Bermondsey Vicar: October 2022

Monday 17 October 2022

Sunday catch up for 16th October

Conflict in the kingdom Luke 11.14-23

Jesus’s miracles were controversial

No-one doubted they had occurred.

Even our Lord’s most determined opponents never suggested that they hadn’t taken place. Even Jesus’s greatest enemies never questioned his power to perform miracles. What they questioned was the power that Jesus used and the authority he claimed. That’s where the controversy lay

In verse 14 Luke tells us very briefly and clearly what Jesus has just done: ¹⁴Jesus was driving out a demon that could not talk; and when the demon went out, the man began to talk. The crowds were amazed

And then he devotes the rest of the passage to describe the aftermath of that miracle, and the controversy that resulted: ¹⁵but some of the people said, “It is Beelzebul, the chief of the demons, who gives him the power to drive them out.”¹⁶Others wanted to trap Jesus, so they asked him to perform a miracle to show that God approved of him.

Some of the crowd rejected Jesus outright and accused him of performing his miracles by demonic power. They thought he was in cahoots with the Devil

Whilst others, wanting to trap Jesus, asked him to perform another miracle and prove that God was with him

But, Luke tells us, verse 17, that knew what they were thinking and he answers the charge of demon possession head on: . ¹⁷….., so he said to them, “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long; a family divided against itself falls apart. ¹⁸So if Satan's kingdom has groups fighting each other, how can it last? You say that I drive out demons because Beelzebul gives me the power to do so.

No Government declares war on itself; no army sends troops into battle against its own forces. If Jesus really was working for Satan, he would hardly be in the business of publicly opposing Satan – it would be utterly counter productive

The suggestion that Jesus is driving out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons is bonkers. It makes absolutely no sense.

The truth is obvious. Jesus says: it is rather by means of God's power that I drive out demons, and this proves that the Kingdom of God has already come to you.

The real point about Jesus miracles is that they are a sign of the coming of the kingdom of God. God’s rule is breaking into the world. The king and ruler of the kingdom is present on earth. And he shows his rule by walking on water, by healing the sick, by feeding the 5,000, by casting out demons

The casting out of evil spirits is crucial because God’s kingdom is in a cosmic conflict with the kingdom of Satan. The final shattering defeat of Satan will occur on the cross. But for the time being advance notice of defeat is given to Satan as Jesus shows his power is greater than the devil’s.

The dumb man speaks, as Jesus casts out the demons that have kept him in bondage, and Jesus shows that one stronger and more powerful than the devil has come

That is the point of the parable Jesus tells in verse 21: “When a strong man, with all his weapons ready, guards his own house, all his belongings are safe. ²²But when a stronger man attacks him and defeats him, he carries away all the weapons the owner was depending on and divides up what he stole.

Now says, Jesus, someone stronger than the Devil is here, and the dumb man speaking, who I have set free from demons, is the proof of that. God’s kingdom has come and is making in roads into Satan’s evil empire

It is important that the lesson of this passage is grasped: that God’s power is greater than Satan’s. This is the error of dualism: the belief that there are two equal and opposite forces battling it out: God and the Devil or Good versus Evil.

Instead the Bible proclaims the Victory of Cross Col 2.14-15: he cancelled the unfavourable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵And on that cross Christ freed himself from the power of the spiritual rulers and authorities;^[a] he made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in his victory procession.

Christ has won the victory and has defeated the devil.

So far, so good, but now the challenge: WHO’S SIDE ARE YOU ON?

With his questioners still present Jesus issues a challenge: ²³“Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.

There are no Switzerlands (no neutral states) in the spiritual realm, you can’t be neutral, you can’t sit on the fence, you can’t be a don’t know, or a not sure. Either you are with Jesus, on his side, part of his kingdom. Or you are on the side of those who oppose God’s kingdom. There is no in between in the cosmic battle between God and evil between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan

The best defence against evil is to sign up in Jesus army and receive His Spirit into your life, because otherwise you will be prey to the devil and his evil devices

Saturday 15 October 2022

Community Harvest Festival

Watch our Bermondsey Community Harvest Festival online.

Featuring Lynton Road allotments, The Fish Stall @ The Blue, Greens Florist on Jamaica Road, Maltby&Greek at Spa Terminus, Khadie Fresh on Lindsey Street, children from St James' Primary School, The Manna Society and Manna Day Centre near London Bridge and more...