Come Home – Part 2

March 10, 2026

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 2
                             Luke 11:20-22
                              03/10/2026


        20   ``But if it is by the finger of God that I cast
             out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon
             you.
        21   When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own
             palace, his goods are safe;
        22   but when one stronger than he attacks him and
             overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he
             trusted and divides his spoil.''  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed the historic Collect for the Third
   Sunday in Lent.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word.


        In this prayer, we confess that our redemption from sin,
   death, and the power of the devil is because of God's great mercy
   and love alone.  We admit that all who have left the household of
   faith, who no longer trust in Jesus Christ for their hope of
   eternal life, have done so because their spirit is filled with
   the lies of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh.

        Jesus said:
        ``But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out
        demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
        When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace,
        his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he
        attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor
        in which he trusted and divides his spoil.''


        The strong man, Satan, jealously guards against the truth of
   God's Word.  Yet, Jesus is the One who is stronger, who overcomes
   him and takes away his power.  Jesus earned this victory over sin
   and death by His crucifixion and resurrection.  The empty tomb
   shows that death no longer has power over Him.  In turn, Christ
   Jesus promises that He will raise us up from the sleep of
   temporal death to take us with Him for eternity.

        May our Lord grant us faith to trust in the Word of God
   proclaimed by Jesus, that He is the One who defeated Satan for
   all time for our redemption.  Amen.