But I invite you to turn to Matthew chapter 12, as we've been working through this wonderful first Gospel. And tonight we come to verses 22 through 37. 22 through 37 Let's give our attention tonight to the word of the Lord.
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. And all the people were amazed and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."
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. And if Satan casts out Satan, he's divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
"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.
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
"Therefore, I tell you: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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.
"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. You brood of vipers, how can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good person out of the good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
There will end the reading of God's word tonight.
Well, everything about Jesus has been throwing off the leaders of Israel. He has made them uncomfortable in every way. He would do the same if he were here today. Be interesting to watch that play out. They just can't figure him out. He is really bothering them. He is really bothering them he is bothering them because of the way he's doing things. The way he is bringing in the kingdom of God has serious problems for them. They are they're really troubled about this. They are not liking it. And you'll notice that's sort of the central issue tonight of the text: that there's you kind of heard that voice that verse ring out if I am doing this by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom has come on you. The kingdom of God has come upon you." That's really the heart of this tonight. That's why I titled the message this way.
But he's confusing them because he's showing such compassion to the wicked. He's forgiving the worst of sinners. He's bringing into his kingdom the most surprising subjects. The Pharisees, of course, wanted the imprecations of the Psalms to fall on people like this. Christ is dining with these people. Well, today tonight it hits a boiling point, doesn't it? This is a real boiling point in the ministry of Christ. After the strongest revelation last time of his identity remember and that's where we started tonight; they're all saying, "Could this be the Son of david comes tonight the strongest attack upon him, on his person. You'll notice here in the Gospels. So Jesus, of course, at this point doesn't mince any words. He gives a strong response to this.
They are troubled by how the kingdom has come, and so you'll notice what they did tonight is that they actually said of him now think about all the stuff we've studied in Matthew so far. If you've been here, if you're a visitor tonight, hopefully you'll see it enough in this connection with this text but they have been heavy handed on him from the beginning. They have been criticizing him of all sorts of things. But tonight they actually make the claim that he is bringing in the kingdom of darkness, that he is operating directly under satanic influence. And all of that results tonight here with a great warning against blasphemy against the Spirit, which we're going to look at here in a moment.
You stand back from all this, and if you're sort of seeking a main point from this section: is that jesus here expresses and explains by evidence that the kingdom of God has come. He's proving it. And I think that has a direct bearing on us. I think that same issue is before us. You can make the same case, and you can see the same thing as to whether the kingdom of God has come in the works of our Lord.
So here he is, reasoning with them to prove the kingdom's arrival, tearing down all their arguments, exposing that he is bringing in the kingdom by the power of the Spirit of God. That's sort of the heart of this tonight. So that's that's what we're looking at. Briefly tonight: first, their illogical charge that is made against Christ; a wise observation to undermine that charge; and then the warning that he gives. That's how we're kind of looking at this uh tonight.
So in verse 22, we have the the scene as we entered it last time, sort of set up for us. You'll remember: "Then a demon possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him so that the man both spoke and saw." That's that's a remarkable that's a remarkable thing to observe. Notice what was put together there: the man was blind and mute and demon possessed That's a lot of burden, that's a lot of affliction. That's that's a heavy, heavy cross to bear.
We know that the Gospels are full of heavy demonic activity. Maybe that sort of confused us because why does it seem such like a disconnect from the first century to our day today? I don't you know. How do we characterize people, and what do we think is demonic possession? Well, one thing we know is that the demons themselves knew that Christ had come onto the earth. So we see in his locality, in his region, much demonic activity in ways that had not been like it before, by the mere presence of who had come.
And you'll remember that when he had come to the region of the Gadarenes, and the two demon possessed men in Matthew came charging down the mountain to meet him, and the first thing they said is, "What have you to do with us, oh Son of God? Have you come to torment us before the time?" The whole demonic realm is thrown into chaos because of Christ's presence. So they think it's last moment. They think, "We've got to do everything we can to destroy as much as we can because the judgment has come."
Well, that's that's The scene that's uh before us the purpose of demon possession was to destroy people. Christ, notice here, casts out the demon. He delivers and he heals him. The people are struck out of their minds that's how it really kind of reads it. They're blown right out of their minds: "We have never seen anything like this!" And so among the people it's circulating: "This this has got to be the Son of David!"
Whether they really believe that, I don't know, but they're saying it. That's the last straw for the Pharisees. That's it for the Pharisees.
What we have seen from the leaders in Israel is they were always looking for something to discredit Jesus. Makes you wonder: if Jesus himself were preaching today, do you think it would be any different? They were always looking for something. They were always looking. You know what we've seen so far? is trivial things. That's where it started. They looked for the trivial things first. Then they moved to the law of God, and and they said, "This guy's not honoring the law of God. He's not doing it the way that we should do it." And what we've seen so far from the leaders is this was all a kind of foil, this was all a kind of facade that was keeping them from coming to Jesus.
Remember, he was giving these calls: "Come to me!" But you're not going to come when you're always having this kind of bitter, critical spirit. It's just not going to happen. When you're always picking, it's not going to happen. They had parked on all these trivialities: "Well, he doesn't do this, and he neglects this." And we're going to see in Matthew 15 he breaks the tradition of the elders all the time. He doesn't wash his hands right before he eats bread. It's that kind of stuff that Jesus was going after because it's that kind of stuff, the straight jacket stuff that promotes deadness in people. And he wants to free people. and
Leaders need to remember this: that kind of stuff promotes deadness in people. Just follow so rigidly the tradition of the elders if it's not biblical, you stifle the Gospel. They had followed the tradition scrupulously. There are a lot of people like this. They are driven by a complaining spirit, indicative of a hard heart.
Well, this is what this is what's broke the straw that has broke the camel's back now and you see that When you have that spirit it's moving it's moving nothing static when they heard the people saying, "This guy is maybe the Son of david to be a little colloquial They blew a gasket. they blew a gasket we know they felt like they were losing grip on power, and the wrong people were being brought into the kingdom. You see that? That's really the issue here. Jesus, by doing this, had really now forced them into a corner to make a decision about the whole thing. Either you're going to rejoice that this remarkable thing had just happened. A man blind and mute and demon-possessed was delivered, or you're going to try to find something. And that's where we are.
No one could deny that the sign had been done. So you kind of have two options here, right? Here's the choice: The Pharisees heard it. They saw the sign, and here's their decision. They said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."
Wow. That was originally the origin of the word was a direct connection to Baal. So Baal the prince, the Pharisees had taken the name of Baal and they had attributed the action to Satan himself. Beelzebul was another name at the time for Satan, by the way. In demonology, he is known as one of the seven deadly demons and the seven princes of hell.
So, you know, I want you to think about their illogical reasoning here. It's really quite simple but brilliant what Jesus does with this. They have said that in Jesus himself, the works of Jesus, in him, he is demon-possessed by the prince of all demons. So they just witnessed a demon-possessed man be delivered, and they have now said that Jesus himself is the possessed one. So that Satan himself is directly working inside of Jesus.
The works. I hope you can hold that, because that will tie well to the blasphemy against the Spirit issue. He's insane, they've said. Working for Satan himself.
Now, at this point, we get a response of Jesus. Don't miss this: they didn't say this to Jesus, by the way. They said it behind his back. You should should catch that. Um, notice, because jesus knowing their thoughts so I mean, he's not only here knowing their very thoughts, they're running around saying this. He knows. He's reading their very thoughts.
"And 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. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
But here's a really crucial exception: "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons here's the whole big moment then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
Wow! Use your reasoning for a minute. You see who's illogical here? You just reasoned that I'm Satan and that what's in me is satanic and evil, and that i what I'm bringing is the kingdom of darkness. That's that's that's how far you've come in your unbelief. It's moved from the trivial stuff, and and you have just moved this way. That would mean that when I cast out the demon out of this man, that when I did that what you just said that would mean that satan casted out satan and that would mean that he's divided within himself.
Now, nothing can hold together. No kingdom, if it's divided within itself, which is a big concern something of like the United States, in the long run. The kingdom can't hold together like this. That long. No kingdom can. That's why no kingdom throughout history has ever held together one kingdom throughout history there's only one kingdom that is united which is the kingdom of Christ.
Now, at this point, it's it's kind of helpful to apply that, to think a little bit more about the application of that. If anyone today rejects jesus let's just say and they're wrestling with it, whether this is true or whether it's a sham. People do that. They come to church, and they have to sit. You know, if they're not a believer, they have to make a decision: "Is this true or is it a sham?" A lot of people do that.
How do you judge if it's true? or How do you judge whether it's a sham? Well, what would what would something satanic be and and and What would Satan want what would satan want and his rule and his kingdom? If the ministry were false, if what's happening is false, would he be happy with the preaching of the Gospel? Would he want true people converted? Think we've had adult baptisms think he'd want that? Infant baptism, sign of the covenant would he want deliverance of sinners? Do you think he'd want us talking about sin? Do you think he'd want to see anyone delivered that professes Christ as Lord? Would Satan want truth preached? Would Satan cast out error? Would Satan take a stand against LGBTQ plus? Would he be happy if a sinner repented?
Satan would want none of that. That would divide up his kingdom. He certainly wouldn't want sin preached. And he certainly wouldn't want anyone seeking deliverance. If Jesus were a servant of Satan, and all of it were false, what would he create? Would it create somebody who cares, now listen, about bruised reeds and smoldering wicks?
He would be grossly unhappy with all the way people are seeking salvation. So Jesus has kind of turned this on them. Who's working for Satan? See it? Who's working for Satan here? He just exposed them. They don't want this deliverance. They, as leaders, are not focused on that. They've been trying to discredit it the whole time with all the trivialities. But now they've moved here.
Do you think Satan in his own kingdom wants to divide it? Does Satan want to cast out himself? Here comes the big moment. But if I'm doing it by the Spirit of God it's a chilling statement. The kingdom of God has come on you.
You see it, beloved? In the deliverance of people from bondage, the kingdom of God. It's really a beautiful thing. Think about here Jesus makes a wise observation. Recognize what's happening here. Recognize what's happening here. Let's go a little further. Says Jesus, "You know what's actually happening?"
Verse 19: "Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds a strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house."
Let's let's talk about what's happening here. Says Jesus, "You need to understand: I actually did come to divide up Satan's house. I'm plundering his house now. I want you to know that may be one of the most exciting Gospel verses in the whole New Testament. I've come to plunder the house of darkness, Satan's kingdom."
If a wicked tyrant came into your home and held your family hostage, there's only going to be one way to get the host the family back. You're going to have to deal with that madman, right? You got to first take him out.
Hear what Jesus just said: "You've missed what my whole work is. My whole work you're all tied up on the things that don't set anyone free. You, as leaders, aren't setting anyone free. You're condemning for all these things that don't promote the deliverance of anyone. I'm setting people free. The blind receive their sight. The lame walk. The lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. The poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who's not offended because of me." That means I'm plundering Satan's whole kingdom. I've come as a great raider to take down that kingdom, and I am binding that strong man. I am binding that strong
That's what the Cross is all about the great binding of Satan. Revelation 20 happens when connection with his death and resurrection. I've come to set people free. I've come to loose them. I have come to remove demonic influence. I have come to give people release from bondage. I have come so that people would no longer be slaves of sin and death. I've come to release them from fear.
I've come, and you should be joyful about that. Can you see what I'm doing in people's lives? Look at all these sick who are giving life back to them. I've released them from fear of judgment. I've forgiven their sins. What a Gospel. What a Savior. You are the ones serving the other master with that kind of spirit. People not yet delivered themselves have no interest in what's happening. That's why they go to the trivialities. That's why they push that way.
And now comes tonight the contemplative warning at the very end here. It's really amazing with Jesus. You know, he'll forgive the greatest of sins. Sins that are just awful. He could go through the whole line of moral sins, all sins that you've ever done that you you know are just awful and sick and twisted. There's not one he will not forgive.
But there's one. Tonight he says he will not forgive.
Verse 31: "Therefore, I tell you: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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."
Now, you have to read that in context, because that's been confusing for people throughout history, where people will generally say, "Well, that just must mean rejection of Jesus." And if that means, if you think the blasphemy against the Spirit is just rejection of Jesus, then you're not going to be forgiven. Everyone has rejected Jesus at some point in life. We would have no mission of the church if it was just rejection of Jesus. That's what he said.
Jesus said the works of casting out demons were done. They just said the works of Jesus in casting out demons were done by Satan or an unclean spirit. Jesus says certain people and I think in some of the Pharisees, committed it here said that the works of Jesus were attributed to the works of Satan. He says, "I won't forgive that."
What does that mean? I will forgive all sins, he says, except this one. When you assault my work here's the heart of it when you assault my work as demonic. The work that is done is that of the Holy Spirit who is active in delivering people. If someone is so hard in heart in this life that they move this way. I'll come to that in a second. that they attribute to Christ that His work is satanic. that the works of Christ are that, of Satan. Jesus says, then you're attacking
The work of the Holy Spirit. And when you do that, there will be no forgiveness. The unforgivable sin. is a specific kind of sin It's a sin I've hardly heard in my life. I've never heard anyone in my whole ministry 20 years do it. It's the sin that attributes the works of Christ to that of Satan. That's what he just said. It's very simple: it attributes the works of Jesus Christ to that of Satan. And when you do that, you're saying that that's the Holy Spirit.
You've never committed it if you're worried about it, by the way. These are the hardest of people, and Jesus presses them with this warning.
C.S. Lewis said i think this is appropriate i'm i'm trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice: either this man is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool. You can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God.
Now, there's a lot of people that may speak against Jesus that way, but you see, the specific kind of sin that was committed in this text where it moved and Jesus says, "If I by the Spirit," notice the work here of casting out the demon was by the Spirit of God, cast out that demon out of that man then the kingdom of God has come and so you see what Jesus does at this moment is press them: to what kind of tree they? are
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad. For a tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good person out of the good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they spoke. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Those were the words. He's talking about what they just said. He said, "You're speaking this way reflects what's in your heart. A good tree would never speak this way, would never speak this way about me."
Jesus is pressing: what our lives show? What they demonstrate? Out of the heart, the man speaks. And why it's important is because what that heart shows, what that heart is It's either regenerate or in unbelief it's hardening the heart, and that heart can move to something like this ultimately.
Think about this: if you kind of look at the progression of what people do to the Holy Spirit, you can grieve the Spirit. And then it moves to what Stephen said of Israel you can always resist the Spirit. And then it results in quenching the Spirit. And the end result could be blossoming the Spirit.
The careless words that were spoken were a reflection of their unregenerate hearts, and he's saying, "Careful. There is a sin I won't forgive." And you see that, still, has with it a call, "Come." doesn't it come You fit to the pharisees come you see the evidence the kingdom of god has come upon us is the evidence of deliverance.
What should that produce from our hearts? Praise.
Here's a test of where we are: have we been delivered, number one? And, number two, it will be shown and our desire to see a lot of other sinners like us get delivered.
I heard of a church recently that people were really bothered because the church was changing. And God was bringing in among them rough people. It troubled the righteous. It wasn't their old church anymore. Some of the long-time members left. What do you think happened when this man was just healed? That's what Jesus just did. He brought in a really rough sinner into his house. And that man probably said, "I once was blind, but now I see."
You think joy filled his heart? When you're delivered and others are delivered, if the angels in heaven are rejoicing, don't you think we should be?
He came to preach to us good news, those who are far and those who are near. The opposite of that great sin we studied tonight is through him then. Let us continually opera up to God a sacrifice of praise. The fruit of our lips that acknowledge his name. Look at all these people who testify of God's deliverance, of his salvation, and what he has done for them. It's impossible that Satan would want that.
And so it will be with the children of the devil. Do you understand that? It's impossible that Satan would want the deliverance of people from sin. And so it will be with the children of the devil.
Praise the Lord! You're not that. He saves the worst of sinners. He saves people like this, the chief of sinners. I can say with Paul, "I'm the chief." Can you? That's us.
Then the fruit of our lips, from that good tree springing out, will be praise. Will be praise.
Amen.