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᛭ INI ᛭

We know the blessings and benefits of Holy Baptism: *“It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.” (SC)* These gifts are for all the baptized, whether you’re baptized as an infant or older. After all, even when any adult is baptized, no matter how they are, they are in and through Baptism made children. As Christ says today: **“Unless you turn and become like children, you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven.”** To become like children is, as Christ said in John 3: **“Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he  cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”**

Because of the Old Adam, our flesh, it’s hard to believe that all of Baptism’s benefits are true, but they are true! Baptism brings all the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. Baptism makes Christ’s sacrifice for your sins yours! Baptism makes Christ’s resurrection the down payment for your own resurrection! Baptism makes you a son of the Kingdom, such that Christ is your Brother and His Father your Father. There’s all those great things, and yet there’s something else that comes along with being baptized.

That something else is the cross. The cross comes with Holy Baptism, and just as the cross has a vertical beam and a horizontal beam, the cross of Baptism has a heavenly and an earthly part. But whether it’s heavenly or earthly both are spiritual... You see, Baptism numbers you among all hosts, armies of the Lord. This battle is on display daily on the news, but it was also in all our. Bringing Baptism up in this way on St. Michael and All Angels fits. But I’ll get to that in just a bit. For now, the reality of Baptism this St. Michael’s Day is this:

Our collect said that God “ordained and constituted the service of angels and men in a wonderful order.” What does this mean? It means God created angels and men to work together, each according to their creation. Angels created as mighty spiritual servants of God for the good of His people. Mankind created to be His physical servants, His holy people.

We are brought into this service and order by Holy Baptism. As Christ says today: “Unless you turn and become like children, you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven.” As Christ said elsewhere in John 3: “Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Baptism makes you a son of the Kingdom. Baptism also enlists you into the army of the Lord. Angels and mankind are different battalions of this army—one physical, the other spiritual; one “visible,” the other “invisible.”

Angels aren’t chubby little cherubs. Angels are messengers, but they are also mighty warriors. They fight for us, even as the demons fight against us. The devil isn’t some goofy guy with horns and pitchfork.

St. Michael and All angels reminds us who angels are and what they’re for. They are special creatures created by God to dwell in the heavenly dimensions. We are special creatures created to dwell in the physical realm. But we are united with them in service to the Lord in the great spiritual battle that baptism caused us to join. That can serve as the helpful theme for St. Michael’s Day:

BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE.

(I. The battle has two fronts: flesh and spirit.)

When BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE, it’s a two front war. The first front is with your flesh, that is, your sinful nature. The other front is with the evil, demonic spirits, whose captain is “the great dragon…that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.”

Christ preaches the battle with the flesh in Matthew 18. “If your hand or foot or eye cause you to sin, cut if off, tear it out, throw it away.” United with Christ, the Second Adam, in Holy Baptism, you’ve been made a new creation. You now have a New Man, Adam 2.0. The problem is you’ve gotten new software running on the old hardware. The result is, well, you still sin even though you’re baptized. As Christ says, “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

The spiritual front is with the demons as they work in the world. It’s not politicians or nations, or musicians or Hollywood, or even the culture (false god) of sports. evil sprits lie behind all these things! There is, as Christ Himself tells Daniel, “A prince of the kingdom of Persia.” God reveals that there are demonic forces behind every nation. The battles we fight in culture are with people who don’t know the true stakes, or whose side they’re even on! Though they willingly take up the fight against God and Christ and holy living, they’re spiritually clueless, conscripted combatants. So we can treat them with mercy.

Scripture tells us that we’re fighting with spiritual enemies, as Ephesians 6 says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but … against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” That is we fight against the devil and demons, the hosts of fallen, rebellious angels.

(II. We engage in battle through the Word of God, Prayer, and Bodily Discipline—Fasting.)

BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE. But how are you supposed to fight your own desires? How are you supposed to fight demons? Seems a bit silly. A bit like trying to punch the air or tackle the wind. But in truth there’s only one weapon in the whole spiritual battle. The only weapon we have for this battle is the Word of God.

When it comes to our flesh, we must keep it disciplined. Paul talks this way, “I discipline my body,” he says, “I bring it into subjection.” Even Christ Himself talks about bringing the body into line: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” “Die to sin,” Christ is saying. Only the Word of God causes it.

We must force our flesh to do what God commands—not just love your neighbor, but pray and hear His Word. “The Law of the Lord is also necessary so that the old Adam may not use his own will, but may be subdued against his will. This happens not only by the warning and threatening of the Law, but also by punishments and blows, so that a person may follow and surrender himself as a captive to the Spirit” (Epitome VI), as our Lutheran Confessions say.

The ancient practice of fasting plays into this. Fasting forces the body to take time not to eat that time could be gained to read. And even as a food may cause the occasional burp. Reading the Word of God will eventually, always cause prayer. To put it another way: “Fasting is the soul’s fast from self, [to feast] on the bread of God’s word.” Fasting isn’t just for medical procedures or diet. It’s a spiritual discipline. Our flesh drives us to make our “god our bellies,” (Phil 4) (to use Paul’s language), that is, our wants, our lusts, our desires. (Much more can be said on this topic than I have time for now…)

The demons draw our flesh after all sorts of evil desires: greed or lust or gluttony, drunkenness, and even laziness with the Word of God. The practice of fasting (not eating) or omitting certain foods was an ancient Christian practice. Christ fasted in Matthew 4 and began to in Matthew 26 and speaks of it in Matthew 5. It’s what Paul’s talking about. Most post-enlightenment protestants gave it up, leaving it to Doctors and Dietitians. At the time of the Apostles, certain days were appointed for it: Wednesday and Friday—the day of Judas’ greed, the day of Christ’s death.

It created time for the Word of God. Fasting itself may have “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2), but the Word of God absolutely does! Fasting is personal preaching of what Christ did for you. Fasting preaches that Christ was betrayed by greedy, envious Judas, to rescue us from all our sins and evil desires. (Which are enticed by the demons (1 Sam 18, 10–11)). Feasting preaches that Christ He died for our sins and sinful desires. Besides the fact that fasting trains us to aside time FOR something—our Bibles—even as we set aside time to refrain from something.

For only God’s Word will “stop the indulgence of the flesh.” Only the Word of God will curb the Old Adam and give life to faith and its fruit, as we heard last week. Only the Word of God, the Sermon, the Sacrament of the Altar are the true feasts of righteousness, holiness, and spiritual strength against the flesh and all demons!

We fight against the demons by actually telling people God’s Law and that Christ died for them, or at least inviting them to church. To hear the wonderful news that God’s Word actually does something for them. It will give you strength the more you use it—even one word gives strength. Reciting one Chief Part of the Catechism has more power than a whole army of demons, because it teaches the Word of Truth.

God’s Word had power in our readings today! Christ told Daniel to stand up, and he did! He stood because the Word of God worked standing within Daniel. Moreover, the Archangel Michael himself, the great General, the protecting Archangel over God’s holy people on earth used the Blood of the Lamb and the Word to drive Satan from heaven. No wonder angels and archangels, the cherubim and seraphim join us, encircle us as we hear the Word and receive the Blood that beats back the devil and his demonic horde, the Word and blood that also gives new life to your spirit against the flesh.

(III. The angels join in battle.)

Another comfort of St. Michael’s Day is that when BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE. You’re not alone. The Lord “gives His angels charge over us, to guard you in all our ways.” (Ps 91) This is why Luther would teach us to pray every morning and night “let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.” As Christ says of His little ones, “Their angels,” their guardian angels, “always see the face of the Father.” Michael stands guard, as Christ has sent him to do so.

So now when you go out and deliver the word of God, tell people about God’s love in Christ IHS crucified for you and for all, know there are angels. And if your testimony requires your life, know this: the angels will be there to bear you to the Lord’s side.

(Conclusion)

BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE.

You fight against your flesh with the word of God, prayer, and fasting. But when it comes to SPIRITUAL BATTLE̵. There are angels, and there are demons.

Demons aren’t goofy looking red guys with pitch forks. Angels aren’t chubby little childlike cherubs. It’s not like you’ve got your guardian angel on your right shoulder and a tiny little demon on your left. No. Angels are powerful, warriors sent by God to protect and fight against the powerful demons, even as we fight against them with God’s Word and Prayer.

BAPTISM BRINGS YOU INTO SPIRITUAL BATTLE.

But Christ won the battle already. And as the Lamb’s blood and Word drove satan out of heaven. His blood and Word has already and is continuing to concur your flesh, forgive your sin, strengthen and keep you unto life everlasting. Even as He made Daniel to stand. So also you.

᛭ INI ᛭