Introduction
Luke 11:14–28: Jesus responds to those who accuse him of driving out demons in the name of Beelzebul and others who seek to entrap him by asking for a miracle. The reading concludes with Jesus describing the source of true happiness.
Today’s Key Verse: Luke 11:28 GNT
Jesus answered, “Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
Read
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that could not talk; and when the demon went out, the man began to talk. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of the people said, “It is Beelzebul, the chief of the demons, who gives him the power to drive them out.”
16 Others wanted to trap Jesus, so they asked him to perform a miracle to show that God approved of him. 17 But Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them, “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long; a family divided against itself falls apart. 18 So if Satan’s kingdom has groups fighting each other, how can it last? You say that I drive out demons because Beelzebul gives me the power to do so. 19 If this is how I drive them out, how do your followers drive them out? Your own followers prove that you are wrong! 20 No, it is rather by means of God’s power that I drive out demons, and this proves that the Kingdom of God has already come to you.
21 “When a strong man, with all his weapons ready, guards his own house, all his belongings are safe. 22 But when a stronger man attacks him and defeats him, he carries away all the weapons the owner was depending on and divides up what he stole.
23 “Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.
24 “When an evil spirit goes out of a person, it travels over dry country looking for a place to rest. If it can’t find one, it says to itself, ‘I will go back to my house.’ 25 So it goes back and finds the house clean and all fixed up. 26 Then it goes out and brings seven other spirits even worse than itself, and they come and live there. So when it is all over, that person is in worse shape than at the beginning.”
27 When Jesus had said this, a woman spoke up from the crowd and said to him, “How happy is the woman who bore you and nursed you!”
28 But Jesus answered, “Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
Reflect
What is Jesus’s response to his opponents (verses 17–23)? Why do they ask him to perform a miracle? How do you interpret verse 23? In what ways do you demonstrate that you are “for” Jesus? Based on verse 28, in what ways can obedience to the word of God bring happiness?
Pray
Lord Jesus, you have ushered in the Kingdom of God. Thank you for inviting me into your kingdom and into the happiness of serving you in obedience to your word. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Luke 11:29–36: Jesus continues to teach about the Kingdom of God.
