Tim Keller | February 7, 1993
We’re looking at the most strange, enigmatic, perplexing things Jesus ever said. This is one of them. People always blink a bit when they read it.
But here, Jesus is actually teaching us about power to change. He’s telling us something extremely practical.
Even though it’s an enigmatic passage, Jesus is basically saying three things: 1) There are many ways to change, 2) if you use any way but Jesus, you’ll be worse off than before, and 3) Jesus is the only one who can give you the power to change thoroughly and permanently.
When Jesus healed a man who couldn’t speak by casting out a demon, it showed the power of God’s kingdom. It also warned us that a kingdom divided against itself can’t stand. Evil is complex and some beliefs can be harmful, so it’s important to trust Jesus, not just to solve problems, but to let His Spirit change us from the inside out. Just like nature dislikes emptiness, our souls are not satisfied until they are filled with God’s love and truth. We can only find true happiness and love by knowing God and living according to His ways.
April Book Offer
Tim Keller’s How to Find God set of three short books on birth, death, and marriage addresses these key milestones in your life and shows you how the Scripture teaches us to face each one with God’s help. They are books of pastoral care, designed for specific life situations you or someone you know will go through.