For Or Against

 

 

 Luke 11: 14-23

Jesus and Beelzebul

¹⁴ Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

²³ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

It seems that Jesus was criticized at every  turn. Today it's the power of Beelzebul, not the power of God he's accused of using as he cures the mute. He uses the occasion to clarify his own status and mission, and  calls us  to accept him as God's emissary.  May our eyes and hearts be opened more as we plunge further into Lent to see and know Jesus better than we have an become his emissaries who stand strongly with him.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, may my actions and choices stand clearly WITH you as  your faithful witness and help others to benefit from my example.