Saturday, 30 March Luke 11:14-36

Written by Dr Graham Leo. ©2019.

You will remember that right back in our fifth reflection (2:34), the angel of God predicted that Jesus’ ministry would be beset with antilogia – words spoken against him. We have already encountered quite a few of these, but today we see them rise up against Jesus in desperate force – no doubt because the evil powers knew exactly why he was en route to Jerusalem, even if they didn't know how it was going to pan out.

Jesus had cast out many demons from people. The charge made against him is that he can only do this work by the power of the devil himself. This is a serious charge – imputing the work of God to the devil. Not surprisingly, Jesus rebutted the accusation strongly.

He linked the coming of the kingdom of God – his core mission as he outlined it in 4:18-21 – to his direct assault on the forces of darkness. See today’s reading, v20: If I drive demons out by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

This is a direct assault on the demonic realm – I stop short of calling it a kingdom. The devil is no king; he is a leader of demonic hordes to be sure, but the only King is Jesus.

This brings me to comment on what I think is a common misconception, certainly in the minds of the public at large, but also even amongst Christians who ought to know better.

There is a general view that there is a battle going on both now, and also in Jesus’ day, between two High Powers, commonly known as Satan and Jesus, or between Satan and God. This is not a biblical view. We need to be very careful with our language here.

A contest implies some level of comparability. You would not talk about a contest between Einstein and a Year 3 student, nor between the world heavyweight boxing champion and the little old lady who runs the church sewing circle.

God is God. He is the undisputed Champion. Jesus is his Son, theologically speaking, but he is also God himself. Nobody – no force nor personal being can challenge them at any level of contest. God/Jesus is original; every other being is created, derivative.

If there is any contest to be discussed it will be between Satan and Michael the archangel, or between demons and ‘ordinary’ angels, or between humans and humans. These are beings of comparable powers and status.

Have you noticed, by the way, that whenever anyone draws an angel these days, they are nearly always female figures? Michael has become Michelle in the popular imagination, even amongst many Christians. It should be Gabriel, not Gabby. And as for cherubs (or cherubim) read their description in Revelation 4:6-8 and Genesis 3:24. The chubby little naked babies with wings are inventions of Italian Renaissance painters.

When it comes to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, there are only two possible responses: obedience or rebellion. There is no possibility of contest, no more than if I were to step into the boxing ring with champion Mike Tyson, or try to play football against Pelé.

So the focus in this chapter is not Contest. It is Rebellion.

There should never be a news headline: Dawkins vs. God; or Stalin vs. God; or Mohammed vs. Jesus. Substitute ‘rebels against’ for ‘vs.’ and you will be correct.

There can only be a stark choice: obedience or rebellion.

It is no wonder that Luke includes this quite long description in this chapter. It is a detailed study in rebellious humanity and rebellious spiritual beings versus the Word of God. It is a clear choice between little-d darkness and capital-L Light. This is why, smack in the middle of this discussion is that strange little snippet, where a hyper-emotional woman calls out a blessing on Jesus’ mother.

Jesus gives that sentimental nonsense a quick retort. Don't reduce me to a Christmas card figure, he says, or worship a Madonna and child image. It’s not about matronising me, it’s about obeying me, the visible and audible Word of God.

As we read this passage today, perhaps our best response is to ask God to help us to see the scale of the battle. Remember that lovely story in 2 Kings 6:8-17, where Elisha is under threat of destruction from the King of Aram, and his servant is terrified as he contemplates the army approaching them to destroy Elisha. So he asks Elisha,

“Oh, my master, what are we to do?”

“Don't be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked, and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

There may be opposition on every side. We may sometimes feel as though we are losing the battle. But the battle is not between Evil and God. It is only between evil and good. God is the inevitable and unchallengeable King. The minions might be fighting it out; we might even be losing right now; but we are on the winning side. Just read the last few chapters of Revelation. It won't spoil the ending of the story for you.

It is not a question of who will win. It is not even a question of who will support whom. It is only a question of whether you and I will rebel or obey.

This has been the question since the beginning. It is the only question. Will we hear i.e. obey the word of God – or will we rebel against Him/It. This was the whole point of the ‘prehistory’ in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. This was the whole story of Israel through the Old Testament. It was the whole story of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospels. It was the whole story of the early church in Paul’s letters. It is the whole story of the greater part of Revelation, the age of the church in which you and I live.

Obey or Rebel?

Just remember, when responding to God, it’s like you and Mike Tyson in the ring. We have a simple-enough choice, but so many people get it wrong:

“Put up your mitts, you big boofhead!” OR: “What can I do for you please, Mr Tyson, sir?”

Prayer: I thank you, my Lord Jesus Christ, that you have already conquered all the forces of darkness, and shone your light into my soul. I choose today, to live in your light, and to obey your Word. Amen.