1. Johnny Carson Exorcist Joke
When the movie, “The Exorcist” came out, Johnny Carson was the host of the Tonight Show. My very favorite joke he told was about the movie. He asked Ed McMahon, “What happens if you don’t pay your exorcist?” Ed repeated the question and said, “I don’t know.” Johnny replied, “You get repossessed.”
2. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? James 2.18-20
3. Ya’akov (James) continues illustrating proper faith – that it is active, not passive
I. You Believe “God Is One”
"When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, ’Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don’t believe?’" ~ Quentin Crisp (actor/lector/Gay activist)
A. The Sh’ma of Deuteronomy 6.4; Matthew 22.36-38
1. Central creedal statement of practicing Jews
2. Recited at least twice per day
3. Begins with “HEAR” – Obey, not mere acknowledgement
B. The First Command is Demonstrated by the Second (Leviticus 19.18; Matthew 22.39)
1. Fits with the Context of chapter 2 – partiality; caring for the needs of others
2. Fits with the pure religion of James 1.27
II. You Believe with Demonic Faith
A. Satan and His Demons Know the Words of God
1. Adversary of God and Man – Job 1-2
2. Serpent of Temptation – Genesis 3; Revelation 12.9
a. Liar – John 8.44
b. Misuses Scripture – Psalm 91.11-12 (Matthew 4.6)
“Exorcism Psalm”
Sons of Sceva (?) – Acts 19.10-20
3. Categories of Temptation – 1 John 2.15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
a. With Yeshua (Jesus) – Matthew 4.1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ And
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
b. Yeshua (Jesus) quotes Torah to Resist with the Power of the Word
Overcoming locked gates, tall fences and snapping dogs presents a challenge for us meter readers in rural Oklahoma, where we are required to read all meters: no estimates are allowed. One time a co-worker succeeded in getting past a particularly vicious watchdog tied to a chain that was long enough to give him sway over the entire back yard and driveway. Later, the man was questioned by his superior: "How were you able to get past that watchdog? The customer is curious."
"That’s easy, boss," the meter reader replied. "I parked on his chain."
Matthew 4.4 (not bread alone) – Deuteronomy 8.3
Matthew 4.7 (not put God to test) – Deuteronomy 6.16
Matthew 4.10 (Worship only Lord) – Deuteronomy 6.13
c. First Adam did not resist – James 4.7 (resist devil and he will flee)
d. Second Adam Did Resist –
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4.15
17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5.17-21
B. Satan and His Demons Know the WORD of God (Yeshua/Jesus) – Mark 1.21-28
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “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.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
1. This was early opposition
2. A man possessed in a synagogue – the demon’s domain – man and synagogue?
3. Satan (and his minions) are the enemies of Yeshua (Jesus)
a. Demon’s response is a word that is mixed with surprise, anger, and fear
b. Satan wants to destroy all that Yeshua (Jesus) is about
c. Yeshua (Jesus) hates sin and loves sinners
[Imagine a physician who hates disease but loves his patients – doing whatever he can to heal and prevent the spread of disease; sometimes makes people uncomfortable but always for the purpose of healing
4. Yeshua (Jesus) is Greater than Satan
a. Plural – “US” – more than one demon? Satan + Demon?
b. The demon knows judgment is coming – does not know when (James 2.19)
[Saddam Hussein lost the war in Kuwait; as he retreated back to Iraq, he burned the oil fields and did as much damage as he could, even though he knew he had lost; he would die like a common criminal; apply to Satan
5. Yeshua (Jesus) is the “Holy One of God”
a. Two occurrences of this expression
1) Here – to Destroy
2) With Peter – to save – John 6.67-69
67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
b. Note his authority (Mark 1.22, 27)
And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.// And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
Suppose a demon took on human form and wanted to become a member of our congregation. Since we do not know this person, we would begin a little interview. We would ask, “Do you believe. . . ?
1. That the Bible is the word of God?
2. That Yeshua (Jesus) is the Son of God?
3. In the virgin birth?
4. That Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross in our place?
5. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) resurrection from the dead?
6. That baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2.38) and in it we are buried with Messiah in his death and raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6.1-4)?
To which he would affirm each.
As a member of our congregation will you:
7. Attend services regularly? Yes!
8. Read the bible regularly? Yes!
9. Get involved in the work of the church? – Yes, I will do so much, you will think I am an angel of light
10. Bow the knee and confess that Yeshua (Jesus) is Lord? – NO, I won’t do that!
G.K. Chesterton once said that it is often supposed that when people stop believing in God, they believe in nothing. Alas, it is worse than that. When they stop believing in God, they believe in anything. That’s true for many people today.
Demons believe and tremble but refuse to serve the living God.
What about me?
