LUKE 11:14-52 DARKNESS AND LIGHT When the Lord Jesus Christ was teaching about prayer, an illustration is given of His power in prayer contrasted by the power of darkness. He was always in communion and fellowship with God. Because of this state of looking to God, He drove the demons out of a speechless man by the finger of God - the Spirit of God. Divine power is not able to be confused with the power of darkness others attempted to use to overcome demons. There is no neutral ground when it comes to the conflict between God and the devil. The devil does not drive out his own demons. Any Pharisees who were attempting to cast out demons would also be under the power of Satan. The point of the illustration as it relates to prayer, is that one in fellowship with God is in position to do the work of the kingdom of God by the power of God. God's kingdom had come and the evidence was right before them in the overcoming control of the Lord Jesus over what Satan had controlled for years. Light had come into the world. The "Light of the world" now was evident and darkness had to go. Even today where the Gospel is preached and souls are saved, there is light shining in dark places from those who are called "the light of the world." The connection of those who represent God today is maintained by the fellowship of effective prayer.
The battle against the powers of darkness has already been won. When we are on God's side there is no neutral place. If a person is not for the Lord, they are against Him. There is a tendency on the part of many who profess faith in Christ to make attempts at reformation without turning from "darkness to light and the power of Satan unto God." It is not enough to turn from evil yourself without the Holy Spirit dwelling within. When a person becomes the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, there is power to do what God intends us to accomplish. There is not an empty vacuum within that makes it easy for any unclean spirit or teaching to come in and turn one side from the truth of God. Fellowship with God in real prayer and the power of the Word of God working in one's life fills the lamp with the light that can easily be seen. The practice of prayer and the presence of God, enables those who hear the word of God to actually do what God intends and carry out those teachings. This is a far greater heritage than one based only on human relationships. The nurturing of our relationship with God is on the high ground of communion and obedience, and goes on daily as "we walk in the light as He is in the light."
Jonah was a historical sign of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. He would have evidence still on his body of having been in the place of death in the whale's belly for three days and three nights. The impact of the man and his words of warning awakened the city of Nineveh and brought repentance. The people of Israel had many miracles performed right in front of their eyes as the Lord Jesus ministered to them. The sign that was given through Jonah was that there would be blessing brought to the Gentiles through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The queen of the south (Sheba) was also a Gentile who came to hear what Solomon had to say. She came a long way to hear what God had to say through His servant Solomon. Those people from afar believed what they heard. The Son of Man was right in the middle of His own people day after day teaching and preaching, "and His own received Him not." Jonah and Solomon had only a little bit of light and yet the Gentiles believed the words they spoke. Here the "Light of the world" was with them in Person and they neither respected Him or believed on Him. The Holy Spirit after the resurrection of Christ made the sign real to many of them. God gives the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power of God at work in giving evidence as to who Christ is and as to what is truth. The relationships we have with God is through the work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals the light of truth to us.
An eye is not a light. An eye is a lamp through which light is revealed. Our whole body is directed by the lamp of our eyes. There is no ability for light to direct our body without our eyes. Our eyes are the lamp of our body. The Light that gives direction to the body is the Holy Spirit of God. A focused eye that is directed by the Light gives us the direction to go in life. It is important that we keep the "beam" out of our eye so it is directed by the Spirit to reveal, through our devotion to the Lord, the light of truth. A Pharisee illustrated this whole principle relating to light and darkness when he saw Jesus had not washed before eating. This "washing" was a ceremonial washing that was for priests but the law-keeping Pharisees had claimed it for themselves and sought to impose that act as a tradition on everyone.
Immediately the Lord used this evidence of hypocrisy and manipulation of truth as a terrible warning to those Pharisees who were concerned only with what shows outwardly toward men, and were not concerned with their inward condition before God. He pronounced woes on them for neglecting what they should pay attention to and were being picky over little things. He exposed their emphasis on the trivial while neglecting the essential things. Then He pointed out their self-centered motives that were evil in their intention, and pronounced a woe on them for that self-centeredness. He then went further in denouncing them for the influence they had over other people who they were leading astray.
Because of this righteous criticism of the Pharisees, a lawyer (who may have been a Pharisee) charged the Lord Jesus Christ with insulting the legal experts. The Lord quickly addressed them charging them with insincerity because they were adding burdens on others, they wouldn't carry themselves. He pronounced woe on them because they also built monuments to prophets and continued their own practice of killing prophets as he knew they intended to do to Him. That too is hypocrisy. The lawyers claimed to have the key to knowledge and used it in their own way. This hindered others from entering into the knowledge of God and His way. These same things are happening today and the results are the same now as then. People are being led by blind leaders away from The Door. The truth of God and the Lord Jesus Christ is being ignored by some and attacked by others. Religion and religious practices of our own making, misleads others so they no longer come to experience the love of God in forgiveness of sin, and the attitude of gratitude that follows. God's grace is of no effect in the lives of people who follow those man-made laws. When prayer is real, it is effective. When the effects of God's working are experienced, there will be opposition from humanists and existentialists. When opposition like that comes, people close their eyes to the light and will live and die in darkness.
To many it doesn't seem so bad, after all people need to feel comfortable. If hearing preaching makes sinners glad, the position they're in is untenable. Deception takes on many forms, but it usually isn't designed to condemn. If there is no awakening of conscience, they will not be convicted of sin.
Then when sin doesn't seem so bad, people think there's nothing to worry about. They want quiet and sweet platitudes; they don't like it when consciences shout. So, we pass our laws to make easy, the practices and principles that are wrong. When people finally get used to them, moral weakness takes the place of the strong.
The undermined foundation doesn't seem so bad, everyone agrees this way now seems much nicer. Everyone can do what they want, and as for sin, no one is ever made the wiser. Instead of death, "the wages of sin" is fun, for everyone to lust after and enjoy. "No one should ever judge another," is a common phrase all hedonists employ.
Coming judgment doesn't seem so bad, "After all, the God I believe in is love." "Surely He wouldn't turn anyone away, we all are going to the big house above." The terrible deception has taken hold, and people think there is no cost to pay. In the teaching they want to hear, they are taught God turns no one away.
The truth is, "whosoever will may come," and when a repentant sinner comes to Jesus,
That person will find from God's Word, the death of Christ alone from sin frees us. The wicked have to turn from sin, and from the power of Satan to God. When faith understands the work of grace, the lost soul acknowledges Jesus as Lord.
"Father in heaven, the Gospel is being preached in many places now and many are hearing the way of salvation. Please hinder the power of darkness so the Light of the world will be seen and believed on. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."