In today’s Gospel, Jesus casts out demons, and immediately the scribes and Pharisees accuse Him of being in cahoots with the devil, casting out demons in the name of “Beelzebul,” that is, literally “The lord/Baal of the flies.” Of course, they mean the devil even as they reference one of the ancient pagan gods of the Canaanites. They just can’t accept the fact that this man they hate could possibly be on God’s side. He’s obviously in league with the devil, right? That’s the only explanation. 

Jesus lets them know how utterly foolish their premise is. “A house divided cannot stand. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?” The point is clear: Jesus can’t be working for the devil if He’s so clearly working against the devil. 

There is a reason that for the 3rd Sunday in a row, we hear of Jesus and Satan. Jesus going toe to toe with the demonic forces of the devil: the temptation in the wilderness, the Canaanite woman’s daughter who was being oppressed by a demon, and this morning, Jesus casts out a demon from a man who was mute, and he is accused of being in league with him. As if!?

No, rather it points out something else. Who is in control. Who is the strong man? Who can stand strong if one stronger than they should come along? Why did Jesus come to earth? And who was He really fighting and struggling against in the Garden and upon the cross of Golgotha?

So, Jesus goes into the lesson on the strong man. There is a reason that Scripture refers to the devil as “the prince of this world.” He and his demonic minions are far stronger than any of us feeble children of Adam. This is also why St. Paul warns us that we aren’t battling against ordinary flesh and blood, but against the spiritual rulers and powers of this present darkness. However… that demonic strong man is no match for the stronger man; the One who breaks in and overcomes him and puts him down. Which is good, because until Christ breaks in, having bound the strong man, and takes what was his, well, we would have no hope and be left where we were. Where is that? Bound in the chains of our sins. Possessed by the devil in thought word and deed in his palace. Belonging to him, enslaved, and without life: zombies, only living for the moment, always trying to escape the pain of fear and earthly trouble, but never finding a peace which can only come through Christ. Like the unbelieving of this world, had Jesus not come into the house of the prince of this world, bound Him, and redeemed us by taking our place for punishment, we would have remained bound, speechless, unable to confess Jesus and the Holy Words of God’s name in prayer and praise.

So, when Almighty God, in the flesh and person of Jesus Christ, breaks in, and goes to war, the Baal of the flies—Beelzebul—is bound up, overcome, and put down by the stronger God of Israel. It’s not even a contest. 

And given what we experience in life, it’s good that we ponder this Christus Victor reality. Beelzebul and all his minions, although certainly much stronger and more powerful than any and all of us children of Adam, is no match for the Lord of Life. No matter how bleak and fly-infested and rotten things may seem to be sometimes, the Lord of Life is in charge. The stronger man—God in the flesh—has already entered in and won the war. The strong man has already been overcome. Satan has been rendered impotent by the omnipotent. “Where, death, is thy victory? Where, death, is thy sting? Death has been swallowed up in victory!”

But what about the rest of what Jesus had to say? “Whoever is not with Me is against Me.” That’s pretty cut-and-dry, black-and-white, isn’t it? Either you’re with Jesus or you’re against Jesus. You are in one camp/one household or the other. Either you’re with Jesus or you’re with the devil. Those are the only two sides. And I know everyone here breathes a great big sigh of relief because we’re clearly with Jesus. But maybe that’s why so many Christians don’t bother wrestling with these words. There’s a reason these texts are appointed for this Sunday in Lent; this season of repentance. 

You may not believe it; you may not want to admit it, but there are plenty of times when you and I are against Christ and we struggle against God wanting to go back into the devil’s house, to become Satan’s slave once more. Who here sins? Doesn’t sin put us at enmity with God? It does. Who here sins purposefully? Careful before you answer! All of us are more than familiar with the Ten Commandments. You know what God clearly says about things such as adultery and sex outside of marriage, murder, honoring those in authority over us, covetousness, lying, and slander. And yet… we still do these things, oftentimes quite willingly and unapologetically. Nobody has ever made you think adulterous, murderous, or hateful thoughts, have they? You know what God so clearly says about not having any other gods and trusting in Him above all things, about not misusing His name, and honoring His Sabbath by keeping it holy. Nobody has ever forced you, against your will and under the threat of death, to hit the snooze button and pull those warm blankets so you can worship the mattress god. Nobody has ever forced you to go have fun or the sporting event or the concert instead of gathering at church. Those are very willful. You are NOT a poor, innocent victim! You have stood against God. “Those who aren’t with Me are against Me.” It’s cut-and-dry, plain-and-simple. You are either with the gatherer or the scatterer.

So, think about it, and repent. Be sorry for your sins, and find ways to train your thoughts, your hearts, your minds, and overcome those temptations to willfully do what is wrong or NOT do what is right. How can we?

What is the Way? Not my way, nor yet your way. The Way is in Christ. He is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. Blessed is the One who hears the Word of God and keeps it,” Jesus said. So, hear the Word of God. Meditate upon it. Be gathered here as often as you possibly can.

Your story doesn’t end here with your guilt. Look to this cross. Your heavenly Father gave His only-begotten Son to suffer and die for you, to mute the demonic mouth of Satan who would mislead you into sin, self-justification, or despair. Jesus took on flesh and came down to the house of the Devil, to this valley of darkness, death and despair in order to take your place. In a very real way Jesus even became the enemy of God for you. He came to this earth so that our heavenly Father would pour out all His righteous wrath against Him and not you even for the times you willfully became His enemy. We are delivered from this justly deserved death sentence purely by God’s grace; purely by Christ’s perfect obedience and perfect love for His Father and for us. Understood in repentant faith, how do you show your thanks for such incomprehensible mercy and grace? “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.”

So, keep that Word by faith and fill your hearts and minds by it. We prayed in the Introit: “My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.” 

Let this be our confession in the midst of anything that happens in this life. Train your eyes of faith ever toward the Lord, the “The Strong Man” Look to this cross. Look to the font. Here is the fruit of God’s light over and against the dark deeds of sin and the worldly flesh that the Devil would try to use to ensnare you. Remember what the Lord of Life has already said and done for you in your baptism; how He has blessed you. Keep this Word. Hold fast to this blessing. Look to this altar at the Lord’s Supper. Here is Almighty God Himself, breaking into our dark shadowy valley of death, not to bring His wrath and strike us down, but to comfort us, to forgive us, to give to us His blood-bought gifts of pardon, assurance, and peace that surpasses all understanding. 

Memorize good songs from the hymnal. Try to memorize parts of scripture as directed from our catechism or from our readings or the Introit, or liturgy, or our devotional handouts. Keep this Word and Promise. Hold fast to this blessedness, and you will be truly blessed, not because of anything you’re doing, but because you are holding fast to the Blessed One.

And then when the devil returns to you after having been cast out by confession and Absolution, by the remembrance of your Holy Baptism, and Christ’s promise for you, when that Devil returns to tempt and taunt you, he will NOT find an empty house to “house himself and many other demons”. Instead, he will come face to face with the Stronger Man: Jesus Christ in you, oh temple of the Holy Spirit, and because you are praying, singing, focused on Christ and the cross, Jesus, Himself, will bar the gate of your heart and Satan will flee.

Christ is here for you: the Blessed and Almighty One who vanquished the strong forces of sin, death, and the devil. Here is the One, who in binding up Beelzebul and the powers of sin and death, has loosed you; has set you free; Free to be His: safe, washed, and declared Holy in His Church, in His Hand, saved, and fed in Household for everlasting life in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas