(Text and Audio)
Title: Logically Speaking, Jesus is Lord
- Demon possessed, blind, and mute
Because of the grouping and language here, it is probably safe to assume that this man’s natural state at birth was not being blind and mute, but that, somewhere along the way, this demon entered him, rendering him blind and mute. In healing this man, Jesus demonstrates (again) his power over Satan and his minions.
- “And ALL the multitudes were amazed…” The people knew it! Their response, “Could this be the Son of David?” (another term for the Messiah, promised to be a descendant of King David) suggests at least two things:
- They recognized this man had been under the power of demons (he was not blind and mute by “normal” means)
- They also recognized that for someone to overpower these demons and cast them out, that person had to be stronger, with more authority.
- Their natural conclusion was to ask: Could this be the Messiah?
POINT: Jesus was presenting the Gospel to the masses. He demonstrates his power, and then says to the multitudes, “What do you make of it?” Here is the evidence…what do you conclude?
- The Pharisees Respond, Jesus Counters with basic Logic
Now, in verse 24 we see the Pharisees scramble for a response to give to the masses, who are becoming increasingly frustrated with Jesus’ antics. They offer the explanation, “No, this man is casting out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons…”
At this point, Jesus offers a response that is not only sound logically, but again it forces the hand of everyone present to analyze, and decide for themselves: Who could have the power and authority to do what they just witnessed Jesus do?
Let’s break down Jesus’ response:
v25: Evidence from the world. Jesus essentially asks them: Have you ever, in your lifetime, or in the history of the human race, ever heard of a kingdom divided against itself NOT coming to ruin? Jesus doesn’t reference it directly, but I’m sure a least a handful of these Jewish people would think back to the end of Israel’s Golden Era, when King Solomon dies, his son Rehoboam and the captain of his guard, Jeroboam, at divided against each other and the kingdom splits. Israel is never the same. Never. They never reunite, until now, as Jesus arrives and the Kingdom is being ushered in, and ALL of God’s children, Jews, Gentiles, from every tribe and tongue, are being gathered into unity.
v26: Logically, Satan’s kingdom is no different. Next Jesus says that Satan is just like a human kingdom in this regard. Satan doesn’t thrive if there is rebellion against his kingdom.
v27: What about your exorcists?
Verse 27 can be a bit confusing, but it doesn’t need to be. Let me try to clear it up for us and make it a bit easier to understand what Jesus is saying here.
Jesus then turns the question back upon the Pharisees. Jesus wasn’t the only one who exorcised demons. In Acts 19:13 we read of Jewish exorcists, in Mark 9:38 and 7:22 we read of people who casts out demons in Jesus name, though they were not followers of him.
So Jesus turns and asks them, “by what power do your exorcists cast out demons?” We’ve already established that Satan can’t drive out Satan.
POINT: Jesus is calling the Pharisees hypocrites. He tells them, “You praise the casting out of demons when your people do it, but when I do it, you call me a devil, which makes no sense at all. It is this hypocrisy that will be your undoing at judgement!”
v28 What if? The next phrase is the clincher. Jesus says to them, “If I am indeed sent by God, what does that tell you? The Kingdom is here!” Again, Jesus is showing them the Gospel. Here is the evidence, what do you make of it?
v29 Another way to look at what Jesus is doing. Again, using basic logic, Jesus brings another irrefutable point to the Pharisees. He explains that to take a kingdom, to plunder a man’s house, the man must be bound. His power and violence must be subdued.
POINT: This is what Jesus is really doing with all these miracles, healings, and exorcisms! He is demonstrating his power to bind Satan. Just as he defeated Satan in the desert, he is continuing to demonstrate his power over Satan and death everywhere he goes.
On a personal note: I really like the imagery that this brings to mind. Satan has us in his house. Satan is stronger than us. But Jesus kicks down the door, and doesn’t just rescue us against Satan’s will. He first demonstrates his superiority over Satan, to Satan himself, and to us, by binding him. Thing about that imagery for a moment, it’s staggering. It plays out better than any awesome action movie you’ve ever seen.
You are the son or daughter of the King, and you’ve been kidnapped. You are writhing in bondage, unable to escape the strongman’s house. Then Jesus shows up, ties Satan, and all of his lies, all of his deceit, all of his power over you, to a chair. Then, in the sight of Satan you are taken from that house, and returned to the Kingdom where you always belonged, proclaiming to that devil by the most high God, “This one is my son! This one is my daughter. You, Satan, just sit there, stay tied up, because your time of power over mild child is done. Forever. They belong to me, not you!”
Close: A final command and exhortation.
The last thing Jesus says in our passage today is not a threat, it is a logical conclusion. There is a fence, and no one rides on it. You are either with Jesus, gathering his kingdom, or you are against Jesus, scattering his people.
In other words, there is no way to be cool with God, without being a real Christian. A real Christian. (explain).
Next week we will build on today’s lesson and look at the only sin in scripture labeled as unforgivable.