The Heart of the Problem is the Problem of the Heart!

Vs. 22-23

We pick up here with a possessed man being brought to Jesus who is plagued by a demon inside causing him to be blind and mute.

Now, I want you to imagine this poor man’s condition for just a moment.

He couldn’t speak therefore he couldn’t ask for help. And he couldn’t see so he was dependent on those around him for almost everything. He couldn’t tell people his problems. He couldn’t tell anyone his pain, his anguish, his feelings.

This poor man was literally imprisoned by the demon possessing him.

Can you imagine being trapped in darkness with no way to escape?

No way to tell people what you’re going through?

No way to scream for help?

You can hear. You can glean what’s going on around you. You can take it all in but you can never let anything trapped inside you out!

That was the condition of this poor man before us today when he was brought to Jesus!

Maybe you’re sitting here this morning and you feel trapped!

Maybe you feel the same way this poor man felt. Alone, as if no one can see you, no one hears you, no one cares!

Well guess what, someone sees you, someone knows what you’re going through, someone can hear the pleas from within and that someone is the same one who healed this poor fellow here…His name is Jesus!

They bring this poor demon possessed man to Jesus and the Bible says Jesus healed him, Amen!

I love how it says… “insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw!”

What a miracle! Jesus didn’t just heal this man partially but He healed him completely, Amen!

It would have been a miracle if Jesus had of just healed one of the man’s ailments but Jesus healed him completely!

This man who sat in darkness had now saw a great light!

This man who was imprisoned within had now been set free!

The deaf could now hear and the once blind man could now see!

That a miracle had taken place there was no denying!

The people, the Bible says, were amazed!

And they began to say, “Is not this the Son of David?”

Is it a statement or a question?

I think that’s the same issue the people who witnessed were having.

They wanted to believe that indeed He was the prophesied Messiah but they make the statement with uncertainty and indecisiveness because they were on the fence about this man named Jesus!

Indeed a miracle had taken place. That was evident. And indeed it was a miracle the likes they had never seen before.

But could this man named Jesus really be the Messiah?

They wanted Him to be but they were having trouble believing!

William Braclay — In this instance, Jesus cured a man who was deaf and dumb and whose infirmity was attributed to demon-possession. The people were amazed. They began to wonder if this Jesus could be the Son of David, so long promised and so long expected, the great Saviour and liberator. Their doubt was due to the fact that Jesus was so unlike the picture of the Son of David in which they had been brought up to believe. Here was no glorious prince with pomp and circumstance; here was no rattle of swords nor army with banners; here was no fiery cross calling them to war; here was a simple carpenter from Galilee, in whose words was wisdom gentle and serene, in whose eyes was compassion, and in whose hands was mysterious power.

But before the excitement could settle, before the belief could take root and begin to sprout, those same pious prowling Pharisees we read about last week, were there to sow seeds of doubt!

Vs. 24

The Pharisees immediately jump on the opportunity to discredit the miracle that had just taken place!

They say, “this man is casting out demons in the power of Beelzebub!”

The name Beelzebub originated from the Hebrew language and spoke of a god of the Philistines referred to as “Lord of the flies.”

In the New Testament, it is thought that the reference was often used in reference to the prince of Satan’s demons or a reference to Satan himself.

Chuck Swindoll — What a desperate attempt to avoid the obvious! But what else could they say? To maintain their anti-Jesus stance, the Pharisees had to resort to attributing the work of God Almighty to the devil. Such blasphemy was unconscionable … and unpardonable.

They attributed the power through which Jesus performed these miracles to the devil himself and as we will see here in a second, Jesus didn’t care what they said about Him but the power through which Jesus was able to accomplish these things, the power of the Holy Spirit, which was evident, is who they were really blaspheming and that took it step to far and as we are going to see here, Jesus puts them in their place because of it.

Vs. 25-26

Now we don’t know if they were whispering this under their breath or if they were kind of in the outer realms of the crowd telling those immediately around them but the way I take this here is that they didn’t say it out loud so that Jesus too could hear it.

It says that, “Jesus knew their thoughts!”

I take that to mean Jesus didn’t hear them audibly but He heard their thoughts.

I mean when begins to speak specifically against them here in moment, you would think that would be sign enough for these pious men but no, nothing ever seems to be enough for them as we will see here in a few minutes.

But there’s something Jesus says here that I don’t want you to miss and that’s the fact that there is a kingdom of this world and Satan is the ruler of this kingdom.

John Phillips — Note that the Lord Jesus recognized the fact that there was an organized kingdom of evil in the unseen world, that it was directed with malice toward the human race, that it was ruled by a malevolent and personal prince, and that Satan’s kingdom was united and not torn into warring factions.

We don’t think about this many times but we must be aware that there is a world system going on all around us and the leader of this kingdom is Satan and his goal with this kingdom is to break down everything that God instituted!

But Jesus here begins to tear down their thought process and says...

“But you’re saying that I cast out demons in the power of Satan! Really?”

“Sit and think about what you are saying right now!”

“Satan’s endgame is death and destruction and yet day after day, week after week, month after month, I cast out his demons, I heal those who are possessed, the lame walk, the dumb talk, the blind see and the deaf hear! Those who are dead rise again and those who are hungry are filled!”

“I came to give life and give it more abundantly, yet Satan brings death and destruction and you want to say the miracles I do, I do through the power of Satan?”

“Are you listening to yourself right now?”

“That makes no sense at all!”

"f what you are claiming is true, then that would mean that the kingdom of Satan was at war with itself and if that be the case then the kingdom of Satan shall not stand!”

And then He continues on down in Verses 27-28.

Vs. 27-28

And if I cast out devils, by what you say in the name of Beelzebub, then by what name do your exorcists cast them out?

This is where He had them on the ropes!

The exorcisms that the Pharisees performed paled in comparison to the exorcisms performed by Christ and therefore, if they said in the name of God then one could only reason that since Christ’s casting out of demons was greater than theirs, it was because the Spirit of God upon Him was greater than the power with which they dispelled demons!

The Pharisees had positioned themselves in a predicament here! They were between a rock and a hard place as the old saying goes!

What could they say?

The answer is nothing! Once again, they found themselves silenced by the Savior!

And if that weren’t enough evidence, Jesus goes on further with His explanation in Verses 29-32.

Vs. 29-32

Chuck Swindoll — He was able to step into the “strong man’s house” (this demon-infested domain) and “carry off his property” (those possessed by demons). To do this, the strong man himself had to have been bound first. For the strong man (Satan) to plunder his own domain is implausible. And for some demon lesser than Satan to plunder Satan’s domain is impossible. Only God has the power to plunder the kingdom of Satan and free his enslaved victims.

Blasphemy — Means a contemptuous, irreverent, deliberate and insolent utterance of defamation and slander

Vs. 33-35

Jesus goes on to prove His stance further with an illustration about fruit born on a tree.

If the tree is good the fruit will be good but if the tree is bad the fruit will be bad.

He said, “look at the fruit I’ve born! What have I done but good since I’ve been here! The fruit is evidence itself of who I am. I don’t need your approval. All anyone has to do is simply look around and see!”

“Go ask the blind man what he thinks. Go ask the deaf man what he thinks. Go ask the leper what he thinks. Go ask the mute man what he thinks. Go ask the lame man what he thinks. That demon possessed young man over in the land of the Gergesenes that I healed, go ask him what he thinks about me! That young boy who belonged to the widow of Nain, ask them what they think about me! Go ask Jairus and his wife and their daughter what they think about me! Go ask Lazarus and Mary and Martha what they think about me! The 5,000 who were fed from 5 loaves and two fishes, ask them what they think about me! Go ask your own Nicodemus what he thinks about me! Go ask Mary Magdalene what she thinks about me! The thousands upon thousands whom I have healed since the beginning of my ministry, go ask a single one what they think about me!”

“The fruit is there and the fruit is good! You just don’t want to admit it!”

“You on the other hand, you brood of vipers, what kind of fruit are you bearing? Where’s your good fruit because the only think I’m seeing is rotten fruit!”

Matthew 12:35 KJV 1900

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

“Let the fruit of our works be the testimony for whose Kingdom we represent!”

Vs. 36-37

When a person is arrested, he/she is warned that anything they say can and will be used against them in a court of law, right?

You and I stand in that same boat. One day, we will stand before the almighty judge and every idle word we have ever spoken we will have to give an account for!

Listen friend, many times we don’t think a whole lot about what we spout out of our mouth but I assure you, one day, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for those words that have left our lips!

So, next time instead of spouting out something you don’t need to say, think twice, think nice and speak with restraint!

Vs. 38

I find this next statement from the Pharisees just so appalling.

“If you be the Son of God then give us a sign!”

If I had been Jesus here, I probably would have just lost it!

“I just healed completely a blind and mute man! What more of a sign do you need?”

Listen, the problem wasn’t the seeing of a sign, the problem was the hardness of their unbelieving hearts!

The very thing which Jesus just addressed!

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV 1900

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Proverbs 4:23 KJV 1900

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

Psalm 95:8 KJV 1900

8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, And as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Proverbs 28:14 KJV 1900

14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Romans 2:5–6 KJV 1900

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

“Sign after sign after sign have I given you but signs no more will do!”

“You have hardened your hearts to the work of God, to the call of God upon your lives and by continuing to do so, you are only storing up more and more the wrath of God to come upon you in the day of judgment!”

Then look what He says as we move on down into Verse 39.

Vs. 39-41

John Phillips — The word translated “rise” in Matthew 12:41 means “stand up.” The reference is to a custom in both Jewish and Roman law courts that required a witness to stand when testifying in a criminal case.

After the Lord’s resurrection, God stayed His hand for nearly forty years, but in the end that evil and adulterous generation, impervious to the Lord’s miracles and to the signs and wonders wrought by the apostles, was handed over to judgment. Jonah had preached, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). And in effect Jesus was saying to the scribes and Pharisees, “Yet forty years, and Jerusalem shall be overthrown.” He would declare that truth with greater clarity later (Matthew 23:36–38).

“One greater than Jonah is here and I am He!”

“You want a sign, ok, you’ll get one more sign!”

“The last sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah but it won’t matter, because you won’t believe then either!”

“The prophet Jonah preached and the whole city repented but I’ve been preaching and teaching and healing and nothing is ever good enough for you!”

“One day, even those from Jonah’s time will stand in witness against your arrogance and unbelief!”

“You ask for a sign as if God hasn’t already given you a sign!”

“I am the sign friend! I am the way, the truth, the life and no man cometh to the Father except by me!”

Then He gives another witness against them.

Vs. 42

“The people of Nineveh won’t be the only ones who stand in witness against you on that great and terrible day!”

Jesus then uses the illustration of the Queen of the south which is reference to the Queen of Sheba in 1 Kings 10.

This woman had heard of the wisdom of Solomon and how great and mighty his kingdom had become and the Bible says in...

1 Kings 10:1 KJV 1900

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions.

Apparently this lady thought herself to be some sort of knowledge buff herself and so she comes to question Solomon and the Bible says in...

1 Kings 10:3 KJV 1900

3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

Solomon answered all of her questions and the Bible says she responded by saying in...

1 Kings 10:7 KJV 1900

7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

And then after explaining this to the Pharisees, Jesus says, “and yet one greater than Solomon is here!”

In essence what He is saying here is that the Queen of Sheba came and after seeing believed and yet the Pharisees have seen more than she could have ever dreamed of and they haven’t believed, so she too will rise up in judgment against their adulterous generation!

Vs. 43-45

Then, Jesus gives them one more illustration before being interrupted.

He gives them an illustration about a man who had a demon and for some reason the demon leaves his host.

I think He is speaking here of the demon being cast out.

Then this demon travels around looking for another poor soul to reside in but finds none.

So, what does he do?

He says, well I’ll go back to my old house and when he comes back notice what it says here, he finds it empty, swept and garnished.

This speaks of religion and a works based salvation. Religion can clean you up on the outside. It can tidy up your attitude, your walk, your talk, your mannerisms but it cannot fill you!

Notice the most important thing about this host, it was empty!

Dear friend, when you trust in Christ today you get a new resident living within you, Amen!

His name is the Holy Spirit!

He comes into your heart, He resides there, He guides you, He convicts you, He will lead you if you will let Him but He will never leave you, Amen!

The problem with this fellow, which was the same problem with the Pharisees, was that they may have used religion to exorcise this man’s demon but religion couldn’t keep him from coming back!

All the works in the works in the world, all the self righteous acts you can perform cannot save you!

Only Jesus can, Amen!

Jesus told the Pharisees in...

Matthew 23:27 KJV 1900

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Warren Wiersbe — It is not enough to clean house; we must also invite in the right tenant. The Pharisees were proud of their “clean houses,” but their hearts were empty! Mere religion, or reformation, will not save. There must be regeneration, the receiving of Christ into the heart!

This morning friend, unless you want to be like this person in this illustration here and you want your last state to be worse than your first, I suggest you trust in Jesus if you haven’t done so already, Amen!

Vs. 46-50

Apparently word of Jesus’ healing, teaching and disputing with the Pharisees had made an impact so much so that in Mark’s gospel it says that...

Mark 3:21 KJV 1900

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

We can only assume that word had also made it back to His Mother and Brothers as well.

Some believe they came to take Jesus away but what they didn’t realize is that just as Mary and Joseph had found Jesus in temple when He was 12 years old and He told them, “how did you not know where I was? You should have known I would be about my Father’s business;” again Jesus was about His Father’s business.

And what He says here at the very end tells it all...

Matthew 12:50 KJV 1900

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Jesus wasn’t disdaining His family here, rather He was discipling them.

We know from scripture in

John 7:5 KJV 1900

5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Much of Jesus family didn’t even fully understand or believe in His earthly mission until after His resurrection.

And so He uses this opportunity to explain to all in attendance, even His own Mother and Brothers, that those who He considers His true family are those who are living in the will of His heavenly Father!

And the only way to live in the will of the Father is to believe upon the life of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!