November 10, 2013
Evening Service

This morning we saw Jesus speak to a large crowd and proclaim the evil of their generation.  They came to Him not seeking a Savior, but an entertainer.  They wanted a sign to be given.  What more did they want?  They had seen the lame walk, the mute speak, the dead rise, and demons obey!  Jesus said that “blessed” are those who have not seen yet believe.

Jesus told them that a greater than Solomon and Jonah has come.  People of their time recognized that these two were sent by God and listened to them.  The generation Jesus was speaking to did not recognize His Deity and will receive judgment for it.

What about us?  We have received “all things that pertain to life and Godliness.”  (2 Peter 1:3)  What judgment can we expect if we do not heed His Word?

Luke 11:33-36 No one, when he has lighted a lamp, puts it in a secret place, or under a grain-measure, but on a lampstand, so that they who come in may see the light.  (34)  The light of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is sound, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness.  (35)  Therefore take heed that the light in you is not darkness.  (36)  Therefore if your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the shining of a lamp enlightens you.

• At first this scripture seems to change the subject, but not really.  God is the one who has lit the lamp in the person and work of Jesus.  He did not come is secret but in plain view for all to see.  It is not God’s fault if we choose to ignore the “Light of the world.”
• Unbelief is the product of imperfect vision of the truth.  If our eye is sound (righteous) we can see the truth clearly and accept it.  If our eye is diseased (evil) we have a clouded perspective of the truth.  The healthier the eye the less light is needed to see clearly and the opposite is also true.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  He was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.  (4)  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  (5)  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

• Here John restates the same truth.  Jesus is the light but not everyone is able to comprehend that.  He is the Savior for “whosoever believes in Him.”

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

• We have clearly been given all that we need to follow Him.  He has illuminated us with the knowledge of God’s perfect plan of salvation.  His Word is there to enlighten our path to God.

 

 

Psa 119:103-105  How sweet are Your Words to my taste! More than honey to my mouth!  (104)  Through Your Commandments I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.  (105)   Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.

• We have been blessed with access to a road map for our journey to meet God.  The path He wants us to follow has been lit up for us.  It is up to us to follow it.
• Next we see two instances where the religious leaders failed to walk in God’s light and Jesus calls them out for it.

 

Luke 11:37-44 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. And He went in and reclined.  (38)  And when the Pharisee saw it, he was amazed that He had not first washed before dinner.  (39)  And the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the platter clean, but your inward part is full of plunder and wickedness.  (40)  Fools! Did not He who made the outside also make the inside?  (41)  But give alms of such things as you have, and behold, all things are clean to you.  (42)  But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to leave the other undone.  (43)  Woe to you, Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and greetings in the markets.  (44)  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unseen tombs and the men walking above are not aware of them.

• This is the religious leaders of God’s chosen people He is talking to here.  His representatives here on earth (His authority).  They are us, the church, of the OT.  He speaks sharply to them as He would to us if we were doing these things.
• They were busy looking religious and not so worried about being faithful.  They placed works ahead of intentions (Legalism).  It would be like worrying about the light of a candle in bright sunlight.  They lost sight of the big picture of God’s love and doing what was right.
• Have we?

 

Luke 11:45-54  And one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, Master, you offend us also when you say this.  (46)  And He said, Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens grievous to be carried, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

 (47)  Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.  (48)  Truly you bear witness that you consent to the deeds of your fathers. For they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.  (49)  Therefore the wisdom of God also said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute,  (50)  so that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;  (51)  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple. Truly I say to you, It shall be required of this generation.

 (52)  Woe to you, lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and you have hindered those who were entering in.  (53)  And as He said these things to them, the scribes and Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw Him out concerning many things,  (54)  lying in ambush for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, so that they might accuse Him.

• The lawyers were the ones who interpreted and explained the law to others.  They loaded down The Jewish believer with burdens that were impossible to carry and did not lift a finger to do it themselves.  The true definition of a hypocrite.
• These men were building monuments on the graves of the prophets yet when the greatest of all prophets was among them they sought to kill Him.  Though they claimed to walk in the light they abided in darkness.
• They should have been the ones most able to recognize Jesus fulfilled all of the OT prophecies for the Messiah, yet they refused to accept the truth and even kept others from believing it as well.
• This confrontation certainly places fuel on the fire for them to find a way to send Jesus to the cross as He has planned.

 

It is easy for us to jump on the “Woe to you” bandwagon and condemn these leaders.  BUT:

• How are we stacking up against these accusations?
• Do we say one thing and act another?
• Do we have a “walk worthy of the calling by which we are called”?
• Is our life one that would build up the kingdom of God or hinder it?

 

Paul challenges us to walk in the light we have been given.

 

Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.

 

Peter words it this way:

 

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 

We are very blessed to be living at this time of the church.  Our lives should be shining with the brightness of His glory to this dark world we now live in.

 

Lord as we thank you for the light you have given us, may we live our lives to reflect Your glory to this world.