August 13, 2006
“And the Last State is Worse than the First”
(Matthew 12:43-45
Dr. Dan Ivins, preaching

Our text is a 2-verse parable about evil spirits; a mode of expression that’s foreign to us. But the truth is eternal. A man sweeps the evil impulses out of his house, but doesn’t put anything in to take it’s place. The ousted spirit roams around awhile. Then stops back by his former dwelling to find it unoccupied. So he brings 7 of his buddies to reclaim the vacant house. “And the last state is worse than the first.”

That’s what Jesus said, but what did he mean? Because Jesus is more interested in human hearts than empty houses. Is he not showing the futility of living on negatives? Notice the man had a good defense. But no offense. If the heart isn’t filled with a positive purpose, evil will be more than glad to oblige. And all we’d hear is an echo ... from an empty house.

Jesus’ parable relates to the primary problem in the world, terrorism. Everybody’s against terrorists. But if all we do is waste ‘em, or get even, we run the danger of leaving the house devoid of any constructive objective. And 7 devils will reoccupy their place. We needn’t think we can destroy terrorists. Kill one, and another pops up. How many people do you see today who are so committed to anything with such devotion that they scorn every consequence? Would that the church had more of the motivation. Its not enough to be anti-terrorist. The world knows what we’re fighting against. But what are we fighting for? Paul advised, “Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This story also speaks to the church. A lot of churches are identified by what they’re against; more judgmental than redemptive; against the National Council of Churches rather than for world missions. And that’s an excuse for a lot of people not going to church. The Church is against sin. Nothing new there. But how do we go about it? If all we do is sweep out the criminal with the crime, the adulterer with the adultery, the addict with the crack, the cheater with the corruption, the addict with the drugs. Then the greater evils of self-righteousness and spiritual pride occupies our pews. And the church is “7 demons worse than before.”

When the church bases its ministries on “thou shalt nots” it runs against the grain of God’s purpose for the world. Which is redemption not destruction; salvation not condemnation. I believe people will come to a church that’s for something, not just against everything.” Its easier to get a crowd to say “nay” instead of “yea.” But either we’re concerned with positive ideals and organize our lives around them.

Or we’re chronic fault-finders, dwelling on the imperfections around us. Thriving on “I can’ts” and “if-onlys.” Creative or critical; attractive or repulsive. What sums up the shape of your being: a+ or a -? You can’t raise a garden if all you do is pull up the weeds. You can’t win a ball game if you never score. You’ll never get anywhere in your car if you just step on the brakes. No problem gets solved by criticizing every solution.

When pessimism is rampant and gloom grips our outlook, we open our souls to bad tenants. We have some kinfolks in the New Testament. Color them Pharisees. The church has been too much like the Pharisees and not enough like Jesus. Use your imagination and ask these religious legalists, “Say, Pharisees, what are ya’ll for anyway? We see that you’re against--anybody who colors outside the lines, or thinks for themselves, or doesn’t worship your petty rules. But what are you for? What’s the beneficial aim behind your religious faith?”

I can hear them say, “We’re against the pagan athiests. And against Sabbath-breakers. And we don’t like tax collectors or Arabs or sinners or Germans or Mexicans or homosexuals or liberals. And we don’t want ‘em coming into our synagogues.” “I can see what you’re against. But what are you for?” Pharisees are like the man in Jesus’ story--good at cleaning out the dirt; experts at spotting other people’s sins, but have no optimistic allegiance beyond themselves. Listen closely...and you will hear the echo of an empty house.

What a contrast with Jesus! Who opposed what evil does to people. But his strategy was exactly the opposite. He overcame evil, not just by being against it, but with assertive, attractive, magnetic goodness. Jesus came to reconcile not alienate. He was against divorce, but he didn’t leave the Samaritan woman empty. Though she had 5 husbands, he filled her soul with, “the water of life.”

He was against adultery. But refused to cast a stone at a lady caught in the act. And only the self-righteous, who dropped their rocks in the sand were left empty-handed. Instead Jesus encouraged the sinner: “You can do better than that. Go and sin no more” (Jn. 8:11).

Jesus would have plenty to say to our corporate scandals because he was against exploitation for unfair financial gain. Yet he invited himself to the home and heart of Zacchaeus of Jericho, a tax collector, who made a living ripping off the poor. But that day Jesus had “dinner with the sinner,” we know neither the conversation nor the menu. All we know is Zacchaeus came away an elevated man, with new hope in his soul. Yeah Jesus swept evil away, but always to reclaim the evil-doer. Its not enough just to be against sin. But to also redeem the sinner.

As the bodily expression of Christ today, the church must adopt the same offensive stance. Negative goodness isn’t enough. Jesus called his followers to be offensive entities, like “salt, light, leaven,” intended to penetrate and transform. The church was never meant to be a fortress, defending itself from contamination. And we oughta be no more ashamed of sinners than a hospital is of sickness.

Rather, in our attempts to overcome evil with good, we’re against exclusion, by accepting people. We’re against illness and despair, by lifting the banner of caring. We oppose dishonesty, by being persons of integrity. We stand against ethical failure, but offer our morally wounded a 2^nd chance, to make a fresh start. Because of what we’re for! We don’t wanta be hearing any echoes of an empty house around here.

This story relates to our personal lives, that if vacant too long are in a dangerous and vulnerable position. Nature abhors a vacuum. So does human nature. Like the empty house, an empty life doesn’t stay empty. Everybody serves some master. The only question is, which one? Will it be Christ or something less? When we develop destructive habits we can exorcize them and build a wall of defense.

But if that’s all we do they won’t stay out. It’s foolish to tell an alcoholic: “Throw away that vile bottle!” Nobody knows its vile more than he. We can’t just be against alcohol. We must replace it with hope.


Because wrong can’t be cast out of our lives, it has to be crowded out. Lust is hard to put out of our minds, but it can be choked out with wholesome thoughts and deeds. Fear is always lurking around. But we must replace it with courage. Else 7 devils will return and make it worse.

Jesus taught that hate has to be pushed out with good will. This is why he told us not to defensively resist evil, but to take the offense toward it–“go the 2^nd mile, forgive 70x7, turn the other cheek, and offer your cloak as well”--aggressive assaults. Evil wins the day every time, if all we do is rid ourselves of it. That’s why we have the gospel, because the law cannot redeem. All it can do it tell us we’re wrong, not make us right.

In the last century, the world brought down the Kaisers, and then along came Hitler. It got rid of Hitler, and Korea showed up. Then Vietnam. And now we have the terrorists in Iraq, where Americans are the invaders. “And the last state was worse than the first.” How long is it gonna take us to realize our only hope is to overcome evil with good?

The most penetrating words in the Bible were spoken from a cross. Absorbing all that evil could muster. “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34). How could he just pray like that? He could’ve called 10,000 angels! How does he keep from being bitter? Not by suppressing hate, but by expressing forgiveness. What good can do to evil is far more powerful than what evil can do for good.

Not by casting out hostility but crowding it out with love. You won’t hear any echoes of an empty house around the cross. What you hear is a hardened Centurion, so moved by the way Jesus died, he sounds like the thief on his right-hand: “Surely this man is the Son of God!” Yeah evil put Jesus down on Good Friday, but not before he took a few with him! “Don’t be overcome by evil. Overcome evil with good.”

“Stars in my Crown,” was a film I saw years ago as a kid, starring Joel McRae as a preacher. And a poor black-man, who was like Uncle Remus, to several generations of kids who grew up there. He told lots of stories, taught ‘em to fish and hunt. And was greatly beloved. He owned a small cabin and lived there alone after his wife died.

But a copper deposit ran right through his property. The wealthy business leaders tried to buy it cheap. But the man wasn’t familiar with the ways of a money-culture. And simply wanted to live out his days in the only house he’d ever known. So naively, he refused to sell.

Because a lot of money was at stake, it turned ugly. When he couldn’t be bought-out by “big bidness,” they commenced to threaten him. Some of those he befriended became his foes. Finally, they said “If you aren’t off this property by sundown we’re coming to hang you!” When the preacher got wind of it, he went to the man’s house. At sundown, the executioners arrived with a rope, hiding behind white hoods. The preacher met them on the porch with the condemned and said: “John knows he’s gonna to die, so he asked me to write his last will.

He said to give his fishing pole to Pete. Because he remembers the first catfish he caught with it. His .22 rifle goes to James. Because he taught him how to shoot. He wants Buddy to have his favorite cap. Item by item, this kind old man gave away to the very people who had come to take his life. And the impact of his innate goodness was more than their greedy spirits could take. So one by one, the mob turned away in silence, until only the money-men were left with empty hands.

The preacher’s grandson was watching it all from a distance. After the crowd dispersed, he ran up on the porch and said: “What kind of will was that, Grandpa?” “It was the will of God, son–the will of God!”

Pastoral Prayer: You are our guardian and shield, O God, our protector who keeps us from falling. You surround us with righteousness that wards off evil forces; through Christ we find ways to withstand temptation. You shower us with mercy and cleanse us from wrongdoing. You temper your judgment with compassion.

Keep us from playing “poor-me” when we can’t get everything we want. Or misusing our power to gain advantage over others. And from fearing those unlike ourselves. From acting in ways that alienate. Or saying things that divide, rather than unite.

We give Thee thanks for Jesus Christ, who was Servant those in need. For that he was put to death. But a little thing like death couldn’t hold down the strong Son of God! And he lives now in our midst, when we treat others the way he did.

We give Thee thanks for your Spirit, who guides us day by day and gives us assurance that you have not left us alone. Our daily companion, the healing in hospital rooms, our Comforter on dying-day. It is your Spirit that fills us with zeal for service, your Spirit that leads us to those in need, your Spirit that confronts us with thorny complexities, your Spirit that prods us to enlarge our horizons.

We give Thee thanks for the Scriptures that bear witness to your presence. Your word and will leaps from the pages of holy writ and challenges our timid ways.

We give Thee thanks for our storied history and our appreciation for those who’ve gone before us and the rich religious tradition in which we were birthed, nurtured, and now stand. Give us the hindsight to learn from courage of the past. And the foresight to depend upon your guidance for the living of these days.

We pray for all who are sick or shut-in for whatever reason. Especially are we thinking of those, always near to our hearts if far from us in distance.

Throughout this new week, O Lord, bless our eyes that we will see the needs that exist. Bless our tongues that we may speak your radical love to those who need it most. Bless our hands as we embrace one another in common endeavors. May our feet hold firm, unafraid to stand for what we believe. Help us all to remember our bodies are your temples of grace, and thereby use the gifts you give us to your glory. And for the kindness by which you hear this our prayer, in Jesus’ name, we give Thee thanks. Amen.