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Third Sunday in Lent (1879)

Luke 11:14-28 There are two powerful and mighty kingdoms in the world, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil. Between the two is a contrast like between light and darkness. The devil's kingdom is to lie and to sin, the other in truth and righteousness. The former keeps people trapped in sin, the kingdom of Christ redeems from this bondage and leads to eternal, blessed freedom and peace with God. That is why it is of the highest importance for every man to know in which of the two kingdoms he really is. Let us make just this the object of our devotion on the basis of today's Gospel: Why can and should every man know whether he is in the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil? 1. because both kingdoms are recognizable and obvious: a. the kingdom of God is recognizable and obvious . from the works of Christ, because .He casts out the devil1 and thereby proves Himself as the Son of God who had come that He might destroy the works of the devil2, .He takes from the strong armed man all his armor and distributes the spoil; such happens as He aa. makes free, those who were enslaved and bound in sin by the devil3, bb. when He seizes power through His death from him who had the power of death, that is, the devil4, cc. in His exaltation to the right Hand of God He distributes the eternal treasures of His redemption, of which the devil had brought people5, . from the preaching of the Gospel and the holy Sacraments that are instituted by Christ and thus is continually powerful to save men from the devil's kingdom and to gather into His kingdom,

Luke 11:14. Luke 11:20. 3 Mark 16:9. 4 Hebrews 2:14. 5 Ephesians 4:8.
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b. on the other hand, the kingdom of the devil is recognizable and obvious . from the works of the devil: idolatry, sorcery, unbelief, lies, slander, and other abominable sins, . from the hostility of the world against Christ, His Word and His Church6 Since both realms are recognizable and obvious, everyone thus can know whether he is in the blessed kingdom of Jesus Christ or in the kingdom of the devil. If you belong to those who do the devil's work, blaspheme and haunt Christ and His Word, despise true worship, church, preaching and sacrament, then you also belong to his kingdom, on the other hand, if you honor Christ, believe in Him, love His Word, and walk after Him, then Christ also recognizes you as one of His own and invites you into His kingdom.7 2. because no one can be both in God and the devil's kingdom. There are many people who do not want to be part of the obvious enemies of Christ and yet do not commit themselves openly and honestly to Christ. But the Lord says: "Whoever is not with Me is against Me" etc. This saying of Christ a. cuts off all connecting and mixing of His kingdom with the kingdom of the devil: . in regard to doctrine. All those who falsify the Gospel of Christ mix in with it the leaven of their errors, they do not gather with Him but scatter, they rend the unity of faith and the spiritual body of Christ8, . in regard to life. For example, one cannot be a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ and at the same time have a worldly connection, like the so-called secret societies and other types of associations that work against true Christianity9; b. allows no neutral (undecided) position between His and the devil's kingdom: . in regard to doctrine He is against the making of Union Churches, as both truth and error shall be tolerated and borne into the Church; one does not build the Church in this way, but works on her decay; . in regard to life He is against those which want to reconcile equality with the world in their swift machinations, greed, unrighteousness, extortion, vanity, pleasure, etc. with true Christianity. If all those half, lukewarm, limping on both
Luke 11:15-16. Luke 11:28. 8 Romans 16:17-18. 9 2 Corinthians 6:14ff.
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sides people who want to keep her with Christ and yet also not spoil her with the world were Christians, then He would have a lot of followers, but whoever is not with Christ in their whole heart is against Him, stands on the side of the enemy, is still trapped and bound in the realm of the devil, because no one can be in both kingdoms at the same time; 3. because everyone can and must come to a certainty about whether he is truly converted to Christ or not; a. a true conversion to Christ is necessary, otherwise one cannot be in Christ's kingdom. In conversion man is made free through the power of grace from the power and dominion of the devil.10 This is, however, a great work of God, as liberation from physical possession and internal transformation that happens through conversion, a greater work than external transformation, if a person is free from bodily possession. Although one cannot demand that a man knows the time and hour of his conversion; the least of those who were led to Christ from childhood onward and saved by God's grace from gross cases of sin. Even the light of grace can thus disappear from a true convert in times of temptation, that he thinks he is not yet converted. Yet he hates sin and in the depths of his heart is the deepest longing for grace; his faith, although hidden from him, still adheres firmly to Christ; b. it is different with those who then live unconcerned about their souls salvation in complete security and impenitence; or who have done the horrific relapse after their conversion, as described in verses 2426. Those will tell their own consciences that they cannot be comforted in such a state of grace. Oh, certainly, every man can and ought to know how it is with his soul, whether he has received the grace of God to work his illumination and conversion and stands in such grace; because only those are in Christ's kingdom. Are you among those still not assured, then examine your heart, ask God for His grace for a true conversion of your heart, hear God's word, keep it in your heart, thus you will also learn what the LORD says: "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it." However, since all converts apply the aforementioned cautionary word before relapse, then no one is certain, but fears that the devil does not obtain it by fraud and the last being worse with him than the first. The weapons of the Word of God and prayer cannot put a Christian out of His Hand. But the Lord is with and by His own, He preserves you, He fights for you, He leads you to eternal victory. G.A.S.

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Acts 26:18.

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