1. Albrecht…March 1^st, 2026…Lent 2…Luke 10:17-20…The Greatest Miracle You Can’t See

To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” ¹⁸ And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

INJ whose victorious arm continues to wage the war in your life, fending off evil and bringing good, DFR:

A lot happens and you don’t see it. I think we all know it is true. At night, nocturnal animals come out and provide their benefit to the ecosystem and we normally don’t see it. Did you know that America was involved in a war that no one saw fought? I’m not talking about the Cold War, but the Vietnam War. While the U.S. military was in Vietnam, they were under strict orders of where they can and cannot go. For example, they could not enter into any neutral country that bordered Vietnam. Did that stop the Vietcong or us from doing so? No. Enter MAC-V SAUG and the unseen war.

MAC-V SAUG was a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit which conducted covert, unconventional warfare operations before and during the Vietnam War. They organized missions in Laos and Cambodia to stop the Viet Cong from shipping supplies to their front lines. The trick? They weren’t supposed to be there, so, if they were caught…the U.S. Government would deny their existence or knowledge of their presence. MAC-V SAUG was instrumental in accomplishing many goals set during the Vietnam War, though their deeds were classified and sealed until relatively recently. Without these operations, the United States war effort would have be drastically hindered.

The members of MAC-V SAUG were the absolute best of the best. But even they couldn’t see the war unfolding in Vietnam, nor could they see the direct impact their work had. They had to trust that their work truly paid off and made a difference.

You and I, as Christians, are engaged in such a conflict. Namely, one that is hidden, or invisible. Paul says in Ephesians 6, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Our enemy, invisible, the battles fought, invisible, the results that we see…hardly noticeable. Because of this, ours can feel like a losing battle more often than not. When we don’t see the results of our faith or our spreading of the Gospel, it is easy to lose heart.

The disciples in our text this morning had a rare opportunity to see this war face to face with their own eyes. They rejoiced that the demons obeyed their commands to leave its host. But, Jesus redirects their focus and establishes every other Christian’s confidence. Jesus reminds them that the true miracle and the right thing to rejoice in is not the demons fleeing, but Satan being cast out – The miracle you can’t see: When the Gospel creates faith in a person’s heart.

Let us pray: Sanctify us by Your truth, O Lord, Your Word is truth, Amen.

In the beginning of Luke chapter 10, Jesus had sent out 70 of His disciples two by two. Jesus gave them particular instructions to adhere to. They would go into each town, and when someone welcomed them into their home, they were to stay with them throughout the duration of their stay. If they town received them, then they were to remain for a time and heal the sick, proclaiming that the day of salvation had drawn near.

If the town did not receive them, then they were to speak a word of judgment against that town. The disciples would go into the street and wipe the dust off their sandals against that town for their rejection of the kingdom of God.

On this occasion, Jesus gave them accompanying signs to perform. The purpose of these signs was the same as signs in the Old Testament and the miracles Jesus did: To attest that the word spoken is the Word of God. It is in these healing miracles and the power to cast out demons that the disciples rejoice at the beginning of our text.

If you were in their position, would you do any different? I don’t think I would. Thrust into the front lines of God versus Satan, they were able to witness of the power of God in action and overcame even the force of demons. It is the kind of event that would energize and motivate anyone who witnessed it, let alone performed such wonders.

When you look at this account, what comes to mind? Jesus’ intriguing statement about seeing Satan fall from heaven? Or maybe what we wouldn’t give to have such a powerful display of God in our lives! Sometimes it is difficult to remember who our true enemy is. When we are engaged with things we can see every day of our lives, it is harder to remember the evil that lurks around waiting to lay a trap for your soul and lead you into temptation.

There are reasons for that. In the first place, God has given His angels charge over you. They are there to guard and defend you against Satan and his demons. But more than that, it is God’s reminder to keep our focus on the right things. See, the disciples were so enthralled by the ability to cast out demons that they seemed to have lost focus on the greater purpose to their mission work – the proclamation of the Gospel.

Jesus must remind them that the greater miracle wasn’t the demon leaving the poor human it was possessing, but Satan being dethroned in that person. It was the great replacement of Satan as king to Jesus as King and Savior of that soul. That is why Jesus tells them, ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus points them to the miracle of their own lives. How, even before Jesus had called them to follow Him, they had been called by God to believe His Word. Their names had been written in heaven – secure for eternal life. That is the real miracle – one that didn’t have the grandiose display of power and excitement, but one that shows the true nature of God, His glorious name, and great love for them.

For us this morning, we need the same encouragement from our Lord. Though we do not have the direct promise from the Lord to cast out demons, or to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you, we do have the command to proclaim Christ crucified to a world that is under the domain of Satan and his demons.

Yet, do we not still fall under the same enthusiastic desire of the 70? Do we not look for those moments of instantaneous quickening? When we proclaim what Jesus has done for the world, our expectation is for a radical change to take place right before our eyes that the unrepentant heart would flee before the name of Jesus just as the demons did. But that isn’t what happens – in fact it is quite rare that it happens in that way.

If that is our expectation and our focus, what happens when we don’t see what we want to see? It can cause us to lose hope. We feel like a failure, like we are doing something wrong. Or, worse yet, we might think the name of Jesus isn’t strong enough to overcome this world. It would be a foolish thing to believe, and yet that is our sinful flesh in action. That is Satan lurking around the corner to entice your faith away from the proclamation of God’s Word.

So, Jesus comes to us, as He did with His disciples to remind us of the greater miracle that our eyes can’t see. The greater miracle that we rejoice in is that the Word of God is implanted into people’s hearts in the first place. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 1 that the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing. Jesus dying on the cross being the one thing that saves us from our sin is folly to Gentiles and a stumbling block to the Jews. It is truly a miracle when Satan is displaced in one’s heart and the Holy Spirit creates faith.

Consider your own life. Many were baptized as babies and adopted into God’s family shortly after birth. That doesn’t make you “lucky,” or, “fortunate” to be born into a Christian family. It makes you a precious soul purchased by the Lamb of God. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:3, ³ And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Ponder those words for a moment. You are a letter penned by your Savior, signed with His blood, delivered to you through the preaching of the same Gospel you take out into this world. Your name is written in heaven, inscribed by the power of the Holy Spirit, kept safe for the day of salvation. You are not lucky to be here. Satan was overthrown from your heart and in his place, Jesus makes His home. How wonderful is this miracle! How great is God’s love for you! How deep His grace truly goes! It’s not the flashy “immediate spiritual awakening” that might be fun to see, but it is the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross made personal to cover your sin and give you a seat at the great banquet hall of heaven.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are engaged in a war that our eyes cannot see. Your role in this war is more pivotal than even that of the MACV SAUG. You proclaim the kingdom of God – Christ crucified for the sins of the world. Christ risen from the dead for the justification of those who believe in Him. It may not result in flashy conversion, nor as outwardly impressive as casting out demons, but through your message, God works the greatest miracle – the salvation of souls. Go forth with the courage and confidence in the power of Jesus’ name that His will is always done, even if we don’t see the results. Amen.