We've all seen the movie, or sadly, may have actually lived it out, where the hero or heroine is dying of some disease and has several desires to accomplish before they perish. In one particular movie, a teenage girl is dying of Leukemia and her boyfriend determines to help her fulfill all of her desires. One of her wishes is to be in two places at once. So her boyfriend takes her to a road that has a narrow stripe painted from one side to another and has her put each of her feet on opposite sides of the line. That line was the county line and, therefore, she was standing in two places at once. You know how it goes from there...something to the effect of Bet Middler's “Did you ever know that you're my hero” plays and all the girls start crying, etc.
These types of wishes resonate with me. For years, I wanted to go to the Four Corners Monument and do a set of push-ups with each hand and foot in a different state. But a couple of years ago, it was announced that the Four Corners Monument isn't actually at the four corners and I lost interest. And I'm sure that, from time to time, we've all had the desire to be transported into a different place and different situation.
But when it comes to the spiritual realm and the truth and meaning of Christianity, this concept of moving from one place to another is vital. In Colossians 1:13 we learn this fact ab
out moving from one place to another, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,...” Peter, in 1 Peter 2:11 refers to us as “aliens and strangers” (NASB) or sojourners who are passing through on our way to our eternal, real home. In Philippians 3:20, we are told that, “...our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,...” Clearly, from these passages and others, we learn that, if we are followers of Christ, this world is no longer our home and that we are to live as foreigners, seeking, “...those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1).So it is right to ask if this is our attitude. Do you view yourself as a citizen of another realm, a heavenly realm? Is your heart and mind set above, where Christ is? Are you actively fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith?
Or, like the girl in the movie or me wanting to do push-ups in four states, are you trying to keep a foot in both worlds? As is usually the case regardless of the situation, when we do this, we find that we do nothing well. If I try to competitively play both basketball and football at the same time, practicing both and playing games in both, I will fail at both. In the passage before us this morning, the Lord Jesus declares with boldness the need to make a decision regarding the nature of who He is. He declares that there is no middle ground. Either you are fully committed to acknowledging and embracing the Lordship and deity of Christ or you are embracing the following of Satan. It is an “either or” situation. There is no middle ground. Unlike the movies or even in this world, when it comes to the reality of Christianity, we can't be in two places at once. We are either with Christ, following Him and being used for His glory, or we are dead in sin and under the power of Satan.
Which one are you today? Are you someone who has rejected the claims of Jesus and would consider yourself a non-Christian? If so, know that God through His Word declares that you are spiritually dead in your sins and are under His righteous and perfect wrath due to your sins. Are you a believer who is fully committed to the Lordship of Christ in your life and are striving, in His grace, to follow Him with everything you are? If so, don't stop...press on toward greater Christ-likeness and glorious, love-motivated service to Him! Or are you one of those many who claim to know Christ but really don't have much affection and devotion to Him? You have a foot in both worlds. In the passage today, Jesus calls all of us to make a strong decision and commitment to Him based on the alternative...entrapment in Satan's realm and awaiting perfect judgment. Thus, lets hear these words and devote ourselves completely to Christ. The passage we are studying today is Luke 11:14-26:
And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
From this passage, let us learn...
Because Jesus came to defeat Satan and the power of sin in our lives, we must embrace His Salvation with total commitment.
Message: Choosing Either Jesus Or Satan: Who will You Choose?
1. A Wicked Accusation Against Jesus ~ vv. 14-16
Luke 11:14-16 ~ And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.
As we dig into this passage, the setting is somewhat vague. In the previous verses, Jesus is teaching on prayer to either one or just a few of His close disciples. That account ends and then Luke, guided by the Holy Spirit, places this event following. We know, based on verse 14, that there is a crowd or multitudes who experience this miracle and discussion. In the Matthew account (12:22-30), we learn that some of the multitude are Pharisees who are opposed to Christ.
The miracle takes a pretty small part in the account. Here is a man that hasn't spoken for an extended period. Not only hasn't he spoken, according to the Matthew account, this man is also blind. As a result of this miracle, he both speaks and sees and, as recorded before us, the multitudes are greatly impressed. These types of events are becoming rather common-place in the ministry of the Lord. So far in Luke, Jesus has cast out several demons (4:35, 41; 8:26-39; 9:37-42), healed many (4:38-41; 5:12-26; 6:6-11, 17-19; 7:1-10; 8:43;) and even raised two people from the dead (7:11-17; 8:54-55). The crowds are becoming more and more impressed and enamored with the Lord. On the flip side, the religious leaders are becoming more and more frustrated with their diminishing influence and the multitudes following Christ.
Thus, as is usually the case, when someone is gaining in influence and people become jealous of that influence, character assassination soon follows. The Pharisees here declare that the Lord is casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub or Beelzebul, depending on your translation. This moniker was historically tied to the false idol of the Philistines, Baal. It literally meant “Lord of the Flies”. But the clear indication is that Jesus is using the power of the devil...Satan...to cast out demons. Jesus clears this up in verse 18 where He associates Beelzebub with Satan.
This is a wicked accusation against Jesus. More or less, the religious leaders are saying that Jesus and Satan are in cahoots to deceive the multitudes. They are fighting against each other to achieve some sort of greater good of deception. Now there can be rather strange alliances in warfare and two groups of people who normally wouldn't work together decide to unite for the purpose of defeating a common enemy. The Allies in World War II are a prime example of this. If you have done any reading about WWII, you know that the US and Britain could barely stand each other and hated working together to defeat the Nazis. Then add the Soviets into that mix and it made for quite the group of allies suspiciously eying each other. Besides Hitler, the most hated man in WWII was General Eisenhower because he was given the task of holding this coalition together and giving direction to it. He said something to this effect, “The only thing worse than fighting a war with allies is fighting one without them.” Despite all of the contentions in this mix, one thing these allies never did was fight each other in order to deceive the Nazis. This is not how battles are won. So the Pharisees make this wicked accusation against the Lord in the face of His casting out of a demon.
Others in the crowd are not so sure what to think of Jesus. They are hearing these strong accusations, but are also faced with the clear and amazing miracle. They are saying to themselves, “Wow, this man Jesus is very powerful and He does amazing things. But our leaders are saying that He is working with the devil. Which one is it?” So they test Him, asking from Him a sign. Those who are asking Him for this sign may be genuine seekers. They really want to know who He is and what He is about. This debate between Jesus and the Pharisees has confused them and they want to know more. So they ask for more information. This is not necessarily a bad thing.
So here Jesus is confronted with an extremely wicked accusation and also perhaps some people who are genuinely confused about who He is. So what does He do?
2. A Clear Answer From Jesus ~ vv. 17-20
Luke 11:17-20 ~ But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Jesus answers this accusation very strongly and clearly. He states that a kingdom or a house divided against itself is sure to fall. Think about the United States during the Civil War. Of all the wars that the US has been in since it's creation in 1776, the Civil War cost the lives of more Americans that all the other wars combined. Think about Israel after the kingdom divided under Solomon's son Rehoboam. They were much weaker, fought numerous wars amongst themselves, and eventually both kingdoms were invaded and conquered. Think of a husband and wife who are not united in their love and affection and desires. That marriage will struggle to survive and, as we know, half of all marriages in the US end in divorce, even amongst Evangelical Christians. Think back to the Civil War again. What would have happened had, say, Britain decided to attack the US during that war? I think it is safe to say that either the South or the North may have joined with them to destroy the other.
This is a very clear and understandable answer. Regarding the spiritual nature of the issues being addressed here, the answer is also very clear. What is Satan's modus operandi? What is his goal and how does he employ his servants? His goal is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). In 1 Peter 5:8, we are instructed to, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Outside of salvation in Christ, we in bondage to sin, under the power and influence of the prince of this world, who is Satan (Ephesians 2:2). The devil's goal is to keep people there and He will use whatever means are at his disposal to it. These means include tempting people with sickness, pride, anger, depression, jealousy...whatever works to keep people in bondage, Satan will do it. He will do whatever he can to keep people from coming to saving faith in Christ. Another way that he works is to keep people sinfully satisfied with their current situation, be it health or wealth or position or whatever. Perhaps Satan's best way to keep a person in bondage is to simply leave them alone. But if one looks at the Scriptures, Satan never sets people free from bondage in order to keep them in bondage. There are no examples in Scripture of Satan letting a person go from sickness or madness or some other demonic possession in order to keep them under his domain. As we see in the account of the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8, demons don't want to be wandering about. They want to be possessing someone and wreaking havoc in their life. This is how Satan operates and Jesus is simply bringing this obvious point to bear on the current accusation.
Jesus, on the flip side, operates in exactly the opposite way. His modus operandi is to release people from bondage and sin. He grants complete healing, forgiveness, restoration, raising people from the dead and teaching about the work and nature of God. His entire ministry has been about releasing people from sin and bondage and bringing them into close fellowship with Himself and God.
So in order to refute this accusation, Jesus simply and clearly directs His listeners to look at how Satan works and look at how He works. These are opposite modes of operation and they are categorically at odds with each other. He is more or less saying that the answer to your question about who I am is very obvious...Satan and I are at war, operating differently and aiming for different goals.
In verse 19, Jesus puts their own question back into their faces. He more or less states that if I am casting out demons by the power of Satan, so are those with whom you align yourself. He is telling the Pharisees to take this statement to your own disciples who cast out demons and ask them. Exorcism was somewhat common in that day as we see in Acts 19:13-16...
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Although this exorcism was less than successful, this shows that the Jews of that day performed them and that they were successful in their works. Thus, Jesus challenges the Pharisees to examine the full implications of their assertion. He states, “If I'm casting out demons by the power of the devil, so are your colleagues who are exorcising demons.”
In verse 20, the Lord clears up any confusion on this issue. He states that the assertion that He is casting out demons by the power of Satan is absolutely false and contradictory. Therefore, the Kingdom of God is in your midst and you need to embrace it. “Surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” In making this statement, Jesus is putting the question back on them. The kingdom of God is upon you and how are you going to respond.
Jesus gives a very clear answer to this wicked accusation. I am not working with the devil and the Kingdom of God is here.
3. A Declarative Story About Jesus' Supremacy Over Satan ~ vv. 21-23
Luke 11:21-23 ~ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
In verses 21-23, Jesus reinforces His answer with an parable that “piles on” and emphasizes His answer about who He is and what He is doing. Again, with the divided kingdom and house illustration in verse 17, the picture is very clear and easy to understand. A strong man is able to protect his house or palace and his treasures and goods as long as someone stronger doesn't come and attack. Once an enemy more powerful than him comes in, he loses everything. Again, this is very easy to understand. Here in a few weeks, the college football season will start. If you follow the sport, you will see a couple of the major football powerhouses have scheduled smaller, Division II schools early in their season in order to get a “quality” win. The outcome will be decided by at least forty or even up to sixty points. One looks at the schedule and sees one of these games and knows the outcome before the first kickoff. And if you want to align yourself with the victor, you know for which team to cheer.
But why does Jesus use this parable here? He has just articulated that He and Satan are eternal, violent enemies. They are radically opposed to each other and they are at war. Their individual means of warfare are different and their individual goals are the opposite. And in this parable, Jesus is clearly declaring that He will be the victor. Satan is a strong man who has been given authority over this earth. He has the world in his power and under his influence. But the Lord Jesus Christ has come here to this world to defeat Satan and his power and influence. Jesus makes this goal abundantly clear in numerous places:
· 1 John 3:8 ~ For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
· John 10:10 ~ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
· Colossians 2:13-15 ~ And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
How did Christ destroy the works of the devil? By going to the cross and bearing in His body all our sins and then raising from the dead. In that death, for those who are Christians, all our sins were washed away and there is nothing left of which Satan can accuse us. In that one act, all that was necessary for our forgiveness and eternal life was accomplished. Christ has won the victory for us.
In this parable, what are the “spoils” of verse 22? The spoils are the souls of redeemed men and women who have been saved from the power of Satan, forgiven of all their sins, covered with the righteousness of Christ and brought into relationship with God. Note also in verse 23 that Jesus declares that there is no middle ground in this war. There is no neutral Switerland in this battle. It is not limited to Europe and the Far East. It encompasses all of creation and all of time. With these words, Jesus throws the Pharisees statement back upon them. The implication is clear...Jesus is implying, “Not only am I opposed to Satan and at war with him, you are actually on his side in this battle because you are not coming to Me.”
Dear friends, have you come to the understanding and realization of this spiritual war that is ongoing? Do you understand the seriousness of it? Take a look at Ephesians 2:1-3...
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
This passage describes every man's state apart from the saving work of Christ. You are spiritually dead, under the influence of the prince of the power of the air (Satan), you are a son of disobedience, driven by the lusts of the flesh and other sinful desires and are by nature under God's righteous wrath. This is the state of people apart from salvation in Christ. The lost person is under Satan's control, in bondage to sin and is awaiting eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire, just like Satan. But take a look now at Ephesians 2:4-7...
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Note that for the believer, God has made us alive and moved us into Christ's kingdom. He has raised us from the dead and has granted to us the heavenly places. And in the future, we will experience the exceeding riches of His grace.
Friends, it is an “either or” situation. You are either “dead in trespasses and sins” or you are “alive together with Christ”. There is no middle ground. Jesus, to these Pharisees, makes this very clear...either you are with Me or against me. Friends, Jesus makes it clear to us also...either you are with Him or against Him. Where are you? If you are not with Christ, you are with Satan. And, as this short parable declares, Satan's end and the unbeliever's end are the same...defeat and destruction. Friends, don't let that be you.
4. A Warning From Jesus Against Not Pursuing Him with Total Commitment ~ vv. 24-26
Luke 11:24-26 ~ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
Lastly, Jesus gives another picture to solidify the need to commit oneself to Christ with totality. The warning is again, quite clear. Bad things can't simply be kicked out of our lives. They must be replaces with good things. In the picture before us, a demon is exorcised from a man and the demon is now restless. This, again, mirrors the picture we see in Luke 8 where the legion of demons begs Jesus to let them possess the pigs. A demon doesn't want to be left out in the empty places. So he looks for a man to possess and finds that his former victum has gotten himself straightened out, but hasn't filled himself with Christ. Therefore the demon goes back and repossesses the man and, not only that, takes some pals so that the next time someone tries to exorcise the demons, it will be much harder. The man is worse off.
The application for us falls along these lines. Only a really delusional person will say that there is not wickedness in the world. If you talk to anyone, most will gladly and fully admit that they have weaknesses and frailities. Perhaps it is alcoholism or drug abuse? Maybe someone really didn't handle their first marriage well and it ended in divorce? It may be that someone didn't take good care of themselves health-wise and now they are experiencing the consequences? People may readily admit these frailities and weaknesses.
But what people will not readily admit is that these frailities are the result of living in a fallen world that is marked out for destruction. They will not readily admit that this issues and problems are ultimately sourced in man's fallen nature and total depravity. And they clearly will not admit that these issues make them worthy of God's holy and just wrath.
And yet, in this account, Jesus is making it abundantly clear that the issues of sin and weaknesses are not merely personal struggles with no eternal consequences. The reason these things are found in this world is because this world and the people in it are fallen and worthy of God's condemnation. Therefore, it isn't simply enough to recognize the fallen nature of this world and ourselves and try to reform ourselves. We must not only put off wickedness, but also put on Christ and be filled with Him. In other words, we must see our sin and weakness and the sin and weakness of this world as indicative of the far greater and more serious issue of eternity and God's plan of His glory and salvation in this world.
By way of example, lets consider the 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, etc. There is some good things to be garnered in these programs. Admissions like “I am powerless over my addition” is right and good and true. The concept of friendship and accountability and support as needed remedies for overcoming addiction are true and right and biblical Christians should have no problem with such statements. But then there is a major problem with this statement “There is a higher power” who can help me with this. Dear friends, do you understand how dangerous that very vague statement is? My friends, if that “Higher Power” is not, at some point, identified as the Lord Jesus Christ who died for sins, then there is a deep and eternal problem. May I say with confidence this morning that if a person overcomes some addiction and lives outside of it for the rest of their lives but never becomes a born again Christian, that “the last state of that man is worse than the first”.
Friends, what Christ is saying here is that to admit that this world is fallen and sinful is only part of the solution to the ultimate issue of how a man is made right with God. There must be an embracing of Christ. There must be total committment to Him.
Some of you here today may not have any major, public issue of sin that is weighing you down. Your life is going along just fine. You don't sense this spiritual warfare that is going on between Satan and Christ. You may admit that, yes, you have some weaknesses and foibles and that the world is pretty messed up. But you feel that you are doing just fine. Dear friend, if that is you this morning, please give deep consideration to the words of the Lord from this passage. Either you are with Christ or you are against Him. And your final state...eternity in hell separated from God and Christ...will be far worse than your current one. Don't try to be in two places at once. Come to Jesus.
Conclusion:
Those of you who enjoy reading Christian literature and theology will recognize the name John Stott. He was one of the preeminent evangelical theologians of the last fifty years or so. He was an evangelical Anglican who served at All Souls Church of London for many, many years. His most well-known work is “The Cross of Christ”, an excellent discussion of what was happening in the death of our Savior. Stott died this last Thusday, July 27th, at the age of ninety.
Justin Taylor, on his blog (http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/, July 27th, 2011), eulogized Stott this past Thursday. He wrote...
Stott was confirmed in the Anglican Church in 1936, but was not converted until February 13, 1938, when he heard Rev. Eric Nash deliver an address to the Christian Union at Rugby School. Stott recalls: “His text was Pilate’s question: 'What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ?' That I needed to do anything with Jesus was an entirely novel idea to me, for I had imagined that somehow he had done whatever needed to be done, and that my part was only to acquiesce. This Mr. Nash, however, was quietly but powerfully insisting that everybody had to do something about Jesus, and that nobody could remain neutral. Either we copy Pilate and weakly reject him, or we accept him personally and follow him.”
After the address Stott was able to talk to Nash (who would become a mentor), who pointed Stott to Revelation 3:20. Nash asked him, “Have we ever opened our door to Christ? Have we ever invited him in?”
Stott later recalled: “This was exactly the question which I needed to have put to me. For, intellectually speaking, I had believed in Jesus all my life, on the other side of the door. I had regularly struggled to say my prayers through the key-hole. I had even pushed pennies under the door in a vain attempt to pacify him...I went to church, read my Bible, had high ideals, and tried to be good and do good. But all the time, often without realizing it, I was holding Christ at arm’s length, and keeping him outside.
Later that night, at his bedside, Stott made the experiment of faith, and “opened the door” to Christ. “I saw no flash of lightning . . . in fact I had no emotional experience at all. I just crept into bed and went to sleep. For weeks afterwords, even months, I was unsure what had happened to me. But gradually I grew, as the diary I was writing at the time makes clear, into a clearer understanding and a firmer assurance of the salvation and lordship of Jesus Christ.”
As with John Stott, we all need to answer that question of Pilate found in Matthew 27:22, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” In the passage before us today, Jesus makes the answer to this question very clear. There is no middle ground. It is an “either or” situation. Hear the words of Jesus in Luke 11:23, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”
There is only one answer to this question that is right and will bring glory to God and bless you. Commit to following Jesus with everything you are. Don't try to be in two places at once. Get off the fence and committ to Him. It matters not your age or place in life. You are not too young and you are not too old. Embrace the victory over sin and death that is available to you in Christ. Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Psalm 86:11 puts it this way, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.”
Commit to Christ with everything you are. A tangible way of doing this is to publically declare your allegiance to Christ in baptism. Baptism doesn't save and it doesn't wash away your sins. Only Christ can do that. But Christ calls us to publically align ourselves with Him, to declare our allegiance to who He is what He has accomplished for us. Why not stand up publically and state that you are one of Christ's children who is resting and rejoicing in the victory He has purchased for you? And then spend your life gathering with Him.
What then shall you do with Jesus who is called Christ? From this passage today, here is what Christ calls you to...
Because Jesus came to defeat Satan and the power of sin in our lives, we must embrace His Salvation with total commitment.
~Pastor Eric Ellis
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