“Angels, Demons, and Jesus” Mount Olive Lutheran Church Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels Sunday Sermon September 29, 2024 – Luke 10:17-20

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And [Jesus] said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Dear friends in Christ, our readings for this festival of St. Michael and All Angels kind of reads like some sort of fantastical/sensational movie which Pastor Giese has yet to review. War in heaven–vast battles between Satan and his horde of fallen angels (demons), and the great Arch-Angel Michael, who leads the forces of God. Satan resisting, but being overcome and cast down out of heaven forever. Even our Gospel text mentions the 72–the wider circle of Jesus’ closest followers (after the 12)--who are sent out by Jesus with a mission: “as lambs in the midst of wolves.” They are sent to preach Jesus’ peace to the world. And what do they say when they return? “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”And Jesus declares to them, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Now, who wouldn’t want a piece of that? To be a part of that? To live that?

Indeed, Hollywood has made a lot of money on this subject - I’m sure Pastor Giese could give plenty of examples! For this subject, so often poorly pictured by those in the entertainment industry, is one that strikes very deeply at our human core: good vs. evil. Wicked spirits, demons, etc. that are in conflict with humanity.  And on that singular point–that there are indeed evil spirits that seek to do humans harm–they are correct.  For as St. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Of course, how these dark spirits are often defeated in movies in television bears no resemblance to what the Scriptures proclaim. Whether it's the proton packs of the Ghostbusters, or secret rituals involving sacred herbs or spices, or even some kind of incantation invoking the name or image of Jesus (without any sort of faith in Jesus at all!), these all fall short. For how does St. John tell of the overthrow of Satan and his fallen angels? John is clear (Rev. 12:11), “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” What defeats Satan and every single demon? The blood of Jesus and the Word of the Gospel. For by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross–the pouring out of His blood for the sins of the world–to pay the debt that we owe for our great sin and vice–now Satan–that great liar–the ultimate accuser–can no longer accuse us before the throne of God by pointing to our sin.  It has been done away with–washed away in the blood of Jesus! God be praised!

Angels are indeed a great blessing of the Lord to His church.  The Bible teaches us that they serve God day and night through worship. They are His holy messengers.  But they also are given by God to defend His church–as we saw in the prophet Daniel from our O.T. reading.  They are even seen in Scripture as those who usher the departed saints of this world to the heavenly throne in order to be received into glory before the Father.  As Luther once preached on this festival day in 1534, “if the beloved angels were not always there standing guard over and protecting us, we could well succumb to death ten times over in just one hour.”[1] 

So, beloved, there is indeed a place for Christians to give thanks and praise to God for these spiritual beings who serve us with God’s Word–who protect us from demons and other sorts of harm.  But this cannot be–can NEVER be–the source of our hope or peace. In speaking to the returned 72 who were ecstatic and excited that the demons were subject to them in Jesus’ name, what did Jesus say? “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in THIS, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Truly, beloved, we are tempted to put great stock in having physical protection over dangerous creatures like snakes and scorpions. We are even more enthralled by those who demonstrate power over evil spirits–exorcizing them in flashy displays of power like we see in Hollywood movies. Yet Jesus would temper this joy with the true source of all comfort and peace–your names are written in heaven.

Upon the 72’s return, Jesus proclaims to them that He “saw Satan fall like lightning.” Satan’s Fall from heaven is no temporary state, but rather permanent in nature. He who used to be in the presence of God accusing the people of their sin before the Judgement throne of the Father, can no longer do so–he has been cast down–thrown out of heaven on his keister! For Christ has come to bring peace. Peace between God and man–by the power of His shed blood on the cross to take away your sin and mine. This is why we no longer fear Satan and his minions. For what can they say? What can they do? They can frighten. They can alarm. But they cannot do us ultimate harm–bringing our sins before the Father for eternal judgement leading to hell–for those sins have been washed away by the blood of the Lamb of God–Jesus Christ.

And this very ministry which Christ gave to the 72 to overcome Satan and the demons continues to this day in the ministry of the church.  I know it doesn’t look very exciting. It certainly is not very flashy or showy. It doesn’t seem powerful. But the simple preaching of the Gospel of Jesus and the administration of His Sacraments does this–day in and day out–week by week–year by year–until Christ Himself returns in glory. 

Each time God’s Word is proclaimed in its full truth and purity the Kingdom of God comes. Where God’s Kingdom comes–there is Jesus.  When people are baptized, demons are driven off by water and the Word. You have witnessed this many times, beloved! Did it look spectacular? Did it seem impressive? Perhaps not. But our Lord comes in lowly things–works in lowly means–even cross and death–to bring about great good and life.  As Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 1:21-25, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

So, beloved, in the simple Word and Sacrament ministry of Christ crucified and given for sinners, the Gospel of Christ brings and gives victory over Satan and his angelic armies. With each Gospel sermon, with each person baptized, with each sharing of the Holy Supper in Christ’s body and blood, Christ’s Kingdom comes. His Kingdom comes through the forgiveness of sins and faith worked by the Holy Spirit. And as Christ’s Kingdom comes, it becomes apparent that Satan’s kingdom is firmly defeated. We don’t fear Satan because Jesus promises that Satan can’t hurt us.

Yet our focus is never to be on our power over the devil by the proclamation of the Name of Jesus, but rather on the fact that our names are written in heaven.  For those whose names are written in the book shall be delivered, as Daniel prophesied.  YOUR names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. For you have washed your robes and made them white by the blood of the Lamb. You have had His name placed upon you in Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit (the Stronger Man) has moved into your heart and forever cast out the devil (the Strong man). Your names are written alongside the saints of old like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, St. John and St. Luke, along with more recent saints like grandparents, mothers, and fathers, uncles and aunts, sisters and brothers, even our own dear children. 

This is the source of our JOY and COMFORT and PEACE! Not that St. Michael has beat up Satan for us like some spiritual big brother (though that is indeed comforting and may put a smile on our face), but rather that our Lord Jesus has given His life into death and then risen again in triumph to pay for all our sin and death–to ransom us from the Father’s wrath–to steal away the ammunition with which Satan would seek to afflict our consciences.  For we have been baptized! We have Christ as our Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, and the Father on His throne watching over us. What is there to fear?

Indeed, as Luther once wrote to an elderly woman who had contacted him regarding the distress she was in each night on account of Satan harassing her when she went to bed.  To paraphrase, Luther wrote back, “Dear woman, when the devil attacks you as you lay down to sleep, simply make the sign of the cross in remembrance of your baptism, roll over, and fart in Satan’s face.” What have we to fear when we are baptized, believing Christians? Nothing. Not sin–not death–nor the DEVIL. For we are secure that our names are written in heaven–by the blood of the Lamb who died and rose again for us. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Martin Luther, “The Day of St. Michael and All Angels:  Second Sermon, 1534,” in Sermons of Martin Luther:  The House Postils, ed. Eugene F.A. Klug, trans. Eugene F.A. Klug, et al, vol. 3, Sermons on Gospel Texts for the Fifteenth through Twenty-Sixth Sundays after Trinity, the Festival of Christ’s Nativity, and Other Occasions (Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 1996), 389.

Photo Credit: Main photo left from tinited version of Gustave Dore's "Paradise Lost" 1866 from wikimedia commons and right from Henry Fuseli's "The Nightmare" 1781 from wikimedia commons.