Using Your Freedom to be a Light (Luke 11:14-54)
Mark Pitman, July 5, 2015Part of the Building Core Strength series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
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Luke 11:14–54 (Listen)
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”
45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, 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 whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”
53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
(ESV)
Date | Series | Sermon | Scripture | Special Events |
5-Jan | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
12-Jan | Living Life Together | Why Are We Here, Where Are We Going, and How Do You Fit In? | Ephesians 3:14-21 | |
19-Jan | Living Life Together | Living Together As the People of God | Exodus 1:1-2:10, 23-25 | Sanctity of Human Life; Baby Dedication |
26-Jan | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
2-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together Through a Growing Knowledge of Our God | Exodus 3:1-15; 4:1-17 | |
9-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Selecting the Right God | Exodus 5:1-6:13 | |
16-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together in the Joy of Our Redemption | Exodus 11:1-12:41 | Valentine’s Day |
23-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Trusting Our Mighty Deliverer | Exodus 14 | |
2-Mar | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
9-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Rejoicing in a Shepherd Who Provides | Exodus 16 | Daylight Savings Time Begins; Gideon Speaker |
16-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Joyful Obedience to Our Covenant | Exodus 19 | |
23-Mar | Guest Speaker | Chris Gendron | ||
30-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together in Celebration of the Mercy of God | Exodus 32 | 5th Sunday; BCC 101 |
6-Apr | Friend Request | Joining the Celebration | Philippians 2:1-18 | Camp Selah |
13-Apr | Friend Request | The End of Blah, Blah, Blah | John 12:1-19 | Palm Sunday |
20-Apr | Friend Request | When You Give and Receive Nothing in Return | Matthew 26:42-56 | Easter |
27-Apr | Friend Request | Who’s Got Your Back? | 1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-7, 20:1-42 | |
4-May | Friend Request | Strength in Numbers: Praying for One Another | Colossians 4:2-4 | |
11-May | Friend Request | Hospitality for Busy Lives | Romans 12:1-13 | Mother’s Day |
18-May | Friend Request | When You Need a Friend – Because Two is Better Than One | 1 Peter 1:-2:3, 3:13-18, 4:1-10, 12-19 | Congregational Business Meeting |
25-May | Guest Speaker | Scott Towers | Memorial Weekend | |
1-Jun | Friend of God | An Outrageous Possibility | James 2:14-26 | Honor Graduates |
8-Jun | Friend of God | God Dwelling With Us | 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 | Communion |
15-Jun | Friend of God | God Ruling Us – Coming to Grips with Jesus as Our Benevolent King | Romans 10:9-13 | Father’s Day; Baby Dedication |
22-Jun | Friend of God | God Loving Us | Romans 8:31-39 | |
29-Jun | Friend of God | God With Us | Isaiah 7:1-16 | 5th Sunday |
6-Jul | Friend of God | God Interceding For Us | Romans 8:12-27 | Independence Day |
13-Jul | Friend of God | God Our Father | Romans 8:12-17 | |
20-Jul | Friend of God | God Preparing For Us | Revelation 21:1-22:5 | Communion |
27-Jul | Living Life Together | Living Life Together Because Our Family Had a Great Beginning | Acts 11:1-11, 2:1-16 | |
3-Aug | Living Life Together | The Message That Draws Us Together | Acts 4:1-36 | VBS Day |
10-Aug | Living Life Together | Handling Our Finances with Generosity and Integrity | Acts 5:1-16 | |
17-Aug | Living Life Together | Proclaiming the Name | Acts 5:12-42 | |
24-Aug | Living Life Together | Solving Problems Quickly | Acts 6:1-7 | Baptism and Family Night |
31-Aug | Living Life Together | Facing Pressure Courageously | Acts 6:7-15, 51-60 | 5th Sunday |
7-Sep | Living Life Together | When Times Are Hard | Acts 8:1-40 | |
14-Sep | Living Life Together | Amazed by God’s Grace | Acts 9:1-31 | |
21-Sep | Living Life Together | Celebrating Everyone’s Place On The Team | Acts 9:32-42 | Communion; SYATP |
28-Sep | Living Life Together | Praying With Hearts of Faith | Acts 12:1-25 | |
5-Oct | Living Life Together | Properly Fulfilling the Mission | Acts 13:1-16, 38-52 | Hayride—Fall Party |
12-Oct | Living Life Together | Discerning God’s Will As A Family | Acts 15:1-35 | |
19-Oct | Living Life Together | Experiencing the Power of God | Acts 15:36-16:34 | BCC 101 |
26-Oct | Guest Speaker | Scott Towers | ||
2-Nov | Living Life Together | Making a Difference That Can’t Be Ignored | Acts 17:1-15 | Daylight Savings Time Ends |
9-Nov | Stewardship | LLT by Taking the Next Step in Your Financial Earning | Col 3:22-25 | |
16-Nov | Stewardship | The Next Step in Spending | Luke 12:13-33 | Thanksgiving Dinner |
23-Nov | Stewardship | The Next Step in Giving | 2 Cor 8:1-15; 9:14 | Communion |
30-Nov | That Crazy Family of Yours | Tis the Season for OCD | Philippians 3:1-16 | 5th Sunday |
7-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Too Much Sugar, Too Many Presents | Deuteronomy 6:1-9 | |
14-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Fixing Your Focus | Matthew 2:1-12 | Children’s program |
21-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Loving Your Outlaws | Genesis 2:18-25 | |
24-Dec, Wednesday | That Crazy Family of Yours | Christmas Has Always Been Crazy | Luke 2:1-20 | Christmas Eve |
28- Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | The Biggest Bill Has Been Paid | Colossians 2:1-15 |