Luke 4:40-44

Luke 4:40-44 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ. At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The demons knew Jesus was divine, that He was from heaven. They knew He was the Son of God: “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus was not going to allow demons nor angels to come along with him from city to city to announce that He was the Son of God, for Jesus knew eternal life doesn't come through knowledge but through faith. Faith alone unlocks the door to eternity, not knowledge. People often say to God, "Show me that you are real and then I will believe," or "Give me a sign and then I'll believe," or "Get me out of this predicament, this foxhole, and then I'll believe." But, God hasn't chosen to reveal himself that way because real life, eternal life, doesn't come this way. The Bible very plainly says, "Whosoever believes in me shall have life." Otherwise, whosoever puts his or her total belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God without observing conclusive, empirical evidence of his divine existence or without experiencing a divine visitation from the spirit world to substantiate his claim of being God will have eternal life.

The demons KNEW Jesus was the Son of God, but the people who were receiving healing thought He MIGHT BE DIVINE or maybe a powerful prophet. The spirits from hell knew Christ's role in heaven. Realistically, the people knew very little about this Jesus, except that He was Joseph's son. This carpenter could heal and do miracles, but their prophets of old could also do miracles and heal. So who really was this Jesus? Was He some divine messenger from God or was He a prophet with special powers? This question is also ours to answer.

We must believe that HE IS THE SON OF GOD, not that He is a wise man, a prophet, a kind and powerful man. By faith, we must have the assurance in our hearts that He is God, and He can save to the uttermost all those who put their complete trust in him. Everyone pretty much likes the good Jesus. They tried to keep him from leaving them. We like the good things He imparts to us: healings, miracles, the feeling of peace, but we are not so enthused about serving him if He is not going to stay around to meet all our needs. We'll serve him readily for the fishes and loaves, but we are not so ready to serve him if we have to do it out of faith alone. However, saving faith is serving him regardless of the circumstances in our lives. Saving faith is believing God is near even though He feels distant, as if He has journeyed to another country. Yes, the demons knew exactly who He was, and they feared him, but they were not allowed to speak.

Today, God could prove that He exists and that He is God by healing all who is sick and dying this very minute, but He doesn't. Why? Because God is in the business of making children. Creating children comes through the Word, the written and the spoken Word. Jesus, The Word, came to speak to men. Whoever believes his words will be a new creature, born again. John 1 says all things that were created were created through the Word, Jesus Christ. To know and believe that is life. Rational thinking or empirical investigation will not bring life to you: accepting Christ and becoming a new creature will; faith will. Studying the universe and things made will not allow you to be with God who is spirit. Faith alone breaks down the barriers between man and God, not knowledge. Faith alone delivers us to the spiritual world, not human knowledge. But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ. The demons were not allowed to interfere with God's plan of redemption, his plan of making children out of the Son of God's loins. Now we share the "good news" with those who have an ear to hear the Spirit's call.