PENTECOST 2 – June 6, 2021 – Mark 3:20-35
“ENMITY – JESUS AND SATAN”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from Mark 3. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- We are often focused on the dynamics of Adam and Eve in the garden during and after the temptation by Satan. We are aware of the horrid evil inflicted upon them and all of humanity by Satan. We are aware of how evil he is, and how much he hates us.
- However, we may sometimes get the impression that God was kind of a neutral and aloof observer. We might kind of think that He stood aside and let us duke it out with Satan, not really taking much of a side in the matter. After all, He was rather calm when He approached Adam and Eve, and even rather quiet in dealing with the devil.
- This, however, would be a great and grievous misreading of the account, and of the relationship between God and the devil. The devil had already fallen from his glorious created estate. He had already developed the utmost hatred for God. He came into the garden as God’s worst enemy. What he did to us he did in order to hurt God as much as possible.
- In some respects, it may seem that God is still quite lenient with the devil. He is already defeated, and his supposed “reign” is coming to an end. But there is still great evil in the world, and humanity still suffers greatly from this sin and evil. Jesus faced this evil and also the enmity of Satan personally!
- Perhaps this calmness of God in the face of what seems to us horrific evil and danger is intended to give us the right perspective. Jesus doesn’t express the indignation that the accusation of the scribes merited. Rather, He calmly taught them in parables that He was taking care of Satan – binding and plundering his house.
- So perhaps it will do us good to see clearly the “ENMITY BETWEEN JESUS AND SATAN” and how it is progressing through the time of human history. First, it is clear from the very beginning that:
I. This Fight Is Terminal For Satan
Old Testament: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise you head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
A. The Sin That Satan Caused Has All Been Forgiven
John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.”
Matt. 1:21 “You shall call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”
2 Cor. 5:19 “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”
B. The Gospel Now Prevails
Acts 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Acts 13:49 “And the Word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.”
Matt. 16:18 “I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
C. The Devil’s Power Is Only For A Short Time
John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”
Col. 2:13-15 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.”
1 John 3:8 “ The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
D. Satan’s Ultimate Demise Is Certain
Rev. 20:10 “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Statement: Is God being lenient with Satan? Perhaps for a time, only for this present age of human history. But God has utterly thwarted all that Satan sought to accomplish with his enmity against God, and against the Lord Jesus Christ. God has accomplished His good and gracious will for us. Our sins are forgiven and we are restored to peace with God. The true knowledge of God is being restored throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, and Christ’s church is being built. And Satan’s domain is shrinking day by day, his power curtailed, and his ultimate doom has been sealed.
Application: All of this reflects the love of God, how He really feels about us. All of this was predicted and predestined in the Garden, when God pronounced His curse upon the devil! The fact that God does this so calmly and matter of factly is evidence of His power, His love, and the certainty of His victory! This should instill great confidence and courage in us as well.
Transition: But the enmity is ongoing between Jesus and Satan, and that is clearly seen our text. And in view of this Jesus also gives us stern warning and strong advice:
II. The Battle Continues For Now, For A Time
A. Jesus’ Own Family Was Fearful That Jesus Was Out Of His Mind
Text: “Jesus went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when His family heard it, they went out to seize Him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of His mind.’”
B. The Scribes Were Accusing Jesus Of Being Demon – Possessed And In The Service Of Satan
Text: “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘by the prince of demons He casts out demons.’“
C. But Jesus Clearly Rebuts This Assertion
Text: “Jesus called them to Him and said to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house s divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.’”
Statement: You see the confusion that Satan is still able to cause among unbelievers! You see the enmity involved! And the distortion and delusion is remarkable: although they think of themselves as on God’s side, and place Jesus on the devil’s side, they are ones who are actually doing the devil’s bidding.
Application: But Jesus has no difficulty in straightening out the perspective and defending Himself. Whether they believed His argument or not, it was the truth. He was in fact binding Satan and plundering His goods – as He has been to this very day with the church! But because the same lies are prevalent today, and the same enmity, Jesus warns us and encourages us:
III. We Must Be Very Careful In What We Think, Believe, And Say About Jesus
A. Statements Of Unbelief And Impenitence Blaspheme The Holy Spirit – Who Bears Constant Witness To Jesus
Text: “Truly I say to you all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin for they said He has an unclean spirit.’”
B. So We Are Encouraged Rather To Do The Will Of God – To Repent And Believe The Good News
When the crowd informed Jesus that His mother and brothers were seeking Him again, He replied:
Text: “Who are My mother and My brothers? . . . Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Statement: Jesus is referring to unbelief, when He speaks of the sin against the Holy Spirit, blaspheming Him. There is forgiveness for all sins, but this particular sin rejects any and all such forgiveness from God. This is a horrible state for a person to be in, but the person in such a state has no concern. He is ignorant of the nastiness of His unbelief.
Application: On the other hand, the Holy Spirit not only preserves us from this sins, but also continues to enable and empower us to do the will of God – to live lives of repentance and faith. And as we live in God’s perfect love for us, we grow in our eagerness and willingness to live in love for others! This too is the will of God. In all of this we have the assurance that we are brothers and sisters of Jesus Himself, richly blessed by Him!
Conclusion: And nothing irritates and angers Satan more than when people turn to Jesus with restored faith in God, and do the will of God! It is the evidence of his defeat, the proof of his futility!
Satan knows his time is coming to an end, but his incorrigible evil continues on until the Last Day. It doesn’t matter! Jesus has already crushed his head, and is plundering his house. And finally, the devil will receive a well deserved eternity in the lake of fire, the hell of torment.
Children of God, on the other hand, will rejoice to be with God forever, without threat or persecution from Satan, the evil one. This is the purpose of Jesus coming into the world, the purpose of His suffering, death, and resurrection. He is the fulfillment of God’s resolution to the problem of human sin. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.