Verse of the Day: Matthew 12:34-35

Kids Takeaway of the Day. Bear Fruit

Kingdom Fruit

Introduction:

Josephus' "Antiquities of the Jews," written in 93–94 CE, is a twenty-volume work detailing Jewish history from creation to the Roman procurators before the Jewish War.

Josephus’ antiquities 8.45-49

(45) God also enabled him to learn that skill which expels demons, which is a science useful and Sanative (having power to cure or heal) to men. He composed such incantations also by which distempers are alleviated. And he left behind him the manner of using exorcisms, by which they drive away demons, so that they never return, (46) and this method of cure is of great force unto this day; for I have seen a certain man of my own country whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, and his sons, and his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers. The manner of the cure was this:—(47) He put a ring that had a root of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and when the man fell down immediately, he abjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations which he composed. (48) And when Eleazar would persuade and demonstrate to the spectators that he had such a power, he set a little way off a cup or basin full of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it, and thereby to let the spectators know that he had left the man; (49) and when this was done, the skill and wisdom of Solomon was shown very manifestly; for which reason it is, that all men may know the vastness of Solomon’s abilities, and how he was beloved of God, and that the extraordinary virtues of every kind with which this king was endowed may not be unknown to any people under the sun; for this reason, I say, it is that we have proceeded to speak so largely of these matters. 

Passage

Matthew 12:22–50 ESV

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

I. Jesus’ Kingdom is Advancing; are you helping or hindering? Matthew 12:22-32

Can this Be the Son of David? Matthew 12:23

Accusation of Alignment with Satan Matthew 12:24

First Rhetorical Question Matthew 12:26

Jesus’ first question is reductio ad absurdum. He disproves the Pharisees’ statement by showing how absurd the conclusion would be to their logic. He shows the statement is false by demonstrating that their assumption results in an absurd outcome.

Second Rhetorical Question Matthew 12:28

Jesus’ second rhetorical question is ad hominem, or a question attacking the person, not the argument. The Pharisees themselves were known to practice exorcism(Josephus’ antiquities 8.45-49)

V. Neutrality with the Kingdom of God is impossible. You’re either gathering with Him, or Scattering from Him. Let’s be people that Gather others in.

Found people find people

Matthew 12:29 ESV

29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

“The exorcisms demonstrate that God in Christ is decisively defeating the devil. As has often been noted, D-Day has come, though not yet V-Day. Satan is in his death throes. His last flurry of activity, to change the metaphor, is like that of a chicken (or perhaps better a snake!) with its head cut off.”

Rev 20:1-3 is a cross reference where

Matthew (2) Jesus Provides the Real Explanation (12:28–30)

Dispensationalists must make room for the decisive defeat of Satan at Jesus’s first coming, and amillennialists must not underestimate the extent to which Satan’s limited power can still injure the church. Satan’s power was effectively shattered at Christ’s first coming, yet he is still a powerful enemy who must be resisted by all the means of grace

“the point of 12:24–32 is not so much to narrate unbelief despite clear evidence that Jesus is the Messiah as it is to stress the slanderous attempt to portray this messianic evidence as demonic evidence”

II. Jesus’ fruit is good and from God; is yours? Matthew 12:33-37

Evidently in response to Jesus’s sharp warning about unforgivable sin,1 certain legal experts and Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign (12:38). His answer does not supply them with a new sign but only reminds them of the old “sign” of Jonah (12:39–41; cf. Jon. 1:17)2 and the trek of the Queen of the South to hear Solomon’s wisdom (Matt. 12:42; cf. 1 Kings 10; 2 Chron. 9). With an enigmatic story about an evil spirit, Jesus concludes his answer by warning the listeners that their unbelief will leave them worse than they were before Jesus came (Matt. 12:43–45).

III. Jesus’ family are the obedient Matthew 12:43-50

Not perfect, but in submission God

not without Sin, but repentant of their sins

not righteous because of their own deeds, but righteous because of Jesus’ deeds.

Not ignorant of the law of God, but in submission to it.

not a lover of self, but a lover of God and other people

in Matthew 12:30 Jesus states that whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Are you with Jesus, or against Him?

Try this metric; how are you gathering and scattering in each of your kingdom priorities? Are you gathering in your home life with you spouse, and children if you are a parent? Are you gathering in your church life by serving? Are you gathering in your current vocation?