Wouldn’t it be nice if fear took a holiday; maybe a permanent vacation even? Well, that kind of depends on what kind of fear we are talking about, doesn’t it? There is a fear that cripples. But there is also a fear that motivates. There is a fear that terrorizes. But there is also a fear that bolsters. So, let me tell you a tale of two fears. There once was a man who feared rejection. So much so, that he allowed others to dictate his beliefs and actions. The problem was that expectations shift and change depending on the times and the group you surround yourself with. And if fear of rejection drives you, you will have to shift and change so much that you may lose yourself. There once was a woman who feared God. God doesn’t change; he doesn’t wake up one morning and realize he is out of touch with the times. He is the I Am; the times are encompassed in his will. This fear is the realization of holiness; of glory; of righteousness.

              Luke 12:4-7 is all about fear. Jesus said in this short passage “Don’t fear; fear; don’t fear.” The first “don’t fear” is a command not to fear those who can kill the body. It is important not to trivialize this. This is a common fear. It is a hard command to observe. Overall, this passage is about confessing Jesus in spite of the leaven of the Pharisees. They may threaten; they may even kill the body. But after that, they have no authority. There is nothing more they can do. What else is there? So much more. Paradoxically, threats to kill are a sign of fear. Fearing those who kill is in fact a giving in to those who fear you; or at least fear what you stand for. Don’t allow fear of death keep you from obeying God! That is the main thought here.

              Then Jesus told them whom they should fear: “The one who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into Hell.” There is a hard truth here. This is about God. No one else has the authority to cast anyone into Hell. There is punishment for disobedience. And death is sometimes the punishment. In our emphasizing the love of God (which is a very good thing to emphasize), we may deemphasize the wrath of God; the holiness of God that demands belief. God can and does kill. So does Satan. So does man. But only God can throw people into Hell. The word Hell is the Greek word Gehenna; it comes from the Hebrew words that mean “Valley of Hinnom.” It is a valley found on the west side of Jerusalem, running north-south. It also curves around the south side of Jerusalem. This valley was cursed in Jeremiah 19:1-13 because it was used to burn babies as a sacrifice to the god Baal and for the worship of many other gods. Because it was cursed by God, Jesus and the early Christians picked it up as a place for God’s ultimate judgment. Fear God because his punishment goes beyond death. Jesus even emphasizes this by saying “Yes, I say to you, fear him!” I’m thinking it is a good idea to pay attention when Jesus emphasizes his point.

              What is fear? The word used here means everything from terror – crippling anxiety – to respectful fear – awe inspired fear. On the one hand don’t be crippled by your fear that someone may threaten or even kill you. On the other hand, have an awed fear of a Holy God who has the authority to send you to the cursed valley. Why is this so important? Because who you fear determines who you listen to. When my son was about four, one of the gentleman at church was trying to get him to do or stop something. My son did not listen to this gentleman. When I said “Caleb!”, he jumped into action. He understood who had the right to command here. That is what Jesus is saying – understand who has the right to command.

              Then Jesus begins to speak about the cost of sparrows. What in the world? Sparrows were considered cheap food. Jesus said that five sparrows could be purchased with two “assarions”, which was a Roman coin worth about 1/16 of a Denarius (a day’s wage). These very cheap sparrows are not forgotten or neglected by God. How much more is God concerned about you? So much so, that God knows how much hair you have (which is not such a great achievement in my case). The point is he cares down to your last hair. So, don’t fear! What? I thought we were supposed to fear God. Don’t be anxious about tomorrow; don’t wonder if the Holy God is on your side; don’t be crippled by anxiety over relationship with the Almighty. He loves you. Respectfully fear him, but don’t be crippled.

              Do don’t fear death or those who bring it. They cannot determine what happens next. Be awed by God’s authority. He is in charge of what happens after you die. Respect that authority. But don’t live in fear. If you believe in God; in his good news; you will be saved. You are more valuable than sparrows. God has taken care of everything so that you can live forever. Believe it. Live it. Don’t Fear, Fear, Don’t Fear. Grace.

In Dickens’ “Dombey and Son,” Mr. Dombey is an arrogant, unyielding man. But he is the same prideful man in private as he is in public. He treats those considered beneath him as if they were, well, beneath him. No one even considered accusing him of being duplicitous. Horrible. Yes. But not a hypocrite. Mr. Carker, however, who was Dombey’s manager, seemed to be a Dombey sycophant. Publicly, he fawned all over Mr. Dombey, which fed Dombey’s own view of his proper importance. But, in reality, Mr. Carker hated Paul Dombey. In the end, all of Mr. Carker’s sneaky and secret scheming came out into the open when he ran off with Mr. Dombey’s wife and left his business in disrepair. His true character came crashing into the light with disastrous results.

              Jesus had already dealt with the underlying, unseen dangers of the Scribes/Pharisees. They were like unmarked graves which make everyone who come into contact with them unclean. But there is this problem. In the meantime, many people are enamored with their outward piety. They seem so righteous; so knowledgeable about the things of God; so much holier than the average Joe. In Luke 12:1-3 Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, which, as the scribes have already pointed out, includes them.

              The passage begins with “in which.” This most likely refers to the previous circumstances – the woes uttered against the Pharisees, which led to them seeking for ways to trap Jesus. The tension was growing and the crowds were crowding. Myriads of crowds gather together to the point that they are stepping all over each other. There is something about a good fight, isn’t there? And Jesus is taking on the elite: the separate from everyone else, holier than thou, Pharisees. Who will win? There may be some in the crowd who secretly hope Jesus will give the Pharisees a haymaker to the face. The text states that he spoke to his disciples “first.” This probably means “primarily.” The crowd could hear, but he was most concerned about his disciples understanding this point.

              He begins with a warning, “Beware!” The word means “hold before; pay attention to.” Jesus wants them to pay attention to the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Leaven was used as a negative, most likely due to its ability to spread. The people would keep some fermented dough – a rising agent. And when they mixed a little in with fresh dough, the leaven would spread throughout the whole amount and make it rise. Not only did it spread easily, it was fermented and if kept too long it became spoiled. Maybe both of these things lent to its use for negative influences. And what is this negative thing that they must be wary of? Hypocrisy refers to putting on an act. It is not about sinning. Everyone sins. If a follower of God sins, that does not make him or her a hypocrite. If they claim to be pious and are the opposite, well then, we have ourselves a hypocrite; an actor; an outside washed but inside dirty cup.

              What follows is an assurance and a warning. You may be able to cover up and hide your true nature; you may receive accolades from fellow humans. But nothing is hidden from God. Every hidden heart will be laid open before the Father. So, there will come a time when all actors will be seen for what they truly are; their hearts will be brought out into the light. The speaking into the ear will be proclaimed on the roof tops as if a herald were shouting it out for the whole town to hear. The dark recesses of your heart, where you whisper truths you think only you can hear, is clearly visible to God, and he will publish it to all.

              There is an important thing to keep in mind here. Jesus does not say that it is our job to reveal; to proclaim on the roof tops. This is about what God will do. Pay attention to the hypocrisy. Don’t be fooled. Don’t sit in the audience dumbly clapping for the excellent performance. But don’t fret. God know better than you what is going on. He sees the arrogance. He sees the secret longings for self all dressed up to look like piety. Don’t allow the fermented lump to infect you. Don’t become an actor yourself. You proclaim the truth of God to the glory of the Father with love.

              There is a dangerous result of hypocrisy. It breads more hypocrisy. It may seem as if the pretentious religious elite get all the applause. And maybe they do. It may be tempting to serve for the clap. Don’t! God knows the heart. Be clean on the inside. Be the same person in the secret places of your heart and house that you are when a crowd has gathered. God sees it all and one day, the who you are in darkness will be brought out into the light. If you are genuinely a disciple, you have nothing to worry about.

In Greek mythology, the trickster king of Corinth, by the name of Sisyphus, is punished for tricking Hades the god of death. His punishment was to spend eternity pushing a large stone up a hill, only to have the stone roll back down again. So, over and over again, he must push the stone up the mountain. The meaning of this story is debated, but most agree that it has something to do about fruitless labor. Work without results for all eternity. Now that would be horrible. But what if our approach to God is similar; what if we are merely pushing a stone up a mountain? Sure, it is hard work and while the stone is moving upward it looks good and we can defend our actions. But what if all of that work ends up with the stone merely rolling down again? Is the work moving us any closer to the goal? And what is the goal?

              Luke 11:45-54 is Jesus’ pronouncements of woe upon the lawyers (or scribes). They understand that when Jesus pronounces woes upon the Pharisees, that he includes them. Most of them were Pharisees. Interestingly, they call Jesus “teacher” which would be a term of respect. This almost seems to be a polite, “Ahem, I don’t know if you are aware or not, but when you pronounce your horrors upon our friends the Pharisees, of which, maybe you didn’t know, we are proud members, you really are insulting us.” Maybe they expected an apology, but Jesus launches into more woes and this time specifically upon them. Probably not what they anticipated.

              Jesus accused them of burdening men with burdens that are difficult to carry. The verb and noun were used for the idea of loading a ship with cargo. This became a metaphor for loading up a heavy load on people. This, in and of itself, is not wrong. As teachers of the law, their job was to load up the teachings of the law upon people. But they made this load heavier than God intended with their hedges around the law. They place this heavy load and then didn’t even touch it with their finger. It is not enough to tell people what to do. It is not enough to set them to rolling boulders. Teachers were intended to help people with the burden. Heaping without help is bad. Rolling with zero results is not the goal. There is another adage that may apply here. Keep the people busy and befuddled, or something similar.

              The second woe is pronounced concerning their agreement with the killing of God’s prophets. Ironically, this connection is made through their honoring of the prophets. Building tombs was about honor. But Jesus claims they did it to agree with the fact that their ancestors killed them in the first place. Good job progenitors! We’ll acknowledge your achievement by building a monument to your success. Like that. And then, in the tradition of the Old Testament and other Jewish literature, Jesus personifies Wisdom. It is Wisdom that Jesus heard say, “I will send to them prophets and apostles . . .” The word “send” and “apostle” are verb and noun of the same word group. In this context, apostle most likely has the broader meaning “messenger.” And notice that this is future tense. Jesus’ point is that the current generation of Israelites are just as prone to mistreat God’s emissaries, as were their ancestors. This is no longer something Jesus heard; it is his proclamation; an “I say” with authority. Case in point would be John the Baptist, Jesus himself, and Jesus’ followers. Therefore, the guilt of all the blood shed will be charged against them. In Numbers 35:33 they were told that blood spilt polluted the land and the only way to cleanse the land was the death penalty. The land is polluted from Abel – the first murder victim in the Bible – to Zechariah – the last in the Jewish canon (2 Chronicles was the last book in the Hebrew Bible).

              The third woe is about the key of knowledge. The key would allow people to enter into the house of Wisdom (Proverbs 9). But the lawyers don’t want people to enter the house. Then they would be able to gain knowledge and would stop listening to the Scribes yelling at them to keep pushing the stone. If they would have used the tools of learning God’s wisdom and shared the tools – the keys – then all could come to know God. And isn’t that the goal? To know God and his will? But the scribes wanted to keep the people busy and baffled. To make sure no one could enter the house of Wisdom they took away the keys.               The section comes to a close with the scribes and Pharisees earnestly seeking – furiously scanning everything Jesus says and does – not to learn, but to capture. The key to knowledge was standing right in front of them. They knew this, but they wanted to keep the people pushing the stone up the mountain. This is not about us exercising our control. The goal is to give people the tools to know God.

It is Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” You know, a young man who puts all of his emphasis on appearance. He is a beautiful young man and wants to stay that way. But he also wants to be a horrible person; a user and ruination of other persons. He is consumed by fear that such behavior will make wrinkles appear on his beautifully smooth face. A master painter creates a portrait of him. Dorian discovers that the ravages of sin appear on the painting of him but not on him. Winning! He can be as evil as he wants and still remain a hauntingly beautiful young man. But his life is shallow and ugly and eventually he knows it. He slashes the painting and all of the ugly drains out of the picture into him and he dies. Now you don’t have to read the book. You’re welcome.

              Luke 11:37-44 is about more than outward actions; it is about ugly insides. Luke ties the words of Jesus (Luke 11:17-36) to the event of Jesus eating an early meal with a Pharisee. And there is good reason to see this connection. Jesus is the light. The Pharisee is dark inside and unable to see that light. Once again, we see Jesus eating at the house of a Pharisee. This is significant and often overlooked. Yes, Jesus did eat with sinners and tax collectors. But he didn’t do so to the exclusion of the religious elite. He went to their houses as well. That Jesus! Trying to teach anyone who may have an ear to hear.

              And Jesus has a lesson to teach here. He reclines at table without ceremonial washing his hands. I don’t think this was just an oversight on his part, like the smell of good food clogged his reason. He knew that the Pharisee would notice and be shocked by the lapse of ritual. The word “wash” here is the word “baptize” and it means to immerse or dip. There is some debate today concerning what the actual custom was. It may be that various sects of Pharisees had different traditions. Some poured water over their hands; some sprinkled them; some immersed them. That seems likely to me. Either way, this particular Pharisee expected Jesus to meet his ceremonial expectations and was shocked when he didn’t. Can you say “Teaching moment”? Sure, I knew you could.

              Jesus responded with “You Pharisees are all about cleaning the outside of cups and plates, but inside of you – where it really matters – you are full of violent greed and wickedness.” But God made both the outside and the inside. And the way God made us, when the inside is good and full of relationship with him, the outside shows it with good works like giving to the poor. But here’s a quandary for you: we can do the same thing with giving. Jesus said as much on the sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:1-4). Jesus is not telling us that if we see someone giving to the poor, you can know they are clean on the inside. The Pharisees would have practiced charitable giving – you know, when a crowd was around to witness it.

              Then Jesus pronounces some woes on them. A woe is like saying, “the horror!” or “how dreadful!” They get all worked up about making sure they tithe, even to the point of tithing things that are not commanded, like rue. And then they pass right on over things like justice and love of God. These are the things they should have practiced without leaving undone the tithing thing. Jesus is not suggesting they love God and respect people and then just ignore the ritual. If they love God and justice, the rest will not be left undone. He also woes them for cherishing the first seats in the synagogue and respectful greetings in the market place. In the two main social gathering places, they wanted to be respected above others. But on the inside, they are like concealed or unnoticed tombs. In Numbers 19:16 if you come into contact with a tomb, you are considered unclean for seven days. So, interacting with a Pharisee is like walking on an unmarked tomb. The result is uncleanness. Much more so than any lack of ritualistic washing of hands. The real danger is inside. The outside may look fine, but beware, there be dead things here; things that rob and defile.

              Going to church is important. But I’m afraid that there are many walking tombs sitting and singing in many a worship. They wear suits and they have learned the lingo. But the light of Jesus has not reached inside. They may even have theological degrees attached to their names. They sound smart and impressive. But there be dead things here. So, clean up. But start on the inside. Love God and justice so much that it shows up in your actions; in how you treat the poor and oppressed. Anybody can wear a suit. Anyone can sound religious. Be beautiful on the inside and the outside will follow. Grace and peace.

I wear corrective lenses. I did not choose to be visionally impaired. No one blames me for being near sighted. They may make fun of my lack of sight or my glasses or, you know, whatever people tend to make fun of, but they don’t blame me. That would be ridiculous. It’s not like I asked a doctor to altar my vision so that I could see worse. And that would be more than ridiculous. The truth is, I want to see as clearly as possible in spite of my genetic deficiency. But what if it was my fault? What if I hired a doctor to perform destructive surgery? All so that I could walk through life wondering who is who and what time it is and getting into all manner of accidents. Would people be sympathetic to my numerous head injuries? Would it invoke compassion if I cried out mightily, “I can’t see!”?

              Luke 11:33-36 seems familiar. Maybe that’s because Jesus said something similar in 8:16. And yet no one questions that Jesus is telling the same parable for a slightly different emphasis here. No theories of why Luke is using different words than himself here. So, once again, Jesus can and does say the same or similar things in different contexts to emphasize different things. We all do. This parable starts pretty much the same as the one in chapter 8. The only difference really is the addition of another place where no one puts a lit lamp. You don’t put it under a basket that is used for measuring grain. That would be silly. But you also don’t put it in a crypt or cellar. The word is used only here in the Bible. It could refer to any hidden place; any nook or cranny really. A lit lamp is placed on a lampstand so that everyone who enters the house can see. In chapter 8 the parable is about hearing and obeying the message. Here, it is similar. Jesus is the sign; he is the light. What are you going to do with him? Not tuck him away somewhere in a cellar. Surely not.

              Then Jesus talks about the eye being the lamp of the body. The Greeks believed that sight worked because a person had a light within themselves that received and accepted the light from outside of the body. The Jewish people had similar ideas. If that light inside of you is healthy or clear, it effects your whole body – just like the gift of sight effects everything; you are full of light. But if it is diseased, well, then you are full of darkness. There is some truth here. I remember seeing an interview with Charles Manson years ago. The eyes told a story of madness and darkness.

              Interestingly, Jesus puts the blame squarely on the individual. If you are full of darkness and your eyes are diseased, that is on you. Keep watch over, notice carefully, beware – all definitions for the first word in verse 35. Make sure that the light in you is not darkness. You have some control here. Darkness on the inside is not an accident of birth. It is a perception problem that can damage one’s vision. Why didn’t people understand that Jesus was the message; that he was the lit lamp that could illuminate the whole house? They had allowed darkness to creep into them and that darkness became the lamp that is their eyes. Now their eyes cannot see the light. Their vision is impaired and it is, on some level, their fault.

              The goal is for the whole body to be full of light and therefore, to be fully illumined; all lit up inside with the light that is Jesus. So, you see the light that is Jesus and the light that is in you takes Jesus in and the brightness increases so that others around can see the brilliant display. But if you have darkness in you, you will see the light that is Jesus as something other than light and you will reject him and then your diseased eyes will become even gloomier. You will see as if you have cataracts – when the natural eye lens becomes cloudy and keeps the light from reaching the eye. My mom has cataracts and can no longer see colors. There are no glasses that will fix this or the fuzziness she sees. The only thing to be done is to remove the effected natural lenses and replace them.

              There is hope here. If you see Jesus and he appears fuzzy or dark, it is because you have spiritual cataracts. You have allowed darkness to descend inside of you and your eyesight has become wacky. The good news is that you can remove your lenses and replace them with Jesus lenses and Jesus lenses let all the light come in. And when that happens, your whole body is illumined – lit up. And anyone entering here will be able to see because of the light shining into you and from you. Your choice. You can continue to embrace the darkness and complain about your vision, or you can embrace the light of Jesus and shine inside out. Be illumined. Replace your worn-out lenses with Jesus-lenses and see more clearly. Peace.

Psalm 34:8 says “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” I kind of think there is truth here. But if this is true, why do so few people take refuge in Yahweh? Can it be that all of those doubters; those deserters of the faith; or those who just plain refuse to believe, have never, none of them, tasted God – or put him to the test? Maybe there is a difference between tasting and testing. Sometimes people put others to the test, not to discover truth, but to bolster their doubts. This kind of testing does not tend to bring about trust. Kind of like when a child has already made up their mind that something is going to taste bad. They might nibble, they may even swallow, but with mind made up, they don’t truly taste – they test so that their parents will leave them alone. People can be such children in their tasting of God.

              Luke 11:29-32 is about the wrong kind of testing. In verse 16 we were told that some were testing Jesus by demanding for a sign from heaven. As the crowd begins to press in on him, Jesus said, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign.” But is it wrong to seek out some kind of evidence; something that will help your faith along? Maybe the problem is not the seeking in and of itself. Maybe it is a seeking for a sign, when the sign was already there, walking, teaching, breathing God all around them. It is a demand that God do more than create all things and save our souls. It is saying, “If you heal my wife, I’ll believe in you.” Or, “If my mom gives up drugs and takes care of me, I’ll believe.” Or maybe even an “If you submit to my idea of who God should be, why then we can be best friends.” But if you will just taste, you will see that Yahweh is good. I am convinced of that.

              Jesus tells this gathering in upon him crowd that they will receive no sign but the sign of Jonah. Is he saying that they will be given no sign except the sign or is he saying that they will not be given the kind of sign they are looking for but rather the sign that is Jonah? That is the question and the wording could be taken either way. From the context it seems likely that he is letting them know that they are seeking the wrong kind of sign so he will give them the correct kind. Jonah didn’t work miracles; he did nothing that the Ninevites could look at and declare that he was from God. He showed up and pronounced a message of judgment. The sign of the Son of Man will be the same. Again, Son of Man most likely takes us back to Daniel 7, back to the prophesy about the one like the Son of Man who will go up to the Ancient of Days and receive an everlasting kingdom – you know, Jesus. The sign of Jesus is Jesus himself and the message of the coming of kingdom of God authority.

              Sandwiched between the discussion of Jonah and Nineveh, is the example of the Queen of Sheba. The story of the Queen of the South traveling to discover for herself the wisdom of Solomon is found in 1 Kings 10:1-29. She will rise up at the judgment and condemn the wicked generation. Why? Because she traveled all that distance (ends of the earth is hyperbole and common biblical idiom for a great distance) based on what she heard. She didn’t wait for a sign. She didn’t demand evidence. She went. And someone greater than Solomon and all his wisdom was galivanting all around their own lands and they were sitting around demanding a sign.

              In the same way the people of Nineveh will stand up to judge and condemn them because they repented of their evil without miracles or signs. As a matter of fact, Jonah didn’t even preach repentance. He proclaimed God’s coming judgment and they responded. They tasted and decided to do something about it. So, the Ninevites – wicked Gentiles that they were – acted more honorably than the Jews of Jesus’ day. They heard Jonah and believed his message. Jesus is greater than Jonah boys and girls.

              God is good. Taste and see. Really taste. C. S. Lewis set out to disprove the Bible. But as he tested, he began to taste. And his doubts turned into beliefs. Unfortunately, there are many who never taste. O, to be sure they have read the stories; they may even know the Bible more than many a Christian. But they have never really tasted. It is even possible for someone to forget the taste of God. They are so hopped up on the cotton candy of the world, that they can no longer taste the meat of Yahweh’s word. Spit out the sickly-sweet message of Satan. Rinse out your mouth and taste anew. Let your taste buds dance with God-flavor. God is good – all the time. All the time – God is good. Taste and see. Grace, Walter

What does it mean to be blessed? Early on, the word was applied mostly to the Greek gods. Homer used it rarely about mankind, and then only when man had left this material world and had entered the spirit realm. After all, only the gods could attain true happiness; only their life could be said to be fortunate. By the time of Aristotle, it was being used more to refer to men. It was often applied to the wealthy. They could make life bend to their whims much easier than could the poor. And that speaks of fortunate, doesn’t it? Not to mention the clinging idea that if someone had a lot of money he must be favored by the gods. Which, left the poor not blessed or favored. Many looked at children as a blessing. If you had many children and on top of that good children, well then, the gods must like you, and you could therefore be described as blessed. For the Jewish people blessings came from Yahweh in the form, mostly, of land, health, and progeny – lots of strong, adding to the good of society, children. And again, the poor, sick, childless people, were deemed misfortunate – not at all favored by God. And it seems that we use the word in the same way today. I am blessed to have three healthy functioning adult children. I am blessed to have a wonderful wife. I am blessed with a house and two cars to transport us through the frigid North Dakota winter air in relative comfort. But when I say these things, it may sound as if someone who doesn’t have children – or healthy children, a spouse, a home, vehicles, etc., is not favored by God. Hmm! That sounds a bit elitist.

              Luke 11:27-28 is a mere two verse and therefore might be overlooked. But this short passage, which belongs to a larger context, packs a punch. It came about as Jesus was talking about divided and empty houses, that some random woman in the crowd shouted out with a loud cry, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” The feeling of the text is that she could not contain herself; she could no longer be just part of the crowd listening to the message. She had something in her that would not be hushed. What was in her was a beatitude. Beatitudes were fairly common within both Jewish and Greek cultures at this time. And a common beatitude was to bless the parent of a person who was excelling. Well, that makes sense. And this woman, being a woman, thinks about Jesus’ mother. God must truly favor her to have given her such a son – a “battling against the evil strong man,” a “dismantling stinging accusations” son. For some, this cry represents a longing to have been so favored. Maybe. But what if she is just so overwhelmed with what an incredible person Jesus is, that she bursts out with a beatitude; and a fairly common beatitude at that?

              Jesus responded with “Yes, but rather blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The word translated “on the contrary” in the NASB can introduce a contradiction such as “no, rather,” or an affirmation like “yes, indeed,” or a modification such as “yes, but.” That Mary should be blessed among women has already been stated in 1:42 by Elizabeth and in 1:48 Mary herself sings out “generations will count me blessed.” Jesus’ words here, then, are not a rebuke. Mary was favored by God to have been chosen to be the mother of the Christ. Jesus is most likely agreeing with that blessing, but then modifying it: “Yes, my mother is favored, but how much more . . .” And this is similar to Luke 8:21 where Jesus said, “My mother and My brother are those who hear the word of God and do it.” What makes someone blessed, fortunate, favored by Yahweh? The person who listens to God’s message and then keeps, guards, observes it. There is no promise here about the situation. This could be a childless, poor, sick person with no hint of anything improving. A better situation is not evidence of God’s favor. Elitism has no place in the kingdom of God. And interestingly, this description also applies to Mary. She was blessed mostly because when she heard the message she said, “may it be done to your slave.” She heard and observed.

              If you are serving the King, you are blessed. Period. Being single cannot lessen the blessing nor can being married increase it. The Greeks uttered beatitudes for finding a good spouse and for avoiding marriage all together. Being poor cannot make that blessing grungy nor can wealth dress it up. Children do not enhance nor diminish God’s favor. As a friend of mine always said when asked how he was doing, “Blessed nonetheless.” It is about hearing the word of God and observing it, treating it as a treasure to be guarded. Hear, obey and be blessed. Peace out. Walter

There once was a man, or it could have been a woman, it really doesn’t matter to the story. Anyway, there was this person who was beset by difficulties. The world had become grey and depressingly hazy, like a lingering London fog. One day, after what seemed to be an eternity, the woman, or the man, or the person discovered that the sun had risen and the world was aglow in brilliant colors again. They took it as a sign that things were better; the day was seize-able again. Life was back on track. Work crackled and after-work thrived. Family and friends were friendlier and all-around better company. Every thing smelled, tasted, and seemed better. Then it wasn’t. A tsunami named cancer swept them up and carried them back into the foggy darkness.

              Luke 11:24-26 is a short parable, the meaning of which has stimulated a ton of debates. We start with an unclean spirit – a demon – who goes out of a man. It is important to note that the demon is not cast out. He seems to be able to come and go as he wishes. He is the one who decides; the one in control. And even though Jesus has a bigger point here, there is this message about playing around with things that are unclean. No matter how much posturing is done; no matter how much defending of one’s strength or abilities; evil will always corrupt and take control. Don’t play with unclean things! I know. That really should go without saying, but it doesn’t. Anyway, this unclean spirit traipses out of the man and moves on to waterless places. Why waterless places? Unclean things seem to frequent areas that are uninhabitable to mankind, such as deserts and ruins and the like. In Isaiah 34:14, night monsters are said to inhabit the wilderness along with wolves and hairy goats. This particular demon is seeking a place to rest. But all of his searching renders zero success. So, the unclean thing decides to go back. And notice that he calls the man “my house.” He has claimed ownership.

              And when the demon does return, he finds the house swept and put in order or made attractive. And isn’t that nice? Evil can rest here. Evil can throw a party here; a party of indeterminable duration; a party of eight. The original demon leaves again so that it can bring along with and welcome seven more demons to rest int his nice house. Again, the demon has all of the authority here. He goes out and comes back as he wills. He welcomes in seven (maybe emphasizing complete evil) other spirits who are more evil than itself. Can you say, “Yikes!” Sure you can. The final state of the man become worse than before when it was one unclean spirit he had to deal with.

              Debate time. Is Jesus advising us to not be empty houses? I mean if unclean spirits hang out in empty waterless lands, if that is the atmosphere they gravitate toward to seek out rest, they may just find a desolate soul attractive and just what the evil one ordered. Or is Jesus saying that you cannot merely repent of the evil, you have to say “yes” to Jesus? This is similar to the empty house idea. Don’t just clean house of the evil; fill it with good. The problem with this idea, is that the man didn’t cast the demon out. The demon left, fully confident in his right to come and go as he pleased. The sweeping and making the house attractive is merely a response to the demon being gone. The unclean spirit itself made the house or man empty. This doesn’t seem to be about repentance. Is this a statement about how Jesus exorcism is better than Jewish exorcism? I don’t see it.

              What if, in the context of the discussion about the strong man and the power of God, Jesus is making a statement about relying on situational respites from distress. If your situation improves, but the strong man is still in charge, your situation hasn’t really improved. A better economy is not a sign of anything other than people having more money. Improved health does not mean you have been touched by the finger of God. Jesus used the example of an unclean spirit because the previous conversation centered around demons and the ruler of demons in relation to the power and kingdom of God. He could have used any situation really. Numerical growth is not an indication that God sides with a church or a movement.

              Again, it is time to choose sides. Are you going to join Jesus in kingdom of God work or are you going to focus on attractiveness and situational improvements? It is Jesus who has finger of God power over the strong man. It is Jesus who can fill your soul. If your country experiences peace after a long war, that doesn’t mean God is with you. Follow Jesus. He has the power. He has already bound the strong man.

People who do genuinely good things, will always have their critics. And if it is genuinely good; if the poor are being fed; the uneducated are being educated; the oppressed are being unshackled, is there anything to be critical about? What if their motives are bad though? The hungry are eating and you want to dig up bad motives? If Bill Gates gives away millions of dollars does it really make sense to suggest that it is merely a tax break? And really, so what if it is? Formerly naked people probably don’t care if their clothes are a tax break. People going to school for the first time most likely don’t shake their head and think things like, “He or she is just trying to make themselves look good.” Genuinely good deeds are genuinely good. Now, people can and do fake good deeds; pretending to raise money to end world maladies, while they stuff their own pockets. And that, my friends, is a horse of a different color.

              One day Jesus cast a demon out of a man. We are not told much other than that this demon made the man mute and when he was forced to leave, the man could talk. And the people were amazed. This doesn’t mean they were amazed at the goodness of Jesus. They were awed by the power. But power can be either good or bad. The crowd could not question the power here. So, some in the crowd question the source. O, sure he can cast out demons, he has Beelzebul on his side. Beelzebul, most likely means something like “lord of the princes,” or “lord of the Exalted Abode.” At this point it is a name ascribed to Satan. What the Canaanites had worshiped as lord was actually the prince of demons; the Satan; the adversary of God. Others in the crowd put Jesus to the test and ask for a sign from heaven. Most likely they are not willing to say that he was casting out demons by the power of the ruler of demons, but they couldn’t be sure the source of his power was heaven. “Do something absolutely good, so that we won’t have to wonder where your power comes from. Maybe you could call down fire from heaven like Elijah did. You know, something like that.”

              Even though, their words cannot have reached his ears, Jesus knew their thoughts. And he, first demonstrates the fault in their statement: a kingdom divided against itself is made into a waste land. Civil war is a tearing apart of your own land; your own people. The next phrase is literally, “a house upon a house falls.” If Jesus is forced to say the exact same thing here as he does in Mark and Matthew then he must mean “a house divided against itself falls.” But what if he is saying that kingdom strife tears apart families? In our own civil war brothers fought on opposite sides of the conflict. Satan’s kingdom; including every little strong hold, cannot stand a battle with itself. This is no fake exorcism. One of Satan’s beings had been forced out of his house. This is not a house of Satan upon another house of Satan. That would make Satan fairly stupid. And by the way, your sons who cast out demons may not appreciate the inference here. Your accusation against me could equally be applied to them.

              This is not about a civil war in the kingdom of Satan. This is the finger of God. The power the Egyptian magicians acknowledged when confronted by the power of Yahweh, the God of Israel (Exodus 8:19). And if the source of this power is God, then this is about God’s kingdom coming upon them. And this is the heart of the accusation. They didn’t like Jesus’ message, which reached out to the poor and the sinners, but they couldn’t discount that there was power here. But they could malign that power. This is about the stronghold of Satan being sacked; about Satan himself being unarmored; about his possessions being distributed as the spoils of war.

              Then Jesus tells them that it is time for them to choose sides. He is going to war with the prince of evil. And if they don’t side with him, that same finger of God power will be directed toward them. The kingdom of God is breaking into their reality. Choose sides. The second image is that of gathering the flock of Israel taken from Ezekiel 34. If they are not part of the gathering process, then they are actively scattering the flock. And that, boys and girls, is a working against the will of God.

              Jesus wielded the power of God, issuing in the kingdom of God. He came and said, “It is time to decide: will you fight with me or against me; will you gather with me or work against me to scatter?” There is no question of power here. The only real question is will you join Jesus in kingdom of God work? It is time to choose. Side with Jesus and genuinely do good in the Kingdom of God. Peace, Walter.

You have probably heard the proverbial statement, “God helps those who help themselves.” To be honest, I cringe when I hear people say this because I have a sneaky suspicion that they really mean that God doesn’t actually do anything. But it is true on some level. It is not true that God saves those who save themselves. That is an entirely different matter, and absolutely no one can save themselves. But let’s say there is this person who is out of work. They pray and pray to get a job. They like to eat and food cost money. But they don’t fill out applications; they don’t set up interviews; they don’t follow through when friends make suggestions. They just sit in their house. Does God swoop in and get them a job?

              In Luke 11:9-13 Jesus continues his instruction concerning prayer. He begins with “and I say to you,” which links this section with the preceding section. You know, where Jesus said you can approach God like a trusted friend. Here he gives three commands each followed with a promise. Keep asking – it will be given; keep seeking – you will find it; keep knocking – it will be opened. Is this a promise that God will give you anything you ask for? Maybe it is my lack of faith, but that doesn’t ring true. Some have suggested that the language is very similar to wisdom literature, which would make, what appears to be promises, more proverbs. Proverbs are generally true statements and not promises. But what if he is focusing on our end of things? What if he is saying, if you don’t keep asking – when nothing seems to be happening; when life is a mess; when your situation is stagnant – don’t expect to receive. You have a part in this. Ask. And if you stop seeking – even when the answers dance like pixies just out of your reach – don’t expect to find. Doors will not magically be opened for you if you don’t knock. There is more here, but I think this is part of the message. You have something to do: ask, seek, and knock. This is more than sitting in your house meditating. This is an active asking; seeking; knocking.

              Then Jesus gives us a parable to help us understand what he is talking about. Which one of you fathers . . . Again, this way of beginning a parable puts the listener into the scenario. Every father has experienced a child asking for food. If a child asks for a fish, you are not going to give him a snake are you? At this point many have mentioned that snakes and fish can resemble each other and that in the Sea of Galilee it is possible to snag a sea snake rather than a fish. I think that misses the point. This is not about a mistake. This is about giving your child something good as apposed to something bad. Serpents were considered dangerous and evil. When we call somebody a snake, it is not intended to be a compliment. So, your child asked for something good and just for kicks you give him something dangerous and evil. People have done the same thing with an egg and a scorpion. Yes, scorpions sometimes curl up into a ball and may look vaguely, if you squint your eyes, like an egg. But again, the point is the request and the gift. Something that is good to eat and another thing that is dangerous. Scorpions were well-known for their painful sting. Rehoboam unwisely threatens to discipline the people, not with whips, but with scorpions. Food or stinging torture. Every good father knows what to give.

              So, if humans, who are evil, and this may be an in comparison to God evil, know how to give food rather than poisonous danger, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? We may ask for things that are not good. God knows better than we do, how to give what is good. We will not receive everything we ask for because we don’t know a snake from a fish sometimes. And mostly, this is about giving the ultimate good – the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God fell on those who were prophets or prophetesses. Most people did not receive the Spirit. But a time was coming when the Spirit would be poured out on all people. (cf. Joel 2:28-29).

              I think there are two main themes here and they dance together. What God gives is good. As children we may not know how to ask appropriately. And what we need the most, the ultimate good, is the Holy Spirit. But don’t sit back thinking that God is going to slay you with the Spirit. Keep asking; keep seeking; keep knocking. You have a part in all of this. And there is a view of God that emerges from behind the scenes. God is anxious to give you good things. He is not a begrudging father, who gives his children good things because he would be viewed as evil if he didn’t. He is not the reluctant friend motivated by simple shame. He is the heavenly father who loves to give good things to his children. Ask, seek, knock.