A Blessed Man

Luke 11:14-36

Key verse 11:28

In this passage Jesus teaches us how we can live a blessed life in the Lord.

1. Think about the healing Jesus performed on a man (14), the accusation some people directed toward Jesus (15), and the answer Jesus gave to his accusers (17-22). What does this passage tell us about: 1) the spiritual warfare we are engaged in; and 2) the kind of help Jesus came to offer those who fall victim in this warfare? 

** We are engaged in spiritual warfare between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of Jesus. There is no neutrality.

** Jesus’ power is stronger than the strong enemies such as demons or the devil. Jesus came to set us free by God’s power. ‘Finger of God’ refers to the power of God. Exodus 8:19

2. In verses 24-26 Jesus concludes that the final condition of the man described is worse than the first. How can one avoid becoming like this? (23)    

** We need to be “with” Jesus.  We need to “gather” with Jesus and those who love Jesus and follow Jesus, instead of living on our own as our own man. We should not straddle the fence. We must be either for Jesus or against Jesus. In Luke 9:49-50 Jesus says whoever is not against you is for you. But this statement is not in conflict with what Jesus says in verse 23. 

3. Think about what a woman said in verse 27 and compare it with Jesus’ reply in verse 28. Describe some example(s) (or practices) of those who still call out saying, “blessed is the mother who gave you [Jesus] birth and nursed you [Jesus]”? What can we learn from Jesus’ reply?

** Catholicism which believes in prayer in the name of the Blessed Mary is one example; another example is to take pride in good family upbringing such as a man saying, “Oh, I have been born of a believing family.” Family tradition or ties however good they may be cannot save men. 

** We need to hear Jesus’ word and obey it daily.

4. Compare what “others” did to test Jesus in verse 16 with what Jesus says in verses 29-32. Why do people keep asking for a ‘sign’ (or miracles) from heaven? But what do the people of Nineveh or the Queen of the South (1Ki 10:1-10) teach us to do? (28)

** 1) The Queen of the South teaches us the kind of attitude we need to take in studying (hearing) the Word of God. Think about the kind of sacrifice she made to hear God’s word. 

2) The people of Nineveh repented on hearing God’s word (message of judgment). 

5. Read verses 33-36. What are we to learn? 

** This passage is a warning not to remain in darkness, but rather walk fully out of darkness into the light of Jesus. 

1) We must let the light shine (by positively living the way we are taught, by teaching the Bible to others, feeding sheep, etc.)

2) We should not leave any corner of our inner person in darkness; we must let Jesus’ light shine in us fully.

The end