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Matthew

Different Heart, Different Conclusion

Matthew 12:22-24

It is astonishing to realise how Jesus polarised opinion.  The same action was seen by different people who came to radically different conclusions.  When a demonised person was brought to Jesus, the man was unable to see or talk.  When he left, the man had perfect sight and could talk normally.  The difference only came through the encounter with Jesus.  Naturally, everybody was amazed.  It was miraculous, but a normal part of Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 15:30-31).
 

Wickedness Is Not Logical

Matthew 12:25-28

Jesus had just been falsely accused of being demonised, casting out demons by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:22-24).  Exposing that lie was such an important issue that Mark (Mark 3:23-27) and Luke (Luke 11:14-20) also recorded this incident.  And John recorded three episodes when Jesus was called ‘demon possessed’ (John 7:20; John 8:48-52; John 10:20-21).  The Apostles knew that Jesus’ ministry was to defeat Satan’s work (1 John 3:8).  They were and are on opposite sides.  The church must never be confused.  There must be no compromise with Satan.  The devil must always be resisted because

Who Has The Power?

Matthew 12:29

Jesus had just been accused of being demonised.  The Pharisees said that He cast out demons by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:22-28).

Whose Side Are You On?

Matthew 12:30-32

These are very strong verses which leave no room for compromise. Jesus is clear that there is no middle way (somewhere between loving Jesus and hating him). It does not exist. Those who do not work with Jesus are working against Him and having an anti-Jesus effect on others, discouraging them from following Him. Those who will not identify with Jesus are against Him, they are his enemies. However they can turn and repent, and if they do they will be forgiven.
 

We Speak As We Are?

Matthew 12:33-37

It is easy to say the right sort of things to make a good impression. Many do just that. It is the stuff of sales and marketing, job interviews and romantic encounters. Most families adhere to a code of acceptable speech, and so do most groups in society including churches. So we learn how to stay included, by what we say.
 

Signs Need To Be Seen

Matthew 12:38-40

The sick people who were healed needed no convincing: Jesus was God's Messiah. But the religious leaders did not want any Messiah from God: they wanted to have power over the people. So they were trying to find any reason to accuse Him in order to get rid of Him. But at the same time they were also intrigued, wondering how He did His miracles, as though He was some kind of illusionist or fairground curiosity.
 

Jesus Is Greater

Matthew 12:41-42

Jonah and Solomon both achieved much. Although their historical legacy was a source of pride for Israel, they also had significant faults. Jonah preached judgement to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria which had given much grief to God's people. Despite Jonah's early disobedience in running away (and later discontent when God showed mercy), God used a great fish to transport Jonah back to his mission field, Nineveh (which means 'House of Fish') and the king and people all repented.
 

The Spiritual Vacuum

Matthew 12:43-45

'Nature abhors a vacuum' - this was apparently first stated by the Greek physicist and philosopher Parmenides around 485BC. Others including Aristotle have been credited with using the expression. In physics it means that if you remove everything, then something has to fill the space. A vacuum is always in tension with its surroundings. That is helpful as we use a vacuum cleaner to suck up dirt.
 

Jesus' Family

Matthew 12:46-50

The Bible is clear that Jesus was not a solitary religious icon who represented God's love: He was raised and lived in a human family. His mother Mary, guardian father Joseph and His brothers and sisters all lived together (although by the time of Jesus' ministry Joseph is not mentioned, we presume he had died). Matthew 13:55-56 reports the people as criticising Jesus by saying, "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"

They Came To Hear Jesus

Matthew 13:1-2

No house was big enough to accommodate all the people who wanted to hear Jesus. The Master left the home where He had taught about the difference between the Holy Spirit and evil spirits (Matthew 12:22-50), and went to the shore of Lake Galilee with His disciples. As they went, many other people followed; and as the news spread a large crowd gathered to hear Him.
 

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