There Be Dragons! 
On Earth Is Not His Equal, and Still We Rejoice!
Sermon for Palm Sunday, March 29th, A+D 2026
Our Savior’s and Our Redeemer Lutheran Churches
Hill City and Custer, South Dakota
Job 41:1-34 , Philippians 2:5-11  , 1^st Peter 5:6-11 , Luke 19:37 - 44

Audio of the sermon is available HERE.

    There be dragons!  My granddaughters love the “How to Tame Your Dragon” movies.  Did you know that just about every ancient culture speaks of dragons?  However, that I know of, none of them speak of taming a dragon. 

   Dragons go by many names.  In West Africa, they are called Ayida-Weddo, and Damballa, Bida and Ninki.  In Egypt, Apep and Jaculus.  For the Bantus along the Congo, Kirimu and Masingi.  In Europe, there is Bolla, Kulshedra, Dreq and Tatzelwurm.  Tarasque and Wyvern.  Lindworm and Drakon. Dabran and Cuélebre.  Basalisk and Cockatrice.  In Asia, Bahamut, Marduk, Naga, Tatsu and Hai Riyo.  In the Americas, Mishipeshu, Quetzalcoatl, and Amaru.

   In the Book of Job, we hear of Leviathan.  

   Modern science of course denies dragons ever existed.  Which sure makes it interesting that all around the world, the ancient stories of almost every culture include powerful reptiles, part giant snake, part flying lizard, all terror.  Did every ancient civilization collude to promote the same myth, or were they describing what they experienced? 

   Of course, modern science has not been covering itself in glory in recent years, as biological fictions that any 12-year-old farm kid could debunk are defended as truth, while rational, reality-based critiques of these fictions are attacked as bigoted.  “How dare you say there are differences between males and females, or that switching sex is impossible?”  And maybe you remember during the pandemic, when the wearing of cloth masks was enforced upon the people as a moral duty, because supposedly they would help stop the spread of microscopic viruses.  Only problem being that every credible study before or since shows they did not. 

   The Fall into sin would have been less devastating if we had not been left with impressive mental faculties, in which we take great pride, but at the same time be so susceptible to motivated reasoning and group think.  

   Which brings us to Leviathan, the greatest creature that the Lord describes to Job, as through the wonders of the creation God teaches him that there are many things about which mankind is simply not qualified to debate.  The Lord is on the side of humanity, He is Job’s friend.  But He does not put up with impertinent questions from fallible men. 

    Leviathan is a wonder, a beast of which the Lord declares “on earth is not his equal.”  “Around his teeth is terror.  ¹⁵ His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.  ¹⁶ One is so near to another that no air can come between them.  ¹⁷ They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.  ¹⁸ His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.  ¹⁹ Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.  ²⁰ Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.  ²¹ His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.  ²² In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.” 

    God mockingly asks our suffering patriarch, who has been our guide this Lenten season, if Job can catch Leviathan with a line and hook, or if he can make it a pet for his daughters.  The Bible does not spend a lot of time discussing dragons, but they are mentioned here and there, from Job to Revelation.  Most importantly, the Holy Spirit uses this most fearsome beast to represent Satan, the Devil, the Adversary.  Like Leviathan, only worse, Satan is a fearsome opponent, a malevolent spirit who hates mankind.  The Accuser caused all Job’s suffering, in an unsuccessful attempt to prove Job’s faith in God could not endure tribulation. Which goes to show that the story of salvation is a lot weirder and wilder than we tend to think. 

   Consider this from the Book of Job.  God allows Satan into His presence, and then points out righteous Job, seemingly goading the old evil foe into seeking his downfall.  Twice the Lord allows Satan to afflict Job with terrible suffering.  The Devil is confident that, once his good things are taken from him, Job will curse God to his face. 

   The central question of the book of Job is not “why does God allow the righteous to suffer?”  This is Job’s question, and it is an important one.  But the driving question of the book really flows from the wager between God and Satan: Why do God’s people love and worship Him, and follow in the Way of the Lord?  Is it merely transactional?  Do God’s people only love, serve, and obey God when God is providing them with a pleasant life?  Are we all just hypocrites in the end?”   

   No.  God’s people remain faithful, walking obediently in the Way of the Lord, because they have heard and believe God’s promises of ultimate and eternal delivery.  The faithful believe God is their Savior.  The Holy Spirit through the speaking of God’s promises creates this trust in the hearts of sinners, faith in Christ which enables believers to look past present suffering, and cling to God’s promises, not just in good times, but especially in the bad.  And so Job could famously proclaim after his first round of suffering: “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.”    

   The righteous suffer.  Sometimes, because we are also still foolish sinners, we suffer as a consequence of things we do.  I might stay up too late, get a late start in the morning, and speed through the school zone in Hill City.  If I suffer the consequences of public embarrassment, lost time, and a hefty fine, that’s on me. 

     At other times, there is no connection between things we do and suffering that comes our way.  Suffering often comes to the Christian because  we do the right thing.  Such suffering of God’s people is a sign, a living reflection of God’s plan of salvation displayed in the life of one of God’s children.  The blood of the martyrs, Christians killed for refusing to renounce Christ, is often called the seed of the Church, because such public displays of faith unto death draw some who witness them to later inquire about the Way of the Christ.  Through this, by God’s gracious working, more souls are added to the Church. 

     Job is one of the first examples.  Through his suffering, many of Job’s friends and neighbors came to a right understanding of Who God is, and how He works, and Job is still teaching us today.  Even though some of his questions are impertinent and his understanding of God is lacking, still Job’s faith in God is rock solid.  He needs, and God provides correction to his understanding.  But, through everything, Job’s trust in God’s goodness and His promises endures.  In his troubled but faithful suffering, Job is an example for us.  He also points us to the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, who remained faithful through even worse suffering. 

     Jesus was obedient to His Father’s plan of salvation, obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  Six days before that gruesome death, Jesus calmly rides a donkey into Jerusalem, fully knowing what awaited Him.  Almighty God, the Creator, the Source of all life, rides toward death, because He loves His Father, and because He loves you, and me, and all people.  Jesus hints at the unseen weirdness of God’s work of salvation when He declares that if the crowds did not hail Him as the promised Messiah King, the rocks would step in and declare this mystery with their own cries.  The creation knows its Lord, even when God’s chosen people, Israel, do not.  As the eternal Son of God Jesus rides on into Jerusalem, the creation quivers with dread: the Creator is about to suffer and die.        

     Which is what it took to defeat Leviathan, in the Way God wanted him crushed.  On earth is not his equal.  This is true in the natural world of the dragon Leviathan.  Even more, in the spiritual world, as Luther proclaims in his hymn, on earth there is no one equal to Satan.  Against the ancient serpent, a liar from the beginning and the father of lies, no earthly champion, no mere human being, stood a chance.  

   Of course, defeating Satan was not hard for Jesus.  He is Almighty God.  A flick of His finger would have been enough to send Leviathan crashing down to earth.  But, to defeat Satan and save us?  This task was something altogether different.  This is why the creation quivered.  This is why, if the crowds had not hailed Jesus as the Messiah, the very rocks would have cried out.  Jesus was riding into Jerusalem to win, by losing.  To give freedom through His own arrest.  To give life through His own death.  To make peace between rebellious mankind and the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, a peace that could only be achieved by Jesus bringing the full wrath of God down upon Himself. 

     Satan could not resist the bait; the chance to inflict suffering on the One he hates most was too great.  So, the dragon tried to swallow Jesus whole, to destroy Him on a Roman Cross.  Still, as bad as that was, far worse was to suffer the wrath of God against our sin.  The stroke that Justice gave, the rejection by His Father and the punishment of eternal hell, came down on Jesus in an instant, in that moment when the Father turned away from His beloved Son. 

     God died.  By this terrible mystery, Jesus dealt a killing blow to the head of the dragon. Satan can still fume and blow smoke.  He can prowl around and threaten, and he still controls all those outside of Christ, all those who by unbelief cut themselves off from God’s protection.  But for all who are in Christ, for all who are safe under His wings, for all those who belong to His Body, which is the Church of all the saints, for them the ancient dragon is a spent force, a helpless creature. 

     By your union with Jesus, you are safe from the dragon.  Your sins are forgiven, and your place in God’s eternal glory is prepared for you, by the once dead but now alive-again Jesus Christ.  And so now, you too can slay dragons. 

     Are you intimidated by the hatred and lies of the world?  Fear not, the One Who is Love and Truth Incarnate is with you.  You can respond with calmness, and even kindness, confessing the truth of Christ with confidence, for He has conquered. 

     Do you feel defeated by the slow decline and decay of your body?  If we live long enough, we will all face this.  But your baptized body, imperfect as it is, is also a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Body and soul, you are precious to the Father right now, and so you know that He will restore you’re your flesh, He will re-create you, when He brings you into His glory.

      Are you depressed, or even tormented by regret and shame for the sins that still plague you?  Sorrow for sin is good and right.  Just remember that God intends your repentance to draw you closer to Him, through forgiveness.  For yourself and for others, always be ready to reject the lie of Satan, who still tries to convince you God could never love a sinner like you.  Tell that snake, “Get behind me Satan, I am baptized into Christ!”  Confess your sins, and flee to Jesus; He is always ready to restore you again.  

     You can slay these dragons, through Christ your Valiant One.  You are and can act like a champion, in and through Jesus.  You can be a better husband, a better wife, a better child, brother or sister.  You can grow in the Scripture, letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.  Increase your exposure to the Sword of the Spirit, and you will see your faith deepen and strengthen. 

     You can do all these things, and more, with humility and confidence.  You can do such things, because of the One who did not think it robbery to be equal with God.  Even though Jesus submits to His Father, at the same time, Jesus is the eternal God.  I and the Father are One, he declared, (John 10:30).  The Father and the Son are One, along with the Holy Spirit, each person fully God.  Jesus was and is fully God. 

     But, (and this is the great Gospel ‘but,’) but, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, ^[8] he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  ^[9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ^[10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ^[11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

     Jesus rode into Jerusalem to die, for you, for me, and for every sinner.  He continues with us now, invisible, but truly here to serve us, through His Word, and also hidden under the water, the wheat and the wine.  The next time He rides in visibly, He will be on the clouds, coming to claim all His own and take them to His Father in glory.  And so we too cry out “Hosanna.”    “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  

     Till then, “Humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.  [Cast) all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your Adversary, (your Leviathan), the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To [God] be the dominion, (and to us, boundless blessing and eternal joy), forever and ever, Amen.