Oculi Sunday
Exodus 8:16-24; Ephesians 5:1-9; Luke 11:14-26
In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
When Hebrews chapter 2 describes the defeat of satan, it points out that we don’t see it yet. It doesn’t look like satan is defeated. It says, “We do not yet see all things put under him” (Heb. 2:8), that is, put under Jesus’ feet. Meaning, the demons are still a threat.
St. Luke shows us that threat. Jesus does an exorcism. But there’s very little information about it. Luke just says that “[Jesus] was casting out a demon that was mute” (Luke 11:14). That seems like it needs more explanation. It would be shocking for us to see this happen. If we had written the Gospel account, we’d probably describe how the demon-possessed man came to Jesus, or what Jesus said exactly to cast it out, what this looked, did the man convulse or scream? We don’t get any of that. Luke just moves on. It’s almost as if he’s saying, “Let me show you something more shocking.” Because there are those who would rather choose the demons.
Some in the crowd were not bothered that the man was rendered mute by the devil. They weren’t bothered that he suffered under the hand of satan. What bothers them is that Jesus removed the demon. They’re upset by that. So they accuse Him. “He casts out demons by Beelzebul” (Luke 11:15). It’s just a nickname for the devil, but that’s their conclusion: Jesus is satan incarnate. That’s shocking. That means, they think satan is standing in front of them, and their reaction is to verbally attack him?
Well, as wild as that is, this isn’t an isolated event. There are times in Scripture when people would rather have the demons. Jesus casts out the legion, sending them into pigs, and the people are angry about losing the pigs. Paul casts out a fortune-telling demon from a servant girl, and her masters had Paul arrested because that was their income. They would rather have the demons, so long as they also have money.
That’s shocking, but it’s not isolated to Scripture. The demons still suggest that you need more money; build up your bank account rather than help those in need. The demons would have you hold on to other things. Hoard your time rather than serve your neighbor. Embrace your vanity and stay away from Church if you don’t look good enough. Keep your gossip, keep your bottle, your gluttony, the filth you watch, the porn, your addiction to your phone, your pride, keep all of it, and if Jesus were to come and take any of that away from you, you might be angry as well. It’s shocking the ways we choose the demons.
What’s even more shocking is that your Lord does not leave. Jesus doesn’t walk away. They attack Him for casting out a demon, and He doesn’t leave them. He spends a great amount of time patiently reaching out to those who would rather the demons. And in doing so, our Lord gives the most beautiful picture of what spiritual warfare looks like.
It’s a short parable, but an important one. “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe” (Luke 11:21). The strong man here is the devil. And his goods? That’s you. You were the good of the evil one. You were those living in spiritual darkness, in the fellowship of satan.
The way we imagine it is that satan has us in prison, and Jesus sort of comes along to break us out. But that’s not what Jesus says. He tells us that satan’s goods, you and me, were safe. But not just “safe.” That’s the Greek word εἰρήνῃ. It means “at peace.” You were content to live in satan’s kingdom. You weren’t trying to get out. You weren’t hoping for release. Given a choice, you wouldn’t choose to be saved. You would choose satan. That’s what Scripture says. Paul tells us, “No one seeks God… no one does good, not even one” (Rom. 3:11-12). Jesus says, in John 6, “No one can come to me” (John 6:44). Satan was not guarding you from leaving him. He wasn’t keeping in. You were happy to be there. Satan was guarding you from being taken.
But notice how your Lord describes the devil’s defeat. Now, this is important. He mentions there being one stronger than the strong man. That’s Jesus. And what does Jesus do to satan? It says “[He] attacks him and overcomes him” (Luke 11:22). That makes sense to us. We don’t have a problem imagining Jesus assaulting satan. This is what happens on Good Friday. Jesus is attacking and overcoming the strong man at the cross. Even though He does so by submitting to death in your place, we still imagine this as a spiritual battle where our Lord takes down satan with a swift right hook.
But that’s not the picture here. Look at the way Jesus describes the battle of the cross. He doesn’t say that He uses His might to force the strong man into submission. He doesn’t rescue you by overpowering the devil. No, it says, “He takes away his armor.” That’s significant. Jesus takes away satan’s armor. And then Jesus adds, “in which he trusted” (Luke 11:22).
First of all, what’s the armor of satan? It’s not his demonic power. It’s not his craftiness. The armor, the thing that satan uses to keep you in his palace, the thing that protects satan from being defeated, from being proven wrong in his accusations, is your sin. His armor is your sin. And that’s what Jesus has taken away at the cross.
When Colossians tells us how Jesus “disarmed the [demonic] rulers and authorities,” it says He has “forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:13-14). All of your sins, all of the things your fallen flesh would rather choose than Jesus, if you could list them all out, that list was written all over Jesus’ body on the cross, and then washed away with His own blood. Satan’s armor is gone. And that’s what he had trusted in.
It’s interesting that Jesus makes a point of mentioning that little detail. The devil trusted the armor. Picture that. It’s as if the devil was holding on to your sin and cherishing it. He trusted it. He thought that this was what he’d always have to comfort him. He’d hold on to it like a child’s blanket. And yet, when Jesus comes, He doesn’t attack the strong man with great might and powerful blows. He simply takes away satan’s blankie, his armor, your sin. Jesus takes it away from him.
Satan used to trust that he would always have that. He’d always have your sin to comfort and protect him! That may sound a bit comical. But isn’t that the same temptation the devil presents to you? Telling you that your sin will always be there? That your regrets, your failures, the ways you’ve neglected your children, your parents, your siblings, the ways you’ve failed as a spouse, all the ways you’re not good enough, all the sins you recall in the dark hours of the night, aren’t those what satan tells you are lasting? Permanent? Jesus simply takes them away. He casts out the demons.
And then He doesn’t leave you as that empty house. He fills you with His Word. Yes, demons are real. They’re still a threat. They still attack you. They would draw you away from Christ, to hold on to the things of this world, bringing you doubt and despair. Satan’s a threat. But don’t think that he’s difficult to deal with.
The book of James says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jam. 4:7). Think of that. As powerful as satan is, simply resisting him will make him flee. And you resist the devil the same way Jesus does, by God’s Word, by the Sacraments, by prayer. That’s how the demons are kept at bay. And it’s not fancy, not like in the movies. It’s not dramatic. There’s no elaborate ceremony to keep demons out of your life. It’s simple, and it’s calm. Jesus speaks, and they leave. Jesus’ Word is in your ears, and upon your tongue, and they depart. You don’t fear them. They have no claim on you so long as you abide in Christ and Christ abides in you.
So as much as you can, don’t be absent from Church. Make it your priority to confess your sins and be absolved. Read Scripture aloud in your home. Do that daily. Hear the Word. Eat and drink Jesus’ Body and Blood. Keep yourself from sexual immorality. Be an encouragement to fellow Christians, help one another, and support each other in the Faith. That’s the consolation of the brethren. And in these ways, the demons are kept away. They cannot have you, because Christ dwells in you.
So, we don’t see satan’s defeat yet. But that passage from Hebrews 2 goes on. “We do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus” (Heb. 2:8-9). You see His cross and empty tomb, His Body and Blood. And that’s enough.
In ☩ Jesus’ name. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
"If God is for us, who is against us?" 