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Light vs. Darkness Luke 11:29-36

Luke 11:29-36 - A Puzzle 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

Luke 11:29-36 - A Puzzle 33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” Squirrel, squirrel - doesn’t make sense Waffle Brain - want logical answers, read about 40 times, prayed a lot Then I began to see this passage as a puzzle, when put together, brings out a beautiful image of God. Let me try to explain what I see.

How do we begin to make sense of what Jesus is saying? Luke 11:2-4: He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Let scripture interpret scripture. Recite together.

Why is part of the Lord’s prayer cut out? Luke 11:2-4 = A thesis, main idea, with a preview of his sermon. “‘Father, Hallowed be your name, [vs. 5-13] Your kingdom come. [vs. 14-26] Give us each day our daily bread. [vs. 5-13, 27-28] Forgive us our sins, [vs. 29-36] For we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” [vs. 37-54] Begins to make more sense. Father answered the prayer with Jesus. Jesus is enough. Prayer establishes Jesus’ main points. May have been cut out be Luke or by Jesus.

Luke 11:29-30 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

Why were the crowds increasing? 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Why were the crowds increasing? Why does Jesus call their generation evil? Weren’t they following Him? What is evil / wickedness? People are curious. Casting out demons, telling stories, we are attracted to spirituality and mystery. Jesus was all this. Maybe they were hoping that Jesus would be their political savior and take notice of them. That they would get on Jesus’ good side and be able to overthrow the Romans. Jesus wasn’t the normal political leader. To call the generation around him wicked or evil was not going to win him popularity with his contemporaries. Essentially, Jesus had a clear view of God the Father and knew his Holiness, His perfection, His standard. He answered to a higher calling than people. If we are focused on God and His kingdom, at times we may offend people, but as people we need to let those things go and focus on why we are here. Jesus knew the people’s hearts.

Romans 3:10-12, 22-23 10 There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; 11 there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. . . 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This is why Jesus calls the generation of people wicked. People who have not accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah and their Saviour and had their sins blotted out and washed clean by Him, also fall under this title. Those who know Jesus as Lord are considered righteous--not by our own doing, but only because of Jesus Christ and His atonement for us on the Cross.

In Chosen by God, R.C. Sproul explains this, “Here we find a brief summation of the universality of human corruption. Sin is so pervasive that it captures everyone in its net. Paul uses words of emphasis to show that there are no exceptions to this indictment among fallen men. There is none righteous; there is none who does good. “The statement ‘There is none who does good, no, not one,’ flies in the face of our cultural assumptions. We grow up hearing that nobody is perfect and that to err is human. We are quite willing to acknowledge that none of us is perfect. That we are sinners is easy to admit; that none of us even does good is a bit much. Not one person in a thousand will admit that sin is this serious. “No one does good? How can that be? Every day we see rank pagans doing some good. We see them performing heroic acts of sacrifice, works of industry, prudence, and honesty. We see unbelievers scrupulously obeying the speed limits while cars whiz by them bearing bumper stickers that read, “Honk if you love Jesus.” Paul must be using hyperbole here. He must be intentionally exaggerating in order to make a point. Surely there are people who do good. No! The sober judgement of God is that no one does good, no, not one. We stumble here because we have a relative understanding of what good is. Good is, indeed a relative term. Something can only be judged good according to some sort of standard. We use the term as a comparison among men. When we say that a man is good, we mean that he is good compared with other men. But the ultimate standard for goodness, the standard by which we shall all be judged, is the law of God. That law is not God, but it comes from God and reflects the perfect character of God himself. Judged against that standard, no one is good.

“In biblical categories a good deed is measured in two parts “In biblical categories a good deed is measured in two parts. The first is in its outward conformity to the law of God. This means that, if God prohibits stealing, then it is good not to steal. It is good to tell the truth. It is good to pay our bills on time. It i good to assist people in need. Outwardly these virtues are performed every day. When we see them we quickly conclude that men in fact do good things. “It is the second part of the measuring that gets us in trouble. Before God pronounces a deed “good” he considers not only the outward or external conformity to His law, but also the motivation. We look only at outward appearances; God reads the heart. For a work to be considered good, it must not only conform outwardly to the law of God, but it must be motivated inwardly by a sincere love for God. “We remember the Great Commandment to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our strength, and all our minds . . . and love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. Every deed that we do should proceed from a heart that loves God totally. “From this perspective it is easy to see that no one does good. Our best works are tainted by our less than pure motives. No one among us has ever loved God with all of his heart or with all of his mind. There is a pound of flesh mixed in with all our deeds, rendering them less than perfect.”

2. Why does Jesus call their generation wicked and evil? 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 2. Why does Jesus call their generation wicked and evil? 3. What is evil / wickedness? Evil= “hurtful, degeneracy from original virtue, calamitous, diseased” Pride = Refusing to believe truth, twisting the truth, hiding the truth Punishing others for my own insecurities Taking joy in watching others suffer Returning to wrong to please self even if I know it hurts others and goes against God’s commands Refusing to submit to the Spirit of God or authority Refusing to accept & love people unless they change Refusing to obey, be humble, repent Pretending to be someone other than whom God created me to be Taking credit for self and taking glory from God Not being willing to trust others 3. Evil and wickedness is really not making the mark or meeting God’s standard. Essentially, it is operating with the wrong motives--those of selfishness and pride.

4. Why were they seeking a miraculous sign? 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 4. Why were they seeking a miraculous sign? 5. What is “the sign of Jonah”? 4. They were probably wanting a sign because they were following Him for the wrong motive and with selfish intentions. People, especially unbelievers, seek after only the benefits that only God can give them rather than seeking after God himself. Once people are made alive by Christ and raised from being spiritually dead, then they begin the journey of seeking God and His kingdom.

5. What is the sign of Jonah? Jonah was sent by God to point out the wickedness and impending doom of the city of Ninevah, with a population over 120,000. Jonah refused to go, was thrown overboard a ship, swallowed by a large fish. From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord. He went to Ninevah and preached. “The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. . . . When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened” (Jonah 3:5, 10). Jonah wanted to see the calamity strike the city and gets more upset over a plant that was shading him dying than that God saved 120,000 people from destruction. Jonah then became angry with God for not destroying the city. Jonah’s story, is a sign of the danger of pride and the grace that comes from repentance --turning from evil and obeying God.

Luke 11:29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.” 5. What is the sign of Jonah? The sign of Jonah was a call to repentance, to turn from their evil ways. Confession = admitting fault and wrongdoing Repentance = reconsidering, thinking differently afterwards asking forgiveness of sins, turning from evil, selfish, proud ways obeying God Pent - trap it all up inside. Repent - Let it all go. Release it all to God.

Luke 11:31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.” 6. Who is the Queen of the South? I Kings 10: 1-10

6. Who is the Queen of the South? I Kings 10: 1-10 1“When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan--with camels, carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones--she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.” 6 “She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy you people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” 10 And she gave the king 120 talents of (4 ½ tons) of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.” How often do you let the King of Glory take your breath away with His majesty? Do you truly love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength? 6. The Queen of Sheba honored Solomon. Jesus is painting a picture of the grandeur of God’s kingdom. She is a model for us to replicate. When was the last time you let the King of Glory take your breath away with His majesty? When was the last time you were willing to travel a great distance to worship and honor the King of Glory and majesty with your most valuable possessions? When was the last time you loved the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength? When was the last time you sat at the feet of Jesus and and cried, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, worthy is the Lamb who was slain? Highest praises, honor and glory be unto your name, be unto your name.

7. What is the “something greater than Solomon” and Jonah? Luke 11:29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.” 7. What is the “something greater than Solomon” and Jonah? Jesus is announcing that the kingdom of God has come to earth through Jesus. People need to repent because they are in the presence of the King of the Universe. People need to let their pride and wickedness go and focus on honoring the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 7. Have I grasped that Jesus is “something greater” than what the earth has ever seen? He is greater than me and only because of wicked pride do I think that I am good. Father, forgive me of my sins. Teach me what it means to treat your name as holy and to seek your kingdom of righteousness. Teach me what it means to worship you.

Luke 11:29-36 - A Confusing Puzzle? Rather, a portrait of truth and a glimpse of the Kingdom of God! 33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” Squirrel, squirrel - doesn’t make sense? It makes perfect sense now. Jn 3:19-20 What are am I looking at? What am I focusing on? If I focus on myself, the darkness of pride will cloud my life. On the other hand, through repentance, and focusing on Jesus, my eyes will be healthy and full of light. Is His light radiating brightly and joyously from me, from you? Do others see the light in me, in you, in our church? Are we the light on the hill?

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” -John the Baptist (John 3:30) “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -Jesus (John 8:12)

Contemplate the Light Remember the Light

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