Week 92 | Section 106
In our reading today we learn many things including the nature and uniqueness of Christ, kingdom dynamics, and how the posture of our mind and soul can shape our fate. We need sight and singleness of heart, we need faith and courage to follow and act as his disciples.
Scripture:
Section 106 | A Third Blasphemous Accusation and a Second Debate
Luke 11:14-36
14 He was casting out a demon, and it was mute.1 When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.2 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” 16 Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan3 If there is also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you. 21 “When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder. 23 “He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters. 24 The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’ 25 When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” 27 It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!” 28 But he said,“On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.” 29 When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation.4 It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet. 30 For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will also be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South5 will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here. 33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness. 36 If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light.”
Group Dialog:
Learning Objectives: Sight and Singleness of Heart
Study Notes:
- There are two other similar events recorded in Mt 9:32 (Sec 70a) and in Mt 12:22, Mk 3:22 (Sec 61). Both had the same effect on others and the same reactions from the Pharisees.
- Seemingly, many concluded that he must be the Messiah, the son of David.
- We’ve addressed the subject of demons and the devil in previous episodes. Still its an important subject and the believer today needs to understand the Lord’s authority over demons and our own authority by which we can be set free and deliver others if needed. Read this reference we added some time back – “Know your Enemy“.
- The generation and specifically the people who in vs 16 wanted to see a sign. cf. Ezekiel 11:18-21 and pray: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. – Psalm 139:23-24
- cf. 1Kings 10. Lit. That is, the queen of Sheba, which was a country of Arabia, which lay south of Judea.
