The Bryce Crawford Podcast - Luke Series Chapter 11 (EP 65)

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

In this episode, Bryce breaks down Luke Chapter 11.

What's going on, guys. Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford podcast. I'm Bryce. And in today's episode, we're going on Luke 11. We're on day 11 of the 24-day Christmas challenge with Luke. We're every day we're reading a chapter of Luke. So by the time you get a Christmas Eve, you would have read the whole gospel of Luke. Before we get into it, guys, you know January 19th, we've got our first ever live podcast show here in Los Angeles. It's at 6 p.m. All ages are welcome. For some reason, the ticket websites is 21 and up, but all ages are welcome. So go get your tickets. Jesus in the street.org slash ticket. and get your tickets, come out to the live show. It's going to be awesome. But let's dive in to Luke chapter 11. This is going to be powerful. Now, we're going to see Jesus open this passage here with something we see in Matthew chapter 6, and that's the Lord's Prayer. It says when Jesus was praying in a certain place and when he had finished, one of his

disciples had said to him, Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples. So it says, look, he was praying. Then he ceased. When he ceased, the disciples go, hey, teach us to pray. teach us what to say, teach us how to do it, what do we do? And he's actually going to repeat a little bit of the Lord's prayer. Now you're going to watch, not all of it's going to be repeated, but some of it is, and I love this because Jesus is saying, look,

it's not about the exact magical words that you say a prayer in, but it's like these are things to pray for. Father, hallowed be your name. He's not a cosmic dictator. He's a father in heaven. Your kingdom come. God, bring your kingdom. We need your glory.

We need your ruling. We need your majesty. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins. Feed us spiritually God and forgive our sins. For we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Because we have been forgiven much, it enables us and empowers us to forgive other people. And lead us not into temptation.

That can relate to 1 Corinthians 1013. Powerful. Then he goes down and he says, which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, friend, lend me three loaves for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey and I had nothing to set before him. And he will answer from within, do not bother me. The door is now shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend,

yet because of his impudence, he will rise and give him what he needs. What is Jesus saying here? He's saying, pray for boldness. Give boldness. It was not a normal thing for someone to approach your house at midnight, especially because back in the time period they all slept in one room. And so that's why he's like, I'm not getting up. My children are asleep with me. I can't do that, but he's saying because of the man's boldness, he gave him when he didn't want to. So like boldness, pray for boldness.

This is when I tell you, ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find it. Knock and the door will be open to you. This is present tense. Continuing. Jesus says, don't stop asking, asking, seeking, and knocking. Be persistent with me. Be persistent with me. And it says it's the glory.

The proverb says it's the glory. glory of God to conceal things, but it's the honor of kings to search it out. And there's a power in just seeking Jesus continually, continually. For everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds and the one who knocks it will be open. What father among you if his son asks for a fish will instead of a fish, give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, we'll give him a scorpion. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children. If we as human beings know how to serve people well, love people well, and give good gifts. and we're inherently evil at heart.

How much more will the Heavenly Father, who's perfect, righteous, and just give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? He's like, I'm not going to give you something that's temporary. I'm going to give you the Holy Spirit, who's your helper, who is going to teach you things, bring you conviction. It's powerful.

He gives us God to dwell inside of us, the Holy Spirit. He's like, look, I'll give you this. And that's the promise. When Jesus is sin, he's like, I'm not going to leave you alone. It's better for me to leave. you get the Holy Spirit. And Jesus even says that we will do greater things than he did with the help of the Holy Spirit. So what does that mean?

Well, if Jesus Christ raised himself from the dead, then that means the sky's the limit with the Holy Spirit. We are taught things, brought conviction. It's powerful to do things in partnership with the Holy Spirit. Now, this next passage here, we're going to watch Jesus confront and cast out a demon. And we're going to talk about what this means. It says, now he was casting out a demon that was mute. Why is this important? Because at the time, Jews had their own exorcists that would cast out demons,

and these exorcists thought that in their time period, they had to get the demon to reveal its name in order for it to get casted out. So this demon's not talking. It's mute. So a modern-day Jewish exorcist couldn't do this, apparently, according to their doctrine. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke. So Jesus cast it out. And the people marveled.

But some of them said, casts out demons by Belzable, the Prince of Demons. That's just another word for Satan, because Satan is the ruler of the demons, while others to test him kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, every kingdom divided against itself, laid waste, sorry, every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. So he's saying, right now, do you think I really work for Satan? If I was working for Satan and I was casting a demon out of him, then there would be a civil war going on against Satan's kingdom,

which means it's falling. He's like, no, I don't work for him. And if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Belzable. And if I cast out demons by Belzable by Satan, by whom do your sons cast him out? So he's like, if you're accusing me of being and working with Satan

and casting out demons, workers of Satan, you're saying I'm working against Satan, but I work for Satan. Then all the exorcists in your time period, who they work for. If you accuse me, you accuse them. So you better watch what you say. Then he says, therefore, they will be your judges.

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. He's like, look, I've come to set people free and bring the kingdom of God into their life. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own place, his goods are safe. So he's saying, look, Satan's a strong man. I understand that.

Like some of these demons, like we read a few chapters before, there was a demon that the disciples couldn't cast out. So Satan's a strong man. But when one's stronger than he attacks him, Jesus, and overcomes him, Jesus, he takes away his armor in which he's trusted. Jesus dismantles Satan. He's done it on the cross, and there's power in his name.

so he dismantles Satan and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me and whoever does not gather with me, he's like, he's like, you're either with him or with me. He's like, I don't work for him and cast his demons out. It's impossible. He's like, I'm with God.

I am God and I cast out demons on the authority of myself. So he's like, look, I am God in the flesh. I am doing this. I am mightier than Satan. And this proved that he was God, and did something that even the modern day exorcists couldn't do because they, according to them,

they said, we had to get the demon to reveal their name for us to cast him out. And this demon was mute. It's powerful. And then he's going to mention something here about demons. He says, when the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest. It wanders through a dry and thirsty land looking for a home. And finding none, it says.

So he's talking about someone who has been set free of a demon, but has not replaced that and filled it with Jesus. They haven't filled their life with Jesus. And finding none, it says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Meaning, yeah, Jesus didn't fill in their life. They were set free and then nothing.

They just didn't choose Jesus. They didn't fill their life with Jesus. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits, more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first. He's saying most of the time, oftentimes, times when someone is set free of a demon and they don't fill their life with Jesus,

that they're often in worse shape than they were before because they didn't fill their life with Jesus and it returns with even more torment and even more power and strength. Verse 27, as he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, blessed is the womb that bore you in the breast at which you nursed referring to Jesus' family. Blessed is your family, his mother. And Jesus doesn't dishonor his mom here, but he says, says something interesting. He said, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it. He's like,

look, those that are in my family, read this a couple chapters ago, are those that hear my word and do it. And we know that in James it says, religion that is undefiled before the Lord is this, to visit widows and orphans in their reflection. He says, I'm tired of people talking to talk with their mouth. But you can really tell that someone

believes what they say when they walk it out in their actions. Now, our actions don't get us to heaven. Jesus is very clear that we're saved by grace through faith. it is his work on the cross that saves us. It's nothing we can do, but it's what he's done for us. But if we are moved by the love of Jesus, then our actions, thoughts, and words will look totally different.

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. Oftentimes people say, you know what, I'll believe in God if he strikes lightning down in front of me. But Jesus Christ came in the flesh. God himself took on flesh and was before people, and those people still didn't believe in it. But Jesus said, look, I gave you a sign, Jonah.

And then he explained this, it says, for as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the son of man be to this generation. Then he says, the queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with the men of his generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold something greater than Solomon is here, Jesus Christ. The men of Ninevea will rise up at the judgment with this generation,

and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold something greater than Jonah is here. Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, and then he came back out. Jesus Christ is dead for three days, then arises from the grave. He is the sign of Jonah. Not only that, but Nineveh, a wicked city,

repented at the preaching of Jonah. People because of the blood of Jesus Christ will repent and turn from their sin and turn to him. He's like, look, this has been prophesied. You can look at the life of Jonah and see that what, like, look at his life, and it compares to me. except on an eternal aspect here. Verse 33.

No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. If you've been deeply impacted by Jesus, it's practically impossible not to tell people about it. Impossible. Because you've experienced a love that is unlike anything on the planet. You've experienced a love that has set you free from yourself,

and you've experienced a love that has finally filled a hole in your heart. And he's saying, look, it's impossible to have the light inside of you and not tell people about me. Your eye is the lamp to your whole body. When your eyes healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. The eyes and ears are the windows to your soul. What you assume is what you become. What you consume is what you become. There was a time in my life where I became a Christian and God set me free in my depression,

but I felt my sadness creeping up on me. And I was like, why is this sadness here? God set me free. And then I realized the music I was listening to was sad. music. And it wasn't because I was sad. I just liked the instruments. I like the way it sounded. But I realized that what I consume affects me. What I watch, what I, what I hear, what I, it affects what I say and my action. So we have to be careful what we consume. Are we consuming the word of God or the opinion of man? Therefore be careful, less the light in you be darkness. What you think is good for you

could actually be harming you. If then your whole body's full of light, having no part of the dark, it will be holy bright as when a lamp with its rays gives you light. Saying, look, Jesus is in your life. If you're serving the Lord, he's going to become the light. Jesus is the light. The light lives inside of you. Then everywhere you go, you shine bright for Jesus. Now he's going to rebuke the Pharisees and the lawyers.

While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at the table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. The Lord said to him, now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. He said, look, on the outside you appear to have godliness, but on the inside your heart is wicked. You fools, did not he who made the outside, make the inside also,

but give as alms those things that are within. Behold, everything is clean for you. But what are the Pharisees? For you tithe mint and rue in every herb and neglect justice and the love of God. You're just caught these religious trials and these religious ceremonies, but they mean nothing to you. They have no weight to you other than just following the law. these you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

Woe to you Pharisees, for you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings of the marketplace. The seat in the synagogues for the Jewish and religious leaders faced the congregation. Why is that? So they could be seen by others. He's like, you love being seen by others. Woe to you, for you are like unmarked graves and people walk all over them without knowing it. One of these lawyers answered him and said, teacher, in saying these things, you insult us also. And he said, woe to you lawyers also.

load people with burdens, hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Now, he's rebuking the lawyers for this religious system. He's like, you guys are teaching people and telling people that they can save themselves by just following the law. But we know that it's not upon ourselves to do it. You need someone greater than yourself. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them and you build their tombs. Therefore also the wisdom of God said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of whom they will kill and persecute. So now he's saying, you build, you put your faith and trust in dead prophets.

When there's prophets that are still sent by God. And you got a guy named John the Baptist, who's the best of all the Old Testament prophets that you guys still don't believe in. And he was prophesied about by one of the best prophets in the Old Testament, Isaiah, who's come to prepare the way for the Messiah, which is me. There's better prophets.

And you got John the Baptist who's preparing the way, and look at me, I am the Christ. I am better than all the prophets and you can put your faith than trust in me because I am God. It's what he's saying here. From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah who parrish between the altar and the sanctuary

yes I tell you it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge. Like I'm the key of knowledge. There's not a amount of work you can do that can get you into heaven. It's not about your works. Our works are a byproduct of our faith. We're justified by our faith. We read Hebrews 11.

Abraham, Rahab, the prostitute, Moses, all these people were justified by what, their faith? But the reason they obeyed the law in the Old Testament was because of their faith in Christ. You did not enter yourselves and you hindered those who were entering. As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying and wait for him to catch him in something he might say. And the Pharisees were trying to trip Jesus up, capture him, and catch him blaspheming. Jesus never does. Guys, I pray that Luke 11 blessed you guys.

I love you guys. Thank you for joining them along. Guys, January 19th, 6 p.m., Los Angeles, first ever live podcast show. Go to Jesus in the street.org slash tickets. Get your tickets. Love you guys. See you guys tomorrow for Luke chapter 12.