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by Sandy Shaw
See the strategy of Jesus when he deals with evil and antagonism and opposition. We are in Matthew Chapter 12 and at verse 29. It is compared to entering a strong man’s house. Jesus deals with our foe. You do not deal with the possessions first. You have to deal with the strong man. One day he will be destroyed – when Jesus comes again.
How do we know we are on the right side? By the commitment we show, and that is taught in verse 30. It is the evidence of being on the side of Jesus Christ, and in the army of Jesus Christ involved with Jesus in this spiritual warfare.
Verse 34 - by the fruit we bear. Make a tree good and its fruit will be good – referring to our character.
Verses 34,37 – with reference to the words we speak.
In verse 38, some wanted to test Him - or tempt Him - requesting another sign.
How many signs do they need? How many times do you have to speak to people before they will listen - before they will believe - before they will obey? How many times?
There were so many signs, and so many miracles, yet these had made little impression. Jesus does not perform for this type of audience. Jesus knew their thoughts.
He knows our thoughts today. That can be devastating when some people realise that.
Because they were unwilling to believe, Jesus would not give them another miracle. Jesus was not there to amuse, or entertain, or perform, or do a turn for them to enjoy.
Jesus was there to save them, and rescue them, and release them, and heal them, leading them out of confusion and out of darkness into light. And, all they wanted was a party piece, as if Jesus was one of the items in a concert.
Jesus does answer them. "Any kingdom fighting against itself will soon fall."
You say I am casting out Satan with Satan's power. He will soon fall then, but Jesus goes on in verse 28 to make it very clear. "I am driving out demons by the finger of God, therefore realise that the kingdom of God has come to you."
Luke speaks about the finger – a finger of power – Christ's powerful finger.
Jesus was casting out this demon in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is as though the Holy Spirit is the Finger of God - how true.
He has a knack of putting His Finger on something, and we never know when He might just be doing that - when we speak - witness – and testify.
The risen Christ is among us. The Holy Spirit is here to put His Finger on things - to point them out - to bring them to our attention - so that we notice them - and deal with them.
In verse 29, Jesus portrays a picture of Satan - thinking he is safe and secure in his evil palace - surrounded by strong-arm guards - and thinking he will never lose his possessions. But when a stronger man appears - when Jesus appears - Satan is overcome. All the armour upon which he has relied is taken away, and all his possessions are taken from him.
It is a total irreversible defeat – defeated but not as yet destroyed!
What a powerful picture we have of Jesus Christ here. Christ is the strongest man around.
Verse 30. Then Jesus says - He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. What words! It is almost frightening to read them.
Jesus is saying, that no man can remain neutral. You cannot sit of the fence.
He, who is not openly siding with Jesus and His disciples, is on the other side, and anyway, there is no fence on which to sit. (And if there was a fence - then, when the Holy Spirit comes, He electrifies the fence – and people have to get off – on one side or the other.)
People who have no time for Jesus Christ and His Church are, at that point, against Jesus Christ and His Church. There is no neutral ground.
People like to think that they can tolerate The Church - and let us silly folks be - those who believe in all this.
But there is a day coming - when all will see - that there are those who are for Jesus Christ, and there are those who are not for Jesus Christ.
There is nothing in between.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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