Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. (Luke 8:1-3)
Women, we're wired with a "nuturing gene", a natural desire to care for others. The above referenced women did that for Jesus, as He traveled and ministered throughout the different cities and villages. We truly are, all of us, created in His image. Jesus helped as many people as were wanting and willing to let Him. 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. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:22-23) Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” (Mark 3:20-21) Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. (Luke 11:16) The more miracles Jesus performed, the more questions the people had. Even His own people thought He was crazy, and out of His mind. (see Christ's Childhood: the Missing Years)
So how did the "religious leaders" try to explain all of this? Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 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. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God [by the finger of God], surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:24-28; Mark 3:22-26; Luke 11:14-20) No better way to prove a point than knowing the facts! The Pharisees are accusing Jesus of helping people and casting out demons by the power of the devil. What sense would that make? If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. Then He "kicks them in the teeth", by whom do your sons cast them out? God had enabled various people to perform various miraculous acts throughout Isreal's history, and they had always attributed the power being from God. Now Jesus is doing even greater miracles than those, but they refuse to admit His power and authority also comes from God.
Women, we're wired with a "nuturing gene", a natural desire to care for others. The above referenced women did that for Jesus, as He traveled and ministered throughout the different cities and villages. We truly are, all of us, created in His image. Jesus helped as many people as were wanting and willing to let Him. 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. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:22-23) Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” (Mark 3:20-21) Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. (Luke 11:16) The more miracles Jesus performed, the more questions the people had. Even His own people thought He was crazy, and out of His mind. (see Christ's Childhood: the Missing Years)
So how did the "religious leaders" try to explain all of this? Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 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. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God [by the finger of God], surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:24-28; Mark 3:22-26; Luke 11:14-20) No better way to prove a point than knowing the facts! The Pharisees are accusing Jesus of helping people and casting out demons by the power of the devil. What sense would that make? If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. Then He "kicks them in the teeth", by whom do your sons cast them out? God had enabled various people to perform various miraculous acts throughout Isreal's history, and they had always attributed the power being from God. Now Jesus is doing even greater miracles than those, but they refuse to admit His power and authority also comes from God.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. (Luke 11:21) 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. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. (Matthew 12:29-30; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:22-23) As we studied in a previous lesson, Satan is stong and had a strong hold on us through sin, but Jesus is stronger and has delivered us from the power of Satan. (see The "Stronger" Man) When God prophecied about sending His Son to deliver and restore those who are captive to the strong man, the warrior, the tyrants, all or which represent sin, He said, "Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go? But the Lord says, “The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children. I will feed your enemies with their own flesh. They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood. All the world will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel [of all who believe]." (Isaiah 49:24-26 NLT)
Jesus has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that He is the Son of God, and ...that the Father had given him authority over everything... (John 13:3) If the people chose not to believe Him based on what He said, they should have ...believe [Him] for the sake of the works themselves. (John 14:11) Only by the Holy Spirit of God did He, or anyone else who performed miraculous acts have the power to do so. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 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. (Matthew 12:31-32) “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:28-30) To deny the power of God is to deny the Holy Spirit of God. This is "The Unforgivable Sin"! It's one thing for God to say who He is and who His Son is. Jesus is saying we can believe or not believe what is said, but if we choose not to believe the physical evidence done through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are denying God, and he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.
“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. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 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. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:33-37) Jesus is clear that we all will be judged by our works, fruit, and by our words. We can't be a Christian "tree" and produce the "fruit" of lies against God. The Pharisees appeared as "religious", but for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and they blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, by denying the power of God displayed through the miracles performed by Christ Jesus. One Pharisee saw and believed, and came to Jesus at night, and told Him “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (John 3:2; see THE GOSPEL: Born Again! How?) Let's be bold and brave enough to declare the same, but in the "light of day" for all to see and hear!
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