Missions Paul

This has been quite a long section that Matthew has focused on the blind and mute man who Jesus set free from demon possession. The religious leaders never let Jesus alone always trying to trip him up and looking for more ways to accuse him of blasphemy etc. They too had their exorcists and as Torah preservers they were keen to see change in people’s lives. They have accused Jesus of serving Satan by driving out demons. In the last parable that Jesus uses to speak judgment on them we see the importance that it isn’t what comes out of a person that is as important as what enters.

‘When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, “I will return to the house I left.” When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.’(Matthew 12 v 43-45)

• Make sure it is Jesus who owns the house.

The ESV and the literal translation of v44 is “I will return to my house”. The demon has been exorcised and has left but he hasn’t given up his rights to the house, he owns it, this life is his. We only rent this life we don’t own a thing. Jesus must be the owner.

• What looks good may only look good.

When the demon returned to the house it looked to everyone else, swept clean and put in order. It was literally empty. Compared to having the demon previously being unoccupied looks favourable. But it isn’t. Empty could be the perfect storm. We need a life filled with God not a good life.

• It will get worse if there is no wholesale change.

The demon finds re-entry easy but knows that this time he needs to strengthen his position so goes looking for 7 friends. Then there are 8 demons in the house and will be more resistant the next time. When the Spirit of God fills the house then there is never a re-entry. The next lot of squatters may come in larger number unless this house has a new owner.

The Pharisees are accusing Jesus of blasphemy because he says he forgives sins, he associates with sinners and now he casts out demons and no priest, prophet or king has done such a thing. It is not in line with the Scriptures. He is leading people astray and so must be stopped. Their interpretation of Scripture said He was a deceiver.

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12 v 38-42)

They wanted to know whether Jesus was genuine. The answer Jesus gave helps us in working out whether someone is genuine.

• Can you see the cross? Jesus is greater than Jonah. The story of Jonah is someone who ran away from being obedient to God in preaching to Nineveh and suffered the consequences of that. Jesus ran towards obedience and surrendered his life on the cross. Can you see a cross in the person? Have they a surrendered heart? Are they living for others? Do they love?
• Can you see self-awareness? The people of Nineveh are greater than the generation of Jesus. The reluctant preacher, Jonah, didn’t give it his best, but the people did fast, repent and brought change to their lives. Albeit a temporary change it was better than the complete rejection of Jesus. Can you see self-awareness in the person? Are they wanting to be a better person or are they the finished article?
• Can you see the pursuit of wisdom? Jesus is greater than Solomon. The Queen of the South pursued Solomon’s wisdom (1 Kings 10) and yet a greater wisdom is standing in front of these blind Pharisees. What matters the most, accolades or chasing after Christ? Can you see the battle within that person as they carry more questions than glib answers? Do they seek the character of Christ and not just their ‘calling’? Do they seek Him?

So, do women talk more than men? You may have read how women use 20,000 words a day compared to the 7,000 that men utter. It stems back to a 1993 marriage guidance pamphlet and strangely used by Brizendine, a neuropsychiatrist in his 2006 book, which, after being challenged promised to remove the figures in future editions. Comparing all the research that has been done over the years then the difference between who uses more words is negligible.

But here is another question: what kind of words do we use? Look what Jesus says:

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognised by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.’ (Matthew 12 v 33-37)

You may be a great talker or one of the silent type. But it is what kind of words that you use that is so very important. Maybe you are waking this morning with the after effect of what someone said to you yesterday? If so then you know how staggeringly powerful words are. Here are 3 truths about the words we use:

• Listen carefully; words can be deceptive.

A brood of vipers are the small dangerous snakes (between 10 and 30) that are birthed from the mother snake. When people heard this reference from Jesus, which John the Baptist also used, they would be thinking of the snake in their creation story (Genesis 3). From Eve to the Temptation of Christ we see the snake speaking words that are subtle, manipulative, cunning and passive-aggressive. Jesus calls them vipers because they accuse him of being a blasphemer but hide their own blasphemy. Not everything that you hear is true.

• Linger awhile: words will reveal the heart.

Deception will not continue for long. So don’t sign your life away, don’t follow the latest charismatic communicator, wait, linger longer! The heart will emerge through the words.

The cynical heart will emerge with words that rubbish the good. The arrogant heart will emerge with zero self-awareness or desire for accountability. The rebellious heart will emerge with words that are impure and full of pride. Linger and wait for the heart to emerge.

• Let them go: words will be judged

We have all known hurt from someone’s words. So has Jesus. Let’s not simply waste our time trying to feverishly defend ourselves at every turn. Let’s remain objective to the issues that are raised against us and do our utmost not to be destroyed by the words that we hear. Let them go, shake them off, knowing that every word that is spoken will be judged. We will either be acquitted for example, the early church would come to realise the importance of confessing ‘Jesus is Lord’ as a testimony of salvation. But also every Pharisee who swayed the crowd away from Jesus with their accusative words of blasphemy will be condemned for doing so. Words are indeed powerful and they will certainly be judged.

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

We celebrate today the birth of the Church as the Holy Spirit stirred and empowered us into mission.

Our next verses are not celebratory ones but words of warning from Jesus to the Pharisees and the crowds.

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone 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.” (Matthew 12 v 30-32)

Jesus has set free the demon-possessed man who was also blind and mute. The Pharisees are accusing him of blasphemy and they will continue to do so. But it is them who have actually committed blasphemy.

So what is this unforgiveable sin?

Firstly, if you think you may have committed it then you haven’t!

This is a sin for the unbeliever.

The Pharisees are on the brink of committing this sin for they see the work of the Spirit and attribute it to Satan’s work.

You can accuse Jesus of many things and you will still be able to repent and find forgiveness. But if you reject the Spirit’s endorsement that the forgiveness of sins is from God and through Jesus by demonstrating exorcisms and healing then where do you actually go for your own forgiveness? If you reject this then you can’t have that. You have no place to go. If you reject the evidence and the conviction then how can you reach the place of forgiveness? You make yourself unreachable and unforgiveable.

There is no middle ground with Jesus. He is Messiah or He is not. The Pharisees had chosen and the crowds soon will.

Today Churches around the world will gather to celebrate Pentecost.

They will start their services in welcoming the Holy Spirit. They will pray that He will endorse the work of Jesus’ power to forgive sins by moving amongst them and healing those who are sick. They will hope that all will be forgiven. They will not want anyone to reject that invitation and remain unforgiveable.

Come Holy Spirit.

The blind and mute man was not just struggling because of these infirmities but because as Matthew describes him he was demon-possessed.

Following his healing Jesus is accused of driving out the demon with the help of Satan. Jesus exposes this foolish thought and calls for them to use logical reason. He then gives a parable:

“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 plunder his house.” (Matthew 12 v 29)

Our imagery comes alive.

Satan is the strong man. He has a house, his kingdom. He has possessions, one of which was this blind and mute man who was being controlled by him.

How can this ‘possession’ be rescued?

Only if someone stronger can come and tie up the strong man. Jesus has just plundered the house of Satan. He has captured this ‘possession’. How did he do it? Only because he had first tied up Satan.

Of course we know that the cross and resurrection was the downfall of Satan’s house completely. But there was already evidence from the commencement of his ministry that Jesus managed to tie the strong man up and limit his authority. For example, his temptation victories (Matthew 4) and his freedom to give God’s forgiveness to any person (Matthew 9) along with the many healings expressly revealing that he was stronger than this strong man.

Over 21 years ago my church went through a difficult time but managed to do so encouraged by a prophetic message which was this: “The Church would have to walk past a snarling dog but we must know it is chained. The dog is only barking it will not hurt us.”

Whatever you are going through today and no matter how much you are afraid, because you follow Jesus you will know he has already plundered the house of the strong man and set you free. He is still tied up. You can keep walking. You will get through. You will continue to walk in authority because that strong man is not as free as you are!

There cannot be many more examples of clear blasphemy than these verses we have been reading. 

The only way this man has been healed and set free is the source of Jesus’ power which is God. Secondly, the only way this man was set free was because Jesus came and restricted Satan’s powers over the individual.

The offended religious leaders attributed the healing to the work of Satan. Jesus then says, “….And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12 v 27-28)

Jesus was not the only one conducting exorcisms at the time. Within the Pharisees sect they had their own exorcists. Jesus turns his attention to them, “What you say of me can be said of your own exorcists.” He is exposing their lack of logic and he goes further, “What if you are wrong?” That is the big question. “If you’re wrong and this is God then the kingdom is actually here and you are so blinded you have missed Him and what He is doing.”

It is the biggest most challenging question that we all need to use more often: What if I am wrong? What if you are wrong?

The people who will not bear the question are those who are so deeply offended and have proud hearts so fixed on dislike and discord that all possible logic is thrown out of the window.

The next time someone doubts your motive or attacks your efforts ask the question, “What if you are wrong?” Don’t automatically doubt yourself. God is using you and speaking through you more than is comfortable to those around you.

“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?” (Matthew 12 v 24-26)

These words are as relevant for today as when Jesus first spoke them. In response to the accusation that Jesus was driving out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus says this is nonsensical. How or why would Satan drive himself out? No kingdom can stand if there is no unity.

On June 16^th 1858 the republicans chose Abraham Lincoln to run for the US Senate. It would be 2 more years before he became President. However, Lincoln’s speech that evening was addressing the division within government over slavery. He uses these same verses to speak to the Union who were divided in their opinion: Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined …

Kingdom, city or households are created to stand the test of time. Their greatest challenge is to deal with the division that comes its way. The city in the world known for its division more than any other city is surely Jerusalem. The Jews sound their Sabbath siren on Friday afternoons, 5 times every day the Muslims send their call out to pray and every day Church bells are ringing constantly. But as we see today, in 2021 the city and the nation is once again imploding within its division.

Look at any marriage, family, church, friendship groups etc. Division ruins what was created to stand.

So the big question is: Why do we fuel division? Do we really want to ruin something created to stand? Why do we complain and grumble? Why do we gossip and slander? Why do we attack one another?

Why so much division?

Church leaders and experts of this-and-that can be the ones who are the most vociferously offended when God’s grace falls. As it does the kingdom of the Church divides and declines. Most offended Christians are pointing fingers within not outside the Church.

Jesus heals the demon-possessed man who was blind and mute and the response from the religious leaders was offence.

“But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons that this fellow drives out demons.’ (Matthew 12 v 24)

Offence blinds you. The irony that the people who were still blinded were the ones who could see. They were so offended that the healing was done on the Sabbath that they missed the joy of the moment; Offended people are always miserable.

Offence will cause you to blame not applaud. They didn’t applaud God for the miracle amongst them they rather blamed the devil. Offended people find fault even when favour is raining all around them.

Offence will cause you to jump to a conclusion no matter how illogical it is. It was ridiculous thinking that Jesus was driving out demons by the leader of the demons, Beelzebub; Offended people are usually not humble enough to see their stupidity.

Some people are longing so much for God to move that they miss the fact that He is with them right now.

“Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12 v 22-23)

Here comes a bruised reed and a smouldering wick in this one man. This demonised, blind and mute man is weary, abused and misused. After his healing the people are astonished or as Luke says, ‘amazed’. But it is their question that catches my attention, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’

This generation had been waiting for the Messiah to come as a son of David, in the genealogical line of their King.

They knew the stories of their King. Even before being made appointed he had worked for King Saul playing the harp and casting the evil spirit out. Then when he was king taking Jerusalem and making it his city, the city of David, he faced the jaunts of the Jebusites, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” (2 Samuel 5:6) Ironically here is Jesus, the Son of David, healing the demonised blind and mute man.

Could this be that? Is this in line with that? Is there a connection? Is Jesus who we are expecting?

Who is asking these questions? The scholars? The religious leaders? No, in fact their reaction is completely the opposite.

This is the question from everyday people. The ordinary. They don’t have pride and selfishness to battle through in order to get to the question. They are not too intelligent, too spiritual or too religious. They were simply people who longed for God to move again. They were looking for their Messiah. Could this be that? Could Jesus be the one?

Do you remember when God spoke to you through the Bible or maybe a prophetic word and you wrote it down and pinned it somewhere? Has what happened to your life a fulfilment of that? Could this be that?

Look at what is happening in your life now. Look around you and within. Look at what you have been thinking. Look at the decisions you are making. Could it be that this is God? Could it be that you haven’t stopped properly to think, acknowledge and then thank God that this is Him?

Could this be that? Could this be Him? Don’t be blinded or muted to what the religious will never see.

Matthew in seeing how Jesus responded to those who were against him looks at the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (40-52).

“This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12 v 17-21)

Know who you belong to. This life will do its best to remind you that you are not good enough. Some may wake battling destructive thoughts. With a reminder to the baptism of Jesus Matthew points out that Jesus knew who he belonged to. Perhaps you need to take a few steps back in your memory also in order to receive the confirmation that you belong to God? (Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him)

Know when to speak up and when to be silent. Or world is broken. Wherever we look, Israel and Gaza; the persecuted in Northern Africa; the slaves and dehumanised for their race and gender; the nations are broken. Individuals are broken also from disease and bereavement; mental illness and financial ruin. Speak up for the justice of others but keep quiet when it is for yourself.

(he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.)

Know who to spend your time with. Isaiah’s Suffering Servant is “a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (40:11) Far from any form of abuse, in fact this shepherd goes looking for those who have been misused and are weary from the ‘dictators’. It is these people that we will want to spend time with if we want to know Jesus.

(A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out,)

Know the power of that name. It is not just a belief in the name but it is to put your whole hope in the identity of the Servant and the mission of Jesus. May the people we encounter find Christ shining through us!

(In his name the nations will put their hope)