St. Luke 10:17–20
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There is an invisible battle raging all around you: mighty beings of light fighting against the powers of darkness, holy angels fighting fallen angels. It’s going on right now, and it’s right here with us.
This battle has been going on since the first angel rebelled against his Creator. He was envious of the glory and position that God gave to mankind, so he turned from his Master and tried to take us with him. He went to the woman and deceived her, and her man followed him by disobedience to God’s Word. This angel dragged them down into sin and death. But even then, he was not victorious. Because the Lord came down after them, promising them deliverance, and promising him, that fallen angel, utter destruction.
God pledged Himself to us. So, this dark spirit seeks to wedge Himself between us and God. He knows the King’s decrees well and he is bold to enter the throne room, where the Master of the Cosmos holds court. And he brings accusations against us, addressing God: “They are sinners, deserving nothing but Your wrath! They stand accused and condemned under Your Law. How can You have mercy on these evil people?” He is the Accuser—that’s what we call him now. That once great angel of light: Satan—the Accuser.
He tried to perch himself in God’s court, where he could accuse us before the throne of glory. But then Jesus ascended into heaven, entered the court, and gave His answer to every last one of those accusations: “I died for those sins. The punishment has already been carried out. My blood covers these sinners. There is no more condemnation. I died and, behold, I live. I will not hear another word against My righteous people.” And turning to His lieutenant, the commander of His heavenly host, Jesus says to the archangel Michael, “Throw this liar out.”
Michael acts on Christ’s behalf, leading the angelic soldiers, surrounding that great dragon, and hurling him out of God’s presence. That ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Michael and the holy angels carried out the orders they received from Christ, their Master. But the power behind them, the reason Satan can be thrown out and crushed, that comes by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the testimony. The blood of Jesus has silenced the dragon’s accusations. The testimony of Jesus, the testimony of the apostles, the testimony of all Christians is this: “Jesus died. Jesus lives. Jesus is Lord. The sins of the world are atoned for. Man has peace with God.” And that means that the God of battles, the Lord of hosts, He is not waging His war against us. He wages His war for us, against our old evil foe.
Rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! With no place for him and his accusations in the heavenly throne room, the dragon is doomed to prowl this earth. So, the battle continues to rage here, among us. It’s going on even now, behind the scenes of this physical life. Fallen angels, demons, lurk in our lives, carefully laying their nets for us to run into unaware. But the holy angels are keeping their watch. Michael and his armies encamp around the people of God.
And even you—as weak as you may be, as inclined to sin as you surely are—even you have the power to resist demons. The disciples of Jesus had authority over the evil spirits, and every time they spoke God’s Word rebuking the powers of darkness, Satan once more fell down like lightning, unable to climb back up to God’s throne. You also have great power, because you are baptized, marked with the sign of your Lord’s victory, His cross on your forehead. You are clad in His bright, shining armor, and you wield His two-edged sword, His Word. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Satan could not stand before the blood of Jesus in God’s throne room. And so he cannot stand before someone covered in the blood of Jesus.
Still, the battle rages on, and we do not know for how much longer. But here is comfort for your weak heart: Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It’s signed with His blood, and all of your sins are crossed out. The King of the Cosmos, the One who sits on the throne holding court—He knows you. You stand before Him even now. This is His throne room, here on earth. By coming through those doors you entered the gate of heaven. By approaching this altar you come near His judgment seat. But the Satan, the Accuser has been thrown out. And the King does not remember your sins.
Instead we hear the testimony of many witnesses: the prophets and the apostles in the Holy Scriptures telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—how our God has rescued us. And here is the evidence brought into court: the very body and blood that redeemed us, that paid the price for all our sins and saved us from death. And we hear the verdict of the King, our Judge—His declaration: “I forgive you all your sins. Take, eat, and drink. Depart in peace.”
In this holy place, although our eyes cannot see it, the holy angels join us here in festal gathering. Together, we proclaim and adore the Lord we share. We should marvel at the thought of being surrounded by such a great, fiery army. But I believe those mighty spirits marvel even more at the grace their Master shows to us, lowly, weak, sinful humans. The full wealth of our Savior’s atonement, is not a gift for the holy angels. It is for us, the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. But the angels are filled with joy for us. They are only glad to sing of the salvation their God worked for us. And they gladly join us in the King’s throne room, at the very gate of heaven here on earth.
The angels are soldiers and servants to the King of Heaven. But you are His royal children. And it is the delight of the angels to serve their Lord Jesus by serving you, their Lord’s brothers and sisters. The holy angels are your angels. And your angels always behold the face of the Father in heaven (Matt. 18:10). No matter how long or hard the battle rages, you cannot get lost in the chaos. The angels are sent to protect His Church—God’s holy people—you.
One day those angelic soldiers will even serve as your honor guard, and escort your soul to their heavenly home of peace, far from the noise and danger of the battlefield. And soon, Christ will return with all His angels and bring the battle to an end once and for all.
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Preached at Trinity, Clinton and Immanuel, Charlotte, IA
