WEBVTT

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 Go ahead and take out your copy of God's Word and turn to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 3.

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 We proceed with our study through Mark's Gospel account.

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! We have come now to chapter 3, verse 20.

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 Mark chapter 3, I'll begin reading in verse 20.

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 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they could not even eat.

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 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying,

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 He is out of his mind.

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 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying,

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 He is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.

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 And he called them to him and said to them in parables,

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 How can Satan cast out Satan?

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 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

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 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

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 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand.

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 But is coming to an end.

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 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods,

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 unless he first binds the strong man.

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 Then indeed he may plunder his house.

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 Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man,

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 and whatever blasphemies they utter.

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 But whoever blasphemies against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness,

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 but is guilty of an eternal sin.

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 For they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.

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 And his mother and his brothers came.

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 And standing outside, they sent to him and called him.

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 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him,

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 Your mother and your brothers are outside seeking you.

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 And he answered them, Who are my mother and my brothers?

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 And looking about those who sat around him, he said,

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 Here are my mother and my brothers.

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 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

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 Please pray with me.

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 Father God, we thank you for your word,

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 and the reading of it, and the preaching of it.

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 And pray, Father, this day, by the power of your Spirit,

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 for those of us who know you,

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 and have been given the gift of the Helper,

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 that you will apply these words to our heart,

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 that we might be transformed this day.

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 And I pray, Father, for anyone here who may not have placed faith in Christ,

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 who may not believe he is who he says he is,

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 and that he did, in fact, accomplish the things that we see recorded in the Scriptures,

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 that this will be the last day that would be true of them,

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 that they might believe today and be saved.

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 And we pray this in Christ's precious, holy, and magnified name.

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 Amen.

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 So this is a bit of a chunk of text,

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 particularly for us as we typically try to take a little bit smaller bites of things

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 and ruminate on them a bit more.

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 But I had a very difficult time not including verse 20 down through 35.

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 For most of you, as we read that,

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 you probably noticed that we passed by a couple of subheadings.

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 Please know that those are not inspired in any way whatsoever.

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 From the ESV that I'm reading here,

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 these are inserted,

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 and most of us have the same insertions of this.

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 But you'll find that as we looked at verse 28 and verse 29,

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 this is the text that is often talked about.

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 This is where the unpardonable sin is preached from.

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 And there's lots and lots of misunderstanding about what that is and what that means.

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 And I hope for us here,

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 those of you who are regulars with us,

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 this causes a little bit of grief in you

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 to see when he says at the end of verse 29,

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 but is guilty of an eternal sin.

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 What does that mean?

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 Because we preach a gospel of forgiveness.

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 A gospel that comes by grace alone through faith

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 and Christ alone forever.

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 We believe that our sins are expunged from us.

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 That they are cast as far as the east is from the west.

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 That they are forgotten.

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 That when God looks at us who have believed in Christ,

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 He sees the righteousness of Christ.

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 So we preach a gospel of forgiveness.

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 And here we see it taught that there's a sin that cannot be forgiven

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 and that should cause a little bit of conflict in you

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 until we arrive together, I hope,

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 at what this really means and how we should understand it.

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 There are lots and lots of entirely unacceptable understandings

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 of what the unpardonable sin is.

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 Some people believe it's just simply saying something against the Holy Spirit.

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 That if in some way you speak poorly of,

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 it's what this term blasphemy means,

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 is to belittle or to utter a,

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 some kind of a condemnation against the Spirit,

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 that you are therefore cursed.

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 That there is no way you could possibly ever have

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 forgiveness and acceptance in God.

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 I've actually seen some people make the case

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 that it's perfectly acceptable to cuss in God's name

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 and Jesus Christ's name,

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 but not in the Spirit's name,

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 which if you think cussing is cool,

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 that would definitely take your cool factor down

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 if you cuss the Holy Spirit's name.

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 That's not what this means.

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 Rather commonly,

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 it's believed to be that

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 it's the act of denying some work of the Spirit,

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 whether that's a real work or a supposed work.

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 The charismatic movement is classic for railing this against

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 those of us who don't believe that the Spirit works

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 in exactly the same way they do,

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 that we are committing a blasphemy of the Spirit

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 because we don't think that the falling out

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 and the speaking in tongues

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 and all these things that are happening

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 in these particular settings

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 are actually the work of the Spirit,

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 and therefore that is a blasphemy of the Spirit.

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 I'd say to you now,

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 none of these are what Jesus means at all.

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 There are some more acceptable understandings of it,

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 although I think we'll see

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 as we look at the context together

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 that they're a little bit narrow.

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 One being an act of resistance

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 which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously

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 that He withdraws forever

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 with His convicting power.

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 So we're not able to repent and be forgiven.

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 Others say that it's simply,

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 as Jesus is responding to the Pharisees,

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 that it is to say that Jesus worked by a power

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 other than the power of the Holy Spirit.

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 And both of these things are true

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 in their proper sense,

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 but I don't think they're quite inclusive enough

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 of what Jesus is trying to teach here.

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 And so let me tell you,

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 not to leave you hanging too long,

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 quick summary,

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 and then I'll build the case

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 for why I believe

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 that what Jesus is saying here

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 is that the unpardonable sin

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 is denying that Jesus is the Christ

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 or the anointed one with finality.

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 Denying that Jesus is the Christ

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 with finality.

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 And I arrive at that

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 by looking at the context.

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 That's why we started in verse 20

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 and we're ending in verse 35.

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 It's incredibly important.

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 But before we even get to that,

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 we should look at the context

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 of the Gospel of Mark to this point.

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 There have been many proclamations

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 up to this point

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 that Jesus is in fact the Son of God,

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 the Christ,

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 the one who has come

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 to bring forgiveness to His people.

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 Mark states that

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 in chapter 1, verse 1.

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 He says the beginning of the Gospel

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 of Jesus Christ,

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 the Son of God.

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 John the Baptist makes that declaration

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 in chapter 1, verse 8.

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 He says,

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 I have baptized you with water,

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 but He will baptize you

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 with the Holy Spirit.

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 God the Spirit and God the Father

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 have declared that Jesus is the Christ.

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 When Jesus was baptized,

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 the Spirit of God descended on Him

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 like a dove,

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 which would have been representative

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 of both the indwelling power

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 of the Spirit in His life

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 and the blessing of the Spirit.

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 And God spoke out of heaven

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 and said in verse 11 of chapter 1,

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 You are my beloved Son.

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 With you I am well pleased.

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 This was a fulfillment

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 of messianic prophecy.

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 2 Samuel 7, 12-14.

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 A promise given to David

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 speaking of his son Solomon,

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 but in a greater way

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 speaking of the Christ.

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 Nathan said to David,

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 When your days are fulfilled

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 and you lie down with your fathers,

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 I will raise up your offspring after you

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 who shall come from your body

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 and I will establish his kingdom.

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 He shall build a house for my name

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 and I will establish the throne

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 of his kingdom forever.

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 I will be to him a father

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 and he shall be to me a son.

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 This is speaking both of Solomon

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 and of our Lord.

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 And Jesus has declared this of himself,

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 that he is the Christ.

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 When he states in chapter 2,

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 verses 10-11,

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 that he has the power to forgive sin.

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 And in chapter 2, verse 28,

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 when he says that he is the Lord

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 of the Sabbath.

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 This has been established,

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 this reality,

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 throughout the book so far.

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 Now as we look at our text today,

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 beginning in verse 20

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 and going through verse 35,

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 there emerges a common literary device

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 that was used in the days of Mark.

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 I've said to you before

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 that this was a rhetorical writing,

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 not in the sense that we use rhetoric today,

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 which is typically pointless argument

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 or unvaluable argument,

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 just meant to convince people of something.

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 But this would have been considered

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 valuable argument,

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 based in fact,

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 but aimed at convincing us of something.

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 You see here,

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 we're being driven towards understanding

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 that Jesus is in fact the Christ.

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 And he uses a literary form

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 called a chiasm.

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 It's not important for you to write down,

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 but I happen to know what it's called.

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 So there you have it.

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 It's called a chiasm.

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 And he follows a pattern,

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 beginning in verse 20

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 and working himself down to verse 35.

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 And a chiasm is reflective.

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 So if you can track this in your mind,

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 we have A, B, C, C prime, B prime, A prime.

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 They reflect one another.

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 And we see this in verse 20.

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 We see a crowd.

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 In verse 21, we see Jesus' family.

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 There's A and B.

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 C, verse 22, we see the scribes.

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 Then in verses 23 through 30,

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 he addresses the scribes.

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 Verse 31 through 33,

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 he addresses the family.

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 In verse 34 through 35,

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 he addresses the crowd.

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 This is significant.

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 It means that this was meant

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 to be taken together.

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 So as we look at verse 28 and 29,

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 and we really try to understand

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 what is it that Jesus was teaching,

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 we can't simply look at verse 28 and 29.

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 We have to look at the context.

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 We have to back up to this broader picture

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 of this situation that's happening

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 with the scribes and the crowd

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 and his family.

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 Very significant in this way.

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 So let me say to you again,

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 my assertion is that the unpardonable sin

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 is denying that Jesus is the Christ

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 with finality.

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 The same account of this story

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 in Matthew chapter 12.

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 Let me ask you to actually turn there.

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 I'm going to show you a few things

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 from this text.

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 Matthew chapter 12, verse 32.

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 Jesus says,

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 And whoever speaks a word

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 against the Son of Man

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 will be forgiven.

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 But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit

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 will not be forgiven,

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 either in this age

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 or in the age to come.

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 So here, Jesus is saying,

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 If you speak words against me,

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 Jesus, the Christ,

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 you'll be forgiven.

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 But if you speak words against the Spirit,

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 you will not be forgiven.

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 So this seems to be contradictory

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 to the very thing I just told you,

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 that the unpardonable sin is denying that Jesus is the Christ with finality.

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 So as he's making this point to us,

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 we must understand why would he have chosen to say this the way that he said it.

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 Now note firstly, in verse 32 of chapter 12,

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 he uses a term he gives to himself consistently and constantly,

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 son of man.

00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:03.740
 He talks about his humanity in this case.

00:12:03.740 --> 00:12:07.740
 And we see many, many insults railed against him,

00:12:07.820 --> 00:12:12.799
 many blasphemies spoken against Jesus himself as he is here on earth.

00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:14.240
 So keep that in mind.

00:12:14.820 --> 00:12:20.100
 But also recognize that when Jesus was here on earth in human form,

00:12:20.580 --> 00:12:22.240
 his will and his power,

00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:26.039
 his will and his power as he was absolutely God,

00:12:26.460 --> 00:12:30.220
 his will and his power bowed to that of the Father and of the Spirit.

00:12:30.220 --> 00:12:34.340
 He set aside that part of his deity.

00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:37.960
 Jesus could have come down and done whatever he wanted to do,

00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:42.980
 but he set it aside and he bowed that will and that power

00:12:42.980 --> 00:12:45.960
 to that of the Father and of the Spirit.

00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:48.180
 John chapter 5, verse 19.

00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:49.540
 Jesus says,

00:12:49.539 --> 00:12:50.959
 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you,

00:12:51.439 --> 00:12:53.259
 the Son can do nothing of his own accord,

00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:55.620
 but only what he sees the Father doing.

00:12:55.939 --> 00:12:57.139
 For whatever the Father does,

00:12:57.339 --> 00:12:59.120
 the Son does likewise.

00:12:59.459 --> 00:12:59.659
 Right?

00:12:59.719 --> 00:13:00.980
 He was humble in that way.

00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:02.219
 He took direction from the Father.

00:13:02.579 --> 00:13:04.919
 John chapter 14, verses 10 and 11.

00:13:05.599 --> 00:13:05.939
 He says,

00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.559
 Do you not believe that I am in the Father

00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:08.599
 and the Father is in me?

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:10.379
 The words that I say to you,

00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:12.240
 I do not speak on my own authority,

00:13:12.439 --> 00:13:14.459
 but the Father who dwells in me

00:13:14.459 --> 00:13:16.000
 does his work.

00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:17.679
 Here's the Spirit abiding within him.

00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.079
 Believe me that I am in the Father

00:13:20.079 --> 00:13:21.259
 and the Father is in me.

00:13:21.359 --> 00:13:24.379
 Or else, believe on account of the works themselves.

00:13:24.479 --> 00:13:25.639
 So both the things that he spoke

00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:26.939
 and the things that he did

00:13:26.939 --> 00:13:29.459
 were in submission to the work of the Father

00:13:29.459 --> 00:13:31.259
 and of the Spirit.

00:13:32.699 --> 00:13:36.439
 So here we have this understanding

00:13:36.439 --> 00:13:38.819
 that he's bowing now to the will of the Father

00:13:38.819 --> 00:13:41.239
 that is accomplished by the work of the Spirit.

00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:43.039
 And we have to then talk a bit about

00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:46.059
 what is it that the Spirit exists to do?

00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:49.079
 Why is it that not believing

00:13:49.079 --> 00:13:51.719
 that Jesus is the Christ with finality

00:13:51.719 --> 00:13:56.439
 would be to blaspheme the Spirit?

00:13:56.699 --> 00:13:59.859
 Would be to insult the Holy Spirit of God?

00:14:00.239 --> 00:14:02.519
 It's kind of a phrase that we've lost.

00:14:02.619 --> 00:14:03.939
 I think it's been mentioned here now

00:14:03.939 --> 00:14:04.799
 in the last couple of months

00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:05.899
 a couple of times.

00:14:06.459 --> 00:14:07.559
 But that the Spirit of God

00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:10.679
 is often referred to as the shy spirit.

00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:14.079
 The Spirit of God works in this world

00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:16.120
 not to magnify himself,

00:14:16.540 --> 00:14:17.620
 as many believe,

00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:21.720
 but to rather magnify and exalt Christ.

00:14:22.420 --> 00:14:24.080
 Listen to what Jesus says about the Spirit.

00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:27.100
 John 14, verse 26.

00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.100
 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit...

00:14:29.660 --> 00:14:31.240
 So we see this term Helper.

00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:32.500
 He defines for us what he means.

00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:34.259
 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,

00:14:34.420 --> 00:14:36.160
 whom the Father will send in my name,

00:14:36.460 --> 00:14:38.259
 he will teach you all things

00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:40.379
 and to bring remembrance to all things

00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:41.720
 that I have said to you.

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:45.139
 He is going to come to help you remember

00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:46.279
 all of the things,

00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:47.240
 he's speaking to the apostles,

00:14:47.439 --> 00:14:48.939
 that Jesus had taught them.

00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:51.480
 Chapter 15, verse 26.

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:52.580
 Jesus says,

00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:53.720
 But when the Helper comes,

00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.639
 whom I will send to you from the Father,

00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.960
 the Spirit of truth,

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.519
 who proceeds from the Father,

00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:01.799
 he will bear witness about me.

00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:05.819
 Chapter 16, verses 12-14.

00:15:06.819 --> 00:15:08.699
 I still have many things to say to you,

00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:10.359
 but you cannot bear them now.

00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:12.659
 When the Spirit of truth comes,

00:15:13.079 --> 00:15:15.719
 he will guide you into all the truth.

00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.500
 For he will not speak on his own authority,

00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:19.059
 but whatever he hears, he will speak.

00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:20.539
 And he will declare to you

00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:22.039
 the things that are to come.

00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:24.079
 He will glorify me,

00:15:24.359 --> 00:15:25.620
 for he will take what is mine

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:26.740
 and declare it to you.

00:15:26.819 --> 00:15:29.639
 So here is the work of the Spirit.

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:33.240
 It's to exalt Jesus as the Christ.

00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:36.779
 So denying that Jesus is the Christ

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.980
 with finality

00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:40.379
 is to blaspheme the Spirit

00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:42.939
 and that his work is not taking effect.

00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:44.840
 It's not having an effectual work

00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:47.059
 in your heart.

00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:52.740
 All of this is really a matter of the heart.

00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:55.960
 Not so much about what we say,

00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:57.939
 but about what we believe.

00:15:57.940 --> 00:16:00.400
 About who we are at our very core.

00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:03.380
 And we become who we are as Christians

00:16:03.380 --> 00:16:04.820
 by the work of the Spirit.

00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:08.380
 We were once dead in trespasses and sins.

00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:09.940
 Our heart were stoned.

00:16:10.260 --> 00:16:12.000
 But God sent his Son

00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.120
 that by his Son,

00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:14.900
 he could send a Spirit into our hearts

00:16:14.900 --> 00:16:16.200
 to make them hearts of flesh.

00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:17.900
 That we might believe

00:16:17.900 --> 00:16:20.460
 that faith would be birthed in us

00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:21.460
 to pursue him

00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:24.200
 and be disciple-making disciples

00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:26.520
 of Jesus Christ.

00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:28.639
 So this is a matter ultimately of the heart.

00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:29.960
 I hope you're still in Matthew 12.

00:16:30.579 --> 00:16:31.460
 I didn't deceive you

00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:32.199
 and tell you I wouldn't show you

00:16:32.199 --> 00:16:32.840
 something from there

00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.159
 and just show you verse 32.

00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:37.460
 This is the more extended account

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:43.159
 of this interaction with these scribes.

00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:45.279
 Now, I want to point out to you

00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.059
 that in verse 22,

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.960
 the record in Mark

00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:49.980
 is that the scribes

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:51.519
 who came down from Jerusalem...

00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.399
 Jesus at this point

00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:55.199
 has already had

00:16:55.199 --> 00:16:58.419
 many scribes and Pharisees

00:16:58.419 --> 00:16:59.559
 following him around,

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:01.960
 railing accusations at him,

00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:03.860
 trying to discredit

00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:05.319
 the things that he was saying

00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:06.839
 to be true of himself.

00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.079
 Ultimately,

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:09.680
 what he would be crucified for

00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:11.279
 would be for blaspheming God,

00:17:11.379 --> 00:17:12.539
 for saying that he himself

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:14.099
 was God.

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.339
 And here we see

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:17.480
 now kind of a raising of the bar.

00:17:17.639 --> 00:17:19.319
 They've called in the big shots.

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:22.139
 The scribes were the theological experts

00:17:22.139 --> 00:17:24.279
 of the day for apostate Judaism.

00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:25.139
 Right?

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:27.480
 So they've called in the big wigs now.

00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:29.339
 The ones who reside in Jerusalem

00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:32.139
 have now come to accuse him.

00:17:32.899 --> 00:17:33.799
 So beginning in verse 30

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:34.839
 of Matthew 12,

00:17:36.439 --> 00:17:39.039
 Jesus sets for us some position.

00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:39.480
 He says,

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.919
 For whoever is not with me

00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:42.539
 is against me.

00:17:42.919 --> 00:17:44.759
 And whoever does not gather with me

00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.839
 scatters.

00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:47.980
 Two categories of humanity.

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:50.120
 Those who are with Christ,

00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:51.640
 who believe he is

00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:52.779
 who he says he is,

00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:54.440
 and those who do not.

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:55.500
 Verse 31,

00:17:55.620 --> 00:17:56.440
 Therefore I tell you,

00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:57.680
 every sin and blasphemy

00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:58.660
 will be forgiven people,

00:17:58.900 --> 00:18:00.440
 but the blasphemy against the Spirit

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:01.460
 will not be forgiven.

00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.380
 It's our same thing

00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:03.339
 we found in verse 29.

00:18:03.900 --> 00:18:04.980
 And whoever speaks a word

00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:05.720
 against the Son of Man

00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.279
 will be forgiven,

00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.920
 but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit

00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:08.819
 will not be forgiven,

00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:10.079
 either in this age

00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:11.140
 or in the age to come.

00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:12.319
 Now here we go.

00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:13.799
 Here's my context.

00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.640
 It's so important.

00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:15.759
 Jesus goes on to say

00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:17.319
 in verse 33,

00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:19.419
 Either make the tree good

00:18:19.419 --> 00:18:20.480
 and its fruit good,

00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:21.839
 or make the tree bad

00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:22.460
 and its fruit bad.

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.599
 For the tree is known

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:25.559
 by its fruit.

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:27.500
 You brood of vipers,

00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:28.759
 how can you speak good

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:29.539
 when you are evil?

00:18:29.939 --> 00:18:30.859
 For out of the abundance

00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:31.679
 of the heart

00:18:31.679 --> 00:18:33.399
 the mouth speaks.

00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.919
 The good person

00:18:34.919 --> 00:18:35.960
 out of his good treasure

00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:37.059
 brings forth good.

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:38.399
 And the evil person

00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:39.519
 out of his evil treasure

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.779
 brings forth evil.

00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:41.859
 I tell you,

00:18:41.899 --> 00:18:42.579
 on the day of judgment

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.399
 people will give an account

00:18:43.399 --> 00:18:44.519
 for every careless word

00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:45.259
 they speak.

00:18:45.259 --> 00:18:46.240
 For by your words

00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:46.980
 you will be justified

00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:48.400
 and by your words

00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.259
 you will be condemned.

00:18:50.619 --> 00:18:52.259
 Our words give evidence

00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.920
 of what we believe.

00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:54.240
 Right?

00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:56.059
 Out of the outflow of the heart

00:18:56.059 --> 00:18:58.460
 the mouth speaks.

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:01.039
 So for you to deny

00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.259
 that Jesus is the Christ

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:04.619
 with finality,

00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:05.720
 and I'll explain what I mean

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.440
 by that here eventually,

00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:09.940
 to deny that

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:11.599
 gives evidence

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.059
 of where your heart is.

00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:14.480
 If you do not believe

00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:15.139
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:16.179
 you are not regenerate.

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:16.799
 You do not have

00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:17.419
 the Spirit of God.

00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:18.859
 You do not have that seal

00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:20.179
 that the accomplished work

00:19:20.179 --> 00:19:20.879
 of Christ was done

00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:21.480
 on your behalf

00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:22.339
 and therefore

00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:23.700
 you are damned.

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:26.480
 But if you do,

00:19:26.919 --> 00:19:28.779
 if you do recognize

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:30.119
 that Jesus Christ

00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.599
 is who He says He is,

00:19:32.919 --> 00:19:33.779
 you believe

00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:34.879
 in His person

00:19:34.879 --> 00:19:36.259
 and His work,

00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:38.559
 you can have great confidence

00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:40.319
 in that.

00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:43.379
 this is important doctrine

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:43.799
 for us.

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:44.659
 It's important for us

00:19:44.659 --> 00:19:45.379
 to get this right.

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.740
 As John MacArthur said,

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:48.639
 properly understanding this

00:19:48.639 --> 00:19:49.919
 brings comfort

00:19:49.919 --> 00:19:50.779
 to the fearful

00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:53.139
 and should bring fear

00:19:53.139 --> 00:19:54.299
 to the comforted.

00:19:55.939 --> 00:19:56.740
 Those of us

00:19:56.740 --> 00:19:57.559
 who understand

00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:58.839
 the weight of sin,

00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.579
 understand the great offense

00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:01.139
 that it is

00:20:01.139 --> 00:20:01.859
 to our God

00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:02.859
 should be fearful

00:20:02.859 --> 00:20:04.259
 of judgment.

00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:05.399
 But this should bring us

00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:06.159
 great comfort

00:20:06.159 --> 00:20:07.539
 that we believe

00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:08.359
 that Jesus

00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:09.859
 is the Christ.

00:20:09.979 --> 00:20:10.779
 That His accomplished

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:12.799
 work on the cross

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.379
 has meaning

00:20:13.379 --> 00:20:14.599
 for my life

00:20:14.599 --> 00:20:15.740
 today.

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.319
 That there is no thing

00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:18.219
 that I can do

00:20:18.219 --> 00:20:19.959
 that will not be

00:20:19.959 --> 00:20:20.599
 forgiven

00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:22.099
 by grace

00:20:22.099 --> 00:20:23.719
 in Christ.

00:20:25.159 --> 00:20:25.899
 There's a

00:20:25.899 --> 00:20:27.839
 fairly common argument

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:28.359
 made,

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.939
 was originally

00:20:29.939 --> 00:20:30.419
 penned,

00:20:30.439 --> 00:20:31.119
 I'm sure it was made

00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:31.979
 prior to this,

00:20:32.419 --> 00:20:33.379
 by C.S. Lewis.

00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:35.179
 It's often summed up

00:20:35.179 --> 00:20:36.299
 as the liar,

00:20:36.679 --> 00:20:36.979
 lunatic,

00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:38.059
 or Lord argument.

00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:39.299
 If you ever heard this,

00:20:39.379 --> 00:20:40.339
 it's an argument

00:20:40.339 --> 00:20:41.139
 against Jesus

00:20:41.139 --> 00:20:42.279
 simply being a good

00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:43.000
 and moral teacher.

00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:43.919
 I heard it said

00:20:43.919 --> 00:20:45.119
 that a lot of people

00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:45.539
 in this world

00:20:45.539 --> 00:20:46.119
 think that Jesus

00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:47.079
 was just a rather

00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:47.839
 good guy.

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:49.179
 I've heard very few

00:20:49.179 --> 00:20:50.119
 people say

00:20:50.119 --> 00:20:51.139
 that He wasn't.

00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:53.740
 Just kind of a good guy,

00:20:53.859 --> 00:20:54.659
 but He made some

00:20:54.659 --> 00:20:55.980
 really audacious claims,

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:56.440
 didn't He?

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.139
 He claimed to be

00:20:57.139 --> 00:20:58.299
 the Son of God.

00:20:58.559 --> 00:20:59.079
 He claimed to be

00:20:59.079 --> 00:20:59.819
 the way,

00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:00.599
 the truth,

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.720
 the life.

00:21:02.379 --> 00:21:02.679
 And so,

00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:03.419
 C.S. Lewis wrote

00:21:03.419 --> 00:21:04.119
 in this great quote,

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:05.119
 essentially,

00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:06.119
 in summation,

00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:08.419
 that you have to believe

00:21:08.419 --> 00:21:09.599
 either that He's a liar,

00:21:09.719 --> 00:21:10.199
 a lunatic,

00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:11.319
 or Lord.

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.519
 And I think He probably

00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:13.699
 pulled that

00:21:13.699 --> 00:21:15.000
 from this text itself.

00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:16.699
 So listen carefully

00:21:16.699 --> 00:21:17.619
 to what C.S. Lewis wrote

00:21:17.619 --> 00:21:18.959
 in a book he wrote

00:21:18.959 --> 00:21:19.759
 called Mere Christianity.

00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:22.400
 A man who was merely

00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:23.440
 a man and said

00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:25.440
 the sort of things

00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:25.920
 Jesus said

00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:26.619
 would not be

00:21:26.619 --> 00:21:27.400
 a great moral teacher.

00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:28.680
 He would either

00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:29.460
 be a lunatic

00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:30.059
 on the level

00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:30.460
 with a man

00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:31.099
 who says he is

00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:31.839
 a poached egg,

00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:32.859
 or he would be

00:21:32.859 --> 00:21:33.819
 the devil of hell.

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:35.099
 You must take

00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:35.640
 your choice.

00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:37.039
 Either this was

00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:38.480
 and is the Son of God,

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:40.019
 or else a madman,

00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:41.299
 or something worse.

00:21:41.879 --> 00:21:42.799
 You can shut him up

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.319
 for a fool,

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.299
 or you can fall

00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:44.900
 at his feet

00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:46.059
 and call him Lord

00:21:46.059 --> 00:21:47.019
 and God.

00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:49.500
 But let us not come

00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:50.980
 with any patronizing nonsense

00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:51.720
 about his being

00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:52.740
 a great human teacher.

00:21:53.099 --> 00:21:53.960
 He has not left

00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:55.079
 that open to us.

00:21:55.379 --> 00:21:56.139
 The things he said

00:21:56.139 --> 00:21:57.559
 were so audacious

00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.460
 that we either

00:21:58.460 --> 00:21:59.400
 have to dismiss him

00:21:59.400 --> 00:21:59.879
 completely

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:02.039
 or worship him

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.940
 as the Christ.

00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:05.759
 We see in our text here,

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.960
 we see all of these

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.839
 different summations

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:10.440
 of who Jesus was.

00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:11.619
 Liar, lunatic,

00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:12.400
 or Lord.

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:14.519
 The Pharisees

00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:15.059
 are essentially

00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:15.720
 the scribes

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.299
 who are accusing him

00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:17.240
 of being a liar.

00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:18.899
 Verse 22,

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:19.819
 they said,

00:22:20.139 --> 00:22:20.639
 and the scribes

00:22:20.639 --> 00:22:21.180
 came down from Jerusalem

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.659
 and were saying,

00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:22.659
 he is possessed

00:22:22.659 --> 00:22:23.819
 by Beelzebul

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:24.799
 and by the prince

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:25.440
 of demons.

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.700
 He casts out

00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:27.579
 the demons.

00:22:28.419 --> 00:22:29.240
 This term they gave

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:29.579
 to him,

00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:30.279
 Beelzebul,

00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:31.940
 was a bit of a changing

00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:33.579
 of a common term

00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:34.759
 used of the devil.

00:22:36.359 --> 00:22:37.440
 We use today

00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:38.839
 Beelzebub.

00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:40.680
 It's used five times

00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:41.960
 in the Old Testament

00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:43.220
 and it's derived

00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:45.740
 from a Canaanite god,

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:47.440
 the lord of the

00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:48.180
 Ekronites,

00:22:48.779 --> 00:22:49.359
 which was

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:50.859
 Beelzebub,

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.039
 which meant in Hebrew

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:56.160
 lord of the high place.

00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:57.880
 But they had changed

00:22:57.880 --> 00:22:58.680
 that word a bit

00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:00.019
 and just swapped out

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.420
 the B

00:23:00.420 --> 00:23:01.440
 and replaced it

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:01.980
 with the L

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:03.359
 and that one little letter

00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:04.680
 changed the meaning

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:07.440
 to mean lord of the flies.

00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.319
 Interesting.

00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:09.960
 Right?

00:23:10.099 --> 00:23:11.000
 Which expressed

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.740
 the Jewish disdain

00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:13.980
 for the god of the Canaanites.

00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:14.859
 This was their way

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:16.480
 of really saying

00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:18.759
 that they hated Satan.

00:23:19.140 --> 00:23:19.319
 Right?

00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.019
 This false god.

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.019
 That was a way

00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:23.500
 of really belittling him.

00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:24.960
 And this is the very accusation

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:25.500
 that they're making

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:26.019
 of Christ

00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:26.799
 who has said,

00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:28.660
 I am myself god.

00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.660
 They're calling him

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:31.480
 the great antithesis

00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:33.059
 to who God is

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:33.859
 and was

00:23:33.859 --> 00:23:34.720
 and will be forever.

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.579
 And that is this

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:36.579
 false god

00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:37.759
 of the Ekronites

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:39.359
 that they contorted

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:39.980
 the word

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:41.319
 to mean the lord

00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:42.259
 of the flies.

00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:43.240
 They're accusing him

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:43.960
 of being a liar.

00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:45.059
 They're calling him

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:47.099
 something completely different.

00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:49.279
 And he responds to them

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.839
 so cleverly

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:52.059
 as Jesus always does

00:23:52.059 --> 00:23:53.180
 in our first

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:54.319
 recorded parables

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:54.839
 that we see

00:23:54.839 --> 00:23:56.220
 in the Gospel of Mark

00:23:56.220 --> 00:23:57.200
 and we'll see many more

00:23:57.200 --> 00:23:58.440
 in the coming months.

00:23:59.140 --> 00:23:59.819
 Verse 23 says,

00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:00.879
 And he called to them,

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.420
 Hey, come over here.

00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:03.640
 And he said to them

00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:04.619
 in parables.

00:24:04.619 --> 00:24:06.279
 And he essentially

00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:06.739
 goes through

00:24:06.739 --> 00:24:08.339
 a number of true statements.

00:24:08.679 --> 00:24:09.119
 Things that would be

00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:10.159
 really hard for anybody

00:24:10.159 --> 00:24:10.959
 to deny.

00:24:11.479 --> 00:24:12.179
 How can Satan

00:24:12.179 --> 00:24:13.079
 cast out Satan?

00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.299
 That makes no sense.

00:24:14.819 --> 00:24:15.539
 How can someone

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:16.279
 who is possessed

00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:16.879
 by Satan

00:24:16.879 --> 00:24:18.339
 cast out Satan?

00:24:18.959 --> 00:24:19.859
 If a kingdom

00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:21.119
 is divided against itself,

00:24:21.219 --> 00:24:22.619
 that kingdom cannot stand.

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:24.779
 Much civil unrest.

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:25.759
 And if a house

00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:26.839
 is divided against itself,

00:24:27.139 --> 00:24:27.719
 that house

00:24:27.719 --> 00:24:28.439
 will not be able

00:24:28.439 --> 00:24:29.059
 to stand.

00:24:29.719 --> 00:24:30.219
 Those of you

00:24:30.219 --> 00:24:30.619
 who are married

00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:31.679
 know this to be true.

00:24:32.179 --> 00:24:32.539
 Your house

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.339
 will not stand

00:24:33.339 --> 00:24:36.459
 if you seek strife

00:24:36.459 --> 00:24:36.859
 in it.

00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:38.079
 And if Satan

00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:38.619
 has risen up

00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:39.359
 against himself

00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:39.839
 and is divided,

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.699
 he cannot stand

00:24:40.699 --> 00:24:41.439
 but is coming to an end.

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:41.959
 He's simply

00:24:41.959 --> 00:24:43.500
 rattling off points.

00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:44.439
 How ridiculous

00:24:44.439 --> 00:24:45.439
 is it that you're

00:24:45.439 --> 00:24:46.379
 making an accusation

00:24:46.379 --> 00:24:47.399
 that I'm casting out

00:24:47.399 --> 00:24:48.059
 evil spirits

00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:48.699
 and you're saying

00:24:48.699 --> 00:24:49.439
 I'm doing that

00:24:49.439 --> 00:24:50.240
 by an evil spirit.

00:24:50.399 --> 00:24:52.359
 That makes no sense.

00:24:52.439 --> 00:24:53.019
 And they would have been

00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:53.980
 entirely on board

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:55.019
 with him at this point.

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.259
 But then he makes

00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:56.879
 an even more

00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:58.439
 audacious statement

00:24:58.439 --> 00:24:59.119
 when he says,

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.099
 No one can enter

00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:00.899
 a strong man's house

00:25:00.899 --> 00:25:01.619
 and plunder his goods

00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.480
 unless he first

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.259
 binds the strong man

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:05.039
 then indeed

00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:06.299
 he may plunder his house.

00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:07.559
 And he's referring here

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:09.140
 to the world

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:10.620
 being Satan's house

00:25:10.620 --> 00:25:11.900
 and Satan being

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:13.180
 that strong man.

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:14.720
 So you wanted to

00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.680
 break into somebody's home

00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:17.039
 and they're there.

00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:18.480
 You've got to do something

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:20.099
 with the man of the house

00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:20.839
 or else you're not

00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:21.079
 going to be able

00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:21.799
 to take his stuff.

00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:22.720
 He's going to

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.740
 overpower you

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.920
 and call the police.

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:25.819
 This is what will happen.

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.420
 You come into my house

00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:28.420
 you better come armed.

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.200
 You better have

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:31.200
 more ammunition

00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:32.480
 and better aim

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.100
 than I do

00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:34.259
 if you're going to

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.120
 plunder my goods

00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:35.960
 in my house.

00:25:37.080 --> 00:25:37.960
 This is what you would

00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:38.779
 have to do

00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:39.539
 if you're going to

00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:40.519
 plunder somebody's house.

00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:41.660
 So it would take

00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:43.340
 a stronger man

00:25:43.340 --> 00:25:44.680
 to accomplish this.

00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:46.019
 So Jesus is again

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:47.440
 proclaiming his deity.

00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:48.580
 Who's stronger

00:25:48.580 --> 00:25:49.980
 than Beelzebul?

00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:50.940
 God.

00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:52.819
 And that is the very thing

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.299
 that he's saying

00:25:53.299 --> 00:25:53.880
 to them here.

00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:55.380
 I am working

00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:56.540
 by the power

00:25:56.540 --> 00:25:57.900
 of the Spirit.

00:25:58.440 --> 00:25:59.120
 I am working

00:25:59.120 --> 00:25:59.800
 by the power

00:25:59.800 --> 00:26:00.520
 of God

00:26:00.520 --> 00:26:01.440
 and that is how

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.800
 I'm able to cast out

00:26:02.800 --> 00:26:03.520
 demons.

00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:04.880
 A very simple

00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:05.840
 and poignant

00:26:05.840 --> 00:26:06.760
 argument.

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:07.980
 Jesus is

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.140
 the Christ.

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:10.760
 You could take

00:26:10.760 --> 00:26:11.960
 Jesus for a lunatic.

00:26:12.100 --> 00:26:12.880
 It's a possibility.

00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:15.180
 We see his family here

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:16.660
 do that very thing.

00:26:18.020 --> 00:26:19.300
 They come to him.

00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:20.940
 He's more than likely

00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.840
 in Capernaum.

00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:22.740
 He's not back

00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:23.380
 in Nazareth

00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:24.000
 Nazareth

00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:24.760
 in Bethlehem

00:26:24.760 --> 00:26:25.520
 but in Capernaum

00:26:25.520 --> 00:26:27.060
 kind of his home base

00:26:27.060 --> 00:26:28.400
 for where he was operating

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.380
 and there's such a crowd

00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:31.360
 that they can't even

00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:32.280
 recline at table

00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:32.680
 and eat.

00:26:32.780 --> 00:26:33.360
 They're pressed

00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:33.940
 into the house.

00:26:34.100 --> 00:26:34.500
 They're pressed in

00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:34.900
 around him

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:36.300
 and his family comes

00:26:36.300 --> 00:26:37.620
 and they're in

00:26:37.620 --> 00:26:38.740
 probably with good motive

00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:40.160
 trying to get him

00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:41.220
 out of the situation

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.160
 he's found himself in

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:42.720
 with countless

00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.520
 thousands of people

00:26:43.520 --> 00:26:44.460
 pressing him in

00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:45.060
 around him

00:26:45.060 --> 00:26:45.680
 to see these miracles

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:46.660
 because they just

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:48.360
 think that he's crazy.

00:26:49.120 --> 00:26:49.780
 They just think

00:26:49.780 --> 00:26:50.560
 that he's absolutely

00:26:50.560 --> 00:26:51.960
 lost his mind.

00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:53.579
 I like to muse

00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:54.759
 we have no record

00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:55.660
 of it but I like to muse

00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:56.420
 about what it must have

00:26:56.420 --> 00:26:57.180
 been like to be

00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:58.600
 the brother of Jesus

00:26:58.600 --> 00:26:59.720
 and hear your mom

00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.420
 and dad say to you

00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:00.759
 constantly

00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:01.299
 why can't you be

00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:01.940
 more like your brother?

00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:05.180
 It cracks me up

00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:05.759
 or what it would even

00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.539
 be like to raise

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:07.380
 a perfect child

00:27:07.380 --> 00:27:08.180
 I'm not sure

00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:08.860
 I have no idea

00:27:08.860 --> 00:27:09.440
 what that would

00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:11.340
 possibly look like

00:27:11.340 --> 00:27:12.660
 I can dream of that

00:27:12.660 --> 00:27:14.000
 but here they come

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.519
 to him and they

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.400
 have missed the point

00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:16.700
 at this station

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:17.579
 in their life.

00:27:17.579 --> 00:27:19.379
 They do not get

00:27:19.379 --> 00:27:20.419
 who he is.

00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:22.159
 Here in the record

00:27:22.159 --> 00:27:23.519
 they're denying

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:25.199
 that Jesus is the Christ.

00:27:25.419 --> 00:27:26.199
 Are they not?

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:27.199
 They're calling him

00:27:27.199 --> 00:27:27.639
 a lunatic.

00:27:27.919 --> 00:27:28.379
 They think he's

00:27:28.379 --> 00:27:29.539
 absolutely out of

00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.199
 his gourd.

00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:31.439
 There's no way

00:27:31.439 --> 00:27:32.659
 that our brother

00:27:32.659 --> 00:27:33.740
 that my son

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:34.639
 Mary

00:27:34.639 --> 00:27:35.460
 like Mary

00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:36.240
 she was visited

00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:36.960
 by an angel

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.859
 who told him

00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.439
 who he was going

00:27:38.439 --> 00:27:38.699
 to be.

00:27:39.199 --> 00:27:40.519
 She gave birth

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:41.379
 to an immaculately

00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:42.559
 conceived child.

00:27:42.879 --> 00:27:43.799
 How could she not

00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:45.259
 believe at this point?

00:27:46.119 --> 00:27:46.259
 Right?

00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:47.440
 We know

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.099
 that it's her

00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:48.660
 because we see

00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:49.180
 later on

00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:49.799
 that his mother

00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:50.940
 and brothers

00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:51.799
 are outside.

00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.379
 Don't piecemeal

00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:53.799
 this up.

00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:54.539
 This is all happening

00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:55.420
 at the same time.

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.359
 They've come.

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.940
 We see the record

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:57.559
 of them coming.

00:27:57.900 --> 00:27:58.799
 He's inside

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.960
 dealing with the scribes

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:01.379
 and the crowd reports

00:28:01.379 --> 00:28:02.220
 that his mother

00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:02.879
 and his brothers

00:28:02.879 --> 00:28:03.900
 are standing outside

00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:05.279
 to seize him.

00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:05.539
 Right?

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:06.599
 Because they think

00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:07.220
 he's crazy.

00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:11.420
 The blessing of this

00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:13.099
 is that

00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:14.640
 Jesus must be denied

00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.119
 as the Christ

00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:16.239
 with finality

00:28:16.239 --> 00:28:17.259
 for that not

00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:18.159
 to be forgiven.

00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:20.419
 John 7.5

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:21.199
 says for not

00:28:21.199 --> 00:28:22.199
 even his brothers

00:28:22.199 --> 00:28:23.639
 believed in him.

00:28:23.699 --> 00:28:24.239
 But then we have

00:28:24.239 --> 00:28:24.799
 a record

00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:27.019
 in Acts 1

00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:28.459
 that as they were

00:28:28.459 --> 00:28:29.459
 fearfully gathered

00:28:29.459 --> 00:28:30.379
 together and praying

00:28:30.379 --> 00:28:30.659
 together,

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.339
 those who were

00:28:31.339 --> 00:28:32.819
 faithful to Christ,

00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:33.719
 his mother

00:28:33.719 --> 00:28:34.879
 and his brothers

00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.819
 were there.

00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:37.979
 That they had

00:28:37.979 --> 00:28:38.879
 accepted him

00:28:38.879 --> 00:28:40.739
 for who he is

00:28:40.739 --> 00:28:41.559
 and who he was

00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:42.099
 to them.

00:28:42.459 --> 00:28:42.559
 Right?

00:28:42.619 --> 00:28:43.739
 So it's important

00:28:43.739 --> 00:28:44.579
 for us to see

00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:45.299
 that that is the

00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:45.599
 case.

00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:46.299
 Just because

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:46.859
 you've denied

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.339
 that Jesus

00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:47.819
 is the Christ

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.720
 at some point

00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.359
 in your life

00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:50.599
 doesn't mean

00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:51.079
 that you can't

00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:51.879
 begin to believe

00:28:51.879 --> 00:28:52.319
 by the work

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:52.699
 of the Spirit

00:28:52.699 --> 00:28:53.720
 that he is now

00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:55.259
 the Christ.

00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:55.819
 Right?

00:28:55.879 --> 00:28:56.740
 That can happen.

00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:57.599
 So you must

00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:58.859
 reject to be

00:28:58.859 --> 00:29:00.679
 guilty of an

00:29:00.679 --> 00:29:01.460
 eternal sin.

00:29:02.159 --> 00:29:02.619
 You must

00:29:02.619 --> 00:29:03.879
 blaspheme the

00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:04.779
 Spirit by

00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:05.500
 rejecting that

00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:06.059
 Jesus is the

00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:06.599
 Christ with

00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:07.399
 finality.

00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:08.740
 So you live

00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:09.299
 your life,

00:29:09.539 --> 00:29:10.079
 you go about

00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:10.659
 your days,

00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.299
 and when you

00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.039
 pass and you're

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.319
 judged,

00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:12.939
 if you have not

00:29:12.939 --> 00:29:13.359
 believed that

00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:13.740
 Jesus is the

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.019
 Christ,

00:29:14.219 --> 00:29:14.539
 you don't

00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:14.859
 believe in

00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:15.240
 his person

00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:15.539
 and his

00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:16.199
 work for

00:29:16.199 --> 00:29:16.699
 the forgiveness

00:29:16.699 --> 00:29:17.299
 of your sins,

00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.959
 that will not

00:29:18.959 --> 00:29:19.759
 be forgiven.

00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:20.740
 And there is

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.439
 your consistency

00:29:21.439 --> 00:29:22.399
 with this gospel

00:29:22.399 --> 00:29:23.240
 of forgiveness

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.939
 that is taught

00:29:23.939 --> 00:29:25.159
 over and over

00:29:25.159 --> 00:29:26.059
 and over and

00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:26.679
 over again in

00:29:26.679 --> 00:29:27.039
 the Scriptures.

00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:28.519
 This entire book

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.779
 speaks of Christ

00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:30.779
 and this gospel

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.579
 of forgiveness.

00:29:31.740 --> 00:29:32.979
 It is all about

00:29:32.979 --> 00:29:34.599
 redemptive history.

00:29:35.879 --> 00:29:36.719
 So the final thing

00:29:36.719 --> 00:29:37.279
 that we're left with

00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:37.740
 is to believe

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.319
 that he's Lord.

00:29:39.139 --> 00:29:39.799
 To believe that he's

00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:40.039
 Lord,

00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:42.559
 verse 34 and 35

00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.440
 in Mark chapter 3,

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.599
 he looks around

00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:45.379
 at those who sat

00:29:45.379 --> 00:29:45.819
 around and he said,

00:29:46.180 --> 00:29:46.839
 here are my mother

00:29:46.839 --> 00:29:47.799
 and my brothers.

00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:48.919
 For whoever does

00:29:48.919 --> 00:29:49.819
 the will of God,

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:50.740
 he is my brother

00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:51.879
 and sister

00:29:51.879 --> 00:29:52.859
 and mother.

00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:54.559
 John chapter 6,

00:29:54.700 --> 00:29:55.940
 beginning in verse 26,

00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:56.839
 Jesus says,

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:57.539
 truly, truly,

00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:58.259
 I say to you,

00:29:58.539 --> 00:29:59.399
 you are seeking me

00:29:59.399 --> 00:30:00.299
 not because you saw

00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:00.779
 signs,

00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:01.720
 but because you ate

00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:02.960
 your fill of the loaves.

00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:04.220
 So there's a massive

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.220
 group of people

00:30:05.220 --> 00:30:05.899
 that followed him

00:30:05.899 --> 00:30:06.519
 around everywhere

00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:07.480
 and as we've said

00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:07.960
 repeatedly,

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.539
 these people were

00:30:09.539 --> 00:30:10.899
 not to understand

00:30:10.899 --> 00:30:13.000
 as disciples of Christ.

00:30:14.119 --> 00:30:15.119
 Many of them,

00:30:15.639 --> 00:30:16.680
 most of them,

00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:17.639
 were following him

00:30:17.639 --> 00:30:18.220
 because of the things

00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:18.839
 he was doing.

00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:20.399
 He was feeding them.

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:22.319
 He was healing sicknesses.

00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:23.319
 He was giving all

00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:24.159
 this affirmation

00:30:24.159 --> 00:30:25.159
 to the gospel message

00:30:25.159 --> 00:30:25.940
 that he was preaching.

00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:27.319
 But we're not to understand

00:30:27.319 --> 00:30:27.980
 that they all

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:30.019
 were regenerate believers

00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.279
 that were pursuing him

00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:31.899
 and he gives us

00:30:31.899 --> 00:30:32.539
 evidence of that

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:34.139
 in John 6, 26.

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.779
 You are seeking me

00:30:35.779 --> 00:30:36.879
 not because you saw signs,

00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:37.579
 but because you ate

00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:38.460
 your fill of the loaves.

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.920
 Do not work

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.559
 for the food

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.180
 that perishes,

00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:41.880
 but for the food

00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:42.420
 that endures

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.240
 to eternal life,

00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:44.420
 which the Son of Man

00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:45.220
 will give to you.

00:30:45.600 --> 00:30:46.400
 For on him

00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:47.120
 God the Father

00:30:47.120 --> 00:30:48.259
 has set his seal,

00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:48.900
 the Spirit.

00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.579
 Then they said to him,

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.539
 what must we do

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:51.920
 to be doing

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:52.740
 the works of God?

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:53.620
 Jesus answered,

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.840
 so here's the question

00:30:54.840 --> 00:30:55.420
 they're asking,

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:55.840
 right?

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.460
 We get this,

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:58.600
 verse 35,

00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.440
 whoever does the will

00:30:59.440 --> 00:30:59.779
 of God,

00:30:59.860 --> 00:31:00.340
 he is my brother

00:31:00.340 --> 00:31:01.160
 and sister and mother.

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:02.340
 What is the will of God?

00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:02.920
 This is the question

00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:04.759
 they ask in verse 28.

00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:05.880
 Jesus answered them,

00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:07.400
 this is the work of God,

00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.960
 that you believe in him

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.300
 whom he has sent.

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:14.220
 Want to be in the will of God?

00:31:14.300 --> 00:31:15.260
 There's your starting point.

00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:16.900
 Believe that Jesus

00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:18.200
 is the Christ.

00:31:19.040 --> 00:31:20.280
 John 6, 40.

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:22.100
 Later in that chapter,

00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:22.780
 Jesus says,

00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:23.420
 for this is the will

00:31:23.420 --> 00:31:23.980
 of my Father,

00:31:24.120 --> 00:31:25.480
 that everyone who looks

00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:26.160
 on the Son

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:27.060
 and believes in him

00:31:27.060 --> 00:31:28.380
 should have eternal life,

00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.620
 and I will raise him up

00:31:29.620 --> 00:31:30.880
 on the last day.

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:33.740
 And how do we do this?

00:31:35.080 --> 00:31:36.000
 How is it that we

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.720
 become regenerate?

00:31:37.800 --> 00:31:38.240
 Well, it's a work

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:38.660
 of the Spirit,

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.980
 so hear that clearly.

00:31:40.280 --> 00:31:41.240
 It is a work of God

00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:42.900
 on our behalf.

00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:44.520
 He works in our hearts.

00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:46.040
 He shifts who we are

00:31:46.040 --> 00:31:48.620
 and causes us to believe.

00:31:49.020 --> 00:31:49.920
 But that has to have

00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:51.360
 some necessary outflow.

00:31:51.580 --> 00:31:52.080
 There has to be

00:31:52.080 --> 00:31:53.900
 some visible evidence

00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:55.280
 of this thing happening,

00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:56.600
 and there's a life of that.

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:58.060
 Oh, the New Testament

00:31:58.060 --> 00:31:59.080
 is full of all the things

00:31:59.080 --> 00:31:59.940
 that should be happening

00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:00.520
 in our lives

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:02.000
 if we do have faith

00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.839
 in Christ.

00:32:03.079 --> 00:32:03.779
 But the simplest

00:32:03.779 --> 00:32:04.960
 and the first thing

00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:06.559
 that starts at regeneration

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:07.839
 and continues on,

00:32:08.119 --> 00:32:08.940
 Romans 10, 9.

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:10.200
 If you confess with your mouth

00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:11.379
 that Jesus is Lord

00:32:11.379 --> 00:32:12.559
 and believe in your heart

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.200
 that God raised him

00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:13.720
 from the dead,

00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:15.139
 you will be saved.

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.480
 Back in Matthew,

00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:17.339
 this is why he's saying

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.920
 that we will be judged

00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.920
 by the words

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.639
 that come out

00:32:20.639 --> 00:32:21.980
 of our mouth.

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:24.400
 And so we ought to believe

00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:25.619
 that Jesus is

00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:27.339
 who he says he is.

00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:27.859
 You've only got

00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:28.900
 three categories

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:30.200
 that you can put him in.

00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:31.700
 Call him a liar,

00:32:32.379 --> 00:32:33.339
 call him a lunatic,

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:35.240
 or bow at his feet

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.839
 and call him Lord.

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:38.700
 There's a great,

00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:39.859
 great stake

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.980
 in this whole thing.

00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:42.079
 There's a meta-narrative

00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:43.460
 that hangs over this world.

00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:44.680
 And it is the reality,

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:46.440
 no matter what people's stories are,

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.799
 whatever situation they come from,

00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.379
 whatever country

00:32:48.379 --> 00:32:49.200
 they were born in,

00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:51.000
 socioeconomic,

00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:51.500
 ethnic,

00:32:51.619 --> 00:32:52.539
 it does not matter.

00:32:52.619 --> 00:32:53.500
 There's a commonality

00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:54.440
 between all mankind,

00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:55.119
 and that is that

00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:56.139
 we are affected by sin.

00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:57.980
 That it has changed

00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.600
 who we are,

00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:00.120
 and it has made us rebels.

00:33:01.300 --> 00:33:02.480
 Standing in opposition

00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:03.420
 to God.

00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:06.160
 That everything we do

00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:07.820
 is in hatred of him.

00:33:08.040 --> 00:33:08.940
 It sets us up

00:33:08.940 --> 00:33:09.800
 on our own thrones.

00:33:09.880 --> 00:33:10.759
 The sovereign of heaven,

00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:12.160
 we try to supplant him

00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:13.040
 in our own lives.

00:33:14.020 --> 00:33:15.780
 And this is a damnable offense.

00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:17.820
 God will send those

00:33:17.820 --> 00:33:19.360
 who are found in this state

00:33:19.360 --> 00:33:20.820
 to hell forever.

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.960
 Rightly so.

00:33:22.280 --> 00:33:22.920
 Justly so.

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:23.920
 Don't think that's unfair.

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.779
 If you think it's unfair,

00:33:24.860 --> 00:33:25.779
 you don't understand sin.

00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:27.740
 You deserve this

00:33:27.740 --> 00:33:29.340
 if this is where you stand.

00:33:30.140 --> 00:33:31.360
 But then he sent his Son,

00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:33.259
 righteous,

00:33:33.779 --> 00:33:34.200
 perfect,

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.960
 in every respect,

00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:37.560
 to be the perfect sacrifice

00:33:37.560 --> 00:33:38.140
 on our behalf.

00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:39.840
 That he might trade with us

00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:40.759
 our sin

00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:41.800
 and give to us

00:33:41.800 --> 00:33:42.700
 his righteousness.

00:33:42.840 --> 00:33:43.860
 That we would be seen in him.

00:33:44.380 --> 00:33:46.140
 So God doesn't pass over sin,

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:47.920
 but he punished our sin

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:49.060
 in Christ.

00:33:49.840 --> 00:33:51.600
 And if you're not found in Christ,

00:33:52.060 --> 00:33:53.840
 you have an eternal doom

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.839
 waiting you.

00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:56.899
 This is the most

00:33:56.899 --> 00:33:58.779
 important question.

00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:00.519
 There's this meta-narrative,

00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:01.359
 this reality

00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:02.220
 that all of us

00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:03.259
 are headed towards death

00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:04.539
 and miserable death

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:05.220
 forever.

00:34:05.679 --> 00:34:06.619
 How do we fix that?

00:34:06.679 --> 00:34:07.619
 That is the question

00:34:07.619 --> 00:34:09.299
 that everyone needs to answer

00:34:09.299 --> 00:34:10.420
 in their hearts.

00:34:10.900 --> 00:34:11.639
 So today,

00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:12.960
 if you have already

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.940
 answered that question,

00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.579
 and I truly hope

00:34:15.579 --> 00:34:16.460
 everyone in this room

00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:17.719
 can say it with great confidence,

00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:19.759
 Jesus is the Christ.

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:20.719
 I know that.

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.779
 I can say that with finality.

00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:24.540
 I know forever and ever

00:34:24.540 --> 00:34:26.220
 I am redeemed in him.

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:27.920
 Praise God for that.

00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.060
 But if not,

00:34:29.580 --> 00:34:30.360
 I'd ask today

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.040
 that you repent

00:34:31.040 --> 00:34:31.680
 and believe.

00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:32.540
 I've said things

00:34:32.540 --> 00:34:33.160
 about the Spirit

00:34:33.160 --> 00:34:33.920
 working in your life

00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:34.460
 and you may not even

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.540
 understand what that looks like.

00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:36.700
 If there's anything

00:34:36.700 --> 00:34:37.900
 going on in your mind

00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:38.580
 that ascends

00:34:38.580 --> 00:34:39.540
 to this kind of truth,

00:34:39.740 --> 00:34:41.040
 just respond to it.

00:34:41.140 --> 00:34:41.780
 That is the work

00:34:41.780 --> 00:34:42.280
 of the Spirit

00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:43.460
 in your heart.

00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:45.340
 Just respond

00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:46.940
 to the Gospel of grace

00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:48.200
 in faith.

00:34:48.560 --> 00:34:49.180
 Let's pray together.

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:49.759
 Let's pray together.

00:34:49.759 --> 00:34:49.759


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