Even Demons Know - Luke 4:31-41

What if the battle between good and evil doesn’t drag on forever? We walk through Luke 4:31–41 to witness Jesus speak with a kind of authority that ends arguments, empties threats, and restores what’s broken. In a single day He silences an unclean spirit in the synagogue and rebukes a fever at Simon’s house, and the ripple effect is unmistakable: darkness yields, bodies are healed, hope rises. No fanfare, no stalemate—just a clear display that the final word is His.

Transcript

Welcome Back & Setting The Stakes

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, it's good to be with you. It's good to see your faces back after a couple weeks of uh weather. Uh I'm thankful my kids got to see snow, my daughter, for the very first time ever, but I'm I think even more thankful we're back together in the same room. So if you have your Bible, go ahead and open it up. Go to the Gospel of Luke as we continue our two-year-long study through this gospel. We'll be in chapter four, beginning in verse 31, where Miss Hannah read this morning. Luke 4, 31, and we will try to track all the way through verse 41. If you were able to grab notes, uh they were as you kind of came down the stairs, that will kind of help you follow along. There will be some slides behind me so you can kind of follow along. Uh if you would like to grab notes, feel free to go up at any point in time and grab those notes if you don't have them. I don't know about you, but I have watched a number of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. And I'm kind of to the point now where I'm tired of them. Um there's so many of them. Uh now that there's like series on Disney Plus of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are so many movies. In fact, I I I Googled how many movies there are in the cinematic universe, and there are what Google said 37 movies now in the MCU, which is a crazy amount. Used to, my wife and I would always look forward to like the next one that would come out, and we'd try to go to the theater and then kind of it didn't become as exciting anymore, so we just wait till it comes on some streaming service that we could watch them. But if you've ever seen an MCU movie, you know you can count on two things. The first is that there will be a climactic, if not cosmic, battle between good and evil in the movie. They keep winning the world. I don't know how they keep doing it. They keep like winning against whatever random enemy comes. But it's some big climactic, good versus evil, kind of dualistic battle. The second thing you can count on is that at some point in time there will be a small mistake. A hero will not do everything that they need to do. And so after the credits roll, there will be a post-credit scene showing an enemy who wasn't fully defeated and probably has a plan to come back again. Yet again, another movie. I reached out to a friend of mine. His name's Lannon. He collects comic books because that's what Lannon does. And he follows the MCU. And I asked him after Googling it to confirm this was right, 37 MCU movies, 65 or so post-credit scenes. Because they got to keep the universe alive, right? Evil has to come back. So there's yet again another movie. Well, you say, why is this important? Well, it is in setting up our time together in God's Word. Marvel needs post-credit scenes because in that world, evil never really loses. It's what makes more movies, it's what makes more stories. Christianity does not have that need. Here's what I mean: the Bible records for us a climactic conclusion of history as we know it, with a decisive end of the presence and power of evil as Christ defeats death, Satan, and all worldly powers, including demonic impression, once and for all. There is a decisive end. There's no post-credit scene like the devil almost lost but didn't really lose. And here's another story coming to be. So there will not be forever in our world a pull back and forth between good and evil. There will be no post-credit scene after the book of Revelation to where Satan wages yet again another war, like there's another movie coming out. And it is my prayer this morning that in seeing Jesus' power in our study, you will have absolute assurance in seeing his authority that he will win the final battle, and really there'll be no contest. There is a decisive end to all that is wrong, all unrighteousness, all evil, all suffering in the end. In fact, in looking at his ministry, you should be able to draw that assurance. This message is important for us because we still await the day, though we have been fully forgiven of the punishment of our sin, we still await the day we'll be finally free from the presence of sin. And some days it feels like evil's winning. Fear overtakes your life. Cripples you. Maybe you wrestle with anxiety, worry for the future. Maybe this morning it feels like evil's winning. Maybe you or someone you know is battling some sort of chronic illness. Cancer has a syndrome that will forever be a part of who they are, this side of heaven. Maybe you or someone you know is battling an addiction. One that you or they just cannot get rid of. Spiritual oppression. Maybe there is an unanswered prayer in your life for your family or your friends. And these things it may feel like evil is winning. But in these times, we must remember God's promise. And that promise I am talking about is a new and a better home. Free from the power and the presence of sin. A home without demonic oppression and without disease. A future without the stain of sin, sickness, sorrow, or strife. A future with the victor, Jesus himself. And I am here to tell you this morning we can look forward to that future home with assurance that Jesus will bring it by looking at his ministry and seeing his universal authority. During his ministry, you see it, and at the end of his ministry, he is presented before the ancient of days at his ascension, where all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. Therefore go as we make disciples. So look with me, the book of Luke, chapter four, beginning at verse 31. I'm going to read through the whole text, and then we'll walk through it together. And I want you to see something, and then I want you to hear something, and then hopefully walk away knowing something, not just intellectually, but affectionately. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. Reports about him went out to every place in the surrounding region. And then he arose, and then he left the synagogue, and he entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any were sick, who were sick with various diseases, brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many crying, You are the Son of God. But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

Reading Luke 4:31–41

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Would you pray with me?

SPEAKER_00 9:35

God, as I pray now, and I've prayed many times before, I am a fallible man, entrusted with a responsibility to preach your infallible word. Help me. Make what you want known, known this morning, and what you want cherished, cherished this morning. I pray, Lord, that we would all leave changed, whether saved or sanctified, either way, prepared for glory.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

In your name we pray. Amen.

Authority In Jesus’ Words

Confrontation With An Unclean Spirit

Power Over Demons Without Contest

SPEAKER_00 10:17

I want to ask you three simple, very simple questions as we walk through the text this morning to help us understand it. And those questions are quite simply: what do we see in this text? What do we hear in this text? And what should we know from this scripture? First off, what do we see? Well, in your outline, we see, as it's written, Jesus' authority. We see Jesus' authority. First and foremost, we see the authority of Jesus and both his word and in his work. But before we see his work, we actually see his authority expressed and recognized in his words alone. Verse 3132. They hear it. Before he had done any miracles, they're taken aback by his teaching because his very word possesses authority. And you see that throughout the scriptures. Think about it. The book of Colossians teaches us in chapter one that Jesus is the same God who created all things. By him and through him and for him were all things created. And how was the world created? Well, think about it. Was it by like a thousand years of God's work? Or simply from the word of his mouth? Well, by the words of his mouth, everything was created that is. How about Genesis 1? And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God said, Let there be. And God said, and God said. So what is astonishing the crowd at Capernaum is they're hearing the voice of God who spoke and the stars were put in place. In some way, they can't comprehend there is authority here. Like something we've never heard before. They're astonished, they're taken aback. Because God is speaking. We see in his work now, he has authority over demons. So what happens in this story? Well, Jesus is teaching in a synagogue in front of all the people gathered there. And there is a man in the church who is possessed by a demon, and he starts screaming. I don't care who you are, that's terrifying. Jesus is speaking, man stands up, starts screaming at Jesus. I know who you are. Everybody's shocked. It's clear this man is possessed. Luke uniquely uses the phrase unclean demon, not to say that there is a type of demon that's clean, but to say that this man should not be in the house of the Lord because he's unclean. And so if Jesus has the authority that maybe they've heard he has by the miracles that he has done, because he's done some miracles already, we we know that he had traveled already a little bit from the beginning of the chapter in Luke 4. The religious leaders in the room, they probably suppose that what is right for Jesus to do is to remove the unclean man out of the assembly. No. What he does, he actually removes the uncleanliness, the demon, out of the man. He kicks the demon out of the assembly. Something no one could do. Wow. Jesus could. He rebukes the demon. And at his rebuke, you learn a few things about Jesus' control, authority over demons. They're in your notes. Because at his rebuke, they can't disobey. I mean, think about that. You should marvel at the authority of Jesus this morning. At his rebuke, they can't disobey. Verse 35 be silent and come out of him, and he came out of him. Jesus' authority cannot be challenged or ignored. He speaks, demons obey. Second, at his rebuke, they can't speak. Verse 41, go down to the kind of the second story. He rebuked those possessed, the demons, that is, of those possessed. He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak. So there's no wrestling for power here. Jesus says, be quiet, and they're quiet. There isn't a consequence even given if they don't be quiet, because consequences in a way imply some level of control. Hey, if you don't be quiet, I'm gonna do this. Which is what we do often in parenting, right? My kids do something I told them not to do, there are consequences because they may act outside of my command. Demons don't have that opportunity. Jesus says, be quiet, and the demon doesn't talk anymore. The third thing, at Jesus' rebuke, this is interesting. The demon in that first story can't hurt. Very interesting. Verse 35. When the demon had thrown the man down in their midst, the demon throws him down. He came out of him, having done him no harm. Think about that for a moment. The demon who had been commanded to leave, at least tried to leave a mark by throwing the man down, but because of God's authority, he couldn't even do that. One commentator on this passage, he said, Nothing ever argues with Jesus and wins. Later in Luke, when Jesus meets a man possessed by many demons, they beg him not to torment them or to throw them in the abyss and beg him to send them into the pigs. And he gave them permission. That's where he sent them, and nothing happened other than what he said. Go to the pigs. Jesus has authority over demons. You you might think this world is spiraling out of control with what you read in the news. Dear Christian, do not grow weary. Believe Jesus is in control of all things. You see that in verses 38 through 39, and of course again in verse again in verse 40. Jesus goes to Simon's mother-in-law's house. She has a high fever. Now you know high fevers or fevers don't have ears or minds, and yet Jesus speaks to the fever as if the fever hears him, rebukes it, fever's gone. And then they're in sincere thankfulness to Jesus. Simon's mother-in-law just begins serving him. This is what we see. Jesus' authority. What no human could control or figure out on the earth in its entirety, Jesus can say, Done. Done. Which I'm giving you a little bit of a picture of the last point. But what a picture of the new heavens and new earth, where there will be no more disease. Where there'll be no demonic oppression or movement. They'll be banished. When the leper touches Jesus, he does not contract leprosy, he pushes it out of the person who has it. Jesus has that power. And he's promised to. Number two, what do we hear? What do we see? Now what do we hear? What do we hear? Number two. We hear the demons recognize Jesus as identity. See, Jesus' identity. Now who are demons? Well, this is the first time they're introduced in the Gospel of Luke, and they're in opposition to Christ. Jesus has shown his righteousness in personal temptation from the devil. Beginning of chapter 4. Now he comes to show his authority over demons, oppression in his public ministry. Well, demons are spiritual servants of Satan who rebelled against God and were thrown out of heaven. In brief, demons are spiritual servants of the evil one, Satan, the serpent, the tempter, the accuser. And what follows in this scripture is just absolutely fascinating to me because of what demons clearly know. See, during the lifetime of Jesus' ministry, there seems to be confusion regarding who he really is, at least in the minds and hearts and thoughts of those around him. There were times when his family thought he was maybe crazy. Mark 3, 21, John 7.5. Times when certain religious leaders believed him to be possessed by Satan, or at least accuse him. Mark 3, verse 22. Even disciples were often confused about his plan. John 13, verse 7 and verse 19. The only ones who seem to consistently get it right in the New Testament are the demons. They are not confused about who Jesus is. Now again, they don't get responding to him. Him rightly, they get his identity right. Earlier in chapter 4, where Jesus speaks in the hometown of Nazareth, so he goes to his hometown. This is chapter 4, verses 16 through 30. Jesus speaks in Nazareth. At first it seems like they accept him, but they're kind of confused. Is this really Joseph's son, the carpenter? And then Jesus says a prophet's not welcome in his own hometown. He looks at an example of Elijah from the Old Testament, another example as well, and he shares that his ministry is going outside of Israel to all who would receive him, and they're angry about that, and they seek to push him off a cliff. Let's just contrast a couple things here in Nazareth and Capernaum. Because Jesus showed himself to be the promised Messiah in Nazareth and was rejected. See, in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, former friendly supporters who allowed him to speak, this is the hometown preacher, they rejected, denied who he was, who he is. But now in Capernaum, demons who have forever been in opposition to him declare who he is. People in Nazareth attempt to stone him. In Capernaum, demons are scared of him. Isn't that an interesting contrast? In Nazareth, people desire Jesus for his power. Oh, will you do miracles like you've done? But denied his person. In Capernaum, the demons experience his power and exclaim his person, you are the Son of God. Demons have no saving relationship with Jesus, and yet they totally understand Jesus' relationship to God, and because of that, they're terrified. There are four things demons acknowledge about Jesus in these verses during his ministry. The first thing, verse 34, demons know Jesus is holy, that there is no one like him. The word holy does not only mean pure and righteous in character, but set apart in personhood. They know the one they serve is not like him, even if they hate him for it. What have you to do with us, verse 34, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God. He is saying there is no one like him. Even though the demon hates God, he cannot say he is not holy.

SPEAKER_02 24:54

There's no desire for his goodness, but there's no denial of it either.

Healing Simon’s Mother-In-Law

SPEAKER_00 25:03

Demons not only know he's holy, they know he's the son of God. Verse 41, beginning of it. Demons also came out of many crying, you are, as I've already said, the son of God. So the demons understand something about the nature of God that many don't understand. That God is three persons, one God, and that Jesus is his son in relation is the son of the Father in relationship to his father, the same God. They recognize Jesus is the eternal Son of God. At Jesus' baptism in Luke 3, we've seen this to be true, and now we hear it from the mouths of demons. It's almost as if after Jesus was tempted by the evil one, Satan himself, if you are the Son of God, if you are the Son of God, if you are the Son of God, pass the test, and now demons say, You're the Son of God.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

Satan saying, It's him. It's him.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

When they see Jesus, they see the eternal God who came to earth, who came to accomplish salvation. Third thing, we see that demons know about Jesus. They know Jesus is the Christ. They know that God had long promised a Savior to come for people who had listened to the tempter, who had succumbed to the temptation of the evil one to worship creation rather than the creator. God had promised to send one who would sit on David's throne forever and rule and reign over the earth, whose kingdom knows no end, who rules, yes, even over their master. They rebuked him and would not allow them to speak. He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, verse 41, because they knew he was the Christ. Christ is a title. It's the New Testament word for Messiah. Messiah is the anointed one from the Old Testament. God had promised to send a savior and a ruler, a great prophet, priest, and king. Jesus is that person and they know it. Caiaphas didn't know it.

SPEAKER_02 27:30

The demons knew it. And it terrifies them.

Many Healed, Many Delivered

SPEAKER_00 27:37

Because the fourth thing they know, they know Jesus is going to destroy them. Verse 34. What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know he's coming for that. And Matthew's account of Jesus' interaction with the demons who get sent to the pigs, here's what they say. They cried out, What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time? Encountering Jesus, demons are fearful because they know they don't stand a chance. They're completely aware of the person of God, the power of God, and the punishment coming from God. Will you torment us until that time? The demons know all of that. And you should too. In fact, that should give you certain assurance, seeing Jesus' authority, that all that he has promised to do will not be difficult for him. Number three. The third point. Not only what do we see, not only what do we hear, but what can we know? What should we know? We should know about Jesus' victory. Jesus' authority on earth functions to give us a foretaste of future glory. Where the things he dispels he will destroy. A foretaste of future glory and assurance of demonic defeat. Here's a picture of what I can do, and here's certainty and assurance that I can do it. His authority gives us a foretaste of future glory because in seeing his power to dispel disease, we can see a glimpse of the day where there'll be no more cancer or cardiovascular problems, a day with no more asthma, arthritis, or Alzheimer's disease, a day when God can and will resurrect our bodies anew without any physical effects of the fall. He can do that. Foretaste of future glory and assurance that he's able to defeat all of his enemies and our enemies. Look, he debilitated them with his communication, this passage. Stop talking.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

They can't talk. Come out, they come out. Don't do any harm. No harm's done.

What Demons Know About Jesus

Holy One, Son Of God, The Christ

SPEAKER_00 30:44

Go to the pigs. They go to the pigs. He disarmed them on the cross. Colossians chapter 2. What looked like a defeat was their disarming. He took the fangs out of their mouths. And he will ultimately defeat them at his second coming and in Revelation 20, banishing them from his presence and from his people. Jesus' ministry is like a teaser trailer. You ever see teaser trailers? For a big movie comes out a year and a half before, it's like a minute-long trailer, and it's like, oh, what's this going to be about? It kind of gives you a glimpse of what's going to happen. A foretaste. Almost excites you. Oh, I'm ready. It's like a teaser trailer, but a teaser trailer that gives the spoiler. Jesus shows in his ministry the authority he has over demonic forces and diseases, and because of that shows us there's not going to be a contest in the end. And we have the book of Revelation, end of Revelation 19, the final war is like, boom, it's done. So hear me this morning. God is not some sort of hopeful champion. He's the champion. The ministry of Jesus shows his power, and the cross of Jesus secured his people. So what we have in his ministry is a glimpse, like a teaser trailer, of what Jesus will ultimately do when he eradicates spiritual evil once and for all and eliminates any physical effects of the fall. I told students this over and over when I talked about who demons are, because they have questions about demons. When I was a student pastor, demons and the devil himself are enemies of God, but they are defeated enemies who, five things, shudder in terror because the knowledge of God, James 2.19, have been disarmed and put to public shame, Colossians 2.15, will be seized, Revelation 20, verse 2, will be squashed under our feet, Romans 16, verse 20, and will ultimately suffer forever. So subjecting them under his control, Jesus shows that he will defeat them without contest, without challenge. In other words, they are already defeated, and they will soon be destroyed. Jesus' present authority is our final victory. No matter the trials in your life, would you look at the power of Jesus? Would you look at the ministry of Jesus? The desire of Jesus, and be assured that all he said will come to be. Demons being an example, religious leaders being an example, and many others. They were taken aback, but would not get on their knees. Do you merely recognize Jesus as he has presented himself, or do you trust him, seen in submission to his authority? Jesus is king, whether you acknowledge him as so or not. Will you submit to him? Follow him. That's the question. The authority that terrifies demons is the very authority Jesus has to forgive sinners. He doesn't only command evil to leave, we'll continue to see, he commands dead hearts to live, and he commands guilt to be lifted. So today, the question is not whether Jesus has authority. That's already been settled. The question is whether you'll submit to it. Same authority that silences demons is the authority that forgives sinners. So hear me clearly this morning. If you sit there and you do not know, if you have a relationship with the Lord, and you say, I've never come before God and ask forgiveness, throwing myself upon his mercy, do not listen to the counsel of those who yell against Jesus, who want to keep you from the cross, who want to keep you from going to Jesus' feet and asking for mercy. Famous Puritan once said, Do not take Satan's counsel. Go before the throne of grace and ask for mercy. He came for you. Don't listen to the counsel of evil one. The demons who yell against him. Because all who come to Jesus in repentance and faith will find no longer fear, but mercy. Not condemnation, but life, and not uncertainty, but eternal assurance. So with what you've seen, with what you've heard, will you come to know God?

SPEAKER_01 37:44

This is eternal life. That they know me. John 17, verse 3. That they know me. Do you know him? I pray so.

SPEAKER_00 37:57

God, we thank you for our time and your word this morning. Would we abide in you, having submitted our lives to you, trusting you with our today, with our tomorrow, and with our eternity. Lord, would those in this room who have placed their faith and trust in you be encouraged by a message like this: that when you return in glory for your saints, for all those who trusted in you, we will rise to you. We will forever be with you. We will enjoy your presence without the stain of sin, sickness, sorrow, or strife. You will wipe the tears from our eyes. And we want to, hearing this, encourage one another with these words. Your authority is our final victory.

SPEAKER_01 38:54

In your name we pray. Amen.