Challenging Jesus

• Healing the Blind & Deaf… vs. 14-16
  • A man was brought to Jesus who was demon possessed – deaf & blind – Matthew 12:22
    • This is something rather extraordinary – how do you help someone blind & deaf…
      • There was no way to tell him Jesus was there to help him – yet Jesus heals the man!…
      • Can you imagine how incredible that the first thing he saw and heard – was Jesus!
    • Opening the eyes of the blind / the ears of the deaf…
      • Often satan and the world keep those we love from seeing and hearing Jesus…
      • No matter how hard we try they do not seem to be able to see Jesus – hear His Word…
      • Don’t stop sharing with them about Jesus – tell them what He has done in your life…
      • Give them the Word of God – invite them to come to church…
      • Because Jesus can heal the blind and deaf – so that they can see and hear the truth
  • The multitudes marveled at the miracle – but there were some who questioned Jesus…
    • Because they did not want to believe in Jesus – they looked for excuses…
    • 1^st – Some argued He cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub – ruler of the demons…
    • 2^nd – Others challenged Jesus to ‘show them a sign’ – prove He was the Messiah/Christ…
    • But Jesus knew their thoughts – He knew the problem was in their heart…
    • We have all met those people who no matter what – are skeptical and critical of Jesus…
    • They’ll say – you go to church and are no different – why should I go…
    • They try to discredit church/Jesus – because they do not want to believe in Jesus!
      
• 1^st challenge – By the power of Beelzebub… vs. 17-26 (4 things)
  • 1^st – Disproving the accusation… vs. 17-20
    • Every kingdom or house divided will not stand…
      • If a nation goes to war with itself we call it – a civil war…
      • No nation can stand a civil war – its doomed if it doesn’t stop fighting itself…
      • Even a within a family – if they fight with each other – the family will self-destruct…
    • Since satan casts out satan (as you say) – how will his kingdom stand…
      • Jesus’ point is that if satan is in the midst of a civil war – he’s doomed…
      • Proving this first accusation made no sense – why would satan declare war on himself
    • Since I cast out demons by Beelzebub (as you say)  – then what about your sons…
      • Jesus goes on to point out that these people also had sons that cast out demons…
      • If their assumption was right – and casting out demons was done through satan….
      • Then their sons were also in league with satan!
      • Therefore their own sons stood as their judge that they were wrong!
    • BUT – since Jesus cast out the demons by the finger of God – the Kingdom of God is here!
      • The truth is Jesus cast out demons by the power of God (it only took a finger – pinky?)
      • That meant that those who made the accusation were completely wrong…
      • And they knew they were wrong – Jesus called this the unforgiveable sin – Mark 3:29
      • If we know Jesus is the answer – but we harden our hearts and refuse to believe…
      • Then there is no hope of salvation for us – there is only one way to heaven – Jesus…
      • The unforgivable sin is to die having rejected Jesus as our personal Savior!
  • 2^nd – Jesus came to defeat satan… vs. 21-22
    • When a strong man is fully armed in his house – he is secure…
    • Until someone stronger overcomes him – and takes away the armor he trusted in!
    • Satan is the ‘strong man’ – secure in his house – ‘the world’ / and possessions – ‘us’…
    • Until Jesus – the ‘stronger’ – overcame him and took everything he had away!
    • * Colossians 2:15 – “In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.”
    • Jesus came to earth to defeat satan through the work of the cross so he might save us!
  • 3^rd – No middle ground… vs. 23
    • In a great twist Jesus turns their accusation against them…
    • Those who accused Jesus / were opposed to Him – therefore they were on satan’s side!
    • If you are not for Jesus – then you are against Him…
    • Often people think that they can stand on the line…
    • They don’t want to believe in Jesus – live for Jesus – but they aren’t ‘against Him’…
    • They think there is some kind of middle ground – not for or against…
    • If you are not for Jesus – then you are against Him – there is no middle ground!
  • 4^th – The problem is the heart…
    • Jesus uses the parable to explain why the people falsely accused Jesus…
      • An unclean spirit went out from a man – sought a place to rest but found none…
      • So he came back – finding his ‘house’ clean / swept / and decorated…
      • He found 7 others – worse than himself – and the end was worse than the first!
    • A history lesson of Israel…
      • 500 years before Jesus the nation of Israel had become very wicked…
        • They had walked away from God and begun to worship false Gods…
        • They even began to sacrifice their own children to idols – II Kings 21:6
        • As a result God punished Israel – allowed the nation of Babylon to conquer them…
        • They spent 70 years in captivity – then God let them return home
          

• In an effort to get right with God there was a ‘spiritual revival’…
  • A group was created to ensure Israel never rebelled against God again…
  • The Pharisees were the group that was created after the Babylonian captivity…
  • They swept / cleaned / and decorated the house of Israel…
  • The problem was they were only worried about the outside and appearances…
  • In their attempt to look good – they completely overlooked the inside…
  • So in the end they were worse off – seven fold than in the beginning…
  • Outside looked nice so they thought they were OK – but the inside was unchanged
  • That’s why they hated Jesus – He challenged the heart – the inside!
• It is easy to have the right words – it is not even hard to look OK outside…
  • But it is not enough just to make things look good on the outside…
  • The problem with those who accused Jesus – was that they did not really know God…
  • They just looked good – had a house the was clean and swept…
  • The real question is what is on the inside…
  • We need to be filled up with Jesus – we need Him to clean up the inside!
    
• A breif interuption… vs. 27-28
  • Responding to Jesus magnificent rebuttal – a woman in the crowd cried out…
    • Blessed is the woman who gave birth to you – reminiscent of the ‘magnificat’…
    • The blessing of Elizabeth to Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus – Luke 1:42
    • There are many who believe Mary was the most blessed of all women…
  • Yet – more blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!
    • We are more blessed than Mary – by hearing and obeying God’s Word!

As we are full of Jesus – we shine as a light of Jesus for all to see!

2^nd challenge – Seeking a sign… vs. 29-36 (4 things)

1^st – They did not know Jesus… vs. 29

The crowds had grown thick by the time Jesus answered the 2^nd challenge – a sign…

Ironic request considering that Jesus had just healed a deaf & blind man…

In truth there was no sign that Jesus could give that would convince them…

He could have done 1000 miracles and they still would not have believed…

The problem was not with Jesus – the problem was their hearts…

They weren’t close to God…

If they had a good relationship with God – they would have known who Jesus was…

Instead they were looking for proof of who He was – they wanted a sign!

If someone does not know you – you use an ID to prove who you are…

If friend or family comes for dinner they don’t show ID first – they know you!

The same is true with Jesus – if we know Him – no ID necessary…

If we spend time with Jesus – know Him personally…

Then we have no need to ask Him to prove Himself to us…

But if we get caught up in life – take our eyes off of Jesus – we begin to doubt…

Lord – are you really there? Do you really provide? Do you really care?

If you find your questioning Jesus – spend more time with Him…

Get to know Him better and you won’t need to ask for any ID!

2^nd – The only sign that saves… vs. 30

The sign of Jonah…

In the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament we read about the reluctant prophet…

God called him to go and preach to the nation of Assyria (Nineveh)…

They were a wicked people who had conquered and persecuted Northern Israel…

Jonah instead ran away – not wanting to see the people of Nineveh saved…

As he sailed away – God sent a huge fish that came and swallowed up Jonah…

Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the whale…

Jesus would also be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth…

This was the only sign Jesus was going to give to those who did not want to believe…

The cross – and 3 days after – the resurrection!

Why the ‘Sign of Jonah’ – it was the only one that brings salvation!

We might think that if only we (or someone we know) could see a miracle – see Jesus…

That would be all that was needed in order to really believe in Jesus…

But theses men saw Jesus – saw a deaf and blind man healed – it was not enough…

What is necessary is the message of the Gospel – the Cross of Jesus…

People don’t need to see miracles – they need to hear the Gospel!

Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

3^rd – In danger of the judgment… vs. 31-33

The men of Nineveh/Queen of Sheba – rise up in ‘THE Judgment’ against this generation

Because the wicked city of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah…

The Queen came from the ends of the earth – hear Solomon’s wisdom – I Kings 10:1

One greater than Jonah or Solomon is here…

If Nineveh repented and the Queen of the South came…

How much more should they have listened and repented at Jesus’ words!

Do we listen today – we may not have seen Jesus or His miracles…

But we do have the ‘Sign of Jonah’ – the cross and resurrection…

Are we looking for Jesus to prove Himself to us – or is the cross proof enough!

4^th – Be a light… vs. 34-36

If you light a lamp in a dark room – you don’t hide it under a basket…

If you did it would not be able to give off light – not to mention the fire hazard…

The purpose of a lamp is to give light to the room – put in the open for all to see…

We are a light – so long as we are full of Jesus…

Wherever our eye looks – comes into focus and can be seen clearly…

If our eyes are focused on Jesus then we will be full of light…

If we lose that focus – get our eyes off Jesus and onto anything else – darkness…

* I John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Be careful what you allow your eyes to see – what you spend you time watching…

We choose daily what we fill our minds with – by choosing what we watch on TV…

What do we fill our heads and hearts with – this world / or with God’s Word…