BLESSED ASSURANCE

We looked at the topic of Orthodoxy

We concluded that there is good orthodoxy and bad orthodoxy

Orthodoxy that leads to a Self Made Reputation

And Orthodoxy that leads to Humility and Compassion

We saw how the Pharisees had taken something good like the Sabbath

And placed restrictions on it

In such a way that their law prevented people from doing what is good

So that they could give a perception of holiness at the expense of peoples wellbeing

As Jesus challenged their piety

The Religious Leaders of the day didn’t like it

So much so that they wanted to Kill Jesus

We are going to see how Jesus reacts to murderous threats

We are going to see him react to all kinds of opposition

So far they have challenged his Theological Position

They have called him Satan

They have questioned his every move

They cannot believe that He is truly the Messiah

Before we get into today’s sermon, I want to set a couple things straight

To do the Will of the Father.

John 4:34 NKJV

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

The New King James Version Chapter 6

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 6:38 NKJV

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 15:26 NKJV

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

The New King James Version Chapter 15

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

#1 The Role of Jesus here on this earth, was to fu

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

WHEN IT COMES TO LOSING YOUR SALVATION, PREDESTINATION, THE TWO QUESTIONS ONE MUST ASK THEMSELVES ARE THESE:

HAVE YOU CONFESSED WITH YOUR MOUTH AND BELIEVED IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS IS LORD?

IS THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING AND ACTIVE IN YOUR LIFE?

If both of these are Yes:

You are admitting that you are God’s Workmanship Eph 2:10

That you are a work in progress

That He who has begun a good work will finish it

For He is working in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure Phil 2:13

If one of these is Yes:

Biblically speaking, you are in what is called the valley of decision

FACTOR #1

If you have confessed Jesus as Lord

But have no evidence of God’s Spirit in your life

No conviction

No work of sanctification

No real change in your life

Then the Bible says that you are no different than the demons (James 2:19)

DISCLAIMER:

The Bible isn’t demanding works

The Bible is demanding surrender

Surrender ushers in the opportunity to be a part of God’s Perfect Plan for your life.

Surrender makes you teachable, moldable, humble,

Something that did not exist in the culture of the Pharisees

FACTOR #2

If the Holy Spirit is working in your life, but you have yet to confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart that Jesus is Lord

Then you are no different than the skeptic, the atheist, or the unbelieving church attendee.

It does not mean that God is not working

It merely means that He is still drawing you unto himself.

NOW LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE TEXT

Matthew 12:15–50 NKJV

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.” 22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:15–50 NKJV

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.” 22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:15–21 NKJV

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

MATTHEW 12:15

Right away we see Jesus acknowledging the danger he was in

Even though He could call Legions of Angels down from Heaven

Even though He was all powerful

Jesus yields his omnipotence to accomplishing His Father’s Will

He always relegated His power in order to yield to His Father’s Will

Instead of giving cities second chances

He could have called fire and brimstone down

Instead of retreating from death threats

He could have fought back

Instead of remaining on the cross in what looked like His greatest defeat

He could have brought himself down from the cross

Instead of humbing himself and subjecting himself to the will of the Father

He could have exalted himself above the will of the Father

But that would cause him to be disqualified from fulfilling his role as Messiah

One act of sinfulness could have nullified his whole reasoning for being born in the first place.

One act of disobedience could have voided God the Fathers plan for Salvation, but not only that, the greatest display of love on our behalf.

Instead of Jesus acting in Pride & Power, He resorts to His Identity in the eyes of the Father.

After withdrawing from the danger

After withdrawing from the threats to kill him

People still followed him

He continued to heal people

In fact it says that He healed them all

After healing them all, He gives them a command

WARNED: Rebuke, Reprove, Strongly Encourage

It is in the Aorist Indicative tense.

Where we are encouraged to see the events as inseparable

The healing of everyone and the warning are inseparable

Why?

Because His Messianic Identity could be compromised.

Because the will of the Father could be compromised.

Because there was still yet things to be accomplished.

Jesus was not going to let fame get in the way of His Messianic Calling

He needed to declare justice to the Gentiles

He needed to show that

He couldn’t fight or cry out

He couldn’t break a bruised reed nor quench a smoking flax.

Until he brought forth Justice and Victory

Until Gentiles trusted in Him

This was intrinsic to His Identity

These are the things he had to do

This was the plan of God for His Life.

This is what he needed to fulfill.

Nothing was going to get in the way of this.

Imagine if we had such courage

Imagine if we had such boldness

To not let anything get in the way of accomplishing God’s Will

BECAUSE FULFILLING THE WILL OF GOD WAS SUPREME, HE REMAINED FOCUSED.

Matthew 12:22–30 NKJV

22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

Exhibit A:

The Demon Possessed + Blind + Mute

That’s a heck of a combo.

But thats why Jesus had come

To bring sight to the blind

To give the voiceless a voice

To bring liberty to the captives

As Jesus went about fulfilling what He was called to do

Many were amazed and some even began to connect the dots

Is this the Son of David?

Is this the Messiah

A question one would ask themselves is this:

“Are we in the presence of Messiah?”

One could respond in Awe & Wonder

One could respond with expectation

One could respond with Curiosity

OR One could respond in Hostility!

One could look at the exact same event and have a completely opposite perspective

We watched the World Series

Some say the Astros Won

Some say the Dodgers Lost

Some say it was rigged.

Three different perspectives to the same outcome

With Jesus,

Some said

Is this the Messiah?

Is this Satan?

Is this Elijah?

But those questions never changed the Truth about who Jesus was.

HOW WOULD JESUS RESPOND?

He says

Your stance on who I am is illogical

A Kingdom divided against itself cant stand

A Kingdom divided against itself will be brought to desolation

If I cast out demons by Satan, what do your disciples cast them out by?

But If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom has come upon you

Remember the question that may have been circulating because of the acts of Jesus?

The Kingdom was both there and here.

It is both coming and present

Jesus’ is actively disarming the strongholds of Satan

He is on the offense

He is in Full Court Press

He is not giving Satan any room to work

He has bound him with His presence, and is actively taking back whats rightfully His.

Jesus is saying

Look bruh, this is what I’m doing by the power of the Holy Spirit

Either you are with me or against me

Either come closer or depart from me

Whats it going to be?

Have you ever asked a question you already knew the answer to?

SAME TEAM

Jesus knew that these dudes were never going to get it

They were actively denying who Jesus was

They were in constant and unrepentant rebellion

So Jesus does what He does best

He calls them out on their pride

Matthew 12:31-

Matthew 12:31–37 NKJV

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

In this passage there is both good news and bad news

Good News for the Humble

Bad news for the Prideful

Every sin and Blasphemy will be forgiven of men except for one

Such good news

We can be the worst reviler

We can chant Crucify Him

We can cuss out Jesus

We can wave a fist at Him

And still, He forgives

But the one sin that is unpardonable

The One sin He cant let slide

The One sin that wont be overlooked

Is the sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit

Never. Ever. Forgiven.

So the question is, what is this Sin?

It is the active and eternal neglect of what the Spirit Desires

So what is that?

Jesus says

How does the Bible define that?

Hypocrisy

This is what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit

Either the tree is good and the fruit is good

Or the Tree is bad and the fruit is bad

The New King James Version Chapter 16

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

It was imperative that Jesus went to the Cross

Stop making evil good and good evil

Stop taking the law that is good, and making it evil with your interpretation

Because if He did not go away, the Holy Spirit could not come

Stop placing burdens on people that you cannot carry yourself

But If He departed, He would send him to us.

When the Holy Spirit would come, this is what He would do:

Stop adding to the laws to create a man made holiness

Convict the world of sin

Unrepentant Pride

Because they did not believe what Jesus came to do

Convict the World of righteousness,

You pride yourself in what you can do to prove your salvation

Failing to realize that your life is the greatest evidence against your salvation

Because God is Holy and we should be Holy

You pride yourself in being a Law-Abiding Citizen

Convect the world of the judgement to come

Because their comes a day where the world will be judged

But you fail to realize that He who stumbles in one part of the law is guilty of all of it

You pride yourself in condemning others

The Holy Spirit also brings to remembrance what the word says

Rather than have compassion for what they are going through

It’s role is to testify of the need for Jesus

You believe that your good words will suffice

It’s to point us to our greatest necessity

But if we constantly, willfully, and eternally deny what the Spirit wants to accomplish

But your evil heart still testifies against you

That is the unpardonnable sin

It is to do so forever

It is to purpose in your heart to be in constant rebellion

To deny who Jesus is

To deny what the Spirit wants to accomplish

To deny the blueprints of Salvation authored by God the Father

To do so eternally

BLESSED ASSURANCE

LAST WEEK

THIS WEEK DESERVES A DISCLAIMER

#1 Throughout all of this, we must remember Jesus’ #1 Goal.

#2 The Role of the Holy Spirit here on this earth, was to do what?

CAN A CHRISTIAN COMMIT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN?

PRAY THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD WOULD GIVE US UNDERSTANDING. THAT WE WOULD BE OPEN TO SURRENDER. THAT WE WOULD BE OPEN TO A FRESH WORK OF THE SPIRIT AMONG US.