Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
As we read through Genesis 1, there was a line that kept repeating. “And there was evening and morning the first day.” “And there was evening and morning the second day.” “And there was evening and morning the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth day.” But then, when we get to the account of the seventh day and expect to hear, “And there was evening and morning the seventh day,” we get nothing but crickets. Moses didn’t write that. But in and through that Holy Spirit inspired silence, there is an indication that the Sabbath day is incomplete. Yes, it was blessed with rest and holiness, but that day was still waiting for its completion and fulfillment.
That fulfillment came today, for us Westerners, or in the Jewish mind yesterday, Holy Saturday. The way days were reckoned in Jesus’ day, the new day began when the first two stars appeared in the sky. That’s why we start celebrating the Resurrection tonight, well before midnight. It’s why we celebrate Christ’s birth on the eve of His birth.
Jesus was crucified on Friday. In our Gospel lesson (Lk. 23:50-24:7), we heard how Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Joseph took Jesus down from the cross and wrapped Him in a linen shroud and laid him in a new tomb. But because the Sabbath about to begin, Joseph, Nicodemus (Jn. 19:39), and the women weren’t able to finish the burial of Jesus. The sun was setting, and they didn’t have time to get the job done. The last verse of Luke 23 says, “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”
So, Joseph rested. The women rested. And, most importantly, Jesus rested, fulfilling the seventh day of creation.
Scripture says that after God finished creating everything on Friday, the sixth day, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). Then, God rested the following day, the seventh day, and made it holy.
On the Friday we call ‘good,’ the day of the re-creation and redemption of all things, Jesus saw everything He had done – His miracles, His teaching, His faithfulness to God and neighbor, how He perfectly obeyed God, how He had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, and how He purchased and won us back – and behold, it was very good. That is why He could cry out, “It is finished,” before He breathed His last (Jn. 19:30).
Dear saints, Jesus, your slain Creator and Redeemer, endured the cross and labored in love for your peace and so you could have eternal rest. After completing His work, He entered His Sabbath rest as He lay there in the tomb.
Jesus’ task was done. Your sins were atoned for. He had finished His work that He had done, so He rested from all His work that He had done in creation. And now, Jesus has burst from the tomb, spitting in the face of death. The devil’s head has been crushed. Jesus has rested in the grave, and the Sabbath has been fulfilled so you can also enter into that perfect rest (Heb. 4:10).
And this has eternal significance for you. When you bury your loved ones, and when you yourself are buried, they and you follow Jesus into that rest. This is why Christian burial places are called ‘cemeteries.’ The word ‘cemetery’ comes from a Greek word koimeteria which means ‘sleeping place.’ We bury our brothers and sisters in Christ knowing that God isn’t done with them. We put them where they can rest and await the wake-up call that will be the trumpet blast on the Last Day when Jesus returns to raise them.
Dear saints, Christ has completely stripped death and the grave of its victory and sting (1 Cor. 15:55-56). Jesus lives, and so do you. And you have entered into His rest.
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The disciples, James and John, had asked Jesus if they could sit at His right and left when Jesus entered His glory, but Jesus told them that they didn’t know what they were asking. Besides that, Jesus said that it wasn’t His to grant, and the heavenly Father had already determined who would have those seats of honor (Mk. 10:35-40). In a few minutes, we will hear who gets those positions – two criminals one on Jesus’ right and another on His left (Mk. 15:27; Lk. 23:33).
At first, both of these condemned men mock Jesus as they hang there with Christ on their own crosses (Mk. 15:32). But something happens as the thief on the right watches Jesus suffer. This thief hears Jesus’ words as He hangs on the cross. Maybe, it was when he heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34). And faith sprouts in that criminal’s heart. He is converted and is a Christian.
Now, instead of mocking Jesus, he prays to Jesus. And his prayer sounds absurd, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Here Jesus is beaten, bloodied, stricken, stripped, hanging, and dying on a cross. He is about as far from obtaining a kingdom as you could possibly be. But through faith this thief knows that Jesus isn’t done. He knows that the cross won’t be the end of Jesus. Somehow, and this can only be by the working of the Holy Spirit, this man believes that death won’t be the end of Jesus. He is a king who is coming into His kingdom. And even in that moment this thief believes that Jesus is a Savior who can save him from the condemnation that is the due reward for his deeds (Lk. 23:41).
Jesus looks at him and says, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
And when Jesus dies, His body is run through with a spear, taken down from the cross, and laid in the grave. But Jesus’ soul goes to be with the Father in heaven, and the thief goes with Him. Jesus and this thief meet up that very day in Paradise. Scripture says that to be away from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).
The separation of body and soul that Jesus and this criminal experience when they die is the same separation that you and I will face unless Jesus returns first. Our body will go to the grave, and our soul will go to be with the Lord. But when Jesus returns, He will put you back together. Your body will be raised from the grave. Your soul will be rejoined to your body, and you will live forever. This is our hope and comfort.
But there is something more comforting to learn from the thief on the cross, and it is this: You are saved, not by your works, but by God’s grace. You are justified, not by your deeds, but by God’s promise. You are delivered, not by your efforts, but by God’s mercy. And this is only possible because Jesus takes all your sin and suffers in your place on the cross.
That thief’s story preaches this to you today. He lived a life that earned him capital punishment. But the Holy Spirit got a hold of him. He believed and was converted. And he’s right into heaven.
The thief isn’t saved because of his works, deeds, or efforts! Even if he wanted to do a good work, he wouldn’t have been able because his hands and feet are nailed to a cross. All he had to face the judgment of God was the promise of Jesus, and that was enough for him. And it is enough for you.
When you stand before God’s holiness and perfection to be judged, there is nothing you can offer – no excuse, no self-justification, no good work. Nothing.
You have nothing except the promise of Jesus. And, again, that is enough. Jesus says to this condemned criminal, “Truly, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” And Christ says the same to you, dear saint. “Truly, you will be with Me in Paradise.” Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Before God rescued His people from slavery in the land of Egypt, He gave them a meal to celebrate their deliverance – the Passover meal. They were to take a lamb and slaughter it at twilight. God told them to take some of the blood and smear that blood on doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they would eat it. They were to eat that lamb and unleavened bread quickly and dressed to travel. That night, God passed through the land of Egypt and struck dead all the firstborn of both man and beast, but He did not enter any houses where He saw the blood of the lamb on the door. That blood was a sign that shielded God’s people from death.
It’s interesting, though, God had already set apart His people so they were not troubled by the previous plagues. Scripture tells us that the flies of the fourth plague didn’t pester the Israelites (Ex. 8:22-23). In the fifth plague, the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not the livestock of God’s people (Ex. 9:4, 7). The hail of the seventh plague didn’t fall upon the Hebrews (Ex. 9:26). Same with the darkness in the ninth plague (Ex. 10:22-23). God didn’t have His people set up any sign to keep those plagues from harming them. They didn’t need to put a fly in their window or write a “Have a nice day” in chalk on their sidewalks to be spared from those plagues. But with this final plague, God had His people set themselves apart with the sign of the blood of the lamb marking their doors.
The fact that God had His people do this not only on that day but also every year afterward was to preach an annual sermon. Each year in the Passover feast, God was reminding His people and preaching to them that the blood of a lamb protected and guarded them from His wrath and death. That blood and meal reminded the people of what God had done in the past, but it was also pointing forward to another Lamb and a better blood that would protect and shield God’s people. And that Lamb is Jesus.
But then, in our Gospel lesson tonight (Mk. 14:12-26), that Passover sermon was preached for the final time. Jesus has His disciples prepare the Passover meal, and that very night, that sermon is fulfilled. It’s no longer needed. The Passover sermon is about to become obsolete because Jesus institutes the new testament of His Supper where He gives His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.
One interesting thing to notice before we move on here: In both instances, both with the Passover meal and the Lord’s Supper, God gives this meal to His people before the event actually happened. Before God passed through Egypt, God gave the Passover meal. The same thing is true in the Lord’s Supper. Before Jesus goes to the cross and gives His body unto death and sheds His blood, Jesus gives the meal of His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins.
Jesus had come, and He was about to do His Father’s will. The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29) and eternally protects God’s people from the plague of death (Heb. 12:24), this Lamb had come to give Himself so that His blood can shield you and death no longer has a claim on you.
The Passover meal had served its purpose. Tomorrow, Jesus will go to the cross. And to replace the Passover meal, Jesus now gives you Holy Communion. Yes, the Lord’s Supper was instituted in the context of the Passover, but it lays aside that old meal. Many people have tried to figure out at what point during the Passover meal Jesus gives Communion as its replacement. But Scripture indicates that Jesus institutes Holy Communion as a separate thing after they had finished that final Passover meal. The Gospel of Luke especially indicates that Jesus institutes His Supper after the Passover meal was finished (Lk. 22:20).
Now, instead of the Passover meal, you are to eat the bread, which Jesus says is His body, and you are to drink the cup, which Jesus says is His blood. And you do this as a remembrance of what Christ has done for you. Yes, there is remembrance in this meal, but it also delivers exactly what Christ promises it delivers. Jesus promises that in this little meal, you receive the forgiveness of your sins. And unlike the Passover meal, which was an annual thing, Jesus says to do this often in remembrance of Him (1 Cor. 11:25).
So now, Jesus invites you – yes, you – to His altar, to His table. Jesus knows what you need, and He invites you to come and receive it. This is your entry into the Holy of Holies. Here in this meal, the time and distance between you and the cross of Jesus collapses as you participate in the feast of the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:19-20). Here, your Lord gives you everything you need as you walk out of your slavery to sin and toward the Promised Land of the new heavens and earth (Rev. 21:1). Here, your sins are forgiven. Here, the Body and Blood of Christ are given for you.
So, come. Your Brother, your Lord, and your Savior invites you. Amen.The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
October 21st and 22nd 331 BC, Alexander the Great of Greece made his triumphal entry into the city of Babylon after conquering it. And we have a historical account of Alexander’s entry into the city.[2]
While Alexander was approaching Babylon, some went up on the walls of the city to watch their new king enter, but most went out to meet him. For miles, the road into Babylon was carpeted with flowers. At regular intervals, silver altars were placed on both sides of the road heaped with frankincense and perfumes. Herds of cattle and horses were in the procession as well as lions and leopards in cages. Large choirs sang the praises of Alexander. The Babylonian cavalry marched along with all their equipment and horses. Alexander himself was surrounded by an armed guard as he rode in his chariot, and the people of the city followed him. Finally, this massive, impressive parade approached the gates, and Alexander entered the palace. Now that is a triumphal entry. Miles of people, soldiers, animals, and all sorts of pageantry following the king. It was a display of might, power, and authority.
Have Alexander’s entry into Babylon in mind as you consider the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday, the crowds went out to meet Jesus. They waved palm branches and laid them and their cloaks (Mt. 21:7) on the road before Jesus. They cried out, “Hosanna,” which means “Save us now! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
They find Jesus sitting – not on a chariot, war horse, camel, or elephant. Jesus sits and rides a donkey – a beast that helped people carry burdens and was used for normal, everyday work. And this fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey.”
This entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem is His triumphal entry. But unlike Alexander’s entry, it is humble, lowly, and peaceful. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem as King but not as a normal king. He certainly has power, strength, and glory, but He isn’t intimidating, either to the citizens of His kingdom or to those outside His kingdom. Jesus does not come to demonstrate His might. He comes to demonstrate His love. He comes not to conquer Jerusalem or the world; instead, He comes to conquer your sin and death by His own death on the cross.
Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn. 18:36). Jesus is a different kind of king with a different kind of glory. He is a king who has come to die for His subjects – for you. Christ’s glory is to be humble and take the form of a servant. Jesus is a king who is obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Php. 2:5-8). And the cross is His triumph. Because Jesus has given Himself unto death for you, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name above all names. Dear saints, Jesus comes with mercy, and He comes for you. Welcome to Holy Week. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
[1] This sermon has been adapted from a sermon by Pr. Bryan Wolfmueller.
[2] The account was written by Quintus Certius Rufus and can be found here.
Imagine that you’re on a family road trip. You get on the freeway and have a nice conversation with your kids. As the talk starts to slow down, the kids ask if they can play some music over the stereo. After an hour of having the tunes cranked up, the kids start complaining about the songs their siblings are picking. So, you turn off the music and tell them all to take a nap, read a book, or just stare out the window. But the kids are tired of being in the car, so they revert to their favorite pastime – annoying each other. (By the way, this isn’t necessarily about my family.) After an hour of dealing with the complaints – “He’s touching me,” “Well, she’s looking at me,” “They’re breathing loud,” – you have just about had it. But you’re getting close to your destination.
It’s been several hours since you left home. You’re tired of being in the car and just want the trip to be over. But as you turn down the street of your destination, all your kids start screaming at each other. You’ve finally had enough. You tell your kids that for their punishment, you are going to fill up the gas tank and drive around for several more hours – one hour for every minute of screaming and fighting. (And, yes, I know with gas prices as high as they are, this seems completely ludicrous.)
Well, that analogy is similar to what happened when God delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt (just don’t go too far with the details). God was bringing His people to the Promised Land. It was trip that shouldn’t have taken more than a couple of months. But God had led His people via the scenic route that included a lengthy pit stop at Mt. Sinai. After receiving God’s commands and instructions about building the Tabernacle, the people rebelled at the foot of the mountain and made the golden calf. Repeatedly on this road trip, the Israelites complained and wanted to return to Egypt and slavery because the cucumbers tasted good (Nu. 11:5). They would whine about not having food and water even though God was constantly providing for them.
To top it all off, when God’s people were on the doorstep of the land God had sworn to give them, they rebelled again. God had the people send spies into the Promised Land for forty days to have a look around (Nu. 13-14). When the spies returned, they reported that the land was fantastic, but they were terrified to enter because people who lived there were giants. Ten of the twelve spies said that entering the Promised Land was impossible even though God had promised to give it to them. This bad report from those ten spies terrified God’s people, and they refused to go forward.
So, God punished them by sending them into exile. For each of the forty days the spies were in the land, God sentenced the people to one year of exile wandering in the wilderness (Nu. 14:34). Forty days of spying and doubting that God would do what He promised meant forty years of exile. God swore that none of the people who were twenty years or older would enter the Promised Land except for Caleb and Joshua, the two faithful spies (Nu. 14:28-33). All the rest of the people would die in the wilderness, but their children would enter Canaan.
When the people learned about their punishment, some of them decided to try and conquer the Promised Land on their own. It didn’t go well. They went without the Ark of the Covenant which meant they went without God’s presence and blessing, so they were utterly defeated (Nu. 14:39-45). So, into exile went God’s people, but God went with them. For forty years, God’s people wandered in the wilderness between Canaan and Egypt. They had walked right up to their inheritance, but they didn’t believe God’s promises, which meant they had abandoned His blessing. But throughout those forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God remained faithful to His people. God was faithful even though the people continued to complain and rebel.
Finally, in tonight’s Old Testament reading (Josh. 3:1-6), the forty years of exile were over, and God brought His people into the Promised Land. As the priests carrying the Ark neared the banks, the Jordan River stood in a heap so His people could leave the wilderness and exile and enter the land flowing with milk and honey (Josh 3:12-17). Despite the people’s sin and rebellion on the way from Egypt to the Promised Land, and despite their sin during the forty years of exile, God was with His people – blessing them, forgiving them, and providing for them (Josh. 5:10-12).
We are just like the unfaithful Israelites who complained, rebelled, and bickered. Because of our sin, we wander about in the wilderness. We don’t have any word or promise from God about how long our exodus will be. But we do have the promise that a good land awaits us after our time of exile is over. Dear Christian, God has promised to give you the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:1). There, the same God who daily provides abundantly for all the needs of your life will abundantly provide for you for all eternity and shelter you in His presence. Jesus has gone there before you to prepare a place for you (Jn. 14:1-3). And now Jesus leads you on the way to that paradise.
In our Gospel lesson (Mt. 3:13, 4:1-2), Jesus went down into the waters of the same Jordan River that the Israelites crossed to go into the Promised Land. Jesus went to those waters to be baptized by John. There, your sins were placed upon Jesus (Jn. 1:29). But unlike the Israelites, Jesus doesn’t pass through the Jordan to enter the Promised Land. Instead, Jesus goes through the Jordan and out to the wilderness. Christ takes your sins into the wilderness and carries them back to Satan. But while out in the wilderness, your Savior finds you to lead you and travel with you on your journey to the Promised Land. He leads you to the waters of your Baptism, which grant forgiveness, life, and salvation and brings you into His kingdom.
Jesus prepared the way to the promised land for you because He is the Way (Jn. 14:6). He has opened the courts of heaven to you. Christ leads you on your pilgrim journey with His powerful, nail-scarred, forgiving hands. He brings you to where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father and where He is, there you may be also (Jn. 14:3). So, dear saints, set your minds above where your Lord and Savior is seated at the right hand of God. And when Christ, who is your life appears, then you will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4). Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
This portion of John is one of the high points of the four Gospels because, here, Jesus pulls back the veil and reveals Himself to be God saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” There is a whole sermon there, but it will have to wait until the next time this text rolls around. Today, we’re going to consider just two sentences from our Lord. The first reveals just how stubborn mankind is in our sin and how desperate we are to believe lies, and the second sets us up for the Scripture readings we are going to be hearing next Sunday and through Holy Week.
In the last half of v. 46, Jesus asks, “If I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?” That question should startle us – especially because it comes from the lips of our Savior. In our fallen, sinful state, we are willing to reject the truth even when it stares us in the face. When the truth is difficult and hurts us, we would rather live by lies than change course. We have this false idea in our minds where we think that if people are presented with the facts so that the truth is crystal clear, then everybody will agree and everything will be right in the world. But that is false.
Here, Jesus, who is the Truth (Jn. 14:6), speaks the truth to the people in the Temple, but they refuse to believe and are ready to stone Him. No matter how clearly the truth is spoken or how authoritative the speaker of truth is, there are some who will simply reject it and refuse to live in reality.
Sometimes, we think that problems we face are caused by the news channels, social media suppression, or other sources of misinformation. Those things certainly don’t help. But don’t imagine that if someone waived a magic wand and made all those things disappear that, suddenly, everything would be right in the world and everyone would automatically believe the truth. People didn’t believe Jesus when He spoke the truth. And even worse, Jesus was persecuted when He spoke the truth. Dear saints, we should expect the same. In fact, that is exactly what we see today.
The reason people reject truth, especially the truth about God, is that we are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Because of our sin, we do not and cannot love God. We cannot come to Him or understand Him. Instead, we naturally run away from Him. But God still desires to bring you back unto Himself. So, God goes out to battle and fights for you. And – it is so important to understand this – when God fights for you, yes, He is fighting against Satan and the demons, against sin and death. But even more importantly, when God fights for you, He is even fighting against you, against your sinful nature and mine.
The texts through Lent have all been about this fight. The first Sunday of Lent, we saw how Jesus fought against the devil in His temptation (Mt. 4:1-11). The second and third Sundays of Lent, we saw how Jesus fought against the demons (Mt. 15:21-28, Lk. 11:14-28). Last week, we saw how Jesus fought against the crowds who wanted Jesus to satisfy all their fleshly desires and make Him a bread king (Jn. 6:1-15). Today, there is an obvious fight between and the crowds as Jesus simply speaks truth and is rejected. The crowds were so adamant in their rejection they are ready to stone Him (Jn. 8:59). And those crowds would have killed Jesus if it had been His time to die, but it wasn’t His time – not yet. But in next week’s Gospel lesson, which will be Matthew’s account of Jesus’ passion (Mt. 26:1-27:66) and then again in the texts for Good Friday, it will be Jesus’ time to die. The same crowds will call for Jesus to be crucified. And there, on the cross, Jesus will fight the final, decisive battle against all the forces of evil.
Lent is about God fighting against evil. When we get to Easter and the Resurrection, we will celebrate Jesus’ victory. With the resurrection, Jesus reveals His victory over all evil, even the evil within you and me. Because of the resurrection, you can know that Christ has snatched you away from the kingdom of darkness and transferred you to His kingdom of light (Eph. 1:13, 1 Pet. 2:9). And as His people, we will celebrate His victory. On Easter, we will rejoice and sing, and our hearts will be glad when we celebrate the resurrection. But what will we do, and how will we react, as we hear Jesus fighting that battle? What will be our response as we see Jesus going to the cross and suffering God’s eternal wrath against our sin?
Some of you have mentioned to me how you don’t like Good Friday and Christ’s crucifixion and would much rather jump straight to Easter and the resurrection. Now, I understand the sentiment. I do. But there is no Easter joy, no resurrection gladness, apart from Good Friday. Easter cannot happen unless Jesus dies first. One of the Sunday school teachers (and I apologize, but don’t remember who it was) mentioned to me in the past couple weeks how one of their students asked why call the day of Jesus’ death ‘Good Friday.’ What is good about that? Well, today Jesus tells us.
Jesus makes a comment in v. 56 of today’s text that helps us know how to approach the texts of Holy Week and how to see His crucifixion. Jesus says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.” What is Jesus talking about there? Notice, Jesus doesn’t say that Abraham ‘believed in My day and was glad.’ No. Abraham saw it and was glad. Well, Abraham saw Jesus’ day in our Old Testament text (Gen. 22:1-14).
There, when Isaac was spared from being sacrificed, Abraham sees the ram caught in a thicket by its horns. And Abraham doesn’t have to be told anything. Immediately, Abraham takes Isaac off the wood and places the ram in Isaac’s place. Abraham sacrifices the ram instead of Isaac, Abraham’s beloved son. Through that sacrifice, God is visibly showing Abraham what He will do through Jesus, His only-begotten Son. In that text, Abraham saw what God would do in and through Jesus as He goes to the cross in your place. Abraham saw, rejoiced, and was glad.
Dear saints, as we approach the crucifixion and see Jesus’ day of victory over sin, death, the devil, and our own sinful flesh, let us see and rejoice as well. Jesus willingly goes to the cross in your place. There on Mt. Calvary, Christ wins the victory and battle for you. As we approach Holy Week, let us look to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith and remember that Scripture says it was “for the joy,” the joy, “that was set before Him, He endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2) for Abraham, for Isaac, for you, and for all sinners.
Dear saints, on the cross your Savior has won the battle. Christ has shed His blood and with that blood, He now cleanses your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Come now and receive the Body and Blood of your Savior who brings you into the new covenant and to your promised, eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:14-15). Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:22-24; 1 Peter 2:21-15; John 3:14-15
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
I love looking at maps. At the risk of you thinking I’m a complete geek (which I probably am), I sometimes relax by opening the Google Earth app on my iPad and search for little islands near Antarctica, the north pole, and in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I’ll zoom in as close as possible and tilt the view to see what the terrain of those islands looks like. Then, I’ll zoom out and see how close those islands are to other locations that I am familiar with.
Let’s do something similar tonight. Don’t actually pull out your devices, just do this in your mind. How would you find the place where Jesus was crucified? If you wanted to find it on Google Earth, you would probably zoom out and scroll over to the Mediterranean Sea. Then, you would zoom in again to find Jerusalem, and there you have it. Geographically, slightly outside of Jerusalem, Jesus was crucified on the hill of Golgotha. But most of the time, when you think about the location of Jesus’ death, you probably don’t imagine a map. Instead, you likely think about the instrument of His death – the cross. The cross is where Jesus paid the price for your sin. The exact latitude and longitude of where Jesus’ cross was planted isn’t certain; Scripture doesn’t give all those details and didn’t need to. But, believer, you can know for certain that the cross of Jesus is where God saved you.
Now, there was a point to all that. In our Epistle lesson tonight (1 Pet. 2:21-25), Peter zooms in as close as possible to the place where you were reconciled to God. In v. 24, Peter says, “[Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” Notice, Peter doesn’t say that Jesus bore your sins in His body on the cross, but on the tree. It’s no accident Peter uses that word. Just briefly, the Greek word Peter uses that gets translated as ‘tree’ can mean either ‘wood’ or ‘tree.’ The same thing is true in Hebrew; Hebrew has one word for ‘wood’ and ‘tree.’
Now, with that in mind, let’s go back to the beginning. God placed man and woman in the Garden of Eden to work and keep it. In the middle of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9), God put two trees, two living woods – the Tree (or ‘wood’) of Life and the Tree (or ‘wood’) of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The fruit of the Tree of Life was, of course, life. That is why God wouldn’t even finish the thought of Adam and Eve eating its fruit after they fell. They would live forever in sin and death. And the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden because it brought forth death. But there, at the trunk of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve listened to and believed the lies of the devil. That disobedience has cast us into exile and away from life itself. Before humanity could have access to the Tree of Life again, sin had to be dealt with.
Because of our sin, you and I are not able to be part of the solution to sin and death. In our sin, we are left stumbling helplessly through this world. Restoring ourselves to God is impossible and beyond our reach, but not beyond the reach of God. Even though we were overcome by the fruit of a tree, God has come and restored us by the fruit of another tree – the wood of the cross that was planted outside Jerusalem on Golgotha.
Jesus, the Son of Man was lifted up on a tree just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness (Jn. 3:14-15). The tree of the cross – a piece of wood that was used as an instrument of torture, suffering, and death – is the Tree of Life upon which Jesus is lifted up. There, Christ bears your sins – all of them. Just as all mankind brought the curse of sin and death upon himself by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, Jesus takes all the curse of sin and death upon Himself by becoming a curse for us. The Scriptures say, “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Dt. 21:23, Gal. 3:13). Now, through Jesus’ wounds you are healed because He has taken the curse that belonged to you upon Himself. And now, whoever believes in Him has eternal life.
Jesus has led you out of your exile away from the Garden, away from the Tree of Life to the new Tree of Life.. Through faith in Jesus, the promised Seed of the Woman (Gen. 3:15), you follow your Savior to the tree of life, which is the tree of the cross, whose fruit gives you life.
You heard God say in Genesis 3:22, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.” Listen carefully here, “Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” God wouldn’t even finish the thought of you being cursed by living forever in sin. But now Jesus has come and become a curse for you by dying on the tree of the cross. The way to the Tree of Life is open again to you. In John 6:51 (and listen to how closely this parallels Gen. 3:22), Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that give for the life of the world is My flesh.” Now that you are redeemed by Jesus, He desires that you eat and live forever with Him. Jesus has come to bring you home, out of exile, and give you eternal life free from sin, pain, guilt, shame, and death. A new life of joy, peace, and perfection that is forever.
Dear saints, by Jesus’ wounds on the new Tree of Life, which is His cross, you have been healed. You are no longer straying like sheep but have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear saints, your God isn’t stingy. He provides everything you need spiritually and physically out of the abundance of His mercy. Here in the wilderness, Jesus feeds 5,000 men plus women and children (possibly ten to twenty thousand people total) with five loaves of bread and two fish. And this text shows how Jesus is the Shepherd described in Psalm 23.
Jesus sees this massive crowd coming toward Him. The gospel of Mark tells us that Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus restores their souls by teaching them many things (Mk. 6:34). But it looks like there is going to be a whole lotta want from this flock because Jesus’ sermon has gone long. The disciples get antsy and ask Jesus to send the crowd home because they are going to need to eat (Mk. 6:35-36).
But with Jesus as their Shepherd, so there will be no want. Jesus asks Philip, “Where are we going to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” Even today, feeding a crowd this size is a monumental task. We are blessed with farmers that can produce massive amounts of food. Trucks, trains, and railroads can transport goods measured in tons. Most stores still have ample supplies of bread, meat, cheese, and all sorts of goodies, but how many stores would you have to buy out to feed this many people? Plus, the people in Jesus’ day didn’t have all these luxuries, and because this crowd is out in the wilderness, the task is even more impossible. But, again, Jesus is the Shepherd, so this flock will have no want.
A young boy is there, and gives his little snack to Jesus. Our translation records Jesus saying, “Have the people sit down,” but it’s a bit more forceful than that, and sounds more like Psalm 23. Literally, Jesus tells the disciples, “Make the people sit down.” And where do these people sit down? In the green grass. And Jesus prepares a table for His flock. Jesus takes the bread and the fish, gives thanks, and distributes the food to the people as the disciples wait on them (Mk. 6:41).
None of the Gospels say anything about what the crowd drank, but their plates certainly ran over. And everyone eats their fill. Not only that, but while everyone is unbuckling their belts, Jesus sends the disciples out again with doggie bags. They gather up the leftovers and return with twelve baskets full. There is more food in the end than there was in the beginning.
We should remember that in this feeding of the 5,000, Jesus does what He had already been doing and is always doing everywhere throughout the entire world – providing food. Every day, Jesus feeds the billions of people throughout the world and throughout history (Ps. 104:27-28). The only difference here is that Jesus does it differently than He normally does. Of course, feeding this massive crowd with five loaves and two fish is a miracle and reveals that Jesus is God in the flesh. But don’t lose sight of the fact that the food you ate yesterday was also a gracious gift of God miraculously provided for you. You have just gotten used to God feeding you through your paycheck or your parents, then through a restaurant or grocery store, your fridge, and your stove.
Now, let’s reflect on this a little bit. I am tempted (and I suspect you are tempted as well, so I’ll lump you in with myself) we are tempted to divide our life into two parts – the spiritual part and the physical part. And the temptation goes like this: Jesus takes care of the spiritual part – the forgiveness and the eternal life part. But we’re tempted to think that we have to care of the physical part – the working and earning a living part, the eating part, the caring for family and friends part. We think, “Sure, I need mercy and grace for the spiritual part, but I need works and effort for the physical part.” But the result of this makes us live like atheists who don’t believe in God. We end up living as though God isn’t involved in giving us our daily bread. We wrongly think that our food is only the result of creation – soil, seeds, sun, water, etc. But that’s not true. God provides forgiveness and eternal life, but God also provides strength, work, money, bread, and physical life. Because Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth, He gives us what we need for the life to come, and He gives us what we need for this life.
It is true that the way God provides for us spiritually is different than how He provides for us physically. Salvation comes down from heaven, and bread comes up from the earth. But God is behind both. And in this Gospel text, and our Old Testament text (Ex. 16:2-21), God reminds us that He sometimes rains bread from heaven. Sometimes five loaves feed 5,000 men plus women and children.
And notice how Jesus provided what His flock needed in this life. He used the little snack that the boy gave to provide for His sheep. Jesus wouldn’t have needed this boy’s food to feed the crowd. But He did use it, and Jesus used it to do more than was expected. Again, there were leftovers. As the crowd unbuckles their belts, Jesus sends the disciples out a second time saying, “Gather up the leftover fragments.” Christ here isn’t worried about waste. If He was worried about waste, Jesus wouldn’t have even given as much as everyone wanted, let alone enough for everyone to totally stuff their bellies. Jesus could have provided only what was needed.
But Jesus says, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may perish.” Our translation says ‘lost,’ but it is the same word Jesus uses in Jn. 3:16. In God’s infinite love, He sent His only-begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him should not ‘perish’ (same word) but have everlasting life. In other words, every last bit of what this boy gives and Jesus’ multiplication of it is used by Jesus. Even the leftovers are useful for further provision in Christ’s kingdom. Nothing of the boy’s gift or Jesus’ multiplication of it perishes.
Dear saints, the same is still true today. Because you belong to Jesus, because you have been redeemed by His death and resurrection, everything you do is used by Jesus to further His kingdom. We are always tempted to minimize what we do in our God-given callings and vocations as though it doesn’t matter or is insignificant. But it isn’t. Don’t minimize what you do as God’s children. Don’t ever think, “Well, I’m just changing a diaper when I could be doing something more spiritually significant,” or, “God doesn’t care how I empty the dishwasher or fold the laundry,” or, “What I put in the offering plate doesn’t help as much as what so-and-so puts in because they can put in a lot more.” That simply isn’t true!
Everything you do and everything you give is used by God. Jesus makes sure none of your works or gifts perish, Christian. God takes what you do, multiplies it, and uses it for the good of your neighbor and for His kingdom. Nothing you do, Christian, will ever perish because it is holy work rendered to your neighbor in service to God. No leftovers end up in the trash. All of it is used by Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Scripture repeatedly connects water with death and life. At creation, there was chaos and darkness as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. But then God spoke, and life was brought forth (Gen. 1:2). In the Flood, God sent judgment and death upon sinful mankind by raining water on the earth for 40 days and nights, but those same waters were life-giving as they lifted Noah and his family safely in the ark above God’s judgment (1 Pet. 3:21). When Moses was born, the Hebrew baby boys were to be drowned in the waters of the Nile, but Moses was placed in a basket – his own personal ark – and saved by those waters to be found by Pharaoh’s daughter (Ex. 1:22-2:10).
After wandering in the desert for forty years, God’s people passed out of the deathly, barren wilderness and into the Promised Land by passing through the waters of the Jordan River (Jos. 3). Naaman came to the prophet, Elijah, as a man with deadly leprosy, but he washed himself in the waters of the Jordan River and came out with the skin of a newborn (2 Kg. 5:1-14). Jonah was swallowed by the great fish and brought down to the depths of the sea, but was vomited up again on dry land with new life (Jon. 1:17:2-10, Mt. 12:40).
Last but not least, in tonight’s Old Testament lesson (Ex. 14:13-31), God’s people are departing Egypt and leaving the land of slavery, leaving the brutal taskmasters, whips, despair, hopelessness, and death behind. Initially, Israel had gone to Egypt to stay alive and find a place of refuge and rescue from a severe famine (Gen. 45:4-15). In those days, Egypt was a land that offered a good home while the world was filled with desperation (Ex. 1:1-7). But things had taken a bad turn. A new pharaoh came to power and saw God’s people as a source of cheap labor. The Hebrews ended up groaning under his cruelty. The land that had provided for them became the place of pain and sorrow. The country that had been a place of life became a place of death.
God heard the cries of His people and sent Moses to deliver them out of slavery and death. It wasn’t an easy departure. It took ten terrible plagues to convince Pharaoh to let them leave and go to the land that God had promised to give to Abraham and his offspring. But the Hebrews only got as far as the Red Sea when Pharaoh had another change of heart. Now, God’s people were stuck between a big body of water on one side and Pharaoh and his army on the other.
God told Moses to lift his staff over the sea, and the waters parted so God’s people could pass through on dry ground. Through the water, God’s people left slavery and death and begin their journey from their exile in Egypt back to the Promised Land. The Egyptian army pursued them through those waters, but it didn’t work. The walls of the sea collapsed on Pharaoh’s army. The Lord did, indeed, fight for His people, and they had only to be silent (Ex. 14:14). The evil tormentors of God’s people were all washed away. The waters of the Red Sea were an instrument of both life and death. The same waters that destroyed the enemies of God’s people are the waters that save them. The waters that killed also delivered.
Dear saints, the world around is is getting very bleak. Yes, we live in the land of the free, but the darkness of evil is gathering around us. Like the Hebrews when they initially entered Egypt, we’ve had remarkably blessed days, but that is changing daily before our eyes. The novelist, G. David Hopf wrote, “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.” The good times that have been a blessing from God, have created weak men. We are watching inflation soar. We see the potential for horrific wars. The holocaust of abortion continues to rage around us. And our culture has become so open-minded that brains are falling out. For example, yesterday, the supreme court nominee said that she was unable to define what a woman is during her confirmation hearing. Stating simple truths are now considered “hate speech.” It may be that hard times and persecution are looming large before us. Dear Christian, be ready. Our beloved country might turn into a land of slavery. Lord, have mercy.
But even if that isn’t the case and we enjoy more good days, it doesn’t change the fact that we are all slaves of sin and death. We continually sin in thought, word, and deed. We do not love God with our whole heart or our neighbors as ourselves. We need a Savior and deliverer. We need to be rescued from the demons. And, God be praised, God has come and fought for us to deliver us from every oppression.
In our Gospel lesson tonight (Mk. 1:9-13), Jesus came to the Jordan River. Scripture tells us that in those same waters, the people of Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan were going to John to be baptized as they confessed their sins (Mt. 3:5-6). Jesus also went into that water to be baptized. But Christ didn’t need to be washed clean of sin because He didn’t have any. Instead, Jesus went down into those waters, and like a sponge, He absorbed those sins into Himself. After Jesus was baptized, He was driven by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness bringing those sins back to Satan, the father of sin.
In His baptism, Jesus began to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world (2 Cor. 5:21, Jn. 1:29). In Jesus, God has condemned sin in the flesh (Ro. 8:3). By taking our sin, going to the cross, and suffering God’s wrath against your sin, Jesus prepared you for your own journey into and through the waters of Baptism. In your Baptism, your old, sinful nature was drowned (Ro. 6:3-8), and your sin, all your sin, is washed away. God promises that in your Baptism, you have everlasting life and are delivered from your exile. Dear saints, continue to believe what God has promised you. Because of what Jesus has done for you, heaven has been torn open so you can pass safely through this world of sin and into the promised land of the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “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.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 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.”
27 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!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
This text is so full and rich, I could easily preach 847 sermons on it, but you’re only going to get one today. To some of you, “Sorry,” and to the rest of you, “You’re welcome.” Today, we’re mainly going to focus on the little parable that Jesus tells in v. 21-22 and then carry what we learn there to the blessing that Jesus gives to you in v. 28. But to do that, let’s quickly highlight a few things from the opening of the reading to get the context.
Jesus has cast out a demon that made a man mute. Some of the people marvel at this exorcism, but some (Mt. 12:24 tells us that they are Pharisees) say that it is only by the power of Beelzebul, which was a name for the devil, that Jesus can do this. Earlier this week, Anna asked me what text I was going to be preaching on I summarized the text. When I told her about the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of demons, she said, “That’s so dumb.” Yup. And Jesus addresses the absurdity (v. 17-20). Then, He says something very important to set up the parable. “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The grammar there makes it clear that Jesus says that it is, indeed, by God’s finger that He casts out demons which means that the kingdom of God has arrived. Christ the King is bringing the kingdom of God with Him as He throws out the demons He has defeated. Then, Jesus tells everyone what is going with this little parable.
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than [the strong man] attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides the spoil.” Let’s dissect this. The strong man with all his armor is the devil, the palace that the devil is guarding is the entire world which is under his power, and the goods that he is guarding are all sinners. Until Christ claims us as His own, we were under the rulership of Satan and the demons. Col. 1:16 says, “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”
Now, please don’t misunderstand this. Typically, when we think of people demons influencing people, scenes from the movie The Exorcist come to our minds. We do see that a few times in the Gospels. In this text, the demon makes the man mute. In Mt. 17:14-15, there is a demon-possessed boy who is repeatedly thrown into fire and water. Or the man who was possessed by the demon, Legion, who lived among tombs and could not be bound (Mk. 5:2-5). But that type of extreme demonic possession is extremely rare in Scripture; in fact, it never happens in the entire Old Testament. We only see it a few times in the Gospels and a couple of times in the book of Acts (16:16-18, 19:15-16). Most of the time, the Bible links what we think of as common illness with unclean spirits (Mt. 4:24, 8:16, 10:1; Mk. 1:32-34, 6:13; Lk. 9:1; Act. 5:16, 19:12). I’ve got a whole slew of references for that, and if you’re interested, just ask me after the service.
So yes, this extreme demonic possession does happen, but it is rare. What we do regularly see, throughout Scripture, is demonic influence and temptations. Just think of Job. When the devil went after Job, it was manifest with loss of property, children, and health. Because Job’s friends and wife only see that and can’t see that the devil is behind all of this, they wrongly think that Job has some secret sin that he must confess and repent. But they’re just plain wrong.
So, for you Christians here today, remember demons are real, and they do pester us trying to get us to fall into unbelief. But normally, they do so with things that disguise their evil intent. But Scripture helps us see through their disguise. It is right to recognize that the pandemic, the divisions in our families and country, and the wars and rumors of wars[1] are all demonic. And it is right to see every stolen car; every case of cancer; and every addiction, struggle, temptation, and fear we have as a demonic attack. Recognizing this will help us do two things. One, it will drive us to prayer, and two, it will help us to have sympathy and patience when others wrong us instead of hating them.
Now, the eeriest part of this little parable is the condition of those who are guarded by the devil. Our translation reads, “his goods are safe,” which makes it sound like Jesus is saying there that the devil’s very powerful in his armor and palace. But that isn’t what Jesus is highlighting with that phrase. What Jesus says there is literally, “his goods are in peace.” The picture is that those under the control of the devil are content, safely tucked away, and quietly and lying there with no desire to leave the devil’s palace. Those who are under the control of the devil and his demons have grown so accustomed to being under his watchful eye with his strong armor that they don’t like it when they see Jesus, the stronger man, stripping the devil of all his protection and leaving him in nothing but his underwear. Those under the guardianship of Satan don’t like seeing their fellow goods are being plundered and taken away.
But, dear saints, here is the good news: Christ has come to disturb the evil, demonic peace of Satan’s kingdom. In fact, the devil has been dealt a fatal blow; his head has been crushed by Jesus, the promised Seed of Eve (Gen. 3:15). And as the days get more and more evil, that evil is a sign of Christ’s victory over all the forces of darkness. The kingdom and domain of Satan is chaotic today precisely because Christ come bringing the kingdom of God with Him. The kingdom of God disrupts the peace of the devil’s goods and brings true peace. What the crowd was witnessing in this text – and, quite frankly, what we are witnessing today – is not some demons fighting against other demons trying to see who is the strongest. Instead, we are witnessing Satan being unseated. Jesus is the stronger man who flicks away the demons with His finger and brings God’s true peace.
Dear saints, the battle is won. You are the prize, the treasure, and the spoil. Christ has come and given His life for you. His blood covers you and cleanses you as a bride adorned for her husband (Eph. 5:25-27, Rev. 21:2). The war has been won by the Word of God. The Word of God speaks you righteous and clean, which brings us to that final verse.
Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” We know what it is to hear God’s Word, but what does it mean to ‘keep’ it? A lot of times, we think to ‘keep’ God’s Word is equivalent to obeying it. Yes, of course, we absolutely should obey God’s commands. But the devil wants you to think that only those who perfectly keep God’s commands are blessed so you think this blessing of Jesus isn’t for you. In other words, Satan wants to steal this blessing from you and make you think it doesn’t really apply to you. But the devil is a liar.
The word that Jesus uses here for ‘keep’ is the exact same word Jesus used to describe what the strong man did with his goods in v. 21 – he ‘guarded’ and protected them. Jesus’ blessing reads like this, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and guard it.”
Dear saints, Jesus calls you to a life of faith which wars against the demons by guarding the promises God has spoken to you. So, hear God’s Word and guard it, hold on to it, and treasure it. That is precisely what you are doing now. As you sit there listening to this sermon, you are engaging in spiritual warfare, and the devil is losing. So, keep listening, keep learning, keep repenting, believing, and trusting that God is good and that He loves you and has bought and won you through Christ’s death and resurrection because He has.
The spiritual warfare you are called to is made up of the little things of hearing God’s Word, coming to church, attending Bible study, talking with your children about God, and praying. In these quiet, simple things, the devil is stripped of his armor and his goods are plundered. By hearing and guarding God’s Word, you set up a barrier and sanctuary for yourself and your children. When you hear and guard God’s Word, you are engaging the enemy and reinforcing the defenses of the saints.
It doesn’t matter how strong the forces of evil appear to be. They have lost. Jesus has come bringing His kingdom with Him. Christ flicks away the demons like flies. Their demonic peace has been disturbed by Jesus. And He has freely given you true, eternal, abiding, and everlasting peace. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
[1] The wars and rumors of wars are demonic even though they are signs that Jesus gives us to be looking for His return (Mt. 24:6, Mk. 13:7) and should cause us to raise up our heads because it means our redemption is drawing near (Lk. 21:28).
Pastorsamwise 
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