A House Divided (Lent III)

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against itself falleth.” - Luke 11:17 

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)  

Introduction 

Today is the 3rd Sunday of Lent, when we continue to remember St. Paul’s theology of holiness and Jesus’ explanation of the spiritual world as a managed house, held by strongmen, and an apology that is meant to give us a clear view of how we should view the interworking of good and evil, which shows us that a house divided against itself cannot stand. 

The Epistle: Ephesians 5:1-14 

"BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 

"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 

"But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." 

The Gospel: St. Luke 11:14-28 

"JESUS was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 

"But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 

"If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 

"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 

"And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." 

Sermon 

Two key principles arise from the Scriptures we read this morning: 1) Those persons who are identified with these categories, “whoremonger, unclean, covetous, or idolater” (meaning, anyone who is sexually immoral, perverted, living in lust for things or for other people, or those who worship false gods or prioritize their lives on things other than the One, True God), cannot rightly be called “Christian.” They are mutually exclusive definitions. And, 2) “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” meaning that internal contradictions and division are the reason for the destruction that we see on both an individual and corporate scale, as people, parishes and entire churches come crashing in on themselves. People cannot build their identities on internal contradictions, nor can they create sustainable relationships on a bifurcated basis, just as Churches cannot stand on any foundation other than the “Faith Once Delivered.” There is no way that mutually exclusive, self-contradictory things can provide a solid foundation for life. This means that Christians, more than any other belief or lifestyle, must be committed to eliminating internal contradiction and living in submission to the Gospel of Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. As Jesus says in Matthew 6:22, “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” 

We find this laser-like focus on Christ in the Early Church, and we continue to see it in the persecuted Church today. Those who realize that their personal identities, the integrity of the their beliefs, and the spiritual power of their local Churches are founded upon the Person of Jesus Christ, His Love, His Law, and His Divine Covenant, are not only able to strip away their own lusts, the pride of the world, and the wrong definitions of success that cloud our minds and make a true focus impossible, but they are able to transmit the Apostolic Doctrines of the Faith across time and space with a much greater capacity. This is why the ancient Fathers are still shining lamps on the pathway of salvation, and why the Ancient Church and the Persecuted Church are the twin guardians of our Nicene Faith as we move into the future. 

A fat, lazy, self-contented, rights-obsessed, or slavishly secularly-educated mind will not be able to conform to the Light of the Holy Spirit as it shines through the Gospels, the Scriptures and the Church. There are too many conceptual idols that block the way. Only those who are willing to submit, willing to live as a “peculiar people”, a true body of “called out ones,” and who are willing to journey through this life as strangers and pilgrims, are those who will be able to transmit the Gospel in all of its transfigurational and salvific power. Those who merely give it lip-service, who are interested in managing systems and benefiting from career choices, those who seek to be acceptable to the world and have a tradition that is “respectable,” are of the same motivation as the Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day. They are the same people who tout outward religiosity, grandiosity, canonicity, prestige of historic place, and the princely authority of hierarchy, without recognizing the radical call to self-sacrifice, service and self-emptying that accompanies all the outward forms of Apostolic and Orthodox Christianity. Even with those who are radically committed to monasticism, often one finds an aversion to the hard work and common life of marriage and the raising of a Christian family, and a desire for an ethereal and mystical “cloak” to hide other motivations, such as a desire for episcopal power or latent homosexuality. These are the men attracted to superficial adornments, vestments, and honorific, ego-stroking titles. One does not need to be a monk to fully follow the Gospel. As St. Seraphim of Sarov so powerfully said, “I am a monk, you are a layman, and it doesn’t make any difference.”

This is how, while outwardly conforming, strong, and “spiritual,” many Christians are inwardly divided, a house built on sand, a palace constructed upon a fault-line. These outward facades of conformity and pride, so fastidiously molded for the benefit of others, come crashing down when the difficulties of life and inevitable persecutions come. This is how “Orthodox Countries” almost immediately fell to godless Communism. This is how college students lose their faith when they are challenged by a professor. This is how internet apologists, radically decrying bishops and faithful alike over issues of “canon law,” fall away and crumble when sickness or death inevitably come into their lives. 

“A house divided against itself cannot stand” may seem like an "obvious-ism," but, in reality, a divided house is never obvious. It appears united. A person with a false identity or an unconfessed and unforsaken sin may look “whole”, but inwardly, there is emptiness and an inability to deal with stress. Being whole, true and sincere means that one can maintain kindness, truthfulness, and Christlikeness in the face of adversity. Those who live in anger and reactivity merely betray the fact that they are internally inconsistent and divided. Orthodox “Konverts”, Roman Catholic “Rad Trads”, and Protestant “Cage Stage” adherents attempt to prove that they know and are committed to the Ancient Faith, but in the end, all they are proving to those that they berate and undermine is that they have not yet reached a place of internal wholeness, integrity, and peace, which would allow them to speak the Gospel to the world with love and peace. 

Summary

Christianity is a simple path. We recognize that we are sinners in need of a Savior, we cry out to Him for mercy, and we do the things that He has commanded us to do - Be baptized in the Name of the Holy Trinity, receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, take Communion as His Body and Blood, confess our sins one to another and ask for the prayers of the Presbytery so that we may be healed, and live in quietness, godly love, in meekness, honesty, and in honor, so that we may die in our faith and complete the course that is set before us. Our lives must be consistent. Our faith must be without contradiction. Our communications with others must be truthful, peaceful, and always willing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This kind of simplicity and wholeness is what we should all strive for - men, women, children, married, unmarried, monks and nuns. This is the internal reality and integrity of those who are called “Christians.” And this is what our Scripture readings teach us this morning. 

May we get closer to this clear, internal reality this Lent, and we continue to strip away all the distractions and allow God to melt away all the dross through the application of suffering, experience and life. May God bless us in fulfilling these goals and continue to strive for wholeness, reconciliation, and purity! Blessed Lent! 

The Collect 

WE beseech Thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of Thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty, to be our defense against the enemies of our souls; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and riegneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.