The Cosmic Initiative; Luke 11:21-23

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/6/2023. As Jesus continues His response to the accusation that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebul, He makes two definitive statements concerning the cosmic nature of the spiritual battle He has come to fight. First, He clearly states His mission and purpose with an analogy about a strong man who fiercely guards his possessions but loses them to One even stronger. We will analyze the metaphor and realize that Jesus is here making it clear that far from aiding and abetting satan in His ministry-- He has come to destroy him and his kingdom of evil. And then He will make it equally clear to believers and unbelievers alike that neutrality is not an option in this spiritual battle, for the one who is not with Jesus is actually abetting the enemy and working against Him. Although there is more than one message to be gleaned from this passage, we will stay focused on the spiritual battle for the souls of humanity from the heavenly perspective-- as Jesus affirms His Cosmic Initiative to the "Silent Planet".