No Middle Ground

January 3, 2021

No Middle Ground

Luke 11:14-36

 

-In today’s passage, Jesus ministers to a soul by casting out demons as He often did for demon-possessed people and the response of those who witnessed this miraculous display of love prompts some very pointed teaching from Jesus on the exclusivity of the Gospel.

-John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

-There is NO other way to be rightly related to God, but by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

I. Two Condemned Responses (Luke 11:14-16)

And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

A. Accusatory He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub

B. Inquisitive, but Non-Committal – tempting Him, sought of Him a sign from heaven

Acts 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

-Any response to Jesus other than full acceptance is a response of condemnation…There’s no middle ground!

 

II. One Provoking Rebuttal (Luke 11:17-26)

A. Absurdity of Their Suggestion (Luke 11:17-19)

But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

B. Alternative for Their Salvation (Luke 11:20-22)

-But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

C. Application to Their Soul (Luke 11:23-26)

He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

 

III. A Misguided Reaction (Luke 11:27-28)

A. Wrong Source (Luke 11:27)

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

B. Right Foundation (Luke 11:28)

-But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

 

IV. An Explanatory Reply (Luke 11:29-32)

-He shows in this explanation that history points to Jesus.

-(Luke 11:29-30, 32) And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation…The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

-(Luke 11:31) The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

 

V. A Sobering Reality (Luke 11:33-36)

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

-Jesus, Who is the Light of the World, is the only source of life-giving light.

-To reject the Light of Jesus is to reject eternal life itself.

-(T. Anyabwile) The Finger of God points you to the Kingdom of God through faith in the Son of God so you might escape the Wrath of God.

 

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