- Covered In His Dust
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- Luke Chapter 11 (part 2)
Good morning! ☀️
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME! Please read Chapter 11 before reading my notes. They’ll make more sense. Read Luke 11 HERE.
There’s a lot to cover. Are you ready? Let’s go!
Living in Guatemala, as missionaries, we often have people knocking on our gate. Most of the time, they ask for a little food—something to get them by.
If someone was knocking at midnight, I might think the same thing. “It’s LATE. The kids are in bed. Everyone is sleeping. There’s no way I’m not getting up.”
But if they kept knocking…
Even though the friend said no at first, the person kept asking for help anyway. The friend eventually gives in and helps because the person is persistent.
Jesus is drawing a parallel between the persistence of the person seeking help from their friend and how we should persist in our prayers to God. He encourages his disciples to ask God for what they need, seek His guidance, and persistently knock on the door of heaven's provision.
Provision or prosperity?
Walk gently as you read this scripture.
Yes. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17
It encourages us as believers to recognize God's generosity and faithfulness in providing for His children.
Fortunately, the Bible gives us guidance on prayer and the desires of our hearts.
"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
WE JUST LEARNED THIS. Jesus teaches His disciples to pray for God's will to be done above all else.
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
This verse highlights the importance of examining our motives in prayer and ensuring that our requests align with God's will rather than selfish desires.
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."
These verses show the significance of praying according to God's will, assuring believers that their prayers will be heard and answered when aligned with His purposes.
In verses 11-13, Jesus wants us to understand that if imperfect parents can give good things to their children, then how much more will God, who is perfect and loving, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
It’s a critical question: Have you asked God to give you the Holy Spirit? Have you been persistent? Why not?
When people accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, who is considered the prince of demons, they’re suggesting that Jesus is using demonic powers to perform miracles.
They were skeptical of his authority and accused him of being in league with evil forces rather than operating by the power of God.
Jesus, aware of their skepticism and accusations, responds by pointing out the illogical nature of their argument. He explains that a kingdom or household divided against itself cannot stand.
An example of a family divided against itself might include parents who constantly argue. This constant tension creates a hostile environment within the household. Or maybe there’s jealousy and competition between siblings instead of supporting each other.
Eventually, if it persists, the family falls apart.Even though The Roman Empire wasn't divided during Jesus' time, it had lots of problems later on. There were fights among leaders, regions were split up, and there was a big divide between the Eastern and Western Empires.
This division made things worse because it weakened the empire. Eventually, the Western Empire fell, and the Eastern Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire, struggled too. The Empire couldn't stay united despite its long history and eventually collapsed. This shows how internal conflicts and divisions can bring down even the mightiest kingdoms.
Jesus goes on to explain that if he were using the power of Beelzebul to cast out demons, it would go against Satan's own interests because it would work against his kingdom.
"But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
Man, I love it when Jesus flexes.
Jesus is saying that His power to cast out demons comes from the power and authority of God, which shows that the Kingdom of God has arrived. 💪🏽
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.
Jesus uses a metaphor here, where a strong man is protecting his possessions.
In the next verse, Jesus shows that he’s the "stronger man" who has come to overpower Satan and strip him of his power and authority.
Jesus finishes the metaphor by reinforcing the importance of being aligned with Him. He declares that those who are not actively with Him are against Him, suggesting there is no neutral ground in relation to His mission and message.
Don’t think, “Not me, Lord,” but rather, “Where, Lord? Where am I against You in my life?
At first glance, the parable of the Return of an Unclean Spirit looks as if it’s a lesson for us as individuals, and it might be.
This can be understood metaphorically as the departure of a harmful influence or behavior from someone's life—drugs, alcohol, porn, anger, stress, etc.
And if we don’t replace those bad habits with faith in Jesus Christ, the unclean spirit returns with seven other spirits, even more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell in the person.
This emphasizes the danger of leaving one's life spiritually empty or vulnerable.
But let’s take a look at Matthew’s account:
"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it 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. So also will it be with this evil generation."
Do you see the difference? It’s a clue.
“So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Jesus used a story about a bad spirit leaving a house and then returning to explain something deeper about the people he was talking to. He meant that the bad influence leaving represented the chance for Israel to change, particularly the religious and societal structures upheld by the Pharisees. The "house" is like their whole way of living and thinking.
Despite initial signs of spiritual cleansing or renewal, represented by the house being swept and put in order, the underlying spiritual condition of “this generation“ is unchanged.
The return of the unclean spirit with seven others represents the deterioration of Israel's spiritual state due to their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Despite the initial opportunity for deliverance and renewal presented by Jesus, the Pharisees' continued resistance leads to a deeper state of spiritual darkness and oppression within the nation.
(I couldn’t find a consensus about the meaning of this story. If you have a different interpretation, I’d love to hear it.)
An evil generation: Jesus criticizes the people of his time, calling them "evil" because they keep asking for miracles instead of understanding his message
The Sign of Jonah: Jesus draws a parallel between his ministry and the story of Jonah from the Old Testament. He likens himself to Jonah, who served as a sign to the people of Nineveh. Jonah's preaching led to the repentance of the Ninevites, and Jesus suggests that his ministry will similarly serve as a sign to the people of his generation.
Wisdom greater than Solomon’s: He mentions the Queen of Sheba, who traveled to see Solomon's wisdom. Jesus suggests his wisdom is even greater, but people aren't recognizing it.
Jesus says the people of Nineveh responded to Jonah's message, but his own generation isn't listening to him, even though his message is more important.
Rabbit hole
The Book of Jonah is short. Just four chapters. We all know the story. But as I re-read it this morning, ONE verse jumped out at me.
Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
That was his entire sermon to the Ninevites!
There was no message of Jesus.
There was no message of eternal salvation.
There wasn't even a message of repentance. Yet. They repented.
The message's urgency allowed for a tiny window of opportunity for the Ninevites to change their ways and turn back to God.
The fact that God sent Jonah to deliver the message demonstrates His mercy and longing for reconciliation. Despite the looming threat of judgment, there’s still an open door for repentance and the hope of divine forgiveness.
And the people of Nineveh believed God.
I took two lessons I took out of the rabbit hole.
Repent and Believe: We’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Do it today.
Obey: Even when it’s uncomfortable.
"And why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?"
“Your eye is the lamp of your body.”
I’m not gonna lie. I struggled here. After reading half a dozen commentaries, it didn’t feel clearer. At first glance, it doesn’t seem too complicated. The light is our faith, and we shouldn’t hide it. But that didn’t seem to connect well with the rest of the story.
Let’s break it down verse by verse.
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.
This verse reflects Jesus' assertion of His own wisdom and resurrection as a light in the world, greater than that of Solomon or Jonah mentioned earlier. That Jesus is the light that must not be hidden or overlooked, similar to a lamp placed on a stand for all to see.
"Your eye is the lamp of your body."
This verse refers to how we perceive the light of Jesus' greatness in the world. When our eye sees Jesus for who He truly is, our entire being is filled with light. Failing to recognize Jesus' greatness leads to spiritual darkness.
"Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness."
Don’t mistake worldly attractions and bright distractions for the true light of Christ. Be careful about what you see and regard as bright and compelling, as anything other than Christ can lead to spiritual darkness.
"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."
When your entire being is filled with the light of Christ, you shine brightly and radiate His presence.
There’s still one more story left in Chapter 11. I considered rushing through it but realized that’s what I’ve done most of my life. Read the scriptures I know well and skip over the ones I wasn’t completely sure about. I’m not going to do that anymore.
I’ll save the last 17 verses for Friday.
Reply with something you learned or were inspired by. For extra credit, forward this to a friend.
ON WEDNESDAY I’ll be announcing something I’m VERY excited about. Stay tuned!
I love you,
George
Following the Messiah