WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.560 I don't know, like you, but on the one hand, 00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:06.719 I'm left wanting to get into Romans 7 and 8. 00:00:06.860 --> 00:00:08.199 I'm itching to get into it. 00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:11.700 Help us understand who we are now in Christ a bit more. 00:00:11.700 --> 00:00:14.700 But just because we're doing the sermon series in Matthew now 00:00:14.700 --> 00:00:18.640 doesn't mean you can't go ahead and read chapter 7 and 8 and study it. 00:00:18.699 --> 00:00:20.199 So go for it. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:23.780 And who knows, maybe returning the repetition 00:00:23.780 --> 00:00:27.280 will get Romans into our heads better once we get back to it. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:31.620 Then again, it wouldn't be the first time that God's plans, 00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:35.219 once we're looking back, are better than our plans. 00:00:36.060 --> 00:00:40.600 And on the other hand, having just looked at last week 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:45.500 at being enslaved to sin under the power of sin 00:00:45.500 --> 00:00:46.840 and being rescued by Christ, 00:00:46.939 --> 00:00:51.100 maybe that actually gives us great momentum into our passage today 00:00:51.100 --> 00:00:56.820 and helps us see our neediness as we come to this passage 00:00:56.820 --> 00:00:58.939 about a demon-oppressed man. 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.039 Because demon oppression, 00:01:03.899 --> 00:01:06.920 very few people claim to have experienced it, 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.540 very few claim to have seen it. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:15.180 So I think last week that we're under the power of sin 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:17.939 might help us to not treat this as academic, 00:01:18.539 --> 00:01:20.840 but that once we get to the end of this passage, 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:21.960 we should be seeing, 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.040 I need rescue from the evil within me. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.640 I think we should be arriving at that point. 00:01:29.100 --> 00:01:31.659 I need rescue from the evil within me. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:34.939 Now, I don't know, depending on your background, 00:01:35.060 --> 00:01:38.939 that phrase, you might find that a bit over the top. 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:39.920 Am I exaggerating? 00:01:40.180 --> 00:01:42.620 The evil within me. 00:01:42.620 --> 00:01:46.079 Am I just... 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.460 I'm not trying to exaggerate. 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:55.300 Maybe you've come from a past where you've been in the occult, 00:01:55.600 --> 00:01:56.719 a new age spiritism, 00:01:56.859 --> 00:02:00.280 or maybe you've come from a culture that works with the spirits, 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:05.439 which is really important to have a blessed rather than a cursed life. 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:07.760 Or maybe you grew up in a culture like I did 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.960 where a secular, materialistic, what you see is what is. 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:16.879 And this idea of spirits is just a little bit hard to accept. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:22.700 I think the real Jesus in this passage is going to challenge each of us, 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:24.400 depending on our background, differently. 00:02:26.140 --> 00:02:27.759 But what all these backgrounds... 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:30.060 They have something in common. 00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:36.980 They don't appreciate what the biggest weapon of Satan is. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.219 It's not demon oppression. 00:02:40.419 --> 00:02:42.019 That's not his greatest power. 00:02:46.139 --> 00:02:48.359 I'm just reflecting on my past week. 00:02:49.299 --> 00:02:52.719 The first few days, I got knocked out by a virus. 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:55.939 I forgot that there were other viruses around, 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.399 but I was reminded of that last week. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.139 A fairly minor thing compared to other illness. 00:03:02.139 --> 00:03:08.099 But that wasn't the thing that wreaked the most havoc in my week last week. 00:03:08.179 --> 00:03:09.079 It wasn't being sick. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:16.000 The thing that wreaked the most havoc was the lies that I was believing. 00:03:18.979 --> 00:03:20.199 There's dead silence. 00:03:20.299 --> 00:03:22.019 You're wondering what lies... 00:03:22.019 --> 00:03:25.019 You can't wait for me to just tell you. 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:27.159 I'll tell you later, I'll recover. 00:03:27.340 --> 00:03:31.380 But some of the lies I could see... 00:03:31.380 --> 00:03:36.180 I'm guessing there's other lies that I'm happily believing and I'm blind to. 00:03:38.420 --> 00:03:39.960 We looked at this last week. 00:03:40.480 --> 00:03:43.580 Sin enslaves us in a lie. 00:03:45.580 --> 00:03:48.560 Think of back Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:50.740 Is God really offering you the best life? 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:52.660 He's holding out on you. 00:03:52.659 --> 00:03:58.379 If you want to take control, then be your own God. 00:03:58.620 --> 00:03:59.539 You don't need him. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:01.780 Take it for yourself. 00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:05.659 These kind of thoughts, and they get much more specific than that, 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:11.780 these lies wreak havoc in our lives, in our relationships, in our world. 00:04:12.539 --> 00:04:17.120 We may not be oppressed by demons, but we are constantly oppressed by lies. 00:04:17.259 --> 00:04:17.740 Constantly. 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:22.459 If you are in Christ, let me say at this point, 00:04:22.980 --> 00:04:25.180 Satan has no power over you. 00:04:25.820 --> 00:04:27.980 I don't want you to get the wrong idea this morning. 00:04:28.260 --> 00:04:32.460 If you are in Christ, Satan has no power over you. 00:04:33.140 --> 00:04:37.220 He only has the power we give to him when we believe his lies. 00:04:37.220 --> 00:04:43.300 I'm going to give an example so that you know what I'm talking about. 00:04:43.440 --> 00:04:44.960 But I've given it before. 00:04:45.140 --> 00:04:46.260 I'm not sure if it's a very good one. 00:04:46.620 --> 00:04:47.860 I couldn't come up with a better one. 00:04:49.100 --> 00:04:56.300 So picture someone who believes that they absolutely need to be successful at their job for their own self-image. 00:04:56.300 --> 00:05:02.699 They have to have that for their own self-image to feel valuable. 00:05:02.699 --> 00:05:09.199 Now, what will believing that lie do to their character in their life? 00:05:09.479 --> 00:05:15.379 Being devoted to their job, it might come at the cost of their own physical health. 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:17.379 They're pushing themselves too far. 00:05:17.379 --> 00:05:22.680 It probably will come at the cost of care for family and other loved ones. 00:05:22.860 --> 00:05:28.540 It will come at the cost of engagement with church and what we're called to serve here. 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:33.540 It will come at the cost of awareness of other people's suffering. 00:05:33.540 --> 00:05:34.520 You're just too busy. 00:05:34.640 --> 00:05:37.600 You're focused on your job. 00:05:38.260 --> 00:05:41.520 You don't have the resources, the time to give to other people's suffering. 00:05:42.080 --> 00:05:46.220 You need to just advance in your career. 00:05:47.700 --> 00:05:51.600 And if anything frustrates that goal, look out. 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:53.939 Like the character of the person. 00:05:54.280 --> 00:05:57.040 It won't be patience if someone frustrates you. 00:05:57.259 --> 00:05:58.040 It will be anger. 00:05:58.040 --> 00:06:04.100 I think it will even distort how you measure a successful life. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.340 I'm not sure if that illustration is doing anything for you, 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:14.200 but believing that lie distorts the character we're meant to have as God's image bearers 00:06:14.200 --> 00:06:20.840 and it wreaks havoc on priorities and relationships just by believing the lie 00:06:20.840 --> 00:06:24.900 that you need to be successful in your job to be valuable. 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:31.580 At this point, it's worth considering what do you believe you absolutely need. 00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:38.700 If it's not what God says you need, it's enslaving you. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.060 It's distorting priorities. 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:41.640 It's distorting character. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:50.020 So Satan enslaves and destroys God's image bearers by feeding us lies constantly. 00:06:50.019 --> 00:06:55.779 The good news of this passage is that Jesus is in the business of restoring, 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:59.299 setting free and slave people like we heard last week as well. 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:07.019 So if you've got your Bibles open, chapter 12, as we dive back into the story of Jesus, 00:07:07.219 --> 00:07:12.659 as we re-enter the life of Jesus, we need to realise we're entering a battle zone. 00:07:13.859 --> 00:07:15.079 Things are heating up. 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:17.060 Things are escalating. 00:07:17.060 --> 00:07:19.040 Confrontation isn't just brewing. 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:23.019 It is outright going for it. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:23.780 Knives are out. 00:07:25.280 --> 00:07:31.600 We're told in chapter 12, verse 14, let me flick back, 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:37.939 that the Pharisees have decided they went out and conspired against Jesus how to destroy him. 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:42.399 They have come to a firm conclusion about Jesus. 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:46.659 Then we're given a passage from Isaiah. 00:07:46.979 --> 00:07:51.759 We're given Matthew's perspective of Jesus, or more specifically, God the Father's perspective. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:57.659 God the Father's perspective is, my soul delights in my son. 00:07:58.699 --> 00:08:00.239 He's going to fix the world. 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:02.779 So you've got these two conclusions. 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:06.339 And Matthew is saying, which one are you aligning with? 00:08:06.339 --> 00:08:11.119 Do you see him as someone who needs to get out of your life? 00:08:11.799 --> 00:08:16.500 Or do you see him as someone who's going to fix your life and your soul delighting in him? 00:08:19.299 --> 00:08:21.879 When it comes to Jesus, there's no neutrality. 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.419 It's impossible to sit on the fence. 00:08:26.420 --> 00:08:33.539 He claims an enormous control over your life, his claims. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:41.960 And he offers a rescue that either you want it or you don't want it because you're not that needy. 00:08:43.700 --> 00:08:48.840 I want to just pause for a moment and consider why are the Pharisees so offended by Jesus? 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:53.779 Let's not straw man the Pharisees' point of view. 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:57.699 But why are they so sure that Jesus has to die? 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:58.799 These are the experts. 00:08:58.939 --> 00:09:02.500 We rely on experts all the time in life. 00:09:02.740 --> 00:09:06.860 The experts of the day were sure that Jesus has to die. 00:09:06.959 --> 00:09:07.620 He's got to go. 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:11.620 How did they come to that conclusion? 00:09:13.539 --> 00:09:19.339 Well, they're sus on Jesus from the start because Jesus comes from Galilee. 00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:23.419 He's not from the religiously pure area of Jerusalem. 00:09:23.779 --> 00:09:27.799 So the fact he's from Galilee and Nazareth, already they're sus on him. 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:31.319 And then they see him associating with sinful people. 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:39.919 Like someone honourable wouldn't be touching or going close to sinful people. 00:09:40.579 --> 00:09:42.059 He's defiling himself. 00:09:42.059 --> 00:09:48.899 But most clearly of all, Jesus is breaking God's law when it came to the Sabbath. 00:09:49.099 --> 00:09:51.879 That's where it came to a head. 00:09:52.959 --> 00:09:56.379 He allowed his disciples to pluck heads of grain as they walked. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:01.599 And he healed a man with a deformed hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath. 00:10:01.739 --> 00:10:03.000 He didn't wait to the next day. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:08.079 He can't be the Messiah if he's disobeying God's Sabbath law. 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:20.320 They understand that Jesus is introducing a totally different idea of what the kingdom of God is 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:25.620 and what criteria there is for belonging to that kingdom. 00:10:25.620 --> 00:10:29.940 They don't see Jesus as just tweaking things here and there. 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:31.620 They see what he's doing. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.840 He's offering a totally different kingdom to what they think it is. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:37.799 Totally different criteria. 00:10:40.139 --> 00:10:45.120 Pharisees, they think they have peace with God because they're careful to keep God's law. 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:50.399 Jesus is saying, you have peace with God if you belong to me. 00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:52.879 Very different. 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:58.039 Pharisees are saying, get yourself in order, make some effort people, 00:10:58.539 --> 00:11:02.120 and then you can come into God's presence and he'll give you blessing. 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:06.080 Jesus is saying, come as you are in your sin and in your mess, 00:11:06.659 --> 00:11:11.480 come as you are into God's presence, receive his blessings and then you will change. 00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:14.720 They know he's offering a totally different kingdom. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.899 And they do not like it because it means they're out. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:27.580 It's hard to pinpoint exactly why the Pharisees found this so threatening. 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:30.440 They're losing power and status in the community. 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:35.019 They're losing control over their own lives if they had to submit to this. 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:41.799 I suspect another huge hurdle, maybe the biggest hurdle, I can't really prove this, 00:11:42.500 --> 00:11:50.500 is that to accept Jesus and his kingdom where he's offering forgiveness and salvation 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:53.799 is to admit that I'm a desperate person. 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:57.359 I don't have it all together. 00:11:59.359 --> 00:12:03.719 I am inclined to do evil and not good and I need rescue. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:08.259 I don't think they wanted to accept that image of themselves. 00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:16.220 So, getting into our passage for today. 00:12:16.419 --> 00:12:20.080 The occasion is a demon-oppressed man, blind. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.860 There's some things I fear to happen to me. 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:24.960 Blindness is up there. 00:12:25.819 --> 00:12:27.120 I've been blind and mute. 00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:32.799 He would have been isolated from engaging with people in community, 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:37.299 isolated from the temple, that he couldn't go into the temple, 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:40.620 he couldn't feel at peace with God, he would feel cursed by God. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:45.439 But when he encounters Jesus, completely restored. 00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:49.719 The crowds are amazed. 00:12:50.319 --> 00:12:54.839 This is the first time, this is the only time Matthew uses this word amazed. 00:12:54.839 --> 00:13:00.559 They are astonished all these other times, but this time they are just floored. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:06.319 But they're then hesitant. 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:09.620 The crowds are floored by what they see. 00:13:10.099 --> 00:13:11.539 Incredible restoration. 00:13:12.899 --> 00:13:13.599 But they're hesitant. 00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:16.159 Is this the son of David? 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:19.399 He doesn't quite fit their expectations. 00:13:21.259 --> 00:13:22.699 So that's the occasion. 00:13:24.359 --> 00:13:27.439 If you've been following the federal election campaign, 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:31.620 I've been watching Q&A a little bit, 00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:34.460 and the hosts just have to say again and again, 00:13:34.660 --> 00:13:36.180 OK, stop talking about the other, 00:13:36.760 --> 00:13:38.640 talking to liberal and labor politicians, 00:13:38.780 --> 00:13:40.380 stop talking about criticising them, 00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:42.620 just what's your policies, what's your policies? 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:43.900 Stop criticising. 00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:47.160 And every now and then, you hear a criticism of the opposition, 00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:48.220 where you're just like, 00:13:48.280 --> 00:13:50.220 you did not come up with that on the spot. 00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:56.639 That is a polished one-liner that you thought of behind closed doors, 00:13:56.740 --> 00:13:58.680 very calmly, strategically, 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:02.040 and then you just hear it again and again. 00:14:03.139 --> 00:14:06.560 Here is a very thought-through one-liner. 00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:09.320 We've heard this one before in chapter 9, verse 34. 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:12.220 The Pharisees know the crowds are watching, 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.720 and they've come up with a banger. 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:16.139 Like, this is good, 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:18.059 if you want to bring Jesus down. 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:22.259 When the Pharisees heard what had happened, 00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:23.220 they saw what had happened, 00:14:23.659 --> 00:14:25.939 it is only by Beelzebul, 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:27.919 the prince of demons, 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:29.879 that this man casts out demons. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.139 I'm actually impressed. 00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:33.259 Like, that's pretty good. 00:14:33.779 --> 00:14:35.620 If you're going to slander someone, 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.279 slander Jesus. 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.539 This is strategy. 00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.919 This is war. 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:42.299 We've got to take him out. 00:14:42.299 --> 00:14:48.359 One of the impressive things about the historical Jesus 00:14:48.359 --> 00:14:51.159 is he's so calm under threat. 00:14:52.339 --> 00:14:55.779 He just dismantles this slander easily 00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:58.740 and then turns it into a teaching moment. 00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:04.259 It's one of the impressive things about the real Jesus. 00:15:05.459 --> 00:15:08.199 I don't think he's just defending the slander 00:15:08.199 --> 00:15:10.419 for his own image sake. 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:13.240 I actually think he's doing it for the crowd's sake 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:15.059 so that they can believe in him. 00:15:15.099 --> 00:15:17.439 I think he's even doing it for the slanderers themselves 00:15:17.439 --> 00:15:18.459 that they might repent. 00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:24.879 So Jesus doesn't come up with an even better piece of slander 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.519 that knocks them out of the water. 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:27.839 He's not like that. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:32.620 But his words here in this passage, 00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:34.539 they're very confronting. 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:36.179 They're very piercing. 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:43.219 If you're not challenged by the end of this passage, 00:15:44.899 --> 00:15:46.719 there's a good chance I haven't done my job properly, 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:49.339 but it is challenging. 00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:51.000 It is piercing. 00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:55.039 It's not slanderous, but it is challenging and piercing. 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:00.219 So let's get into it. 00:16:00.319 --> 00:16:03.639 So scholars aren't 100% sure about where Beelzebul, 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:06.019 that name comes from. 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:12.059 From what I read, the best option is that it's a translation 00:16:12.059 --> 00:16:14.519 that literally means Lord of the house, 00:16:14.779 --> 00:16:18.299 which kind of fits with this whole kingdom house metaphor. 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:21.819 So they're calling him the Lord of the house, 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:23.120 the house of evil, that is. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:28.220 And then he easily dismantles their accusation. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.720 Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste. 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:34.100 No city or house divided against itself will stand. 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:38.620 Let me just use the illustration from the federal campaign again, 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:39.820 election campaign. 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.220 There is one strategy that no one is expecting. 00:16:43.220 --> 00:16:51.220 No one is expecting the political parties to replace their candidates 00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:54.220 a few weeks out from the election. 00:16:54.820 --> 00:16:58.200 Like to remove them would just be, at this point, 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.779 would be conceding, okay, give the vote. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:03.100 Give the vote to the opposition. 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.120 No one is expecting that strategy. 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:07.500 It would be a very stupid strategy. 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:12.559 And yet that's their claim about what Jesus is doing. 00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:17.220 Okay, Satan is removing his agents from the field. 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:20.000 It's just a stupid strategy. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:23.279 Or in sport, the phrase is often, 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:25.880 a team is only as strong as its weakest player 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:31.400 because the opposition will attack the weakest link. 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:34.680 But imagine, as we saw in the kids' talk, 00:17:35.060 --> 00:17:37.940 if a player took out one of their own players. 00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:40.100 It doesn't matter what the rest of the players did. 00:17:40.580 --> 00:17:43.140 That action would just get loose. 00:17:44.100 --> 00:17:45.540 It's a stupid strategy. 00:17:46.560 --> 00:17:51.160 Or in war, who targets their own resources? 00:17:53.280 --> 00:17:55.500 It's just silly thinking. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:18:00.259 And then in verse 27, he highlights how hypocritical their claim is. 00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:05.259 So do your people who cast out demons also do it by the power of Satan? 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:08.240 No, you celebrate when your people cast out demons. 00:18:08.879 --> 00:18:10.759 You say, wow, the power of God at work. 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:12.859 And now you're saying it's the power of Satan. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:15.779 It's so hypocritical. 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:20.720 So there are some records of others casting out demons, 00:18:20.879 --> 00:18:24.400 but it's often, it's much less frequent than Jesus does it 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:30.240 and much more like there was ritual and there was prayers involved. 00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:31.859 Whereas Jesus is just, get out. 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:35.019 There's a different authority and they know that. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.940 They're actually acknowledging that. 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.660 It's by the prince of demons. 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:44.019 We can't deny your power, Jesus, but we will slander where it comes from. 00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:54.299 So after easily dismantling their accusation, he turns it into a teaching moment. 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:58.460 If it is by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:01.579 then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:10.299 If the spirit is working through Jesus, God's kingdom, and by implication, God's king is here. 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:16.799 To enter Satan's house and plunder his goods, someone stronger must be here, 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.500 as we saw in the kids' talk. 00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:22.579 You are seeing Satan's goods plundered. 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:26.460 There is no wrestle going on between good and evil. 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:29.099 Good is overthrowing evil easily. 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:32.099 So come to the obvious conclusion. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.460 The stronger man is here. 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:42.759 And so there's no neutrality when it comes to Jesus. 00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:46.059 Whoever is not with me is against me. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:50.100 He's overthrowing evil. 00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:52.059 Whoever is not with me is against me. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:58.079 Imagine I took that attitude into an elders meeting. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:04.699 I have this idea, and whoever is not with me is against me. 00:20:06.919 --> 00:20:10.059 That's a pretty arrogant thing to say. 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:12.759 It's very polemical. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.379 Which side are you on? 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:23.519 Jesus is saying it because of who he is and what he is busy doing. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:29.519 I think as Christians we can apply this attitude to the wrong place. 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:35.519 We can apply it to areas of wisdom, like politics. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:38.859 You can read the bulletin article for that. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:41.799 Jesus isn't saying do that. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.639 There's another phrase he uses in Mark's Gospel that complements this one. 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:48.759 Whoever is not against us is for us. 00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:50.740 Don't be quick. 00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:56.440 If Christians are doing something differently, don't be too quick in saying they're the opposition. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.920 Don't be too quick in doing that. 00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:04.420 We're told to persuade and gently restore, to win your brother over. 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:11.759 But Jesus here is saying a very polemical statement. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:14.059 You're with me or you're against me. 00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:16.859 It can't be neutral ground. 00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:19.539 Why? 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:19.660 Why? 00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.740 Why? 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.740 Why? 00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:26.960 Because I've come to undo evil and its effects in your life, in the world. 00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:30.640 I'm in the business of gathering people to God. 00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:37.240 If you don't want that for yourself, then you want to be scattered from God. 00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:41.620 You want the status quo of evil in your life. 00:21:41.619 --> 00:21:54.859 To not be with Jesus in his mission to gather to God and to get evil out of our lives is to accept evil in our lives and not want it. 00:21:54.859 --> 00:21:58.339 This is a matter of ultimate importance. 00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:58.359 This is a matter of ultimate importance. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:07.779 So he's assuming here that there is evil that we need rescue from. 00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:12.440 And I think that's partly why we talk about forgiveness here. 00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:18.279 And here we come to one of those really hard sayings that's hard to understand at first, I think. 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:27.819 Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 00:22:27.819 --> 00:22:34.259 Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:39.700 So this is the one who healed the paralytic. 00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:42.359 He clearly has authority to forgive sins. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:45.759 And he's saying if you can be forgiven or not. 00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:54.900 The first thing to point out is that when he says either in this age or the age to come, that's really just saying forever. 00:22:55.379 --> 00:22:55.720 Never. 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:59.619 If you're forgiven now, you're forgiven forever. 00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:02.980 If you're not forgiven now, you're not forgiven forever. 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.099 Never. 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:07.799 I don't think we should be fearing that you could be forgiven in one era and not the next. 00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:10.740 It's just a way of saying never. 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:18.599 Now, I think the fear in us jumps to what we can't be forgiven from. 00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:20.319 Are you focusing on that bit? 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:25.180 Let's slow down and look at what we can be forgiven from. 00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:31.759 Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. 00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:36.259 Now, I know we talk about forgiveness a lot. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:37.759 Forgiveness is not cheap. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:41.180 When we look at what it costs Jesus. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:45.200 Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:48.200 That's incredible. 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:54.100 I think some people, we say, like, they said this about me. 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:56.000 It's just too harsh a word. 00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:57.200 Jesus didn't like that. 00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:59.680 I don't know how you came to faith. 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:04.240 But whatever you thought or said about Jesus, it's forgiven. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:13.299 You might have some big sin in the past and you know that God's forgiveness washes you clean of everything. 00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:21.700 But that big one, I'm not sure if God can forgive me for that. 00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:26.420 The king's verdict here is if you're with me, it can be forgiven. 00:24:26.579 --> 00:24:27.240 It is forgiven. 00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:32.059 Every sin and blasphemy is forgiven. 00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:38.440 It's why it's so out of place for Christians. 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:45.500 It's so anti-gospel to say that someone has done something too awful for me to forgive them. 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:47.420 Consequences, absolutely. 00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:49.799 There should be consequences for things. 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:54.500 But forgiveness, it's out of place because God doesn't treat us like that. 00:24:54.500 --> 00:25:01.000 If Jesus has gone to the cross, every sin and blasphemy is forgiven. 00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:06.960 I can't think of a worse sin than nailing Jesus to the cross while mocking him. 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:10.140 And yet he's praying for their forgiveness. 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:17.599 If you're with me, every sin, every slander is forgiven. 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:21.980 So what is this one unforgivable sin then? 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:25.579 What is this blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:35.440 It seems to say that it's possible to do something that puts yourself even beyond God's desire to forgive you. 00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:42.279 It can't be saying that the Spirit is somehow separate from Jesus. 00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:47.240 It's not saying that Jesus is less important than the Spirit. 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:57.960 If we see what's going on in the context, the Pharisees are looking at Jesus and saying, 00:25:58.220 --> 00:26:01.859 your spirit-empowered ministry is evil. 00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:12.319 This is a very deliberate, thought-through opposition to Jesus. 00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:14.919 It is not an accidental thing. 00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:23.799 It's not just a curse that's gone through your mind that you thought an evil thing about Jesus or the Spirit. 00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:24.619 It's not a thought. 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:32.139 This is a determined, strategic opposition to the Jesus of the gospel. 00:26:34.879 --> 00:26:41.799 As Don Carson put it, it's a conscious, conscious, you're deciding to do this, 00:26:42.919 --> 00:26:49.819 disputing of the indisputable, that Jesus is empowered by the Spirit to bring about salvation. 00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:56.619 Let me try and say it a different way. 00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:05.639 You know, if you won't come, if you just are determined not to come to the clear and obvious conclusion 00:27:05.639 --> 00:27:12.159 from the gospel records in Matthew, that Jesus is empowered by God to bring salvation, 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:20.380 if you won't come to the clear and obvious conclusion, you're cutting yourself off from the one person who can forgive you. 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:25.420 All forgiveness is found here. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:31.200 But if you won't come to it, you can't be forgiven for anything. 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:40.160 If you're worried that you might have said something or thought something that means you blaspheme the Spirit, 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:45.279 your worry, I would say, is a very clear sign of the Spirit's working in you. 00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:49.539 The Spirit points out where we have failed God. 00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:54.420 And the Spirit points us to Jesus going, if I'm ever going to be forgiven, he's my only hope. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:28:00.039 If that, even a glimpse of that is working in your soul, that means the Spirit is at work in you. 00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:04.159 You have not done this, no matter what awful thought you've had. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:10.460 But if you're like the Pharisees and you don't see yourself as needing rescue, 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:14.039 you're cutting yourself off from forgiveness. 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:16.259 There is no forgiveness. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:25.440 I'll put it one other way, borrowing from Tim Keller here. 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:28.659 Think of it in terms of external and internal. 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:34.819 So externally, our words, our behaviours, and I'll add in our thought life, 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:39.879 all the external, there is no sin that can't be forgiven. 00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:41.359 All is forgivable. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:47.639 But internally, in terms of the Spirit working in us to be convicted of our sin 00:28:47.639 --> 00:28:49.960 and to look to Jesus for forgiveness, 00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:56.600 if we resist that internal prompting of the Spirit for all of our life, 00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:59.700 not just in a single moment, but for all of our life, 00:29:00.620 --> 00:29:03.000 then we're cutting ourselves off from forgiveness. 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:12.920 The only way for you to put yourself beyond God's eagerness to forgive you 00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:18.720 is if you are determined not to want Jesus to rescue you. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.559 Determined. 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:23.740 Not just a one-off, but determined the rest of your life. 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:31.839 But if you do see a glimpse of the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus, 00:29:32.019 --> 00:29:35.660 then if you do want him, all is forgiven. 00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.640 Every sin and blasphemy. 00:29:37.640 --> 00:29:45.240 So how do you know if you're with Jesus or against him? 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:48.140 Or another way of the question is, 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:51.960 how deep is our problem that we need rescuing from? 00:29:54.580 --> 00:29:57.560 Jesus tells us plainly, you can tell by your words, 00:29:57.900 --> 00:30:00.240 which Bo helpfully introduced for us this morning. 00:30:00.280 --> 00:30:01.560 You can tell by your words. 00:30:04.440 --> 00:30:06.540 You don't have to, you're not left guessing. 00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:09.819 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:11.980 or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:14.139 for the tree is known by its fruit. 00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:17.339 You brood of vipers, talking to the Pharisees, 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:20.440 how can you speak good when you are evil? 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:24.740 But out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:28.960 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:33.279 and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:35.240 I tell you, on the day of judgment, 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:38.740 people will give account for every careless, 00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:41.319 what we might think insignificant, 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:43.859 every careless word they speak. 00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:46.400 For by your words, you will be justified. 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:49.940 Here the positive as well as the negative here. 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:51.620 By your words you will be justified, 00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:53.339 and by your words you will be condemned. 00:30:53.339 --> 00:30:59.519 So the Pharisees, conscious, determined opposition, 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.359 it's by the prince of demons he casts out demons. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:06.240 The crowds, they're gobsmacked by Jesus, 00:31:06.399 --> 00:31:08.159 but they're still hesitant to come to him. 00:31:10.639 --> 00:31:12.779 It isn't Jesus being assessed here. 00:31:14.159 --> 00:31:18.519 By their words, God is assessing them. 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:22.900 Why by words? 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:26.019 Because they're the overflow of what's in us. 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:32.059 The heart is, the Bible talks of the heart as the control centre of our person. 00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:36.579 What's controlling you will come out of your words. 00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:38.980 James talks about you can't tame the tongue. 00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:41.059 Like it just spews out. 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.620 That's a negative image. 00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:45.339 Or it bubbles out. 00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:46.799 It overflows. 00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:48.620 It's so full it overflows. 00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:51.039 Either for good or for evil. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:32:00.779 If you weren't sure how deep the problem of evil is in your person, 00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:02.200 then our words show us. 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:07.720 Like if you want to maintain a perception of yourself as a good person, 00:32:07.980 --> 00:32:10.120 if you want to keep up that pretense, 00:32:11.340 --> 00:32:14.600 you've got to totally discount your words. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:16.799 You can't factor your words in. 00:32:17.080 --> 00:32:20.980 Maybe your behaviour, you can set up an image of yourself, 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:23.680 but I don't know. 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.920 If you're anything like me, 00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:28.940 you've got to just rule out all your words from the equation. 00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:32.519 The angry snap at your loved ones. 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:36.539 The not-so-veiled boasting. 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:39.980 The complaining. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.160 The whinging. 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:44.759 The lack of thankfulness to God. 00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:47.940 The slander and criticism 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:54.140 that we either unintentionally or intentionally want to bring someone down. 00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:57.259 The fault-finding words. 00:32:57.259 --> 00:33:00.440 It's the twisting of truth to paint ourselves in a better light. 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:03.279 Or it's known by another name, lying. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:08.500 You just take a quick look. 00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:12.440 I told you that my sickness wasn't the thing wreaking havoc. 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:16.579 The lies in my week that produced the words in my week. 00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:18.180 Oof. 00:33:18.180 --> 00:33:24.779 But the remedy isn't just polite speech. 00:33:25.580 --> 00:33:29.480 Jesus here says, make the tree good. 00:33:29.820 --> 00:33:30.900 Make the tree bad. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:37.560 There needs to be profound change in the core of who we are for our words to change. 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:44.059 The Pharisees determine opposition. 00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:50.299 The crowd's hesitancy to come to Jesus should have been a warning that evil is ruling in their control centre. 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.519 They need rescue. 00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:57.039 My words about Jesus, yes, but this is a broader principle. 00:33:57.179 --> 00:33:59.679 My words to God's image bearers. 00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:03.860 They reveal how much evil is stored up in me. 00:34:05.360 --> 00:34:08.800 I need rescue from evil within me. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:15.220 So what does being with Jesus look like? 00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:22.780 What words come out of a person who is with Jesus, who knows his forgiveness? 00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:26.380 The New Testament has a lot to say about words. 00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:28.700 I just want to draw our attention to two things. 00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:31.900 One passage is 1 John 1, 8 to 10. 00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:42.820 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:55.619 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:34:55.619 --> 00:35:03.579 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. 00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:11.380 I think the mark of a Christian's words firstly should be confessing. 00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:14.159 Yeah, yeah, I sin. 00:35:14.279 --> 00:35:16.460 I sin way more than I want to. 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:22.519 They're the kind of words that overflow out of a Christian. 00:35:25.619 --> 00:35:36.679 The other mark of being with the stronger man is we look to a great saviour. 00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:41.940 Or as Peter later says in chapter 16, you are the Christ. 00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:44.900 You are the son of the living God. 00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:46.679 We confess him. 00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:51.099 And Jesus immediately responds to Peter, 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:57.940 Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 00:35:58.599 --> 00:36:06.000 If you can confess Jesus as Lord, if you can see his ministry is empowered by the Spirit to bring salvation and forgiveness, 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:13.519 if you can see him for who he is, God has gathered you to himself. 00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:14.699 He's revealed that to you. 00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:16.559 You didn't come to it by your own reasoning. 00:36:19.460 --> 00:36:30.480 So the words of a Christian are filled with confession, are filled with Christ is my stronger man who can defeat my evil. 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:34.279 There's no neutrality with Jesus. 00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:37.780 Either you're with Jesus or against him. 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:45.680 Either you can cling to your self-image that wins the praise of people because they can see the external in your life. 00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:49.500 You can try and convince yourself you're a relatively good person. 00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:52.160 You're running your life pretty well. 00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:55.060 You don't need this spirit-empowered rescue. 00:36:55.059 --> 00:37:01.400 Or you can take your words seriously and examine the root where it comes from. 00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:03.840 And confessing your sin. 00:37:05.239 --> 00:37:07.900 Confessing your need for a stronger man. 00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:12.480 Asking him to forgive from all sin and every slander. 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:16.900 You'll praise him. 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:19.159 They're the two options. 00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:20.039 There's no middle ground. 00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:20.099 There's no middle ground. 00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:42.599 There's no house.