Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Sunday Evening Service

Transcript

Sunday Evening Service · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
You may have noticed that David's voice was nearly giving in this morning.
0:06
! My own's not much better, so that's why there's three of us in the pulpit this evening.
0:10
If I fail, David will take over. If he fails, we can call on Roddy John.
0:15
But we are going to share out the load this evening, so I'll be doing the first part, just introducing the singings,
0:24
and then David will take over when it comes to the reading and the sermon part.
0:29
So we just pray for David as he leads us this evening, as his voice will hold out, and also as we go into the fellowship too.
0:37
So we're going to begin our worship, and I just want to think of the words of, we're not going to sing these words,
0:44
but the words of Psalm 126. We're going to sing in Psalm 100, but the words of 126 remind us that as we come this evening,
0:53
we come just thankful to the Lord's goodness to us. The psalmist says,
0:58
When Sion's bondage God turned back, as men that dreamed were we, then filled with laughter was our mouth, our tongue with melody.
1:07
As we reflect on this weekend, as we reflect on new members coming in, as we reflect on being under God's word,
1:15
we thank God who is the one who is able to turn his people back to himself, to bring his people home, as it were.
1:23
And we pray that this evening, as the word of God goes out, the call to come will be heard,
1:29
and that there will be much rejoicing in our midst again this evening.
1:33
And so we're going to begin by singing in Psalm 100, the Scottish Psalter, the first version.
1:39
You find it on page 362.
1:43
We'll sing the whole of this psalm, Psalm 100, the first version.
1:49
Again, the psalm just reflects the theme of coming to the Lord with praise.
1:54
All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice,
1:58
and say with mouth his praise forth tell,
2:01
Come ye before him and rejoice.
2:03
We'll stand to sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
2:07
Amen.
2:08
All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice,
2:27
and say with mouth his praise forth tell,
2:36
Come ye before him and rejoice.
2:43
Come ye before him and rejoice.
2:45
Show that the Lord is God indeed.
2:54
With the giant he in the spring,
3:02
We are his hope he doth us see,
3:11
And for his sheep he doth us take.
3:19
O enter then his gates with praise,
3:29
Approach with joy his course and doom,
3:37
Praise God and bless his name always,
3:45
All of his mercy be upon him and glory his name always,
3:52
All of his mercy be upon him and glory his name always,
3:54
For why the Lord our God is good,
4:03
His mercy is forever sure,
4:11
His mercy is forever sure,
4:18
His mercy is forever sure,
4:20
And shall promise to his mercy endure.
4:26
Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
4:36
Let us pray.
4:37
Let us pray.
4:38
Lord our gracious God, as we gather in your name this evening, we thank you for these words of praise that we have sung,
4:49
That we are reminded of how we enter into your presence,
4:52
How we come before you in all our different needs and in all our different circumstances,
4:57
Yet able to come,
4:58
Because you have prepared a way for us,
5:01
That you are the one who has invited us into your very presence,
5:05
Indeed who calls us to come.
5:08
And we pray that we would have the joy of this psalm even in our hearts this evening,
5:13
That we would be able to sing to the Lord with that cheerful voice,
5:17
The one who has heard us,
5:20
The one who knows us,
5:21
That we would come to know that you are the Lord indeed,
5:25
That you are God over all,
5:27
That without you, Lord, we are nothing,
5:29
That you are the one who has made us,
5:32
Created us,
5:33
Formed us,
5:34
The one who has kept us,
5:36
The one who has prepared a way for us,
5:41
In all your providence towards us as a people, Lord.
5:44
So often there are times of joy, but also times of sorrow,
5:48
And yet, O Lord, we can look to you as the one who has plans and purposes in them all.
5:54
And so we do come leaning upon you.
5:57
We come in our own weaknesses, our own frailties.
6:01
And yet, Lord, we thank you that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
6:05
And we pray to know you with us this evening.
6:09
We thank you for every way that you have reminded us that you are God in these days.
6:13
That as we have come into this communion season,
6:16
We have come praying to know your blessing.
6:19
And we thank you that as we come to the close of this season,
6:23
That we can look back in these days and truly rejoice and give thanks that you are one who has answered prayer.
6:31
That you have given us so many reasons to rejoice.
6:35
You have given it in individual situations and homes and families.
6:39
You have given it to us as a congregation.
6:42
You have given it to us even as a community, a wider community even than our own town here.
6:48
For we thank you that in every way, Lord, that we have been encouraged.
6:52
That we have been built up and even challenged and convicted by your word.
6:56
For your word is truth and your word is powerful.
7:00
And, oh Lord, in every way that we have been reminded of that.
7:03
From the outset of our services, Lord, even to this evening hour,
7:08
We thank you for your word that shall always endure.
7:12
That your truth is what stands firm and endures from age to age.
7:18
And we thank you that that truth is what we so need this evening.
7:22
What we all need is a people.
7:24
And we pray that through the ministry of your word and by your power of your spirit,
7:29
That you would meet us in all our needs.
7:32
We thank you for all who are here this evening.
7:35
We thank you for every home and family represented here.
7:39
We pray that we would just know your peace, your presence over us again here tonight.
7:46
That we would know what it is to be still.
7:49
And to know that you are indeed God.
7:51
And we just ask that, Lord, for all of us here, from the youngest to the oldest together.
7:58
That your voice which we have heard and which we continue to hear would resonate in our hearts.
8:04
That it would be a word that leaves us, doesn't leave us unchanged as we go from here this evening.
8:11
For we thank you that as we gather in this place tonight, when we know a place of peace,
8:17
When we know the stillness of your word ministering to us.
8:21
We know that power.
8:23
But we know too, as we look to our week ahead, that there will be the many challenges that come our way.
8:29
That as we go home this evening, as we go into the week ahead, with all that it might entail to us.
8:35
Many of the plans that we have made, Lord, they may come to fruition.
8:39
We may go about our daily ways, whether it's school or work or whatever we are doing.
8:44
We can do all these things, Lord, thinking that we have plans in place and we know what is ahead of us.
8:50
But we know too, Lord, that there are so often reminders that circumstances change.
8:56
That things change in our lives or the lives around us, in our communities, even in our nation and the world.
9:03
There are so many things that come that we do not see.
9:06
And we, at times, Lord, we do not even understand.
9:09
And we know that for individuals in this week ahead, there will be maybe many challenges that we have to face up to.
9:16
News that will come as a shock to us, whether it's personal or something around us.
9:22
And we know that things can leave us, Lord, in that state of looking to try to understand and many questions being asked.
9:31
And we just pray for your wisdom and for your help, for your grace to be with us.
9:36
We think that even looking back over this last week, as we have prayed so often over these days for the family in Braga.
9:45
We continue to remember them this evening, Lord, and especially in these days ahead with the funeral to take place on Tuesday.
9:53
We see a community, O Lord, that has been so impacted by that tragedy.
9:59
But we especially remember the family, Lord, and we just commit them to you.
10:04
That they would know, Lord, that you are near.
10:07
That they would know that, as a people, there are many praying for them.
10:11
And that they would know the power of your grace and your help towards them.
10:15
And we just pray, Lord, that as we see so much happening in our world, that may it leave us with questions.
10:23
That we would come to the one who has the answers for us.
10:28
Even the ones that are difficult to understand and believe at times.
10:33
Even the words that we read so often in Scripture, that all things work together for good.
10:38
For those who believe.
10:40
We can see, Lord, how difficult these words are at times.
10:43
And yet they remind us that you are a Lord and God who is able to bring good out of all things.
10:49
And so we do pray, Lord, for your goodness and mercy to be with us.
10:54
We pray, Lord, for us all together this evening.
10:57
Thankful for the ministry we've enjoyed over this weekend.
11:01
Thankful for David and Roddy John who have been with us.
11:04
Thankful for their preaching to us.
11:07
And for the fellowship we've enjoyed.
11:09
And for all that we've heard.
11:11
We pray, Lord, that these words that have ministered powerfully to us.
11:16
Would be ministering to us even in the days, weeks, months and even years ahead.
11:20
That we'd be able to reflect on what we have heard.
11:23
And to remember the words that spoke to us.
11:26
It may be that in many years time we are able to testify that God was good to us.
11:32
Even in these days.
11:33
And so we pray, Lord, that you will open hearts.
11:36
And ears this evening to hear what you have to say to us.
11:40
Bless us together and bless the ministry of your word far and wide.
11:44
Even as we think of our town just now as this communion weekend.
11:47
We pray for all the congregations of your people gathered together.
11:51
And we pray for the communions to come as well in different parts of our island.
11:56
That we would see and hear great and wondrous things that the Lord is doing.
12:01
And that we would rejoice and say this is the doing of the Lord and wondrous in our eyes.
12:07
So may, Lord, you fill us with that hope that you are to your people.
12:11
That you would fill us with that prayerful spirit.
12:15
To know you leading us as our Lord, as our shepherd.
12:18
Hear our prayers. Continue with us.
12:20
Pardoning all our sin is all we ask.
12:23
We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
12:26
We'll sing again to God's praise.
12:32
This time we're singing in Psalm 103.
12:35
And let's sing Psalm's version.
12:41
Psalm 103.
12:42
We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 11.
12:46
Praise God, my soul, with all my heart.
12:49
Let me exalt his holy name.
12:52
Forget not all his benefits.
12:53
His praise, my soul, in song proclaim.
12:56
The Lord forgives you all your sins and heals your sickness and distress.
13:01
Your life he rescues from the grave and crowns you in his tenderness.
13:06
We'll sing from verse 1 to 11.
13:09
And then at that point, David will lead us in the rest of the service.
13:12
Jesus says.
13:42
He satisfies you all your sins and heals your sickness and distress.
13:51
Your life he rescues from the grave and crowns you in his tenderness.
14:01
Unkind to end his tenderness.
14:08
He satisfies your deep desires.
14:13
From his unending stores all good.
14:18
So not just like the eagle's strength.
14:24
Your youthful name of his renewed.
14:29
The Lord is known for righteousness.
14:34
And justice to them, God and once.
14:40
Till Moses he may know his ways.
14:45
His mighty deeds to Israel's sons.
14:50
His mighty deeds to Israel's sons.
14:57
The Lord is merciful and kind.
15:02
To anger slow and full of praise.
15:07
He will not constantly reprove.
15:12
All in his anger hide his grace.
15:17
He does not punish our misdeeds.
15:24
For give our sins.
15:25
For give our sins their just reward.
15:30
Our greatest love must hide at heaven.
15:35
To watch all those who fear the Lord.
15:41
To watch all those who fear the Lord.
15:47
To watch all those who fear the Lord.
15:54
If I could ask you now please to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 12.
16:00
Page 983 of the Bible that I have here.
16:06
Matthew chapter 12.
16:33
And we will read this section from verse 22 to verse 32.
16:38
Verse 32.
16:41
Then a demon oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus.
16:46
And he healed him so that the man spoke and saw.
16:49
And all the people were amazed and said,
16:52
Can this be the son of David?
16:54
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said,
16:57
It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.
17:02
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them,
17:05
Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste.
17:08
And no city or house divided against itself will stand.
17:12
And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.
17:18
How then will his kingdom stand?
17:20
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?
17:26
Therefore they will be your judges.
17:28
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons,
17:32
Then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
17:35
Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods?
17:39
Unless he first binds the strong man, then indeed he may plunder his house.
17:45
Whoever is not with me is against me.
17:50
And whoever does not gather with me scatters.
17:54
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people.
17:59
But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
18:04
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.
18:08
But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
18:12
Either in this age or in the age to come.
18:18
Amen.
18:19
And may God bless that reading of his word to us.
18:22
We'll sing again now from the Scottish altar,
18:25
The traditional version of Psalm 119 on page number 407.
18:32
Psalm 119.
18:42
And we will sing from verses 89 down to the end of verse 94.
18:50
Psalm 139.
18:51
Psalm 139.
18:52
Psalm 139.
18:54
Psalm 139.
18:55
Psalm 139.
18:56
Psalm 139.
18:59
Psalm 139.
19:01
Psalm 139.
19:02
Psalm 139.
19:04
Psalm 139.
19:06
Psalm 139.
19:07
Psalm 139.
19:11
Psalm 139.
19:13
when, as my troubles did abound,
19:17
thy precepts I will ne'er forget,
19:20
thy quickening to me brought.
19:22
Lord, I am thine, O save thou me,
19:24
thy precepts I have sought.
19:26
These verses we stand to sing to God's praise.
19:43
The Lord, I am thine, O save thou me,
20:13
thy best, and as my mortgings,
20:19
on all thy servants be.
20:26
Unless in thy most perfect law
20:32
my soul delights have found,
20:38
I should have perished yet
20:44
when, as my troubles did abound,
20:53
thy precepts I will ne'er forget,
21:00
they quickening to me brought.
21:05
Lord, I am thine, O save thou me,
21:14
thy precepts I have sought.
21:19
If you could turn back with me, please,
21:36
to Matthew chapter 12.
21:38
And as we go there, let's again
21:48
unite our hearts in prayer.
21:50
Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word.
22:01
We thank you that your word is truth.
22:04
Your word is reliable.
22:06
Your word is enduring.
22:09
We thank you that your word is life-giving.
22:11
We thank you that eternal life is found only
22:16
in turning to your word
22:20
and looking to the Lord Jesus.
22:24
We thank you that that eternal life is promised
22:27
to all who will come
22:29
in response to the call of Christ,
22:33
to all who will call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
22:36
We thank you that you are the Savior.
22:41
We thank you for all that we have remembered today
22:43
that he did on our behalf
22:45
to make it possible for us to be saved.
22:51
We praise you for the fact, Lord Jesus,
22:54
that the work of salvation is done.
22:56
It is finished.
23:01
And we pray that you would enable us to see that,
23:04
each one of us,
23:07
and enable us to come
23:08
with empty hands,
23:12
with humble hearts,
23:14
asking for the grace
23:16
that we can never work to earn,
23:18
but you have promised
23:20
that you will freely give to all who ask.
23:22
So be at work, Lord, amongst us, we pray.
23:28
We pray especially for anyone here
23:29
who does not yet know Jesus
23:32
in that personal, saving way.
23:36
We pray for any who may be here
23:38
who have heard the message of the gospel many times,
23:42
who have heard time after time
23:44
the call of Jesus to come,
23:48
and who have hesitated,
23:49
and who have reflected,
23:50
and who have made up excuses,
23:55
and who have sometimes been so busy
23:57
and distracted
23:59
that they have said,
24:00
well, maybe another day,
24:01
maybe another week.
24:04
You have promised, Lord,
24:06
that you will not always strive with us.
24:09
The Spirit will not always strive with man.
24:12
And we see that even in the passage
24:14
that's before us this evening.
24:17
We pray that you would strive, Holy Spirit,
24:20
with each one of us here,
24:22
and that tonight,
24:24
there may be some
24:25
who even for the first time
24:28
respond by
24:30
asking Christ to be their Savior
24:33
and their Lord.
24:38
So help us, Lord, we pray,
24:40
in preaching,
24:42
in listening,
24:43
in responding,
24:45
that you would speak
24:47
into our lives,
24:48
and that you would give us the faith
24:49
to respond in a way
24:52
that brings salvation,
24:54
rest, peace,
24:55
to our souls,
24:57
and glory to your name.
25:00
Hear our prayers.
25:01
Continue with us,
25:02
we ask in Jesus' name.
25:04
Amen.
25:04
Amen.
25:04
Amen.
25:10
It's good to see quite a number
25:17
of young people
25:18
here this evening,
25:19
and I'm conscious
25:20
with the young people
25:22
that this is the time of year
25:24
where exams loom large.
25:29
I've got teenage girls
25:31
in my house back in Harris,
25:33
and they've just finished
25:34
their prelims,
25:35
and now there's the prospect
25:36
of other exams coming,
25:39
and so there's studying
25:40
that's done,
25:41
and there is preparations
25:44
that are made
25:45
because there are questions
25:47
that are set,
25:48
and students,
25:51
in each of the subjects
25:52
that they study,
25:54
they have to think carefully
25:55
about how they answer
25:58
these questions that are set
25:59
because the way they answer
26:01
the questions
26:02
determines how they will be judged
26:05
by examiners,
26:06
and sometimes it can even
26:08
determine the direction
26:10
that life takes.
26:12
So questions are important,
26:14
and how we answer questions
26:16
are important.
26:18
And with Matthew chapter 12 open,
26:20
I want to zoom in
26:22
on a question
26:23
that is at the heart
26:25
of this chapter,
26:26
a question that all the people
26:29
were asking about Jesus.
26:32
and it's a question
26:34
that was being asked
26:35
all these years ago,
26:37
and yet this is a question
26:38
that not just them,
26:40
but every one of us
26:42
will have to answer.
26:46
And the way that we answer
26:48
this question
26:48
will impact
26:51
not just how we live
26:52
in this world,
26:54
although it will impact
26:55
how we live in this world,
26:57
but how we answer
26:58
this question
26:59
will have an impact
27:01
that will determine
27:02
where we spend
27:04
eternity,
27:06
whether it's heaven
27:07
or hell,
27:09
with Jesus
27:11
or apart from him.
27:14
The question is found
27:15
in verse 23.
27:17
We hear
27:18
the people asking,
27:20
can this,
27:22
as they look at Jesus,
27:25
say, listen to what he's saying,
27:27
as they see these signs
27:29
and miracles,
27:32
they ask the question,
27:34
can this be
27:35
the son of David?
27:38
Or if we were to put it
27:39
into modern day language,
27:42
they're asking the question,
27:44
who is Jesus?
27:47
Can this be the saviour?
27:50
Can this be
27:51
the son of God?
27:55
Three points in the time
27:56
that we have
27:58
this evening.
27:59
The first point
28:00
is
28:01
the blind man.
28:02
We're introduced here
28:03
to a blind man.
28:05
And we learn
28:06
in this passage
28:08
that the blind man
28:09
sees Jesus.
28:11
It's the first point.
28:12
The blind man
28:12
sees Jesus.
28:14
The second thing,
28:15
the second point
28:16
that we come to
28:17
is
28:17
we once more
28:18
encounter
28:19
these religious leaders
28:20
in this passage
28:22
and we can observe
28:24
that the seeing men
28:26
or the so-called
28:27
seeing men,
28:28
they're blind to Jesus.
28:31
So the blind man
28:32
sees Jesus,
28:33
but the so-called
28:34
theologically educated
28:36
seeing men,
28:37
they're blind to Jesus.
28:39
They can't see Jesus.
28:41
And the final point
28:43
that we come to
28:43
is
28:44
it's not the most concise
28:46
heading I've got here,
28:48
but it's
28:49
dealing with the teaching
28:50
that Jesus
28:51
expounds here
28:52
and it's to
28:53
say that
28:54
blasphemy against
28:55
the Holy Spirit
28:56
is to refuse
28:59
to believe
29:01
in Jesus.
29:04
So that's the structure.
29:06
That's where we're going
29:07
in the time
29:08
that we have.
29:09
So we begin
29:09
with this
29:10
blind man
29:12
who sees Jesus.
29:14
Look at verse 22.
29:16
Then a demon
29:16
oppressed man
29:17
who was blind
29:18
and mute
29:19
was brought to Jesus
29:21
and Jesus
29:22
healed him
29:24
so that the man
29:25
spoke
29:26
and saw.
29:29
So what Matthew
29:29
does here
29:30
is he shares
29:32
with us
29:32
a very short
29:34
testimony.
29:36
He tells us
29:37
about a man
29:37
who was both
29:39
blind
29:39
and mute.
29:40
He couldn't see
29:41
and he couldn't speak.
29:45
But Matthew
29:45
tells us
29:46
not just about
29:47
the symptoms
29:48
the struggles
29:49
that this man
29:50
had.
29:51
He tells us
29:52
also the reason
29:52
behind the struggles.
29:55
He tells us
29:55
in verse 22
29:56
that he was
29:57
demon oppressed.
30:00
That's what was
30:01
going on
30:01
in this man's
30:02
life.
30:03
He was under attack.
30:06
One of Satan's
30:07
agents
30:07
had this man
30:10
under a
30:11
dark oppression
30:12
and so he's
30:15
suffering.
30:18
Who is the man?
30:20
Well we don't
30:21
know much about
30:22
the man.
30:23
We're not told
30:24
his name.
30:26
We're not told
30:26
anything much
30:27
about him.
30:30
But maybe that's
30:31
a purposeful
30:32
thing.
30:33
because as we
30:37
look in at
30:37
this man
30:38
spiritually
30:39
speaking
30:39
we're looking
30:41
into the mirror
30:42
and we're
30:44
seeing a
30:45
reflection
30:45
of ourselves.
30:47
Spiritually
30:47
speaking
30:48
we are
30:50
this man.
30:53
Psalm 51
30:53
verse 6
30:54
we sang
30:55
from Psalm 51
30:56
this morning
30:57
and that
30:57
psalm makes
30:58
it clear to
30:59
us that
31:00
we are
31:01
each one
31:02
of us
31:02
born with
31:03
a condition
31:04
called
31:05
sin.
31:08
And sin
31:09
makes us
31:09
blind.
31:12
We can't
31:13
see God.
31:15
We can't
31:16
see our
31:16
need of
31:17
God.
31:17
That's what
31:18
sin does.
31:19
We can see
31:20
everything else.
31:22
Our eyes
31:22
are distracted
31:24
and drawn to
31:24
lots of
31:25
shiny things
31:26
in this
31:26
world.
31:29
Our eyes
31:29
focus in
31:30
on ourselves
31:31
but sin
31:34
is like
31:34
scales
31:35
that
31:35
cluster
31:36
around
31:37
our eyes
31:38
and we
31:38
can't
31:39
see God
31:40
and our
31:42
need of
31:42
him.
31:44
And sin
31:45
makes us
31:46
mute.
31:49
It's sin
31:49
that causes
31:50
us not
31:51
to want to
31:52
speak to
31:53
God.
31:55
It's sin
31:56
that causes
31:57
us to
31:58
be speaking
31:59
to everybody
31:59
else
32:00
whether
32:03
it's in
32:04
conversation
32:04
or these
32:05
days it's
32:06
in message
32:07
form
32:07
and yet
32:10
never
32:10
praying,
32:11
never
32:12
speaking to
32:13
God.
32:14
So spiritually
32:15
speaking,
32:15
as we look
32:16
in on this
32:17
man, we
32:17
are with
32:18
this man.
32:21
So what
32:22
happened
32:22
next?
32:24
Well, what we
32:24
see here is
32:25
that this man
32:26
was brought
32:27
to Jesus
32:28
and Jesus
32:31
healed him.
32:33
We're not
32:34
given the
32:35
details.
32:36
We're not
32:37
given much
32:37
in terms of
32:38
the details
32:39
of how that
32:40
healing happened.
32:41
We're just
32:41
told that
32:42
Jesus healed
32:44
this man.
32:45
man.
32:48
And the
32:49
good news
32:49
is that
32:50
what Jesus
32:50
did for
32:51
this man
32:52
in the
32:53
passage,
32:54
he can
32:56
do for
32:56
us by
32:58
his power
32:59
and by
32:59
his grace.
33:03
You
33:03
know the
33:04
hymn that
33:05
is often
33:06
sung,
33:07
Amazing
33:08
Grace,
33:10
how sweet
33:10
the sound
33:11
that saved
33:12
a wretch
33:13
like me.
33:15
I once
33:17
was lost
33:18
but now
33:19
I'm found,
33:21
was blind
33:22
but now
33:24
I see
33:25
the testimony
33:26
in song
33:28
form of
33:28
this man.
33:31
Jesus
33:32
made this
33:32
blind man
33:34
see and
33:34
Jesus can
33:35
still make
33:36
spiritually blind
33:37
people see.
33:40
Jesus can
33:41
still take
33:42
us from
33:42
that state
33:43
of
33:44
darkness
33:45
into light.
33:48
He can
33:48
take us
33:49
from
33:49
death
33:50
into life.
33:58
So come
33:59
to him
33:59
says Matthew
34:02
repeatedly.
34:03
We've been
34:04
in this
34:04
all weekend.
34:06
There's that
34:06
recurring
34:07
call,
34:08
the gospel
34:09
call.
34:10
It's
34:10
come to
34:11
Jesus.
34:13
It's
34:13
great that
34:14
you're
34:14
coming to
34:14
church
34:15
but it's
34:17
possible to
34:18
come to
34:18
church and
34:19
never come
34:20
to Jesus.
34:21
It's
34:21
possible to
34:21
come to
34:22
Sunday
34:22
school,
34:23
Sunday
34:23
after Sunday
34:24
and come
34:25
to YF
34:25
and go to
34:28
fellowships
34:29
and never
34:31
come to
34:32
Jesus.
34:35
So come to
34:36
him,
34:36
says Matthew.
34:37
Jesus can
34:40
take our
34:41
sin away.
34:41
He can
34:42
break the
34:43
hold that
34:43
Satan has
34:45
in us.
34:45
He can
34:45
make our
34:46
hearts
34:46
well.
34:48
He can
34:49
heal our
34:49
hearts.
34:53
So come
34:53
to him,
34:55
says Matthew,
34:56
as he
35:03
tells us
35:04
about this
35:05
account here
35:06
because notice
35:06
that's what
35:07
happened here.
35:09
In verse
35:10
22,
35:11
we can
35:12
see that
35:12
the demon
35:13
oppressed
35:14
man,
35:15
he was
35:16
brought to
35:17
Jesus.
35:22
He
35:22
himself
35:23
couldn't
35:23
see Jesus.
35:26
And he
35:26
couldn't
35:27
see his
35:27
need of
35:27
Jesus,
35:28
but he
35:28
had friends
35:29
who could
35:30
see that
35:31
he needed
35:32
Jesus.
35:34
And this
35:35
man, he
35:35
couldn't
35:35
speak to
35:36
Jesus,
35:37
but his
35:39
friends could
35:40
speak to
35:41
Jesus on
35:41
his behalf.
35:45
And so
35:46
they brought
35:46
him.
35:48
I don't
35:48
know how
35:49
he felt.
35:51
Maybe he
35:51
was reluctant.
35:52
Maybe there's
35:53
people here
35:53
tonight.
35:55
You've been
35:55
brought to
35:56
church.
35:58
You
35:58
wouldn't have
35:59
chosen to
35:59
come,
35:59
maybe.
36:01
You'd
36:01
maybe be
36:02
rather
36:02
watching the
36:03
football.
36:04
But you've
36:05
been brought
36:05
to church
36:06
by parents
36:07
who know
36:08
that you
36:08
need
36:09
Jesus.
36:12
And you
36:12
know,
36:12
that's our
36:13
calling,
36:13
not just as
36:14
parents,
36:15
but if we
36:15
are Christians,
36:16
we are to
36:16
bring people
36:17
to Jesus.
36:21
We're to
36:21
tell people
36:22
about Jesus,
36:23
but then
36:24
before we
36:26
speak to
36:26
people about
36:27
Jesus,
36:27
we first
36:28
have to
36:29
speak to
36:29
Jesus about
36:30
them.
36:33
We have
36:33
to pray
36:34
for them.
36:37
We have
36:38
to tell
36:38
Jesus about
36:39
the friends
36:40
that we
36:41
love,
36:43
that we
36:43
have concern
36:43
for,
36:45
and ask
36:47
him
36:47
to heal
36:49
their hearts,
36:50
to open
36:50
their eyes,
36:51
to unblock
36:54
their ears,
36:55
to loosen
36:55
their tongues
36:56
that they
36:56
would come
36:57
to Jesus.
37:00
So,
37:01
just before
37:02
we move
37:03
on,
37:03
maybe I
37:04
could just
37:04
pause to
37:05
ask those
37:07
who are
37:07
Christians
37:07
here tonight,
37:10
a very
37:12
practical
37:12
question.
37:14
Who are
37:15
you praying
37:15
for?
37:16
for?
37:20
I want you
37:21
to think
37:21
about that
37:21
for a
37:22
moment.
37:26
And in
37:27
your minds,
37:28
in your
37:28
hearts,
37:29
in the
37:29
silence,
37:30
bring the
37:32
names.
37:35
What
37:35
friends,
37:36
what family
37:37
members,
37:38
what
37:38
colleagues
37:38
are you
37:39
praying for?
37:40
hear the
37:43
names,
37:45
as you
37:46
think
37:47
through in
37:47
your minds.
37:49
We should
37:49
all be
37:49
praying for
37:50
two or
37:51
three or
37:51
four or
37:51
five or
37:52
ten people.
37:55
Who are
37:56
you burdened
37:57
for?
37:59
Who do
37:59
you want
38:00
to bring
38:00
to Jesus?
38:01
Jesus,
38:02
Jesus,
38:02
let's
38:06
ensure
38:07
that we
38:08
are
38:09
specific,
38:11
that we
38:12
are personal,
38:14
that we
38:15
are praying
38:16
day by
38:16
day for
38:17
these people
38:18
and asking
38:19
the Lord
38:20
to give
38:22
us
38:23
opportunities
38:23
to tell
38:24
them
38:24
about
38:25
Jesus.
38:29
The
38:30
blind
38:30
man
38:31
sees
38:33
Jesus,
38:33
that's
38:34
the first
38:34
point.
38:35
The
38:35
second
38:36
point is
38:36
the
38:36
seeing
38:37
men or
38:37
the so
38:37
called
38:38
seeing
38:38
men.
38:40
They're
38:40
blind to
38:41
Jesus.
38:43
We saw
38:43
something of
38:43
this on
38:44
Friday night.
38:45
We see
38:45
it again
38:46
in verse
38:46
23 and
38:48
following.
38:49
We see
38:50
first of
38:50
all in
38:50
verse 23
38:51
we overhear
38:53
all the
38:53
people.
38:54
All the
38:54
people were
38:55
amazed.
38:56
They've
38:56
just witnessed
38:57
!
38:57
This
38:57
healing!
39:00
And the
39:01
people are
39:01
amazed and
39:02
they said,
39:02
can this
39:03
be the
39:03
son of
39:04
David?
39:05
So the
39:05
people were
39:06
the crowds.
39:07
The
39:08
people were
39:09
the ordinary
39:10
people.
39:11
They're just
39:11
like us.
39:14
They knew a
39:16
bit of the
39:16
Bible,
39:18
but the
39:19
people,
39:20
the crowds,
39:21
they didn't
39:22
have a
39:22
theological
39:22
education.
39:25
And yet
39:26
they know
39:26
enough of
39:28
the Old
39:28
Testament to
39:29
be starting
39:30
to get
39:30
excited about
39:32
Jesus.
39:32
Jesus.
39:34
And so
39:34
they say,
39:35
can this
39:36
be the
39:36
son of
39:36
David?
39:40
The
39:40
son of
39:40
David was
39:41
a title
39:42
that was
39:43
reserved for
39:44
the Messiah.
39:47
So they're
39:48
asking,
39:49
could this
39:49
Jesus be
39:51
the Messiah?
39:52
Could he be
39:53
the promised
39:53
one of
39:54
God?
39:55
Could he
39:55
be the
39:55
Savior?
39:57
Could he
39:58
be the one
39:59
that we've
39:59
been pointed
40:00
forward to,
40:00
that we're
40:01
looking for?
40:02
Could this
40:03
be the
40:05
Savior?
40:07
Isaiah
40:08
chapter 35
40:09
verse 6
40:10
made clear
40:11
that the
40:12
Messiah would
40:13
open the
40:14
eyes of the
40:14
blind,
40:15
that he
40:16
would open
40:16
the ears of
40:17
the deaf,
40:18
that he
40:18
would loosen
40:19
the tongue
40:19
of the
40:20
mute,
40:20
that he
40:21
would heal
40:21
those who
40:22
were crippled.
40:23
And this
40:24
is exactly
40:25
what Jesus
40:26
had been
40:27
doing.
40:30
So they
40:31
joined the
40:31
dots.
40:32
In their
40:33
minds,
40:33
they say,
40:34
this must
40:35
be the
40:35
Messiah.
40:37
There's
40:37
that tangible
40:38
excitement that
40:39
is moving
40:40
through these
40:41
crowds.
40:45
But then
40:46
the so-called
40:46
seeing men,
40:48
then the
40:48
theological
40:49
heavyweights
40:50
come in,
40:52
the Pharisees,
40:53
and they
40:53
step in.
40:55
Verse 24.
40:56
But when
40:58
the Pharisees
40:59
heard it,
41:00
they said,
41:01
it is only
41:01
by Beelzebul,
41:02
the prince of
41:03
demons,
41:03
that this
41:04
man casts
41:04
out demons.
41:11
Now,
41:11
stop for a
41:12
moment and
41:12
think about
41:13
this.
41:14
These men
41:15
who say
41:16
that,
41:19
they are the
41:21
most qualified
41:21
people to be
41:24
able to see
41:25
the Messiah.
41:28
These are
41:28
the theology
41:29
professors.
41:31
These are the
41:31
Old Testament
41:32
experts.
41:36
And yet,
41:37
here is the
41:37
son of
41:38
David.
41:39
Here is the
41:40
Messiah.
41:41
Here is the
41:42
son of God.
41:43
And he's
41:43
looking them
41:44
in the eye.
41:47
And they
41:48
can't see him.
41:51
Or they
41:51
won't see him.
41:52
They're
41:55
willfully
41:56
blind.
41:59
They don't
42:00
want to see
42:00
Jesus.
42:03
And there's
42:04
a warning
42:04
here that we
42:05
must take
42:07
note of.
42:09
And the
42:09
application is
42:10
straightforward.
42:11
You know,
42:11
it is possible
42:12
for us
42:14
to know
42:16
the Bible
42:16
and to
42:18
attend church
42:19
week by
42:19
week.
42:20
and to
42:22
be members
42:24
of the
42:25
Sunday
42:25
school and
42:26
the YF.
42:27
It's
42:27
possible for
42:27
us to be
42:28
active in
42:29
the life of
42:29
the church.
42:30
It's
42:30
possible to
42:31
be a
42:31
minister or
42:32
a bishop or
42:33
an archbishop
42:34
and be
42:36
lost.
42:39
Actually be
42:40
an enemy
42:40
of Christ.
42:43
Like the
42:44
Pharisees
42:44
were.
42:45
your salvation
42:49
and mine
42:50
is not
42:53
dependent
42:53
upon how
42:55
much we
42:56
know about
42:57
Jesus.
42:59
Our
43:00
salvation
43:01
is dependent
43:02
on knowing
43:04
Jesus
43:05
personally.
43:09
Trusting
43:10
him
43:11
as our
43:13
saviour.
43:13
following
43:16
him as
43:17
our
43:17
lord and
43:18
king.
43:19
Having a
43:19
relationship,
43:20
a living
43:21
relationship
43:22
with him
43:22
where we
43:24
walk with
43:25
him and
43:25
we talk
43:26
with him.
43:29
We spend
43:30
time day
43:31
by day
43:32
in his
43:34
presence.
43:37
The
43:38
Pharisees,
43:39
as we see
43:39
them here,
43:40
they were
43:40
resisting
43:41
Jesus.
43:45
They were
43:45
rebels
43:46
against
43:48
Jesus.
43:49
They had
43:49
no
43:50
relationship
43:50
with
43:51
Jesus.
43:54
So what
43:55
about you
43:55
and what
43:56
about me?
44:00
Do we
44:01
know
44:01
Jesus?
44:04
Are we
44:05
in relationship
44:06
with him?
44:06
have we
44:11
come to
44:11
him?
44:13
We've
44:14
heard the
44:14
call
44:14
repeatedly
44:17
even over
44:17
these days.
44:19
Come to
44:19
me,
44:20
those who
44:20
are weary,
44:21
those who
44:21
are burdened,
44:22
those who
44:22
are sinners.
44:26
Ask
44:26
for
44:26
forgiveness.
44:28
Ask
44:29
for
44:29
cleansing.
44:30
Receive
44:30
rest.
44:32
Call
44:32
upon
44:32
my
44:32
name.
44:33
have we
44:36
done it?
44:40
Have we
44:41
come to
44:41
him?
44:49
The
44:50
seeing men
44:50
are blind
44:51
to Jesus.
44:54
The
44:54
blind man
44:55
sees
44:55
Jesus.
44:57
And the
44:57
final thing
44:58
this evening
44:58
is the
45:01
whole
45:02
teaching
45:03
that
45:03
Jesus
45:04
presses
45:05
home
45:05
at this
45:06
point
45:06
that
45:07
blasphemy
45:09
against
45:09
the
45:10
Holy
45:10
Spirit.
45:10
This
45:11
term,
45:13
this
45:13
teaching,
45:13
this
45:14
sin
45:14
that
45:15
so
45:16
troubles
45:17
us.
45:19
Blasphemy
45:19
against
45:20
the
45:20
Holy
45:20
Spirit.
45:21
What is
45:21
it?
45:22
It's
45:22
refusing
45:23
to
45:24
believe
45:25
in
45:25
Jesus.
45:29
There
45:29
are
45:29
some
45:30
places
45:30
that
45:31
we
45:32
would
45:33
just
45:33
rather
45:33
not
45:33
go
45:34
because
45:36
they
45:36
unsettle
45:36
us.
45:39
I
45:39
lived
45:39
for a
45:40
few
45:40
years
45:40
over
45:41
in
45:41
Skye
45:42
when
45:42
my
45:42
dad
45:42
was
45:43
a
45:43
minister
45:43
and
45:44
we
45:44
lived
45:44
in
45:44
a
45:44
place
45:44
called
45:45
Kensel
45:45
Eyre.
45:48
There
45:49
was a
45:49
wee
45:49
burn
45:49
in the
45:50
back
45:50
of our
45:51
house
45:51
just
45:52
up
45:52
on
45:53
the
45:53
man's
45:54
croft
45:55
of
45:55
Glebe.
45:56
And
45:56
apparently
45:57
over
45:58
the
45:58
years,
45:59
over
46:00
the
46:00
decades,
46:00
even
46:00
over
46:01
centuries,
46:03
there
46:03
was
46:03
books
46:03
written
46:04
and
46:04
stories
46:05
told
46:05
that
46:06
people
46:06
saw
46:07
ghostly
46:08
things.
46:09
They
46:09
saw
46:09
disturbing
46:10
things
46:11
around
46:11
this
46:12
burn.
46:16
And I
46:16
used to
46:17
walk the
46:17
dog
46:17
out the
46:18
back
46:19
of this
46:19
croft.
46:22
And I
46:22
have to
46:22
say,
46:23
I never
46:23
saw any
46:24
ghostly
46:24
things.
46:25
but
46:28
when I
46:28
was
46:28
walking
46:28
the
46:28
dog
46:29
after
46:29
dark,
46:31
I
46:31
tended
46:31
to
46:32
avoid
46:32
the
46:32
burn
46:32
because
46:34
it
46:34
just
46:35
unsettled
46:35
me.
46:38
And
46:38
this
46:38
next
46:39
passage,
46:40
the
46:41
verses,
46:42
if you've
46:42
got them
46:42
open
46:42
between
46:43
25
46:43
and
46:45
32,
46:46
it's
46:46
an
46:46
area
46:47
that
46:50
many
46:51
people
46:51
tend
46:51
to
46:51
avoid
46:52
because
46:54
it's
46:54
unsettling.
46:57
Jesus
46:57
talks
46:58
in these
46:59
verses
46:59
about
47:01
an
47:01
unforgivable
47:03
sin.
47:06
And
47:07
he calls
47:08
that
47:08
blasphemy
47:09
against
47:10
the
47:10
Holy
47:10
Spirit.
47:13
Don't
47:13
want to
47:13
think about
47:14
this for
47:14
just a
47:15
few
47:15
moments,
47:15
but
47:16
just
47:16
before we
47:16
consider
47:17
what
47:17
Jesus
47:17
says
47:18
specifically
47:19
about
47:19
this
47:20
sin,
47:21
let's
47:21
just
47:22
recap
47:23
and
47:23
remind
47:24
ourselves
47:24
of
47:25
what
47:26
has
47:26
just
47:26
happened
47:27
because
47:27
the
47:28
context
47:28
is always
47:28
important
47:29
for us
47:29
to
47:29
understand
47:30
the
47:30
teaching.
47:32
So
47:32
what
47:33
has
47:33
just
47:33
happened?
47:34
Jesus
47:34
goes on,
47:35
he teaches
47:36
this about
47:37
the
47:37
unforgivable
47:38
sin,
47:38
but what
47:39
has he
47:39
just
47:40
encountered?
47:40
What has
47:41
he just
47:41
faced?
47:41
What has
47:42
just
47:42
happened
47:42
here?
47:43
Well,
47:44
he's
47:44
just
47:44
clashed
47:44
with
47:45
the
47:45
Pharisees.
47:48
The
47:48
Pharisees
47:49
just
47:49
watch
47:49
Jesus
47:50
heal
47:51
this
47:52
blind
47:53
and
47:53
mute
47:53
man.
47:54
They
47:54
had
47:55
seen
47:55
the
47:55
supernatural
47:56
power
47:57
of God
47:58
the
47:58
Holy
47:59
Spirit
47:59
working
48:01
with
48:02
and
48:02
working
48:03
through
48:03
God
48:04
the
48:04
Son.
48:05
They'd
48:05
witnessed
48:05
a miracle.
48:07
They'd
48:07
seen
48:08
God
48:08
at
48:08
action.
48:10
And
48:10
how
48:11
do they
48:11
respond?
48:12
Well,
48:12
they respond
48:13
in verse
48:13
24
48:14
by calling
48:15
the Holy
48:16
Spirit
48:17
and
48:17
the
48:17
work
48:17
of
48:18
the
48:18
Holy
48:18
Spirit
48:18
they
48:19
call
48:19
they
48:21
attribute
48:22
that
48:22
work
48:22
to
48:22
Beelzebul
48:23
the
48:25
devil.
48:28
So we
48:29
have here
48:30
the most
48:30
crass
48:31
sinful
48:32
case
48:33
of
48:33
mistaken
48:34
identity.
48:36
They point
48:37
the finger
48:38
at Jesus
48:38
and talk
48:42
about
48:42
the devil.
48:43
And so
48:45
Jesus
48:45
just
48:46
using
48:46
very
48:47
basic
48:48
reason
48:48
he
48:50
shows
48:50
how
48:50
flawed
48:51
their
48:51
thinking
48:51
was.
48:53
Verse
48:54
25
48:54
Knowing
48:56
their
48:56
thoughts
48:56
Jesus
48:57
said to
48:57
them
48:58
every
48:58
kingdom
48:59
divided
48:59
against
49:00
itself
49:00
is
49:00
laid
49:01
waste
49:01
no
49:02
sithier
49:02
house
49:02
divided
49:03
against
49:03
itself
49:04
will
49:04
stand.
49:05
If
49:05
Satan
49:06
casts
49:06
out
49:06
Satan
49:07
he's
49:08
divided
49:08
against
49:09
himself
49:09
how
49:10
then
49:10
will
49:10
his
49:10
kingdom
49:11
stand?
49:13
And if
49:14
I cast
49:14
out
49:14
demons
49:15
by
49:15
Beelzebul
49:16
by
49:16
whom
49:16
do
49:17
your
49:17
sons
49:17
cast
49:17
them
49:18
out?
49:19
Therefore
49:19
they
49:20
will
49:20
be
49:20
your
49:20
judges.
49:22
But
49:22
if
49:22
it's
49:22
by
49:23
the
49:23
spirit
49:23
of
49:23
God
49:24
that
49:25
I
49:25
cast
49:25
out
49:25
demons
49:26
then
49:27
the
49:27
kingdom
49:27
of
49:28
God
49:28
has
49:28
come
49:28
upon
49:28
you.
49:31
How
49:31
can
49:31
someone
49:31
enter
49:32
a
49:32
strong
49:32
man's
49:33
house
49:33
and
49:34
plunder
49:34
his
49:35
goods
49:35
unless
49:35
he
49:36
first
49:36
binds
49:36
!
49:43
So
49:44
Jesus
49:44
he
49:44
just
49:45
shows
49:46
in
49:46
a
49:47
very
49:47
few
49:47
words
49:49
how
49:49
flawed
49:51
and
49:52
irrational
49:52
their
49:54
reasoning
49:54
was.
49:56
J.C.
49:56
Ryle
49:57
says it
49:57
quicker than
49:58
I can
49:58
he says
49:59
this was
50:00
an
50:00
absurd
50:00
charge.
50:03
Our
50:03
Lord
50:03
shows
50:04
that it
50:04
was
50:05
unreasonable
50:05
to suppose
50:06
that the
50:06
devil
50:07
would help
50:07
to pull
50:08
down
50:08
his own
50:08
kingdom
50:09
and
50:09
Satan
50:10
cast
50:10
out
50:10
Satan
50:11
but
50:12
there
50:12
is
50:12
nothing
50:13
says
50:13
Ryle
50:14
too
50:15
absurd
50:16
and
50:17
unreasonable
50:17
for men
50:18
to say
50:18
when they
50:20
are
50:20
thoroughly
50:20
set
50:21
against
50:22
Christ.
50:27
And
50:28
that was
50:28
the position
50:28
that the
50:30
Pharisees
50:31
held.
50:34
They
50:35
were
50:35
thoroughly
50:35
set
50:36
against
50:37
Christ
50:38
and
50:39
even
50:40
though
50:40
their
50:41
reasoning
50:42
as they
50:44
attacked
50:45
Jesus
50:45
even
50:46
though
50:46
it
50:46
was
50:46
illogical
50:47
and
50:48
unreasonable
50:48
they
50:49
held
50:49
it
50:50
because
50:52
they
50:52
were
50:52
against
50:52
Christ.
50:56
And
50:57
Jesus
50:57
underlines
50:58
that and
50:58
he shows
50:59
them that
50:59
they were
50:59
against
51:00
him.
51:01
In
51:01
verse
51:01
13
51:02
Jesus
51:04
says
51:04
to
51:05
them
51:05
and
51:06
he's
51:06
saying
51:06
to
51:06
us
51:06
because
51:09
this is
51:09
a word
51:09
for us
51:10
tonight
51:10
Jesus
51:12
says
51:13
whoever
51:13
is not
51:14
with
51:14
me
51:14
is
51:17
against
51:17
me
51:17
and
51:20
whoever
51:20
does
51:21
not
51:21
gather
51:22
with
51:23
me
51:24
scatters.
51:28
It's
51:28
very black
51:29
and white
51:29
isn't
51:30
it?
51:32
Jesus
51:33
says
51:34
clearly
51:35
that there
51:37
is no
51:37
middle
51:37
ground
51:38
when
51:38
it
51:38
comes
51:38
to
51:38
him.
51:41
We
51:42
had
51:42
an
51:42
illustration
51:43
of
51:43
that
51:43
even
51:43
this
51:44
morning.
51:47
There
51:47
are
51:47
those
51:47
at
51:47
the
51:48
table
51:48
there
51:50
are
51:50
those
51:51
who
51:51
are
51:51
not
51:51
at
51:51
the
51:51
table.
51:53
There's
51:53
no
51:53
in
51:54
between
51:54
state.
51:57
There's
51:57
those
51:57
who
51:57
are
51:57
at
51:58
the
51:58
table
51:58
with
52:00
the
52:00
Lord
52:01
and
52:03
there
52:03
are
52:04
those
52:04
who
52:04
are
52:04
saying
52:04
I'm
52:04
not
52:05
sitting there.
52:06
That's not for me.
52:11
No neutral,
52:12
no neutral place,
52:13
no area that we can go
52:15
in the church
52:15
where there's,
52:16
there's no,
52:18
there's neutrality.
52:21
With him,
52:22
without him,
52:23
for him,
52:23
against him.
52:27
That's what Jesus is saying.
52:33
Eric Alexander,
52:34
the Reverend Eric Alexander,
52:36
said,
52:37
imagine Jesus coming
52:39
to each of us personally,
52:41
moving through the church,
52:45
saying,
52:46
for me,
52:47
or against me.
52:51
Can we visualize that even now?
52:55
Jesus taking time
52:57
to move amongst us,
52:59
going from pew to pew,
53:04
person to person,
53:07
saying,
53:11
for me,
53:12
or against me.
53:14
Give me an answer.
53:18
How would you answer?
53:19
And this is a question
53:26
that's an answer
53:26
that will have
53:27
eternal significance.
53:31
We will all answer it.
53:37
And then Jesus goes on
53:38
to say,
53:40
therefore I tell you,
53:42
every sin and blasphemy
53:44
will be forgiven people.
53:45
But the blasphemy
53:49
against the Spirit
53:50
will not be forgiven.
53:54
And whoever speaks
53:55
a word against
53:56
the Son of Man
53:57
will be forgiven.
53:59
But whoever speaks
54:00
against the Holy Spirit
54:02
will not be forgiven.
54:06
Either in this age
54:07
or in the age to come.
54:10
So as we conclude,
54:14
what does this mean?
54:17
What is
54:18
the unforgivable sin?
54:24
Well, it's to do
54:26
what the Pharisees
54:26
were doing.
54:29
It's to decide
54:31
in our wills
54:32
not to believe
54:35
in Jesus.
54:36
even when
54:38
the Spirit of God
54:39
is striving with us
54:42
and giving us
54:43
every reason
54:44
to believe.
54:49
I mean,
54:49
think back
54:50
into Matthew's
54:51
Gospel record
54:53
as we see
54:54
what was going on
54:55
in the context
54:57
that Jesus
54:57
was speaking into.
54:59
Matthew tells us
55:00
in these chapters
55:01
that Jesus,
55:02
when he preached,
55:04
he preached
55:04
with otherworldly
55:06
authority.
55:09
And these men,
55:10
they heard it.
55:13
And Jesus healed
55:15
supernaturally.
55:16
There was no
55:17
natural explanation
55:18
for the healings
55:20
that he performed.
55:22
He performed
55:23
miracle after miracle
55:25
as he went
55:25
from place to place.
55:27
He reached out
55:28
to these Pharisees
55:29
day after day.
55:34
But they refused
55:36
to believe
55:36
in him.
55:37
They resist him.
55:39
They speak
55:40
against him.
55:43
And they speak
55:44
against the Holy
55:45
Spirit who was
55:46
resting upon him.
55:50
Think back
55:50
to Matthew 3
55:51
at the beginning
55:52
of Jesus'
55:53
ministry.
55:54
We see the Holy
55:54
Spirit coming
55:55
to rest
55:56
upon Jesus.
55:58
And so as
56:02
Jesus preaches,
56:04
as Jesus reaches
56:04
out,
56:05
as Jesus heals,
56:08
the Spirit
56:08
strives
56:09
with these
56:12
people.
56:12
He is
56:12
with Jesus.
56:15
And yet,
56:15
no matter
56:16
what Jesus
56:17
says,
56:18
or what Jesus
56:18
does,
56:21
these Pharisees
56:22
in particular,
56:23
they will not
56:25
repent
56:26
of their sin.
56:28
and that's
56:31
what it means,
56:33
I believe,
56:35
to blaspheme
56:36
against the
56:37
Holy Spirit.
56:43
And if that's
56:44
how we live
56:44
in this age,
56:46
Jesus
56:48
says
56:49
that in the
56:50
age to come,
56:53
there will be
56:54
no forgiveness.
56:56
There will be
56:57
no healing
56:58
of our souls,
56:59
there will be
57:00
no heaven.
57:02
There will be
57:03
only hell.
57:06
The commentator
57:08
Warren Weerspey
57:09
says,
57:10
is there
57:11
an unpardonable
57:13
sin today?
57:15
Then he answers,
57:16
yes.
57:18
The final
57:19
rejection
57:20
of Jesus
57:21
Christ.
57:23
Jesus made it
57:24
clear,
57:25
says Weerspey,
57:25
that all sins
57:27
can be forgiven.
57:29
Adultery,
57:30
murder,
57:30
blasphemy,
57:31
and other sins
57:33
can all be
57:33
forgiven.
57:34
They are not
57:35
unpardonable.
57:37
But God
57:38
cannot forgive
57:39
the rejection
57:40
of his son.
57:43
It is the
57:44
spirit
57:44
who bears
57:46
witness to
57:46
Christ
57:47
and who
57:48
convicts
57:49
the lost
57:50
sinner.
57:50
sin.
57:51
So as we
57:57
finish,
58:00
we can think
58:02
back,
58:02
each one of us,
58:03
into our
58:04
lives
58:06
and we can
58:07
perhaps,
58:08
you know,
58:09
have sins
58:10
that are brought
58:12
back to our
58:13
memories
58:13
that haunt us,
58:14
that are so
58:17
vast
58:18
and so
58:19
dark
58:20
in our
58:23
memories
58:23
and
58:24
our minds
58:25
that we
58:26
wonder,
58:28
can they be
58:28
forgiven?
58:32
And the
58:32
truth is,
58:33
every one
58:34
of them
58:34
can be
58:36
forgiven.
58:37
We often
58:38
sing the
58:38
lines from
58:39
the hymn,
58:40
the vilest
58:41
offender
58:42
who truly
58:44
believes,
58:44
that
58:45
moment
58:46
from
58:47
Jesus
58:48
a
58:48
pardon
58:49
receives.
58:56
The
58:56
unpardonable
58:57
sin,
58:59
the
59:01
unpardonable
59:02
sin
59:03
is to
59:05
resist the
59:05
Holy Spirit
59:06
as he
59:08
strives
59:08
with us.
59:12
And it's
59:12
to sit
59:13
in these
59:13
chairs
59:14
and to
59:16
go week
59:17
after week
59:18
and month
59:20
after month
59:21
and
59:23
communion
59:23
season
59:24
after
59:25
communion
59:25
season
59:26
refusing
59:27
to
59:28
believe
59:28
and
59:31
refusing
59:32
to
59:32
profess
59:33
faith
59:33
in
59:36
Christ.
59:36
!
59:36
So how
59:42
can we
59:43
avoid
59:43
committing
59:45
the
59:45
unforgivable
59:46
sin?
59:49
Because I'm
59:50
quite sure
59:50
it's a
59:50
danger for
59:51
some,
59:52
even in
59:52
the room
59:52
here this
59:53
evening.
59:57
How can
59:57
we go
59:58
out from
59:58
this place
59:59
tonight
1:00:00
knowing that
1:00:01
we are
1:00:02
avoiding
1:00:03
committing
1:00:04
the
1:00:04
unforgivable
1:00:05
sin?
1:00:05
There's
1:00:05
only one
1:00:06
way
1:00:06
and it's
1:00:09
by coming
1:00:09
to Jesus
1:00:10
today.
1:00:17
It's
1:00:18
by believing
1:00:18
in Jesus
1:00:20
today.
1:00:26
Psalm 95
1:00:27
today,
1:00:30
if you
1:00:32
hear his
1:00:32
voice,
1:00:34
do not
1:00:36
harden your
1:00:37
heart.
1:00:41
2
1:00:42
Corinthians
1:00:42
6,
1:00:44
behold
1:00:45
now
1:00:46
is the
1:00:47
day of
1:00:48
salvation.
1:00:54
Let's
1:00:54
pray.
1:01:00
our
1:01:01
heavenly
1:01:01
father,
1:01:01
we pray
1:01:02
that
1:01:03
today,
1:01:05
that now,
1:01:06
would be
1:01:07
the day
1:01:07
of salvation
1:01:08
for
1:01:10
someone,
1:01:11
perhaps
1:01:12
many here
1:01:13
this
1:01:13
evening.
1:01:15
We thank
1:01:16
you,
1:01:16
father,
1:01:16
for sending
1:01:17
your son
1:01:18
into this
1:01:18
world.
1:01:19
We thank
1:01:19
you for
1:01:20
the gospel
1:01:21
accounts that
1:01:22
we have
1:01:23
that record
1:01:23
for us
1:01:24
the words
1:01:24
and the
1:01:25
works of
1:01:26
Jesus.
1:01:27
We thank
1:01:28
you that in
1:01:29
some ways
1:01:29
we are
1:01:30
more
1:01:30
privileged
1:01:31
than the
1:01:31
Pharisees
1:01:32
ever were
1:01:32
as we
1:01:34
have the
1:01:34
word of
1:01:35
God
1:01:35
open before
1:01:36
us,
1:01:36
as we
1:01:37
hear the
1:01:38
voice of
1:01:39
Jesus
1:01:39
calling out
1:01:41
to us
1:01:41
week by
1:01:42
week in
1:01:42
the gospel.
1:01:47
We ask
1:01:48
that none
1:01:49
of us
1:01:49
here
1:01:50
tonight
1:01:51
would find
1:01:52
that we
1:01:54
cross over
1:01:54
into the
1:01:55
territory
1:01:56
of the
1:01:56
unforgivable
1:01:57
sin.
1:01:59
we pray
1:02:00
that none
1:02:01
of us
1:02:01
would
1:02:01
resist
1:02:02
and resist
1:02:03
and resist
1:02:04
and resist
1:02:05
until we
1:02:08
can no
1:02:08
longer see
1:02:09
or hear
1:02:10
anything of
1:02:12
the gospel.
1:02:14
Holy Spirit,
1:02:15
we pray that
1:02:16
you would
1:02:16
continue to
1:02:17
strive
1:02:18
with each
1:02:20
one of
1:02:20
us.
1:02:21
and we
1:02:23
pray that
1:02:24
none of
1:02:24
us
1:02:24
tonight
1:02:25
would walk
1:02:27
out the
1:02:27
door
1:02:27
still
1:02:30
resisting
1:02:31
and turning
1:02:33
away
1:02:34
from Jesus.
1:02:35
us.
1:02:37
But as
1:02:37
we hear
1:02:37
his voice,
1:02:39
we pray
1:02:40
that we
1:02:40
would come
1:02:41
and that
1:02:43
we would
1:02:43
find rest
1:02:44
for our
1:02:44
souls.
1:02:46
Life
1:02:47
that is
1:02:47
eternal,
1:02:49
that is
1:02:50
salvation.
1:02:52
And we
1:02:53
pray this
1:02:53
in Jesus'
1:02:54
name.
1:02:54
Amen.
1:02:57
We'll sing
1:02:58
to conclude
1:02:58
from Psalm
1:02:59
67.
1:03:01
The
1:03:02
Scottish
1:03:02
shelter,
1:03:02
I think,
1:03:04
is where
1:03:04
we are
1:03:05
singing from
1:03:06
the
1:03:06
traditional
1:03:07
version
1:03:08
on page
1:03:10
300.
1:03:12
Lord,
1:03:12
bless and
1:03:13
pity us,
1:03:13
shine on us
1:03:14
with thy
1:03:14
face,
1:03:15
that the
1:03:16
earth thy
1:03:16
way and
1:03:17
nations all
1:03:18
may know
1:03:19
thy saving
1:03:20
grace.
1:03:21
We'll sing
1:03:21
the whole
1:03:21
of this
1:03:22
psalm to
1:03:23
God's
1:03:23
praise.
1:03:32
thy
1:03:53
Let people praise thee, Lord.
1:03:59
Let people all thee praise.
1:04:06
Oh, let the nations be glad
1:04:13
in songs their voices raise.
1:04:19
Thou justly people shall
1:04:26
honor relations all.
1:04:33
Let people praise thee, Lord.
1:04:40
Praise thee, both great and small.
1:04:47
The earth, our God shall bless thee, send.
1:04:57
God shall us best, which shall end here,
1:05:05
and to earth at most end.
1:05:11
Amen.
1:05:12
Close in prayer.
1:05:13
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your saving grace,
1:05:17
and we pray that each one of us would receive it.
1:05:21
Work in us, we pray, and help us.
1:05:23
And as we go from here now,
1:05:25
we pray that we would part with your blessing.
1:05:28
We pray for the time of fellowship
1:05:29
that we look forward to just now.
1:05:32
We pray for the food and the drink
1:05:34
that has been prepared for us.
1:05:36
And we thank you for it, Lord.
1:05:38
We pray that you would bless it to our bodies
1:05:40
as you bless your word as food for our souls.
1:05:45
And now we pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1:05:48
the love of God the Father,
1:05:50
and the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit,
1:05:52
would be with us all now and forevermore.
1:05:55
Amen.
1:05:55
Amen.