Luke 11:14–28
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Good morning. It is a joy to be back with you at Saint Paul’s. I have always loved worshiping here and sharing in your life together. Congratulations to the confirmands, and to those who were received into this communion.
This morning I want to draw our attention to the Gospel reading and speak about the devil’s hidden agenda.
A Simple Story
The other day I heard about a young girl who was disciplined by her mother in church. During the service, she had kicked her little brother in the shins and pulled his hair—though I’m sure nothing like that ever happens here.
Her mother took her outside and asked, “Sally, why did you let the devil make you kick your brother and pull his hair?”
The little girl replied, “Well, the devil made me kick him—but pulling his hair was my idea.”
There is something profoundly true in that. The devil does his work to disrupt God’s people, and when he is successful, we are drawn into participating in his purposes. And those purposes almost always end in division.
That is why one minister has called this strategy the devil’s hidden agenda.
The Gospel: Division Over the Truth
Our Gospel lesson from Luke 11 reveals this hidden agenda in detail.
- First, the twisting of Scripture (Christ’s temptation in the wilderness)
- Second, the attack on families (the demon-possessed daughter)
- Third, division within the people of God
The passage begins with a double miracle: Jesus casts out a demon and restores a man’s speech. The crowd witnesses this undeniable act of deliverance.
But instead of unity, division emerges.
Some accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul. Others demand another sign, as though what they had just seen were not enough.
This is Satan’s strategy: not to deny the miracle—but to distort its meaning.
The First Tactic: Challenging the Truth
Division begins with a challenge to truth.
The truth is this: Jesus Christ is the Messiah who delivers His people from Satan.
We see this pattern as early as Genesis:
“Did God really say…?”
Satan begins with doubt, then moves to denial. Disunity always begins with distortion of the truth.
Unity must be grounded in truth—not unity for its own sake.
Christ’s Answer: Truth and Reason
1. A Divided Kingdom Cannot Stand
“A house divided against itself falls.”
If Satan were casting out his own demons, his kingdom would collapse. The accusation is illogical.
2. The Stronger Man
Jesus presents Himself as the stronger man who overcomes the enemy and plunders his house.
The devil is on the defensive. Christ and His Church are advancing.
“The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
But this advance requires unity. A divided army cannot prevail.
3. The Danger of Emptiness
Jesus warns that when an unclean spirit leaves, it may return if the house is left empty.
The issue is not only being cleansed—but being filled.
This is why baptism involves both renouncing the devil and receiving Christ.
The Final Word: Hearing and Keeping
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
This is how we are filled: by hearing and keeping God’s Word.
The Present Moment
We live in a time where good is called evil and evil is called good. Where truth is rejected, division follows. Where truth is upheld, unity is possible.
The Call to Unity in Truth
“Separate a ray from the sun, and its unity is lost… Cut off a stream from its source, and it dries up.” — St. Cyprian
True unity is unity in truth.
All true Christians hold to the same essential truths: that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died and rose again for the salvation of the world.
A Final Illustration
John Wesley once dreamed he stood at the gates of hell and then at the gates of heaven. In the end, the answer was simple:
“There are only Christians here.”
Conclusion
Satan’s hidden agenda is to divide by distorting the truth.
But Christ unites through the truth.
- Hold fast to the Scriptures
- Be filled with the Word
- Live by grace through faith
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
