Luke 11:1-26, The Finger of God

Jesus is teaching as he travels through Galilee and on south towards Jerusalem.

Luke 11: 1-4, The Lord’s prayer
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 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. '"

When asked to teach on prayer, Jesus's response is very simple.  It is so simple that many churches recite this prayer every Sunday.  What does it mean to pray through these five short phrases/principles?

The fourth line, the one about forgiveness, assumes that we all need forgiveness and that we are also active in forgiving others. It makes no requirements but assumes a certain culture in this kingdom.

Luke 11: 5-13, God’s eagerness to answer prayer
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

In teaching about prayer, Jesus emphasizes a simple, raw boldness of going directly to God and expecting God to hear and respond!

Note the implicit poverty in the story.

Luke 11 : 14-20, The finger of God
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.

But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."

Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Why are some so opposed to Jesus healing a mute man?  (This opposition will only intensify.)

Implied by this passage is that others have been able to drive out demons.  But Jesus claims that his demonstrations (using "the finger of God" -- what an interesting term!) proves that it is indeed God who is at work and it is God's kingdom which is coming.

Luke 11 : 14-21, Opposition
"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

These short proverbs serve as warnings to those who are now watching Jesus, those around him who get to see the "finger of God" at work. This audience has a responsibility to react to this coming kingdom.  They cannot just sit back and enjoy short term benefits (healings, food) while this new kingdom approaches.