Thoughts for the Day

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 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 vote was evenly divided. Would the church council support the proposal to remove the pews in the church as put forward by the Vicar, to allow for a cafe church to be held midweek, or drama during all-age worship services? The voting was 7 in support and 7 against, with three abstentions. Oh dear, they would need to look at this subject again in the future and see if things could change. The point was, the Vicar thought, the three abstentions were effectively acting against the motion, and it could not go forward at the present time.

Jesus, is quite clear, if we are not supporting Him we are against him, and by our very actions of not passing on the good news of Jesus Christ to others, we are working against the Kingdom of God.

This is a very harsh pronouncement at the end of a passage that looks at Jesus, and at arguments against those who think his work is done on behalf of the devil. It was thought that unless a person could say the name of their particular demon it could not be removed, and since the man is mute he is unable to say the name. Today we might want to argue he was deaf from birth, or a selective mute, but whichever it is our Lord heals the man.

The message of the healing is quite clear, but those who questioned his actions only saw evil at work. When we see the finger of God at work in our world in the shape of love we know the Kingdom of God has come close, and we are called to support its growth.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to see the love of God
poured into our world and our hearts,
and You teach us to examine
all that happens each day to us,
to see the evidence of Your Kingdom
that is already at work,
though not completed.
May we become warriors for truth
and wholehearted supporters
of Your Kingdom of love.
Amen.