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Day 151

Luke 11:14-36 "JUDGMENT THAT COULD BE AVERTED"

Day 151 – Luke 11

Text: Luke 11:14-36

JUDGMENT THAT COULD BE AVERTED

The Lord Jesus Christ had to speak urgently to the multitude on the subject of Judgment. There was no mistaking the gravity of the tone of voice as Jesus addressed the multitude.

Jesus had very definite ideas as to the subject of Judgment. Let’s go over some of the things He highlighted to them:-

1. Judgment was a certainty that could not be ignored!

2. Judgment would lead to condemnation unless there was repentance!

3. Judgment could be averted if only the multitude recognized Jesus for who He was! He came as Saviour. However, He could end up being their Judge should He be rejected thoughtlessly.

THE LAMP THAT JESUS LIT

Jesus explained to the multitude how they could understand Him. They must not try and find fault with Him. They must not come up with all sorts of theories as to who He was. Whatever they imagined Him to be, they must be sure of this truth – that He was not in league with the demons!

How then could they understand Him? He was simply like a person who had a lamp. When a person had a lamp, he does not put it in a secret place, or under a basket! That would defeat the whole purpose of having a lamp.

When a person has a lamp, he will put it on the lampstand. Those who come in would be able to see the light! If they wanted to investigate and evaluate who Jesus was, they should evaluate Him on the basis of the teachings that He gave to the multitudes.

His teachings may indeed be compared to the light that a lamp would give. His teachings gave light to the pathway of life (Psalm 119:105). There was nothing sinister in the teachings of Jesus to suggest evil!

The teachings of Jesus were wonderfully clear and wonderful! How could the people not see the light from the lamp that Jesus had lit?

“THE LAMP OF THE BODY IS THE EYE…” Luke 11:34

Jesus then changed the use of the imagery of the lamp, and this time round, He spoke about how “the lamp of the body is the eye”. In this imagery, Jesus spoke about how one’s eye, that is, one’s perspective of life may well be compared with a lamp.

If one’s eye is good, that is if one’s perspective of life is positive and full of light, then one’s outlook of life will also be very clear and good. How people saw Jesus merely reflected who they were! If they were not able to see Jesus except in the worst possible light – that He was in league with the devil – then that might well reflect what they were! Their eye was bad, and consequently, their whole body is full of darkness. Jesus was not in league with the powers of darkness. The people who suggested that thought were people who were themselves walking in darkness. Their eye was bad, and they were “full of darkness” (Luke 11:34).

WHERE DARKNESS IS MISTAKEN FOR LIGHT

There was much darkness in the hearts of those who maligned Jesus! There was no question about that! The scribes of Jerusalem fancied themselves as skilled theologians. They were the last word as far as theological insight was concerned. They couldn’t be farther from the truth!

Their eye was bad. Their perspective was all wrong. They could not even objectively and accurately evaluate the teachings of Jesus! The so-called light that they had was actually darkness! Great was their darkness! They were spiritually blind!

“IF THEN YOUR WHOLE BODY IS FULL OF LIGHT…” Luke 11:36

Is it possible to have the right perspective of Jesus, and of life? The answer happily is in the affirmative. Jesus went on to make this powerful suggestion,

“If then your whole body is full of light,
having no part dark,
the whole body will be full of light,
as when the bright shining of a lamp
gives you light.”
Luke 11:36

Jesus urged the multitudes to move towards the goal of having “the body full of light”. When their perspective of life is correct, they would find that they are like a bright lamp giving brilliant light!

INSIGHT FROM THE APOSTLE PETER

The Apostle Peter also used the imagery of light in his writings. In his second general epistle he wrote,

“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,
which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns
and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
2 Peter 1:19

Peter spoke of the Scriptures, or “the prophetic word” as something most reliable and trustworthy. Each prophetic word was indeed a “word confirmed”.

If the prophetic word is heeded as a light that shines in the dark place, it would soon shed even more light. The picture painted here is dawn breaking. There is at first darkness before dawn. However that darkness yields to dawn. Soon dawn gives way to the light of a beautiful morning!

TAKE HEED TO THE SCRIPTURES

It is important that we take heed to the Scriptures! The Word of God will shed invaluable light. It will reveal to us who Jesus really is! If we keep seeking to know more about the Lord Jesus Christ, we will indeed see darkness turn to light!