding none, he returns to his house. And if he finds it swept clean, put in order, and empty, then it brings seven more spirits even more evil than himself, so that the last state of that person is worse than the first.  
That is what happens to those, who are baptized, but do not continue to hear and learn the words of Christ. Being baptized will not save you if you reject the words of Christ and refuse to hear and cherish them. Baptism saves through faith, even as the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ save only those who believe. It is a false notion that you can be saved simply by being baptized without continuing to cling to Christ. There is no neutral ground. Baptism places you on Christ’s side. But if you do not remain on Christ’s side, if your heart is empty of Christ, then you are on Satan’s side again.  
The woman blessed Jesus’ mother for being the mother of a great man. I think that was nice. But it wasn’t the Gospel. Jesus says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Mary certainly was blessed to be the mother of the Lord. But that’s not her greatest blessing. Mary’s greatest blessing is your greatest blessing: the word of God. The word of God tells you that Jesus fought a mighty battle, shed much blood, and even overcame death to save you. He rescued you from the clutches of Satan’s kingdom and placed you soundly in a kingdom that has no end, where peace and righteousness and love endure. You are blessed if you guard these words as your precious treasure. By guarding these words, the very Gospel, you are guarding eternal life. And by God’s grace, through your Baptism, through the continued hearing of the Gospel, yes, by the very finger of God, you will keep this blessing forever. Amen.  
0 Comments

Oculi: Casting out Satan with the Finger of God

3/5/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Woodcut for "Die Bibel in Bildern", 1860. Commons.wikimedia.org. Public Domain
Luke 11:14-28 
March 4, 2018 
 
Should Christians be pacifists? Jesus does say to turn the other cheek if someone strikes you. And Christians should put away all violence and live at peace both with those within and outside of the Church. Yet, Christians are not pacifists, but warriors. But it's not what you might think. St. Paul says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) It's called the Church Militant. No, Christians are not called by God to invade other countries with military might and force them to be Christians. Rather, God arms Christians to battle Satan. And we must continue to battle Satan until Christ returns.  
​

Satan is the strong man of whom Christ our Lord speaks. He is fully armed and he guards his palace with diligence. Yet, Satan doesn't arm himself with concrete barricades and military-grade weaponry. Satan arms himself with lies. He distorts the truth, says things that are blatantly untrue, and anything in between. Because Satan isn't so concerned with harming your body as with destroying both your body and soul in hell by corrupting your faith.  

Jesus is the stronger man. He disarms Satan and divides his spoil. Jesus says that he casts out demons with the finger of God. The finger of God is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word. To cast out Satan with the finger of God is to cast out Satan through the power of God's Word. Jesus cast out a demon from a mute man, so that the man could speak. Jesus cast out many demons throughout his earthly ministry by the power of his word. Yet, our Lord finally tore down the walls of Satan's palace and rescued all the souls held captive by him when he fulfilled the Word of God as it is recorded in Scripture by dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world. This is not how you win a battle against a nation's army. Yet, this was the only way to defeat Satan and scatter his kingdom.  

Although Satan has been rightly defeated by Christ, he remains a dangerous foe. And he will remain dangerous until Christ comes again with glory to judge both the living and the dead. At that time Satan will be cast down forever, never to harm a Christian again. Jesus calls Satan the ruler of this world. St. Peter warns that he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Scripture clearly teaches us that Satan has a kingdom and that kingdom is established right here on earth where we live. And so, we Christians must be on guard. 
 
Yet, Christ does not leave us unarmed. He arms us with the very finger of God, that is, the Holy Spirit at work in the Word of God. This is why Jesus says, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Last week we learned how to defeat God in a wrestling match using the Word of God. How much more powerful is this same word against the assaults of the devil? Satan arms himself with lies. God arms you with the truth. The truth defeats lies.  

Jesus says, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." In other words, there is only one truth: God's truth. And if you are not united with the truth then you are in league with Satan.  

Satan is not nearly so exclusive. God says, "I, the LORD your God am a jealous God!" Satan would never say that. He doesn't need to be your only god. He's happy to be one of your gods. And this is a very sneaky trick of the devil. He's just fine with you identifying yourself as a Christian, wearing a cross around your neck, even going to church. Just so long as you are not entirely devoted to Christ and his word. "I don't need to believe everything in the Bible to be a Christian.", is what he wants you to say. He wants you to believe in some lies and think that you can have it both ways. But Jesus clearly teaches that you cannot serve two masters. God will not share you with another god.  

"Let no one deceive you with empty words," Saint Paul warns. Do not become partners with the sons of disobedience. Scripture warns against sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness. Satan wants you to believe that you can indulge in your sinful flesh while remaining a Christian. Scripture warns that those who continue in sin without repentance will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

This again, is why Jesus says, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" The word, "keep" there is the same word Jesus used to say the strong man guards his palace. Jesus wants you to guard his word as a strong man guards his possessions. The Word of God is the most important thing for you to keep safe in this life. It is this truth that will defend you against the devil's lies.  

This means that Jesus wants you to keep on learning the Word of God. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;" God says through the prophet Hosea (4:6). When you stop learning God's Word you become vulnerable to the attacks of the devil. People talk a lot about fake news and urban legends, don't believe everything you read on the internet. Well, this goes double for what you hear about God on the internet, or at the sports bar, or the salon. Yet, how do you defend yourself from a slew of false information about God and his Word? By reading, hearing, and learning God's Word. The reason so many fall away and adopt anti-Christian beliefs is because they are not hearing and keeping God's Word.  

Jesus says that when an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places and after finding no place to rest it returns to its home. And if it finds the person from which it had been cast out empty, it returns with seven more spirits even more wicked than itself. And the last state of that person is worse than the first. When you were baptized, the devil was cast out of you. That is what God's Word does. God took possession of you. Yet, Baptism cannot save without faith. And faith cannot exist without the Word of God. When the evil spirit is cast out of you, you must be filled with God's Word, so that the spirit doesn't return and put you in a worse state than you were before.  

This is why immediately after Jesus gives the command to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit he says, "teaching them all that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age."(Matthew 28:19-20) This is why we don't just baptize people and send them on their way, but we baptize and continue to teach them the word of God.  

"But I'm just not that interested in theology." Theology is the study of God's Word. To say that you are not interested in theology is like saying you are not interested in what God says. God is not done teaching you. He won't be done teaching you until you have reached your heavenly home. Theology, that is, what God teaches you from his Word is not an interest like sports, or geography, or math, which if you just aren't that interested in it, it really isn't that big a deal. No, theology is life. By your theology you will be justified and by your theology you will be condemned. So, it is of the utmost importance that you continue to learn what God teaches you.  

The pious woman in the crowd cried out, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!" This is certainly true. The Virgin Mary is forever blessed, as she herself said, "All generations shall call me blessed." (Luke 1:48) Yet, Jesus says it is a greater blessing to hear and keep God's Word. The Virgin Mary is blessed, because God chose her to bear his Son in her womb. Mary is rightly called the Mother of God, because she is the mother of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who is God. And Mary certainly did a marvelous work by raising Jesus, a much better work than any of us could ever do. Yet, Mary was not saved by her works. No one can be saved by his works, otherwise, God would not have sent Jesus to die in our place.  

No matter how great your works are (and they are not as great as the Virgin Mary's), they cannot save you. But the Word of God does save. God's Word teaches you who Jesus is. He is true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary. God's Word teaches you what Jesus did. He has redeemed you, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won you from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood, and with his innocent suffering and death.  

Not only does God's Word teach you what is right and wrong, so that you know when the devil is lying to you. God's Word assures you of your salvation over and over again through the person and work of Jesus Christ. To battle Satan with the Word of God is to let God battle Satan for you! You defeated Satan in your Baptism, because God did so through his Word. Every time you hear that your sins are forgiven, Satan flees from you when your heart believes this truth. Satan must flee from this place as the word of truth is proclaimed from this pulpit and fed to you from the altar.  

The only way you know Jesus and his work of salvation for you is through his Word. And the only way that you can defend this knowledge from the lies of the devil is by continuing to hear and learn God's Word. Recite the Apostles' Creed and pray the Lord's Prayer daily. Let God's Word be your defense. For by wielding God's Word, you wield the very finger of God. Let us pray.  

Stay with us, Lord, and keep us true;  
Preserve our faith our whole life through- 
Your Word alone our hearts defense,  
The Church's glorious confidence. Amen.  ​
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Rev. James Preus

    Rev. Preus is the pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA. These are audio and text of the sermons he preaches at Trinity according to the Historical Lectionary. 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    Advent 1
    Advent 2
    Advent 3
    Advent 4
    All Saints Day
    Angels
    Ascension
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism Of Our Lord
    Christmas 1
    Christmas 2
    Christmas Day
    Christmas Eve
    Circumcision And Name Of Jesus
    Confirmation
    Easter 2
    Easter 3
    Easter 4
    Easter 5
    Easter 6
    Easter Sunday
    Easter Vigil
    Epiphany
    Epiphany 1
    Epiphany 2
    Epiphany 3
    Epiphany 4
    Exaudi (Sunday After Ascension)
    Funeral
    Good Friday
    Good Shepherd
    Last Sunday
    Lent 1
    Lent 2
    Lent 3
    Lent 4
    Lent 5
    Lenten Services
    Maundy Thursday
    Means Of Grace Lenten Series
    Name Of Jesus
    Nativity Of St. John The Baptist
    Palm Sunday
    Pentecost
    Presentation Of Our Lord
    Quasimodogeniti
    Quinquagesima
    Reformation Day
    Robert Preus
    Second Last Sunday
    Septuagesima
    Sexagesima
    St. James Of Jerusalem
    St. Michael And All Angels
    St Stephen
    Thanksgiving
    Transfiguration
    Trinity
    Trinity 1
    Trinity 10
    Trinity 11
    Trinity 12
    Trinity 13
    Trinity 14
    Trinity 15
    Trinity 16
    Trinity 17
    Trinity 18
    Trinity 19
    Trinity 2
    Trinity 20
    Trinity 21
    Trinity 22
    Trinity 24
    Trinity 25
    Trinity 26
    Trinity 27
    Trinity 3
    Trinity 4
    Trinity 5
    Trinity 6
    Trinity 7
    Trinity 8
    Trinity 9
    Trinity Sunday

    RSS Feed

© 2017  www.trinitylutheranottumwa.com
  • Home
    • Missions
    • Swaddling Clothes
  • What We Believe
    • Christian Education: Sunday School and Catechism Program
    • Baptism
    • Worship
    • Confession and Absolution
    • Holy Communion
  • Our Pastor
  • Sermons
  • Calendar
  • Choir