We are entering the middle of Luke’s gospel now and already Jesus is engaging battle with the Jewish leaders. This is an ongoing battle that will ultimately lead to Jesus’ crucifixion and he knows it well, but does not show any signs of shrinking back. Jesus’ very presence should command respect, but their eyes are not able to see who he is. When he casts out a demon in verse 14f some people said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” Others want a sign.
That initiates a response from Jesus that grows in intensity and rebuke until we see at the end of the chapter where his enemies are furious at him. Some of these are hard words to hard hearts.
Just walk with me through the chapter and see what I mean. The first 13 verses are nice. They are a lesson on prayer where, after Jesus prays, one of his disciples asks him to teach them to pray like John taught his disciples. Jesus gives an abridged version of the Lord’s Prayer (we can see the fuller version of it in Matthew 6:9-14). Jesus follows that model prayer by encouraging them to be persistent in praying with a story, very similar to what he tells them in chapter 18:1-8. Jesus reminds them that God, who is good, wants to give us good things, even the Holy Spirit, if we ask.
By the way, how many of us have asked God to give us the Holy Spirit? I wonder how many of us actually have the Holy Spirit but don’t realize it. Perhaps we should pray, “Lord give us the Holy Spirit and also let us know when we have Him, and teach us to follow His leading in our lives to glorify your name, by following what he has inspired in your word and receiving his empowerment in us to do it.”
After Jesus teaching on prayer we come to verse 14 where the conflict begins. Jesus encounters two forms of unbelief. First, when he casts out a demon, some accuse him of doing it by the power of the Devil. Others, for some strange reason, keep seeking a sign from heaven from him. Jesus deals with these in turn in verses 17-36. In both cases he points to what they do not see. In the case of those who accuse him of casting out demons by Beelzebul, Jesus argues four things: 17-23
1. If Satan is divided against himself his kingdom is finished.
2. If you say I cast out demons by the devil, by whom do your sons cast them out?
3. If I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you!
4. Someone stronger than Satan is here and whoever is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters.
In other words, Jesus is saying that if you are against me, God’s kingdom has come upon you and by rejecting me you are not in it!
Then to those who were seeking a sign Jesus says: 29-32 (29-30 read) In other words, Jesus says, “You want a sign from heaven? I am the sign!”
Jesus is only emphasizing that they can’t see who he really is. Greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah, Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, stands with them and they can’t see it. This reminds us of what John’s gospel says, “He came to his own and his own did not receive him.”
Then in verses 37-54 Jesus just lowers the boom and blows away all pretense. And where does this occur? At dinner in a Pharisee’s house!
By the way, these Pharisees seem to invite Jesus over for dinner a lot! And every single time Jesus gets in hot water!
Look back at chapter 7:36. Where is Jesus? Remember what happened there?
Now we are in chapter 11:37, and where is Jesus? Just wait till he’s done at this dinner. They will all lose their appetites before he’s finished.
Then go to chapter 14:1. Where is Jesus here? At dinner, with who?
You know, you would think they’d quit asking him over to eat after a while. As soon as they do, guess where Jesus goes to eat? Look at chapter 15:1-2.
Meal time was always exciting when Jesus came and this one in chapter 11:37f is no exception. It all starts when Jesus doesn’t wash his hands before dinner and the Pharisee is astonished about it.
Jesus says, “Woe to you!” six times in the verses that follow. He tells the Pharisees that they are greedy, hypocritical, disobedient, proud and defiling of those who innocently come in contact with them. To the scribes he says that they load others down and don’t lift a finger to help, they are like those that murdered the prophets and they will be responsible for it, they don’t enter the kingdom and they hinder others from entering.
Does reading these harsh words of Jesus make you wince a bit? Where’s the gentle, loving Savior? Where’s the kind and compassionate Christ? Who has the right to talk like this? Then it hits…
This is the King, and he speaks just like one with ultimate authority.
The King of glory has come and is speaking to his disloyal subjects. God is talking to those who should know better. He is rebuking those who are damaging the kingdom instead of supporting it.
“Woe to you!” says Jesus, over and over. Then he pronounces the problem. The Pharisees love attention. They crave the front seats. Their outsides look good but inside they are dead and rotting and defiled.
The Scribes speak up… Wait a minute Jesus, when you say those things you’re insulting us too.
Wow! All that did was get Jesus attention.
Jesus turns to them and calls them murderers of the prophets who have taken the key of knowledge away. They won’t go into the kingdom and they prevent others from coming!
Ouch!
Their hand is forced. Will they submit to Jesus’ authority, bow to the King and admit his words are true? Or will they resist him and harden into their unbelief? Jesus already knows what they will do. This will lead to his crucifixion. Everyone knows he tells the truth, but they are thinking, what gives him the right to say it? He is the king! One greater than Solomon is here! One greater than Jonah is here! But their eyes are full of darkness. They can’t see the light of the world who stands before them and speaks truth to them. Instead of fear and repentance, they respond with furry and revenge.
What is God telling us through this passage? What message or lessons do we need to take from here and put into practice in our lives?
Let me offer just two things:
1. Let us humbly receive from Jesus both encouragement and rebuke. Jesus speaks to the churches in Revelation and his words are both blessings and rebukes. Jesus says, “Those I love I rebuke and chasten!” It is easy to hear that Jesus loves us and gave his life for us to save us. All of us want to be encouraged and blessed. Who doesn’t enjoy receiving honor and recognition for things we work hard to do? It is always nice to hear honest and sincere praise for hard work or a job well done. Jesus says that one day our welcome into glory will be with these words: Well done, good and faithful servant! Come! You who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you form the foundation of the world!” Oh, man do I want to hear those words from Jesus some day!!! Don’t you?
In order to prepare us for that day, we have a training process to go through that requires discipline and correction along the way. Can you imagine a football coach who never yells at his team in practice or the game? I am confident that there is not a single successful football player who hasn’t had his share of chastening and rebuke in practice and on the field. Can you imagine an army boot camp where the drill sergeants only say nice things and talk positively to the soldiers in training? I know that no army ever became disciplined by sweet talking. And what of children? Hebrews 12:7-11 says it well. God’s word knows nothing of our modern aversion to corporal punishment for children. Neither does it know of churches with believing adults without discipline as part of Christian training. Let us be ready for the Lord to discipline us and submit to it in assurance that he loves us and is shaping us into the image of Jesus Christ.
2. Let us learn how to stand in the face of opposition to the cause of Christ with confidence and courage like Jesus did. Listen, we are the body of Christ! We who are in Christ have this promise, “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world!” 1 John 4:4. Part of our growth in discipleship is the discipline of standing up for Jesus in this world. Jesus didn’t shrink back from confrontation; he went all the way to the cross. Aren’t you glad he did! Let us not shrink back from sharing Christ and inviting others to come and follow him. Let us commit ourselves to the cause of our King and his kingdom.
Jesus is calling you to come believe in him and belong to him.
