Luke 11
Jesus starts today’s chapter by answering his disciples’ request about how to pray. The pray that he taught his disciples has become one of the most repeated texts ever! The “Lord’s Prayer” has been repeated by sinners and saints all over the world for the past 2000 years, sustaining people in the direst of circumstances, and bringing comfort and purpose to everyone who has found themselves in any difficult positions. If you could remember no other Bible verse, these are perhaps the most important of Jesus’ words to learn!
Following a miraculous cure of a possessed boy, people start comparing Jesus to Beelzebul, the king of demons, a name for the devil himself! This ridiculous accusation prompts Jesus to discuss the severity and seriousness of demon possession, something we often ignore in today’s world.
Of all the heroes and prophets that Jesus could have compared himself to, perhaps Elijah, Elisha, Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, Amos, Daniel, Joseph – it seems strange that he would choose to compare himself to Jonah! Jonah has become an unlikely hero, running from God’s call, and then only reluctantly obeying God’s call to preach to Nineveh, and confusingly becoming angry when they all repent! Yet Jonah saved an enemy city of over 100,000 people by being obedient to God, and thus Jesus has planned to save many more through his obedience – the world and everyone who will ever set foot on it if they only believe.
Perhaps Jesus’ encouragement to people to “Let their light shine” should have served as a warning to the Pharisee and religious leaders as they gathered around at the meal that evening! The Pharisee was astonished that Jesus did not clean his hands before the supper – and Jesus uses the opportunity to criticise their practices as opposed to their faith! Even in today’s world people are too eager to criticise other people’s actions before looking at their own faith and motivations. Jesus correctly pointed out that the religious leaders knew every single word of the Law, yet didn’t understand the meaning of love bound so tightly inside it!
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