A Wicked Generation – Part 2
Luke 11:29-36 (33-36)
May 26, 2019
We have seen for the last few weeks now that Jesus is on a bit of a tear.
He is addressing the issue of authenticity or that of being real.
The Section began when He cast a demon out of a man.
• And His power was obvious because the mute man now spoke.
• But the Jews attributed that power to Satan in effect accusing Jesus of being a phony.
But all they actually accomplished
Was to open a dialogue that they were not going to enjoy
For Jesus has been addressing them ever since.
After exposing the foolishness of their accusation
Jesus went on to make a very POLARIZING STATEMENT.
(23) “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”
It was a reminder that you can’t be half in and half out with Jesus.
There are no gray areas regarding Christianity.
You’re either in or you’re out.
And by the way, don’t use your MORALITY as an indicator that you are ok.
Remember Jesus told us about morality.
We saw the spiritual side of morality in that story about the demon who leaves but ultimately brings back 7 other demons more wicked than itself.
And the statement of Jesus was that
(26) “the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
• At least the immoral man knew he needed a change.
• At least the vile man knew he was in danger of divine wrath.
• But many times a moral man is in danger before God and doesn’t even know it
because he is so much better than his peers.
Morality in that sense is a curse.
• The true blessing is being one whose inside matches their outside.
• True blessing is for those who (28) “hear the word of God and observe it.”
Jesus has been making it clear what Paul taught us in Romans 2,
Namely that “he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly.”
To claim holiness or religion or morality on the outside, while having a wicked heart only makes you a hypocrite and a phony.
And Jesus has been approaching the crowd with that very reality.
Well, LAST TIME the crowds come back.
Luke said they were “increasing”
But this was NOT SOME FRIENDLY MEETING to sit and hear from the Son of God.
• This was a mob on a supposed fact-finding mission.
• They came to try and force Jesus to validate His claims.
And Jesus nailed them on it right out of the gate.
(29) “As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation;”
That’s a pretty harsh assessment.
• It certainly is not one that is conducive to modern day church growth theory.
• Getting that direct with people is almost universally condemned today,
• But it didn’t stop Jesus.
And as the crowds approached
He actually gives them 2 reasons for this assessment.
We saw the first last week.
#1 YOUR DESIRE FOR A SIGN
Luke 11:29-32
By seeking a sign the crowds were in effect telling Jesus
That He had not yet done enough to warrant belief.
• All those miraculous works…
• All that penetrating preaching…
• Even those fulfilled prophecies regarding His birth…
• None of that was enough.
If He expected people to believe He was the Messiah,
Then He was going to have to step forward with some real proof.
And Jesus’ answer to their desire was: “NO, you’ve had enough.”
Jesus was not about to turn in to
Some sort of performing monkey for them.
THE FACT IS THAT these crowds had seen and heard
More than enough to bring about repentance and faith.
Jesus gave two historical references.
• The Queen of Sheba who heard only a second hand testimony of the greatness of Solomon but believed enough to travel from the ends of the earth.
• The Ninevites who heard only a message of judgment from Jonah but who repented none the less.
Jesus said that both of those historical figures
Would stand up at the judgment and condemn this generation
By proving that they had had more than enough evidence to warrant faith.
We weren’t dealing with a lack of evidence,
We were dealing with wicked hearts that didn’t want to believe.
That was the first indicator of their wickedness.
This morning we move forward in our text as Jesus gives the second.
#2 YOUR DISDAIN FOR LIGHT
Luke 11:33-36
The analogy of light here is obvious.
Light is an often used analogy because it has so many rich uses.
For example:
Light is a picture of GOOD in the Bible (darkness being evil)
You’ve heard the phrase “deeds of darkness” speaking about evil deeds.
Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
Light is a picture of KNOWLEDGE in the Bible (darkness being ignorance)
Perhaps you’re familiar with sayings like:
• “Let’s shed some light on the subject”
• “Or I was kept in the dark”
Those speak of light as a picture of knowledge.
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
Light is also a picture of HOPE in the Bible (darkness being despair)
You’ve heard the phrase:
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel”
Isaiah 9:1-2 “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.”
That’s just light as an analogy in a simple sense.
But when Jesus came the analogy of light was taken to a whole new level.
John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
There we find another metaphor.
“the life was the light of men”
There light is given as a picture of SALVATION or eternal life. Darkness there is lostness or spiritual death.
And of course Jesus carries this analogy with Him in ministry.
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
John 9:4-5 “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”
So just understand what we are talking about here
When we talk about light as an analogy.
When Jesus references a lack of light,
He’s not just talking about immoral people
Or ignorant people or hopeless people.
• Jesus is talking about spiritually dead people.
• Jesus is talking about lost people.
• Jesus is talking about people who are still under the realm of the prince of
darkness.
This morning He is going to use it to describe this wicked generation.
NOW JESUS BEGINS WITH BASIC STATEMENT OF FACT.
(33) “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.”
That’s not overly theological, that’s just common reality and practice.
• People turn on the light because they want light.
• No one turns on the light and then covers it.
• It’s just basic reality.
And if you’ve caught it, this is the SECOND TIME
Luke records Jesus using that statement. (It’s likely that He used it often)
TURN TO: Luke 8:16
Do you remember Luke 8?
• It was the chapter about the importance of listening.
• And it is where He gave that infamous parable of the sower.
• And we learned about the soil types (various types of hearts / listeners).
• And we found that out of those 4 types of soils, only one was true.
• Out of those 4 types of hearts, only one was authentic.
And the question would have been: HOW DO YOU TELL?
The answer in the parable is: FRUIT
The one who bears fruit is the true one.
And then Jesus gave this same truth again, only with a different analogy.
He went from talking about fruit and started talking about light,
But He was talking about the same thing which was evidence of salvation.
(16-17) “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”
We understand Jesus.
• If you had the light, we’d know it because you’d shine it.
• Because no one has the light and covers it.
• If you had fruit, we’d know it because we’d see it.
You get the idea.
He used that analogy to expose those people as being false.
Jesus uses that same analogy again here, but for a different purpose.
IT STILL MEANS THE SAME THING.
It is still true that if you have the light you’d shine it.
ONLY HERE JESUS USES IT IN REGARD TO HIMSELF.
SO WHAT DID JESUS MEAN?
These people accused Him of claiming to be the Messiah without supporting that claim with evidence.
And Jesus’ answer is: Why would I do that?
No one does that.
Jesus’ brothers basically told Jesus this same thing.
John 7:1-5 “After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him.”
• Go shine You’re light Jesus!
• After all, You always says no one would cover their light if they have it.
Here these people accuse Jesus
Of not shining this supposed light He has.
And Jesus says that no one does that.
And Jesus most certainly had shined the light.
He had given the greatest light show Israel had ever seen.
John 1:9 “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”
Jesus had shown them all.
John 1:16-18 “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
Jesus gave the greatest light of all time, He showed the Father.
Do you remember the early parts of Luke’s gospel where Jesus was in a definite pattern?
Luke 4:14-15 “And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.”
And from there Jesus became very busy.
• Town after town; synagogue after synagogue.
And the method was always the same.
• Go to a town, preach the good news, validate that preaching with a miracle.
• In Capernaum He cast out a demon and then healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and then healed a whole crowd who gathered outside Peter’s door.
But instead of setting up shop there we read:
Luke 4:42-44 “When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”
• Then we saw Him work that miracle of the catch of fish on the edge of the sea.
• In another city He cleansed a leper
• In another city a paralytic was lowered through the roof and Jesus healed him.
• On another Sabbath he healed a man who had a withered hand
• And then we heard in Luke 6 His heart-penetrating sermon about true heart righteousness.
The point being:
“No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may thee the light.”
And Jesus was no exception.
• He had put on a firework show all over Israel.
• He had light shining like had never been seen before.
And here is what you need to know:
LACK OF LIGHT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM.
HERE IS THE PROBLEM:
(34) “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.”
I realize that phrase seems a little confusing,
But let me “shed some light on it” for you.
“The eye is the lamp of your body”
• That simply means that the eye is the entrance point for light into
your body.
That’s true in a physical sense.
Your body processes light the revelation of light through the eye.
SO “when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light;”
“clear” there is HAPLOUS (ha-ploos)
It means “single, or open, or hold nothing back”
In short Jesus says, “The eye is where light enters the body, and if your eye is wide open then there will be a lot of light getting in.”
That makes sense.
“BUT when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.”
Now Jesus is crafty here.
If He says an open eye lets in light, we expect Him to say, but a closed eye does not.
Only Jesus doesn’t use the word for closed.
Jesus says “bad”
PONEROS (pon-ay-ross)
Which can be translated “blind”
But you’ve already seen Jesus use this same word
Several times in this conversation.
Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
Luke 11:26 “Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Luke 11:29 “As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.”
There the word is translated “evil” or “wicked”
Jesus is NOT SAYING that these people are UNABLE to see.
Jesus is saying that these people are UNWILLING to see.
They aren’t handicapped, they are evil.
• The reason they don’t see the light is not because Jesus hasn’t shined sufficient light.
• The reason they don’t see the light is because they refuse to see the light.
Does that make sense?
You even know why they won’t see it:
John 3:19-21 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
THE PROBLEM ISN’T LACK OF LIGHT
THE PROBLEM IS LACK OF SIGHT
• They are willfully blind.
• They are willfully ignorant.
• They are willfully stubborn.
And now you see again why Jesus called them wicked.
Earlier I took you to that parable of the sower.
• If you will remember, when Jesus first preached that parable, He did so without an explanation.
• It was just a farming illustration and nothing more.
• His disciples actually asked Him why He didn’t tell them more instead of speaking in a parable.
Matthew 13:10-15 “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. “In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’”
Of course Jesus quoted there from Isaiah 6.
• That was where God told Isaiah to go and reveal the blindness of Israel.
• In short, Isaiah was to go and shine light.
• As he shined light, it would expose how blind Israel actually was.
Jesus said, “That’s exactly what is happening here.”
“they have closed their eyes”
• You want Me to work more signs.
• You want Me to give more proof.
As if more light would fix the problem.
The problem isn’t on My end, it’s on your end.
And then Jesus gives what is the harshest criticism of all.
(35) “Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”
Now let me draw your attention back
To that MORAL MAN who ended up with 7 demons.
He was certainly proud of himself for moralizing himself.
• Certainly he felt better about himself.
• After all, his house was adorned.
But was he full of light? No
• He was actually more full of darkness than before.
AND THIS IS THE WARNING FROM JESUS.
“watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”
• You are so quick to reject everything I say and do.
• You are so quick to reject the light.
• You do so because you think you already have light.
Isn’t that true?
• Can you hear them: “We are descendants of Abraham…”
• Can you hear them: “We have Moses as our teacher…”
• Can you hear them: “I thank you that I am not like other men, I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all that I get”
Paul even said:
Romans 2:17-19 “But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,”
They were certain that they already had the light.
That’s why they didn’t see the need for Jesus.
Remember that conversation we looked at last week in John 8?
John 8:37-44 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. “I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. “But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
They were confident that they were children of God
And in reality they were actually children of Satan.
So sure they had the light, but all they actually had was darkness.
DO YOU SEE THAT SELF-DECEPTION IS REAL?
And I’m not just talking about Israel, this is true even of the church.
Do you remember the church at Laodicea?
Revelation 3:15-18 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”
They were blind and they didn’t even know it.
They were so wrapped up in their own morality and in their liturgy and in their own traditions and routines they couldn’t even see that they were dead.
They thought they had light but their light was really darkness.
I JUST CAN’T TELL YOU HOW TERRIFYING THIS IS.
Can we read it again?
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
Do you hear them there trying to give inventory of their light?
But they didn’t have any.
They were a beautiful lamp with a beautiful shade
But they weren’t plugged in to the light.
They were hollow and empty and self-deceived.
AND WHAT MAKES THIS WORSE IS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE THE ABSOLUTE HARDEST TO REACH WITH THE GOSPEL.
It’s hard to convince a person they need the light
When they are already convinced that they have it.
BUT JESUS IS TRYING TO EXPOSE THAT HERE.
“watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”
We’d be fools to ignore that warning.
At some point when studying this passage, I wrote in my margin, “Could it be that the things I perceive to be God’s Spirit in me could actually be something evil?”
YOU HAVE TO WRITE THAT.
We ALL have to work that examination.
Jesus said, “watch out”
Well, I think you understand now what Jesus is saying
And why He calls this crowd wicked.
They are wicked because despite their outward involvement in religion,
They have no real interest for the light.
• They don’t want to know the truth.
• They don’t want to hear the truth.
• They don’t want to read the truth.
They like their life just like it is, and they don’t want some Holy Son of God
Coming in here and turning their life upside down.
Just turn off the light and leave us be.
That is why Jesus called them wicked.
BUT HERE IS THE TREMENDOUS GRACE OF OUR LORD
They are a wicked generation, but He still offers them salvation.
(36) “If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”
This is an offer.
If you’d open your eyes, I’d give you light (salvation)
And notice those descriptive words here as Jesus talks about light.
• “whole body”
• “full of light”
• “no dark part in it”
• “wholly illumined”
Jesus is offering salvation, and He is offering it fully.
“If therefore your whole body is full of light”
That is to say, “If you’d open your eyes and believe in me, you’d have light like you’ve never experienced it before.”
And remember that Light here is not just good or knowledge or hope.
Light here is Life!
Light here is Salvation!
AND JESUS GIVES IT GENEROUSLY!
Those in here who have been redeemed, do you remember that day?
• Do you remember when light came flooding into your life?
• Do you remember when the light came on?
• Do you remember when it all made sense?
When Jesus flooded you with light/life/salvation…
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION,A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
“O what a wonderful, wonderful day – Day I will never forget; after I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met, O what a tender compassionate friend – He met the need of my heart; Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart!”
“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, When at the cross the Savior made me whole; My sins were washed away – And my night was turned to day – Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”
Isn’t that true!
When Jesus saves you,
He doesn’t just give you “this little light of mine”
Jesus calls you into marvelous light!
He wholly illumines you with His rays!
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
He floods us with the light of life and salvation.
Wholly illumined.
AND THAT IS THE INVITATION.
• Are you in the dark?
• Has Christ revealed to you that the light in you is actually darkness?
• Have you thus far chosen the darkness because of the sin you want to keep?
WELL EVEN TO YOU JESUS OFFERS SALVATION.
Even to you Jesus will take away your darkness and flood you with light.
• So open your eyes to Christ
• Leave your sin to Christ
• And run to Christ
Ephesians 5:14 “For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
That is what Jesus is offering here.
BUT I MUST ALSO WARN YOU OF THE DANGER OF CLOSED EYES.
I want to show you one more passage:
TURN TO: John 12:36-43
Do you see that?
• God took people who would not see and made it where they could not see so that they would be judged.
When God commands us to leave our sin and believe in Christ,
THAT IS NOT A SUGGESTION.
And when He graciously offers salvation to a man in sin
HE DOES NOT TAKE REJECTION OF THAT OFFER LIGHTLY.
Israel had more light than any nation ever had,
But they refused to see it,
And so God hardened them where they could not see.
• They would crucify the Lord.
• They would be broken off.
• And about them Paul would write:
Romans 11:7-10 “What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 8 just as it is written, “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” And David says, “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. “LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”
Rejecting the Light is no minor offense to God.
Isaiah 50:10-11 “Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.”
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU.
“While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
