Bible Talks - Sunday Night Church
Series: Committed to the King · Talk No. 4
For or against the King
Sunday, 27 November 2005
Audio
Listen Now (22:07)
Extras:
Outline (PDF)
Feedback:
Share using:
Post this to: Facebook · Delicious · Google · Twitter · Email
Big Ideas
- Jesus denies accusations that he aligns with Satan, and proves that he had defeated Satan
- We are reminded that we are either for or against Jesus (no fence sitting)
Taking Sides…
September 11, 2001 was a defining day for most of the western world. It was the day that terrorists flew two planes into the Twin Towers in New York. It was an event that shook the western world. I shook us because of the human tragedy. And it shook us because the divide in our society suddenly appeared to become very real. Good versus Evil. George W Bush sought to define this divide, and within a few day of tragedy, released this statement:
"Every nation and every region now has a decision to make, either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
George W Bush
The countries of the world suddenly had a very big decision to make. Which side did they want to be on? If they took no action, it would be seen as aligning with the terrorists. They had to choose. Sitting on the fence was not an option.
See it’s a question of identity. Who do you want to be seen identifying with? Good or Evil. I think in the months following 9/11, the US carefully questioned the identity of the residents in their worldwide neighbourhood.
Well tonight’s passage in Matthew deals with a similar question of identity. And as usual, its Jesus’ identity that’s being questioned. Now this isn’t the first time that Jesus identity has been questioned. Just in the last few weeks as we have looked at the middle chapters of Matthew, we’ve seen John the Baptist and Pharisees do it. John was having second thoughts as to whether Jesus was the promised Messiah, and the Pharisees had issues with Jesus claiming to be Lord of the Sabbath. But in both cases, the identity of Jesus was made clear by Jesus himself and the gospel writer Matthew. He has been shown to be the promised Messiah, shown to be the Son of God.
But in tonight’s passage, a bigger question is asked of Jesus identity. Which side is he on – Good or Evil? We’ll see that Jesus leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind “which side” he is on. In fact he concludes his argument by challenging us with a phrase that George W stole off him.
“He who is not with me is against me…”
We will have a decision to make. Which side are we on? Good or Evil? There is no sitting on the fence.
Which side is Jesus?
Well the question of Jesus identity comes up after Jesus has healed a demon possessed, blind and mute man. This guy had the works didn’t he! Not just blind, but also mute and to top it all off, demon possessed. And Jesus healed him! I think that’s pretty impressive, but at the time there was a mixed reaction. Let’s have a look at Matthew 12:22-24
22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" 24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
So there are two opinions as to who Jesus could be. The people, like me, seem pretty impressed. And they ask whether Jesus could be the Son of David? By Son of David, they’re not asking whether his Dad’s name was David. Instead they are referring to God’s promised Messiah who would come from the family line of David. It seems they had concluded that only someone from God’s side, the good side, could have that sort of power.
But the Pharisees have the exact opposite opinion. They claim that it is only by Beelzebub, which is just another name for Satan, that Jesus could drive out demons. And this isn’t the first time they have said this. They say a similar thing back in chapter 9:34. They were placing Jesus on the evil side.
So we have the options: Jesus being from God or Beelzebub. Good or Evil.
Jesus proves which side he is on…
Well obviously this is something Jesus needs to clear up, so Jesus defines his identity in four points over next few verses. In doing so, he shows that the world is sharply divided into God's kingdom and the devil's kingdom, and that you can’t be working for both kingdoms at the same time.
1. Why would Satan drive out Satan?
Point 1. Firstly Jesus attacks the ridiculous claim that it is only by “prince of demons, that [Jesus] drives out demons”. The Pharisees are implying that Satan is working against himself. It would be like Australia going to war against Australia. Or a political party putting out propaganda against itself! It’s doomed to self destruction. Jesus says a similar thing, verse 25:
25…"Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
So it’s ridiculous to even consider that Jesus could be working by the power of Satan. In fact, it is more obvious that he is setting himself against Satan.
2. By whom do your people drive demons out
Point2. Jesus points out that he is not the only one driving out demons. Verse 27
27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?
It appears that disciples of the Pharisees were involved in driving out demons too. So were they working by the power of Beelzebub too? In that case, the followers of the most religious people in society would be working by the power of Satan. And Satan would have a small army working against himself! This too is a ridiculous conclusion.
3. If I exorcise by spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is here
So having shown the flaw in the Pharisees arguments, Jesus now offers an alternative suggestion for his identity in Point 3. Verse 28:
28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
See, rather than driving out demons by Satan, Jesus is suggesting it is by the Spirit of God. Satan has no cause to destroy himself, but God has cause to destroy him. They are on opposite sides – Good vs Evil. So, Jesus concludes, if the Spirit of God is clearing out the devils Kingdom, then the Kingdom of God must be here. And if the Kingdom of God is here, then Jesus must be the bringer-in of that Kingdom.
4. I can exorcise because I have defeated Satan
But why are the demons leaving people? How is Jesus able to command obedience over the demons? Why are they listening to him? In point 4, the next verse, Jesus gives the answer. And it’s because Satan is already defeated. Verse 29:
29"Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.
It’s a cool little story isn’t it – I love it. I can just envision this comical muscle man tied up and gagged in the corner, with some other guy walking out the front door carrying the couch! But that’s what Jesus has done. He’s bound Satan. He’s defeated him. And now he is carrying off his possessions – not the couch – rather people who were possessed by him.
Which side are the Pharisees on?
So I think Jesus has well and truly squashed the suggestion that he works by the power of Satan. In fact he has shown that his driving out demons proves that he has already defeated Satan. He is on the Good side. He is God.
In this process Jesus has made it very clear that there is a sharp divide between God's kingdom and the devil's kingdom, and that he can’t be working for both kingdoms at the same time. But at this point he shifts the spotlight off himself and onto the rest of humanity. And says in verse 30:
30"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
You see the sharp divide between God's kingdom and the devil's kingdom applies to others to. And in this passage, this statement is aimed squarely at the Pharisees. Of all the people at the time, they would have been the ones you would have picked as being the most religious. The most Godly. The most “on-side” with God. They did everything to the letter of the religious law. But by declaring that Jesus worked by the power of Satan, they immediately put themselves in opposition to Jesus. They were no longer gathers, rather scatterers. Instead of gathering people to Jesus, the Messiah, Son of God, they were scattering them by distorting his true identity. They were in the devil's kingdom rather than God's kingdom.
Notice that Jesus leaves no room for sitting on the fence. I mean these Pharisees were religious leaders after all! Surely they weren’t completely evil? But Jesus makes it fairly plain, doesn’t he. Either you are with me, or you are against me.
Consequences of being on the wrong side…
So Jesus goes on to tell the Pharisees about the consequences of being against him. These are spelled out in verse 31 -32 where Jesus talks about blasphemy against the Spirit. The unforgivable sin. Have a look at these verses with me:
31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
So what is this blasphemy against the spirit? Well Jesus has just rebuked the Pharisees for suggesting that he operates by the power of the devil. The Pharisees were attributing the work of God to something other than God. They were rejecting the divine mission of Jesus to the point where they were accusing Jesus of working by the Devil! Their hearts were hardened to Jesus actions and teaching. They were so caught up in their own thinking that they could not see the error of their ways. They did not believe Jesus was God. And that is blaspheming against the Spirit. Continued, stubborn rejection of the person and work of Jesus. An unforgivable sin.
Now this whole concept may leave you lying flat on the floor! We like to think of God as a forgiving God. When we sin, we can come to him and he will pat us on the head and say “There there… it’s OK”. But here we are talking about an unforgivable sin! What hope is there if we’ve committed it!
Well if you are worried that you are guilty of the unforgivable sin, then you’re probably not. Because your concern shows that you desire to turn back to God. You desire repentance. Blasphemy against the spirit is a settled decision to oppose the work of God. Not a temporary lapse, but a settled opposition to God.
We, who only commit the forgivable sins, can rest our hope in verse like John 3:16 where we are reminded.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Which side are we on?
So what does this whole passage have to say to you and me today, 2000 years later? Well I think it prompts us to ask the question “Who do we say Jesus is?” and “What is our Identity?”
I think in our society, and indeed probably in the room today, there are three major identity groups.
Group 1 flatly deny that Jesus was God. In fact they deny that a God even exists. They find alternative explanations for God events like creation, and the birth, life, teaching, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. They in no way attempt to follow Jesus teaching or a Godly way of living. They are in no way with Jesus. So by Jesus own definition, they are against him, and guilty of the unforgivable sin.
Group 2 like Jesus. They like his good moral teaching, and they like the way that followers of him behave. They might attend a Church, or they might just tune into songs of praise occasionally on Sunday mornings. They are like the Pharisees. They appear to be doing the religious thing. But don’t be surprised if you hear them saying thing like “Well I thing God is like this…” or “The God I believe in wouldn’t mind if I did that…”. You see they have not committed to following the Jesus of the Bible. They’re sitting on the fence. They follow Jesus moralistic teachings when convenient to them. But when Jesus become a bit restricting, they change him to be what they think he should be.
I had a classic example of this a few months ago when a door to door salesman came to my house. Somehow the conversation turned from which power company I subscribed to, to whether I as a Christian agreed with sex before marriage. Here was a guy who had been brought up in a Church, but had drifted away. He now had a girlfriend and daughter and was arguing that Bible said that as long as he loved his family, sex before marriage was OK in God’s eyes. You see he had changed Jesus teachings to suit his situation. He saw no problem in what he was doing. He was sitting on the fence.
Jesus leaves no room for fence sitters in his statement in verse 30. He who is not with me is against me. If you are sitting on the fence, then you are not fully with Jesus. And by Jesus definition, you are against him.
Group 3 acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and saviour. They see God events like creation, and the birth, life, teaching, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and give him praise for them. They follow Jesus teachings. But they also acknowledge that they in no way are able to keep them all. They know that they are sinners – they rebel against God. But they put their hope in Jesus to save them through his death on the cross. The find their hope in verses like Romans 6:23:
23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Even though they know they are sinners, they try their best to lives that that honour God, as is encouraged through verses like Romans 12:1
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:1
They also know that there are a lot of people in Group 1 and 2, who need to be in Group 3 to be saved. So they do their best to gather people to Jesus, as Jesus told them to in Mark 16:15
15He[Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Mark 16:15
So by Jesus definition in verse 30, group 3 are with Jesus. They are not guilty of the unforgivable sin.
Which side are you on?
So which group are you in?
- Group 1 who blatantly reject God
- Group 2 who tailor God to their own needs
- Group 3 who give their humble all to God
As I’ve hopefully explained, in God’s eyes there are only two groups. With him or against him. So Group 1 and 2 become the same thing, because they both wilfully and unrepentantly reject God.
Are you with or against God?
If you think that you are against Jesus, then unfortunately your eternal future is rather bleak. God is Just, and will punish those who wilfully and unrepentantly reject him. The punishment is eternal separation from God. Your only escape from this eventuality is to be with Jesus, because in that case he will take the punishment for you.
When your are with Jesus, you trust in Jesus death on cross as sufficient payment for the punishment you deserve. In response to his mercy, you strive to live a life pleasing to him.
On the back of your sermon outlines you’ll notice that there is a small tear away section at the bottom that allows you to indicate to us which Group you think you are in. We’re all going to fill this out in a minute. If you think you’re in Group 1 or 2 and you want to change, please indicate that tonight. Don’t leave it any longer. We’d love to help you with that. We’d be happy to meet with you one on one or in a group to talk about what it truly means to be ‘with’ Jesus.
If you think you are in Group 3 then tick that box. What an encouragement it is to us to know that your salvation is secure. If you don’t feel comfortable putting your name on it, then that’s OK. But if you want our help, then that’s the best way for us to know who you are. So lets all fill out the cards now. A bucket will go around in a few moments to collect them.
Feel free to talk to myself or Neil or Philip after the service about anything you heard tonight.
