Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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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Jesus has withdrawn from the Pharisees and then the people follow him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.
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