This sermon was delivered for the chapel service at Hope Christian Academy (formerly Huron Valley Lutheran High School) in Westland, Michigan.
JUDGMENT FOR THE DEVIL.
In
the name + of Jesus.
A common theme in movies is the bully who finally meets his match. The story shows the bully mercilessly mocking and threatening and beating up a sympathetic character. The star athlete picks on the kid in the chess club. The bully also has groupies who congratulate him every time he belittles other people. This goes on for a while, making you feel sorrier and sorrier for the one who is picked on. Eventually, a hero steps in. Maybe the kid in the chess club gets superpowers. Maybe someone else shows up who challenges the bully. The climax of the movie comes when the bully is humiliated and rendered powerless. This formula works every time because we all want to see justice done. We want to see the good guy win in the end, and we want to see the villain pay the price.
Occasionally, the formula means that the
hero dies to save others. That formula
should sound familiar. The battle of good
versus evil, especially the good man dying to save others, is taken from the Scriptures. Its origin goes back to the Garden of
Eden. There, the devil deceived Adam and
Eve. He convinced them that God did not
love them. Why else would he forbid them
from eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? He declared that happiness comes from taking
what you want whether it is forbidden or not.
Adam and Eve bought the devil’s lie.
The devil ensnared them, overpowered them, and claimed them as his own.
We have not gotten any smarter or any
better. St. Paul wrote, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” (2
Corinthians 4:4). The devil is the god of this world. All people enter this world in sin and unbelief. The ancient serpent holds us in his grip. He wraps himself around our thinking and influences
our will. This is why we do not see God’s
word as good, but oppressive. We conclude
that God withholds things from us because he does not want us to have fun. The devil convinces us that happiness comes
from taking what we want, whether it is forbidden or not. Why else do people celebrate drunkenness and
revenge? Why else do we devote energy
and time to satisfy our lusts and our greed?
Why else do we gossip, slander, and post insults on social media? The devil deceives us into thinking that this
is how we will find purpose and happiness.
But just like in the Garden of Eden, we discover that the devil’s lies
result in shame and death. Repent.
The god of this
age had blinded us, but Jesus Christ came to enlighten us. He shows us that God is not the enemy; he is loving. His Law is not oppressive; it is good. When God forbids us from doing things, he is
teaching us to avoid what harms and destroys.
It is like he is saying, “Don’t poke your eye with this stick. Don’t eat too much chocolate or you will get
sick.” This is not to rob you of fun,
but to save you from shame.
Jesus also enlightens
you to see that he delivers you from death, that he covers your shame, and that
he rescues you from the devil. Jesus
gave himself in exchange for you. The
devil, like a serpent, latched onto Jesus to consume him. If he could destroy Jesus, he would be able
to devour the whole world. So, all our
sins were taken up by Jesus. The full
curse of death was thrust upon him. He
died bearing the curse of all.
Even though the death
of Jesus results in the payment for all sins, the devil could not help himself when
he had the opportunity to put Jesus to death.
He chomped onto Jesus like a fish takes the bait. But just as the giant fish vomited up Jonah,
so death and the grave vomited up Jesus on the third day. The death blow dealt by the devil was
overcome. Jesus has crushed the ancient
serpent underfoot and has nullified the devil’s reign. He has rescued the devil’s captives, which is
you. You are free from sin, delivered
from death, and victors over the devil thanks to Jesus. The bully has been humiliated, and he is
rendered powerless.
Nevertheless, St.
Peter wrote, “Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). St.
Peter wrote that to Christians, to people who had been delivered by Jesus. The devil continues to bully Christians. He will make you revisit your past. He will remind you of the shameful way to you
spoke to your parents, the pain you caused when you mocked your friend, and the
lack of sensitivity when you laughed at someone else’s problems. As you continue to go through life, that
playlist will get longer. The Accuser will
reissue the charges and rip open wounds that you thought were healed. That bully will never stop his attacks. He will taunt you so that you might give up hope.
But you have been
given a sure and certain hope in Jesus.
Jesus is the strong one who fends off the bully. As long as you remain in Jesus, the devil
cannot have you. While the devil will
present the truth when he accuses you of your sins, the devil is a liar. The lie is that your sins still cling to
you. Jesus has taken them away. Jesus continues to absolve and encourage
through his word. He exposes the devil’s
lies. He protects you through his
promises. He feeds and strengthens you in
Holy Communion so that you do not grow weary in your struggle. This is why the Church gathers every week to
hear God’s word and to partake in the Holy Supper. We get to feast on the body and blood which
have overcome death and the devil. By this,
you are kept safe. If you continue in
this, the devil cannot snatch you back.
Jesus is the hero who
delivers you from that demonic bully.
The Accuser stands accused and condemned. The sentencing of Satan will finally be
executed at the final judgment. His verdict
has already been announced. He has no
hope, no future, no second chance. And
he knows it. That is why he seeks you so
relentlessly.
But the devil has
been vanquished. No matter how much he
taunts, Jesus’ word overrules the devil.
Jesus has brought you under his reign of peace and joy. And the day is coming when he will forever
silence every lie, every accusation, and every plague of the devil. Jesus will cast the devil and his demons into
the lake of fire. It is a fire that will
never be extinguished. It will inflict
torment forever. The bully, who sought
to consume and torment us for eternity, will suffer eternally. The devil, who strives to steal and destroy what
the eternal God has made, will suffer eternal banishment.
In the movies,
when the bully finally gets his comeuppance, the audience gets a great sense of
relief. Justice was done; the bully cannot
cause harm anymore. How much greater our
joy will be when the father of lies is forever silent, when the prowling lion
poses no threat, and when the great Dragon can no longer breathe fire because
he is being consumed by it.
God’s people will
be secure. That battles against sin and
temptation will be over. We will dwell
with God. And we will rejoice. For, the enemy is dead, and Jesus lives.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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