May 24
26
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 53
“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 11:14-28
“Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,’ while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 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.’ As he 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!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” (Luke 11:14–28, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
Although this passage of Scripture raises many questions, the main message is clear. Beyond the physical realm that we perceive with our natural senses, there is a spiritual realm. In that spiritual realm, there is a kingdom of darkness that wars against God and oppress men. And clearly, a part of the mission of Jesus Christ was to overthrow this kingdom of darkness, to set captives free, and to bring them into his kingdom of light. These basic truths are wonderfully displayed in the text that is open before us today. But let us now walk through the text together to be sure that we understand its meaning. Afterwards, I will make a few suggestions for application.
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A Miracle Performed By Jesus: A Mute Demon Cast Out
In verse 14, it is reported that Jesus cast out a demon. There we read, “Now [Jesus] was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled” (Luke 11:14, ESV).
This is not the first time in Luke’s gospel that we have heard about Jesus casting out demons. It seems to have been a regular part of his earthly ministry (see Luke 4:33, 4:41, 8:2 & 8:27). And we should not forget that Christ gave his twelve apostles and the seventy disciples who followed him the power to cast out demons too (see Luke 9:1 & 10:17). This activity of casting out demons was not a rare occurrence but was a central part of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Demons are spiritual beings. They are fallen angels. Amongst the fallen angels, there seems to be a hierarchy. Satan, or Lucifer, is their chief. And the Scriptures speak of these demonic forces as having dominion over the world. As you know, Satan and his minions took dominion when man rebelled against God and fell into sin by listening to the voice of Satan. Christ has come to defeat Satan and to overthrow his kingdom of darkness, and Paul says, “[God the Father] has delivered [those who have faith in Christ] from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13, ESV)
Luke 11:14 says that Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute. The meaning is not that the demon was mute, but that the demon inflicted this man with muteness, that is, he took away the man’s ability to speak. The man was bound and oppressed. He could not use his tongue for its designed purpose, to give thanks and praise to God.
Some might wonder, is all muteness the result of demon possession or oppression? And what about other ailments? Are all physical ailments to be blamed on Satan and his demons? Yes and no. Yes, in that all afflictions result from man’s fall into sin. Before sin entered the world, there were no afflictions like this. And if we remember the story of man’s fall into sin, we will recall that it was Satan who tempted Adam to sin through Eve. When Adam rebelled against God as King, he submitted to Satan as king. And so all of the sufferings we see in this world are the result of man’s fall into sin, and Satan’s kingdom of darkness has much to do with that. But this does not mean that every ailment is the direct result of demon possession or oppression. When Adam fell into sin, even the physical world was corrupted. Romans 8:20-21 puts it this way, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20–21, ESV). When Adam fell into sin, humanity fell with him into an estate of sin, misery, and death. It is not only our souls that are fallen, but our bodies too. Our bodies are imperfect. We sometimes experience injuries and ailments. All will experience death. And so Paul spoke of the body and its common afflictions in this way: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). Though illness, physical defects, and death were not natural when the world was first created, they are a part of the natural order now that man has fallen into an estate of sin and misery.
Is all muteness the result of demon possession or oppression? No. But this man’s muteness was. So Jesus cast out the demon that was afflicting him with muteness, and “when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled” (Luke 11:14, ESV). The people marveled. That is important to see. This miracle, like most of the miracles that Jesus performed, was not done off in a corner somewhere. And it was indisputable that a miracle had been performed. The man was mute. Everyone knew it. And then his tongue was loosed when Jesus cast the demon out, and everyone could see it. The results were clear, obvious, and indisputable.
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An Accusation Against Jesus: He Casts Out Demons By Beelzebul
That no one, not even the enemies of Jesus, could dispute that a miracle had been performed is made clear by the dispute that then arose. In verse 15 we read, “But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons’…” (Luke 11:15, ESV). Notice they did not say, he does not really cast out demons, but rather, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons”.
The word Beelzebul means lord of flies or fly-god. It was common in the days of Christ for the Jews to refer to Satan by this name. This is a fitting name for Satan, isn’t it? Satan is a lord of filth. He is a lord of flies.
The enemies of Jesus could not deny that he cast out demons. But instead of submitting to his word and receiving him as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the King of God’s kingdom, they doubled down in their opposition to him and attributed his works to Satan. That he was performing miraculous deeds, no one could deny. These opponents of Jesus were pressed into a corner, therefore. They had to explain these miracles. And as time passed, they found themselves with only two options. They could acknowledge that he was from God and that he was doing the works of God, or they could say that he was from Satan and was doing the works of Satan. Some of the opponents of Jesus were so hard-hearted in their opposition to him that they chose the latter of the two options. ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons’…”, they said.
Notice that others were still on the fence. In verse 16 we read, “While others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven” (Luke 11:16, ESV). Many people live this way. They are interested in Jesus. They are open to the possibility that he is who he claims to be – the Messiah, the Son of God incarnate, the King of God’s eternal kingdom. They do not oppose Jesus, but neither do they receive him. They are waiting for a sign. But in fact, the signs have already been given. The accounts of Jesus’ miracles are recorded for us in the pages of Holy Scripture, especially the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
So, among those who had not followed after Jesus were two kinds of people. There were those who had begun to attribute his miraculous deeds to Satan – “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons”, they said. But some wanted to see just one more sign from heaven – they wanted a little more evidence to prove that Jesus was the son of God.
You should know that Jesus responded to both of these groups. First, in verses 17-23 he deals with the accusation that he casts out demons by the power of Satan. And then in verses 29-30, he addresses those who were requesting more signs from heaven, a text we will come to next Sunday, Lord willing.
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Jesus’ Response: The Kingdom Of God Has Come Upon You
Jesus’ response to the accusation that he cast out demons by Beelzebul begins in verse 17 and runs through verse 23.
First, Jesus counters their claim by pointing out its absurdity. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, he says.
Beginning in verse 17 we read, “But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul” (Luke 11:17–18, ESV).
The argument Jesus presents is rather simple. Kingdoms and households that are divided will quickly fall. Why would Satan, the king of this kingdom, war against his own kingdom? The theory that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan was absurd. Satan is committed to holding on to his kingdom and advancing it. Why would he war against his own?
In verse 19 we read, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges” (Luke 11:19, ESV). There are two predominant theories as to who Jesus was referring to when he asked, “by whom do your sons cast them out?” Both theories share this in common: Jesus must have been referring to fellow Jews.
Some believe Jesus was referring to the Jewish exorcists who were active in the days of Christ. Josephus, the Jewish historian, makes mention of Jews who had the power to expel demons (see Josephus’ Antiquity of the Jews, 8.45-46). Whether or not these Jews had the power to cast out demons in the days of Christ is beside the point. If Jesus was referring to these Jewish exorcists when asked, “by whom do your sons cast them out?”, then his argument would go something like this: Why do you praise your sons (your fellow Jews) when they cast out demons (or attempt to do so in the name of the Lord or the patriarchs) but condemn me? And according to this view, when Christ says, “Therefore they will be your judges”, he means, your commendation of them and your condemnation of me for the same act of casting out demons proves your bias, and you stand condemned by them, therefore. Many commentators, including Calvin, hold to this view.
In my opinion, a more natural reading of the text is to interpret Christ’s question, “by whom do your sons cast them out?”, as a reference to Jesus’ own disciples – the twelve and seventy – who had been given authority to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. The disciples of Jesus were all Jews, so he referred to them as “your sons”. According to this view, Jesus argues against the accusation that he casts out demons by Beelzebul by pointing to his twelve apostles and seventy disciples and asking, what about them? They have demonstrated that they have the ability to cast out demons. By whom do they – your sons, and my disciples – cast them out? And what is the answer? They cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ and not Beelzebul.
You see, I do believe that this is what opened Jesus up to these accusations. When the Jewish exorcists attempted (pretended perhaps?) to cast out demons, they would do so, not in their own name, but in the name of the Lord, or in the name of some patriarch. But Jesus did not cast out demons in the name of the Lord. Rather, he cast them out by his own power and authority, for he is the Lord, the eternal Son of God incarnate. These enemies of Christ could not bring themselves to confess him as Lord, and so they had to find a way to explain this power he possessed. They could not believe that he possessed this power in himself, and because he did not cast out demons in the name of the Lord or in the name of Abraham or Moses, their only option was to accuse him of colluding with Satan. So, after Jesus highlighted the absurdity of thinking that Satan was warring against himself, he pointed to his disciples – the twelve and the seventy – and asked, then what do you say about your sons, your kinsmen according to the flesh? By whom do your sons cast the demons out? By whose power and in whose name do they do this work? And what is the answer? They were given the ability to cast out demons by Jesus Christ the Lord and in his name. This argument is very powerful, I think. You see, it is all about power. Where is the power coming from? Some of the Jews claimed the power was coming from Satan. But Jesus demonstrated that the power was coming from himself when he pointed to the twelve and the seventy and drew attention to the fact that they were casting out demons in his name. Furthermore, it seems to me that Jesus’ words, “Therefore, they will be your judges”, fit much better with this interpretation, for it is the disciples of Christ, and not the Jewish exorcists, who will participate in the final judgment (see 1 Corinthians 6:2). And so it is my opinion that when Jesus asked, “by whom do your sons cast them out?”, he was referring to his own disciples – the twelve and the seventy – to whom he had given this power and authority (see Luke 9:1 & 10:17).
In verse 20 we read, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20, ESV). This is a marvelous saying. As I came to this verse in my sermon preparation, the thought occurred to me that an entire sermon could easily be devoted to this one saying of Jesus, for there is a lot of theology crammed into these words. Let us be content to consider this saying of Jesus briefly and in context.
First of all, it is here in verse 20 that Jesus reveals what was truly happening. The non-believing Jews were very wrong to attribute the works of Christ to Satan (in Matthew’s gospel, this is called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) At first, Christ denied their accusations. Satan’s kingdom is not divided. And his disciples cast out demons, not in the name of Beelzebul, but in the name of Jesus. Now here in verse 20, Christ reveals the truth. He was casting out demons by the finger of God.
Secondly, it is important to know that the “finger of God” is an anthropomorphic way of speaking about the Holy Spirit. God does not have an arm, a hand, or fingers. He is a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions (see 2LCF 2.1). But an arm and fingers are attributed to him in an analogical way to help us understand how God works. When Christ says in luke 11:20, “it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons”, he means, it is by the Holy Spirit that I cast out demons.
This interpretation is supported by three observations:
One, if we compare this passage in Luke with the parallel passage in Matthew’s gospel we will see that the finger of God is the Spirit of God. Matthew tells us the same story, but in his account, Jesus says, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28, ESV). So Matthew helps to clarify Luke. The finger of God is the Spirit of God.
Two, we may see that the finger of God is the Spirit of God by paying attention to the context. We should remember that in Luke 11:13, at the end of the previous passage, Jesus presented the Holy Spirit to us as the greatest of all possible gifts. Why? Because it is by the Holy Spirit that God distributes the benefits of the redemption that Christ has earned to his elect at the appointed time. Christ the Son has earned our redemption, but God the Father effectually calls his elect to repentance and faith in Christ by his Word and Spirit. And God further sanctifies his elect by his Word and Spirit too. God the Father is eager to give good gifts to his children (that is what we learned in the previous passage). And the very best gift that we can receive is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the many gifts and blessings he bestows.
Friends, you must know that our redemption is the work of the Triune God. God the Father sent the Son to accomplish our redemption, and the Father and Son send forth the Holy Spirit to apply the redemption that Christ has earned to the elect of God at the appointed time. This is how the Triune God works in the world. God the Father created the heavens and earth through the Son (or Word) and by the Holy Spirit. And when it comes to the accomplishment and application of our redemption, the same is true. God the Father redeems his elect through the Son and by the Spirit. Notice the order of things. The Son proceeds from the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This order of procession that we see in the works of God agrees with the eternal processions of the persons within the Godhead. The Father eternally begets the Son, and the Father and Son eternally breathe forth the Holy Spirit. I bring up the context here because I do believe this passage is related to the previous one. In the previous passage, the Holy Spirit is mentioned as the greatest gift that God gives. And here in this text, we find Christ delivering a man from demon possession by the finger of God, that is to say, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Three, we may see that the finger of God is a reference to the Spirit of God in the analogy itself. In Isaiah 53:1, Jesus Christ the Son of God is referred to as the arm of God. We read the text earlier. That passage is about the Messiah. It begins, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he [the Messiah] grew up before him like a young plant… etc.” It is through the Son that the Father has accomplished our redemption, and so the Son is called the arm of God. But it is the Spirit of God who applies the redemption that Christ has earned to the elect of God in due time. It is the Spirit who sets us free from bondage (see Romans 8:1ff). It is the Spirit, working in concert with the Word, who convinces us of our sin and misery, enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renews our wills. It is the Spirit, working in concert with the Word, who persuades and enables us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel. It is a fitting and beautiful analogy to refer to Christ as the arm of God (as Isaiah 53 does) and to the Spirit as the finger of God. Just as a man accomplishes his work through the strength of his arms and with the finesse of his fingers, so too God accomplishes his work through the strength of the Son and by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. And just as it is the hands and fingers of a man that come into direct contact with his work (whatever it is) to mold and shape it and to bring it into being, so too it is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune God, who carries out the plans and purposes of God in creation and redemption to bring them into being. God the Father created and redeems his creation through Christ the Son and by the working of the Holy Spirit. And so, the Holy Spirit is called the finger of God.
I do believe it is important for us to see that when Jesus Christ cast out demons, he did not do it as a mere man standing apart from God, calling on the Father to bring deliverance through the Son and by the Spirit. No, he cast the demons out by his own power and authority, for he is the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Or to use the scriptural metaphor, Jesus Christ is the strong arm of God extended to accomplish our redemption. And when he cast out demons he did it by the power of the Holy Spirit, which for him, may be likened to an arm extending a hand and touching with a finger.
That the people were astonished at Jesus’ ability to cast out demons in his own name and with his own power and authority has already been expressed in Luke’s gospel. In fact, in Luke 4:31-37 we find the first account of Jesus casting out a demon, and in that text we read, “And [the people] were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!’” (Luke 4:36, ESV). You see, this is the thing that people were struggling to comprehend. They were familiar with the approach of the Jewish exorcists attempting to free men and women from demon oppression by calling on the name of the Lord or using the names of great men like Abraham or Moses or by employing incantations. But never had they witnessed anything like this. Jesus spoke with power and authority all his own. For him, casting out evil spirits was as simple as stretching out the hand and touching with the finger.
The third thing to notice about this wonderful statement of Jesus found in verse 20 is the conclusion he reaches: “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20, ESV). In other words, Jesus was saying, when you see me casting out demons by my own authority and in my own name, and when you see my disciples casting our demons by the authority I have given to them and in my name, it does not mean that Satan’s kingdom is divided against itself, but that another kingdom – the very kingdom of God – has arrived with power and is now overthrowing the kingdom of Satan to bring it to an end.
Dear brothers and sisters, do I need to remind you of all the promises of God found in the Old Testament that pointed forward to a redeemer who would one day arrive to do this very thing, to crush the head of Satan and set captives free? I rehearse these things with you so often I trust that many of these promises will come immediately to mind. Do I need to remind you of the first promise of the gospel found in Genesis 3:15 regarding the offspring of the woman who would drop his wounded heal on the head of the serpent? And do I need to remind you of how that seed of the gospel, once planted in the ground, did spout and grow as human history unfolded? Should I remind you of the great promises given to Abraham, of the redemption worked for Israel through Moses to deliver them from Egyptian bondage, and how that exodus anticipated a greater exodus in the future? Need I remind you of the promises made to King David regarding a Son whose enemies would be made his footstool, who would reign forever over a kingdom that would never end? I trust that you are very familiar with the concept that, because of these precious and very great promises, God’s people were living with a sense of expectation. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of this King of God’s Kingdom, the one who would deliver them from their enemies, the greatest enemy of all being Satan himself. When Christ said, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20, ESV), he meant, if you see me casting out demons and overthrowing Satan’s kingdom by my own power and authority, does it not show you that God’s kingdom and the King of God’s kingdom promised from long ago has arrived and that I am he?
In verses 21-22, Jesus provides us with an illustration to make all of this very clear. There we read, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil” (Luke 11:21–22, ESV).
Who does the strong man of verse 21 represent? Satan is the strong man. He is fully armed. His kingdom is not divided. He is fully committed to guarding his palace to keep his goods safe. Where is his palace? His palace is this fallen world. And what are the goods he is eager to keep? The goods are the souls of men. And now I ask you, who is the one stronger than the strong man? He is Jesus Christ. He is the eternal Son of God who descended from heaven and became incarnate. And why did he come? For what purpose was he sent? His mission can be stated in these terms. He came to attack the strong man, Satan, to overcome him, to take away his armor, in which he trusted, to plunder his palace, and divide the spoil.
Jesus made it very clear at the beginning of his earthly ministry that this was his mission. In Luke 4:16 we read, “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:16–21, ESV).
As we consider the ministry of Jesus as it is recorded for us in Luke’s gospel, it is clear that the liberty Christ has come to bring is not earthy, but spiritual and eternal. Stated differently, Christ did not come to free Israel from Roman occupation but to overthrow the kingdom of Satan and to establish the eternal kingdom of God.
In verse 23 we find a warning. There Christ says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Luke 11:23, ESV). This saying of Jesus can only be properly interpreted in light of what Jesus has just taught about the presence of the kingdom of God and the impending overthrow of the kingdom of Satan. It’s as if Christ said, given that this is the reality – given that I have come as the King of God’s kingdom to overthrow Satan and his kingdom, to bind him, to take away his armor, and to plunder his house – whose side are you on in this war? If you are not with me, you are against me. Whoever does not gather with me scatters. And this is true both of angels and men.
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Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, I will begin to move this sermon to a conclusion by offering three suggestions for application. It will be in this application portion of the sermon that I will also give you my interpretation of Luke 11:24-28.
First, I do believe this passage should wake us up to the reality of the spiritual world and the spiritual battle that rages around us continually. Of course, there is a danger in growing fascinated and fixated on the world of angels and demons, and I must warn you about that. The Scriptures warn about the danger of seeking out encounters with the powers of darkness (see Galatians 5:19-20, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15). The Christian is to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good (see Romans 12:9). The Christian is to resist the devil knowing that he will flee from us (James 4:7). When I say that this passage should wake us up to the reality of the spiritual world and the spiritual battle that rages around us continually, I do not mean that we are to seek out encounters with the spiritual world. Rather, I encourage you to think of this world as not merely physical. Beyond the physical, there is a heavenly and spiritual realm. God is Spirit. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Man is not the only rational being created by God. God created angels in the beginning too. Some kept their upright place. Others rebelled against God. The story told in Scripture regarding man’s fall into sin and our redemption in Christ Jesus is all intertwined with the spiritual realm. One thing we have learned from our passage today is that Christ came to redeem us from the domain of darkness and to transfer us into his kingdom of light. While there is danger in growing overly curious about the spiritual realm, there is also danger in living on this earth as if the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle do not exist. This is why Peter warns us, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV). And this is why Paul says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete” (2 Corinthians 10:3–6, ESV).
Secondly, let us take part in the mission of the overthrowing of Satan’s doomed kingdom of darkness and the advancement of Christ’s everlasting kingdom of light. And how are we to take part in this mission? Answer: we are to obey the commission that Christ has given to the church as recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture. And what is the commission that Christ has given to the church? We are to “Go… and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This we are to do knowing that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given” to Christ. This we are to do knowing that Christ is with us “always, to the end of the age” (see Matthew 28:18–20). And how are disciples of Jesus made? They are made through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. And how are these disciples taught to observe all that Christ has commanded? It is through the ministry word of God within the church of God.
You know, some might assume that because Jesus cast out demons and because his twelve apostles and seventy disciples cast out demons, we the church, who live now after Christ’s ascension to the Father’s right hand, are to devote ourselves to the casting out of demons too, but this is false. Those who devote themselves to healing ministries and deliverance ministries overlook the simple fact that there was something extraordinary about Christ’s ministry and the ministry of his apostles and other eyewitnesses of his resurrection. Christ cast out demons as a sign that the kingdom of heaven was now present with power. And his apostles – the twelve and the seventy – were granted this power for the same reason. But the church was given no such mission. The church, consisting of professing and baptized believers, is called to devote itself to preaching and teaching of the Word of God (the Word of the Apostles), to the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer. The only offices appointed within the church are the offices of elder and deacon. The office of Apostle has ceased. And so too have the miraculous gifts that were given to them (and to the other eyewitnesses). There are no healers, there are no miracle workers, there are no exorcists appointed to this work within Christ’s church. The mission of the church is clear. Disciples of Jesus are to be made to the ends of the earth. These are to be baptized. These are to be taught to obey Christ. Christ has given pastors or elders and deacons to the church to lead in the accomplishment of this mission.
So, is God still delivering men and women from the domain of Satan’s dark kingdom and transferring them into the kingdom of his beloved Son today? Yes (see Colossians 1:13). But how does he do it? Not through exorcists and exorcisms but through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. It is only when men and women respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ in faith and repentance that they are rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of the beloved Son. This redemption is accomplished by God the Father, through Christ the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. When Christ performed this extraordinary miracle of casting this mute demon out by the finger of God, it was a sign or demonstration of what he would do through the ordinary ministry of the Word of God through his church to the end of the age. It by means of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ that God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, delivers men and women from Satan’s grasp and ushers them into the kingdom of God where Christ is King.
In fact, I do believe this is what verses 24-28 are about. What good will it do a man, ultimately, if he is delivered from demonic oppression – that is to say, if the demon that oppressed him is evicted from his house, and his house is swept clean and put in order for a time – if Christ the King does not take up residence within that house through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? What will the man be left with except a clean and orderly, but empty, house? Christ tells us that the evicted spirit will “passes through waterless [desert-like] places seeking rest, and finding none it [will say], ‘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 will go] 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” (Luke 11:24–26, ESV).
This is a strange and mysterious text, but I believe the meaning is clear. Christ, the one who is stronger than the strong man, overcomes the strong man, that is, Satan and his demons, not merely to evict them from the hearts and souls of men to leave the men in a cleaner and yet empty state, but to take up residence within in them as King. Friends, Christ the King did not come to merely clean your house but to take up residence within it, to possess it as King, and to guard it forever. Christian “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ESV). Christ did not come to merely expel Satan and his demons and to clean up the world, he came to redeem the world and to possess it as his own, to the glory of God, and this includes your own heart. It will do you no good in the end if Satan is expelled from the throne of your heart for it sit empty. No, that void will be quickly filled with demons and your own sins (perhaps the seven deadly sins). To be redeemed, Satan must be expelled, and Christ must sit down upon the throne of your heart as Lord and King to rule you and keep you as his own forever.
And this is what is urged in verses 27-28. “As [Christ] 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!’” In other words, your mother is blessed. “But [Christ] said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” (Luke 11:27–28, ESV).
And so our passage concludes with a call to trust in Jesus and to obey him as King. That is my third point of application. Having considered these truths about the great work of redemption accomplished by God the Father, through Christ the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit, let us turn from our sins, trust in Christ the redeemer, to have him as King. Christ is our only hope. He is the one stronger than the strong man who is capable of rescuing us from the dark and oppressive domain of Satan to keep us as his own in the blessed kingdom of God, forever and ever, Amen.
