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True blessedness Luke 11:14-28 (11:28) “He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."』 Intro Todays passage starts some story about a mute, I feel I am a mute when I have to speak in English. And I feel I am a spiritual mute as well, when I don’t praise and pray God. I pray like Jesus healed a mute in the passage, I can speak English fluently and Jesus opens my tongue in order to deliver this message well. Part one “By the power of God Jesus drove out a demon that was mute” (14-20) In verse 14, Jesus was casting out demons. What he did made people marvel. Luke does not say where Jesus was or what happened to lead to this event. He simply says that Jesus was driving out a demon and the crowd amazed. To Luke, the fact that Jesus was driving out a demon was beauty itself and truly glorious. When the mute started speaking, people were joyful and praised God at the very least. It simply was so good that it touched the people who witnessed it. Look at verse 15. However, some people tried to ‘spin’ what Jesus did negatively. Mark and Mathew clearly identify they were religious leaders, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in Jerusalem. Those people were Jesus’ adversaries and they were troubled by Jesus healing power because they had exorcists at work but no one was as effective and so immediately so as Jesus. To hide their lack of ability or to solve suspiciousness of Jesus’ immediate success, they suggested boldly that Jesus was in league with the devil. They said “By Beelzebub the price of demons, he is driving out demons” This is doesn’t make sense at all. There are always people who don’t accept truth as itself. They are ready to criticize others, because they think, if they can find other’s fault, they can be excellent than others. We have to know why Satan rebelled against God. By his pride, he did not bow to God as all other angels did and he wanted to be higher than God. Why did Adam and Eve disobey God’s command and take the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? It was from Satan’s temptation “you will become like God”. The religious leaders wanted to be more excellent than Jesus, because of their sinful pride and arrogance. So they spread conspiracy theory about Jesus. We have to remember arrogance is cruel human’ sinful nature and be careful not indulge into sin through it. Anyway, by the religious leaders’ intension, some crowd became suspicious and began to demand Jesus to show some sort of sign out of heaven that would make them assure. Look at verse 17 and 18, Jesus knew their thoughts so he answered “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. “If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?” With those two sentences, Jesus has put to rest the suggestions of his adversaries, and the suspicions that they raised. The devil is not at work against himself, and they could see that his kingdom of pain and trouble was not shaken. Then Jesus went on offense. Look at verse from 18(B) to 19. I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your Judges. Jesus explained that the inconsistency of the religious leaders’ statement would have direct consequences on themselves. Apparently, some of their own followers were driving out demons. If they charged Jesus with driving out demons by Beelzebub, they exposed their followers to the same charge. The religious leader’s irrational, subjective favoritism would be exposed sooner or later. Then, their own followers would judge them. Look at verse 20 and Let’s read it in one voice. Ready go “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” The phrase, “if I drive out demons by the finger of God”, is not really an “if” statement. It is the only option left open to religious leaders, unless they are going to admit that their whole religious performance is misleading and evil. And then Jesus tells them what is means – that the kingdom of God- the hoped for condition that the Messiah would bring about – has arrived. That, of course, also means clearly Jesus is that Messiah – although he didn’t say so in so many words. Through this phrase Jesus reveals himself as Messiah. Isn’t it so beautiful, the Messiah who they have really waited for long time is with them, and the Messiah heals them by the power of God. Part two “the side of God’s kingdom” (21-23) Let’s look at verse 20 and 21, Jesus said “when a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.” The coming of the kingdom of God is not a matter of complex theological argument. It is a matter of God’s power triumphing over Satan’s power. The strong man is Satan. The stronger man is Jesus. Jesus can defeat Satan and establish the kingdom of God because he is stronger than Satan. One stronger than Satan comes and casts Satan and distributes the plunder. That is what Jesus is doing. It is a good picture of the devil being conquered by our Lord. Then Jesus speaks clear judgment in verse 23.”He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” There are only two positions possible. One is Jesus’ position and the other is Satan’s position. There is no such thing as neutrality. Either you are actively working with our Lord’s or you are serving the devil. You are deliberately and affirmatively on God’s side or you are the enemy of Jesus and of God. We have think and ask to us “Where am I now?” “which side am I? “Am I in God’s side or not?” “I am with Jesus or not?” Then we can check clear direction to move in our lives. It makes clear which side the religious leaders were. They were in Satan’s side because they tried to attack Jesus’ holy work. Their spiritual ears and eyes were all closed by their sinful arrogance. Finally they killed Jesus on the cross, but Jesus raised three days later by God’s power and Jesus crushed Satan’s head. The Satan’s main purpose is clear. His primary purpose is against Jesus and God. He attempts to frustrate God’s work and disturbs the Gospel. Some people don’t want to make decision. No decision turns out to be against Jesus in the end. We learn that each one of us must make a decision to accept Jesus as our Lord and to stand on his side. Then we can dwell in his kingdom and “gather”, together with him. Part three “the true blessedness” (24-28) From verse 24 to 26, Jesus describes the Jews with another parable. He is speaking of Israel when he describes the man from whom the unclean spirit is driven out. Then those who reject Jesus are the unclean spirit that finds the house all cleansed and put in order, and goes out and find seven spirits more wicked than itself. And final condition of that man is worse than the first. There are two views to interpret this parable. Some people say Jesus picturing Israel as a man. Jesus cleaned the Israel before being crucified on the cross. But Israel rejected their own Messiah, like as the man became worse than before, Israel are ruined and disappeared by Roman army. To interpret this parable some other people focus on the house. The evil spirit says a man as his house. The evil spirit uses the man’s body as his house. Our bodies can be God’s temple or evil spirits’ dwelling place. Our heart and mind are not able to be empty. They are must be filled with something. Even though we try to drive out, if there is emptiness in our soul, more evil spirits will come. Then what is important? I think filling up our soul with Jesus’ and God’s spirit is more important than driving demons. When we invite and serve someone stronger than Satan, Satan can not think to come back. If we are with Jesus and God’s sprit we are safe. But if not, we are not safe. In Verse 27 and 28, one woman responded to Jesus “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” Then Jesus replied “blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” Let’s read this verse with one voice from blessed, read go “blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” Amen. Now, Jesus is certainly worthy of all of that praise – and we also praise him with our whole heart. But Jesus meant to turn the attention of that woman, and everyone in the crowd, and us too, who read the account centuries later, to where true blessedness is to be found, and what it is comprised of. His odd-sounding response to this wonderful saying of this woman in the crowd is, ‘Go to the Word, and pay attention to that’. Jesus tells us to ignore everything but the Word of God, and to pay close attention to that and to decide everything by that Word. What is blessedness? I think, simply it is happiness. To be happy, what do we need? In worldly view, we can think we need money, health, popularity, and handsome or beautiful appearance and so on. Is it really blessedness that “hearing God’s word and obeying it? Honestly this phrase was challenging for me. I thought if I have more money or if I am taller than now, I will be happier than now. Then I thought deeply why hearing God’s word and obeying is blessedness. My conclusion is simple. Money, health, honor and good appearance are all temporal but God’s word eternal. You can receive the word of God, when you are poor or rich, when you become popular or when you are denied by others, when you are healthy or sick, when you are young or old, you can always receive Gods’ word. Personally, when I become poor, the word of God is always more bright than any jewel. When I am in the low position, the word of God is always greater than any worldly philosophy and logic. The word of God gives always strength and hope. Then why obeying God’s word is blessing? I think obeying God’s word is true blessing. Listening God’s word is passive, but obeying God’s word is active. Obeying Gods’ word is difficult because sometimes we have to fight against our human nature. For example, Jesus said love your enemy. How can we love someone who hurts us and we have some aversion still? There is some phrase like “Praise God and be joyful always”. How can we praise God and be joyful, when we are in big trouble and so we are deeply depressed? Isn’t impossible? Sometimes it seems to be impossible to change our heart and mind. We can say ourselves. Yes, it is impossible for us, but for God it is possible. There is nothing impossible for God. God is almighty and God is creature of this world. Yes, we are impossible but God is possible. When we obey God’s word we can experience God’s existence and his righteousness. God is awesome and almighty. His work is awesome, wonderful and joyful. As long as you receive God’s word and obeying it, you can experience that he is living God and He loves you. Especially, when you try to obeying God’s word you can understand what his real will is for you. The real will of God for you and me is our salvation. The salvation is accomplished by God’s grace and through our faith. For us, we need only faith. The word of God is the key to build up our faith. When you try to obey God, you can also discover your sin. The blessedness also includes repenting and confessing your sins to God. God promised that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He is faithful, in that He forgives us every time we confess, and He is just to do so because Jesus has already paid the price and redeemed us from our sins, from death and from hell. Last year on December I was so depressed. One of my research project was delayed, which was very important for me because it was the first project that ran by myself. I was so sad, I felt my ability was low and I was not deserved to be a researcher. At that moment I had to deliver early-morning prayer’s message. It was fifth of December last year. Key verse was (psalms135:3) 『Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.』This phrase helped me. I’ve learn that even though it was my duty to praise God as his creation, but I had not praised him much. I thought God would receive my praise preciously if I praised Him when I was depressed. Also, I confessed my sin that worried about my life too much and did not have any faith to God. I praised God and gave thanks to him. It was difficult but I simply try to obey God’s word. After that I experienced God is really living God. With prayer, I received peace and joy that was from heaven. Also, I had expected to receive low result because of that project, but surprisingly I received the highest result which I had received ever at the end. God gave me a triumph when I gave up and thought I lose. Finally God turned my sight to God. I think obeying God’s word true blessedness because through it we can meet the living God. In Conclusion, I think true Blessedness is faith. Listen to the Word of God, as Jesus says, and do what He tells us to do. Gather, don’t scatter. Hope, don’t despair. Let’s trust in God, don’t fear life and what is going on in the world around us. We should set our values and attitudes by the Word, not by the world around us. And Let’s Take and eat and drink often of His holy Supper, as Jesus tells us to do. And love one another, as Christ has love each one of us. Let’s Listen to the Word and observe it, keep it, believe it and do it. If we do all of this, we are living in true blessedness. |
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