Luke #30: What Sort of Pharisee are You?

knowing you are going to win

GRIT

woman abandoned by family at 2… raped multiple times as a child… knew it was wrong… knew God had a purpose for her life

Where did Satan come from?

Spiritual Tea Party - Cliff Notes Edition

Ezekiel 28:11-19, Isaiah 14:12-20, Revelation 12:4, 20:2-10, Genesis 3.

Ezekiel - ordained as a guardian angel - blameless - became wicked - violent - driven from God - heart became proud - beautiful - destroyed by fire -

Isaiah - cast to earth - make myself the most high - brought down - unburied -

Revelation - 1/3 of angels - Satan - bound then allowed to reign on the earth - but he will be judged

Genesis - First saw him work - bringing about the fall - tempting Adam and Eve to sin against God - but in that the promise was given that he would be destroyed

The prince and his prisoner Luke 11:14-28

Luke 11:14–28 (NIV)

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.

What’s happening? The demon that had possessed the man couldn’t speak. So it in effect took away his ability to speak as well. What’s special about this is that it was understood that in order to cast a demon out, you had to call it out of the person. If it couldn’t speak, you couldn’t call it out… but Jesus could.

And look at how people responded, amazement. Some had their amazement rooted in the power that Jesus exercised. We are going to look at these folks today. the other group was amazed at Jesus’s power, knowing it was form heaven, and wanting more… show us another sign Jesus… do more heaven tricks they begged… Next week we will talk about these folks and how Jesus responds to them, but first Jesus responds to those who doubt the source of his power.

He said:

17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.

We know this principle to be true right. A divided church can’t stand - they call it disaffiliation… a divided marriage won’t last - they call it a divorce... a divided nation can’t stand - civil war.

18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.

There Jesus said it… Satan has a kingdom and it’s of this world. He is at work in our world in ways we can’t always see exactly, but fruit of his work is visible all around us.

Beelzebul you see was the name given to satan meaning prince of demons. But his name is much more… you see the literal interpretation is lord (baal) of the flies (zebub) … interesting but probably not a mistake the word zebub was very similar to the Hebrew word for dung.

As I read this week: The result is a not too subtle reference likening Satan to the leader of a swarm of flies on a pile of dung.

His ways are death and destruction… not hope and healing.

There was something good going on here. For these folks to call it evil, says something about them… it’s like the destructive things of our world that our world endorses.

Its all around us today.

19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

Jesus is referring to the healers in the synagogue. The historian Josephus tells about the priests of Solomon. Priests King Solomon anointed for the role of exorcism.

He talks about how their work didn’t always effective.... so maybe there is a little jealously going on here… but Jesus says, If you say demons are cast out by the power of Satan… then is that true of your healers as well?

Careful how you answer that because you might have to answer to them.

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

They were stuck. Jesus had boxed them in again. This happens again and again. These pharisees come to challenge Jesus, but again and again, the truth is too much for them.

Jesus then explains what he is doing:

21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.

This is Satan… actually Beelzebul… god of this world… as the Apostle Paul described him. He had this man his prisoner… but no longer.

22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

This is Jesus … the one stronger. Satan was safe until Jesus showed up… now there is no where to hide.

23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Pay attention here… there is no room for neutrality with Jesus… there’s no Sweden. You are either in or you are out. If you don’t gather, you are actually scattering.

This got me to thinking this week. The church does a lot of Good… but is it making disciples… is it harvesting souls?

That's our Job 1.

Then Jesus puts this on the people gathered… probably as a warning to the man just healed as well.

24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

Almost on cue… as if Jesus had planned it...

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

No… weren’t you listening… obedience is the key not the deliverance. IF obedience isn't there, this deliverance is only temporary.

We see this all the time in people, in marriages, in businesses, nations and churches… everywhere there are people. We see things get fixed… but instead of filling the life with the things of God, we assume all is good. We can live again. Yes you can, but the life you live had better be different from the previous life or it’a going to get bad fast.

We see people beat addictions only to go back…

Marriages get through a tough season, but failing to fill the cracks with the ways of God, the problems reappear

This is exactly what James the brother of Jesus was speaking to when he said:

James 1:21–25 NIV

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Why does this happen?

Because we believe if we don’t see it it doesn’t exist… if the problem isn’t here I can relax.... what is it they say, out of sight out of mind.

Jesus tells his followers don’t forget the unseen.

Never forget what you can’t see

There’s an amazing story that illustrates this in

2 Kings 6:8-23.

Real quick, Aram is at war with Israel. But every time the king of Aram thought he had Israel in his sights, they would move. He asked his advisors what is going on… and they said, the prophet Elisha hears what you say even in your bedroom and tells the king of Israel… He can read your mind… King of Aram asks, where is he, I”m going to kill him. He’s in Dothan. SO he sent chariots out to get him. When Elisha’s servant woke up early the next morning he saw the army surrounding the city and he woke Elisha and asked WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? Elisha said DON’T BE AFRAID. THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE WITH THEM. Elisha then prayed that God would open his eyes to see and then when the servant looked around he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

When the army of Aram attacked, Elisha prayed that God would strike them blind. He then went out and told them they were in the wrong place that he would lead them to where they needed to be… and he led them to Samaria… where Elisha prayed that God would open their eyes… and instead of letting the king of Israel kill them, Elisha had a feast prepared for them.. they returned to their king full… with a story to tell of God’s power and mercy… and Aram never again attacked Israel.

There is a spiritual battle going on in our world even though you and I can’t see it… it’s still going on. And we are called to be a part of it… but the servants of God fight differently than the servants of Satan.

Equipped For Spiritual Battle

John 8:44, 10:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, 1 Peter 5:8-11.

Scripture teaches us that Satan has a set weapons that he uses: His obvious ones are death and destruction, but that’s not all.

He also has lies and temptations.

WE say, the devil made me do it… but in reality often times it wasn’t Satan, more commonly it was our sin nature… flesh as the Bible calls it.

You see, Satan is one being. he can’t be everywhere. but he has many demons who answer to him. So your problem may be the work of satan in the world… it may be the result of your sinful desires… or it could be a demon enticing you… or if you aren’t a christian, possessing you.

In this battle, as a disciple of Jesus, you are given some powerful weapons as well. God’s word is described as the sword of the spirit… We have the good news - hope - promise that God wins and we are his child… we have faith - the ability to live as thought things really are… we have righteousness - God’s righteousness to avoid sin… we have salvation - no matter how defeated we may feel - knowing we are victorious because Jesus has won this battle… but probably our most powerful weapon against Satan and his minions is prayer - a direct connection to God the father through his Holy Spirit connecting us to real spiritual power.

The reality is, we can’t be defeated in this battle because it is already been won. Jesus in his crucifixion died for our sin… sin has no power over us… he died and in the resurrection he conquered death… he beat the hope out of Satan on Easter morning… so while the battle wages on… We can’t be defeated… but we can still lose… so we must be on guard… because we can be our own worst enemy.... we can sabotage our selves in this battle.

Three paths to spiritual sabotage

Ignoring the evidence in my life

Trying to walk the fence

Loving my enemy’s weapons

Rules of our Spiritual Battle:

Luke 11:14-28, James 4:4-10

There are only two kingdoms – there is no neutral ground.

One kingdom will win – one kingdom will lose.

Both kingdoms are still recruiting citizens.

Fight, but don’t fight FOR victory, but FROM victory.