Luke 11:14-26

We want to consider 4 thoughts from our text in Luke 11 this evening.

l. First, a kingdom or house divided against itself shall fall (vs. 17-18).

This is an axiom or principle that has proven to be true countless times over. Civil wars, church conflicts, and family conflicts that result in division and splits are all prime examples.

This is a lesson that we must learn if we want our homes and churches to stay together and to prosper for the glory of God. Satan is wining the victory over many a Church and Christian home, by causing division a splits through discord, strive, hatred, and variance of all kinds.

All too often God’s people take sides with Satan and fight against our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and against family members, instead of working out our differences in the spirit of meekness, humility of mind, and in the Holy Spirit.

There is no excuse for divisive behavior out of born again children of God! We come up with every imaginable excuse why we instigate, promote, and harbor discord and division among ourselves, but Jesus does not except our excuses! Jesus is grieved when His children fight and war among ourselves. Please take time to read James chapter 4 and see if this is not the case.

Beloved, let us not join hands with the devil and fight for his side by fighting against one another. May we defeat the devil with the love of God and the unity of the spirit, and the bond of peace between ourselves as members of the Lord’s Church, and as members of Christian homes.

2. Secondly, Jesus is the “stronger man” (vs. 21-22).

The “strong man” is Satan, who controls the lost sinner at will. We can read about this in Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:26.

Satan’s palace is the lost sinner’s life, where he rules upon the throne of their heart. Lost sinners are in bondage in Satan’s evil kingdom of darkness (Col. 1:13). Satan is their king and he rules and reigns upon the thrones of their hearts, minds, wills, and their innermost affections.

The “strong man” is armed. Satan is strong and powerful. He has a full set of strong armor and he has many wicked darts in his quiver. No natural man is any match for the devil!

Because the strong man Satan rules over the lost sinner’s palace, all is at peace. Lost sinners in Satan’s kingdom don’t put up a fight. They are led captive by him at his will (2 Tim. 2:26). They are blinded by Satan, and they don’t even know they are in bondage (2 Corinthians 4:4). They don’t even know who Satan is, or that they are his slaves. That is how bad off lost sinners are. And that is the way they will stay unless a “stronger man” comes to their rescue.

Jesus is the “stronger man”. Satan is strong and powerful, but he is no match for Jesus! Jesus comes upon the palace of the sinners life, and overcomes the strong man. Jesus then binds Satan the strong man, and takes away all his armor. He takes away the scales of darkness off the sinner’s eyes, and the unbelief that vales their heart, and the arrows of doubts and fears of coming to Christ. Jesus then gives the sinner repentance and faith to trust Him as their Saviour. He then takes over the throne of the sinner’s heart, and establishes a new throne and a new heart whereupon He rules and reigns in righteousness.

Jesus gives the saved sinner the power of the Holy Spirit and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. He places His armor upon him to protect him from the enemy. He then leads the saved sinner to His Church where he can serve the Lord the rest of his life.

Jesus saves the sinner as a trophy of His mighty grace when He takes the spoils of Satan for Himself. These spoils include the sinner, his castle, and everything he owns. When Jesus saves, He takes the saved sinner and all he has for Himself. In other words, we are not the devil’s anymore, and we are not our own, but we belong to Jesus.

3. Thirdly, he or she that is not with Jesus is Against Him (v. 23)

Either you are for Jesus and His cause, or you are against Him. People who won’t gather with Him and His people, and join themselves to His cause, are against Him. There is no neutral ground.

People who say they know the truth, yet they ride the fence and won’t take sides with the truth, they are against the Lord. There is no neutral ground. We are either for the Lord and the truth of His Word, or we are against the Lord and His Word. Again, there is no middle ground. Preachers who say “I believe in sovereign grace, but I don’t preach sovereign grace because I don’t want to offend anyone”, they are against the sovereign grace of Jesus. There is no neutral ground!

People who know what they must do to serve the Lord acceptably, but because they fear losing their position in this life they won’t obey the Scriptures, they are also against the Lord. They know that they should be baptised and serve the Lord in His Church, but they will not follow the Lord in obedience to His command because it might cost them too much in this present world. Beloved, all such professed believers who will not gather with the Lord and His Church are against the Lord. There is no neutral ground!

4. The last state is worst than the first (vs. 24-26).

There are several possible interpretations that we could offer for this passage, but we want to take the liberty this evening to apply this text to Christless reformation.

The preaching of the Gospel and the influence of God’s grace in a community will inevitably spawn false professions and reformations. There is always a mixed multitude that comes out of Egypt. There are always those who will jump on the religious bandwagon during times of revival and the outpouring of God’s Spirit. This is very common.

As in the case of our text this reformation could literally be a demon that is cast out of a man, or it could just be a person who gets religion and reformation, and cleans up some of the gross sin in their lives, and perhaps they are baptized and join a church. They sweep and garnish their lives with lots of “good works” and religious activities; especially religious activities.

The problem is, although their house is cleaned up of some of the gross idols and filthy sins of the flesh, yet the Lord has not taken up residence in them. They are still void of the Holy Spirit in their lives. There is no new creature abiding within. Jesus does not sit upon the throne of their hearts. They found reformation of the outward life, but not salvation and regeneration of the soul. They have not truly believed the Gospel of Jesus for salvation. In reality, they still cringe at the name of Jesus, just like they did before they made a profession of religion.

Beloved, that old demon will surely come back. And he will find his old house all swept and garnished, and he will go find seven more spirits more wicked than himself, and the last state of that man will be far worse than the first.

How true this is of those who make false professions of faith in Christ. Once the feeling and the excitement of their new religion waxes old, and everything in their lives is not a bed of roses, and it won’t be, by and by they are offended.

It is not unusual for the last vile, sinful state of that man to be worse than the first. His outward display of vile sins is now seven times worse than he was before he got religion. Beloved tonight, professions without possessions are not only worthless, but they may very well work a far greater evil in peoples lives than if they never pretended to be a Christian. Yes, truly the last state of that man is worst than the first.

Let this be a warning against mere outward professions. It doesn’t matter if everyone else is “doing it”. Don’t profess to be a Christian and pretend to follow the Lord in baptism and membership in His Church, unless you are sure that you know the Lord by faith in His work on Calvary for your sins.

But if you do know that Jesus has come into your castle, and bound that strong man Satan, and set you free through repentance and faith in the Gospel, then you should follow Him in obedience to His command, and surrender to Scriptural and Baptism and service in His Church.

But I will say again, you should only do this if you know that you are saved and that He lives on the throne of your heart.

Conclusion:

Is our church or home divided against itself? If so, it will not stand but is destined for a fall! Oh how the devil desires to divide the Lord’s people against ourselves. Don’t let him do it! Let us unite in the love of God around the bulwark of the cross of Jesus. Let us stand together for the fellowship and the furtherance of the Gospel.

Has Jesus the “stronger man” come into you castle and bound Satan and freed your soul from sin by faith in the Gospel of Jesus? May the Holy Spirit give regeneration, repentance, and faith to anyone that may be here tonight, still bound in Satan’s dark prison house.

Can you say that you are with Jesus tonight? Have you trusted Jesus for salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection for you sins? Have you submitted to Scriptural baptism and service through His New Testament Church? If you are not with Jesus then you are against Him; there is no middle ground. Where are you tonight?

Is your profession of faith genuine, or did you just get reformation of the old sinful nature? My friend, an empty outward profession of faith will do you no good. Your last state will be worst than the first.

If this is your state this evening then we warn you to repent of your wicked sin of hypocrisy and come to Jesus in faith believing that He died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day for you, and you will receive the forgiveness of your sins.