Advent Day 11

In Chapter 11, Jesus starts out with the Disciples Prayer.  It really is not the Lord's prayer – He is the Lord and God doesn't pray to Himself.  In it, He reveals how to model our prayer life addressing God as our Father, sanctifying Him, praying for His Kingdom program and for our daily needs, ending in protection in spiritual warfare.  He then encourages persistence in prayer, and how God, the epitome of a giver of good gifts, wants to give His children blessings.

The healing of the dumb demon-possessed man is another Messianic miracle that the rabbis taught only the Messiah could do, and something the rabbis could not do.  They would have had to engage the demon through the vocal cords of the person, which obviously they could not do if they could not speak.  However, the Lord can do anything He wants, and He casts out the demon.  Jesus was then accused of doing it by the power of Beelzebub – Jesus responds by uttering His incredible statement, “If Satan is divided against himself how will his kingdom stand.”

THE DEFENSE:  (1) The accusation that He cast out demons could not be true because it would mean a division in Satan's Kingdom; (2) the people recognized that the gift of exorcism is from God, so to accuse Him of this was inconsistent with their own theology; (3) the miracle authenticated Yeshua’s message; (4) it showed that He was stronger than, and not subservient to Satan; (5) there was a call to individual decision – He that is not with me is against ME; and he that gathers not with me scatters (Luke 11:23).
The story about the unclean spirit who left and came back emphasizes that the last state of that generation would be worse than the first; and the Sign to that generation would be the sign of Yonah (Jonah), which was the sign of Resurrection.

THE LIGHT:  Light, when used symbolically, is always revelation from God.  Jesus taught that He was the light; so, He was the revelation of His Father.  Those who rejected Him were spiritually blinded and would remain in spiritual darkness.  If they would receive the revelation of the Messiah, then they would have light.

Lastly, in the conflict with the Pharisees, He condemns them for being more concerned with the external than the internal demands of the Law.

Questions for Reflection:
Think carefully about someone who God has put in your path that you can help. What can you do today to serve or encourage that person, for the glory of God?