Johann Heermann – Oculi (Luke 11)
Translated and abbreviated by Matthew Carver, 2012.
EPIGRAM.
“Be faithful, pray, with wary sight:
For great is Satan’s craft and might”
INVOCATION.
In the name of Jesus, the almighty Patron and Protector of every Christian believer, who is sufficiently able to overpower the strong, armed devil, and loose from his tyranny men both bodily and spiritually possessed: who is Blessed forever and ever. Amen.
The ancient Doctor Chrysostom said, “Just as a tempest is ever upon the sea, so the persecution which Satan wreaks is ever in the world.” “Deep guile and great might / Are his dread arms in fight.” Of such violent power and tyranny we have clear picture in today’s Gospel in the poor possessed man. And if we just look around in the world a little, there are plentiful examples of such persons before our eyes, whom Satan has pitilessly overpowered and possessed. Do you think this incredible? All right, I will make it clear to you in this sermon. Now then, that it may be done with profit, join me in invoking God for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and, after we have sung “God the Father, be our stay…” then pray the Our Father with faith.
Hear the Gospel account which is written in St. Luke, the eleventh chapter.
ILLUSTRATION
[Woodcut: Jesus, with his disciples beside him to the right, gestures toward a man being carried by two others and from whose mouth a small winged worm flies upward in a cloud of smoke]
Legend: Before the finger of the Lord the speechless devil flees,
ANd from the body of his speechless host takes his disease.
Lift Jesus’ goodness up, and serve Him faithfully,
Who by His blood releases you from Satan’s tyranny.
TEXT
“And Jesus drove out a devil that was mute…that hear God’s Word and keep it.”
SERMON
I. Introduction.
We read of the shepherd David a story which he told King Saul: Your servant keeps his father’s sheep, and a lion and a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, and I ran after them and saved it from its mouth. ANd when it turned against me, I took it by the mane and struck it and slew it. Thus did your servant beat both lions and bears.” Of far more interest is the account of the heavenly David, our faithful Arch-shepherd Christ Jesus, described in the text of the Gospel of Luke just read.
The roaring lion from the pit of hell, Satan, came to Christ’s flock, seized a poor lamb, a reasonable man, and so miserably afflicted him that he could neither see, hear, nor speak. But Jesus faced the infernal lion, mightily wrested the spoil form his jaws, and delivered the poor lamb. The devil left him, and the mute man began to speak perfectly. This account is very frightening, yet also wholly comforting. Who is not frightened by the power and wickedness of the evil foe, who, when he is permitted, bodily possesses a man, such as this mute, afflicts his body, as Job experienced, disquiets his heart, as Saul felt, charms his senses, as happened to Nebuchadnezzar; yea, even kills him, as he did to Sarah’s seven men. Yet it is very comforting that Christ is stronger than Satan. When our Redeemer commands him, or even just waves His hand, he is forced to withdraw and depart.
Daniel destroyed and put to shame the idols of Babylon which everyone honored. Today the Lord Jesus drives out of the world the infernal dragon, the devil, whom the world fears and honors as a false god, showing thereby that He is far stronger than the strong, armed Beelzebul. Whoever else is found with this Lord today, he too will be defended from all the guile and might of Satan and preserved unto salvation.
Many wonderful doctrines are presented to us in this Gospel, but since it would be too much to expound all of them on one occasion, I will hold your attention in this devotion through pleasant brevity of speech, and at this time treat only of one main point: “How the evil foe still takes spiritual possession of men today, and how one can be released from such possession and armed and defended against the devil so that he does not reclaim his former lodging.”
God the Father be our stay and help us so to do. Amen.
I. LAMENT: Satan cripples the tongue so that it cannot speak and pray, blinds the eyes so that they cannot see God’s noble creations and works, stops the ears and deafens so that he cannot hear and receive instruction and comfort, and possesses him bodily and dwells in his heart. God’s house becomes a filthy abode of the devil. Is this not to be lamented? Chrysostom: “O shameful cunning of the devil! He has barred every way by which the man has to believe.” Although such tragic spectacles of bodily possession are not found so much any more, Satan still rages and works nonetheless. Isidore: The closer he sees the end of the world coming, the more violently he persecutes and afflicts Christians, for he knows that he will soon be cast into damnation, so he wants to enlarge his company and multiply the number of those with whom he will be sent to the flames and suffer eternal torment.
He possesses many spiritually, through which the bodily possession of this man is portrayed:
A. When they should confess or praise or pray, they are made dumb.
1. As the wolf takes a lamb by the throat, chokes it so that it cannot bleat and wake the shepherd; likewise, Satan… etc.
2. As when a sick man loses the faculty of speech, his death is thought to be near; so when a sinner cannot pray, etc., his salvation is in danger.
B. When they should see the truth about God and their own condemnation, they are blinded to Jesus’ love, Satan’s wiles, the bliss of heaven and the eternal torment of hell.
1. As the eagle puts sand in its wings to blind the hart so that it can kill it, Satan swoops down full of pleasures, riches, and pride, and blinds us with such worldly dust…
2. As the soldiers blindfolded Jesus lest they see who struck him, so Satan blindfolds you with worldly pleasures lest you see his hideous sharp talons; afterwards he reveals the abomination of your sin and leaves you to despair in your wickedness.
C. When they should hear the church bells, the call to repentance, and the comfort of the Gospel, they are made spiritually deaf, and their heart the more easily overtaken with sin and every evil.
1. The crowd in Ephesus was deaf to Paul’s sermon, and cried aloud to keep from hearing him. (Acts 19:34).
2. God calls for repentance.
a. “Hear, ye hard hearts…” (Is. 46:12-13).
b. “Turn ye even to me…” (Joel 2:12-13).
c. “I stretch out my hand…” (Is. 65:2).
3. God’s call is often without fruit, their ears are deaf.
a. Noah’s sermon to the first world.
b. Lot to the people of Sodom.
c. Joseph to Pharaoh.
d. Christ warned Judas: “One among you…” (Matt. 26:21; Mark 14:18), etc.
4. As bees are contrived to return to their hive by an inviting noise, so Satan brings us back into former sin by the alluring sound of worldly pleasures so that we neglect God’s Word.
5. Faith unto salvation comes by hearing God’s Word.
a. “Faith comes through the preaching…” (Rom. 10:17).
D. Their hearts, being unprotected, are possessed by Satan.
1. “Satan has his work in the children of unbelief” (Eph. 2:2).
2. God surrounds the physical heart with ribs, etc., to show the spiritual heart’s need for defense.
a. Solomon’s bed was defended by 60 men.
b. The ark of the covenant was carried in the midst of the host.
3. As the pagans in the time of Maccabees walled Zion around to secure it, put a garrison in it, and stole all that went in or out, so does Satan to the heart, so that one is lead to worse sin:
a. Cain murdered his brother.
b. Potiphar’s wife compelled Joseph.
c. Saul cast a spear at David
d. Absalom rebelled against his father.
e. Ahab and Jezebel slew Naboth.
f. Herod took his brother’s wife.
g. Many live boldly in neglect of God and His Word, of their rulers, in murder, adultery, fornication, stealing, robbery, perjury, omission, and other sins.
Behold, O God, our shield, and quell
The crafts and subtleties of hell;
Direct Thy servants in all good,
Who[m] Thou hast purchased with Thy blood.
[LSB 882:5]
II. INSTRUCTION: How the sinful man should act to be released and freed from such spiritual possession. Long ago they used salt, water, palms, candles, John’s Gospel-Book (i.e., the physical object), Dionysius’ crown, Blasil’s light, and other follies. But this is not good enough. If you want to be freed from the enemy:
A. Examine your heart and see whether you have not been led astray and goaded into sin. You will see that Satan has very often and in many ways done his work in you and through you.
1. No one can say “I am clean in my heart.” You do Satan’s work: immorality, pride, greed, usury, slander, leasing, false witness, wrath, hate, envy, hypocrisy, disregard preaching, prefer sleep and food to church, mock faithful preachers or speak falsely to them like Joab, aggrieve authorities, oppress poor neighbors, etc.
a. John: “Whoever does sins is of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
b. Augustine: “As many slanders a man has in him, so many evil spirits dwell in his heart.”
c. Gregory: “As long as sin rules a man, he is captive to the devil.”
d. The 400 priests of Baal were possessed.
e. Judas was possessed, though none noticed it.
f. Peter suggests that Ananias was possessed by Satan. (Acts 5:3).
g. Peter was possessed by Satan (Matt. 16:23; Mark 8:33; Luke 4:8).
2. Seek what is of God, acknowledge your sin.
a. As a bird that fills itself with grain afterward learns that it cannot escape the net, and can only look in fear as the fowler comes to break its neck, so it is with the devil’s tempting food by which he traps us in all kinds of sin, while we think there is no danger, and afterwards our conscience is woken
b. “If we confess our sins…” (1 John 1:9-10).
B. See what utter peril you are in because of your sins.
1. Unless you repent, you will be led by the chain into outer darkness.
2. There is no release.
a. Joseph was released from earthly prison.
b. Peter’s earthly chains were released, but…
c. Jerome: “From hell, the devil’s prison, no one can be released. Neither Job, nor Noah, nor Daniel can free someone with their intercessions, but each must bear his own burden.”
3. Satan torments his captives:
a. The woman of Canaan’s afflicted daughter.
b. The mute man’s afflictions.
c. far worse is the affliction in hell.
d. IT lasts forever
e. No one is seen but the one administering punishment and the faces of the hellish servants of the torturer.
f. Augustine: “The pain and torment will be far greater than can be imagined and feared by men on earth.”
g. Far worse for those in hell than for the possessed man in the region of the Gadarenes: they are tormented by many legions.
h. Far worse than for Saul on earth: they have no rest day or night.
i. “We have done only evil…” (Wisd. 5:7ff.)
j. It will be worse than for Nebuchadnezzar…
4. Contemplate these things as a remedy against sin and motivation to repentance.
C. Come to Christ while there is still time. The poor man in the Gospel was brought to the Lord Jesus, was freed from his misery, and obtained healing.
1. Four wondrous works occur in Jesus, says Jerome: the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the blind see, and the possessed are released from the devil.
2. Christ calls you to turn and repent by the admonition of warning sermons, pious Christians, and good friends, and other examples:
a. Prodigal son
b. Mary Magdalene
c. the Publican
3. Take comfort in His suffering and death, which expunged the record of your debt nailed it to the cross.
a. Chrysostom: “O cursed Satan, I renounce you wholly, and I turn, O Lord Jesus, to Thee, and commit myself body and soul to Thee.”
4. Act quickly, for his wrath comes suddenly.
a. Story of Damocles’ sword.
b. Story of the dying Epicurean and the devil.
c. Scarcely 1 in 20,000 is able to repent and be spared on his deathbed.
d. Chrysostom: “No sin is too great for God’s mercy, if we but repent in time.”
e. Whoever desires help, look up, turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, receive the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance with those who are sanctified by faith.
III. EXHORTATION: Warning to keep careful watch, lest Satan worm his way back into you. How can such a thing be kept from happening?
A. Continue steadfast in Christ, as a branch in the vine.
1. He that is not with me is against me.
2. You cannot serve both God and mammon.
a. The apostate, Porphyrius.
3. Cling to Christ by the hand of faith
4. Use prayer, the harp of David which drives away the evil foe.
a. Gregory: “When you resist the devil, he is as weak as an ant; but if one accepts his incursions, he is as strong as a lion.”
b. The devil is a strong, armed man.
5. Christ, the stronger one, drives off the devil with a finger, His divine power.
a. evil spirits leave the possessed when Jesus’ name is spoken. b. He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
c. Chrys.: “No one who hast the strong Lord on his side should fear the strong foe.”
B. Live with your fellow Christians in love and unity.
1. Unity in Christ makes for strong resistance
a. (hence Satan works to cause divisions)
b. A kingdom divided is soon destroyed, a house falls…
2. Example of the ancient Egyptians’ fall to Nebuchadnezzar.
3. Scripture
a. Christ: “Have peace among yourselves.” (Mark 9:50).
b. “Father, sustain them in Your name…that they may all be one…” (John 17:11ff.).
c. “Have one mind among yourselves…” (Rom. 12:16).
d. “Let no division among you, but keep firm…” (1 Cor. 1:10).
e. “We have one Lord…” (Eph. 4:5).
f. “We are one body…” (Eph. 4:4) etc.
g. “Let us be perfect in love…” (Eph. 4:15ff.)
4. The strength of the unity of the Trinity.
5. The strength of the unity of the 4 elements.
6. Athanasius: “Your unity in faith is Satan’s destruction.”
7. St. Paul: “The God of patience and comfort grant…” (Rom. 15:5).
C. Beware and eschew self-security.
1. Do not think you are all right and so grow lazy.
a. A devil wanders through dry places seeking rest… (hearts without the Fount of life, in whom there is no virtue or fear of God flourishing)… etc. If he finds your heart swept, etc. (i.e., lazy, secure), he brings back seven more spirits worse than himself…
2. Do not return to your former ways.
a. St. Peter: “The dog eats again what he has spit up, and the sow rolls again in the filth after it is cleaned.” (2 Peter 2:22).
3. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
a. Wake, pray, stand equipped (Eph. 6)
D. Listen to God’s Word and preserve it in your heart.
1. Delight in the law of the Lord; speak of it day and night, and direct your life according to it.
2. James: A doer of the Word is blessed in his deed. (James 1:25).
- The Gospel is the power of God to save all who believe. (Rom. 1:16).
- Where the Word of God is loved, taught, heard, and put into practice, the devil is given no quarter.
IV. Concluding hymn stanzas:
“Drive off dull sleep, Lord Christ, we pray;
Let not the Tempter us dismay,
But let our flesh, chastised, be clean,
And free from many a grief and sin.
Asleep though wearied eyes may be,
Still keep the heart awake to Thee;
Let Thy right hand above us kept
All sin and scandal intercept.
[tr. W. J. Copeland, †1885, alt.; LSB 882:3-4]
Amen, O Lord Jesus, Amen.