Luke 9:37-43, 11:14-23
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.’
We’re continuing along our journey through Lent with our sermon series entitled, “The Hand of the Lord.” Each week we explore the mighty and gracious deeds of our Lord as performed by his hands. We know Jesus was a great teacher and answered many mysteries about our God. But wisdom only goes so far. There have been many wise teachers throughout history. It is Jesus’ miraculous deeds coupled with his teachings that truly set him apart from all the wise teachers before him and since him. Not to mention his resurrection and conquering of sin and death. Wisdom, miraculous deeds, resurrection…no one has done what Jesus has and continues to do! We ought to stand in awe of his mighty power!
But we’re focusing on his miraculous deeds throughout this season. Last week we reflected on Jesus’ disciples being stuck on the sea during a storm and Jesus’ walking on the water to reach them. Jesus called Peter out on the water, but fear and doubt got the better of him and he began to sink. Jesus reached out his hand and saved Peter from sinking, just as he reaches out his hand to save us when our own fears and doubts cause us to sink in life. Today, we get more specific on how Jesus saves us. The two people in our reading were overpowered by demons, causing them to convulse and not be able to speak. Jesus presumably placed his hands on the two people and cast the demons out. It doesn’t say this in the text, but Jesus does say, “…it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons.” It is the hands of God working through the hands of Jesus that enabled Jesus to cast out the demons.
Now then, the whole notion of “demons” seems, to many, to be an outdated expression. Whoever talks about demons and being possessed by demons anymore? We’ve relegated demons to our horror movies or scary stories. No, the “demons” that afflict people today tend to be cast out by science and medicine. If a person is experiencing convulsions or seizures, then there is medicine available to treat them. If a person isn’t able to speak, then it is considered a physiological problem that is treated with medicine or physical therapy. But as good as medicine is in healing physiological problems, there are many psychological and spiritual problems that can’t be treated by science and medicine. There are plenty of psychological and spiritual sicknesses that can afflict people that are difficult to treat. Not difficult, just require a different treatment. Many people consider addiction to be only a physical sickness without considering the psychological and spiritual sickness beneath it. They fail to consider the psychological and spiritual “demons” afflicting a person through addiction. A different type of treatment is needed for conquering such demons.
Jesus conquers such demons. In Jesus there is nothing but life and freedom. Jesus renders such demons powerless. There are many “demons” that can afflict our minds and hearts, and Jesus knows how best to treat them. Let us place our trust in his care and give thanks for it. Thanks be to God!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
