Luke 11:24-36 - Responding to Jesus

This morning we are going to continue on and I are sermon series through the Book of Luke today. We look at responding to Jesus the passage that we look at today contains Jesus's continuing commentary coming out of the episode where he cast a demon out of the mute man and coming out of his teaching about the power and the authority by which he did such things. It really flows out of the main idea from last week's sermon the main idea from last week's sermon was the works of Jesus are authorized and empowered by God the Father us Jesus's Works initiated the kingdom of God on Earth and we have to recognize and respond appropriately. And so this week we'll see that what we have is more about what responding appropriately Jesus memes. Main idea this week could be said very succinctly like this in light of Jesus. We need to receive him and respond appropriately to him. Let me flesh that I would have been longer main idea in light of Jesus his working with God's power and his working with God's Authority and his initiating God's Kingdom on Earth there by identifying himself as the long-expected Savior King in light of that. We need to receive him and respond appropriately to him one of these it's crucial. Understanding this passage into applying this passage is the idea that I have raised several times to read the Gospel of Luke and that is this that Jesus and his teaching are inseparable. Jesus and his teaching are inseparable that is to accept Jesus's teaching is to accept Jesus and to reject Jesus's teaching is to reject Jesus and that works. The other way is Ralph to reject. Jesus is to reject his teaching but you receive Jesus is to receive his teaching as we consider that and we look at this passage. We see that Jesus is demonstrating the importance of receiving him and responding properly to him through illustration through beatitude through warning and exhortation. And so let's go right to God's word this morning. I can encourage you to read along in your Bible and Luke chapter 11 or on your device and is always on the back of the insert in the bulletin is the passage will be preaching through this morning as well. Luke Chapter 11 verses 24 through 36 when the unclean Spirit has gone out of a person it passes through waterless places seeking rest and finding on it says I'll return to my house from which I came and when it comes and finds the house swept and put in order that it goes and bring seven other Spirits more evil than itself and they enter and well there and the last state of that person is worse than the first As he said these things a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts are which you nurse. But he said blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it when the crowds were increasing. He began to say this generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah first Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh. So will the son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up by the Judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them for she came from the ends of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon Solomon in something greater than Solomon is here the men of Nineveh will rise up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it but they repented of the preaching of Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah is here. No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a Cellar or under a basket but on a stand so that those who enter may see the light your eye is the lamp of your body when your eye is healthier whole body is full of light but when it is bad, your body is full of Darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. And then your whole body is full of light having no part dark. It will be wholly bright as what a lamp with its Rays gives you light. Let's pray father God. We need your help this morning.

We need your help Father God as we engage with your word. We need your help to understand it. We need your help to love it. And we need your help to apply it. Would you father God in your Grace & Mercy help us this morning?

Father God would you by your Grace & Mercy help me this morning.

Lord we desire. To respond appropriately to Jesus.

Are we desire to desire that father God and so we need your help? We can't do that apart from your house off help us to understand what it means this morning to respond appropriately to who Jesus is and what Jesus did

and let us do so. with passion and conviction Do praying Christ name? Amen?

Let's look at what it means to respond appropriately to Jesus. First to respond appropriately is to receive and pursue receive and pursue we see this in verse 24 through 20 SEC 26 in light of Jesus working with God's power and working with God's Authority and initiating God's Kingdom on Earth and thereby identify himself as a long-expected savior King and light Jesus. We need to receive him and pursue him. One of the questions in this first section of a demon being removed from a person and going through Wireless places really in the commentaries pertain to was was Luke or was Jesus teaching and Luke conveying just what is true about exorcism. Soma, Terry said this is just explaining what happens in an actor's exorcism or what could happen in an exorcism and following it. Brother commentators would say no. This is actually speaking about a a greater spiritual principle about the life of Believers about the life of those who engage with God and so there's some argument back and forth and it seems clear to me this morning that it's actually both. Both of those things are true. I think we re here is a description of what could happen in an exorcism. But also what is true about the spiritual life the house in this illustration represents a man or a woman's inner spiritual condition as a result of an experience of God's work. What we have here is a as a parable describing a powerful experience of Jesus's work a demon being cast out from someone remember last week passage. He cast out the demon from a man who is Mewtwo the demon was cast out in a man begin to speak. But it also speaks of any spiritual experience we have whether that would be rapturous worship a reverential prayer miraculous healing or maybe it's supernatural restoration of a relationship. I think a principal that is put forward. He replies in many different situations. What is that principle that principle is this No matter how powerful. No matter how emotionally fulfilling no matter how intellectually stimulating no matter how supernaturally Dynamic and isolated experience of the work of God in one's life is ultimately not enough. Let me say that last part again and isolated experience of the work of God in one's life is ultimately not enough. It falls far short of a proper response to Jesus's work and as is clearly indicated here may leave us worse off than we were before that experience think of the example powerful work of God a powerful liberation of someone under the president of Oppression of evil. There is someone who is possessed that person there is an exorcism of the demon the demon is cast out. There is temporary relief in that person's life. And then there is a possession that is worse than the one that was before. So we need to abide by this principle. We need to leverage these experiences into receiving Christ into the house of our Howard and then continue Leaf pursuing him as our souls only tenant. Or the pyramids currents might say we need to improve these experiences. How's the working of God in our lives into receiving Christ into our heart and then to continually pursue him as our souls only tenant many of you will have seen this worked out in real life and perhaps some of you have experienced it, you know people who in some sort of Brokenness financial trouble relational trouble. maybe an addiction Warehouse trouble a person comes to church and gets just enough of God to get through their problem, but then they disappear. They have an experience with God but they either don't receive him and they certainly don't continually pursue him. I can think of many examples over my life in the last five years is a pastor of this church. I'm thinking of one person in particular whose marriage was broken and falling apart and so in the pain of that in the heard, they came to this church to find fellowship and I found fellowship and they found Godly counsel and they were prayed for and they were supported. And they found some emotional piece. What is time went on they return to their old way of life? Either problem was fixed or was not as painful as before and they could move off with life. But that experience they had with God even though it was with great emotion and in the moment perhaps with sincerity.

I think they likely are in a worse place off than they were before. We see it in students who go on missions trips or go to Retreats where they experience spiritual Heiser in worship and prayer and in fellowship and in serving God in significant ways. But they never truly receive Christ or if they do they don't pursue him afterwards. We need to understand that Christ needs to be truly received an earnestly pursue and it's hard to come to terms with this but the word is clear that those people who have this experience with God no matter how powerful is or how good it is if they don't receive Christ and if they don't pursue God afterwards are in a worse position than before We need to receive Christ who receive Christ truly through repentance and faith.

And we need to pursue Christ through the ordinary means of grace through prayer and reading God's word and fellowshipping with the Saints and participating in the ordinances. If we don't receive him truly and pursue him earnestly. We may find ourselves in a condition worse than the one we found ourselves in originally. Until receiving him and pursuing him are the proper response to Jesus. So our praise and obedience. We see this in verses 27 and 28 at a beatitude the Jesus shares. In light of Jesus the light of him working with God's power and working with God's Authority and initiating God's Kingdom on Earth and thereby identifying himself as a long-expected savior King. We need to praise him and obey.

The grammar in the context of of this interaction between this woman who stands up while Jesus is teaching. It's a blessed be the woman who bore you and the breast that nurse you indicate the Jesus isn't disagreeing with this woman, but rather he's modifying her statement modifying her claim to express the truth more clearly. We know Jesus would have disagreed with this we read many months ago and Luke 1 verse 41 and 42 that Elizabeth Mary's cousin when she met Mary Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she explained and explained to the loud cry blessed. Are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb? That's what this woman said was true. But but Jesus adds to it and clarifies it a proper response to Jesus requires more than just saying good things about him. Imagine a husband who publicly praised his wife. But when they were alone at home abused her and neglected her. Spermatogenesis children who would talk about how good their parents were put in the home for rebellious and disobedient.

We need to understand that we praise him most practically when we become more like There is some truth to the saying imitation is the sincerest form of flattery evidence of sincere praised is a changed life. When we see Jesus and see him as glorious and we praise him. We are changed to be like him. We see this in 2nd Corinthians 3:18, and we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord of being transformed into the same image from one degree of Glory to another this comes from the Lord. Who is the spirit when we see Jesus when we see him as glorious and we will see if that sincere and that's true the spirit changes us and transforms us into the image of Christ and solve a proper response to Jesus is certainly praise. But it's also will be deinse. More than that to respond appropriately to Jesus's to repent and to learn we see this in the morning of versus 29 to 32 in light of Jesus working with God's power and working with God's Authority in initiating God's Kingdom on Earth and thereby identifying himself as a long-expected Saviour King. We need to repent and we need to learn. This is what this somewhat confusing paragraph about Jonah and Solomon in the ninevites is talking about Jesus rebukes the people for seeking a sign remember couple paragraphs back. They wanted to see a sign from Heaven even though you're just cast a demon out of a man. That's what Jesus rebukes them for seeking a sign in this teaching of Jesus. Jesus is like Jonah He's a profit warning of judgment and calling for repentance. And we should respond just as the inhabitants of Nineveh did we should Repent Jesus is also like Solomon he is teaching Godly wisdom. And we should respond is the queen of the South did we should come and learn from him? We need to understand that our guilt is greater. If we don't repent it if we don't learn from him because Jesus is greater than Jonah and greater than Solomon. We can respond appropriately to Jesus by repenting and that's true and we're receiving and we come to Faith by turning from our sins and turning and trusting in Him. But it's also true everyday of our life as a Christian.

One of the ways that I have helped to incorporate repentance in my own life is to include in my time. I quiet time of devotion in the morning a time for the confession of sins that would encourage you to do that and to do a daily. To confess the sins that you have committed and I should do that. Ask God to forgive you for that sinning. But not just to forgive you but to also fortify you against sending anymore. You might say something or pray something or as I do write something like this. I confess that I have been untruthful. Father forgive me for my untruthfulness, forgive me for not speaking and acting and true ways and strengthen me so that I don't walk and untruthfulness will ever more help me to be a truthful and honest person. Healthy part of a relationship with Christ a healthy way to respond to Christ. Let me also to encourage that whenever you confess your sins. You also should confess the Forgiveness of your sins. That's what I'm done writing down those that prayer of confession and help me not to send I say I confess Jesus Christ is the remedy for mice in that because of his death on the cross. My sins have been forgiven. So confess your sins and confessed the remedy for sins and there are many many ways in which you can continue to learn from Jesus wear to repent to Jesus and learn from Jesus just like the queen of the South who came to Solomon because he had two words of Godly wisdom. We can come to Jesus. There's many ways and I'm short on time. Let me encourage you this morning one of the ways here at Western Alliance Church what you can Veil yourself up that teaching and come to Jesus. Here is teaching is in our small group Ministries. There could be life groups or one-on-one discipleship or the family connection at A discipleship work Tuesday Morning women's prayer Thursday morning men's prayer Avail yourselves of these opportunities to Fellowship together in a come to Jesus for more of his teaching that you might learn of him. Because an appropriate response in light of Jesus.

Particularly in light of his teaching which is inseparable from his person is to always be repenting to him and always be learning from him. Finally we can respond appropriately to Jesus by seeing and by shining. This is the excerpt Ashia numbers 33 through 36 in light of Jesus working with God's power and authority in initiating God's Kingdom on Earth and thereby identifying himself as a long-expected savior King. We need to perceive Jesus that is see him in his teaching and we need to shine. Jesus is teaching to the world the light here represents Jesus's teaching which has been openly proclaimed by Jesus and by his disciples. The lamp has not been put in the cellar and has not been hidden under a basket. It has been put on a stand so that people can see the light. And we're called to see Jesus. We are responsible to perceive Jesus. We are morally culpable for how we see Jesus if we see Jesus clearly and we see him correctly. We're told we have a healthy eye. But if we see him incorrectly were told our eyes bad without a proper perception of Jesus without seeing Jesus properly. We remain in darkness. And that's why we're told the eye is the lamp of the body. If we don't see Jesus and perceive him accurately. We have no light. But if we do see Jesus and perceive him accurately we have light. Our whole body is full of light. We're told John chapter 1 Gospel of John that Jesus Was the True Light? He gives light to everyone. And we need to see him as the lights. We need to see Jesus as the light of the world the Savior King sent from God to initiate his kingdom and save his people and defeat his enemies and bring complete salvation for God's Eternal reign. But we don't just need to see Jesus as the light. We need to shine Jesus the last words of this passage. And then your whole body is full of light because you have seen Jesus accurately and properly.

Having no part dark, it will be holy bright as one lamp with its Rays gives you like. We need to shine Jesus and Shine Jesus his teaching as well and let me give you two ways in which you can do that in closing. First of all, we can Shine the Light of Jesus by our actions. Philippians chapter 2 verse 14 and 15 says this do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. So it's a an aperitive do things.

And it says you are in the midst of a crooked a twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. Until one of the ways we can shine that light attractions. We heard up a beautiful picture of that delicious shared about how this pregnancy center and the people in their act it out and love her and gave her relationships and gave her tangible need and she's shots on that the light of Jesus in the love of Jesus what a beautiful story of how that impacted her life and her daughter's lies and many lies since then we shine with our actions, but we also present sister shine with our words. We shine the light of Jesus. We shine the teaching of Jesus with our words. We read in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4. Therefore having this ministry by the mercy of God. We do not lose heart, but we were announced disgraceful underhanded ways. We refused to practice cutting or to tamper with God's words, but buy the open statement of Truth. So that's speaking by the open statement of Truth. We would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. What is the open statement of Truth? He tells us and even if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing and their case the God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ was the image of God. One of the ways we shine the light of Jesus is by sharing the gospel with people. Let me encourage you as Mandarin to this Christmas season. You will likely have many opportunities to share the light of Jesus in The Gospel of Jesus to those around you. And that's an appropriate way to respond to Jesus to see him clearly and to shine his light.

So close with this in light of Jesus. Working with God's power and working with God's Authority and initiating God's Kingdom on Earth and thereby identifying himself as the long-expected Saviour King. We need to receive him and pursue him. We need to praise him and we need to obey we need to repent to him and learn from him. We need to see him and we need to shine him. Let's pray. Father God I pray that you would help us that by your spirit you would put just one of those appropriate responses to Jesus on each person's heart this morning. That you were that s*** in their mind and burn it into their heart and that you would help them to apply that this morning to actually respond in an appropriate way. Father they don't know you helped them to receive Christ. into their hearts don't help them to obey help them to learn and help them to repent.

How many pursue? Whatever. It is Father God that you've put on their hearts this morning. I pray you would encourage them in such a way that they leave here this morning different in that they practice that very thing this week. I pray most of all you would help us to leave. Absolute wonder I jesus the one who worked with the authority in the power of God. What an issue dated your kingdom the one who will consummate your kingdom. The long-expected and awaited Savior King who saved us all I pray this in his name name in.