Matthew 12:22-37 Two Kingdoms, One Choice

Intro:

Some people have a hard time making a decision

Husband: What do you want for dinner

Wife: I don’t know, you decide

Husband: Pizza

Wife: No

Husband: Mexican

Wife: No

Husband: Burgers

Wife: No

Husband: What do you want?

Wife: I don’t know, you decide

Have you ever spent so long trying to decide where to go for dinner or what movie to see that you end up missing the opportunity entirely?

You may have decidophobia?

That is the fear of making decisions

4 signs you may have it

You Go Out Of Your Way To Avoid Choices

You Depend On Others To Make Decisions

Making Decisions produces Anxiety

Your Indecision Interferes With Your Life

Psychologists say that the average person makes 35,000 decisions a day

Jesus gives us one choice this morning

Its between two kingdoms

Read Matthew 12:22-27

Transition:

The attacks on Jesus are starting to increase

The Pharisee’s are plotting to destroy him

This is all leading up to the penultimate end, the crucifixion

There are two things happening that we can draw from these attacks

First, Jesus gives a rebuttal for the attacks from which we can learn and use

Second, Jesus is making it crystal clear what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ

Today we given the options of two kingdoms and we have to make a choice

Jesus draw a definitive line in the sand and makes his followers choose

This presents a dilemma for his followers

They love the ministry of Jesus and the benefits they get from it

At the same time they don’t want to lose the social connections that come with being a part of the synagogue

Jesus gives a choice

You are either for him, or against him

I. Set Free by the Spirit vs. 22-28

Making the right choice will see you free

Vs. 22-23 Possessed man set free

Jesus has withdrawn from the Pharisees and then the people follow him

He heals everyone

A demon possessed man is brought to him who was blind and mute

Jesus casts out the demon so that the man speaks and sees

The man has been set from the oppression

The chains that prevented him from seeing and hearing have been broken

In this man we see a contrast between the two kingdoms

Jesus sets us free from sin and bondage

Satan brings burdens and bondage to sin

The people could see this and attributed this to Jesus being the Messiah

This was the last thing the Pharisees wanted

Vs. 24-26 House divided can’t stand

Of course the Pharisees envy prevented them from seeing the good Jesus was doing

They accused Jesus of using Satan to cast out demons

They use the term Beelzebul

Beelzebub: Epithet meaning “lord of the flies” or “lord of the manure pile,” referring to Satan.

In the second century rabbis still accused Jesus and Jewish Christians of using sorcery to achieve the miracles that everyone acknowledged they were performing.

Jesus knew their thoughts and so he challenged them

A house or nation divided will not stand

If demons are possessing this man and preventing him from seeing or hearing then what good does it do if Jesus casts them out?

His kingdom will crumble if Jesus is going around and rebuking all the demon possessed

It’s not good for business

Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation: Jesus logically observed that it makes no sense for Satan to cast out Satan.

The Pharisees needed to explain how Satan benefited by the work Jesus had just done.

Vs. 27-28 By the Spirit

Then Jesus takes it even further and asks the Pharisees who their people cast out demons with

“Your sons” means “members of your own group”.

Because some of the Pharisees’ associates also cast out demons by methods that would look more magical than Jesus’

“The Jewish exorcists operated in conventional fashion by use of herbs and magical formulae, and the results were probably insignificant. The practice was sanctioned by custom, and harmless. But in casting out devils, as in all other things, Jesus was original, and His method was too effectual.

Spurgeon said “Envy causes persons often to condemn in one, what they approve in another.”

Jesus gives the source by which he casts out demons

He tells them By the Spirit

“Though our Lord had power all his own, he honored the Spirit of God, and worked by his energy, and mentioned the fact that he did so.”

The power of the Holy Spirit is capable of doing battle with demons

When believers are equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit nothing formed against them can prosper

Jesus also adds that the kingdom of God has come upon them

Jesus was the manifestation of the kingdom of God

He came as the solution to sin, the redeemer of the people, the way to heaven

There were now two options and the people needed to make a choice

II. For Jesus or Against Him vs. 29-32

You have a choice as a disciple of Jesus, for him or against him

Vs. 29 Binding Strong Man

Jesus uses an illustration of binding the strong man

The strong man is Satan

To plunder the house of a strong you need to be stronger than him

And then he will plunder his house: Using the analogy, Jesus explained His authority to bind Satan’s power.

He is stronger than the strong man is.

In so doing, Jesus presented a valuable principle in spiritual warfare as we remember that Jesus gives us the permission to use His name and authority, giving us the strength we need in binding the strong man.

Jesus also made it clear that He was the stronger man who was not captive under the strong man.

His message was, “I’m not under Satan’s power. Instead, I’m proving that I am stronger than he is by casting him out of those he has possessed.” “The very fact that I have been able so successfully to invade Satan’s territory is proof that he is bound and powerless to resist.”

Jesus looks at every life delivered from Satan’s domination and says, “I’m plundering the kingdom of Satan one life at a time.”

There is nothing in our life that must stay under Satan’s domination. The One who binds the strong man and will plunder his goods is our risen Lord.

Vs. 30 Whoever is not with me

Jesus then switches the conversation to about which side people were on

You either for him or against him

Disciples then and now have a choice

You can follow Jesus and receive the blessings

Or you can choose the legalistic life of the Pharisees and be against Him

He who is not with Me is against Me: Jesus first removed illusions about any neutral response to Him or His work.

If one is not for Him, then that one is against Him.

If you are for Jesus you are going to gather like-minded believers

If you are against Jesus you are going to cause division and scatter the sheep

This is a direct hit on the Pharisees, but also a revelation about the two kingdoms

You can’t have both

This is the trap many Christians have fallen into

Respect of the world and the life of a disciple

The world has become too polarized and they are demanding you choose as well

Of course, they are very transparent that they will attack you if you don’t acquiesce to their side

The world wants to force you into a deaf and mute person, only speaking their ideology while being possessed with their spirit of fear and hate

Jesus sets you free and the world brings you into bondage

Vs. 31-32 Unforgivable Sin

Now Jesus shifts to the unforgivable sin

For a long time people spread the lie the suicide is the unforgivable sin

There is no truth to that in scripture

The one unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

What does that mean and what does it look like?

The Holy Spirit’s main ministry is to testify of Jesus

John 15:26 ESV

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

When that testimony of Jesus is fully and finally rejected, one has truly blasphemed the Holy Spirit and essentially called Him a liar in respect to His testimony about Jesus. The religious leaders were close to this.

It will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come: The eternal consequences of this sin force us to regard it seriously.

Therefore, how can one know if they have in fact blasphemed the Holy Spirit?

The fact that one desires Jesus at all shows that they are not guilty of this sin. Yet continued rejection of Jesus makes us more hardened against Him and puts us on the path of a full and final rejection of Him.

Some people – as a joke or a dare – intentionally say words they suppose commit the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit. They think it a light thing to joke with eternity.

Yet true blasphemy against the Spirit is more than a formula of words; it is a settled disposition of life that rejects the testimony of the Holy Spirit regarding Jesus.

Even if someone has intentionally said such things, they can still repent and prevent a settled rejection of Jesus.

III. Known by Your Fruit vs. 33-37

Your choice will be made evident by the fruit in your life.

Jesus loved to use the picture of fruit because it showed evidence

Vs. 33 Tree is know by fruit

The good tree will produce good fruit

The bad tree will produce bad fruit

John 15:2 ESV

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Lemon Tree on Constellation

The bad fruit of their words (when they condemned Jesus) betrayed the bad root growing in their hearts.

If they got their hearts right with God, their words about Jesus would also be right.

The fruit of our life will be evident here on earth and will be judged when we stand before Jesus

Followers of Jesus produce good fruit

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Those who follow the world will produce bad fruit even though it may look impressive

Vs. 34-35 Out of the Abundance of the Mouth

Brood of vipers! With these words, Jesus essentially called the religious leaders “sons of Satan.”

Q&A Question: Can you pray for someone to go blind?

They were a generation associated with the serpent, not with God. It was this evil nature that made them speak evil of Jesus

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks:

Our words reveal our heart. If there were good treasure in the heart of these religious leaders, it would show itself in good things.

Vs. 36-37 Give an Account for Careless Words

For every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment: “Idle and wasted words are to be accounted for; what then of evil and wicked?”

By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned: By this Jesus answered an anticipated objection – that He made too much of mere words.

Instead, because words reflect the heart, one can be rightly judged by their words.