Luke 11:14- 26 THE FINGER OF GOD

1. He cast of Demon out of a man – Demon had affect over the man’s motor skills so that the man was unable to speak .

B) TWO REACTIONS TO THIS MIRACLE – Some were AFFECTED -

V.14 says that the Multitudes MARVELED

3. Guys / Gals – Do you wonder at the work of God . When a person

comes forward to receive Christ – Are you Amazed !!!!

D) I think a real danger that many of us who have "been around a while " can fall into is because we have seen so much we take so much for granted

1. My wife nailed me on this in Hungary – Each day ask – So what did

4. Must not ever lose that sense of wonder because if we do we will also

lose our sense of expectancy !!!!

1. That line of line of thinking – was the result of the 2^nd reaction seen here – Multitudes were AFFECTED / Religious leaders OFFENDED
2. They respond in v. 15 by saying the only reason Jesus could cast out Demons was through Satan’s power –
3. Because they could not deny the fact of Jesus’ miracles, they chose to deny the source. Wasn’t of God but the DEVIL/ BEELZEBUB
4. BEELZEBUB was one of the names of the philistine god Baal / Beelzebub (which means, "lord of the flies")

1. A variant of that definition is Beelzebub which means the Lord of the dwelling – name the Jews often used in referring to Satan.

1. Good description – Flies are Pest & Satan is a pest – He doesn’t give up – relentless .

1. Of all the people in Israel you would think that these guys would have embraced Him – ( They were to be looking for Messiah)
2. The simple reason is that His Life exposed their Hypocrisy – He was everything that they were not .

1. They were arrogant / Pompous / they tried hard to be esteemed by men / they set themselves apart from the common man

1. They burdens on the People that they themselves didn’t even follow.
2. Jesus shows up on the scene in Humility not arrogance / He interacted , ate & spent time w/ the common man – Came to be the great burden lifter –

Matt. 11: 28 –30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1. Jn. 3: 19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, & men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
2. Read true story Robert Moffat – Missionary to Africa who was to be visited by an African Chieftaness – Female Chief / Chief’s wife
3. She came all decked out in her tribal clothes – She noticed outside his tent hanging on a tree a mirror – never seen anything like it

1. Looked into it beheld her face – so startled – ( same reactions some mornings )

D) Ugliest thing she had ever seen – demanded to know – what is that I saw in there - Replied – That is your own face

1. Once she finally believed Moffat was telling the truth – she demanded to purchase the mirror - bargained/ finally gave in – She broke it

E) Declared – Now this mirror would never tell on her again. -

MANY PEOPLE’S REACTION TO TRUTH / CHRIST –

1. Jesus responds in v. 17 & 18 by basically saying – What you are suggesting doesn’t make any sense – Absurd
2. If I cast out Demons by the Power of Satan then Satan is divided & a house that is divided is sure to fall . PLUS V. 19 "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.V.20 "But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Now according to Josephus ( The Jewish Historian) they did have exorcism rights, that were handed down from Solomon.

1. They say that Solomon in all of his wisdom did devise certain drugs and incantations for the exercising of demons.
2. And there were those in those days according to Josephus who using these aged rights of Solomon were able to exercise demons.

1) Which is probably what Jesus was referring to here / these widely practiced, and totally excepted exorcism rights, of which Josephus spoke.

Side note v. 17 is a word to all married couples here - "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

A) You are one / Divided – heart / desires / discipline / fall -

1. House built on Rock of Christ / centered around Christ / passion for the things of Christ / given to the word of Christ – will stand

1. The Strong man in ref. Here is the Devil & The heart of every unconverted sinner is the devil's palace, where he rules;
2. And where he works in the children of disobedience. The heart is a palace, a noble dwelling; but the unsanctified heart is the devil's palace.
3. As unbelievers we are both indirectly & directly influenced by Satan .

1. Who uses the Things of this world to entice us by appealing to our flesh

1. the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps this palace, does all he can to secure it to himself, and to fortify it against Christ.

He fills the minds of men w/ certain prejudices & w/ doubts that he uses to harden men's hearts against truth and holiness

1. And there is a certain kind of peace in the palace of an unconverted soul, while the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps it.
2. Satan dubs man into thinking he is alright / The sinner has a good opinion of himself, After all I am a good person

1. There isn’t any thought or dread of the judgment to come;

1. Before Christ appeared, all was quiet, because all went one way; Man did what was right in His own eyes

1. but the preaching of the gospel disturbed the peace of the devil's palace.

1. Gospel proclaims that we are all sinners / doesn’t matter how good / how bad – all missed the mark .

1. Only Jesus can set us free from the stronghold of the Devil !

1. That as strong as Satan is He is No match for JESUS.

1. Actually Satan is a created being / fallen Angel – very powerful Angel who is more on the same Level as Michael the arch Angel –
2. Dan. 10 angelic messenger sent to answer Daniel’s prayer – 21 day delay – hung up by Satan until – Michael come & help break through.

1. That is Satan’s counter part – Michael / not Jesus.

1. Satan is the strong man armed – who guards his palace / seeks to keep his things in order –

1. But Jesus is the one who is stronger than him who is able to overcome him & as v.22 puts it DISARM HIM

1. Notice the ease at which / Christ Power is described – v.20 The finger….

1. Col. 1 sheds some keen insight into this parable that Jesus is giving. ( turn)

v.13,14 Speaking of Christ 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

1. Phrase power of darkness can also be translated – the Stronghold of Satan – his domain & Jurisdiction

1. Our Lord used the phrase domain of darkness to refer to the super natural

forces of Satan marshaled against Him at His arrest (Luke 22:53).

1. That event was our new birth/ When we placed our faith in Christ, we were instantly delivered.

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor. 5:17

1Jn. 4:4 Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the World.

1. So Jesus delivered us from the power or stronghold of Satan / He conquered that strong man at Calvary

1. And He has draw us to Himself .

1. Jesus Christ did not release us from bondage, only to have us wander aimlessly.

1. He moved us into His own kingdom of light and made us victors over Satan’s kingdom of darkness.

1. Word transfer lit. means to move or to Change address /

1. ONLY JESUS COULD DO THAT
2. Col. 2 :15 further explains Christ Victory over the strongman 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
3. Romans General – no longer intimidated
4. Yes we are in a spiritual battle but we are Victorious in Christ !!!!

Turn back to Luke 11 rap this up

V. 23 Jesus makes a very profound statement - 23 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

1. Every single person here today is in one camp or the other – either in the kingdom of God / or the kingdom of Satan.
2. Power of Jesus or under the power of Satan / There is no Neutral place
3. Can’t say that Jesus is cool – I like some of the things that He taught but all in all I’m my own man doing my own thing.

1. No way – doesn’t work that way – It is either all or nothing .

1. See the problem that some people have is that they want Deliverance – they want to be set free from their addictions problems etc.

1. But they don’t want entrance – they really don’t want to give their hearts over to Jesus.

1. Here is the problem – if your heart is not given over to Jesus you will become in bondage to something else.
2. Many people want to clean up their lives / so they enroll in an AA or NA or some other type of support group / want DELIEVERANCE
3. Now listen I know that some people have been helped by such groups because through it they were introduced to the Lord.

1. So don’t get bent out of shape by what I am going to say – write me letters ( I am attacking AA or what ever)

1. The fact of the matter is that many don’t get Jesus their " higher power" is something else / someone else

1. And for many although they are no longer in bondage to their alcohol addiction – they are in bondage to going to meetings 6 days a week

E) Guys that is not the kind of freedom that Jesus offers ! Jesus said you shall know the truth & the truth will set you free …… free indeed !!!!!

1. DELIEVERANCE / BUT NO ENTRANCE –
2. It is not reformation that is needed – lets clean up our society / lets Christianize our society –
3. IT IS NOT REFORMATION THAT IS NEEDED BUT REGENERATION & REVIVAL -
4. REBIRTH INWARDLY & NOT REFORM OUTWARDLY

A) Gen. 32 Jacob wrestles w/ the Lord - Broken

1. Dan. 5 Belshazzar Babylonian King - MENE MENE TEKEL UPHRSAN - You have been weighed in the balances & found wanting
2. Is that what the Lord would say to you today – it is if you are standing in

own strength on your own merit . - Weighed found lacking !!!!

1. Word to the judgmental hypocrite who sees the faults & sins in everyone else but not in Himself

B) Jesus says look your sins condemn – you - You need same forgiveness –

2. go & sin no more !!!!

1. Jesus appeared said here Thomas – see & touch the holes in my hand put your finger into my side
2. Idea is Jesus was illustrating – pointing w/ His own finger – drawing attention to those marks speak of deep love & SALVATION.
3. Thomas responds My Lord & My God!!!!!!!