Botany and Theology
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· 7 viewsThe fruit that comes from one's life reveals who they really are.
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If you have your Bibles, please open them to Matt 12:22.
As you find your way there, I have two brief announcements
Pumpkin carving
Corn maze
That’s all I have for announcements.
Tonight, we continue our time through Matthew chapters 11-13 where we see varied responses to Jesus, and the main response we see is that of offense - hence our title - a rock of offense. What we read about in these chapters are those who see Jesus and his works, and they reject him in unbelief.
Often times I hear people remark about how the days we are living in are marked by an unprecedented evil where God is rejected… but this just isn’t the case. Christians have always been persecuted all around the world… and even Christ was hated by the most religious people of his day.
Tonight’s text is no exception to this. Let’s read about it, and as we do let’s stand for the reading of God’s Word.
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.”
Tonight’s sermon is titled, ‘Botany and Theology’
Help me define these terms
- who would be able to define the word botany for me - the study of plants
-theology - the study of God
Tonight’s text gives us a brief lesson on botany - that is the study of plants, and from there we will apply what we learn about plants will help us get a better grasp on theology.
Let’s start with the botany lesson -
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.
A rather straight forward picture is given here
1. A tree is known by its fruit.
1. A tree is known by its fruit.
So if a tree produces apples - what kind of tree is it?
If a tree produces oranges - what kind of tree is it?
If a tree produces produces walnuts - what kind of tree is it?
Now that you understand the principle, let’s put this knowledge to the test.
1. A tree is known by its fruit.
1. A tree is known by its fruit.
This is a rather simple lesson - but there is another nuance to this lesson. More than just learning what kind of tree it is we have, we need to learn the condition of that tree.
Jesus said
“Make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad”
This simply means that a trees that produce bad fruit have a problem. It could be that a bug or a fungus has gotten into the tree. - I don’t know much about how to diagnose a tree… but anyone can tell that a tree that produces bad fruit has some sort of problem.
So if a tree doesn’t produce good fruit, you might need to cut the tree down and plant another one in it’s place so that in a few years you can harvest good fruit from the tree in that place.
This is a simple lesson that nearly any person can understand. Let’s take this principle and apply it to our theology so that we might learn more about Jesus and about ourselves.
Let’s return to the top of tonight’s text.
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?”
What we see in these verses is not new to what Jesus had been doing previously. At this point, Jesus has repeatedly cast out demons… Back in chapter 8, Matthew said,
16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
So when we read about the work that Jesus did here, there isn’t much new compared to what he has repeatedly done in the previous chapters. But there is something new happening… and what is new isn’t the work of Jesus, but the people’s response to Jesus work…
After Jesus cast out the demon, Matthew writes in v 23
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”
Understand what the title - the Son of David - was… it was a title that referred to the promised messiah that God would send to sit on the throne of David for all eternity.
People had been amazed many times before… and even a few had identified Jesus as the Son of David… but here we see increasing faith found in the crowds around surrounding the person of Jesus. What they saw from Jesus was not just a good apple… they saw the most incredible fruit that could not come from any ordinary person… so they began wondering… is this the Son of David?
Now, we are getting somewhere… People are finally beginning to recognize Jesus’ authority… but that wasn’t the case for everyone.
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
The Pharisees attribute the amazing and good work of Jesus to being that of the work of a demon…
They Pharisees who claimed to be wise were fools… for they failed to recognize Jesus by his fruit.
So Jesus walks them and us through this lesson giving us three reasons why their conclusion was wrong.
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?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, and they go into civil war, then they will not win a war against another nation that comes up against it. And again, if a city or house is divided, it will fall. Even the poorest king or military ruler knows that their chances of victory are slim his own troops are fighting each other instead of their enemy… and Satan knows this as well.
Jesus said,
If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. how then will his kingdom stand?
The Pharisees conclusion about Jesus casting out demons by another demon makes zero sense.
Jesus continues,
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
Even among the Jews, there were others who cast out demons as well. The pharisees attributed their work to being that of the work of God. And yet they say that Jesus casts out demons by the power of Beelzebul?
Again, there is a double standard going on here and it makes no sense whatsoever.
Finally Jesus offers a different solution to how he casts out demons;
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.
Jesus says, it’s not by the spirit of a demon that he casts out demons, but he does so by the Spirit of God. And if by the Spirit of God he is overthrowing the demons that rule the fallen world, then it must mean that the Kingdom of God is coming into the world.
Jesus says that he is coming and binding up the strong man - that is the demons - so that he man take back the world that has fallen into the enemy’s hands.
So the pharisees should have understood this -
2. Jesus’ good works demonstrate his goodness.
2. Jesus’ good works demonstrate his goodness.
Jesus’ works demonstrate that he opposes Satan…
And his works demonstrate that he is bringing about the kingdom of God.
To come to any other conclusion is complete madness
It’s like pulling an orange off of a tree and concluding that is is an apple tree… this conclusion is illogical and it makes no sense.
So too, if someone looks at the good works of Jesus, and conclude that he is evil, then they are blind at best… and being blind is not a good thing.
We must look at the good work of Jesus in overthrowing Satan and recognize that he worked by the power of God’s spirit.
If someone looks at what is good, and they call it evil, this reveals shows that there is something wicked in the heart of that person. Jesus goes on to diagnose the fruit of the pharisees.
30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Jesus say, if you are not with him, then you are against him
There is no neutral ground when it comes to the Christian faith - you are either with Jesus… meaning you are for doing that which is good, and you delight in works of righteousness and you mourn works of evil… or you are against Jesus, and you are working against the very work that he is doing. Jesus is about gathering his people to himself to glorify his name, what those who are against Jesus wish to divide and scatter his people to profane the name of Jesus.
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.
There is a lot of confusion around these verses…
as a young person, I was always afraid that I had commited the unpardonable sin - but I wasn’t really sure what it meant to blasphemy against the Spirit.
So let’s try to understand what this sin is.
First of all what is blasphemy… it’s to speak against God. v32, Jesus says whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven…
So understand, blasphemy is done with the tongue when we slander God.
But the unforgivable sin that we call the blasphemy against the spirit not the same as blasphemy against Jesus or the Father. V 32 says, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven…
The sin of blasphemy is not unforgivable
12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
Paul was a blasphemer… yet he recieved mercy because he acted in ignorance… that simply means that he acted without having a right knowledge of Jesus.
But what the pharisees are doing in tonight’s text is different… they saw the work of Jesus done by the Spirit of God… They should have seen the fruit and recognized that the work of Jesus was done by God, and they even knew that the work he did was against that of the demons… and yet with this knowledge they spoke against the Spirit saying that Jesus acted by the power of a demon.
So what is blasphemy against the Spirit? It’s speaking evil against the good work of the Spirit that clearly opposes the work of Satan.
If you are worried that you have commited this sin, don’t be afraid… the fact that you fear God at all is evidence that the God’s Spirit is at work in your heart.
God will save all who believe in Jesus… if you believe that Jesus is from God, then you have not blasphemed against the Spirit.
Let’s continue to diagnose the fruit of the pharisees.
Here is the verse that we began with…
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.
Jesus makes the diagnosis of the Pharisees’ 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.
Remember, the Pharisees made their judgment of Jesus - saying he casts out demons by the power of a demon. This time Jesus makes the judgment against them and he tells them that they are a brood of vipers - which just means, they are the children of a snake!
Jesus is saying that the Pharisees belong to Satan. And while they think they speak good in what they are teaching, they are in fact evil…
35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
Similar to the fruit from a tree - if you have a good treasure - then you bill produce good in your life, but if your treasure is evil - then you will only produce evil.
and so Jesus warns the Pharisees and he warns us;
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.”
What Jesus is saying, is that we will be judged for what we do… this is not a contradiction of Paul’s use of justification…
Paul himself put it this way
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If these are the fruit that come from your life, well then you must understand… you will not inherit the kingdom of God…
This is what Jesus is saying when he says we will be either justified or condemned by our words…
James says it this way
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
3. The condition of our heart is revealed by our works.
3. The condition of our heart is revealed by our works.
The Pharisees made a judgment against Jesus for the fruit of his works…
Jesus condemned the Pharisees because they despised what was good.
And on the day of judgment, we will be judge for every work that we do…
There will be some who will hear these dreaded words
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
We will be judged by our works…
So examine the fruit in your life, and consider, what judgment will be made on the last day?
Well like every person, we all would be guilty if we depended upon our own works for salvation. But the good news is that there is a way for us to be judged based on the works of another.
Jesus said,
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
We usually hear this and focus on the unforgivable sin. We ought to take this sin seriously, but all at once we should not miss the good news here as well! Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven!
Those who go to Jesus will be forgiven, and they will be given his perfect righteous record in the place of our sins.
And those who receive Christ’s righteous record will also receive the same Spirit that rested with Jesus. And by his Spirit, we will grow in the likeness of Christ from one degree to the next.
In tonight’s text, we saw the Spirit of God who was able to overthrow the dominion of demons from a mans body… so too the power of the Spirit in the life of the believer causes sin to lose its grip on our life.
So may we go to him, seeking his mercy and his Spirit so that we might be pardoned for sin, and so we can grow in righteousness.
Let’s pray.