Matthew 11:20 – 12:50 (Continued)

May 02, 2012

Jesus words continue:

• Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And any city or family divided against itself will not continue.
• Whoever is not with me is against me. Whoever does not work with me is working against me. The NIV says it this way: You either gather (others for Christ) or you scatter (turn people away).
• If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good.
• If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit.
• A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces.
• The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart.
• Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things.
• But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things.
• On Judgment Day people will be held responsible for the things they say.
• The words you have said will be used to judge you.
• Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty. The NIV says it this way, "For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:37) Everyone will have to give an account for their words and actions.

After all this the Pharisees still wanted to see a miracle as a sign. There had been signs, many signs. They either weren't looking or they weren't listening. We are to believe—period. To continually ask for signs shows doubt and unbelief. That is why Jesus answered them and said, "Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of Jonah." (Matthew 12:39)

Jonah preached repentance and changed lives. The Pharisees didn't want to repent. They didn't want to change their lives. It didn't matter how many miracles Jesus performed, they were set in their ways and they were not about to humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways. On Judgment Day, the people of Ninevah will stand up to them and show them guilty. On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will show them guilty. God sought the people of Ninevah and they were sorry for what they had done and changed their lives. The Queen of Sheba heard about Solomon's wise teachings and she sought him out to learn from him. And here the promised Messiah is standing right in front of them, and the Pharisees refused to believe, repent, or change. Self-effort won't do it. Self-improvement is not enough. It takes total surrender.

Jesus gives an example of an evil spirit that left a person. The person's life was "cleaned up" but it was not filled with God. So, when the evil spirit roams around and decides to come back it finds this neat, clean, and empty house. So it goes out and brings seven other even more evil that it was, and they occupy the house. Self-effort is not lasting. Only when we are sorry for our sins; we repent and change our hearts and lives; and we seek forgiveness from the one and only Savior; only then... only then are we filled with the Holy Spirit and none of Satan's evil powers can have any dominion over us; and we become part of God's family. "My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what my Father in heaven wants." (Matthew 12:50) We truly are part of the family of God.

As for me and my house, we will believe, we will serve, and we will seek.


Next Entry: Matthew 13:1–58