Jesus left Galilee to go to the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem and he didn’t go back to minister in Galilee again. Instead he traveled around in Judea and even crossed over to the east side of the Jordan River.

New crowds had access to him now, but they had many of the same questions he had been asked in Galilee. Jesus gave them the answers he gave before.

He preached some of the same messages he preached in Galilee, too. As we read through the account of Jesus’ ministry in the remaining months of his life we may get a sense of déjà vu. But these records of his life show us how consistent Jesus was with his message, and how he took every opportunity to preach to those who had not heard the Gospel, and to help everyone he met.

The crowds just kept coming, and with them came skeptics as well as believers.

Jesus and the Prince of Demons

It was amazing that people could watch Jesus do a miracle and still not believe in him.

“Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, ‘By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.’ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.” Luke 11:14-16

Jesus pointed out how illogical it was to attribute his victory over Satan to Satan. How could Satan rule his domain if he was warring against himself? The Jewish leaders had followers who claimed to cast out demons; were they also serving Satan?

Jesus didn’t serve Satan. He served only his Father, so when he drove out demons it was with the finger of God.

The reason Jesus could cast out demons was that he was stronger than Satan. Jesus could enter Satan’s realm, set his captives free, and drive away the demons who had possessed them.

Demons were always on the move, however, and would return to take possession of a person again if the person didn’t give themselves to a new master.

“Then [the demon] says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” Luke 11:24-26

The Sign of Jonah

Jesus didn’t need to respond to the Jewish leaders’ demand that he show them a special sign to prove who he was. Signs and miracles abounded everywhere he went. The problem was that some people didn’t want to see what was right in front of them.

The things Jesus did shone like a light in the darkness. He didn’t hide what he was doing, but some people couldn’t see it. Jesus told them they had unhealthy spiritual eyes.

“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness . . . Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” Luke 11:34-36

Someday Jesus was going to cease doing miracles and stop preaching. His light would go away, and his signs and wonders would go away with him. The leaders would see them no more.

But there was a sign they would be left with: The sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah returned from the belly of the great fish, Jesus was going to return to life from the grave. If they didn’t believe that sign, Jesus told them there were some pagans from the past who could tell them how wrong they were.

The people of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached to them, and the Queen of Sheba believed when she heard the wisdom of Solomon. They didn’t ask for signs; they listened to the truth and believed. And they didn’t even have the greatness of Jesus to persuade them.

Jesus Hates Hypocrisy

The Pharisees criticized Jesus for not following their rules for ritual washing before a meal, but he criticized them for their hypocrisy. While they went to great pains to keep up an appearance of righteousness, they neglected the things God cared about most.

They didn’t take care of the poor, they wanted the most prominent seats in the synagogues and demanded respect from people in the marketplace. They made a show of building tombs for the great prophets of the past, while not giving any thought to how their own ancestors had persecuted and killed them. The tombs glorified the murder of the prophets instead of lamenting their unjust deaths.

Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They tried to hide their sins under pompous rituals and arrogant proclamations, but the sins were there just the same.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” Luke 12:2-3

Life and Death Situations

It was dangerous to oppose the Pharisees, but Jesus told his followers not to be afraid. It was better to obey God who had their eternal destiny in his hands than to obey the Pharisees who could only kill the body.

Eternal life was found in Jesus and his followers would have eternal life if they followed him to the end.

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God . . . When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:8-12

Of all the religious leaders who ever lived, only Jesus personally helps each one of his followers. The same Holy Spirit who stood with the disciples in Jesus’ day, is still with his followers today.

Money and Possessions

A man called upon Jesus to make his brother divide an inheritance with him, but Jesus refused to get involved. But he did take the opportunity to do some bold teaching about money and possessions.

“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” Luke 12:15

Jesus told the story of a man who stored up more wealth than he could use, then he died leaving it to an uncertain future. He could have shared his wealth while he was alive and then he would have been rewarded for his generosity in eternity.

Jesus returned to one of his favorite messages about faith.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothes.” Luke 12:22-23

This is how Jesus lived. He didn’t worry about food or what to wear. He didn’t fret over where he would sleep at night because he knew his Father would provide for him whatever was best.

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12:25-26

Jesus was destined for a short life on earth, but he didn’t worry about it. Instead he made the most of every hour he had and didn’t waste time thinking about how things could be different.