|
|
Jesus’ True Family
Jesus’ True Family Matthew 12:22-50 Key Verse: 12:50 “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” If you look online you will see that there are between 189 and 196 countries in the world today. The number varies depending on who you ask. For instance, many people consider Taiwan to be a country, but the Chinese say that it is just a province of China. Currently there are a 193 member states in the United Nations. However, in today’s passage Jesus teaches us that there are really only two kingdoms, the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of Satan there are spiritually and mute people who cannot recognize the work of God when they see it and they cannot do the will of God which is to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is like a family. The people who populate this kingdom recognize the work of God (or the Holy Spirit), they come to Jesus, listen to his message and proclaim it to those they meet. At the end of this passage, Jesus says that such people are his own brothers, sisters and mothers; that is we are all a part of Jesus’ true family. May God bless our study of this passage and help us come to Jesus, recognize the work of the Holy Spirit and become members of Jesus’ true family. First, the kingdom of God has come to you (22-37). This part tells us about the Pharisees’ blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It begins with Jesus’ mighty work in one person’s life. Look at verses 22-23. “Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’” People were astonished and they thought that Jesus might be the Son of David, the promised Messiah. This though must have lifted their spirits in those dark times. They must have found a new hope that the kingdom of God was coming even as they suffered under the heavy burden of the Roman empire. However, when the Pharisees heard about this, they were not filled with a new hope. Jesus threatened their position in society, so they tried to discredit Jesus saying, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons” (24). The Pharisees deliberately called the work of God the work of demons. It was a desperate measure to protect their positions in society. Before Jesus came, the Pharisees had exercised great authority in Israel. No one dared to resist them. Then people saw in Jesus a true shepherd, who loved and served people with God’s mind. They began to follow Jesus. The Pharisees felt they would lose synagogue members, authority over people, honor in society, and their jobs. For the sake of self-preservation, they spoke wickedly against the work of God. Jesus knew their wicked thoughts and he wanted to straighten out their crooked minds. Jesus reasoned with them to show that their position was not logical. First of all, no kingdom divided against itself can stand. This has been true for empires, cities and households. This applies to the spiritual world. Jesus said, “If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?” The Pharisees were also denying their own reality. There were people among the Pharisees who cast out evil spirits. If the Pharisees applied their logic consistently, they must admit that their own people were doing the work of demons. They were being totally irrational. Paul described them very well when he said in Romans 1:22, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools....” Jesus really wanted the Pharisees to confront the truth, realize their foolishness and repent. Otherwise, they would be in great trouble. Jesus concluded in verse 28, “But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” They had to think about the consequences of being wrong. If Jesus was driving out demons by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God had come. Then they would not be opposing man, but God himself. They knew that they could not win against God. Ironically, what the Pharisees really needed was the kingdom of God. They wanted to be good people. At the same time, they wanted to hold on to their earthly kingdom forever. This is impossible. Only the kingdom of God can be our eternal home. Only the kingdom of God can be our true and living hope. Only those with hope in the kingdom of God can truly live a sacrificial life. We must accept the kingdom of God and loosen our grip on worldly hopes. Jesus brings the kingdom of God because he is stronger than the devil and the power of sin and death. Look at verse 29. “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.” The devil is very strong. He overpowered the first man, and plunged the whole human race into sin. He has wielded his power over the world. No one could defeat him. Then Jesus came. As we studied in Matthew 4, Jesus defeated all of the devil’s temptations with the word of God. After that, the devil ran from Jesus. Jesus is stronger than the devil. Look at verse 30. Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” As I mentioned before, there are about 193 nations in the world, but in reality there are only two kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. There are more than 6 billion people in the world, but only two kinds of people: Jesus’ people and the devil’s people. Jesus’ people become shepherds for the world. They gather souls to Jesus for eternal life in his kingdom. On the other hand, the devil’s people become scatterers. They make the world chaotic and ungodly. The Pharisees scattered people with their careless blasphemy. They refused to recognize that the work Jesus was doing was the work of the Holy Spirit and they were trying to scatter the people away from Jesus. This is a very serious matter with serious consequences. Jesus said in verses 31-32. “...but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven...either in this age or in the age to come.” The Pharisees were destined for eternal condemnation. How did they come to this point? In verses 33-35, Jesus explains that It was the fruit of their evil hearts. Genesis 6:5 tells us that the heart of a man without God is only evil all the time. The only remedy for an evil heart is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through the word of God. The Pharisees had studied the Bible a lot. They must have felt the Holy Spirit convict them of sin many times. But when they should have repented, they hardened their hearts and suppressed the truth. When they resisted the Holy Spirit they remained only evil all the time. Finally, they said the work of the Holy Spirit was the work of the devil. We must be quick to repent before the word of God so that we may obtain the Holy Spirit’s help. Otherwise, we can become dangerously hardhearted. Look at verses 36-37. “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” How easily we speak a careless word!. These words grieve God and wound others terribly. For those words, we will be condemned. On the other hand, by our words we will be acquitted. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Jesus comes into our hearts when we confess him as Lord. Jesus changes us from evil people to good people. Jesus purifies us from all sin and enables us to speak words that build up others and bring glory to God. Let’s simply receive Jesus into our hearts as King so that the kingdom of God may dwell within us. Second, the sign of Jesus’ resurrection (38-45). Look at verse 38. “Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.’” They were demanding proof that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus had already given so many signs. When they asked for another sign, he was angry. Jesus rebuked them saying, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!” (39a) After rebuking, Jesus told them about a sign that he would give them. Look at verses 39b-40. “But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’” This sign refers to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. According to God’s will and purpose, Jesus died on the cross for the sin of the world. Jesus was buried. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection revealed God’s eternal victory over the power of sin and death (1 Cor 15:57). Jesus’ resurrection proved that he is the Son of God (Ro 1:4). No one else has risen from the dead. Only Jesus rose from the dead to sit at the right hand of God. Only Jesus gives eternal life. This great sign was given to the people of Jesus’ time. Yet to accept it they needed to repent and believe. Otherwise, they would be condemned. Look at verse 41. “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.” Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire. The men of Nineveh were known to be violent and immoral. They were an oppressive enemy of Israel. So Jonah really didn’t like them. He did not want them to repent. He wanted God to punish them forever. Anyway, by God’s help, Jonah preached repentance to the Ninevites. Then the whole nation repented. From the king, to the lowest slave, they put on sackcloth and repented. So God spared their city from destruction. Jesus recognized their good attitude toward the word of God, though their shepherd did not like them at all. The Queen of the South humbled herself and traveled a long distance to see Solomon to obtain divine wisdom. She realized that Solomon’s wisdom came from God. Jesus recognized her right attitude toward the wisdom of God. The Gentile men of Nineveh and the Queen of the South would rise at the judgment and rebuke Jesus’ generation for being unrepentant. Jesus’ public ministry was a tremendous blessing to Israel. Demons were driven out and sicknesses were healed. Jesus wanted his generation to accept him as Savior and King. If they did not, their final condition would be terrible. Look at verses 43-45. “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” We should not avoid repentance by demanding signs. We should accept Jesus’ teaching as the word of God, repent, believe, and be saved. Third, Jesus’ true family members (46-50). In this part we learn how to be Jesus’ true family members. In the first place, we must be Jesus’ disciples. Look at verse 46. Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived and stood outside, wanting to speak to him in private. Mark 3:21 states that they thought Jesus was out of his mind. He was working too hard and making too many powerful enemies. Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” (48) Jesus raised an important question. Who are his true family members? Jesus was not doing this to avoid family responsibility. Once, Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees for claiming Corban to avoid family responsibility (Mk 7:11). Jesus cared for his family members, according to God’s truth. However, Jesus did not stop Bible teaching. Pointing to his disciples, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers” (49). Jesus honored his disciples as his true family members. They were his spiritual family members. It is true that our human families are important, but according to Jesus, our spiritual family is more important. Jesus’ disciples had made a strong commitment to Jesus, and Jesus honored it (Mt 10:37). Jesus recognized them as his true family members. Who are Jesus’ true family members? John 1 :12 &13 say, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” What this means is that Jesus’ disciples are his true family members. To follow Jesus, we must live as Jesus’ spiritual family members. Sometimes we disappoint our human family members. It can be painful and costly. Many servants of God have disappointed their parents–even widowed mothers, and their children–even only sons. Behind the sacrificial and life-giving ministry of UBF, many tears have been shed by those who disappointed their family members. However, we gain what is most precious: we gain membership in the family of Jesus Christ. Jesus becomes our true brother and Everlasting Father. Jesus is always with us to protect and bless us. We have the privilege of going to Jesus for grace to help us in our time of need. In Jesus we have a wonderful family full of people who love one another deeply in Jesus. We live in a time when many young people have not experienced a traditional family. They don’t know what it is like to have real family relationships. They live in isolation with a deep sense of alienation. They may agonize with their peers, but peer influence cannot guide a young person to the path of life. Young people need shepherds. They also need Christian friends who can encourage them for spiritual good. Jesus is the answer. Jesus welcomes all young people into his spiritual family. Jesus provides everything we need to grow into godly and fruitful people. It is time to offer our house churches and fellowships as spiritual families for the young college students of our time. In the second place, to be Jesus’ family members, we must do the will of God. Look at verse 50. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” How can we do the will of God? We must first of all decide to do God’s will, no matter what it may be. Jesus said in John 7:17, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” When we are ready to do it, no matter what it is, we can find God’s will. Still, we must admit that we cannot obey the will of God naturally. To obey the will of God we must learn to pray like Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Moreover, to obey the will of God we must study the Bible until we are transformed in our inner person. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” You may ask, “What is the will of God?” This may seem confusing and difficult. Some things are the will of God for all Christians at all times, regardless of who they are. It is the will of God to obey the world mission command (Mk 16:15). It is the will of God to love one another (Jn 13:34). It is the will of God to feed Jesus’ sheep (Jn 21:15). It is the will of God to be sanctified (1Th 4:3). It is God’s will to give thanks in all circumstances (1Th 5:18). However, I think Jesus said it best in John 6:29, “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” If we believe in Jesus, we will listen to him and do what he tells us to do. Today we learned that speaking against the Holy Spirit is a very serious matter. We also learned that Jesus invites us to be his spiritual family members. May God bless us all to be members of Jesus’ true family when we do the will of God. |
| 
|
