Divided House

Matthew 12:22 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. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." 25 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. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 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. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 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. 33 "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. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 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. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

You have probably heard that there is only one church. (One true church, that is - and that IS true.)

The church cannot be divided, and anything that seeks to divide it would not be of the church - and - it could not be true.

In this sense then, what does it mean that the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being part of Satan’s kingdom? Of healing by Satan’s power?

Jesus, sensitive to the underlying meaning of their accusation, in turn accuses them of being exactly who they accuse Him of being.

Who can heal but God? Who, apart from God, could do the things Jesus is doing? This is all according to the prophets, and it would be against the words of their prophets to think or speak otherwise. It is therefore the Pharisees who are dividing God’s House, not Jesus.

There is a real present danger in accusing Jesus of anything, let alone of being against God, especially when we see Him doing the works of God.

By Whose power does One perform the works of God?

To this, Jesus says forthrightly, “You are either for Me or you are against Me.” There is no middle ground, and there is no place for both. YOU must decide Whose side you are on.

-Pastor Bill