Thoughts for the Day

Friday, 10th October 2025: Asking for a sign

Love Luke 11 Satan Sign Beelzebul

Reading : Verses from Luke, Chapter 11

Happy sign

But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)


Thoughts

The people, and especially the Pharisees who endeavour to live by the Law of Moses, keep asking Jesus for a sign that the work he is carrying out, especially his healing miracles, show that he is carrying out God's work. Most of this is done deliberately to test Jesus, for his message and his following is becoming dangerous as far as they are concerned, and will likely bring Roman justice down upon them.

So what is a 'sign'? Well we know that a sign indicates something, but it's not the actual object itself. So in the UK a large blue road sign with a white H (or red sign and an H) indicates a Hospital is nearby. The sign is not the hospital itself! (Children take time to learn this, as well as the exact meaning of 'symbolism'!). However, there is a problem about signs - they can be wrong! Reading a cosy mystery book last week, chosen because of its title and the fact that it showed a picture of York minster on the cover with the word "Minster" in the title, I was confused to discover that the minster had nothing whatsoever to do with the story in the book!

Signs only point to something - and that which it points to will be the evidence of whether the sign is a lie or the truth. The sign that the people ask from Jesus points to his love for God's people, and for his desire to teach them about their Heavenly Father. It is no different for us today. As Christians we are signs of God's work in His world when we show love to others. When we fail to do this, we need to confess our failure and get back on track again smartly.


Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
may we become signs of Your love
in our family and in our community.
May our actions speak louder than our words,
this day and in the days ahead.
May we so immerse ourselves in Your love
that we carry it unselfconsciously to others.
Amen.


Follow Up Thoughts

You might like to look at this article on Beelzebub who is also called Beelzebul:

Or you could play this:

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