By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

The Strong Man!

“You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link”

“…Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”
Luke 11:17b New International Version

As I watched the workmen preparing to join the two parts of our prefab house together, I was reminded of Jesus’ words, famously quoted by Abraham Lincoln, “a house divided against itself shall not stand”.  Our 16th president, in mentioning a “house divided”, was referring to the United States of America.  Our Lord Jesus, when referring to a “house divided”, was demonstrating that He was not part of Satan’s kingdom, that Jesus’ kingdom stands in direct opposition to Satan’s rule.

And the kingdom of our Lord is a kingdom of peace, forgiveness, and salvation, and the kingdom of God will never end.  Our King Jesus came to defeat “the strong man”, Satan himself, for Jesus is Lord over all powers and authorities and rulers in heaven and earth and under the earth.  (See Luke 11:21-22)

Jesus’ victory over sin and death has defeated Satan and doomed the devil and all his evil angels to eternal punishment in hell.  But for all those who follow King Jesus there is eternal joy and glory in heaven with the Lord and all fellow believers.

You see, there is no house divided in Jesus’ kingdom.  All who follow the Lord have put their faith in Him alone for this life and for eternity.  From time to time the disciples of our Lord have their conflicts and differences.  But in our Lord “the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord!” (Ephesians 2:21)

A house divided against itself will fall, but in Christ Jesus there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.”  (Ephesians 4:5)  And our King shall reign forever and ever! Amen.

“Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado”