Luke 11:14-36 - Signs of the Times

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If you have Bibles with you in one form or the other, open them to Luke 11.

We're continuing our journey through Luke.

Luke, and now we have finished this section, and I'm glad we've taken an extended time dealing

with this section on prayer.

Now we get to a little bit different scene, and we begin to see the opposition come to

Jesus.

Now let's read.

You can follow with me as I read, and it's going to be a rather long section from verse 14

all the way down through verse 36.

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute.

When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and people marveled.

But some of them said, he cast out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.

While others, detest him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.

But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is laid

waste.

And a divided household falls.

So, and if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?

For you say, I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?

Therefore, they will be your judges.

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come

upon you.

And when a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe.

But when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor, in

which he trusted, and divides his spoil.

So whoever is not with me is against me.

And whoever does not gather with me scatters.

And when the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places

seeking rest.

And finding none, it says, I will return to my house from which I came.

And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.

And then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself.

And they enter and dwell there.

And the state of that person is worse than at first.

And as he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, blessed

is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.

But he said, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

And when the crowds were increasing, he began to say, this generation is an evil generation.

It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them.

For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

Behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it.

For they repented at the preaching of Jonah.

And behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand,

so that those who enter may see the light.

Your eye is the lamp of your body.

And when your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light.

But when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.

Therefore, be careful, lest the light in you be darkness.

And if then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright.

It's when a lamp with its rays gives you light.

Let's bow in prayer and ask the giver of God's word to come and now give us insight into his word.

Father, we pray that you would come and be our teacher.

There is so much here that you would say to us.

But our hearts need your work.

So would you come and make our hearts soft?

Make them fertile ground for the planting of your word.

Use my own foolishness to bring us into the light of wisdom.

The wisdom that comes from you and not from man.

So would you come and speak to us in this time as we study together.

And we pray in the name of the living word.

Even Jesus.

Amen.

You know, we're moving from a very pleasant situation where Jesus' disciples come to him.

And they ask that great question.

He says, Lord, teach us to pray.

You know, how do you pray?

I mean, you are praying and they've observed him praying all this time.

And so they want to learn.

And that really shows a great posture of what it means to be a disciple.

And so Jesus teaches them.

And in so doing, teaches them at the core of what he taught was who it is to whom they pray.

It's not the mechanics of prayer.

But it's the object of prayer.

It's the one for whom they bow.

But now as we come out of that, and we're going to see more and more of this.

We're going to see opposition.

Beginning to face Jesus.

Because now we see in a lot of ways a contrast between the posture of a disciple.

And then the posture of an unbelieving world.

And so as we encounter this, there's so much in this text.

What I want us to do is really look at what we can learn about this unbelief that we see demonstrated in the world.

And what we're going to see here is that opposition always comes.

Opposition will always come when the kingdom advances.

This is a fact for us as believers.

So when we see the kingdom move here in our community.

When we see it move in our own lives.

We will see and experience opposition to that kingdom.

But one of the things about this opposition is the opposition is not necessarily over the facts.

But the implications.

One of the things here when we look at this scene.

Is there something very striking here to me.

And every time I read through the gospels I always marvel at this.

Jesus is now in this group of people.

And he casts out a demon from this man who was unable to speak.

It's a very obvious miracle.

And Luke says that everybody marveled.

And then they got ticked off.

So what is there about a miracle that Jesus performs that gets people so upset?

And look at the two responses they have.

One they're ascribing the work that he does to the devil himself.

Or even in the face of this very obvious miracle.

They're looking at Jesus and says.

Alright prove.

That you can do this miracle.

Prove.

That you have authority.

How do we know.

Who you are.

And that you are legit.

Even in the face of.

What just happened.

Unfortunately.

What we see in these people.

Is all too normal.

And that is.

That is a picture.

In many ways.

As all of this section is that I've read through.

A picture of what unbelief looks like.

And we're not going to be able to go through and examine all of this down into the details.

We're going to take kind of a high altitude look at this.

But I think in this passage.

We are given a great picture here.

Of what unbelief.

Really looks like.

And I will say this too.

That as we look at this.

And we think about unbelief.

The first thing that's going to come to our minds.

Is unbelief out there.

This is what we're going to experience.

From the world.

And from people outside of the kingdom.

But it's not just them.

It's us too.

So.

With that in mind.

What do we learn here.

About this whole nature of unbelief.

The first thing.

We see is unbelief.

Belief.

Is.

Intentional.

It's not accidental.

It's not just out of ignorance.

It's purposeful.

It's interesting here.

As we see this section.

In some ways.

Luke kind of frames it.

By this demand.

Of this generation.

For signs.

For Jesus.

To do something.

To validate.

His authority.

To do what he does.

And to say.

What he does.

And so we have it up there.

At the front.

You know.

That they're.

They're seeking signs.

And Luke.

Again.

Gives us insight.

They're not just wanting more evidence.

They're testing.

They've got enough evidence.

But it's not enough for them.

So they're testing.

And then down later.

He talks about this evil generation.

Seeks a sign.

And so what is it about signs?

Why is this such a problem?

If we remember.

We go back to Gideon.

In Judges.

And Gideon asked for signs.

Repeatedly.

Before.

He went.

To do the work that God had called him to do.

And God condescended to him.

Didn't rebuke him.

But actually met him.

With the two signs Gideon asked for.

And then gave him another one that he didn't ask for.

The problem here.

Is that.

They've just seen one.

And they've seen a sign.

That they were.

They knew.

That only.

Could be.

Could happen.

When the kingdom.

The Messiah.

Came.

And it happened right in front of their face.

And it wasn't enough.

And so they keep.

Pushing.

And they're asking for.

On the service.

What looks like.

Said look.

That was nice.

We just need a little bit more.

To be convinced here.

But that's not what's going on.

There's something much deeper.

Much more insidious.

In looking.

For.

Evidence.

So actually.

Inwardly.

As they're asking for.

More evidence.

What they're doing.

Is not.

Trying to draw nearer to Jesus.

They're trying to hold him off.

They're pushing him away.

And they themselves.

Have now set up standard.

A standard.

By which.

They.

Are going to judge.

The king.

And the judge himself.

On his authenticity.

And I think we need to understand this.

Especially when we do go out.

Into the world.

Unbelief.

By people out there.

You will hear.

A lot of people will.

Will struggle.

And it says.

Well.

You know.

Prove to me that.

Jesus is who he is.

Prove to me.

That the bible is the word of God.

Prove to me that God exists.

You know.

Prove to me.

All of this.

And so.

Our challenge is.

A lot of times.

We take.

That posture.

And it says.

You know.

If I just give them.

Enough proofs.

Enough evidence.

They're going to believe.

Because we know.

Our faith is rational.

It is based on.

Real knowledge.

And real truth.

And so.

We think.

That all we've got to do.

Is just.

Let's clarify the issue here.

Make a good case.

Sometimes.

That issue.

May be.

Intellectual.

Because we know.

Great stories.

Of people who.

When they heard.

The arguments.

Their heart was changed.

But that is not.

Normally the case.

Normally.

The problem.

The problem is not.

Intellectual.

It's moral.

They're not struggling.

Over evidence.

It's the implications.

Romans 1.

Paul lays this out for us.

Very clearly.

Romans 1 verse 18.

Romans 1:18

He says to us.

For the wrath of God.

Is revealed.

Against all.

All ungodliness.

And unrighteousness.

Of men.

Who.

By their.

Unrighteousness.

Suppress.

The truth.

Suppressing the truth.

Is an active.

Verb.

Unbelievers.

And Paul goes on.

To say through that text.

They have all the evidence.

They need.

They can see the glory.

Of God.

In creation.

They can see it.

In all of the world.

And they know it.

But they won't accept it.

And so they're actively.

At work.

Keeping it.

Underwrapped.

So.

It does not.

Interfere.

Because unbelievers.

Those who do not believe.

Have built a world.

Shaped.

Around themselves.

We have a clash.

Of kingdoms.

Here.

Jesus comes.

And we see that.

Even as Jesus.

Talks about the whole thing.

With a kingdom.

Divided against himself.

And the strong man.

And so forth.

Well Jesus.

Is the strong man.

Who's come.

To take over.

And to occupy.

To take the man's goods.

He is the one.

Who's coming.

But see.

We built a whole different world.

It's built around us.

In our own autonomy.

And if the reality.

Of Jesus coming.

If that's true.

I have a dilemma.

Am I going to continue.

To serve me.

Or am I going to bow to another king.

And we don't bow easily.

And so we use these kind of arguments.

You know.

We've got a good thing going.

You know.

Even those Jews of that day.

They had their system.

They had their world.

And they had it all controlled.

And Jesus comes in.

And disrupts everything.

And so as we do evangelism.

Even.

As we encounter non-believers.

There are going to be times.

We have to be prepared.

To defend.

The rationality.

Of our faith.

And that it is built.

On sound thinking.

Sound logic.

It is reasonable.

And you know.

We have to be able.

To defend that.

But that will not win the day.

What we're struggling with.

Is a heart.

That is in rebellion.

Against knowledge.

That is already aware of.

And it just refuses to bow.

And so that changes.

The way we do evangelism.

One thing.

Instead of just.

Spending all our time.

Arguing.

We need to spend.

A lot more time praying.

And instead of just.

Challenging people.

With the truth.

We need to focus.

On the implications.

Of that truth.

And instead of just.

Calling them to an understanding.

We need to call them.

To repentance.

We are.

When we do evangelism.

We're calling people.

To worship.

We're calling them.

To bow.

And that is where.

As Jesus said.

At the end of that last section.

Where God gives his Holy Spirit.

That's what he has to do.

So that they'll turn.

But is that.

The same way with us.

God.

Is that.

The same way with us.

Is that.

Eh.

Yeah.

How many promises.

In the scripture do you know.

How many are you aware of.

See.

When we come to Christ.

When we first believe.

Everything doesn't change overnight.

I still.

I still.

Have a heart.

That has.

Developed a reality.

Where I am the center.

I am in control.

I determine.

What my life will be.

I determine.

What values.

Will be.

I determine.

The definition.

Of what good is.

And so.

Life.

Revolves.

Around me.

And when the truth of God.

Comes.

And I hear these promises.

They can be very.

Very.

Disruptive.

We heard in the.

The men's retreat.

This last weekend.

And.

One moment.

I really thought.

I'd.

Asked the wrong speaker.

To come.

Because it was getting.

Hot.

In the room.

At least for me.

And he was.

In a sense.

In a way.

Delving into.

An area of.

In my life.

That I was.

Where I was.

Refusing to bow.

And it was.

Because of situations.

You know.

It was a hard situation.

And.

In that situation.

I know his promise.

That he is good.

I know.

His control.

Over all things.

I know.

Up here.

That everything.

He gives me.

Is a gift.

But yet.

I whine.

I complain.

I get angry.

I get angry.

With him.

And say.

You absolutely.

Do not love me.

And I've got.

All the evidence.

In the world.

How much more.

Evidence.

Do I need?

I have a savior.

Who came.

And died.

And was raised again.

What more.

Do I need to see?

The problem is not.

Evidence.

The problem is worship.

Worship.

And when the king comes.

He demands.

Worship.

For himself.

Alone.

And I have to get off the throne.

Unbelief.

Belief.

Calls me instead.

To give thanks.

Instead of complaining.

Belief.

Belief.

Calls me to rejoice.

Instead of my incessant whining.

Belief.

Calls me to trust.

And rest.

And give up.

The fight.

Because.

I want to set a new sheriff's in town.

But a new king.

Has come to the throne.

Secondly.

Unbelief.

Is intentional.

But it is also.

Unreasonable.

Or we could say.

It is.

Unbelief is irrational.

It's crazy.

The arguments put forth.

Here.

To Jesus.

Are silly.

And he.

And he very.

Calmly.

And gently.

Straightens out.

These arguments.

This is why.

Satan is.

Throwing out his own.

Demons.

And Jesus said.

That's dumb.

How's this kingdom.

Going to stand.

If they follow your.

Rational thinking.

And so.

It's just.

Unreasonable.

Unreasonable.

That they would come up.

With this kind.

Of a defense.

In what Jesus does.

He moves then.

From that.

And he's moving them.

Towards those implications.

Because.

You know.

If.

And this is where.

They don't want to go.

Because.

If.

The king.

Has actually come.

He's taken over.

There's a.

A great book.

On apologetics.

I really like.

It was written.

A couple years ago.

By Os Guinness.

It's called.

Fool's Talk.

And in this.

Book.

He talks about.

These two poles.

That.

Unbelievers.

Have to.

Wrestle with.

Because.

One of those poles.

Is.

The pole of dilemma.

And let me just read.

What he says here.

The dilemma pole.

Expresses the logic.

Of the fact.

That the more consistent.

People are.

To their own.

View of reality.

Which is highly inconsistent.

The less close.

They are to God's reality.

And the more likely.

They are to feel their dilemma.

In other words.

The more they see.

This deep.

In consistency.

The more they get.

Away from God's.

Reality.

And close to themselves.

And become aware of.

This false.

Unsubstantial.

View of reality.

They're in a dilemma.

Because now they see.

Very clearly.

That what they have constructed.

Is a house.

Made on sand.

And.

That's what they are.

And.

But then he goes on.

There's another pole.

It says.

The diversion pole.

Expresses the fact.

That the less consistent.

People are.

To their own view of reality.

And the closer they are.

To God's.

The more they have.

They must find.

A diversion.

In other words.

All right.

They can't live.

Over here.

And.

See clearly.

Their.

Very.

False.

Construction.

Of reality.

Because that produces.

A dilemma.

But over here.

If they start getting close.

To the real idea.

Of reality.

That.

Produces.

A dilemma.

And so.

What they.

Turn to.

In the face of.

All of this.

To avoid.

Reality.

Is diversion.

In other words.

They have to hide.

From the truth.

And not face.

The real issues.

Of life.

So that.

The life.

Of inconsistency.

In which they live.

Is not disrupted.

It's relatively.

Comfortable.

But to do that.

They have to avoid.

The questions of.

What is the meaning of life?

Who am I?

Where do I come from?

Why am I here?

Where am I going?

What is death like?

What's on the other side?

And so they live.

Because they can't face those.

Because they take them to.

Reality.

They live in diversion.

One of those diversions.

Which he speaks about.

He said.

He refers to.

As objects of mass distraction.

Are these.

Or the ones you have.

In your pockets.

Through all the networks.

Anything.

Entertainment.

You know.

I like this.

Well.

I don't like it.

There's this commercial.

On TV.

And I can't remember.

If it's AT&T.

And Verizon.

But Mark Wahlberg.

Is out there.

Talking about.

Makes this statement.

Is we want.

Our entertainment.

Now.

And we want it.

Everywhere we go.

We can't go anywhere.

Without our shows.

Without our movies.

Without our sports.

All of these things.

And we live this life.

The world lives this life.

Of total diversion.

To escape.

Reality.

To avoid reality.

And where they come to.

Is just.

It's irrational.

The positions.

That they take.

Are so inconsistent.

And we can see it.

But it doesn't bother them.

They just don't think about it.

You know.

Ideas.

That.

There are no moral absolutes.

Except.

That there are no moral absolutes.

As soon as you say that.

You declare an absolute.

They want to say.

That we.

There.

There is no God.

Who shaped us.

Or created things.

We have evolved.

From these little cells.

That began at the bottom.

Of some pond.

Somewhere.

And then they want to say.

In the same breath.

We have great dignity.

And value.

And they cannot see.

The problem.

With those two statements.

And so.

Unbelief.

That people.

That we're dealing with.

Is irrational.

It cannot be rational.

Because the closer.

You get to rationality.

The closer.

You get to God's reality.

And the implications.

Become clear.

So.

But we're enlightened.

We're.

We're.

We've come to Jesus.

Yeah.

I think.

I can actually control my life.

I think.

I know what's best.

I think.

I think.

That.

My little efforts.

Of making sure.

That my dishwasher.

Is loaded the proper way.

Gives me value.

But.

That's true.

That.

Who's irrational.

Unbelief.

It's intentional.

But it's crazy.

Because I know.

The one.

Who shapes.

All things.

I know.

The one.

Who gives me value.

I know him.

and I still don't bow.

I live in this delusion

that somehow it's all me.

The reality is I am powerless.

I am helpless.

And I'm just a creature.

But if the king has come,

he has come to do so much in me

that I could never do

and to control my life in such a good way

that I could never accomplish.

Wouldn't it be rational just to submit?

Unbelief is intentional.

Unbelief is irrational.

Unbelief is also short-sighted.

We have this little section there.

In some ways, it really looks kind of out of place

where Jesus is saying all these things

and then you have this mother pops up

and says,

blessed is the woman who bore you

and who nursed you.

And then Jesus,

you would have thought

this nice little old woman here,

he would have been nice to.

But he very immediately basically says,

no,

blessed are those

who hear the word of God

and keep it.

Because see,

what she's done,

I mean,

she

was not doing anything overtly evil.

But it was her idea

of what blessedness is.

Her idea of blessedness

was something innate about her.

Something she did.

She was able to accomplish.

And that was a very prevalent idea

in that society.

Because if women were not able

to bear children,

they were really pariahs.

They were outcasts.

They were seen as rejects by God.

And we've seen a lot of examples of that

through the scriptures.

So what her idea here,

her glory,

her value

is found in a natural function

of her life.

Who she is as a woman

and so forth.

But what she really

kind of reflects is

because of our intentional

rejection

of submission to the king,

in our irrational

recreation

of reality,

reality,

we still end up empty

and we've got to find something

to fill

that void.

And so we

fill it,

we try to,

in vain,

with many lesser things.

We go on and read down

a little farther in Romans,

Romans 1,

23

through 26

or through 25,

I mean,

Paul writes,

claiming to be wise,

there's the,

you know,

there's all of this other,

again,

they became fools

and exchanged

the glory of God,

the glory of the immortal God

for images

resembling mortal man

and birds

and animals

and creeping things.

Therefore,

God gave them up

to the lust of their hearts,

to impurity,

to the dishonoring

of their bodies

among themselves

because

they exchanged

the truth

of God

for a lie

and worshiped

and served

the creature

rather than

the creator.

And that's what

this woman was doing.

All of a sudden now,

her whole world,

an idea of goodness

and blessedness

and identity

was based on

something that she could do,

not on the

immortal

king

himself.

And so Jesus

counters that

blessedness

and basically

calls them

again

to

submission

to the king.

you know,

it's not what you do

but it's

it's hearing the word

of God himself

and keeping it

and basically

it is bowing.

Blessedness

is bowing

to the true God

and not some

artificial thing

we've set up

for ourselves.

Blessedness

is not having

material resources.

It is not having

a name well thought of.

It is not

accomplishing

great things.

There's so many

things that we

use to replace

and now we're

talking about us.

We use to replace

that sense

of blessedness.

You know,

we,

you know,

it is our job.

It is our work.

It is our

youthful

manly

vigor.

And those

of us

who have

chosen

that route

are

very disappointed

the farther

in life

we get.

Because,

you know,

we pursue

this great

vigor and

strength

and then

I've got to

have a hip

replaced

because it

doesn't work

anymore

and I can't

walk.

And then

you get

cancer.

And then

you go out

in the very

midst of

proving how

youthful

and vigorous

you are

on your

bicycle.

One morning

you have

a heart

attack.

And God

in heaven

just smiles

gently

saying,

you're barking

up the wrong

train.

This dog

won't

hunt.

Come to

the source

of real

life

and real

blessedness.

Because that

it's not

you.

It's not

what you

create.

It's not

what you

experience.

It's not

what you

accomplish.

It's who

you know.

It's

me.

Come

to the

king.

Unbelief

we see

here.

It's

finally

broken.

And I

will

go

through

this

quickly.

Jesus

gives

a

parable

basically

or a

sign.

He

says the

only sign

this evil

generation

is going

to get

is the

sign of

Jonah.

There's a

lot of

debate

about what

this is

but I

think it

really

points us

to two

things.

What do

we know

about

Jonah?

Jonah

was called

by God

to go

to an

evil

generation

in

Nineveh

to proclaim

the gospel.

In the

process he

was thrown

overboard

from this

boat

as dead.

These

were saved.

He was in

the belly

of a

whale

for three

of a

whale

not a

well.

Someplace

it's the

same

word.

For

three

days

he was

resurrected

on the

shore

went to

preach

to Nineveh

and they

repented

amazingly.

One of the

most wicked

people on

the face

of the

earth

repented.

And Jesus

said this

is the

sign.

And yes

we think

it is

pointing to

his

resurrection

but that

resurrection

says two

things to

me from

this

passage.

One is

the

resurrection

is the

ultimate

sign.

If

Christ

has been

raised from

the dead

there's no

more question.

about

who's

king.

We will

bow

before his

throne

at his

feet

one way

or the

other.

Whether you

believe it

or not.

Whether you

submit now

or not.

Jesus has

come and

because he

died

and it was

raised again

to life

and exalted

to the right

hand of the

father.

Everything

is about

him.

He

rightfully

declares

authority

over all

things.

But there's

something else.

It also

declares

God's

intentions.

sins.

Because what

he does

he sends

Jesus

to die.

He

sent

Jonah

to

Nineveh

because his

heart

longed

for the

Ninevites.

Why would

he send

Jonah

to the

Ninevites

unless he

wanted them

to repent

wanted them

to turn

from their

wickedness.

God

and now

we see

through the

resurrected

Christ

a much

more vivid

a much

greater

demonstration

of that

heart of

God for

an evil

generation.

That he

would give

his son

to perish

and then to

raise him

to life

again

to proclaim

the coming

of the

kingdom.

Why would

he do

that

if he

didn't

have the

heart

of a

father

who loved

his

creation

and longed

for

those

of us

to be

blessed

to have

it all.

And so

he calls

us to

faith

calls us

out of

our

unbelief

calls us

to come

to the

one

who can

indeed

give us

life

life that

is rich

and full.

And so

that's the

choice.

We either

come to

Jesus

in faith

we bow

before him

and when

we do

we will

know that

blessedness

that he

promises

but also

know this

we will

bow

either

voluntarily

or under

compulsion.

Jesus

comes as

the king

and he

allows no

rivals

us.

And so

he calls

us

to

repentance

to bow

of our

own

autonomy

to bow

to our

own

rule

to bow

to our

own

control

and

worship

at the

foot

of the

one

who loved

us

to his

own

death.

It

sounds

rational

to me

why would

we not

do that?

let's

pray.

Oh Lord

Jesus

our hearts

are hard

we need

you to

work

would you

help us

in our

unbelief?

You

promised

that as

we come

to the

father

that father

you would

give your

holy spirit

you would

give him

great

abundance

we need

him

so would

you come

turn our

hard hearts

and hearts

that believe

that we

might know

the riches

and the

wealth

of your

kingdom

we pray

in Jesus

name

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org

for more information

visit us online

at

southwood.org

to

you

you

to

here

you

and