In The Word
Read: Luke 11:14-36
Pharisees’ Blasphemy
14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. 22 But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.
24 “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” 28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
The Sign of Jonah
29 As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
33 “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Today’s passage opens with Yahshua casting out a demon. Although the onlookers were amazed by Him, many of them ridiculed Him for His actions. Instead of celebrating the fact that the mute man spoke, many people complained. Some said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons,” (Luke 11:15) while others demanded a sign. Despite the many opinions, the Messiah never got distracted by the negative criticism.
Yahshua understood His purpose so well that He did not let the opinions of others sway or deter Him from accomplishing His task. He could have easily become frustrated with the perception of those who witnessed the miracles done by His hand, but He chose to use their negativity as a positive teaching opportunity. He began to address His critics by explaining that “a kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls” (Luke 11:17). He further explained that “anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me” (Luke 11:23)
Although the people around Him did not understand, Yahshua knew He was called to be the light of the world, so He did not allow a moment of temporary criticism to pull Him off course. The same should go for your life. There will be those around you who do not understand why you have chosen to walk in God’s calling. They will disapprove of and interrogate you just as they did our Savior. Do not give in to the judgement of the world, so that His light will shine through you.