Some One Greater that...
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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Matthew 12:33-45. The 2 kingdom’s – Judgment.
Jesus said last time that sin against the Holy Spirt will not be forgiven, but before, he said our sins against him and God could be forgiven, that is great news and I was reflecting on the mercy of God, that even the people that are trying to kill Jesus, keeps getting chances to repent, Jesus keeps speaking to them. (Jesus is living out love you enemy’s Matt 5:43). Are we?
Jesus’ continues his commentary on the what the Pharisees said/say (Idle and careless words).
Jesus uses a tree to illustrate his next point…
Making trees good and fruit good, - how we treat it? (Matt 7: 15) Or make a tree bad, and bad fruit treating it bad…
Then Jesus seems to burst out “You brood of vipers this is the second time”, How can you speak good when your evil? Because what the heart (Some of who you are). Is filled with comes out…
Good brings good out – Jesus ---- Evil – most everyone ells -brings out evil. (Jesus talked about what the heart holds).
Jesus gets to the point, in 36 that on the day of Judgment everyone will give an account of every careless word they speak, one’s own words will condemn or justify.
Is that you? You don’t really think about what you say, or the consequences of what you say? I will do this if? Or all people are like, or you’re a, or I promise to… that person is… If you just take a moment, I am sure you can recall a person doing that. Was it you? How are you with words? Careless? Words are powerful, - to build up or tear down. – What are we doing?
What will the response be?From you and me? And the people listening to Jesus?
For unbelievers what will make you follow Jesus? A sign?
If only I was alive when Jesus was alive, if I can just get a sign that God is real and that Jesus is the savior, then… You will still not believe. It is the matter of the changed heart. (Exodus account – still rejected God, People that saw Jesus rise still doubted). Faith is trusting in God, and there has bee many signs, the biggest is Jesus coming to earth, his life, death, resurrection, ascension the blesses hope of his coming back.
Some of the scribes and Pharisees, said to Jesus we wish to see a sign from you, - a miracle. – Jesus had just done that. (Heal the mand with the demon, the withered hand, blind men, mute man restored the girl to life, healed the woman with bleeding and many more…)
They don’t need a sign! They need faith, and repentance to stop resisting the Holy Spirt, and that is why Jesus said what he said. (that is the same for you if you don’t believe – you still trust and believe in many things but you reject Jesus Lord of all, and you chose to be you own God). If you object, you will have to look at your life consider, what do I give worth to, what do I spend my time on… What and who do I trust and why?
Jesus is bold and calls them an evil and adulterous generation, and that he will not do a sign for them, except, the biggest sign of all… The sign of Jonah. (Jonah – is real and so is the fish and the people of Nineveh). This is the first time in Matthew that Jesus is saying he will die and rise after 3 days, like the 3 days Jonah was in the fish. And if you don’t repent and turn to God, the men of Nineveh, that repented at Jonah’s preaching will in the resurrection judged the people that did not repent even as the son of mans preaching and his death, and his resurrection all the many tings he said and teaching. Someone greater that Jonah is here. (And the sabbath and the Queen of the South). Not only is Jesus greater that Jonah but also Solomon, - who displayed the wisdom of God to the Queen of Shaba/ South, and she came traveling fare away, - but you who are right here are unrepentant, and have evil in your hearts. The Queen of the South will join Jonah and sons that drive out demons in judgment of the unrepentant. (Hi wake up the gentiles repented; Matthews point from the start.)
Jesus words about judgment might seem hard and sever, - but it is a “sermon” or more about the mercy of God that all they have to do is turn to God, and believe in the son of man – Jesus. Like he said all sins against the son will be forgiven… this is also your invitation, come to Jesus, turn from you own way and worship God, seek his kingdom instead of your own.
The picture / story concludes. What happed to them if they persisted in rejecting God, and living for there own kingdom, that is what Jesus illustrates in verses 43-45. I think I have misunderstood this passage before, the point is not the evil spirts, it is the state the person is left in. 7 times worse, so if they and we keeping denying and fighting against the kingdom of God, it will leave us in a 7-time worse state that before, and even worse than being oppressed by evil spirts, it is the hardening of the human heart to reject God. Jesus concludes it is not enough to be cleansed from unclean spirts, we all have to bee filed but God instead, the Holy Spirt. And that only happens as we turn to God, and trust in Jesus.
I am struck by how much time Jesus spends with them, teaching preaching that they should repent and believe, come back to God trust in the “son of Man”. Stop running away, and be like toms, clean on the outside, but full of evil inside. It shows the great love of God, his mercy grace but also the wrath and severity of God this is not a game, rejection of Jesus will lead to judgment and a right and just punishment, for our sins and rebellion. But don’t go that route, turn the other way, love and service Jesus instead, - The greatest sign is true, and people have lived it out the last 2000 years and turned the world upside down as they lived out the teaching of Jesus.
Blessed, are you who are in the kingdom and are living our Jesus teaching, rejoice, rejoice and keep being filed with his grace wonder, mercy and grace as we lay our life down, and take his yoke up us, and walk in abundant live, in Christ Jesus. (deny our self-daily to live for Jesus’ kingdom rejoicing in living for Jesus).
Benediction from Thess. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. [19] Do not quench the Spirit. [20] Do not despise prophecies, [21] but test everything; hold fast what is good. [22] Abstain from every form of evil.
[23] Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.