On Line Bible Study - For the Week December 6-12, 2010

Lesson 469

Luke 11: ¹⁴ Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

Our attention is focused on Luke 11:14-26. By clicking on the text above you will come to BibleGateway and Luke 11 in its entirety. Scroll down to the verses under consideration.

The issue at stake in this text continues to be extremely relevant today. The issue is this: Just exactly who is Jesus? Luke pushes the question hard. Look at what Jesus is quoted as saying:

Luke 11: ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Is Jesus doing the work of the Devil, or the work of God? If he is doing the work of God, then something wonderful is going on. But it's complicated ...

Consider the following from Deuteronomy 13: ¹If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ² and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Is Jesus a 'test from God' - a man who performs wonderful signs, but who is actually using his powers to lead people astray?

There are those who claim this is exactly what the Christian Church has done for centuries - used its power over people to prevent them from knowing the truth. It's a scathing indictment. And Jesus leaves very little wiggle room. Note what he says in Luke 11: ²³ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

So, just what are we choosing if we choose to follow Jesus? Is his vision the true vision of the kingdom of God?

It doesn't get easier when we consider the amazing sign that Jesus has offered - the healing of a mute. Accused by some as having demonic power, these same folks want a "sign" from him! Luke 11: ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

So, make up your mind! If you receive a sign, then say it is from the Devil, how can you ask for another sign? What would a "sign from heaven" look like? Is Jesus the messiah or not?

A related question has to do with just what we are looking for in the first place. Is the Jewish messiah what the world needs? Does Jesus meet their requirements? Sometimes I wonder if the problem Jesus had wasn't related to the fact that he exceeded their requirements. They expected some sort of temporal demonstration of strength; instead they got forgiveness. They were hoping for a political edge; instead they got a taste of the kingdom of God. They wanted Israel to be a player again on the international stage; instead they got the promise of eternal life.

From Jesus' perspective, the accusation that he was casting out devils by the power of the Devil just didn't make any sense! What do you think?