Full Sermon Jesus Helps Us When Satan Challenges Us based on Mark 3:20-35

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I. The Renewed Mind by Larry Christiansen about the old landlord. Lutheran Pastor Bruce Frederickson writes, [In his book The Renewed Mind (Bethany House, 1981), Larry Christiansen tells the story of the old landlord. Suppose you live in a run-down apartment. The walls and ceilings have holes. The carpets are threadbare. The windows leak cold air in the winter and bugs in the summer. Each month the landlord comes to collect. He warns of an increase in the already high rent. When you hesitate, he threatens fewer services and even higher rent. You are miserable, but since you have nowhere else to go, you keep paying.

One day there is a gentle knock at your door. Opening your door only a crack, you discover a nicely dressed and smiling young man. He explains that he has just purchased your apartment building. As your new landlord, he asks permission to come in and inspect your rooms. He is appalled with what he sees. He promises to begin repairs immediately and cancels all your debts. You can’t believe your ears!

But just then there is another knock at the door. You swing open the door only to discover your old landlord glaring at you. He demands extra rent, immediately. What should you do—give in to his intimidations and pay? You’re too weak to fight him yourself. But wait—the building doesn’t belong to him anymore. It now belongs to the generous new landlord. Why argue with the old landlord—tell him to take it up with the new owner. You don’t owe any further explanation!

Like the old landlord, Satan is always demanding, always attacking us. Often, through the force of his evil demeanor and because his accusations of our sins are correct, he intimidates us into serving him. But you have been bought with a price! You now belong to Jesus, your new landlord. Whenever Satan reminds you of sins you have repented of, or tries to coerce you into serving evil desires, simply tell him to take it up with your new landlord. Regardless of how often he keeps coming back, send him packing and trust the promises of the new owner, Jesus Christ.

Jesus defeated sin, death, and the devil once and for all. Jesus bought each one of us with a price—his blood. Even though Satan tries to convince us otherwise, we are very precious to Jesus. As we reflect upon Jesus’ love and forgiveness, we gain strength to overcome temptations and strength to battle against evil. Recall Jesus’ words in Mark 3:27: “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.” Although Satan is strong, Jesus is stronger!] (From CPR Vol. 1, Part 3)

II. Satan is at work today. Attendance at many churches in our nation continues to decrease. Some people call evil things good and good things evil. Satan tries to get people to think that there is no God. Satan wants people to think that they are the most important people. Satan encourages people to think that money and sports and politics are going to help us solve all of our problems. Satan loves to have people think that people can overcome their troubles if they dig down deep within themselves. Satan sends a powerful lie into our world to try to get people to ignore God and look to the things of this unbelieving world to handle our troubles. Many people seem to be confused by the powerful lie of Satan today.

III. Satan’s powerful lie. The powerful lie of Satan today threatens to discourage Christians from going to worship services. The powerful lie of Satan today threatens Christians to think that going along with the crazy ideas of the unbelievers of the world is better than creating enemies. If a man thinks he is a woman or a woman thinks she is a man, then who are Christians to tell them they are wrong? If someone wants to use a pronoun like they instead of he or she, then who are Christians to correct them? Satan wants people to believe the powerful lie rather than believe in the truth that God has created people as either a male or a female. Thanks to the powerful lie of Satan traditional families and Christians are under attack.

IV. The good news about Jesus and 1 John 4:1-4. The good news is Jesus helps us when Satan challenges us. Jesus has overcome Satan, the strong man, for us. Jesus has won the victory by suffering, dying, and rising to defeat Satan and his powerful lie. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life who gives us access to God the Father. 1 John 4:1-4 is still true for us today: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Every time Satan challenges us we can pray for wisdom and courage and speak the truth about Jesus and His saving work for all people.

V. The eternal sin? For those who are wondering if they have committed the eternal sin against God’s Holy Spirit there is no need to fear. If someone had committed the eternal sin by rejecting God’s Holy Spirit, then that person would not be concerned about committing that sin of rejection. If someone is concerned about the eternal sin, then that person has not committed that eternal sin.

VI. The war with Satan has been won. The war with Satan has been won for us by Jesus. We know there are still battles with evil today, but Satan and his evil forces do not win the war. Faith in Jesus helps us to meet every challenge that Satan puts in our way. Jesus gives us strength to resist Satan’s challenges. Jesus sets us free from the bondage that Satan wants to enslave us with, so that we are free to tell others the good news that Jesus is the Victor over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus reminds us we are forgiven and redeemed every time we receive the Lord’s Supper in faith.

VII. Tempted by the old landlord, but more than conquerors. We might be tempted to give in to the old landlord and his powerful lie and nagging. We are not perfect. We might forget sometimes that the victory is ours in Jesus. As we await the joys of eternal life in heaven we remember that Jesus is the new landlord. No matter what challenges from Satan come our way, we can enjoy life under the new landlord, Jesus, because we are more than conquerors through faith in Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.