41: SOMEONE GREATER (Luke 11:29-36)

Jackie Watts

The Gospel of Luke: The Greatest Story Ever Told • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Once there was a church that had a bell that no one could ring as the cord wouldn’t work. One day, a boy came and asked the priest if he could try. So the boy went up into the tower and ran straight into the bell, face-first. The bell tolled loud and clear. The shocked priest gave him the job.

But one Sunday, he ran straight toward the bell with his face, closed his eyes, and missed falling to his death.

"Congregation," the priest said before the assembled masses. "Does anybody know this boy's name? Because I don't, but his face sure rings a bell.”

You ever met someone & thought you recognized him/her but just couldn’t figure it out?

Barry Beall, Suzy’s husband who has stepped into heaven, had lots of great stories about his experiences. One day he was at a race & began chatting with a man sitting near him. Barry knew there was something about him that was so familiar & after about 15 minutes, Barry thought he recognized the man as actor James Garner from the TV Show ‘Rockford Files’ and movies like ‘Maverick’ with Mel Gibson. To verify his claim, Barry asked, “Mr. Garner?”; James Garner responded and they continued their talk.

I wonder how many people have passed right by greatness and don’t even know it. In today’s teaching we’ll watch as some refuse to recognize Someone Greater, Someone Greater than the wisest king or most successful prophet. And we will be confronted with the words of warning for those who refuse to bow to Him.

Luke 11:29–30 (NIV)

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

How was Jonah a sign to the Ninevites? In the story of Jonah, the prophet didn’t tell them about his fishy experience. Neither did Jonah perform any miraculous signs for the people to see. Instead, Jonah’s presence & preaching was the only ‘sign’ Nineveh knew. He simply spoke on behalf of God and warned them of His judgment.

But before we go any further, let’s fill in some of the gaps that Luke again abbreviates. According to Matthew, there would be one future sign that would prove beyond any doubt - who Jesus was.

Matthew 12:40 (NIV)

40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The future sign they would be given was a veiled reference to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. As Jonah emerged from the belly of the fish, so too Jesus would emerge from the heart of the earth…resurrection.

Here Matthew notes Jesus’ veiled reference to the future sign of His resurrection

While Luke instead focuses on the the only sign given directly to these enemies of Jesus - the Presence & preaching of Jesus.

30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Isn’t that sad? The people Jesus was talking to were HEARING the written Word of God, spoken by the living Word of God, but it was not enough for them. So Jesus continues His words of warning.

Luke 11:31

31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.

Solomon

Solomon, the 3rd king of Israel and was known for the great wisdom & wealth God gave him.

Solomon is credited for writing most of the wisdom literature in Scripture including of the Proverbs, Song of Songs, & Ecclesiastes.

Further, Solomon was the king God used to construct the 1st temple.

This is the one whom The Queen of the South came to listen to.

The Queen of the South refers to the Queen of Sheba coming to see Solomon as recorded in 1 Kings 10 & 2 Chronicles 9.

Sheba’s kingdom was in the southern part of Arabia, a thousand miles away, near the limits of the known world at that time, hence the hyperbole ‘she came from the ends of the earth.’

Now Why would this queen from a pagan nation travel all this way? She was desperate to hear Solomon’s wisdom. She traveled for weeks just to hear the truth from his lips. This took much time, money, and effort to travel all this way just to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.

So NOW Jesus draws a contrast between King Solomon…and HIMSELF. As great as Solomon was, Jesus says something (or someone) greater than Solomon is here.

So if the Queen of the South had to choose between WHO to travel and listen to…it wouldn’t be Solomon…it would be Jesus!

This is why this queen will condemn the people of this generation at the judgment: The Messiah - in whom all wisdom lives - stands in their midst, and most in that generation refused to listen to Him.

Jesus’ claim either makes Him the most arrogant man of his day

OR… He is Someone Greater than the wisest man in history.

Now Jesus contrasts how the Ninevites responded to God’s message as compared to how this generation responded to Jesus.

Luke 11:32 (NIV)

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

The men of Nineveh were wicked Gentiles - enemies of God’s people. Yet they responded to Jonah’s simple message and repented of their sin. But now something (someone) greater than Jonah is here, and ‘the people of Israel’ refused to repent.

JONAH’S message warned of God’s wrath but did NOT offer God’s peace.

Jonah was NOT passionate nor COMPassionate toward the Ninevites. He wanted God to drop the hammer on them and found a front row seat to watch it happen! Even so, the Ninevites repented after hearing God’s message from an uncaring messenger and relented from destroying them.

JESUS’ message warned of God’s wrath and GRACIOUSLY offered God’s peace.

If Jesus is greater than Jonah, full of passion & compassion - both warning of God’s wrath AND offering God’s peace - then given the chance - the Ninevites would have quickly responded to the miracles and message of Jesus…because someone greater than Jonah is here.

This is why the Ninevites, people of a pagan city, would condemn this [Jewish] generation at the judgment.

The wisdom & preaching of Jesus was FAR GREATER than Solomon & Jonah.

Someone Greater than any who had walked the earth spoke to these people face-to-face…and yet this generation refused to repent & believe His message. And Jesus warns that THEY will be held accountable at the final judgment.

Did you know that YOU too will be held accountable at the final judgment too?

In fact, the Bible teaches that your entire future is hinged on what you do with Jesus. And what was true for the people Jesus spoke to 2000 years ago is true for you and me too.

BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.

BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.

You receive Him? He receives you. [as taught in John 1:11-12]

You reject Him? He rejects you. [as taught in John 12:48]

Do you acknowledge Jesus as your king? Then He acknowledges you as a citizen of His KINGdom! [as taught in Matthew 10:32–33]

You ARE ashamed of Him? Then He will be ashamed of you.

This is a warning fired right across your bow, that…

BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.

Then, as Jesus often does, He uses an illustration to drive the point home, to warn His audience NOT to close their eyes to the LIGHT, but to recognize that ’something greater than' Solomon and Jonah is here. Let me show you what I mean as we pull the lights down.

Luke 11:33 (NIV)

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

In this illustration Jesus mentions a daily practice that points to a spiritual truth.

Every night in my home, as the room begins to get dark, we turn on THIS lamp.

When a lamp is put on a stand in a home, it helps people see rather than fumble around in the darkness. Like the ancient audience Jesus was speaking to, we get what He’s saying, but we don't know why he saying it yet. So Jesus continues…

Luke 11:34 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness.

Everyone in this room can see this light, UNLESS…you are:

BLIND or UNWILLING TO LOOK (as you cover your eyes or look away)

And for those people, this light is of no use to them. Rather than appreciating the light to guide their steps, they continue to stumble in the dark.

But for those who choose to look toward the light, those whose eyes are healthy, they no longer stumble in the dark, physically nor spiritually - their LIFE is full of light!

Of interest, the same Greek word (πονηρός ponēros) that is translated as 'wicked/evil' in v.29, is the same word used in v.34, but translated ‘unhealthy/bad' (speaking of eyesight). In other words, this wicked generation is related to those having bad/unhealthy eyesight in the light illustration.

This wicked generation is following the teachings of the Pharisees whom Jesus called 'blind guides' in Matt. 15:12-14. Further, Jesus rips the Scribes & Pharisees in Matt. 23 calling them 'blind' guides & fools 5 times!

These people thought they had the light…but it was darkness. So Jesus warns…

Luke 11:35-36 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Jesus challenges these people to re-examine themselves and look to the Lamp that was shining His light throughout the house.

Those people will be transformed by the wisdom and preaching of Someone Greater - Jesus Himself!

You will be forgiven and free!

Purity & truth will pervade every crevice of your soul!

Richard Lenski writes: “Jesus…fills us completely and leaves no part dark. The mouth does not confess Jesus while the hands disobey him; the head does not bow in worship before him while the feet walk in the counsel of the ungodly. No; the brilliance of the lamp illumines us altogether.”

Someone Greater than Solomon is here.

Someone Greater than Jonah…or Jackie is Here…His name is Jesus.

And…

BIG TRUTH: Your response to Jesus is His response to you.

You receive Him. He receives you.

You reject Him. He rejects you.

You acknowledge Jesus as your king. He acknowledges you as a citizen of His KINGdom! [as taught in Matthew 10:32–33]

If you’re ashamed of Him, then He will be ashamed of you.

Check out the words of this powerful song and ask yourself this question:

‘Is my life full of the light of Jesus, or is it full of darkness?’

Clear the Stage

Would you stand with me as we pray?

Would you pray this - “Lord Jesus, what do you want me to do with what I just heard?”

Turn from your sin and trust Him.

Remove the idols that keep Jesus from being THE Someone Greater in your life.

Some of you need to deal TODAY. Don’t put it off. Hit your knees, approach a believer who will listen to you and pray for you.

PRAY

Now - It’s time that we clear the stage and respond to what God is doing in our lives…as we sing & bring ourselves to acknowledge Someone Greater - the King of all!

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