Oculi, 2023
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
St. Luke 11:14-28
Oculi
March 12, 2023
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.
It may come as a surprise to you, if you have never noticed, that one of the overarching themes during the season of Lent is the dangers of demons. Whether it’s the Epistle readings or the Gospel reading appointed for the Sunday, demons are almost always discussed or are dealt with in some way. St. Paul in his Epistles speaks concerning the danger of demons and how our sins, especially our sins against conscience, which are those sins we know are sins but we still commit them anyway because we think we’ll be able to be forgiven later, are a serious threat to faith, and that sins against conscience can actually drive the Holy Spirit away out of us.
Likewise, in the Gospels during Lent, we often hear about Jesus dealing with demons, such as in Lent 1, Invocabit, where Jesus deals directly with the prince of demons the devil, as He’s tempted by Him in the wilderness. Last week on Reminiscere, Jesus cast out the demons from the Caananite woman’s daughter. Today, Jesus casts out another demon and is basically ridiculed and blasphemed for it. And later in Lent, He will be accused of having a demon Himself. The focus surrounding demons makes perfect sense during Lent. Because, after all, it is because of the power of demons and especially the prince of demons, Satan, that Jesus comes to us and for us and to free us from the influence of demons. He came to earth and went to the cross to vanquish the power, by which, the devil has enslaved us. He came to purchase and win us with His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and death. And often is the case, as in the Gospel reading for today, hardly anyone appreciates it.
The Gospel reading for today shows us three things. First, there is an example of Satan’s malice in possessing this poor, blind, and mute man; and in turn, an example of Christ’s graciousness in driving out the demon, and making the poor man to see and speak. Second, we are shown how hypocrites condemn and reproach Christ’s wondrous works as the work of the devil; and in turn, how Christ defends His works as the true work of God. Third, how finally a woman praised and glorified Christ.[1]
Some background and textual information are needed for us to understand the importance and gravitas of this miracle. The account begins with Jesus casting out a demon from a man who was mute. Luke simply records that this man was mute, which means he cannot speak. The demon has rendered him mute. Usually, as is the case in Scripture and throughout history, we understand this man was also deaf. If you’re deaf and can’t hear, generally, you have trouble speaking because if you can’t hear words being pronounced, you can’t learn language that well. Back in those times, there were no such things as cochlear implants, or hearing aids and microphones. It was probably the case that there was some sort of sign language back in the New Testament times but even still, sign language wouldn’t help you learn to pronounce words with your mouth.
What this man suffered shows the devil’s malice. He truly renders this man poor in every way. This is what the demon did to him. According to Luke, this man is deaf and mute. Matthew, on the other hand, offers an extra detail. Matthew records that this same man was also blind. Since we can assume then that this man was blind, deaf, and mute, we also know that it was nearly impossible for him to communicate with others. He was totally reliant on others to do everything for him: to lead him to where he needed to go; to help him even to the bathroom; to feed him; to care for him in every way. Demons are powerful spirits. Not only was this demon able to render the man blind, deaf, and mute, but, if God had not restrained him, all men would die in an instant. But God be praised that He actively restrains all demons and the devil and that His angels are constantly at war with them.
This was why God became part of His creation and took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. He did this to fulfill the promise He made to Adam and Eve in the Garden, “I will put enmity between you and the woman,” He says to the devil, “And between your seed and her Seed.” We are seeing this promise begin to be fulfilled in the casting out of demons.
Jesus casts out the demon, the man is healed, and the multitudes marveled at this miracle. But not everyone rejoices in the Christ’s wondrous works. We also see how hypocrites condemn and reproach Christ’s miracles as the work of the devil. Some of those in the multitudes said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” This Beelzebub was a false god of the Philistines at the city of Akron. His name is translated, “King of flies” or “great bumblebee.” This is the derisive and jeering name that the Jews gave him because the devil swarms around us and over us like bees and horseflies in the summer. Truly, those who claimed, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons,” were a clueless people. Here, Jesus does a work so wonderful and all who saw it must confess it to be a glorious and great work of God, namely, driving out the demon and making a blind, deaf, must man see and hear again. But their evil blinds them and likewise, makes them unable to confess with their mouths the greatness of the Lord. Those who are opposed to the Christ have spiritually blinded their eyes so that they wish to not see. They have muted their mouths because they do not wish to confess. They have closed their ears so that they would not hear the word of God. They are the ones who are truly blind, deaf, and mute.
The way Jesus responds to their cluelessness is amazing. He says, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” What he’s saying here is, “Why on earth would Satan want to cast out his own helpers?” Satan’s goal is to pull as many people into hell as possible and to snuff out faith in as many people as he can. Thus, he employs his helpers—his demons—to assist him with this objective. It goes against his own nature to not be constantly at war with God. This is why Jesus says, “Every kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” The devil’s kingdom is a strong kingdom. He isn’t divided against himself. He has one goal, one objective: to get you to reject Jesus; to weaken your faith so that you would have no faith and the Holy Spirit departs from you.
This is why Jesus then says, “He who is not with Me is against me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” There are no fence-sitters in Christianity. You cannot have your cake and eat it to. You cannot readily go out, sin against your conscience, even though you know what you’re doing is wrong and expect to be forgiven by God the next day. There is no such thing as the phrase, “once saved, always saved.” It is possible to fall away from the faith. It is possible for the Holy Spirit, given to you in your baptism, to leave you. If you actively sin and do not care because you think God’s grace is like a get-out-of-jail-free card and so you can go out have a fun night filled with debauchery, commit all the sins you want, and then go to church the next day expecting that all your sins will be forgiven and it will all be ok, it might be too late for you. Who knows. It could happen that it might end up being too late and you will not realize that your heart been hardened, like Pharaoh’s, because of your sin and the Holy Spirit has left you. That’s why it’s important to constantly be examining ourselves, as St. Paul says. We need to be examining ourselves before we receive the Lord’s Supper. We need to examine our own hearts, confess our sins, and receive the absolution. Don’t just go through the motions! If we do not do these things, it is a very possible reality that eventually, we could drive the Holy Spirit away from us.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” What this means is when an unclean spirit leaves a person, he goes through dry places. But it finds nowhere to rest; it finds no one to oppress. So it attempts to return to the house, the person, from which he was forced to leave. And if the demon finds the house swept and put in order, then it goes and takes with him more demons, more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there. If the unclean spirit returns and finds the house swept and in good order with no one living there, with the Holy Spirit absent, he has easy access to you. And not only the one spirit but many spirits, more wicked than himself. Thus, the importance of examining oneself, confessing sins, receiving the word of God at church, receiving the Lord’s Supper so that faith is strengthened and our bodies be made temples, in which the Holy Spirit dwells.
If the Holy Spirit does not dwell in you; if the temple of your body is simply swept and put in order but no one is at home and you lack the Holy Spirit who is not home in you, then you are actively inviting demons in and placing yourself under their influence. And who knows what they will do to you. Jesus says, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me. Whoever does not gather with Me scatters.” Literally this means, “Whoever does not gather with Him here in this place, in His house, in this church where He has promised to be.” But if the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you, the devil and his helpers cannot harm you. If your body is a vessel and temple of the Holy Spirit, you are with God and He is with you. Then you know you are not against Him. So take comfort in the fact that there are no fence sitters; that you cannot be of God and of the devil at the same time. You are either with God or against Him. And if you are welcome at His table, if you hear His word with gladness and confess it with your mouth and confess your sins and receive absolution, then you have the comfort of knowing that you are God’s and no one else’s and in this, you are truly blessed.
After all, receiving blessings from God is an easy thing to do. You don’t have to do anything. You receive Him. You receive His word. You don’t have to be His mother, as the woman in the crowd wished she was and by which she thought was the only way one could be blessed. This is why she cried out, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” By praising God in this way, it’s clear she wished that she too, might have been the mother of such a high prophet. Then, she thought, she too would no doubt be blessed. But she is blessed and so are we, because we hear the word of God and keep it.
In +Jesus’ name.
[1] Spangenberg, Johann. The Christian Year of Grace: The Chief Parts of Scripture Explained in Questions and Answers. Ed. and trans. by Matthew Carver (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2014), 117.
