Luke 4 Jesus and demons

"This is my son, the chosen one. Listen to him!" Luke 9:35

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!" And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. (Luke 4:31-37 ESV)

They were astonished at his teaching because his words possessed authority. Jesus didn't talk just to hear himself speak. There were times when he was silent or said very little. But when he spoke the truth of God, it was with power. People clearly didn't always understand what he was talking about. But they recognized the power and authority with which he spoke. For good reason, too. Who is a better authority on God than God's son? Who is a better authority in the kingdom of heaven than one who lives in heaven? Who better understands the law and the prophets than the one whose spirit caused the prophets to speak? Jesus was there when the world was created, he was there when Moses led the Israelites from Egypt, when Abraham and Sarah laughed, when Elijah took on the prophets of Baal (he may have handed his father the lighter when they set the altar on fire!). Jesus watched Jonah in the belly of the fish, knowing that the purpose was not just to save Ninevah, but to serve as a sign that he would save the whole world. Jesus, many people think, was the 4th man in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. What better historian than the one who wrote history?

You better believe that Jesus spoke with authority. He spoke and the wind and waves were still. He spoke and Lazarus came out of the tomb. He spoke and the centurion's son was made well. He spoke and hundreds of fish leapt into Peter's net. Jesus spoke and the paralyzed man's sins were forgiven. Right on! Jesus speaks with authority!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 9-14 ESV).

The world was created through him! God spoke things into being through Jesus. He was there in the beginning, he put on human clothes to dwell among us and provide out salvation. John saw Jesus's glory first-hand when he was transfigured and when he rose from the dead.

Jesus speaks with a voice so strong that it shakes our hearts 2,000 years after his death an resurrection. His voice still works miracles even today, it changes hearts and brings dead men to life even now.  Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts! He sustains all things with his powerful word.  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV).

Discussion question -

How does Jesus speak today?

Why don't we hear him (more often)?

"And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God."

Who/what are demons? Angels are God's messengers/helpers/warriors sent to do his will on our behalf.

Demons are the opposite - if angels are protectors and guardians, demons are destroyers. As in the Screwtape letters C.S. Lewis, their job is to make sure we don't have faith, don't walk with Christ, and don't follow his teaching. Their job is to get us to hell!

I'm not an expert on demons, so we're not going to get super in depth in them today, but I will share a couple of important background thoughts. There is a war going on between Good and Evil, God and the Devil, and the souls of men are at stake in the battle. Jesus, of course wins the war, but Satan fought and continues to fight for any consolation prize he could claim.

Do we need to fear demons/Satan? Yes and no. It's kind of like Alabama playing Louisiana-Monroe in football. Alabama wins the game every time. . .unless they don't take all the necessary steps to win. . .recruiting, spring and summer practice, running plays, watching tape, lifting weights, etc. Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil on the cross, right? So we have no reason to fear. . .unless we fail to pray, unless we don't study the scriptures, unless we don't go to church an have fellowship with other believers, unless we don't actively work at loving our neighbor. The devil is defeated, but that does not mean we give him a foothold.

**Yes, that really happened

Luther had some battles with devils (the term he use for demons), and the way he dealt with them is both wise and hilarious.  Some of his writings are below:

"To make light of the Devil is to distort faith. "The only way to drive away the Devil is through faith in Christ, by saying: ‘I have been baptized, I am a Christian.'"

"Why should you fear? Why should you be afraid? Do you not know that the prince of this world has been judged? He is no lord, no prince any more. You have a different, a stronger Lord, Christ, who has overcome and bound him. Therefore let the prince and god of this world look sour, bare his teeth, make a great noise, threaten, and act in an unmannerly way; he can do no more than a bad dog on a chain, which may bark, run here and there, and tear at the chain. But because it is tied and you avoid it, it cannot bite you. So the devil acts toward every Christian. Therefore everything depends on this that we do not feel secure but continue in the fear of God and in prayer; then the chained dog cannot harm us. But this chained dog may at least frighten him who would be secure and go ahead without caution, although he may not come close enough to be bitten."

"Experience is required, gathered in many kinds of bouts and temptations, to be able to meet the devil when he comes and enters into judgment with us, wants us pious, and, on the basis of the Law, argues with us about what it means to have done right or not. Before an untried and inexperienced Christian has learned his lesson, the devil has so disturbed him that he must fear and tremble and does not know which way to turn. Therefore we must learn to cling to Christ's Word and comfort alone and to permit the devil no argument about our own works or piety."

"Let us learn clearly to recognize the tricks and subtleties of the devil. No heretic comes in the name of error or Satan, nor does the devil himself come as devil, especially not the white one. . . . . In spiritual matters, not the black but the white devil operates and presents himself in angelic and divine guise. . . . . Therefore Paul ironically calls the doctrine of the false apostles, the minister of Satan, a gospel.  The white good-looking devil is the one who does the most harm, the devil who eggs people on to commit spiritual sins, which are not regarded as sins at all but as pure righteousness and are defended as such. . . . . Therefore he must embellish them with a fine appearance and gloss them over with these holy names: God's Word, the worship of God, a divine life, etc."

Luther throws his inkwell at the devil

"One does not gain much ground against the devil with a lengthy disputation but with brief words and replies, such as, "I am a Christian, of the same flesh and blood as is my Lord Christ, the Son of God. Settle your account with him." Then the devil does not stay long."

Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, we tremble not, we fear no ill, they shall not overpower us. This world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will, he can harm us none, he's judged; the deed is done; one little word can fell him. (from A Mighty Fortress is our God)

When the devil comes during the night to plague me, I give him this answer: "Devil, I must sleep now; for this is God's command: Work during the day, sleep at night." If he does not stop to vex me but faces me with my sins, I reply: "Dear devil, I have heard the record. But I have committed far more sins which do not even stand in your record. Put them down too. . . . . "

"The devil has often raised a racket in the house and has tried to scare me, but I appealed to my calling and said, "I know that God has placed me into this house to be lord here. Now if you have a call that is stronger than mine and are lord here, then stay where you are. But I well know that you are not lord here and that you belong in a different place - down in hell." And so I fell asleep again and let him be angry, for I well knew that he could do nothing to me."

"God uses the devil and the evil angels. They, of course, desire to ruin everything; but God blocks them, unless a well-earned scourging is in order. God allows pestilence, war, or some other plague to come, that we may humble ourselves before him, fear him, hold to him, and call upon him. When God has accomplished these purposes through the scourge, then the good angels come again to perform their office. They bid the devil stop the pestilence, war, and famine. So the devil must serve us with the very thing with which he plans to injure us; for God is such a great Master that he is able to turn even the wickedness of the devil into good."

"When God's holy Word arises, it is always its lot that Satan opposes it with all his might. At first, he rages against it with force and wicked power. If that promises no success, he attacks it with false tongues and erring spirits and teachers. What he is unable to crush by force he seeks to suppress by cunning and lies. This was his strategy at the beginning. When the Gospel first came into the world, he launched a mighty attack against it through Jews and Gentiles, shed much blood, and filled Christendom with martyrs. When this did not succeed, he raised false prophets and erring spirits and filled the world with heretics... And we must be prepared for this, and by no means allow it to disturb us, for so it must be, as Paul tells the Corinthians: 'There must also be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest (1 Corinthians 11:19).'"

"All the cunning of the devil is exercised in trying to tear us away from the Word. If in the external preaching he does not succeed in making people unwilling to hear the Word, yet he succeeds in the heart by persuading them not to cling to it."

* All the quotations are taken from the Ewald Plass, What Luther Says, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), pp. 391-404.  http://www.issuesetcarchive.org/issues_site/resource/journals/luther.htm 

Check out this teaching about Baptism in the Missouri Synod Lutheran hymnal.  We're pretty familiar with the idea that God uses baptism to bring salvation.  It's a symbol of death and resurrection, but also, it's quite literally an exorcism.  

Dearly beloved, Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In the last chapter of Mark our Lord promises, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” And the apostle Peter has written, “Baptism now saves you.” Matthew 28:18b–19; Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21

The Word of God also teaches that we are all conceived and born sinful and are under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own.

Therefore, depart, you unclean spirit, and make room for the Holy Spirit in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Later in the baptism service we use this intro to the apostles creed:

Pastor:  do you renounce the devil?

Response: Yes, I renounce him.

Pastor: Do you renounce all his works?

Response: Yes, I renounce them.

Pastor: Do you renounce all his ways?

Response: Yes, I renounce them.

Pastor: Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth?

Response: Yes, I believe.

Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead?

Response: Yes, I believe.

So, there is no reason to fear the evil one, but there is reason to be wise and empowered - the one who is in us (Jesus) is greater than the one who is in the world (Satan).  Remember God's word, remember the power of his salvation, and walk in his grace!  

Back to our lesson - the demon knows who Jesus is - "And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God." Isn't that crazy! Jesus just finished preaching in the synagogue and the people of his hometown not only didn't recognize his teaching or power - they tried to kill him. The pharisees won't recognize Jesus for who he is. Pilate and the Romans won't believe in him. But his adversary recognizes him immediately.

Question - the demon knows who Jesus is and confesses that he is the Messiah - is the demon a Christian?

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (James 2:18, 19 ESV)

The demon doesn't have faith in Jesus - it can't as far as I know. What makes a demon a demon is that it knows of Christ and his power - that he is the messiah, but rather than receiving this good news for salvation, the demon rejects Jesus and his authority. The demon/devil takes joy in the things that are not of Christ - sin, death, etc. It's purpose is to oppose Christ and his purposes. But ironically, just like Jesus's death on the cross, even what Satan intends to use for evil, God can use for good.

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" Again, Jesus speaks with authority, telling the demon to shut up and scram!

And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out! (Luke 4:36 ESV)

Good grief people - what is this power? It is Jesus, Lord of Heaven and earth, standing right in front of you - the demon knows, so should you!!  But instead of worshiping the miracle worker, they praise the miracle.  What did he say, I want to learn that magic? How do I repeat that?  If you ever met Jimmy Hendrix, you wouldn't say - "Dude, can you help me flip around the strings on my strat so I can play left-handed like you?"  No, you would say, "Dude you're so cool, if I had 14 fingers I could never play like you!  Woodstock was awesome, man!" **obviously hypothetical.

After this, Jesus goes on a sickness-healing, demon-rebuking rampage. Again, he is demonstrating his authority and divinity. Think how much time and money our society spends fighting sickness - doctors like my wife are amazing. But the best doctor would be jealous of Jesus' power - he doesn't have to use a stethoscope, x-ray machine, draw blood labs, or prescribe medicine. He just says the word and sickness vanishes. He heals the body and the spirit - his dad made us out of dust, and Jesus has the power to remake us.

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ." (Luke 4:38-41 ESV)

Why doesn't Jesus let the demons speak? Why are they so eager to call him the Christ?

They know, as Jesus does, that the religious people will get angry and try to kill a man who claims to be the messiah. They are trying to cut short his ministry. But just as we concluded last week, no one, even the devil and his minions, can take Jesus's life. Jesus must voluntarily lay it down when it is time.