Part 44: The Unpardonable Sin
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Read Matthew 12:22-32;
Introduction:
Last Week: How to Continue to Serve God with Effectiveness and Passion
We are to emulate Jesus’ God-Focused, Spirit-Empowered, and Grace-Infused Ministry.
Today: We are reminded that Spirit-Empowered Ministry will always be faced with opposition.
Matthew: Jesus has gone about doing serving God and people. He has been:
Preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God
Healing the Sick
Delivering the oppressed
And pouring out compassion upon the crowds of people
Some people have still rejected Him. .. Especially the religious leaders.
Some do not believe He is the Messiah
They are not happy that He has called out their own self-righteousness
And in our text today, the tension between Jesus and the Pharisees continues.
The narrative begins by Jesus’ healing a man who is blind and mute; He casts out a demon so that the man could both talk and see.
This undeniable miracle happened right in front of a crowd of people.
You would think that everyone would be thrilled and overjoyed: and many were.
But others (particularly the Pharisees), astonishingly, became even more hard-hearted towards him.
Many people opposed Jesus during His earthly ministry; and He promised that opposition would always be present in the lives of those who follow Him.
The Christian life is not easy. Sermon on the Mount: Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life.
But here is what we are reminded of our text today: Following Jesus is well worth the cost.
We must continue to serve Him, even in the face of opposition.
Thesis: The way in which we respond to Jesus in this life is everything; it has eternal consequences.
That’s what we see in our text. We will look at the different responses to Jesus and the consequences of those responses. (I will even address the unpardonable sin).
I. The Responses (to Jesus Healing and delivering this demon-possessed man).
I. The Responses (to Jesus Healing and delivering this demon-possessed man).
A. The Crowd’s Response
Matthew 12:22–23 (ESV)
Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”
The Crowd is Amazed at what Jesus has done. This is an undeniable miracle.
i. Could This Be the Son of David?
Israel’s first King was a man by the name of Saul.
He failed miserably, and God rejected Him.
But God raised up another king—namely, David—who was not a perfect person—but was someone who loved God and led well. He was a champion king of Israel.
In 2 Samuel 7, Nathan the prophet speaks to King David and says, “12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
This promise is that David’s throne would be established forever through His Son, and that He would build a temple. This text points, first, to David’s son, Solomon, who take the throne after David. He would be king, and he would build the temple.
But his story didn’t end well, Solomon’s temple was eventually destroyed.
And after Solomon came a host of pretty bad kings, which led to Israel’s downfall… and it looked like their story was over.
The passage ultimately points to the Messiah, the kingly figure who would come and rescue God’s people and would inaugurate God’s Kingdom on the earth.
The Jews have been waiting and longing for, this King… this Messiah.
And now the crowd of people that are witnessing Jesus’ healing of the demon possessed man, are marveling at Him and wondering if He could be the Messiah (but they still have their doubts, because Jesus—by there estimation—Jesus doesn’t really fit the part.
Illustration of Dr. Craig Keener (You would never meet him on the street and think he was a professor).
Soft Spoken
Humble
Not Pretentious
Not well-dressed
Joe Girdler - Wanted to take him to lunch… he chose McDonalds
Look the part or not, Dr. Keener is one of the most renowned intellectuals and theologians in the world today.
Similarly, to the crowd in our text, though Jesus’ miracles are like nothing they’ve ever witnessed, He doesn’t not fit the part of the Messianic King.
Jesus doesn’t Look Like the King they are expecting (he not dressed in kingly attire)
He doesn’t act like the King they are expecting (one who would bring military conquest). He should be surrounded by well-trained soldiers, not fisherman. He is not bloodthirsty… he is merciful and gentle.
Application: Some people are slow to believe in Jesus as their Savior, because of misconceptions of who He is:
They think that if Jesus was truly loving, that all their dreams should come true...
Though Jesus doesn’t look the part that the crowds are expecting, the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, is becoming more evident… and their minds are blown. They Respond in Amazement, believing that He might be the Messiah.
The Pharisees—by contrast—are angry and are convinced that Jesus is NOT the Messiah.
B. The Pharisees’ Respond in Anger
B. The Pharisees’ Respond in Anger
Matthew 12:24 (ESV)
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
The Pharisees cannot deny the miracle that they just witnessed. They cannot deny any of the miracles that Jesus has done.
There is no smoke and mirrors. Yet, they still reject and renounce Jesus.
Think about a wife who is so hard-hearted against her husband that—no matter the good that he does—she cannot accept him; she cannot respect him. She cannot see herself with him and happy. She can’t enjoy the good that she does. Why? She is blinded by the callousness of her heart.
In a sense, that is what is going on here. Jesus has called out the Pharisees on their hypocrisy. He has called them to repentance. He claims to have the authority to forgive sins. And now they are so heart-hearted towards Him and the things of God, that no matter how many miracles they witness, no matter how many Scriptures they see being fulfilled in Him—they simply cannot accept Him as the Messiah.
They are so cynical, so hard-hearted, that they make the outrageous claim that Jesus cannot be empowered by God, thus He must be empowered by Satan.
Application: (It is amazing what a calloused heart can do to us).
II. Jesus’ Defense: How Does Jesus Respond to These Claims?
II. Jesus’ Defense: How Does Jesus Respond to These Claims?
Jesus begins dismantling the Pharisees accusations through logical arguments.
He points out how the Pharisees Accusation is both illogical and hypocritical.
A) Illogical
A) Illogical
Matthew 12:25–26 (ESV)
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Jesus’ makes that logical argument that if Satan uses Him as his agent to cast out demons (who are also his agents), then he is divided against himself, and his kingdom would crumble.
This would be like shooting your own soldiers in battle.
Jesus assumes that Satan is more rational than that.
Application: Pause: A City or a House Divided against itself will not stand.
There is a social polarization narrative that is being proclaimed by the media.
This narrative has pitted black against white, poor against rich, cops against minorities, and republican against democrats.
This is a dangerous game. Because if the media and the government can make us feel like enemies with our fellow Americans, than our country will NOT stand. It can’s.
Division is one of the tools of the enemy.
Satan loves a divided country.
This country has done a lot of good in the world. We alleviated a lot of suffering.
But if we are divided, we are of no use to anyone.
Satan loves a divided church.
(Churches often don’t work interdenominationally)
Local churches crumble from the enemy within.
Satan loves a divided family.
A successful society is built upon successful homes… (the nuclear family.
The Lord Hates divorce… if he can divide husband against wife, the house will crumble.
I digress: Jesus begins dismantling the Pharisees’ accusation, by showing that it is an illogical argument.
He then brings to light the Pharisees’ hypocrisy.
B) Hypocritical
B) Hypocritical
Matthew 12:27 (ESV)
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
A reference to the Pharisees “sons” likely refers to their followers or people within their group, not blood relatives.
The ancient historian Josephus, tells us that the Certain Pharisees used many strange and seemingly magical, incantations in their attempt to cast out demons. And yet, these same leaders who accuse Jesus, approve of those exorcisms.
In other words, Jesus tells them to consider their charge carefully.
C) Logical Conclusion: Jesus is Empowered by the Spirit
C) Logical Conclusion: Jesus is Empowered by the Spirit
Matthew 12:28–29 (ESV)
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
Because Satan would not cast out his own agents, the only logical conclusion is that Jesus cast out the demon by the power of God… the Power of the Holy Spirit.
And Jesus said that His power over demons shows that the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated.
Jesus declares that Satan’s power is now limited, because of the arrival of the Kingdom. (A truth that we should now revel in).
The Kingdom of God is not just a future state. It is here, in part, now.
The Jews were waiting on God’s Kingdom to come! And finally, it has been inaugurated by Jesus and yet, the religious leaders—of all people—are missing that great reality.
Jesus then moves from the defensive to the offensive...
III. Jesus’ Offense
III. Jesus’ Offense
A) He Addresses the Crowd
Matthew 12:30 (ESV)
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
This is worth thinking about.
Many of the Pharisees are decidedly against Jesus. But Jesus begins addressing the crowd of people who are “on the fence.”
He draws a line in the sand and says, “if you aren’t with me, you are against me.”
Jesus has offered many invitations for the crowds of people to repent and to enter the Kingdom. But, their opportunity will not last forever.
And to not decide positively to follow Jesus, is to reject Him.
We’ve said many times that indifference to Jesus equates to rejection.
There is no middle ground. You are with Jesus or you aren’t.
B) He Warns the Pharisees of Blaspheme (The Unpardonable Sin)
Matthew 12:31–32 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
(Let’s not blow through the first part of these verses)
The vastness of God’s forgiveness (or benevolence)
v. 31 says that every sin and blaspheme will be forgiven people...
What a merciful God!
That means their is hope for ALL of us.
The one who committed murder
The one who commited adultery
The one who stole
The one who lied.
But then, the warning comes, that says that a person can actually put themself outside of God’s ability to forgive. It has to do with blaspheme.
What is Blasphemy?
To blaspheme is to intentionally bring reproach upon God’s good name.
Leviticus 24:16 (ESV)
Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
Under the OT Law, blaspheme against the name of the Lord was punishable by death.
But Jesus says all types of blaspheme can be forgiven, except for one:
Matthew 12:31 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Matthew 12:32 (ESV)
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Son of Man, is a title for Jesus, which designates Jesus’ humanity.
So what is the difference in blaspheming “the Son of Man” and blaspheming the HS?
Someone who speaks against—or rejects—Jesus, may do so out of ignorance or incomplete revelation.
Even His disciples were slow to believe that He was the Son of God.
Consider the words of the Apostle Paul:
1 Timothy 1:12–14 (ESV)
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
In Philippians 3, Paul says that he was a Pharisee
And in 1 Timothy 1, he says that before his salvation, that he was a blasphemer. He himself rejected Jesus. He had followers of Jesus murdered.
So why would Paul be forgiven of such a great sin?
The text says it is because he acted in ignorance.
Blaspheming the Spirit
In Matthew’s context, Jesus has just cast out demons by the Spirit of God, showing that God’s Kingdom was upon them.
The Pharisees are so heart-hearted that they ignore the clear evidence that God is with Jesus and attribute this defeat of demonic power to Satan himself.
These critics are NOT just rejecting Jesus, but they are rejecting the Spirit’s clear testimony of who Jesus.
What is the unforgivable sin?
It is a sin where one’s heart becomes so hardened that they reject even the obvious revelation of who Jesus is. It is one who persistently refuses to receive Christ and face what is obvious.
Have You Committed the Unforgivable Sin?
Only God knows who has—and who has not—committed blasphemy against the HS.
My understanding is if a person is worried about committing blaspheme against the Spirit, that they probably have NOT committed that sin. It is likely that their hearts would be so hardened that they would not want to repent.
Closing
Dr. MacArthur in his commentary on the book of Matthew, tells the story of an American naval force that—during WWII—engaged in battle on an exceptionally dark night.
Six planes took off from the carrier in search of enemy ships and submarines but when they were in the air, a total blackout was ordered for the carrier in order to protect it from attack.
Without the lights on the carrier’s deck, it was impossible for the planes to land in the pitch black.
After running out of fuel, the six planes all crashed into the frigid waters, where all crew members perished.
In our text, God uses the Holy Spirit to light the way to the Kingdom—to show the crowds who Jesus really is. But these Pharisees are so heart-hearted that they are in danger of God turning out the lights—so to speak—when further opportunity of repentance is forever lost.
The Way in Which We Respond to Jesus is Everything
For the Non-Christian
If the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the beauty of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, today is the day to land the plane—to call upon Him as Lord and Savior. I pray that you repent and come to Him in faith TODAY, while the lights are still on.
Remember, not making a decision, is actually making a decision to reject Jesus.
For the Christian:
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
I encourage you to guard your heart from being hardened.
Don’t give in to the deceitfulness of sin.
Today might be a day for you to recommit your life to Jesus...