As we see in today’s gospel, Jesus’ ministry does not proceed without opposition. This opposition is primarily composed of demonic forces. This evil influence of the devil is manifest in our text in two different ways. First is the man who is mute. It is under the demonic oppression of the devil that this man has lost the ability to speak. We should note that this, of course, is not the root of all diseases, but it is the root cause of this man’s disease. One could say that the devil purposely attacks the senses, as seen in the gospels. For by the senses, we experience God through the tongue that we praise the Lord, the God of Israel, and we speak of His wondrous deeds. The attack on speech is an attack on the word of God, so that it may not be proclaimed and spread throughout the world. Yet, it is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who undoes the curse and loosens the tongue and casts out the evil spirits.
Let us not forget that in this text, we have two forms of oppression, two kinds of attacks on the Word. The second kind comes from the adversaries of Jesus, those who can speak quite plainly. But with their more-than-capable mouths, they speak lies about the Christ. Those of the crowd say that the Lord Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of Demons. And as a result of Jesus’ rebuttal to their claims, He proves that with such ideas they have received from the devil himself. That by their foolish remarks they have shown themselves to be of their father, the devil. And not Christ.
Both the mute man and the bystanders reveal satan’s goal: to make us mute to the truth. To make us silent from speaking the word of God and to hinder ourselves from coming to receive the things of God that open our mouths, ears, and hearts to receive what God has provided through his son Jesus Christ.
So we are only left to look at the woman at the very end of the text. As she is the one who can see and speak perfectly clearly, as she cries out in praise, “blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast in which you were nursed.” This is a praise of Christ, the only one who can cast out demons and give the mute speech.
Although the demon was cast out of the man, this doesn’t mean that satan gives up and simply allows the truth to prevail. The devil fights, constantly, day and night, to stop the work of the Lord, to continue to spread lies, and to stop speaking the truth. Holy Scripture compares him to a roaring lion waiting for someone to devour, prowling around day and night. We would be blind and naïve to say that this does not happen in our world today.
The truth is always under attack, simply because it is the truth. This truth is, of course, the word of God. The devil, the world, and the sinful flesh would like to hinder the Word of God. This happens when these three things work together to make issues ones of personal opinion and not of theological significance. We as Christians know that there are no issues that can be seen apart from the word of God. And it is the word of God that is often left out of our public discussions. We are looked down upon if we simply base our opinions about things on what the word of God says. Such as questions about gender or sexuality. The devil works diligently to say that the word of God has no place here. To say that men and women are different or that children cannot make decisions concerning their bodies on their own is seen as blasphemy. And people who hold fast to the truth are shamed because they do not live in a lie.
And I know that you see this too, in your own way. That speaking the truth about something becomes increasingly harder with every passing day. To even speak to our own family members about being on the right track, going to church, waiting until marriage, getting a job, and taking on personal responsibility. These things are simply true out of natural reason and the revealed word, and even when we speak them out of love, we are constantly being pushed aside. And out of fear, we become mute. Being unable to speak is exactly where satan would like us, so afraid to speak the truth that we become implicit bystanders, saying nothing at all.
Still, we do not remain in our state of fear and horror. We have the stronger man on our side. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who takes us back from the Prince of lies and deception. It is Jesus who overtakes and attacks the devil with a simple word of the truth ‘Be gone, satan, you have no power here.᾽ We, Christians, are the spoil Christ has robbed from the devil. Christ does this by going to battle, removing his armor so that he may be taken as vulnerable to be crucified on the cross of Calvary. To be mocked and scored. To be left in the shameful state to die in the company of hardened criminals. This satan has done to the man who came to steal us back. At the Cross is where the devil tells himself that he has defended the Son of God victoriously. But to saten’s amazement, he has crucified the Lord of life. The Lord Jesus, who cannot remain dead in the grave. Yet, it is the stronger man who was dead who is the final victor. Christ takes us with him out of the realm of satan and into a better place as children in the kingdom of God.
And now, as children of the light, our eyes are open, and our tongue is loosened. And we do not need to fear the devil’s lies because, as we were released from bondage, satan is tightly tied to the fires of hell.
While he is tied down, we are now free to speak, free to speak what is true. What is found in God’s holy word. We speak this truth not because we are forced to, but because we are free to as God’s holy children. The word of God has the ultimate authority over men and demons. Even they have to be subjected to Christ when he calls them out. They are forced to submit to God. Let us therefore subject ourselves to God’s word, not because we are opposed to him. We have the Holy Spirit. Who has given us hearts to believe, and Christ and all his righteousness are now ours by faith. Let us be shaped by the word of God in everything we say or do out of love and devotion towards Christ.
You have the Lord Jesus, who has opened your mouth and caused you to speak. Always speak his praise and his word. For Christ has conquered all lies and deceit so that his truth may be known. You have been freed by the stronger man, and so we must proclaim the Lord Jesus. Now receive him as he places upon you, his word in his body and blood, as you are now free.
St. John's and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Parish 