✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠
The Word of the Lord Endures Forever
Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum
Luke 11,14-28 1820
Oculi 026 Vigintisexgesima 26 days to Good Friday
Longinus, the soldier who pierced the side of the Lord, Martyr 1st cent.
15. März 2020
1. O Jesus Christ, God of life, remove the uncertainty and fear that we may have when You tell us to follow You, so that uncertainty yields to certainty and fear leads to trust, for You are trustworthy and true. Amen. (VELKD Weekly Prayer for Oculi 2020 § 1)
2. »Now Jesus 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, testing Him, were seeking from Him a sign from heaven. But He, having known their thoughts, said to them: „Every kingdom having been divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also was divided against himself, how will his kingdom be standing? 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 reign of God has arrived upon you. When a strong man, having been armed, continually guards his own palace, his possessions are safe; but when one stronger than him having attacked him and simply conquers him, he takes away his full armor in which he had trusted and divides his spoils. Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.“«
3. Last week we heard how Jesus continues to destroy the works of the Devil by healing a demon possessed Canaanite girl. In today’s Gospel pericope Jesus cast out another demon; this one had caused a man to become mute.
4. Twice now, our Lenten Gospels tell us about Jesus casting out demons. This sort of thing was unheard of in the Old Testament. King Saul was tormented by an evil spirit sent from God (1. Samuel 16,14); Satan was allowed to inflict Job with several severe trials (Job 1,12-19; 2,5-7). But in the Old Testament there is no demon possession like we find in the Gospels. This began to change about 100 years before Jesus was born. Jewish rabbinic literature during that time begins to mention demonic possession. Demonic activity now begins to take on cosmic dimensions: demons do not merely harass and trouble people, now they engage in a conflict that is waged between the Lord and Satan. Some theologians throughout the ages have pondered this increased manifestation as the Devil sensed that God was about to do something really game changing and so he upped his malevolence within the world. That game changing move was the arrival of the Son of God to redeem humanity from the clutches of Satan, hence the increased amount to get demonic activity that Jesus encountered and victoriously freed people from. Jesus shows and proves that He is stronger than the demons and their prince, the Devil.
5. These Gospel pericopes are read at an auspicious time for us. The world is gripped by the fear and panic over COVID-19. Go to the supermarket and you will be hard-pressed to find toilet paper and sanitizer; people are acting like it is the end of the world. WHO has declared this outbreak as a global health emergency and a pandemic. The president has declared a state of national emergency. The stock markets have plummeted, rise and fall and rise again each day, sporting events are being canceled and international travel is being limited or outright halted. The world has faced, endured and triumphed over such pandemics before. Martin Luther wrote an letter in 1527 concerning the Black Death (LW 43,119-38). He outlines a practical reflection on the Christians response to suffering and death. Ministers are to strengthen their parishioners with the Word and Sacraments. Mayors and public officials are to maintain civic order. Doctors and police officers must continue their duties and help the public. Luther does not encourage Christians to recklessly expose themselves to danger. He exhorts us to honor the sanctity of one’s own life, and to also honor the sanctity of those sick and in need. He exhorts us to follow the advice of our political leaders and doctors, such as hygiene, quarantines, making use of medicines, etc.
6. Luther reminds us that we put our trust in Christ who has the power and authority over demons, sickness and viruses. His ministry as the Christ was to show the world that the Son of God loves them, desires to help them and redeem them from their sins. The real fear is that viruses like COVID-19 have the power to kill; these viruses are part of the curse God has imposed upon the children of Adam for his sin. The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18,20). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6,23).
7. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6,23). Jesus told the Jews who were skeptical of where He derives authority over the demons: »If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the reign of God has descended upon you.« The Devil is a strong man who guards his possessions, but Jesus is the Stronger Man who has attacked and conquered the Devil, has taken away his full armor and has plundered his spoils. In Luke 11 Jesus defeated the Devil’s minion, plundered his spoils and freedom a man from the possession of the Devil. The man now belongs to Christ.
8. Christ has done the same for each of us in our Baptism. Once we were thralls of the Devil, but now we are sons and daughters of Christ the King. Jesus has redeemed us through His death and resurrection; our Baptism unites us to Christ and His death and resurrection. We are His. Pandemics and viruses will continue to plague us until Jesus returns. Neither epidemics nor death shall separate us from the Lord and His love for us. He gives us wisdom, common sense, doctors and scientists who create medicines to cure and protect us; He will restore us; panic and financial disorder will yield to calm and order. In all this, we take up our cross and continue to follow Jesus to Calvary where He decisively triumphed over sin, death and the Devil.
9. Last week we heard how Jesus has power over the demons. Today He exhibits that authority again and does so with the authority that is His as the Son of God. Next week we will hear how Jesus fed thousands with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Trust in Him to provide for you, and receive the Sacrament with joy and peace for in it you receive the forgiveness of your sins. Amen.
10. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who set Your eyes upon Jerusalem and Your cross; give us strength to not look back at the tribulations and pandemics of this world where there is only fear, but set our eyes upon You, so that we call upon You who is the Giver of Life. Amen.
To God alone be the Glory
Soli Deo Gloria
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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern.
VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2020 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands.
Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works, Vol. 43: Devotional Writings II. „Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague“. Martin O. Dietrich & Helmut. T. Lehmann, Ed. Copyright © 1968 Fortress Press: Philadelphia.
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