Lessons on Unity, the Unforgivable sin, and the Weight of our Words, Matthew 12:22-37

Let’s walk through the passage together and then we are going to look at three lessons from this passage on unity, the unforgivable sin, and the weight of our words.

Sermon Passage: Matthew 12:22–37 (CSB)

Matthew 12:22-23

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. 23 All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

“Then”, doesn’t mean that this is the next day or even the next thing that happens sequentially. Matthew is moving us through the story of Christ at the direction of the Holy Spirit and in the context of his gospel.

At this point in the Gospel we have seen the Pharisees rejection of Jesus and their intent to kill him. Matthew brings to light that at the same time Jesus’ miracles moved the crowds thoughts from possibility to probability, and the Pharisees from apprehension to adversary.

The astounded question of the crowds was the recognition of the deity of Jesus. The only conclusion for the crowds of people to make at this point was that Jesus is the Messiah. But, as I said the Pharisees were moving in the opposite direction of the crowds.

The Pharisees accuse Jesus of performing the miracles by the power of Beelzebul, a demon leader in Satan’s army.

Matthew 12:24-30

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.

Jesus responds to the rejection and accusation of the Pharisees. Jesus affirms that Satan has a kingdom, and that Satan is not divided against himself. Therefore it makes no sense for him to cast out one of his army by the power of another.

Jesus also pointedly asks that if He is driving out demons by the power of demons, then by what power are the followers of the Pharisees casting out demons?

Jesus proposes that if He is who He the crowds say He is, then the kingdom of God has come upon them. The example of Jesus casting out demons is the evidence that proves He has overcome the strong man- the Devil. Jesus foreshadows that He will plunder the house of Satan, and the proof that He can do it is in His commanding and casting out of demons.

In the same way that the kingdom of Satan is not divided, the kingdom of Christ is unified. You are either with Christ and working with Him to accomplish His mission, or you are against Him and working against Him to derail His mission.

There is no neutral (vs. 30), and the rejection of Christ by the Pharisees reveals that they have chosen to be against Christ.

The Pharisees moved from apprehension to adversary, and in doing so they revealed the condition of their hearts.

The Pharisees commit the most grievous sin possible when they attribute the good work of God to the evil work of the devil.

Matthew 12:31-32

31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.

Blasphemy against the Spirit is to deny the work of God. This is more than disagreeing with Jesus on the particulars of the Sabbath. The opposition of the Pharisees at this point is a rejection that leaves them without excuse.

The unforgivable sin is committed by people who are not seeking forgiveness. Instead of being humble and repentant they have set themselves against God by rejecting the divine work of His Son and His Spirit.

Rejecting Christ and the testimony of the Holy Spirit is an act of cutting yourself off from the forgiveness God offers.

Those who reject Jesus and His Word reveal the condition of their hearts. This is not a loss of salvation, instead it is a revelation of the true condition of the heart. This is why Jesus says the following in verses 33-37

Matthew 12:33-37

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. 35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The words of the Pharisees are not small or insignificant. Their rejection of Christ is a great offense that begins in the heart. When they attribute the miraculous work of Christ to the power of Satan they reveal the wickedness of their hearts. The rejection of Jesus is the overflow of their hearts. The words that come out from the Pharisees are bad fruit.

They want so bad, for all the wrong reasons, for Jesus to not be the truth; that they will condemn themselves when they condemn Jesus.

There are three lessons that I want to share from our passage today:

Lesson 1: Unity

There is no such thing as neutral, you are either for or against Jesus.

There are two kingdoms, but there is no division in each kingdom. The kingdom of the world is unified, and the kingdom of Christ is unified.

Jesus came to save, forgive, and transfer those who believe in Him from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light and life.

The saving work of Christ is a dividing work.

The Word of God divides, but the house of God is not divided

Hebrews 4:12 (CSB)

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Matthew 10:32–34 (CSB)

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

A house divided will fall, but the kingdom of God is not divided. This truth is demonstrated in the church.

1. Unity is an essential quality of the church

Unity is essential to the church because of there is unity in the Trinity.

Division is contrary to the way of the church.

Disagreement is not the same thing as division.

Division is when we disagree on what God has actually said.

Disagreement is when we are wrestling through ways to faithfully apply the truth of what God has said.

For example: June is pride month…

Division over homosexuality versus disagreement over homosexuality

Division occurs when one group departs from what God has said by saying He meant something different.

Disagreement occurs when both groups agree on what God said and meant, but differ on how to put it into practice. This is a disagreement on a level that maintains gospel unity but results in the difficulty rather than division.

2. Unity is established in Christ and demonstrated through obedience to the Spirit and the Word

The unity of the church is in Christ.

The unity of the church is demonstrated through obedience to the Spirit and the Word.

The body of Christ as a whole is following Christ. The agreement of the church on the gospel is the source of unity. Obedience is the demonstration of unity.

The church that agrees on the gospel also lives according to the gospel. There is an incredible testimony of shared faithfulness in the unified church.

A unified church believes together, worships together, and obeys together.

Lesson 2: The Unforgivable Sin

The Unforgivable Sin is the Rejection of Christ and the Testimony of the Holy Spirit

There are only two kinds of people in the world, those who are with Christ and those who are against Him.

Blasphemy is when evil claims to be good and when good is labeled evil.

Jesus was accused as a blasphemer because He was claiming to be God, and no human being can be God.

The Pharisees actually blasphemed when they gave Satan credit for the good works of Christ.

The rejection of Christ is the result of rejecting the testimony of the Spirit

For the Pharisees it was the miracles and prophecies fulfilled

Since the Holy Spirit authored the Bible through men, when you reject the Bible or attempt to redefine what the Bible says you are committing blasphemy against the Spirit.

There is no forgiveness for those who reject the testimony of the Spirit concerning the Word of God, including the fact that Jesus is the Messiah.

You cannot have the Father without the Son and the Spirit, the Son without the Father and the Spirit, or the Spirit without the Father and the Son

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You cannot have Jesus and reject His Word and you cannot have the Word and reject Jesus

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Lesson 3: The Weight of our Words

The weight of the gospel is communicated with words

The gospel is centered on the Word that became flesh

The reception of the gospel is confessed with your words

The witness of the gospel in your life is present in your words

This past week I went to youthcamp with our 7-12 graders. I was reminded of the importance of our words. In large part because when the uncool pastor came around their conversations changed. But, here’s the thing, like I told many of them last week, it doesn’t matter if you keep those words from me, they come from the heart and they reveal your heart… and God knows your heart.

Your words condemn you because they reveal your heart

Jesus makes it clear that God’s judgment on your heart is justified by the words we say.

This applies to jokes, comments, gossip, lies, slander, etc. When you say “bless her heart” and then talk bad about her you are giving God the evidence He will present when He judges your heart.

You pick a side with your words

Your words make a difference in the lives of other people

This is why Paul writes and says…

Ephesians 4:29 (CSB)

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 11:9 (CSB)

9 With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

Proverbs 11:17 (CSB)

17 A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.

Proverbs 15:4 (CSB)

4 The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 16:24 (CSB)

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body.,

James 1:26 (CSB)

26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

James 3:3–6 (CSB)

3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 3:10 (CSB)

10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

1 Peter 3:10 (CSB)

10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,

Practical ways to apply these lessons

1. Use your words for the good of others and to glorify God

2. Every sin is forgivable accept rejecting the testimony of the Spirit, therefore confess Christ and follow Him as Lord

3. Pursue unity through the gospel of Jesus Christ, not through the ways of world