Sermons

1. Liberal (vv. 43-45)

The plight of our modern Woke world

Intro: The “Woke” movement is old liberalism in new dress.

• Wokeness is the religion of the day.
  • The spirit of our age.
  • What is being celebrated this month.

 

• Consider what the leftist agenda demands.

 

[Illus] I just finished reading, Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe by Voddie Baucham.

He makes the case that the SJM and being Woke is the new cult religion with a new lexicon that comes with an entire body of divinity.

It comes with its own cosmology (CT/CRT/I); original sin (racism); law (antiracism); gospel (racial reconciliation); martyrs (Saints Trayvon, Mike, George, Breonna, etc.); priests (oppressed minorities); means of atonement (reparations); new birth (wokeness); liturgy (lament); canon (CSJ social science); theologians (DiAngelo, Kendi, Brown, Crenshaw, MacIntosh, etc); and catechism (say their names). There is no soteriology; Antiracism offers no salvation-only perpetual penance in effort to battle an incurable disease.  

• At the core of wokeness, this way of thinking (ideology) flies in the face of true accountability.
  • True repentance and grace through faith.
    • Underneath the surface of trying to make a difference in society.
      • Leftist liberalism promises righteousness through works.
      • What Pharisees promise that “Do-Gooding” makes you right with yourself (…your “god”).

 

[Question] “What are believers supposed to do this growing “Faultline” in our world?”

• Called to go beneath the surface!
  • Discern what is driving these spiritual agendas.
    • To protect yourself from being lead astray.
    • To guard others.
    • To call people out of its grasp.   

 

[Prop] Beneath the surface of demonic temptation

Three phrases of demon inhabitation

1. Impure spirits promoting lifeless doctrines (v. 43)

[KEY] Jesus moves beneath the surface to reveal what demon influence and inhabitation look like.

• Bible is clear that there is more to the story than what is readily observable.
  • Whether dark days.
  • Or day-to-day life.
    • “We wrestle not against flesh and blood.”
    • But what does this practically mean?
      • Shouldn’t encountering demons be felt as dramatic?
      • Wrestling with demons?
      • Our passage confirms that it should.

 

• Jesus assumes hearers believe in the unseen realm and its connection to daily experience.
  • Jesus (here) in graphic detail depicts an “unclean spirit” exiting habitation with someone.
    • What cannot be seen with human eyes.
    • Though someone had just been delivered of demon oppression (cf. v. 22).

 

• An “unclean” demon meaning it is immoral.
  • Ceremonially unclean?
    • Not supposed to be inside someone’s life.
    • Not welcome inside believers.
      • The temple of the Holy Spirit.
      • Greater is he…in you!
      • “What fellowship has light with darkness?”

[KEY] No nothing as to why this demon leaves this man.

• We do know the two-dimensional reality.
  • Physical and spiritual.
    • Outer man (physical) and Inner man (spiritual).
    • What constitutes image bearing humans.

 

• Jesus speaks broadly of two realms.
  • Invisible spirit inhabits and leaves the physical body.
    • e. Jesus cast out a demon, oppressing a blind and mute man, out of this man’s life.
      • What we do not see.
      • Invisible realm of the heart.

 

• This says to me that, “People are regularly engaged with demons.”
  • What we diagnose in demon teachings.
    • Doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1).
    • Spirits believers called to test (1 Jn. 4:1-6 “spirit antichrist”).

 

• Mostly demonized person not head spinning, turning green, frothing at the mouth.

 

• Chiefly, engagement w/demons is with our mind.
  • Demon activity is ubiquitous.
    • You know this by viewing life in terms of Truth.
      • Demons draw people away from the Gospel.
      • Away from exercising saving faith.

 

• Reacting to the charismatics, we’ve wrongly minimized demon activity!
  • Understanding demon influence as false doctrines they promote, means they are everywhere.
  • Demons are very present in our world.

^ESV  2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case ^athe god of this world ^xhas blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing ^ethe light of ^bthe gospel of the glory of Christ, ^cwho is the image of God. (2Co 4:4 ESV)

^ESV  Ephesians 6:12 For ^awe do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ^bthe rulers, against the authorities, against ^cthe cosmic powers over ^dthis present darkness, against ^ethe spiritual forces of evil ^fin the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12 ESV)

^ESV  James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. ^aResist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jam 4:7 ESV)

[Question] “What does it mean: “it [demon] passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none?” (v. 43).

• Why demon leaves, left generic.
  • Not Jesus’ point.
  • Parable of habitation!
    • Like parable of “strongman’s house” (cf. v. 29).
      • The body is “house” and demon willingly leaves.
        • We do not know much about the comings and goings of the unseen world.
        • Only that it exists.

 

• The freewill nature of this demon is eerie.

 

• The unbeliever believer, here becomes a haunted house with a ghost.
  • That freewheels throughout.
  • Only divine ejection secures a demon’s non-return.

[Note] Jesus portrays the unseen realm.

• Demon getting no traction with someone.
  • Losing interest?
    • Rendered useless with no host.
    • Empty, dying. thirsty in a desert wasteland.
      • Places demons prefer to dwell?
      • Demon neutered and restless without a host!

 

• Job 1:7 and 2:2 depict Satan and the “sons of God roaming to fro, walking on the earth.”

 

• 1 Peter 5:8 says, “devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”

 

[Illus] Like a mosquito, without a blood source, desperately seeks for and needs a new host. Here he finds none.

[Question] “Why told what lies beneath, if you can’t see it for yourself?” “Are we just supposed concede to living in a haunted house?”

• Start with this question, “How do you recognize what you cannot see?”
  • “Listen (evaluate) to what they say?”

 

• Demons speak through their doctrines.

 

• Not denying physical realities of demon possession.
  • Displayed here.
  • Gospels and Acts.

 

• Deepest objective of a demon is destroying, not body but soul.
  • Physical assault is never the point.
  • Goal, to lead someone away from Christ.

 

• Not supposed to discern demons with “signs” (cf. v. 38).

 

• Discern demons by demon doctrines.

 

• When discerning through Truth, demons are suddenly present everywhere!

 

2. Moral reform creating false security (v. 44)

[KEY] Demon has left the house but still has a house key.

• Leaves occupancy, not ownership.
  • Hoping overt sins will be covered with moral reform.
  • An enticing reentry for more demons.

 

• This Demon like its demon ideology.
  • Moral reform (i.e. Wokeness) on surface appears powerful.
    • Promising, new and improved way of life.
      • Coexisting with others.
      • Flexing under a banner of diversity!
    • Yet, demon ideology leaves an empty void in the heart.
      • Why people are so angry.
      • Why angry celebrity outbursts!
      • Their ideology leaves you empty.

 

• Demon was empty of influence without a host.
  • Weakened with nowhere to go.
  • Appears powerful and is powerless.

 

• The contradiction of wokeness.
  • Blame shifting.
  • Learned helplessness.

 

• False teachers inhabited by demons are the precise representation.
  • False teachers in the world.
  • Creep inside the church.
  • Promoting freedoms, while being enslaved!

 

^ESV  2 Peter 2:17-21 ^aThese are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^bFor them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

¹⁸ For, ^aspeaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^bescaping from those who live in error.

¹⁹ They promise them ^afreedom, ^bbut they themselves are slaves¹ of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

²⁰ For if, ^aafter they have escaped the defilements of the world ^bthrough the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, ^cthe last state has become worse for them than the first.

²¹ For ^ait would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from ^bthe holy commandment delivered to them.

²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The ^adog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2Pe 2:17-22 ESV)

 

[TRANS] Verse 44 warns the demon will seek to return.

The demon gets bored with the world and says, “I will return to my house from which I came” (v. 43).

• Possessiveness is noteworthy. “…I will return to my house” (v. 44).
  • A demon entitled to haunt at will!
    • Parabolic but not mythical.
      • Portrays reality.
      • Demons making choices.

 

• Did the demon choose to wait for the person to fall into moral reform?
  • This is blind vulnerability of someone lost.
    • No security system for their home.
      • Security fences are down.
      • Demons enter blind hosts at will.

 

• Demon returning, sobering thought.
  • Coming back to a home now marked by moral reform!
  • “House” represents more than someone’s body.
    • Someone’s life ethic.
    • Has taken charge of work ethic and morality.

 

• Life, swept clean.

 

• Adorned, externally attractive.

[Appl] People spend endless sums of money for cosmetic makeovers, new cars, exotic homes, fashions, and perfect teeth, To have it all together!

[Appl] FB posting, “I have it all together!” Self-help podcasting, largest section in Barnes and Noble.

• “The demon was out but the demon-doctrine lingered.”

[Illus] “If I can clean myself up” “Get sobered” “Get into the right life program” “Go to the right weekend” “Start my new Bible reading program” “Putting nose to the grindstone.” Do enough so I never go backwards then right with God.

 

[Quote] The hubris of self-made reform is dynamic, powerful, and condemning all at the same time. Worst of all, very difficult to see.

How can someone argue with a strong work ethic?

[Appl] “Have you ever compared yourself to a Mormon?” When is the last time you gave years of your life to go on mission, going door to door, finding creative ways to sell things all with the express purpose of giving their “Gospel” message!

They are that bold and yet I can’t muster the courage to engage someone I already know with the Truth of God’s Word.

[Question] “Do you remember the story of the Pharisee and Publican?”

^ESV  Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some ^awho trusted ^bin themselves that they were righteous, ^cand treated others with contempt:

¹⁰ “Two men ^awent up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

¹¹ The Pharisee, ^astanding by himself, prayed^{1 b}thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

^{12 a}I fast twice a week; ^bI give tithes of all that I get.’

¹³ But the tax collector, ^astanding far off, ^ewould not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^bbeat his breast, saying, ‘God, ^cbe merciful to me, a sinner!’

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For ^aeveryone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luk 18:9-14 ESV)

 

[Point] Self-righteousness is a deadly sin, but also important to see it as demonic temptation.

 

• And this at core is the temptation to pride.
  • The “I wills” of Satan.

 

^ESV  Isaiah 14:13-14 You said in your heart, ^a‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God ^bI will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;¹

¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ (Isa 14:13-14 ESV)

 

• What lies beneath demons is the temptations toward self-reform.
  • Moralism.
    • Quest to be moral is a quest to be better than others.
    • To control betterment!

 

• True sanctification comes from God.
  • One who qualifies us in the first place to be Holy.
    • Made righteous by justification.
    • By God, outside of our own doing!

 

• We strive for holiness from desperation.
  • God humbles us through life circumstances.
  • Trials and failings make us cry to the Lord for help.

 

^ESV  Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, ^aas you have always ^bobeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

¹³ for ^ait is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^bhis good pleasure. (Phi 2:12-13 ESV)

 

[KEY] Earlier I pitched the idea that Woke doctrine is demon doctrine and this verse is why I’m making the case.

 

• Moral reform is behind the guise of social justice.
  • Pharisaical measures motivated by self-righteousness.
    • Kneeling as an act of penance, to no end.
    • Whether you have compassion on the poor and needy, you have to follow the very narrowly prescribed rules.
      • “What you can say or not say.”

 

• “Do or not do.”
  • To keep yourself in good graces with societies new religion.
    • False humility cast as abuse and victimization.

 

• Erasing the Bible’s accountability for what is right or wrong.

 

• The Devil wants you to sweep out yourself through self-righteous behavior.

 

• This kind of blind self-deception is what he longs to inhabit.

 

 

 

3. Extreme vulnerability going bad to worse (v. 45)

[KEY] Self-reform opens someone to massive vulnerability!

• Demons return with exponential influence (v. 45).
  • One demon was empty and dry unable to find another host.
    • Having left someone who was less vulnerable,
      • Now, by self-reform, becomes a prime target.
      • Returning now with a full posse.

 

• “Why does he bring “seven other spirits” (v. 45)?”
  • Seven in the Bible is a number of completion.
    • Symbolic of a whole host of demons.
    • Like the demoniac.

 

• Demons are “more evil” (v. 45) which means they bring a multiplied effect and influence to life.
  • Picture house indwelled by a single perpetrator now is indwelled with a gang.
  • Person trying to make himself or herself right with God by sweeping the place up!
    • Cleaning outside of a white sepulcher while no true work was being done on the inside.

 

• Dead inside.

[Illus] Painting the exterior of the house while its foundation was condemned by termite infestation. What makes the house vulnerable is when someone addresses an issue apart from the heart.

[Question] “Do you remember the testimony of David?”

^ESV  Psalm 51:10-17 ^aCreate in me a ^bclean heart, O God, and ^crenew a right¹ spirit within me.

^{11 a}Cast me not away from your presence, and take not ^byour Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will ^areturn to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from ^abloodguiltiness, O God, O ^bGod of my salvation, and ^cmy tongue will sing aloud of your ^drighteousness.

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

^{16 a}For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

 ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are ^aa broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

 (Psa 51:10-17 ESV)

[KEY] Self-reform appears to be what God says to do, but without heart, is a disaster.

• Offering sacrifices God despises!
• Brokenness is what the LORD is after!
  • Moral reform is the exact opposite and invites demons.
  • Looks in control while things spin completely out of control!
    • Outward reform breeds inward sin.
    • Outward righteousness, a cover for secret sin.

[KEY] Believers are the only ones who can expel a demon and lock the door behind.

• “What should a believer do, to be Holy?”
  • True work, begins with the heart.
    • Acknowledge sin, take responsibility and repent.
    • Then fill the empty void with the Lord Jesus.

 

• Never enough to just sanitize yourself!

[KEY] What Paul prescribes in Romans.

^ESV  Romans 13:12-14 ^aThe night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us ^bcast off ^cthe works of darkness and ^dput on the armor of light.

^{13 a}Let us walk properly as in the daytime, ^bnot in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, ^cnot in quarreling and jealousy.

¹⁴ But ^aput on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, ^bto gratify its desires.

(Rom 12:13-1 ESV)

^ESV  Ephesians 4:22-28 to ^aput off ^byour old self,¹ which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^cdeceitful desires,

²³ and ^ato be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

²⁴ and to put on ^athe new self, ^bcreated after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^aspeak the truth with his neighbor, for ^bwe are members one of another.

^{26 a}Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

²⁷ and ^agive no opportunity to the devil.

²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^alet him labor, ^bdoing honest work with his own hands, so ^cthat he may have something to share with anyone in need. (Eph 4:22-28 ESV)

 

^ESV  Colossians 3:9-12 ^aDo not lie to one another, seeing that ^byou have put off ^cthe old self¹ with its practices

¹⁰ and ^ahave put on ^bthe new self, ^cwhich is being renewed in knowledge ^dafter the image of ^eits creator.

^{11 a}Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,¹ free; but Christ is ^ball, and in all.

^{12 a}Put on then, as ^bGod’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, ^ccompassionate hearts, ^dkindness, ^ehumility, meekness, and patience, (Col 3:9-12 ESV)  

 

• To sterilize our sin is never enough!

 

[Illus] You not only dig out the splinter, you have to apply the salve over the wound, bandage it, you then have to set the conditions for healing and regrowth over prior contamination. Or, the partially healed wound will be more exposed to bacteria and the infection will now spread throughout the body causing sepsis.

 

[Illus] Think of your life like a house filled with drug dealers! A meth lab. You kick out your partner, clean out the lab, scrub the house, and make it clean and attractive. It transforms from a meth lab to being a spec home (show home). You bring people through and say, “Look how clean the carpet is and how perfectly positioned the furniture is! Then everyone leaves and the house becomes an empty shell. Plastic is still on the couch. This is not yet a home and in fact, the meth lab was even more authentic. You had friendships, though corrupt, and you had purpose though self-destructive.  

 

[Appl] Jesus requires you to not only put off the old life but then to fill it will himself. “Be not drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled in the Spirit!” (Eph. 5:18) Pour out what is evil and pour in Truth!

[Point] When you do not refill the hole, moral reform, you are set up for a massive relapse that is far worse than before. “The dog returns to its own vomit…” (cf. 2 Pt. 2:22).

[KEY] Last thing to mention, is how Jesus applies this to the “generation” he is speaking to.

• Jesus addresses the whole “generation” means he is speaking to broad demon influence.
  • Demon doctrines not demon possession.

 

• Satan has blinded all the minds of all who have yet to believe.
  • Whether possessed by one or seven or more demons is not the point.
    • Demons have made an all-out assault on an entire generation.

 

• A false promise that self-reform!

 

• “SJ-reform is the right religion!”
  • Woke-religion is the religion of the day!
  • Trying to Do-Good themselves into their kingdom!

Question: “How do you combat this?”

“Do not fight the Demon, fight its doctrine!”

“Capture demon doctrine with Truth.”

“Guard your loved ones.”

“Pull people out with Truth.”

^ESV  2 Corinthians 10:1-5 ^aI, Paul, myself entreat you, by the ^bmeekness and gentleness of Christ–I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!–

² I beg of you ^athat when I am present I may not have to show ^bboldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

⁴ For the ^aweapons of ^bour warfare are not of the flesh but have ^cdivine power ^dto destroy strongholds.

⁵ We destroy arguments and ^aevery lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to ^bobey Christ, (2Co 10:1-5 ESV)