What a wonderful time of worship, wouldn't you agree?
I mean, The Gospel According to Mark in chapter 3 and in verse
20, we have quite a bit of verses to read here, but it's
important to understand though. The context before we we
explore, the the meanings of These sacred texts.
Mark chapter 3 beginning in verse 20.
Hope you have a Bible in your hand.
It's best to follow with your own, copy of God's word.
Mark 320 reads, then he went home and the crowd gathered
again so that they could not even eat.
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him for.
They were saying, he is out of his mind and the scribes who
came down from Jerusalem, were saying, he is possessed by Bells
able, and by the prince of demons, he casts out the demons.
And he called them to him and said to them in Parables.
How can Satan cast out Satan, if a kingdom is divided against
itself that Kingdom cannot stand and if a house is divided
against itself that house will not be able to stand and if
Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he
cannot stand but it's coming to an end but no one can enter a
strong mans house and plunder his Goods unless he first.
Binds the strong man. Then indeed, he may plunder his
house. Truly, I say to you, all sins
will be forgiven the children of men and whatever blasphemies
they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy
Spirit, never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.
For, they were saying he has an unclean spirit.
Lord with this. Weighty text, we ask for a
greater measure of your holy spirit's help. may this liberate
those who are confused. And unnecessarily anxious.
But met this also stir up, the one who has become dangerously
comfortable Lord give us Minds to understand hearts.
That we'll have our affections warmed.
By these words. We love you.
We want to love you more as a result of obeying you through
this in Jesus name. Amen.
I'm sure that one of the first things that comes to mind when
you hear this famous passage is to see Clarity of this
disturbing frightful. Revelation of the Eternal sin.
The unforgivable sin, the unpardonable sin and be assured
that we will seek to have understanding about what that
really is. But at the same time we must
resist the temptation to make this entire message about just
that because there is so much leading up to it, that will
supplement our walk with the Lord.
If we are about patient and As we come to this text this isn't
perhaps going to be the most crafted message but I want us to
just follow marks thoughts and to just pick up truths until we
come to. What I'm sure is really on our
hearts after hearing, what Jesus had said, not just to this
audience, but to all of us even today, Something has happened in
Jesus ministry, you were here last week, so you heard it.
I'm sure Jesus had just selected his 12 Apostles.
And this was a significant decision that would affect the
future of his message and Ministry.
And we see here that after he selects this group, there are
three other groups who enter into the scene to come to him
following this important decision.
The first group, is something you're familiar with the
recurring, an overwhelming crowd who were desperate to receive a
touch from He ministered by this unusual Authority that this
Rabbi from Nazareth possessed. The second group were his
closest relatives. and the relatives of Jesus were
concerned for him because they had heard that he was receiving
certain attention and they were worried about his safety and
maybe even their own as his relatives, the third group, Is
something that we know of as well.
The Pharisees, we have not seen the Pharisees since that
wonderful scene, where Jesus was in their self-righteous presence
in that synagogue and he healed. A man with a withered hand, only
having them, so flared up to flee, the scene and to plot his
destruction. When you look at this you
understand a principle that is Promised throughout the word of
God that has God's purposes Advanced as God salvific person
through. His son was making progress,
there was an increase of protest and there was an increase of
persecution. And any servant of God, who
plays any role to seeing the gospel advance in their life and
in the ministry that they are part of have to know, this have
to be so aware of what I'm about to say.
And it is the following that opposition's of various kinds
are inevitable when you and I do God's work Faithfully, they will
come, they will come to you, personally, they will come to US
corporately minister with the Zeal that the master exemplifies
and expects Satan to Edge or dampen your fervor through
various means we see that here, don't we?
We see that here with Jesus, his own family.
We see that here with Jesus own enemies first, we see that his
own brothers and it's questionable whether had his
mother was a part of this criticism, but we see for
certain that his brothers as half brothers, who did not
believe in him according to John, until after his
resurrection, were insulting him were openly saying he lost, Just
his ability to reason because they couldn't understand how
someone would miss meals to minister to strangers, to give
so much energy, and to give so much of themselves.
And so, here they are from a distance receiving, this news
and they want to be able to rescue him apparently.
And makes you wonder though. It's not explicitly.
Clear are they worried for themselves?
Because they know that there is a growing hostility towards
Jesus and their related to Jesus.
And so we read here that they were actually now come to where
he is to physically apprehend him.
Perhaps, with the goal of conforming him to some normal
and quiet, safe routine that doesn't attract so much trouble
from those who are in power. But what's amazing here is that
Jesus. We'll deal with them in a moment
but not immediately because all for a sudden this suspenseful
scene is interrupted with a second group who also have a
gross speculation of who he is and why he's doing what he's
doing over, how he's doing, what he's doing, and that's the
Pharisees. And I wonder I said, you know,
to myself reading this. Why did Jesus?
Because look at verse 20, 21 writes about his family.
Then the rest of the text is about the Pharisees.
And then you look at verse 31 down to verse 35, I've and he
comes back to his family again to respond to them.
And I thought to myself, well, why not just keep Jesus responds
with the comments of his family in one part and in deal with the
second part. Why intertwine them?
Why split into two segments and then put that famous passage in
between and here's what I believe.
I believe it's because the Holy Spirit wants to make sure that
we realize that there is a truth with these segments being
brought together as a sandwich. So to speak and it is this
Satan's Arsenal to hinder, the work of Christ is is deep.
Sometimes it is subtle. Sometimes it is open, they can
come from those who are closest to us, or they can come from
those who brazenly despise us. The efforts of the enemy to
derail our enthusiasm for the work of Jesus.
Can come from those who are unknowingly serving his
purposes. Remember Peter, who tried to,
who try to take Jesus, to a different course, other than the
cross, and it was Satan, who is influencing his thinking, I
believe in part, that's what's happening here with his family.
And sometimes the efforts to derail our enthusiasm.
For Christ comes from those who have no shame to be
intentionally malicious. And divisive and harmful, you
and I are going to follow marks thoughts here, and we're going
to pause with his family and we're going to revisit that next
week as Jesus will indeed correct them.
And he will show us what true family is.
But for now, we will look in deal with the Pharisees and how
Jesus immediately rebukes them. And, there are so many truths
here. Not just about the blasphemy of
the Holy Spirit. May, I present to you today
through the serious servant of God, That we will impart expose
some of the tactics of Satan, because if you serve Jesus
Christ long enough and if you are part of a church by God's
grace like this one that wants to be serious about, proclaiming
God's word and making disciples, then these attacks will surely
come if they haven't already. Look at verse 22 again and the
scribes who came down from Jerusalem.
Just pause there, they came down from Jerusalem.
It is believed that Jesus and his group were in Galilee miles
and miles away from Jerusalem. And we are told that these
scribes, these religious leaders made a trip down to visit Jesus.
Not because they were honestly curious, but because they had a
plot in mind and I can't help, but think of the great, the
great effort to make sure to spy on And Jesus and stop the move
of God at any cost. They had no hesitation to waste
resources to set apart time to travel on foot perhaps and to
give up so much of who they were to stop something.
So holy and good and that simple phrase of how they came down
from Jerusalem, should be a great reminder, that the enemy's
attacks against the children who are faithful and spirit
empowered, and who want to serve their father.
Are relentless. He is constantly on the move.
He is constantly aware. and he constantly plans and schemes to
find a way to limit the proclamation of the whole
counsel of God, and anybody who is Desiring to plant the seed of
truth, and the hearts that God has brought into their lies, if
you think that this was unique to Jesus, Then remember the
Apostle Paul reflect on the account of his life in the book
of Acts, that guy could not evade the harassment of the
Jews. I mean, no matter where he went,
there was some kind of interference from the spiritual
leaders of his day as well. And so it is with us you and I
when we said yes to Jesus, you signed up for a war.
If you don't know that I'm going to hear, I'm here to tell you
that you signed up for a war, an ancient war, a war that's been
going on since the beginning of time.
And you have put on a uniform and you have the badge of
Christ. And as long as you are dedicated
to the cause of Christ, you are a threat to the kingdom of
darkness. And so it's more than just you
having a nice quiet life. You got your insurance for
heaven, your life is bigger than just two vacations a year and
paying off your mortgage. You are part of an army with an
eternal cause and Satan knows the potential that you have if
you are indeed serious about that mission.
And so, what should we expect as a church?
I speaking to Maranatha Bible Church, here's what you can
expect in your own life and as our lives are lived together, a
series, a lifelong series of attacks from hell.
God does Grant his servants a season or seasons of repose.
And we always know an internal Joy.
But even in those times where corporately, we see, great fruit
and great piece and height, enjoy, I personally am always
mindful of this Satan is somewhere planning something.
And once these scribes finally arrived at the place where these
desperate crowds were to receive from the Lord, we are told that
they began to poison the minds of people by saying that Jesus
was doing what he was doing by the influence of satanic powers.
The reason for this, it's a smear campaign.
This was a diabolical plan to try to discredit who Jesus was
and the source of his message and his ability to minister.
And hopefully, that would cause people to at least doubt and
more than doubt despised and remove themselves from any
association with Christ. And here's what I find.
So interesting about what these scribes were doing the last that
we heard from them was in. Verse 6.
Go back to verse 6. What do we see?
The Pharisees went Out and immediately help counsel with
the herodians, against them, how to destroy him?
You know what? That tells me, that tells me
between that moment in our text today, these evil men have been
brainstorming of how to destroy the ministry of Jesus Christ.
And what was their primary weapon of choice?
You ready for this slander? That was their weapon of choice.
Intentional misinformation that harms how others view the object
of one's hatred. This is an Insight.
This is an inside that you and I have to contemplate and have to
consider and have to seal into our hearts because this is
Satan's strategy to ruin the reputations of men and women of
God. One of his go-to tactus is to
find a mouthpiece or mouthpieces to unashamedly, Spain, the name
of somebody who is actively serving for the glory of God.
So if I see that here, then I got to apply that to my life and
here's how we apply it. As a people, we are Discerning.
We must be always investigating operating in wisdom.
Whenever Formation. Comes your way that may cause
you to doubt the Integrity of someone else.
Especially if that person is serving God.
But here's what I think and I say this in love because so many
Christians are uneducated about the schemes of Satan.
The devices of the evil one, they're easily influenced by the
wicked Whispers. Of churchgoers.
I said churchgoers. Is it a tax collectors?
And the prostitutes going around?
Sharing this stuff, huh? The Pharisees.
The Pharisees, those who had a presentation of piety, those who
memorize scripture, those who seem like, they respected and
revered God and his commands. Yeah.
Those kind of people were the ones who are doing the work of
Satan. They were slandering.
And the reason why I believe even Christians, today are so
gullible is because they can't see past the surface.
And so, they just eat up everything that they here,
especially if a person has some kind of a smokescreen of
spirituality. Surely such men would not be
among those who would tarnish the reputation of another
especially especially a good man, like Jesus of Nazareth,
there must be some authenticity to their criticism.
How foolish of us? how foolish of us because it is
often those who are affiliated with religion and who dwell in
the Spheres of spirituality, who are most capable of the most
heinous offences And just like the Pharisees religious men and
women are susceptible to being so eaten up by the cancer of
envy and jealousy that they will do anything at any cost to bring
down the object of their hatred. Be Discerning Church.
Be smart. Know how Satan works.
So if you're someone who seeks to be a servant of Jesus Christ
in this adulterous and perverse and increasingly hypocritical
generation, remember the words of Jesus towards you meet me in
Matthew chapter 10 verse 25. Matthew 10:25.
It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the
servant like his master. If they have called The Master
of the House Bells, able how much more will they malign?
Those of his household? How do you summarize?
What? Jesus teaching here.
Very easy. If you want to live, like Christ
beaks, be expecting to be treated like Christ.
If Christ himself, the matchless undefiled sinless, son of God.
Had his name, drug and dragged and drowned in the mud.
What's going to happen to you. And I imperfect and weak
Servants of his It's bound to come your way, but understand
what Jesus is warning about here is in the context.
Because earlier, in verse 7, we were told go and Proclaim saying
the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
He's speaking to those who are actually taking the Great
Commission, seriously. so, if you really want to serve the
Lord, if you really want to make your life about about that
proclaiming and testifying with your life, Don't be surprised
when slander comes your way. And don't be afraid when it
comes your way. Don't Be Afraid when it comes
towards the ministry that you represent if they're faithful
and godly, it's bound to happen, even from the least expected
crowd. Be ready.
And the way you have trusted your soul in the hands of God,
put your reputation there with it.
As Wesley said, You and I have a responsibility to make sure that
everything in our lives, gives no ammunition to a watching
world and even a religious world, to say something that
would disqualify our Effectiveness for the kingdom of
God. But to make the mistake and
think that High character will eliminate the possibility of
being smeared and lied about is wrong.
They try to do it with the perfect one.
Surely will come to the imperfect ones, who love him.
And serve him. We come back to verse 23.
There are times when we should ignore slander made about us and
there are times where we are responsible to address it and in
this case, the Pharisees were publicly attacking Christ and so
it deserved a public reprimand from Christ.
And so, he calls these Pharisees over to himself, and he is going
to rebuke them openly And this is what he says, how can Satan
cast out Satan, a rhetorical question that is followed with a
universal truth that we are familiar with and verse 24.
If a kingdom is divided against itself that Kingdom cannot
stand, It seems straightforward. It seems so clear.
It seems so obvious, but let me say it in a different way.
No, institution has a chance of survival when the members within
turn against one another, whether it's a kingdom or it's a
household, any establishment is bound to collapse when you have
those who represent it devouring one another And Jesus is saying
something, so humbling. Even Satan understands the
destructive force that division brings to a body.
And Satan as chaotic vile. And as evil, as he is, would
never permit division in his own kingdom.
Yes, he is ugly. Yes, he is disloyal.
Yes he does. Promote betrayal.
But he's not stupid. and he realizes that he would never
entertain, and he would never encourage his agents to fight
against one another And he would never ever allow that in his own
operations and yet it is what he initiates and has caused in
different structures and administration's throughout
human history. It would be wrong for us to
assume that the church is impervious to division and
divisive schemes from the devil, because we are his primary
target. And so you have to understand
that what we so often experienced, as the Evangelical
Church is something that the kingdom of darkness.
Does not. Tolerate, isn't that like
sobering like that? So, convicting to me, That the
Devil Himself knows. The power of unity.
The Devil Himself will not allow those minions of his who tear
things apart day by day. To allow it to happen to
themselves. Paul gives us to strong threats.
Two Ministries being ripped apart.
Can I show you them? It's in Acts. 20 verse 29, then
Acts 20 verse 30, Acts 20 verse 29.
He's sitting with the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and he's
giving them a final set of instructions before he departs
from them. And he warns them, he warns
them. and he says, in verse 29 of Acts 20, I know that after my
departure Fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing
the flock. Number one, there are threats
outside. And Paul says, I am sure of it.
That once I leave here, Wolves will come in and try to ravage
the people of God with their false teaching.
They will come in dressed as sheep and they will, they will
seek to Devour the faith of those who truly belong to God,
and those who may not belong to God, bar in the presence of
God's people. And I think, for most of us,
when we understand the threat to the church, we generally, think
about outside dangers, right? And those are are coming from
outside of our safety, and our family.
And that's easier to detect that's easier to spot out.
That's where energy goes, that's where our Vigilant goes.
But that's not where Paul's stops when he talks about the
possibility of a Ministry, imploding, and internally
eroding. Look at verse 30.
And, and from among your own selves, Will arise men speaking
Twisted things to draw away the disciples after them.
Almost hard to believe, isn't it?
Paul, according to the next first we're told was with this
church for three entire years, teaching them, training them,
praying with them, Outreach with them.
All these wonderful things, I can imagine, the the wonderful
testimonies and the relationships built, and the
things that they enjoyed during those three years.
And yet, when he is ready to leave, he says, I know that once
I leave I just outside threats but even from within there will
be those who will try to divide the body of Christ.
How did he know? We're not told how that's not
the main point of the passage. The main point of the passages
that even healthy and godly churches can have members who
turned sour over time. The Twisted things that he is
speaking about here is clear, its false teaching, but that is
not the only reason why churches divided Ministries divided
families divided. There are various reasons.
That can bring a body of genuine Believers to a Breaking Point.
And you see the motive to seek to draw disciples after them?
That sounds scary, right? That sounds scary.
Imagine the leaders approaching this church after three years in
saying, I know that from among this group, there will be those
who will seek to divide this church, I don't think that is a
principle for all churches. This is a specific warning to
this church, but it is a potential danger for every
church and here's the hopeful message.
Is it possible for us to avoid that to escape that to never
experienced that? And I say with the resounding?
Yes, it's possible. It is possible for us to know.
Continuous Fellowship, continuous Harmony.
Continuous love. And I'll give you one ingredient
to that reality. Why do you think it is that the
kingdom of darkness will not succumb itself to division?
One simple answer? Because even the devil and his
demons share a consuming common goal.
And that goal is greater than anything else to steal to kill
and to destroy. And anything that is a threat to
that goal, anything that will hinder the effectiveness and the
efforts to knowing the full potential of that goal.
Will not be tolerated. You and I are called to a
glorious calling one of redemption and healing and
salvation. And sanctification, is that
enough motivation for us to be able to put things aside into
forgive and to love, and to move on?
It? Should it should be And we
should be embarrassed to a certain degree.
When we allow certain things that have absolutely no Eternal
value terrorist, apart the cause us to create Clans from within
and to destroy what God has begun.
But let me tell you this, all it takes is for one person to lose
sight of that Heavenly call for there to be hellish chaos.
The same Paul who warned about the possibility of Godly
churches, knowing Civil Wars is the same man who gives us the
antidote. From a compromising immune
system in the body of Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 2 verse 2. Paul says complete my Joy by
being of the same mind. Having the same love being in
full Accord and of one mind. You know what?
Verse 2 tells me? It's possible.
That's what verse 2 tells me. No, command is given in the
scriptures. That cannot be fulfilled.
He says complete my joy, as an apostle is a spiritual father of
being of the same mind. Having the same love being in
full Accord and of one mind. Wonderful.
That's possible for Maranatha Bible Church for 100 years.
That's possible for this church until eternity.
How do we get there? How do we maintain that?
How do we nourish? The how do we protect that verse
3 do? Nothing from selfish ambition.
Or conceit. But in humility count others,
more significant than yourselves.
Is that a random command? No, it's directly connected to
the previous reality. If you want the same love the
same mind one Accord perpetually.
Then every single one of us has the great call of dying to self
and doing nothing, nothing, nothing.
Nothing from the place of selfish ambition.
When we esteem others, as higher than ourselves, when we steam
their interest above our own. Oh, we can know Piece of Heaven
on Earth. This could be a joyful place,
this can be a refuge, this can be a Healing Place.
But all it takes is for one to be selfish.
All it takes is for one to be proud.
All it takes is for one to look at ministry as an opportunity to
glorify your name or your family's name, for things to
come Crashing Down. Do nothing from selfish ambition
or conceit and this church will know the preserving grace of God
perfumed with the love of Jesus Through us.
I hope you would desire that Jesus points out there.
Logical fallacy. You guys don't even make any
sense. Even Satan is not dumb enough to
try to fight against his own efforts to be a hindrance to his
own plans. How can you even come up with
such an argument? And he goes on in verse 27, to
actually make a statement of how he as the Son of God, is able to
deliver these suffering. Bound individuals from the power
of Satan. Look at verse 27 and Mark 3, but
no one can enter a strong mans house and plunder his Goods.
Unless he first binds the strong man, then indeed, he made
plunder his house. So he gives a little parabolic
will saying a little illustration, but it's very
straightforward and obvious, the reason why I'm able to overcome
Satan in this way. It's not because I'm in League
with Satan, but because I'm more powerful than him.
That's why now notice he did isn't dismissed the reality.
That Satan is strong twice. He refers to them as strong, but
he is stronger and he is greater.
I'm able to do this you Pharisees because I overwhelm
the authority of Satan with my own and he must submit to my
orders. He must submit to my power,
that's the explanation for why I'm able to do what I am doing.
And I look at this and I was meditating on that.
Jesus is stronger than Satan. Okay, we don't believe that, you
know, like there's things that go on in the internet and I'm
off social media, so I don't see it anymore.
But I used to see stuff. We're just these illustrations.
There is a picture of Jesus and there's a picture Satan.
And the world is under them in their outer arm wrestle.
Not even close, not even close. They don't share equal power.
There isn't a duel over the Earth.
He is under him. He is a created being and any
Authority. He possesses is granted by God.
He has a leash around his neck and he even in his destructive
ways according to God's sovereignty, still fulfilling a
Redemptive purpose. Let me show you though, because
we have, to be honest of how powerful Satan is.
And first John, 5:18 Excuse me. 519.
John says, we know that we are from God and the whole world
lies in the power of the evil one, the whole world lies in the
power of the not part of the world, not certain countries in
the world, the entire globe. Is orchestrated to a certain
extent by the authority of Satan himself.
The world is subject to his cues.
The world is subject to his influences, which means
something brother and sister every entity that you can think
of whether it is, educational, political, even spiritual.
Is only operating with two types of authorities.
Invisible authorities, God or the devil, there's no third
option. There's no neutrality in our
universe. It's either being energized and
inspired by hell or it is humbly taking orders from the word of
God. And there's nothing in between.
I hope that's that reminder helps you filter how you view
the world and what you allow into your life?
Into your mind into your living room into your phone?
It doesn't take much of the sermon to see who's working for
who, especially in these days. Satan him is Satanism, is being
promoted as those the new trend. These days, Satan cartoon shows,
Satan Satanic rituals, and our entertainment, and our music.
I mean, what kind of dare we living in when Satan is not even
trying to hide anymore? We're living in the last days.
But even though we are pilgrims traveling through this
satanically empowered and animated.
World. Look at Verse 18.
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep
on sinning, but he, who was born of God protects him and the
evil. One does not touch him.
Does not touch them. Nevermind, enter into him,
somewhat propose. Does not touch the one.
Who is born of God cannot even lay a finger on the child of God
and if there's anything that Satan would desire to do, he
must get permission from God. Whatever he would try to plot
against a child of God and God allows it will always be for his
glory and are good. Hallelujah.
I praise God for that. George Whitefield said that you
and I are Immortal until our work on Earth is done.
We are Immortal until our work on Earth is done.
Only we can see what the invisible World sees the great
protection around us around our homes around our children.
I said this at one point a few weeks ago and I'll say it again.
And this crazy age, the safest place to be is not in some
Island somewhere where you're not being dictated by a
tyrannical, government to be in the hands of Jesus.
That's the safest place to be. Now it's come back, it's come
back to mark. In chapter three.
Jesus, rebukes these Pharisees. He exposes really their silly
thinking, and their argument. He makes a statement about his
lordship about his power over. Even these Fierce dark powers
and then he issues a warning He takes this opportunity to give a
warning because what these men said, exposes a condition of the
heart that is absolutely terrifying.
Truly. I say to you.
In verse 28, all sins will be forgiven the children of man and
whatever blasphemes. They utter.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, never has
forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.
I can't think of something more horrific than that.
You all can say, I will never forgive you and that's fine, but
to not have forgiveness from God as a hopeless place.
And this is why a scripture like this has been the source of much
confusion and fear. Really among those who shouldn't
be confused or fearful. And it's predictable that and
almost any biblical Q and A. In any setting, there will be
the inquiry of a troubled soul, who wants to know whether or
not. If they have committed, the sin
of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
And the way out of the confusion is to First clarify, what the
blasphemy of the holy spirit is not Did you read the reassuring
words of Jesus? In verse 28, read it again
slowly and understand the implications.
Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven The Children of
Men When Jesus meant all since he really meant all sends every
sin. So the blasphemy of the holy
spirit is not repeated sexual morality, it's not murder or any
other atrocity that you can imagine.
Because all sins that are repented of are able to be
forgiven by God. And but from there, he takes a
separate category and he even clarifies what and whatever
blasphemies they utter. So, even the category of sins.
That blaspheme God. Now, what does it mean to
blaspheme God? It means to openly mock or
Scorn, the name of God. The character of God, the ways
of God with disdain with irreverence, that's what it
means to blaspheme. And we are told by Jesus that
even blasphemies, that people utter and Matthew 12, he
clarifies. If you blaspheme against the
sun, you will be forgiven. In other words, if you blaspheme
God, there is still forgiveness. What is there?
Well, how do I understand this? Because he goes on to say, but
there is one kind of blasphemy That will never be forgiven or
pardoned. And some people even in this
place could be worried. Because you think about your
life before Jesus and you can you can reminisce as you cringe
as you blush with shame of times with the ungodly or even in your
own room with anger boiling over, blaspheming God, profaning
his name. Ascribing slurs and wishes
against his holy character. And here you are though, and
there is a moment where you came to Christ and you wonder am I
really in Christ? Will God hold this against me
when I see him face to face, some people live with that
torment and their other Christians who Wonder as well.
I have a loved one who doesn't know the Lord, but I hear them
give so much contempt towards Christ, and I wonder if they've
crossed the line. And if they are irredeemable by
his grace, I want to give you hope.
Because in first Timothy 1:13, Paul gives a glimpse of what his
life was like before he came to Christ and he gives a snapshot
idea of what kind of person he was and in 1 Timothy 1:13.
He says, though, formally, I was a blasphemer.
Persecutor and insolent opponent.
But I receive the mercy because I had acted ignorantly in
unbelief, a blasphemer? You want to know how great of a
blasphemer? Paul was, you don't have to turn
there, but when you go to Acts 26 verse 11, this blasphemer was
so ugly that he even tried to take imprison Christians and
cause them to blaspheme themselves.
So he even tried to make Christians, blaspheme the name.
That he's so easily. Themed in his days of ignorance.
But he was also in that same sentence though, a great
offender an offense. So, great that in the Old
Testament, it was punishable by Death.
How many of our people on TV here?
These late night show guys and these news anchors, how many of
them if they were in the old Covenant would be punished by
death for blaspheming the name of God.
Even such a man, new true forgiveness as we know, and not
just forgiveness. But even being set apart to
being one of the greatest men that the church has ever known.
So understand that there is still Mercy for the blasphemer
but I think what he says at the end of the verse, it gives us
more help about why even more, why was he?
Recipient of God's Saving Grace because he acted ignorantly in
unbelief. What does that mean?
I think what that means in part is that Paul admitted that he
was not exposed to the full measure of God's power and
revelation. When he was in that season of
Life, blaspheming the name of God, there was a level of
Darkness that he was in about who Jesus was, who God was.
And God saw that in gave him Mercy. and I think that's
important to understand, you know why, because The crowd that
Jesus was addressing when he warned them about this.
Eternal sin had a front-row seat to the manifestation of God's
glory and Power in the person of Jesus Christ.
It's going to start making sense.
Now, I hope What this means is that the blasphemy of the holy
spirit is more than just a tributing, the work of God to
the work of Satan. It's not that simple though.
That is dangerous ground to be treading on what the blasphemy
of the holy spirit is is to attribute, the work of God to
Satan. When you have been granted
undeniable and absolute confirmation of the contrary You
see what the Pharisees were saying was this was, especially
dangerous because they were not opposing.
The spirits work with limited Revelation, they had a unique
privilege that no one else and all of human history shared.
They constantly stood in the unfiltered presence of God's
empowering work to prove the deity of Jesus Christ day by
day. And the main reason why these
men were treading on the line of an eternal guilt was because
there was nothing more for God to do in order to Showcase his
sons. Messiahship What more could have
God done to display, the true identity of the saving identity,
the prophesied identity of Jesus Christ.
Nothing. So to stubbornly refuse to
acknowledge that Jesus is in fact the true Messiah, even
after all that you have seen with your own eyes means that
they were close to sealing, they're unforgivable fate.
It was them despising, the holy spirit's work, it was them
insulting the invitation to be saved in the face of a unique
measure of marvelous power. That made Jesus warned them of
going to a place of no return. So the question is, at this
point? Is it possible then?
To commit the blasphemy of the holy spirit in our day.
And here's what my answer would be because I'm not in the camp
that says the blaspheming of the holy spirit is really just as
synonymous way of saying to continually reject God, yes and
no. My answer would be, it's
possible to commit the sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
only if someone has been granted the equal evidence of the
Supreme Revelation that Jesus made of himself during his
ministry. An example of that would
arguably Hebrews chapter 6 and a very known passage.
That makes other people more uncomfortable.
I want you to see with your own eyes and Hebrews chapter 6.
The author of Hebrews is addressing Jewish Christians.
You know what his thesis is? You know, what his concern is?
They want to turn away from Christ and go back to the
levitical law. And he warns him in different
portions of this book. It one of those strong warnings
is a verse 4. It is impossible in the case of
those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the
Heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit and have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to
come. And then have fallen away to
restore them again to repentance.
Since they are crucifying, once again, the Son of God to their
own harm and holding him up to contempt content, I think this
is the closest arguably, the closest thing of what Jesus is
warning about. In Mark chapter 3.
Let me say this, because when we come to Hebrews, or in another
appropriate time, I will break this down.
This is not teaching that somebody can lose their
salvation because if you carefully examine the wording
about the experiences that some of these readers are having, or
had none of them are really, about being saved, right?
You can be enlightened and not truly absorb the light.
You can taste the Heavenly gift, but not receive the Heavenly
gift. You can be around God's word and
actually somewhat be blessed by a but not truly give yourself to
it. And to propose that this means
that if you were a Christian at one point and then turn away
from Christ, either from a continual repetition of a
certain sin. Then you also have to with that
consistently say that, that person can never be saved again,
which I don't think people who even believe you can lose your
salvation would say that So then what is happening here?
Will notice the description of the experience of some of these
readers that the writer is writing to one of the things
that stand out to me is that the end of verse 5 and have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to
come. The powers of the age to come.
Look, I've been blessed to experience many things from the
Lord. I'll tell you this one thing.
I don't, I can say coffee. I have not tasted of the powers
of the things of the age to come.
But some of these guys could you know why?
Because the reason why they are in this place to begin with was
because they were exposed to the ministry of the Apostles, the
apostles who mirrored, the power of Jesus, while he was on Earth
because it was granted to them to perform certain miraculous
signs and abilities in order to confirm the message of the
Gospel in its infant stages. and so these guys here, who
experienced the miraculous ability of the apostles were and
as select Danger, And the danger is this, you have reached a
certain level of experience that that really cannot be matched.
And there's really nothing more that can be offered than what
you have known. And here's the point, you ready
for this, after all that you've experienced all that you've
witnessed. After you've known a degree of
light, that is not common and you still will not be faithful
to the Lord and give yourself to him.
It's impossible for you to be saved.
How, what else can God do in order to convince you of the
truth of the Christ? There's no other options, all
the options have been executed. And that is exactly what is
happening to the Pharisees. The Pharisees have seen so much
be held, so much undeniable evidence, unparalleled matchless
majesty, and miracles. And with all of that, the
Pharisees have made this conclusion.
Listen, not only am I not going to believe in you?
This is of the devil. So, here's the Holy Spirit.
Who is the agent upon Christ's Humanity?
Who wants to invite and prove who he is in order for people to
be saved. And you have these men who are
looking straight into the eyes of the one, who can save their
souls and say, I'm going to reject you as I would the devil
And Jesus says that's dangerous. That's very dangerous.
The debate is, did they commit? The blasphemy of the Holy
Spirit? Are they about to commit?
The sin of the blaspheme, the Holy Spirit Whatever it is, they
were on their way of committing this sin and Jesus warned them.
Now if you're a person in this place who are concerned about
whether or not you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit, that
attitude confirms that you have it. because a person who
blasphemes the Holy Spirit, Is not worried of whether or not
they have done it. A person who is blasting.
The Holy Spirit has made the conclusion.
That the saving work of Jesus. To them is as repulsive as hell
itself. So I want to say something in
closing. By offering a word of comfort
and a word of warning for those who might be trembling.
Who have perhaps been lied to by Satan himself.
The evil one, who enjoys to disturb our joy and our
confidence in the Lord. Do you realize that Jesus?
And Mark, chapter 3 did not address his church.
He addressed his enemies. Are you his enemy?
Are you a person who has plotted in your heart to defy the name
of God? And to destroy the work of the
Gospel. If you can answer that
constantly, you're in a good place.
You're safe. You are not his enemy, you're
his possession. You are his child.
You belong to him. And if there's any work that the
Holy Spirit has done in you upon faith, is the work of a promise
seal upon your soul. So what you and I can do the
capacity of our relationship to the holy spirit.
In the negative sense is that we can grieve the Holy Spirit and
we can quench the Holy Spirit. But because of our entrance,
into the kingdom of God in our names being sealed in that
precious Book of Life, he says, I will commit myself to you and
the work that I began in you. I will bring it to completion
for the glory of God, nothing to fear, nothing to worry about the
fact that you are worried about. That is a wonderful pulse. that
you love the Lord and you want to be his but also a word of
warning. I don't think this idea of the
blasphemy of the holy spirit is a common thing, and I don't
think it equates. Intrusive thoughts that even,
you might have dear Christian, that are disrespectful to God or
perverted even about God. That's not the same.
Because the, this is, this is the battleground of Warfare.
It's the mind. And Satan is clever enough to
put things in our mind and then blame us for it.
But there is a principle behind this, the scary warning. and the
principal, when you put the teaching of Hebrews and the
warning of Jesus together is that, although somebody may not
outright blaspheme, the Holy Spirit, like these Pharisees had
It's possible to resist the Holy Spirit. to a degree where you
become so unresponsive that your irredeemable Right, that's what
it again. Let me, let me revisit that text
in Hebrews. That's what I think is happening
in Hebrews. After all that.
You've seen all that, you've heard all that you've
experienced that you still cannot come to Christ.
There's nothing left for God to be able to do And so it's
impossible to be saved. And so, I would say this, As as
privileged as we are in the west to be exposed freely to so much.
Light and Revelation, that's a dangerous thing to That's a
really dangerous thing. And it's dangerous because the
longer you resist to give your heart to Jesus Christ,
especially when you are sitting under true.
Unfiltered unadulterated Revelation, the more insensitive
you will become over time to the point where you are unresponsive
to the call of the Gospel. And even in this life, you
cannot be saved. That's why I've heard somebody
say, tell me that a visitor came and they said the preacher is a
little strong. How can I not be?
This isn't a clubhouse. This isn't.
This isn't just because we have nothing else to do in the past
hour and a half, perhaps Souls have been hanging in the balance
between Heaven and Hell. I'm not giving a TED Talk this
afternoon. I have to stand before God and
he's going to ask me how seriously, did you take your
preaching position? And so there is a serious
urgency with the proclamation of the gospel because the Bible
tells us that the more light you are exposed to and the longer
you resist with that light shining on your heart it can
either soften your heart or heart in it.
Just like what the son can do with clay.
It can melt or it can Harden. So, today is the day of
salvation. Don't gamble with it.
Don't wait on it. And to be honest, I've seen it
to a certain degree. I've seen it.
I've seen how the word can convict somebody's heart and
such a fresh way. You can even see while you're
preaching, just their mouths are dropped and their eyes are
filled with water. But no decisions really made and
you can just see a hardening take place week after week.
And those same people are so distracted during the meeting.
And you wonder what's happening to them.
What's happening to them? No man can ever determine what
line? They cross only God knows the
heart but the warning is clear. Don't don't flirt with how close
you can come to that line. Today, if you hear his voice, do
not Harden, your heart don't Harden.
It give yourself fully to the cross of Jesus Christ.
Run to him, give yourself to him and he will embrace you.
If there's anybody who will be responsible for them not being
redeemed, it's you. Not him.
And the human heart is so tricky, so scary that it is
capable of doing what Pharaoh did be exposed to the
miraculous. You think Miracles are going to
save people. You think of God, splits open
the ceiling and shows us something that people look at
Fair, all the things that he has seen, all the things that he is
experienced and yet, he was still able to harden his heart
and Harden it. And hearted, until God says, you
want to harden it? Let me help you.
So the blaspheming the holy spirit is really to be exposed
to an overwhelming flood of the evidence of his power of His
truth and to look at it and say, that's the devil and I want
nothing to do with it. Jesus is be careful.
Let's pray. Lord with his solemn, text.
We Rejoice with trembling. because those whom you save, you
keep And we thank you Lord. That in this place many can
Testify the opposite of what your son warned about and that
is having a Hearts Changed by the Holy Spirit.
And Lord we want to know the Holy Spirit and grow in the Holy
Spirit. We don't want to even grieve the
Holy Spirit. We don't want to quench the Holy
Spirit. We want to know the fullness of
the Holy Spirit. And Lord, we just pray for the
person who is in this place, who has resisted the Holy Spirit
over and over and over again. They know they're not right with
you. They know they're playing games
with you. They know that they have been
rejecting. You.
They might have not blasphemed you but oh Lord.
Would they feel the urgency of this message to know that the
direction that they're walking on is a scary path?
And you are patient. Yes you are.
And you're willing to save us at any point in our lives.
But oh, Lord, our hearts are not for us.
Our hearts are desperately wicked and they want to betray
us and lie to us. And so Lord rescue us from
ourselves. And Lord, we just pray that
every person leaving this place would have the confidence that
they are a child of God by repenting and believing in the
name of Jesus Christ. But realizing that you are
willing to forgive us. As you said of all sin, even
blasphemies. You're willing to forgive The
Lord may we not Harden our hearts to the point where we
don't even respond to that love anymore.
We worship you. We worship you in the promises
of your love and then the warnings of what we can do to
ourselves. We give you praise now in Jesus
name. Amen let's stand and Worship the
Lord.