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Luke 11:1-28

Taught on | Topic: Prayer | Keywords: praying, praising, pouting, complaining, prayer, the Lord's Prayer, God's will, forgiveness, grace, supernatural, demons, the Devil, Satan, the Virgin Mary

As the disciples listened to Jesus' teachings and watched Him perform miraculous works, they also saw His dynamic prayer life with God the Father. In this study of Luke 11, we learn that praising and pouting are difficult to do at the same time, see Jesus' great power as he encountered an unclean spirit, and break down the prayer that He gave to the disciples.

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11/19/2014
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Luke 11:1-28
Luke 11:1-28
Skip Heitzig
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As the disciples listened to Jesus' teachings and watched Him perform miraculous works, they also saw His dynamic prayer life with God the Father. In this study of Luke 11, we learn that praising and pouting are difficult to do at the same time, see Jesus' great power as he encountered an unclean spirit, and break down the prayer that He gave to the disciples.
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42 Luke - 2014

42 Luke - 2014

As a physician, Luke focused on the humanity of Jesus and presented Him as the Son of Man. In our study of this gospel, Pastor Skip Heitzig takes us through Luke's methodical account of Jesus' life, death,and resurrection so that we may "know the certainty of those things in which [we] were instructed" (Luke 1:4).

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Study Guide

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Luke 11

The Lord’s Prayer—Read Luke 11:1-4

1. Luke’s gospel has the largest record of Jesus’ prayer life. One day when Jesus finished praying, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (v. 1). Notice that he didn’t ask Jesus to teach them how to pray; the Jews had ritualistic and defined prayers for many occasions. What was this disciple requesting of Jesus?


2. This disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray “as John also taught his disciples” (v. 1) What can you infer about John from this disciple’s request?


3. As Jesus began to answer this disciple’s request, He said, “When you pray…” (v. 2). The word when implied that each disciple would set aside time to pray. How often should we pray? (See Luke 18:1; 21:36; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.)


4. Although this disciple did not ask Jesus, “Lord teach us how to pray,” the answer to this question is important to know. How should we pray? (See Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:7.)


5. Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer (see vv. 2-4). Often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer, it is better named the Disciples’ Prayer. To whom was this model prayer addressed? To whom should we pray? (See also John 1:12-13.)


6. Jesus instructed the disciples to pray to “our Father” (v. 2). This was revolutionary, since none of the Old Testament prayers refer to God as “Father.” This phrase implies a personal relationship with God. How was it that the disciples could refer to God as “Father”? (See John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6.)


7. What does the word hallowed mean (see v. 2)? What was to be hallowed? (See Leviticus 10:3; 2 Samuel 7:26.)



8. What kingdom are we to pray for (see v. 2)? (See also Daniel 2:44; Matthew 4:17; 16:28; Luke 1:32-33.)



9. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray that our Father’s “will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (v. 2). What is the will of God? (See Matthew 26:42; Luke 22:42; Acts 21:14.)



10. God’s will is found in His ways, which are found in His Word. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:18; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 3:9. What do these passages reveal about God’s specific will?


11. God’s will is done on earth when we choose to do what His Word says and walk in His ways. God’s will will also be done on earth during the millennial reign of Christ (see Revelation 20:4-6). His will will also be done in the new heavens and new earth (see Revelation 21). How can you ensure that your life is an answer to the prayer, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? (See Leviticus 11:44; Matthew 5:48; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:14-16.)



12. Jesus shifted the focus of the model prayer from God’s reverence and reign to our requests and requirements. What might daily bread refer to (see v. 3)? (See also Exodus 16:16-35; Proverbs 30:8; Matthew 4:4, John 6:31-35; 1 Timothy 6:8.)



13. The next part of the model prayer is for forgiveness of sins (see v. 4). How did our Father provide for that requirement? (See Acts 13:38; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Colossians 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24.)


14. What debt was Jesus referring to (see v. 4)? (See also Matthew 18:21-27, 34; Luke 7:40-48.)


15. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, “For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (v.4 ).To what extent are we to forgive those who are indebted to us? (See Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; Ephesians 4:32.)


16. In the Bible, sin is often referred to as a debt that requires payment. To pay a debt, a payment is remitted; the act of paying is referred to as remission. What was the payment, the currency that was remitted for the remission of our sins? (See 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9.)


17. Why was this currency required for the remission of our sins? (See Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22.)



18. Now that our sin debt has been paid, what debt remains for us to pay? (See Romans 13:8.)



19. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray that they wouldn’t be led into temptation (see v. 4). How are we led into temptation? (See Matthew 26:41; James 1:13-15.)


20. From whom should we pray for deliverance (see v. 4)? (See also John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 John 5:18.)


Parable of the Persistent Friend—Read Luke 11:5-10

21. A contrast sets something in opposition to something else in order to show or emphasize differences. Jesus gave a parable to teach His disciples to pray, contrasting the friend with the Father. In the parable, what was requested of the friend? When was the request made? Why? (See vv. 5-6.)


22. Because of the time of day, in what situation did the friend find himself (see v. 7)?


23. Jesus’ point was that the man did not rise and answer the request out of friendship; rather, he rose and obliged the request for a different, specific reason. What was that reason (see v. 8)?


24. Jesus used the parable to instruct His disciples how to pray. What three imperatives did Jesus instruct His disciples to follow in prayer (see v. 9)?


25. What did Jesus promise to those who follow these instructions (see v. 10)?


Parable of the Good Father—Read Luke 11:11-13

26. Jesus gave His disciples another parable to contrast a good, loving, earthly father with the heavenly Father. What three things might a son ask from his earthly father (see vv. 11-12)?


27. What three things would the earthly father not give in response to his son’s requests (see vv. 11-12)?


28. Jesus contrasted the goodness and generosity of a loving, earthly father with the goodness and generosity of the heavenly Father. In what quantity did Jesus say the heavenly Father would give to those who ask Him (see v. 13)?


29. The earthly son asked the earthly father for earthly things. Jesus said that the heavenly Father will give a heavenly gift to those who ask. What is that heavenly gift (see v. 13)? (See also Romans 12:3, 6; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 15:10; Ephesians 3:7; 4:7; James 1:17.)


30. The man went to his friend to ask for something he needed in order to give it to another friend. He asked for earthly provision. Jesus said our heavenly Father wants to give to those who ask Him a heavenly provision. Why is it that we ask for earthly provision instead of this heavenly provision? (See Psalm 66:18; Colossians 3:2; James 4:3.)




31. What will the heavenly Father give to those who ask Him for heavenly things? (See Psalm 84:11.)


Christ Heals the Demoniac—Read Luke 11:14


32. Demons affected the humans they possessed in a multitude of ways. What effect did this demon that Jesus cast out have on its host (see v. 14)?


33. What was the person who had been demon-possessed able to do once Jesus cast out the demon (see v. 14)?


34. When the multitude witnessed this demonic exorcism, how did they respond (see v. 14)? What did they say? (See Matthew 9:32-33.)


Christ’s Power Not from Satan—Read Luke 11:15-28
35. Some who witnessed this demonic exorcism responded critically to this miraculous demonstration of power by Jesus. What was their response (see v. 15)? Who were these critics? (See Matthew 9:34.)



36. What did those who tested Jesus seek from Him (see v. 16)? Who were they? (See Matthew 12:38.)

37. One of Jesus’ divine powers was recorded in the first few words of verse 17. What power was that? (See also Psalm 139:2; Matthew 12:25; Luke 6:8.) How should this affect your life? (See 2 Corinthians 10:5.)


38. Jesus said that the Pharisees’ accusation was illogical (see vv. 17-18) and hypocritical (see v. 19). He said that if His casting out of demons was by the finger of God, then what should the Pharisees have acknowledged (see v. 20)?


39. Read Jesus’ statements in Luke 11:17. Why is spiritual unity in your home important? (See also 2 Corinthians 6:14.)


40. What did Jesus say is required to enter a strong man’s palace, overcome him, and divide his spoils (see vv. 21-22)? (See also Mark 3:27.)


41. The strong man Jesus referred to in this parable is Satan, and Jesus is the One stronger than him. How did Jesus’ work on the cross bind the strong man? (See John 12:31; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8; 4:4; 5:18.)


42. From Jesus’ perspective, there are only two sides to be on. What are those two sides? What must one do in order to demonstrate which side they’re on (see v. 23)? (See also Matthew 12:30; Mark 9:40.)


43. Jesus gave some insight into the spiritual realm of demons (see vv. 24-26). Where did He say an unclean spirit goes when it goes out of a man (see v. 24)? (See also Job 1:7; 1 Peter 5:8.)


44. Because the unclean spirit was unable to find what it was seeking, where did it return? With whom did he return (see vv. 24-26)?


45. Jesus used the illustration of the unclean spirit departing from and returning to a man to demonstrate how it would be for the generation that saw and heard His miracles without repenting. Due to their lack of repentance, what would their final condition be (see v. 26)? (See also John 4:48.)


46. Jesus had just cast out a mute demon, and the Pharisees attributed His powers to Beelzebub. Jesus explained His power over the Evil One and gave insight into the dreadful existence of demons. As He was saying these things, a woman shouted out to Him. What did she say (see v. 27)?



47. By not disagreeing with the woman, it seems Jesus agreed with her. Was she correct? (See Luke 1:28, 48.)


48. In the culture of Jesus’ day, a woman who gave birth to a son was considered blessed by God, but a woman who was barren was thought of as cursed by God. According to Jesus, how is a person truly blessed (see v. 28)?




Christ’s Only Sign Is Jonah—Read Luke 11:29-32

49. In Matthew’s account, the scribes and Pharisees wanted to see a sign from Jesus (see Matthew 12:38). How did Jesus describe the generation that seeks after a sign (see v. 29)?


50. What sign did Jesus say would be given to that generation (see v. 29)?


51. How did Jesus relate the sign of the prophet Jonah to the sign that would be given to the scribes and Pharisees (see v. 30)? (See also Matthew 12:40.)


52. Jesus used the men of Nineveh and the queen of the South (Sheba) (see 1 Kings 10:1-13) as examples of people who heard, saw, and were changed. How should we also hear and change? (See Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 11:28; John 20:29.)


53. Jesus said, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it” (v. 32). Why would the generation that Jesus spoke of be condemned by the men of Nineveh? (See also Jonah 3:5.)


Parable of the Lighted Lamp—Read Luke 11:33-36

54. Jesus said that once a lamp is lit, it should not be put in a secret place or hidden under a basket, but rather put on a lampstand (see v. 33). What did Jesus say the light of the lamp would allow people to do (see v. 33)? (See also Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 10:26-27; Luke 8:16-17; 12:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5.)


55. In Jesus’ parable of the lighted lamp, what do you think the light of the lamp refers to? (See Psalm 43:3; 119:105; Proverbs 6:23; John 3:19; 8:12; Matthew 5:14; Ephesians 5:8-13; 2 Peter 1:19.)


56. Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye” (v. 34). Describe what our body will be like if our eye is good and if it is bad (see vv. 34, 36).


57. In order to ensure that your whole body—your life—is full of light, what three things did Jesus say must be present or done (see vv. 33-35)?


“Woes” on the Pharisees—Read Luke 11:37-44

58. Jesus was invited to dine at a Pharisee’s house, so He went in and sat down to eat (see v. 37). What caused the Pharisee to marvel at Jesus (see v. 38)?


59. Jewish oral traditions were written down and studied and became known as the Mishnah. One of these traditions dealt with the meticulous ritual of washing hands before and during meals. It was these traditions that the Pharisees held in higher regard than the Word of God. How did Jesus describe the cleanliness of the Pharisees (see v. 39)?


60. In His rebuke of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy of being clean on the outside but not on the inside (see v. 40), Jesus dealt with a spiritual uncleanness He saw within them—greed (see v. 39). What solution did Jesus offer them to become clean on the inside (see v. 41)?


61. The other spiritual uncleanness Jesus saw within the Pharisees was wickedness (see v. 39). Wickedness is a broad term that can include many forms of evil. It is easy for us to be like the Pharisees and look good on the outside but be filled with wickedness within. How can we become clean within? (See Matthew 5:8; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:22-23.)

62. Jesus pronounced numerous woes upon the Pharisees (see v. 42). What does woe mean?



63. What was the reason for the first woe pronounced upon the Pharisees (see v. 42)?



64. What was the reason for the second woe pronounced upon the Pharisees (see v. 43)?



65. What was the reason for the third woe pronounced upon the Pharisees (see v. 44)? (See also Numbers 19:16.)



“Woes” on the Lawyers—Read Luke 11:45-54


66. An expert in the Law of God, a lawyer, expressed his concerns to Jesus over the woes directed towards the Pharisees and scribes. He said that Jesus’ sayings reproached (expressed disapproval or criticism of) lawyers too (see v. 45). Jesus proceeded to give three woes to the lawyers. What was the reason for the first woe pronounced upon the lawyers (see v. 46)?

67. What was the reason for the second woe pronounced upon the lawyers (v. 47)?

68. One greater than Solomon (see v. 31) and Jonah (see v. 32) rebuked the lawyers for building tombs for the prophets, which meant they approved their fathers’ killing of the prophets (see v. 48). What was the drastic repercussion of this second woe (see vv. 50-51)?



69. What was the reason for the third woe pronounced upon the lawyers (see v. 52)? (See also Matthew 15:14; 23:16, 24.)



70. How did the scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees respond to the woes Jesus pronounced upon them (see vv. 53-54)?



71. We can tend to be like the Pharisees and lawyers by putting our traditions, beliefs, and expectations above the truths contained in the Word of God. The solution to this evil tendency was given to the woman who shouted out to Jesus. What is the solution (see v. 28)?


72. When we receive truth, revelation, and light from God’s Word, we ought not hide it but put it up on a lampstand (see v. 33). This is what the Pharisees and lawyers should have been doing as religious leaders in the nation of Israel. How can we ensure that the truths of God’s Word within us shines brightly for all to see? (See Matthew 5:16; 7:17; John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 2:12.)

Detailed Notes

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  1. Introduction
    1. It's very difficult to be praising or praying when you're pouting
    2. Conversely, it's difficult to be pouting when you're praying and praising
    3. Luke 10:38-42
      1. Martha was working; Mary was worshiping
      2. Martha started pouting while her sister had been praising
    4. If you're a pouter, turn that into praying and praising; make an intentional conversion
    5. Between Luke 10 and 11 is a period of time
      1. John 9-10
      2. But Luke wanted to show that the disciples had been noticing and watching the prayer life of Jesus and the pouting and praying of Martha and Mary
  2. Luke 11:1-4
    1. Verse 1: this is the fifth time Luke mentioned the prayer life of Jesus
    2. This was the only request the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them
      1. If you get connected with heaven and have a dynamic prayer life, all the rest will come
      2. They didn't say, "Teach us how to pray"; they grew up praying
      3. We all know how to do it, but when was the last time you did it?
    3. This is typically called the Lord's Prayer
      1. It is misnamed; this is really the Disciples' Prayer
      2. The real Lord's Prayer is John 17
      3. This is a template for prayer, or you can memorize and say it
      4. Matthew 6:7; if you say it from your heart, it's not a vain repetition
    4. The first part of this prayer is all about God
      1. Make sure your prayer life is balanced so that in the first part you recognize to whom you're praying
      2. We have a propensity to be very self-oriented
      3. But the older we grow in the Lord, the more we want to just spend time with Him
      4. It's important that you recognize the relationship you have with Him
    5. "In heaven" (v. 2)
      1. From heaven, God has a vantage point that we don't have
      2. You'll have faith when you recognize to whom you are speaking
      3. Acts 4:24—that's how you start a prayer
      4. Difficulty must always be measured by the capacity of the agent doing the work
    6. Hallowed is the same word as sanctified, set apart, different
    7. How different would our communication with God be if we were to filter all of what we want through God's kingdom and God's will?
    8. "Your kingdom come" (v. 2)
      1. It means you're praying for His coming kingdom      
        1. But He'll do that whether or not you pray it
        2. Revelation 11:15
      2. It's more personal
        1. It's inviting Him to sit on the throne of your life and to be your king
        2. It's inviting His kingship to dictate your future
    9. "Your will be done" (v. 2)
      1. Is God's will being done today?
      2. It all depends
    10. "On earth" (v. 2)
      1. This is a beautiful world; it bears the mark of an incredible Creator
      2. However, this is not what God intended
      3. In a thousand-year period, He will showcase a redeemed creation
      4. Personalize it: "Lord, I want Your will to be done in my life on this earth"
    11. Our, us: this is where when we pray, we recognize we're part of a family
      1. We Western evangelicals have taken a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to mean a private relationship with Him
      2. We're part of a group, a body
    12. Verse 3: our God wants us to depend on Him daily; the Lord loves to hear from us in dependence daily
    13. Verse 4: we need forgiveness, and we need to forgive
      1. Vertical forgiveness is intertwined with horizontal forgiveness
      2. Luke 7:47
      3. We have no right to withhold forgiveness
      4. One of the proofs that a person is a child of God is that they are a forgiver
      5. Ephesians 4:32
  3. Luke 11:5-28
    1. In the Middle East, it's typical to travel at night; it was not uncommon for someone to knock on your door at midnight
    2. Verses 5-8: this is an analogy of contrast, not comparison
      1. Contrasts a grumpy neighbor with a gracious God
      2. If a grumpy neighbor will do this, what do you think a gracious Father will do?
    3. Ask, seek, knock: present active imperative in the Greek language
      1. It's a commandment: keep on and never stop asking, knocking, and seeking
      2. Jesus meant keep doing this as a lifestyle: continually and always bring everything before the Lord in prayer
      3. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
    4. Why did Jesus need to command His disciples to pray to Him?
      1. Why would He need to command you to pray?
      2. All kinds of reasons
    5. Jeremiah 33:3
    6. Verses 11-12: Jesus was demonstrating God the Father's willingness to answer prayer
    7. "How much more" (v. 13)
      1. Consider the most intimate, dependant human relationship of a parent and child
      2. God's love is so much more
    8. The other gospels say "good things" instead of the Holy Spirit (see v. 13)
      1. We need to ask the Lord for power for service
      2. Acts 1:8
      3. We have a connection with the Father through the Son, and we're asking for the power of the Holy Spirit—we have a relationship with the triune God
    9. The supernatural is real
      1. Luke 10:18
      2. It's nothing to be toyed with, but you never have to be afraid of it; 1 John 4:4
      3. But it can take you off guard if you're not ready for it
    10. The enemies of Jesus noticed the reality of His miraculous power and had to deal with it
      1. Beelzebub comes from the Old Testament: 2 Kings 1
      2. From Baal-Zebub, which is a Ugaritic term, an ancient Semitic language
      3. Baal is the general word for god + whatever domain he was in charge of
      4. Beelzebub became a common name used to speak of Satan
    11. Jesus' answer was logical and theological
    12. In that day, there were itinerant Jewish exorcists; Acts 19:13-16
    13. Verse 20 is a messianic claim; Isaiah 11:2
    14. Verses 21-23
      1. The strong man is Satan; the stronger man is Jesus
      2. Never forget that
      3. Jesus came to undo the works of the Devil (see 1 John 3:8)
        1. During His ministry, Jesus started binding the strong man; there are six accounts in the Gospels of Jesus casting demons out of people
        2. The death and resurrection of Christ guaranteed the binding of Satan; Colossians 2:15
        3. In the millennial kingdom; Revelation 20:2-3
        4. Satan will eventually be cast into the lake of fire; Revelation 20:10
      4. Satan is bound, but he has a long chain
    15. Verses 24-26
      1. One possibility
        1. Jesus was describing what actually happens when a demon-possessed person is delivered from a demon
        2. If that person does not ask the Lord to come in and take control, they're going to end up worse than they were before
      2. Another possibility
        1. Jesus was using this metaphorically to speak of the nation of Israel
        2. Jesus came knocking on the door of the house of Israel, but they would have nothing to do with Him
        3. So in the future, the deception that will take place in that land will be much worse
          1. Matthew 24
          2. The Antichrist and the abomination of desolation
          3. John 5:43; all they did was settle for social reform, not spiritual birth
    16. This was one of the first instances of Mary worship
      1. Mary was the most blessed woman on the earth; Luke 1:42
      2. Jesus was saying even Mary was more blessed for believing in Him than for being His mother

Hebrew words: baal

Cross references: 2 Kings 1; Isaiah 11:2; Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 6:7; 24; Luke 1:42; 7:47; 10:18, 38-42; 11:1-28; John 5:43; 9-10; 17; Acts 1:8; 4:24; 19:13-16; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 John 3:8; 4:4; Revelation 11:15; 20:2-3, 10


Transcript

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Introduction: Welcome to Expound our verse-by-verse study of God's Word. Our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God by explaining the Word of God in a way that is interactive, enjoyable, and congregational.

Skip Heitzig: Let's pray together. Father, you've heard our prayer in the songs that have led up to this study. Here's our heart, Lord, we give you our very heart. We give you the heart of who we are. You know who we are. We're not hiding anything from you. And we come, Lord, in that nakedness and that openness, that transparency, knowing that you know everything about us, but you love us anyway. And we ask, Lord, that you would speak what is true, because we have your Word to go through. We know that it is the truth. May it be confirmed to us tonight. And would you just take those verses, those passages that deal with the things we're dealing with and break them afresh to our lives, in Jesus' name, amen.

It's very difficult to be praising when you're pouting. It's difficult to be praying when you're pouting. When you're pouting it just sort of takes all your energy; and conversely, it's difficult to be pouting when you're praying and praising. Last time we were together in this book we saw that great little story at the end of chapter 10 where two sisters Mary and Martha had Jesus over at a house. Martha was busy cooking, preparing; Mary was sitting and worshiping. Martha was working; Mary was worshiping. Martha started pouting while her sister had been praising: "Don't you care, Lord, that I'm doing all this work myself? Tell my sister to get up and work." And you know what that's like, do you not? You know what it's like to just have all of your focus on "poor little me," and "I'm---why haven't you, God, done what I want."

And when you're pouting, it's hard to be praising; but when you're praising and praying, it's very hard to turn that into pouting. In fact, I would say if you're a pouter, turn that into praying and praising. Make a conversion, an intentional conversion. Well, in that room, at that home, on that occasion were Jesus' closest followers, his disciples. They were watching this. They were hearing the conversation. Moreover, in chapter 11 they will be watching Jesus as he is praying, and Luke ties these two events together. If we had a chronology of the New Testament, I would have to say that between chapter 10 and chapter 11 is a period of time. You could insert John, chapter 9, and most of chapter 10 in between Luke, chapter 10, and Luke, chapter 11, where we left off last week and where we are---last time and this week.

But what Luke wants us to do is to bring these elements together in our minds. He wants to show us that the disciples have been noticing and watching the prayer life of Jesus and the pouting and praising of Mary and Martha. And he ties these two elements together in chapter 11. Notice in verse 1, "Now it came to pass, as he [Jesus] was praying in a certain place." It's the fifth time now that Luke mentions the prayer life of Jesus. "When he ceased, that one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray.' " They had noticed something dynamic in the life of Jesus that perhaps they were lacking. They certainly noticed that Martha had lacked it. And in studying the life of Jesus, and in being a part of that situation at that home, they wanted more, and so they come with a request.

Now, what's interesting is this is the only thing, this is the only request the disciples ever ask Jesus to teach them. The disciples never said, "Jesus, teach us to preach. We want to be in your school of ministry. We would like to attend your theological seminary. Teach us to administrate and teach us to preach and teach us to church plant." It's interesting, the only thing they requested is, "Lord, teach us to pray." Because that is what---if you got that right, you'll get the rest right. If you'll get connected with heaven and you have a dynamic prayer life, all the rest will come, and it came with them. "Lord, teach us to pray." Now, again, notice how it's worded. They didn't say, "Lord, teach us how to pray." They were Jewish. They grew up praying their whole lives. They had recited prayers: prayers for special events, prayers for the Sabbath.

But more than just how to do it, teach us to do it. Big difference. We all know how to do it. When was the last time you did it, spent time with the Lord in prayer? "Lord, teach us to pray. We're watching you now. We're seeing the dynamism in your life. And in seeing that, we have a request---teach us to pray." "And so he said to them, 'When you pray, say' "---what we have now is what is typically called the Lord's Prayer. It is misnamed, really. We call it the Lord's Prayer because Jesus is---because the letters are in red. He's speaking it, so we think this is the Lord's Prayer. This is really the disciples' prayer. Jesus' prayer, the real Lord's Prayer is John, chapter 17. That's Jesus connecting with his Father in that intimate moment before the cross. But this I prefer to see as the disciples' prayer, and it is a template for prayer.

I think it's something that is good for you to know it, to memorize it, to say it. Or if you don't want to do that, to use it as a template, that you work through the generalities of this prayer. And I'll kind of describe them to you as we do it. But I remember some years ago a great man of God, Elmer Towns was his name, and Elmer was a professor at Liberty University. And he was a great man of prayer, and he was a great man of God, great preacher. And I was with him in Amsterdam. And we were on a committee together for Dr. Graham's Amsterdam 2000. And I sat next to him in a meeting, and he goes, "Skip, I want to challenge you to pray the Lord's Prayer, the disciples' prayer every day of your life. I just challenge you to do it and see what will happen."

Now, I know, some of you are going to say, "Oh were but we're not supposed to recite it, because Jesus said, 'Don't use vain repetitions.' " Well, if you say it from your heart, it's not a vain repetition. Just mean it when you say it. Don't just spout it out loud. I grew up with memorized prayers and I could just---I could do Hail Mary's and Our Fathers and Glory Be's all night. But if you mean it from your heart, then it's not a vain repetition. "He said, 'When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' " You'll notice something: the first part of this prayer is all about God. He doesn't say, "When you pray, immediately say, 'Lord, give me this and give me that. And you know I need this and I need that.' "

But rather, make sure that when you talk to your Father, your prayer life is balanced, so that the first part you're recognizing to whom you are praying. See, we like to skip the first part and just kind of move right into where it really counts, where the rubber meets the road, the "I," the "me," the "my," "this is what I need." That's how we would typically do it. But I submit to you that the more mature you become in the Lord, the less that matters, because you simply realize "I have a relationship with God, he knows best, so I'm just going to hang out with him. I'm going to commune with him." It's interesting, my granddaughter, she is so precious. She's so beautiful. And she's one of the highlights of my life, because I've told you there has not been a Heitzig girl for a hundred years until her.

So she can do no wrong, and yet I notice that flesh is flesh. And the other night, over at my house, I made some little foam, cappuccino foam, no coffee in it. But my grandson, Seth, he likes to have the cappuccino and kind of sugared up a little bit. He calls that his coffee. So I made him "coffee," and as I was taking it to her, she stood there and said, "That's mine." And I said, "No, sweetheart, it's not 'mine.' " So she just broke down crying. So I made her whatever she wants. I mean, that's what grandpas do, right? [laughter] Fill them with sugar---send them home. [laughter] But I notice that this leaning, this proclivity, this propensity that we all have to say, "It's mine," and to be very self-oriented. But I was like that too when I was her age. I don't remember it, but I know I was.

As I grew older, my relationship with my parents changed. When my mom, before she passed away, my dad, before he passed away---I didn't get on the phone and go, "Mom, I want this and I want that. That's mine." No. I, hopefully, had matured a bit since I was a baby. And now my conversations were more like this: "How have you been, Mom? Boy, it's great just to talk to you. I'd love to just spend some time hanging out with you." Now that's a mature relationship. And I think the older we grow in the Lord, that's what it's like when we pray: "Lord, I just---here I am. I'm in your presence, and as I'm here, I acknowledge to whom I am talking, 'Our Father.' " Please hear this, it's not "Great and awesome God, mighty . . . ." He is all of that, but he's more than that. He's your dad. And Jesus said he wants to be approached like that.

Oh, it's good to recognize the power and majesty and might of God, but it's very important that you recognize the relationship that you have with him, "Our Father." And it's not just "Our Father," but it's "Our Father in heaven." "I recognize that you are God that you are in heaven. And I recognize that from heaven you have a vantage point that I don't have. You see things I don't see. I have a very narrow, limited vantage point. I see what I think needs to be done, but you're in heaven, you know exactly what the situation is." Now, I tell you why this is important, because when you pray knowing to whom you are speaking and with whom you are dealing, it's easy for you to have faith in prayer and pray the rest and the "I," "me's" and the "my's." You'll have faith when you recognize to whom you are speaking.

Case in point, Acts, chapter 4, the disciples were confronted by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, that they couldn't preach the gospel anymore in Jerusalem. It was now illegal. With that threat, they went to a prayer meeting, and this is how they prayed. They didn't say, "O God, help!" Listen to how they prayed: "Lord, you are God, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them." That's how you start a prayer. I realize that I'm talking to the One who is in heaven who has no limitations whatsoever, so now I have a request. You see, when you and I come to prayer, it's often like, "Lord, this is really a hard situation I'm dealing with. I need 600 bucks for rent." Well, since when was rent 600 bucks, right? [laughter] I mean, I need to get a little more contemporary.

It's like, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, you own, like, a cattle on a thousand hills. You created the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything's that in them---all I need is 600---or 6,000 bucks." [laughter] To God that's nothing. You know, we'll come to God and say, "Lord, I have a cold. I know you can heal that. I pray you would, in Jesus' name." But what if it's a different C? What if it's the big C, it's cancer? "O Lord"---wait a minute. That's no harder for the Lord than a cold. If God is doing the work, difficulty must always be measured by the capacity of the agent doing the work. God is doing the work. He's unlimited. [applause] "Our Father in heaven," and then it's "Holy is your name," "Hallowed be your name." It's the same word as saint or sanctified, set apart, different, unique.

"I recognize that you are to be honored and glorified and magnified, and so I turn my pouting into praising and to praying." "Your kingdom come," is the next part. You know, how different would our communication with God be if we were to filter all of what we need, or say we need, all that we want, through the filter of God's kingdom and God's will? "Your kingdom come. Your will be done." What does it mean when you pray, "Thy kingdom come"? Well, it means, in one sense that you are praying for his coming kingdom. "Lord Jesus, come quickly. Come set up shop. Come fix this earth. We're a mess. Come set up your kingdom." But he's going to do that whether you pray that or not. That is our hope and it's good to voice our hope in the prayer.

One of my favorite verses is Revelation, chapter 11, "The seventh trumpet sounded: And the voices in heaven said this: 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.' "Can't wait for that announcement. I haven't heard it yet. And with all the elections that go on, still waiting for that. "The kingdoms of this world that become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ." But one day it's going to come. There'll be a coming kingdom. There'll be a millennial kingdom. He'll show us how it's supposed to be done. But I believe that when I pray "Thy kingdom come," I'm praying for more than just Jesus to come back and establish his worldwide kingdom on earth and the eternal state in glory. I think it's more personal: "Lord, I'm inviting you to sit on the throne of my life and to be my King."

"I'm inviting your kingship to be things that dictate my future. I want to do things according to your kingdom. I want to---I want to make decisions that further your kingdom and your fame." And that's followed by, "Thy kingdom come. Thy or your will be done." Is God's will being done today? It's a trick question, because on one sense you can answer it based on the sovereignty of God and say, "Of course, it's always being done." You could look at the sinfulness of man and say, "Not so much." But I'm going to answer it this way: it all depends. When I was running from the Lord that was not God's will. When I see somebody dying in their sins that is not God's will. "For God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

"Thy will be done on earth"---this is a beautiful world. It bears the mark of an incredible Creator. However, as I look around the world today, this is not what God intended. I know that, because what God intended he will do, I believe, in a thousand-year period upon the earth, according to the Old and the New Testament. He will showcase a redeemed creation, saved, operating completely under his will. Again, I want to personalize that: "Lord, I want your will to be done in my life on this earth, in this piece of the earth where I am." So, notice the flow of the prayer. I recognize to whom I am speaking. It's my Father in heaven, not my catalog in heaven, "I claim it, in Jesus' name." But it's my Father. I have a relationship with him. He loves me. He's in heaven, not on earth. He has a vantage point like no one else.

I want his kingdom to come. I want him to rule and reign in where I'm at in my life, in my sphere. I want his will to be accomplished in my life. And now I will filter everything through that grid. So that's the first part of this prayer. It's all "you," "your." And now we turn to the second part of the prayer. And it's not "me" even. It's "our." Isn't it interesting this plural in this prayer? It's not "My Father who art in heaven . . . ," it's "Our Father . . . ." And then notice the language, verse 3, "Give us day by day our daily bread." This is where when we pray we recognize we're part of a family. I love the idea of a personal relationship with Christ, but I am afraid that we Western evangelicals have taken that to mean a private relationship with the Lord. No. We have a personal relationship with Christ.

He knows our individual needs, but I'm part of a group. It's not private. I'm part of a body. And when I pray, I recognize I have brothers and sisters as well, so it's "our." "Give us day by day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." It's my belief that our God wants us to depend on him daily. "Give us day by day our daily bread." It's not, "Give us this month our bimonthly pay check"; it's "Give us this day" or "day by day our daily bread." I believe the Lord loves to hear from us in dependence daily. I bug him early in the morning: "Father, it's me. I depend on you today. Before my feet hit the floor, my eyes awaken, and I talk, I commit the day to you, Lord. I commit all that's going to happen to me to you today, Lord."

But it's a daily dependence. And then we also recognize that we need forgiveness and we need to forgive. It seems to me, and I think it's a biblical principle, that vertical forgiveness is intertwined with horizontal forgiveness. We have been forgiven much, Jesus told us in another place. Who are we to withhold forgiveness from anyone else? We have no right. If we have been forgiven so great a debt by God himself, then certainly we can forgive others who are guilty of a much lesser debt than we owe to God. We have no right to withhold forgiveness. More than that, one of the proofs that a person is indeed penitent, a child of God, is that that person, that man, that woman, is a forgiver. If I see a person who harbors grudges and won't forgive, I truly wonder, even though they claim to be a believer, could they really be one?

Do they not understand that God has forgiven them an eternal debt? Do they have any right at all to withhold forgiveness, hold a grudge? Do they not understand that if they have been forgiven vertically that horizontally they must share and show that forgiveness? Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you." Same principle. " 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' And he said to them, 'Which of you shall have a friend' "---and this is now particular to the gospel of Luke. " 'Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves." ' "

Now, honestly, when I read this, I think, "I don't have a friend like that." I mean, I wouldn't get out of bed at midnight and go do that, and I wouldn't expect any of my friends to be calling me at midnight. However, in the Middle East, especially in the summertime when it's really hot, it's typical to travel at night instead of the heat of the day. So they will often travel at night, or they did in those days. So, it was not uncommon to have somebody knock at your door at midnight. They would understand that. It would be more natural rendering for them. A friend might show up at somebody's house and that person, that host doesn't have the wherewithal to feed, to house, to help

" 'And"'And he says, "Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, I have nothing to set before him"; and he will answer from within and say, "Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you"? I say to you, though he will not rise to give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence' "---keeps banging at that door---" 'he will rise and give him as many as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.' "

You need to understand in this little story that we just read, this little parable, this analogy is an analogy of contrast, not comparison. God isn't a cranky neighbor. He's not a grumpy neighbor and you have to just bang on his door, because he goes, "Okay, I'll give. Here's a loaf. Get out of here." He's not comparing him, he's contrasting a grumpy neighbor with a gracious God. "Hey, a grumpy neighbor will give food to you if you keep persisting, and only because you keep knocking, and now the kids are waking up and the dog is barking. So, if a grumpy neighbor would do that, what do you think a gracious Father would do?" It's a contrast. " 'So I say to you, ask' "---now that's a commandment. I want you to get something in your hearts.

After telling the story, now Jesus applies it and he gives them what's called a present active imperative in the Greek language. It's in the present tense. It's in the active voice. It's in the imperative mood. And what it means is this: "So I am telling you this as a commandment of mine to you: Keep on and never stop asking. Keep on and never stop knocking and seeking." Now immediately those of you who are more astute Bible students would say, "Now, wait a minute, it sort of does sound like God will only answer us if we keep doing it. And it is all about just being persistent, rather than a gracious Father." But when Jesus says, "Keep doing it, keep doing it, keep doing it," he doesn't mean, like, keep doing it with one request, but keep doing it throughout your life as a matter and manner of lifestyle.

That you will continually and always bring everything before the Lord in prayer, because you have a gracious heavenly Father. You see the difference? It's not like I'm banging, I'm banging, I'm banging. "Please! Please!" and he bugged God, so he finally goes, "Okay. Here's a dollar or something. Now, go away, you bother me." [laughter] That is not what is intended for you to have in your heart. But, no, we have not a grumpy neighbor, but a gracious Father, and he wants you to keep bringing things up, all things. Well, Paul said it this way: "Pray without ceasing." That's the idea. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." So we have a promise attach to a command. I've often wondered why Jesus needed to command his disciples to pray to him.

Why would God ever need to give you a commandment to pray? An invitation, we would understand, but why would God need to command you to pray? Well, I'll tell you a few reasons that come to my mind: I forget because I'm human. I can get into periods of doubt, because I'm human. I can get into periods of despair. I can't see God, but I can see this person, and I know this person's very generous. So I could easily talk to this person whom I can see than one that I can't see. All of those reasons might cause a person to need a commandment. So here's Jesus commanding you: "Don't give up. Keep talking to me as a manner of your lifestyle about everything that goes on in your life. Do it daily. Do it all the time, because you have a gracious heavenly Father." It's a commandment.

Jeremiah 33 verse 3 is a similar command. God commands, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you know not." That's the idea. He continues, verse 11, and it's all about the subject of prayer. " 'If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will you give him a stone? And if he asks for a fish, will you give him a serpent instead of a fish?' " What our Lord is doing here is demonstrating God the Father's willingness to answer prayer in a very familiar story or very familiar analogy of a son needing daily food and coming his father and saying, "Daddy, I'm hungry. Can I have some bread?"

So Jesus, playing off that very familiar example, says, "Now, you in this crowd, you who are listening to me, if you're a father and your son says, 'Daddy, I'm hungry. Can I have some bread?' would you put, like---would you go to McDonald's and buy a Big Mac, and slip the patty out, and put a little flat rock in there, with a kind of an impish grin on your face, going, 'I can't wait to see the look on his face when he bites into that stone"? [laughter] Oh, you're going to break his teeth and you're going to break his heart. Or if he asks for a McFish sandwich, you're not going to put a serpent in there or a scorpion. Of course not. You're going to, as a good father, give your son what he asked for, your child.

" 'If he asks for an egg,' " verse 12, " 'will you offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil' "---that is, evil by nature, as compared to God who is perfect---" 'if you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more' "---I want you to notice those words. Because what our Lord is teaching us is that you can take the most intimate human relationship of a parent and a child---and a parent will often do anything for a child---you take the most intimate, dependent human relationship, and you think of the kind of love there, God's love is so much more. That's the idea. ---" 'much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!' " Over the years I have watched parents with kids, and in watching them I've watched kids with parents.

And I have noticed that a child will approach a parent and ask their parent for something based upon what that child believes that parent to be. If the parent is angry, if the parent is stingy, then the child won't ask for much and won't do it very often. If the parent is generous and inviting, it's a different story. Now, grandparents, I'm not even going to get into that, [laughter] because, "What do you want? It's yours." [laughter] " 'If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!' " Luke mentions giving the Holy Spirit, the other Gospels say, "will give good things to those who ask." And I think it's too different teachings in a couple of different places.

But when you come to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes inside of you as an abiding possession. You are baptized into the body of Christ, one body. But I also believe that we need to ask the Lord for power for service. That's what the Lord taught in Acts, chapter 2, that the Holy Spirit will come upon you for service. "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth." So I love this idea where we have a connection with the Father, through the Son, and we're asking for the power of the Holy Spirit, that we have a relationship with the triune God---all three persons in the Trinity we relate to. So, "Father, you're my Father in heaven. I come to you in the name and through the work of your Son Jesus Christ and what he did for me on the cross.

"And you know how much I need the power, the infilling, the reinvigorating of your Holy Spirit in my life and ministry." "And he was casting out a demon." It's interesting how Luke just says that as a matter of fact. Like, "Yes, this happens all the time. And one day, you know, he was casting out this demon." [laughter] "And it was mute." I think that's a good thing, because if it could talk, that could be a bad thing. "And so it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute"---the person who had been possessed by the demon. That person had been rendered mute, but now he could speak. ---"the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled." We've dealt with this on many occasions. The supernatural is real. The Bible speaks about God, the origin of man, as well the origin of the Devil.

We've discussed how Satan fell from heaven. And a couple studies ago Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," and we kind of mapped all that out. But it's nothing to be toyed with. Certainly, "Greater is he that is in [us], than he that is in the world." And you never have to be afraid of encountering people who have demons, because you're a child of God. However, I will say it is disconcerting and it can take you off guard if you're not ready for it. It can take your breath away. I have on a few occasions, not only in my BC days with all the astral projection and spirit writing and all those demon activities that I was doing, I saw real power. But since I've been a saved person and a pastor, I've also seen a powerful enemy.

I'll never forget years ago I watched a gal---she couldn't have been more than five feet. And I know this, because my mom was only five feet tall. And this little gal lifted with one hand---it was right in one of our offices upstairs---a guy who was six foot eight, I believe. I'm six-five. He was six-eight or six-nine. Picked him up, and I'm looking at the air between his feet and the carpet, and put him up against the wall. And this guy was a big, strong guy, but I'll tell you what, he melted. His eyes just got so big and, "What is happening!?" And it was a real encounter of a demon-possessed girl. And it was an interesting day that day at the church. It was one of those days you just don't forget. A lot fun to see the Lord's power.

Verse 15, "But some of them said [concerning Jesus], 'He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons.' "What we have here is the enemies of Jesus noticing the reality of his miraculous power, noticing some unusual activity, that there was a person demon possessed that Jesus had power over. It was indisputable. They saw it. They heard it. But now they have to relegate it. They have to categorize it. They have to deal with it, do something with it. "What will our explanation be for this power?" So here's their answer: "He's doing this work by the power of the Devil himself, by Beelzebub." Now I think it's good if you understand what "Beelzebub" is. Originally the term "Beelzebub" comes to us from the Old Testament. In Second Kings, chapter 1---you don't have to turn there. Let me just tell you a quick little story.

The king of the northern kingdom of Israel, Ahaziah, fell through a lattice in his upper chamber, fell to the ground, and he got hurt. In his intestines he was badly hurt. So he sent ambassadors out to Ekron, the city of the Philistines, down south, because that's where the god of Ekron was worshiped. He was a Canaanite god in a Philistine area, and he was a local deity of that area. So the king said, "Go inquire of Beelzebub to see if I'm going to live or die." So they go out and the prophet Elijah hears about it. I love Elijah. He confronts the messengers and says, "Go ask the king this: Is there no God in Israel that you have to go down to Ekron to Beelzebub and inquire, make such an inquiry? Here you're supposed to be a ruler of God's people. Have you forgotten there's a God in Israel?"

So they go back to the king, they go, "You know, we were on our way and this guy met us and he told us this." And the king said, "What did he look like?" Said, "He was a hairy guy." He goes, "That's Elijah the Tishbite." So he sent fifty men down to take Elijah. And Elijah saw them, called fire down from heaven and destroyed them all. Another fifty were dispatched from the king, and Elijah saw them coming and wiped them out. The third party begged him kindly, "Please, please come nicely with us to the king. He would just really love to see you. Do not call fire down from heaven." So that was all about that Beelzebub guy worshiping down in Ekron. Now, "Beelzebub" is kind of a linguistic transformation of the original word. The original word is "Baal-Zebub," B-A-A-L.

You've seen that in the Old Testament, right, how they worship Baal or Ba'al? Now, that term "Baal" or "Ba'al," "Baal-Zebub," was an Ugaritic term, which was an ancient Semitic language. And Baal or Ba'al is the general word for "god" in that part of the world. And then what follows, "Zebub," or other following other words, demonstrate whatever or dictate whatever domain he's in charge of. So, the Lord of this, or the Lord of that. So there was Baal-Zebul, which is the master over the heavenly realms. There was Baal- or Beelzebub, which is the lord of or the master of the flies. Why would anybody want to worship the master of flies, the lord of flies? "You know, go talk to the fly god to see if I'm going to get better." Are you nuts? I'm coming with flypaper, [laughter] bind that fly god. I hate flies.

And I completely lost what I was going say, so . . . . [laughter] I'm thinking of flies and flypaper. [laughter] So, now by the New Testament era the term Beelzebub or Baal-Zebub has simply become a notorious name and given to another realm, Satan, demonic realm. It's just a common term that people would use to speak of, of Satan, of the Devil. So they're using that term. "And so they said, 'He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons,' "or he's in control of casting demons out by Satan himself. "Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven. So he, knowing their thoughts"---notice that Jesus knows their thoughts. They didn't have to say anything. ---"said to them"---and notice how logical. Perfect logic. Jesus is both logical and theological at the same time. Perfect logic poised to them.

" 'Every kingdom,' he said, 'divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.' " So you see his logic: "If I am controlled by the Devil, and I am disarming the Devil's control in people's life, it's a civil war going on in his kingdom. I'm disintegrating his kingdom. If I'm using his power to undermine him, the house can't stand. So, what you're saying is stupid. It's illogical. Why would Satan try to undermine himself?" And then he strikes the decisive blow. Verse 20, " 'But if I cast out demons' "---verse 19, " 'If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?' " your disciples, those among the Jewish ranks who claimed also exorcised demons.

" 'Therefore they will be your judges.' " "You see, you are willing to say that your disciples, your Jewish disciples, your sons, are able to cast out demons, and you are willing to say that when I cast out demons it's by the power of the Devil. It's the same result, but you're saying it's from two different sources. That doesn't make any sense at all." Pure, perfect logic. Now, you ought to know that in that day, in that age, there were itinerant Jewish exorcists, and we come to a group of them in Acts, chapter 19. Remember the story in Ephesus? It says there were itinerant Jewish exorcists who called upon the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches to cast demons out. They were not followers of Christ. They were not believers. But they had heard that the name of Jesus is powerful, so they said, "Let's try it."

So there were these seven guys called the seven sons of Sceva who in Ephesus found a guy who was demon possessed. And they came up to him and go, "We exorcise you [or adjure you] in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches to come out of him." And the demon spoke through the man, and said, "Well, we know Paul, and we know Jesus, but we don't know who you are." And they leaped on the seven sons. One demon-possessed guy whaled on seven dudes, beat them up, and they fled from the house naked and wounded. So they were itinerant exorcists who were in the area, around. They had been around for a long time, and that's just one incident of that. But then Jesus says in verse 20, " 'But if I cast out demons with the finger of God," or by the power of God, by the Spirit of God, " 'surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.' "

"What you're saying is illogical, but if, on the other hand, this truly is the power, the finger of God, then the kingdom of God is in your midst. The King is here among you." The prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be filled with the Spirit, the seven-fold manifestation of the Spirit, Isaiah, chapter 11. And part of it is, the description is "the Spirit of might" or the Spirit of power. So what he was doing by saying "the finger of God," and "the kingdom of God come upon you," it was a messianic claim. Jesus continues, " 'When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.' "

The strong man is Satan. That's the context that we're reading. The stronger man is Jesus. Please never forget that. Instead of getting spooked that "The devils did this, and last night I saw this and then I heard this, and I'm freaked out"---Jesus is living inside of you, even if the Devil shows up. The Devil showed up, Martin Luther said, in front of him several times. And there's even the story where he threw his inkwell across the room and it stained the wall of the room in which he was staying. But after a while, Luther said, "I got so used to it," that one night he woke up and he, the Devil, supposedly appeared to him, and he just said, "Oh, it's just you," turned over and went to sleep. "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." He's a strong man, but Jesus is the stronger man. [applause] That's the point of this.

" 'When a stronger than he comes in"---and the other Gospels say, "binds the strong man"---" 'and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.' " Jesus came to undo the works of the Devil. The binding of the strong man by the stronger man Jesus will come in stages. It's partly done, but there's more to go. When Jesus came to this earth, he was born, he came to this earth, he had a three-year ministry. He started binding the strong man at that point, casting demons out of people that had inhabited them. Several accounts of that. There's six accounts in the Gospels of Jesus casting demons out of people. So that's when the binding began. Then on the cross, the death of Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ guaranteed the binding of Jesus.

For Paul, in Colossians, chapter 2, said that Jesus made a spectacle out of these spirits, the demon world, made a spectacle, triumphing over them in his death at the cross. So he guaranteed his future binding, his future dismantling of his kingdom. That's the second stage. The third stage will come in the millennial kingdom, the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth when in Revelation 20 it says that Satan is bound for a thousand years. He is kept in the Abyss. And then afterwards he will be let go, but he will be cast eventually into the lake of fire. That will be the final and ultimate binding of Satan. So Satan is, in a sense, bound now. And I know what you're saying, "Boy, if he's bound now, he's got an awfully long chain."

And I would agree with you, because it would seem like Satan is inspiring atrocities around this earth that can only be accounted for by attributing them to a work of the Devil. When you cut people's heads off in the name of God that can only be done, I believe, by a satanic deception. So, Satan is bound, but boy does he have a long chain, and sometimes I wish it were much shorter. I've told the Lord this, but he knows what he's doing. He is guaranteed his future incarceration and destruction. " 'When an unclean spirit' "---just looking at how much time we have as we go through it. You know me, I plan to go through one and two chapters, but good luck.

"'When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, "I will return to my house from which I came." And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and he takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.' " This means one of two things. Number one, Jesus is describing what actually happens when a demon-possessed man is delivered from a demon. So that here's a man, his body is the house, and he's been housing the demon who's living in there. He's, like, the host of the demon. The demon is expelled. Now that person is very vulnerable.

And if that person does not ask the Lord to invade that house, to come in and take control, that person is going to end up worse than he was before. That demon is going to come back with his buddies, because they know of a great place to hang out and live. And that deception, that incarceration, that intoxication gets worse and worse and worse. That's one possibility. The other possibility, some believe that Jesus was using this metaphorically to speak of the nation of Israel. That Israel in the Old Testament had been incarcerated, so to speak, by the Devil and were idol worshipers, but they were taken into captivity for seventy years in Babylon. When they came back to Jerusalem to rebuild after the seventy years, virtually cured them of idolatry. They never lapsed into that kind of idolatry ever again.

But then John the Baptist came on the scene announcing the kingdom of God and a baptism of remission and repentance, pointing to Jesus. But many of those in the nation of Israel refused to invite Christ as their Messiah, refused to let him into the house. So, Jesus came knocking on the door of the house of Israel, but they would have nothing to do with him. So in the future, the deception that will take place in that land will be much worse. And all you have to do is look in the book of Revelation or read the Sermon on the Mount of Olives, Matthew 24, and we have described a man who will come upon the earth. He goes by fifty names. We usually call him the Antichrist. He deceives the entire world, but he deceives especially the people of Israel.

And they enter into a covenant, and he breaks the covenant. And that is called the worst of worst, the abomination that causes desolation, because it takes place in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. And that could be metaphorically what Jesus is saying. Because do you recall our Lord once said, "I come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; another will come in his own name, him you will receive." Sorry, the catalog gets a little slow. [laughter] "I come in my Father's name. You didn't receive me. I knocked on the door of the house of Israel. You wouldn't let me in. John the Baptist proclaimed it, but all you did is settle for social reform, not spiritual birth." And if you try to change your life just by a set of social reforms without inviting Jesus Christ inside where there's spiritual regeneration, there's no power.

"And it happened, as he spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said"---now listen to this. It sounds like somebody shouting it out in a praise and worship service. And there's somebody there listening, and the crowd's listening, and one person there hears it and shouts this out: " 'Blessed is the womb that bore you; and the breasts that nursed you!' " Who's this person speaking of? Mary, the Virgin Mary. This is one of the first instances of Mary worship, somebody trying to say, "Blessed is she . . . ." And she was blessed. Please, I am not detracting from her. Mary was the most blessed woman on the earth. She birthed the Messiah. And, by the way, you who grew up with a prayer like I did, the Hail Mary, the first part of it is right out of the Bible. Second part, however, is not.

The first part is biblical. It's right out of the Gospels. "Blessed art thou among woman. Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus." She was blessed above all other women. The second part, however, is where it goes bad. "Holy Mary, Mother of God. Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen." So here's a person shouting out to worship Mary, and notice Jesus' response. Jesus didn't say, "Yes, that's right. Amen. You better remember that." Jesus said, "He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' " Do you hear what he was saying? He's saying this: even Mary his own earthly mother is more blessed for believing in Jesus than for being the mother of Jesus. "Those who hear the word of God and keep it!" and believe it. Amazing.

You're blessed tonight because you're hearing the Word of God and by God's grace you will keep it. "And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, he began to say"---before we get into what he's going to begin to say, we're going to look at that next time and see what else he has to say. Until then, let's not pout, let's pray. Father, thank you for just the sheer joy of sitting in your presence with brothers and sisters in this living room, in this simple house, a house that has been filled with praise. Our hearts were tenderized and invigorated by the songs that we participated in. And then to hear truth, the words of Jesus himself, and apply them to us, to see how they were applied then and what they could mean now. Because of that, Lord, we have faith and our faith is increased.

"For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Thank you, Lord, for hungry hearts who make sure that their week has within it a night of studying the word of truth. Lord, would you bless them, because you said in your Word you are a rewarder of those who diligently seek you. Thank you that you are our Father and that in heaven you see everything and you know it all, that you created all that we see, so there's nothing too hard for you. We pray, Lord, that your kingdom would be set up in our hearts and our lives, that your will would be done wherever we go, whatever we're a part of, for your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.

Closing: If you've missed any of our Expound studies, all of our services and resources are available at expoundabq.org.

Additional Messages in this Series

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6/25/2014
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Luke 1:1-25
Luke 1:1-25
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Luke gave a methodical account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that painted just one perspective of the full portrait of Christ. In this study, we recount the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments and see how God closed the Old Testament with both a promise and a curse. In a natural segue, Luke picked up on that promise with the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and we see how God turned the curse into grace when Jesus entered the picture.
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7/9/2014
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Luke 1:26-80
Luke 1:26-80
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Two thousand years ago, an angel announced to the young virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. Her response of faith and song of praise demonstrated a deep love for the Lord. As we close out the first chapter of Luke, we are also introduced to the man who would announce Jesus the Messiah, and we are exhorted to reevaluate our own concept of greatness in light of God's view.
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7/16/2014
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Luke 2
Luke 2
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As we study the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, we learn about the events surrounding this special occasion, including the days leading up to Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem, the angel's proclamation to the shepherds, and blessings from two people present at Jesus' dedication in the temple. Through these events recorded in Luke's gospel, we are reminded about God's sovereignty, Jesus' humility, and our salvation.
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7/30/2014
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Luke 3
Luke 3
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In Luke 3, we are introduced to John, the forerunner of Jesus. Although John seemed to be an unusual man and shocked many people by what he said and did, his dedication to follow the Lord is what made his life count. Jesus even said that there hasn't been anyone greater than John. As we get a glimpse into his life and character, we are directed to the message he wished to proclaim: Jesus Christ the Messiah.
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8/6/2014
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The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Luke 3:23-38
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When studying the Scriptures, genealogies can often be overlooked, mistakenly seen as an unimportant list of names. But as we consider the genealogy of Christ found in Luke 3, we find that the lineage of Mary, Jesus' mother, shows us four important things about Christ and solves one of the biggest problems of the Old Testament.
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8/13/2014
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Luke 4:1-29
Luke 4:1-29
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After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and filled with the Holy Spirit, He was led into the wilderness, where He experienced a season of oppression and conflict. In this study, we see the tempting offers the Devil extended to Jesus and how Jesus handled them, and we learn how to overcome our own temptations.
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9/3/2014
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Luke 4:16-5:26
Luke 4:16-5:26
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As we wrap up Luke 4 and begin our study in Luke 5, we continue to explore the public ministry of Jesus, examining aspects of His character as the promised Messiah, our compassionate healer, our great teacher, and the Son of Man who forgives sins. In this passage of Scripture, we learn what it means to serve the Lord and follow Him with uncompromised obedience.
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9/10/2014
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Luke 5:27-6:19
Luke 5:27-6:19
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God uses a variety of people to build His kingdom; in fact, the men Jesus chose as His disciples might even go on a list of "Most Unlikely to Succeed." In this study, we see how Jesus' interactions with His disciples, the Pharisees, and the multitudes were infused with a deep compassion. We are also reminded that God chooses to use the foolish things of the world, and we can take comfort knowing that He sees us for who we will become.
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9/17/2014
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Luke 6:17-7:23
Luke 6:17-7:23
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Jesus' public ministry of preaching to the multitudes and performing miracles went against the flow of the world—especially since He reached out to the downtrodden with love and grace. As we continue our study through Luke 6-7, we examine a different take on the Beatitudes, observe an extraordinary encounter with a Roman centurion that even left Jesus amazed, and learn what it means to live with Jesus as our Lord.
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9/24/2014
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Luke 7:19-8:3
Luke 7:19-8:3
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As we finish our study of Luke 7, John the Baptist comes back into the picture, this time imprisoned and doubting who Jesus is. But Jesus comforted John through the message He sent, and we consider why Jesus called this final Old Testament prophet great. Then, in a passage of Scripture found only in Luke's gospel, we observe the great mercy Jesus extended to the outcasts of society He often spent time with—in this case, women.
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10/1/2014
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Luke 8:1-39
Luke 8:1-39
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Jesus displayed a great measure of compassion throughout His ministry on earth, whether He was performing miraculous works or revealing deep spiritual truths. In this study of Luke 8, we consider Jesus' power to save and heal us, and we learn from His actions and parables about what it means to grow spiritually and place our faith in Him.
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10/8/2014
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Luke 8:40-9:17
Luke 8:40-9:17
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The miracles Jesus performed show that He is sovereign, compassionate, and powerful. Throughout His ministry on earth, a number of people approached Him by faith to ask for healing. As we study Luke 8-9, we see how Jesus met these people where they were and how He challenged His own disciples to trust in God's provision. We are reminded that God cares deeply for us and that He will use us in big ways if we offer Him what we have.
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10/29/2014
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Luke 9:18-62
Luke 9:18-62
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Over the centuries, countless groups and individuals have made claims about the person of Jesus Christ, but that's not enough to know who He really is. Luke presents an accurate picture as he records both Jesus' claims about Himself and what those nearest said about Him. As we continue our study in Luke 9, we consider two different ways to approach life, how to navigate mountaintop and valley experiences, and how worship and evangelism should naturally weave together in our lives.
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11/5/2014
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Luke 10
Luke 10
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The service we give to the Lord is important, but it's equally important to sit before Him in adoration. In Luke 10, we read that Jesus sent out a group of His followers to share His message of peace, told the parable of the good Samaritan, and encountered sisters Mary and Martha. As we study these stories, we are reminded to keep our focus on Christ.
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1/7/2015
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Luke 11:29-12:21
Luke 11:29-12:21
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As the antagonism toward Jesus began to grow, the focus of Luke's gospel transitions from the works of Jesus to the words of Jesus. In this study, we see that the Pharisees were unwilling to accept Jesus, focusing only on outward acts. We are cautioned to watch out for hypocrisy in our lives and focus on our relationship with God rather than material satisfaction.
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1/14/2015
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Luke 12:22-13:9
Luke 12:22-13:9
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As Jesus began His private ministry to His disciples, He explained what the attitude of His followers should be. In this study, we are reminded that we can rest in God's care because of our new relationship with Him, even when we're tempted to worry. We are also challenged to let our faith become action by living differently than the world and working to bring others into God's kingdom while we still can.
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1/28/2015
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Luke 13:10-14:24
Luke 13:10-14:24
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Jesus often searched out those who were overlooked by society. He wanted to heal them and love them so He could showcase His work in them to the world. Unfortunately, His acts of love weren't always accepted. In this study, we see the response of His religious adversaries who strictly adhered to the Law of the Old Testament. We also learn that tradition can cause us to miss the most important thing: a relationship with the Lord.
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2/4/2015
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Luke 14:15-15:32
Luke 14:15-15:32
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Jesus was a master storyteller, and He shared stories that shed light on some important truths. In this study, we examine five different parables of Jesus about things that had been lost. We learn what our highest priority should be, what it really means to be a disciple, and what the Lord is all about—rescuing those who were once lost and redeeming them for His glory.
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2/11/2015
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Luke 16:1-18
Luke 16:1-18
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After Jesus addressed several religious leaders in Luke 15, He turned His attention to the disciples to teach about stewardship. Jesus essentially asked them what they were investing their lives in—the temporal or the eternal? In this study, we learn that we must answer this same question and that our response will reveal who we truly serve.
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2/18/2015
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Luke 16:19-17:37
Luke 16:19-17:37
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As Jesus continued to talk to His disciples and the nearby Pharisees, He told them stories about the kingdom of heaven and warned those listening about their eternal fate. He also shared four basic things expected of those who follow Him. In this message, we're challenged to forgive freely, serve faithfully, live thankfully, and be prepared for Jesus' second coming.
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3/11/2015
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Luke 18
Luke 18
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In Luke 18, Jesus continued to share parables with those He encountered, explaining that humility and persistence in prayer are pleasing to the Lord. We also see Him tenderly bless children and call out a rich young ruler's obsession with wealth before we wrap up the chapter by looking at the faith of a blind man Jesus healed.
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3/25/2015
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Luke 19
Luke 19
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In Luke 19, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as the Messiah and the Passover Lamb, beginning the grand finale of His life: death on the cross. As we look at the story of Zacchaeus, we learn that all of us are short in stature, spiritually speaking. We're also challenged to faithfully serve the Lord, and we study one of the Bible's most intricate prophecies about the end times.
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4/1/2015
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Luke 20
Luke 20
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Luke 20 is all about confrontation: in the middle of the crowded temple court, Jesus addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees' pointed questions with sharp wisdom and divine discernment. Mere days before His crucifixion, we also see Jesus expose the sin of His chosen people and discuss the topics of baptism, taxes, and the resurrection of the dead.
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4/8/2015
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Luke 21
Luke 21
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As Jesus continued to teach in the temple just days before His death, He noted the generosity of a poor widow and then launched into the Olivet Discourse, in which He gave an overview of what the end times will look like. This chapter of Luke is extremely relevant for believers today as we watch and wait for Jesus to come back and establish His kingdom on earth.
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4/15/2015
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Luke 22:1-46
Luke 22:1-46
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In Luke 22, Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Passover, which was—and is—of monumental importance to the Jewish nation. As we get into the details of the Passover meal itself, we examine how Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross would soon transform the meal's meaning, and we are reminded of the coming kingdom and Jesus' love for all people.
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4/22/2015
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Luke 22:39-23:1
Luke 22:39-23:1
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Human life—including human failure—began in the garden of Eden, but new life began in the garden of Gethsemane. In the second half of Luke 22, we see how Jesus fought the battle for our eternal fate, and we learn about Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial, both of which demonstrate God's sovereignty and control.
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4/29/2015
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Luke 23
Luke 23
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Luke 23 details the sentencing, beating, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. In our study of this chapter, we explore the significance of where Jesus was crucified and ponder the great truth that the cross had to come before the empty tomb.
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5/6/2015
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Luke 24
Luke 24
Skip Heitzig
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Message Summary
As we wrap up our study in the book of Luke, we zero in on the event that sets Christianity apart from every other religion: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this message, we dive into the details surrounding the resurrection, including the women's visit to the tomb, the disciples' conversation on the road to Emmaus, and Jesus' ascension.
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There are 28 additional messages in this series.
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