"To those who live in the shadow of fears and anxieties of every kind, Christ’s triumph demonstrates His love that casts out all fear."

–Robert Kolb

A huge thank-you to everyone who participated in our Diaper Drive!

Over 6,500 diapers were donated and will soon be distributed to our partner schools around Madison—a beautiful way to tangibly love and care for families in our community. 

Want to keep making an impact? Don’t miss our upcoming Blanket Drive—click here for more details!  

LUKE: Cost of Discipleship

Luke 11:14-26

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We’re diving back into the Gospel of Luke. After nine chapters introducing us to Jesus and His call, Luke now takes us with Him on the road to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19). Along the way, we’ll hear some of Jesus’ most famous teachings and stories, as He shows us what it truly costs to follow Him and why following Him is worth everything.

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The Big Idea

(What is the author's point?)

Jesus’ authority is unmistakable; faith in Him requires a clear decision to be with Him or against Him.

Why It Matters

(Why is this relevant to us?)

Like the people in Jesus’ day, we are constantly confronted with choices about whose authority we will follow. Jesus’ authority challenges us to fully surrender. For example, a nurse deciding to show slow compassion to a difficult patient even when haste feels easier, a student refusing to cheat on an exam or a professional acting with integrity despite peer pressure are all ways of saying, “I align my life with Christ, not the world’s standards.” In this passage, we see that Jesus has come to confront the forces of this world, overpowering Satan and surpassing any prophet before Him. He is bringing the light that now shines through us. Just as He warned that a life merely “swept clean” but left empty is vulnerable, these choices remind us that participation in God’s Kingdom requires a heart filled with His Spirit guiding our decisions and actions every single day. Ultimately, Jesus calls us to follow Him fully, accepting the Gospel and trusting His authority to bring freedom, restoration and light to every part of our lives and the lives of those around us.

Good to Know

(What are some helpful insights into this passage?)

This passage sits within a larger section where Jesus teaches about His authority, true discipleship and the coming of God’s Kingdom amid growing opposition. In Luke 11:1-13, He instructs His disciples on prayer, persistence and God’s generosity through the Holy Spirit—preparing them to see that His power over demons comes from the Spirit. In verses 14-26, Jesus then exposes the crowd’s unbelief when they wrongly attribute God’s work to Satan.

In the parallel passage, Matthew 12:22-37, Jesus heals a demon-possessed man, prompting the same accusation that He works by Beelzebul’s power. Jesus responds that a divided kingdom cannot stand. Matthew’s version highlights the spiritual gravity of rejecting God’s clear work in Christ. It links Jesus’ authority over demons directly to the Spirit of God, confirming that the Kingdom of God has arrived through Him.

Exorcism was not unusual. Jewish and pagan healers claimed to cast out demons through rituals, incantations or relics. What was remarkable was that Jesus cast out demons by His own Word and authority, not by invoking other powers or formulas. This new way challenged existing religious structures and alarmed leaders, who questioned the source of His power, prompting accusations of collusion with Beelzebul.

When Jesus says He casts out demons by the “finger of God” (v. 20), Luke draws a parallel to Exodus 8:19, where Pharaoh’s magicians recognized God’s power in Moses’ miracles, showing that the same divine authority that freed Israel from oppression is now at work in Him. Jesus is not merely a teacher or healer like others they have seen, but God Himself, entering history to confront and overthrow the powers of this world. 

Division and neutrality are central themes. In a world of many spiritual claims, Jesus asserts exclusive allegiance: “Whoever is not with me is against me” (v. 23).

Demons were believed to wander in “waterless places” (vs. 24), symbolizing spiritual desolation. Jesus uses this image to warn us; it’s not enough to be temporarily cleansed. A person must be filled with God’s Spirit, or they remain vulnerable.

Group Guide

Following the series with your group? 

• Start with some icebreaker questions.
• Read the passage together before you dive in. 
• Share any insights from the message. Use the questions below to get your conversation started:

Conversation Starters

1. Why do you think the people in the crowd found it so hard to see that Jesus’ power was from God? What might that reveal about the condition of the human heart, then and now? 

2. In our own time, where do we see people misunderstanding or questioning the authority of Jesus? And how are we, perhaps, tempted to do the same?  

3. Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me.” How does this confront our tendency to stay comfortable or neutral in our walk with Him?  

4. Where in your life, or in the world around you, does following Jesus’ authority feel costly, misunderstood or even lonely?  

5. Jesus warns that it isn’t enough for our lives to be merely “swept clean.” What does it mean for us to be truly filled with His Spirit—to let Him occupy every part of who we are? 

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for making a way for us to come to you. Help us to choose you daily over all other things, to not stay neutral in our faith but to pursue you over everything. Thank you for your Spirit, which fills us and helps us. We love you and praise you for the cross. Amen. 

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