St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 45, The Unoccupied House: Seven evil guest are invited in.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 5. 

Christ continues his parable of the house unoccupied.  He has told the Pharisees about what an unclean spirit does when he leaves a man, how it roams through dry places and finds no place to rest.  But when it tires it returns to the place of previous occupancy and finds it unoccupied, swept and decorated, ready for occupancy.  The Pharisees have wondered how this parable relates to them because they believe that they have no unclean spirits.  After all, they are the keepers of the Law.  They are the protectors of the Hebrew people and they are the scholars who know and love the scriptures.  But they do not have unclean spirits.

Christ concludes his parable with,  "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.  So shall it be with this evil generation also."  

And so the parable is finished and the conclusion is drawn, the prediction of Pharisees' destiny.  It is foretold that they will be inhabited by seven more unclean spirits more evil than the first.  It is foretold that their state will be worse than the first state they were in.  For Christ has again called them an evil generation.  He has again foretold of their downfall.  He has again shown them their future that they may repent and be saved.  But again they do not listen.  Again they do not take heed of the message.  And in the interim their house is still left unoccupied for unclean spirits to come in and make their state worse than the present.

Thank you God for your mercy!  Thank you God for your patience!  Thank you God for the love that you bear for your children!  For we are not an evil generation, but just lost sheep seeking to find our shepherd.  You have told us of our future.  You have given us the message of what will happen from our current state when the unclean spirits return.  You have given us an opportunity to get our house in order that we may not be unoccupied.  You have told us of the seven more unclean spirits to come, that will live with us, making our state worse than the first.  Help us to find the true owner that should live with us.  Help us find the living words of Christ that we may beseech the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.  Forgive us of our sins and have patience that we may be able to repent before the thief comes.  

Do you have unclean spirits dwelling with you?  Do you have a house unoccupied ready for more evil to dwell with you?  Come, open your house to Christ.  Open your doors to the living word that you may have life.  Seek the Holy Spirit that you may know true life, true love, true justice, true peace, and the true God.

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 43 - 44, The Unoccupied House: The Unclean Spirit Leaves.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 4. 

The Pharisees have heard the evidence against them.  They have heard of the witnesses that will rise to testify against them.  Their fate is sealed.  Their destiny foretold.  Christ still offers them the opportunity to repent.  He still reaches out a hand and opens a door for them to enter into to escape damnation.  But they refuse.  They cling to their desire for power.  They hold to their roles of authority and they listen to the whisperings of the demons that counsel them to their destruction.

Christ tells a parable, his first.  He says, "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he roams through dry places in search of rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house which I left'; and when he has come to it, he finds the place unoccupied, swept and decorated."    

The unclean spirits have claimed the Pharisees.  They own the house.  They live in them.  They know them.  For they have lived with them for many years.  And with them they have found rest.  Rest, that they can perform the evil that they do.  Rest, that they can recruit others to do evil in their names.  Rest, that they can challenge any who may come against them to cast them out.  For the heart is the resting place for those who do evil.  Darkness is the light that they live by.  Hatred is the doctrine that they practice against those who would believe in Christ. 

And Christ tells the Pharisees this parable of the unclean spirits.  He speaks to them in riddles that they may not understand the truth of what he speaks.  He speaks to the unclean spirits that lie within them that they may know that he is the Messiah.  For the unclean spirits have made their home in the Pharisees.  Even when they leave they return and find the home unoccupied, swept and cleaned as if waiting for a new occupant.  But they are the owners of the home and no others have come in.  The Pharisees had a vacancy.  They were without any other spirits.  And the Holy Spirit does not reside in them.

Is your house unoccupied, swept and clean, waiting for someone to come in?  Will unclean spirits make you their home or will you welcome the Holy Spirit?  Do you have a vacancy sign advertising your house or is it already occupied?  Christ seeks to come in.  He seek to live with you.  He seeks to know you.  He seeks to love you.  But, how can he, if you do not let him in?  How can he, if your house is already occupied?  There are only two occupants.  One does not live with the other.  Which do you prefer in your house?  Which do you prefer to guide your life?  Which do you prefer to counsel with?  Which do you prefer to stand with you on the day of judgment when the witnesses are brought before you?  Will it be the unclean spirits of Satan?  Or will it be the Holy Spirit of Christ?  The choice is yours.  You cannot stay unoccupied for long for you live in an unclean world and it will take hold of you.  Make your choice.  Seek the Holy occupant and open the door to Christ.

ST Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 41 - 42, The Prophecy: The witnesses against them.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 3. 

Christ is merciful.  Christ is loving.  Christ is patient.  The Pharisees continue to plot and plan against Christ and he continues to offer opportunities for them to hear the message, to understand the judgment, to repent from their position with Satan.  But the Pharisees are blind.  They cannot hear.  They do not understand the door of opportunity opened by Christ. 

Christ has spoken to them about their hearts.  He has shown them that their hearts are filled with evil.  He has told them of their treasure and has called them vipers that they may understand the harshness of his words.  Ye they persist.  They continue down the road of destruction, unaware that they condemn themselves.  Christ tells them who will witness against them.  He says: "The men of Nineve will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold, a greater than Jonas is here."

They asked for a sign.  Christ told them a sign that would take place in the future.  He did not comply with their request now.  For the demons that possessed the Pharisees did not need a sign.  They knew Christ.  They knew of his authority.  They knew that he was of the Father.  Yet they could not work their evil of their own.  They had to possess men and persuade them to do their evil.  They had to suggest to the mind of men, the evil that was to be done.  They had to possess the heart with darkness to move the passions to create evil. 

And Christ knew of their plans.  He knew of their designs.  He knew that they possessed the Pharisees to do their evil.  Yet he was patient.  He was loving.  He was merciful to offer opportunity to repent.  He reached down into the darkness of their hearts and sought to help them understand.  But they would not.  He spoke again of their witnesses.  He told them,  "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

How often does God call to us to repent?  How many times does he reach out his hand to help us in times of need?  Yet do we repent, do we accept his hand?  Our God is a loving God.  Our God is a merciful God.  Our God is a patient God.  He will wait until the end of time and still offer salvation.  But do not hesitate to accept, for death is at the door and judgment weighs in the balance.  Judgment at death is final.  There is no reprieve.  Mothers will witness against their sons and daughters.  Fathers will witness against their children.  Grandmothers spoke of the opportunity offered and yet not accepted.  For they themselves spoke the message to you and you did not accept.  Do not throw away this precious gift given by Christ.  For if you only knew what was being offered you would rejoice at the gift.  But Satan blinds.  Satan destroys.  Satan steals and will stand in the way to prevent you from receiving your gift.  Come, become a child of God and receive the gift of life!  Christ awaits you with his outstretched hand.  Receive him and get your reward!

ST Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 40, The Pharisees request for a sign: The sign of Jonas.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 2.  

And he told them a mystery.  He told them a wonder.  He told them things that they did not comprehend.  For the Pharisees sought to prevail over Christ by asking him to provide another miracle, a sign, that they might believe that he was the Messiah.  Christ refused their request.  He refused their demand.  He refused to allow them to continue down this path of unbelief based upon their desire to have a sign.  For they wanted a sign.  They wanted to see another wonder.  They wanted to see his power so that they could attempt to understand who he was.  But the demons that possessed them only wanted another opportunity to try to trick him.  They wanted another opportunity to persuade the people to turn away from Christ.  Christ refused them.

Instead Christ gave them a mystery.  He gave them a prophecy that they would ponder, that they would wonder about.  He told them that the only sign they would receive is the sign of Jonas in the belly of the whale.  The Pharisees knew of the story of Jonas but they did not understand how this applied to Christ.  He told them,  "For even as Jonas was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  

And they did not understand.  They did not know his words nor could they figure out the meaning of this mystery he spoke.  For he spoke of being in the earth for three days and three nights.  He compared this to Jonas being in the belly of the whale.  Yet Jonas was disobedient to God who sent him to Nineve to give a message to the people.  Jonas was swallowed up by a whale because he refused to go.  Jonas ran from the assignment that God gave him and was thrown overboard and swallowed by a whale.  The Pharisees wondered how could this story relate to Christ.  They wondered how could this be a sign or a wonder that would proclaim the his identity.  Christ gave them a sign that would fulfill itself in the future so that when it happened they would know that he was the Messiah, they would know that he spoke the truth, they would know that he was of the Father.

What do we see of this same situation, today?  Many would have a sign that Christ is Lord.  Many would have a miracle that there is a God in order to believe.  For they do not believe otherwise, even if a miracle were performed before their very eyes.  They still would find some reason not to believe.  They still would attempt to rationalize, within their minds, the power and authority of God.  Do you need a sign?  Do you seek to understand the power and authority of God, today? 

Do you give him praise and glory no matter what the situation?  If death comes, if destruction comes, if disasters comes, if moves of nature come, if senseless killings come, if whatever comes, do you still give him the praise and the glory?  For he is the Lord almighty and his ways are higher than our ways.  Not giving praise means that you do not accept God as all powerful and having all authority.

We question the actions.  We doubt the need.  We seek to understand the meaning within ourselves.  We give way to pain.  We give way to sorrow.  We give way to despair and anger.  We give way to the isolation and the loss which the devil brings after the storm.  But the loss should be joy.  The loss should be jubilation.  The loss should be exultation.  For the loved one has gone to Christ who has prepared a place for you and for your loved one in heaven and there they await your arrival.  Christ is still King of King and Lord of Lords and he moves with a mighty hand.  And we should always and at all times give him the praise and the glory that he is on the thrown and rules the world.  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah, praise his holy name!

ST Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 38 - 39, The Pharisees request for a sign.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of Jonas) Part 1. 

The Pharisees have heard the words of Christ.  They have considered the consequences of their actions and have hesitated in their speech.  They have considered the judgment that they may bring upon themselves through their words.  So they speak with caution.  They speak with consideration.  They speak with understanding of their actions.  And the demons that possess them, counsel them to ask a question.  The demons counsel them to seek to reach within Christ to prove their designs.  So they ask a question.   And St Matthew tells us,  Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from thee."

So out of deception they asked for a sign to prove that he was the Messiah.  They asked for a sign to show that Christ had the authority to speak over them.  They asked for a sign to demonstrate that Christ was the anointed one and all that he had spoken to them is indeed of truth.  It was of no concern to them who Christ was.  It was only their concern that he had spoken against their authority.  He had spoken against their power.  It was of concern to them that the people were following Christ and turning away from their rule.  But they did not know.  They did not understand.  They refused to accept that the kingdom of God had come upon them without their knowledge.  They did not believe.

So Christ answered and said to them,  "An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonas the prophet."   They were counseled by evil.  They were possessed of evil.  They had become the solders of Satan.  They were filled with darkness and Christ spoke to the darkness within them.  He called them by their fruit, evil and adulterous.  He spoke of their designs, the need for a sign when the sign was already known.  He spoke to their future, when the time wold come for them to know.  And the Pharisees did not understand.  They did not know.  They knew about the parable of Jonas and the whale.  They knew about the three days in the belly.  But they did not understand the meaning of the message.  For Christ had foretold that they would only know of who he was when the sign was revealed, the sign of being three days in the earth and rising again from the dead.

We have many today who do not know.  We have many today who do not believe.  We have many wise and scholarly men who look for signs, who need knowledge to believe.  Yet knowledge was given them by God and originates from God but they still do not believe.  And the scholars influence the masses of people who want to be just like them.  But God gives no sign.  For the sign has been given.  The sign has been foretold.  The sign has been written for all to see and believe.  Do you believe in the sign?  Do you believe in the words that have been spoken or are you just a partial believer who does just enough to get by?  Christ has given the signs.  Christ has given the wonders.  Do you seek to know?  Do you seek to have the knowledge?  Come, receive the sign and he will reveal all!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 36 - 37, Thy words: Justification or Condemnation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Part 6.  

The abundance of the heart.  Such a small physical organ with such a large weight towards judgment.  Christ spoke the mystery to the Pharisees.  He spoke the mystery to the demons that possessed the Pharisees for they knew that the heart was the prize.  For with the possession of the heart the soul is won.  With the invasion of darkness into the heart the mind follows the passions expressed in the heart.  With the possession of the heart the man is branded and becomes a soldier of evil.  Evil becomes him.  He seek evil to perform.  Evil is his sport.  Evil is his design.  Evil is his message and he seeks others to recruit to evil.  Together they will perform the mission of the evil one.

The next organ is the mouth.  For from the heart the mouth speaks.  From the heart through the mouth, evil comes forth.  From the heart through the mouth, converts are made.  And from the heart through the mouth, the evil whispered in the mind is spoken into reality, evil is born.  So Christ tells his disciples, the Pharisees, and even as a message to the readers of today that every idle word that comes forth from the mouth will be judged.   He says, "But I tell you, that of every idle word men speak, they shall give account on the day of judgment."   

Pharisees be warned, he says.  For you have brought the curse upon yourselves and your mind now conjures up idle words to speak.  Be careful what idle words you speak.  Be careful of what words are spoken.  Be careful that you do not speak against yourself, for your words will be your judge and your jury on the day of judgment.  Thoughts can be changed.  Ideas can be created.  Beliefs can take hold.  But words spoken, are written forever into time immemorial and cannot be changed.  For they speak through the mouth and come from the treasure of the heart.   Words spoken tell of the spirit of the person which is in the heart.   And Christ tells them the reason for caution in their spoken words.  He says,  "For by thy words thou wilt be justified, and by thy words thou wilt be condemned."  

And so we know about the words that we speak.  The mystery is revealed.  The truth has been spoken.  Out of the mouth the comes the abundance of the true nature of the heart.  Curse not.  Swear not.  Express anger not.  Lust not.  Condemn not.  For with what we speak out of the mouth, we will be judged by it.  We may condemn ourselves or we may justify ourselves.  Did you justify yourself today or did you condemn yourself?  Did you speak from your abundance of light in your heart or did you speak from your abundance of darkness, today?  Take account of what you speak daily.  For daily we fill our cups with the wrath of God by our own words.  Justify yourself.  Fill your heart with the words of your saviour and you will be able to speak his words of justice.  By doing so you will justify yourself.  Let his words become you.  If they do not become you, the test will prove the true nature of your heart.  Become one with him and he will be in you, he will be your treasure!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 35, The Treasures of the HEART.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Part 5. 

Christ has spoken to the Pharisees and he has spoken to the demons that possess the Pharisees.  For the Pharisees do not hear.  The Pharisees do not see.  The Pharisees do not understand the man that they speak with.  But the demons understand.  The demons know.  The demons despise and hate Christ because he is the truth of the father and will not allow them to spread their lies before him.  Satan cannot act in our world.  Satan cannot perform evil in this world.  But Satan can possess man to act for him.  Satan can persuade man to create evil.  Satan can possess the hearts and minds of men with his darkness and have them perform the evil that he desires.  Men kill, rape, rob, cheat, steal, lust, commit adultery, and do all manner of evil through the persuasion of the demons that possess them.

Christ spoke to the demons that possessed the Pharisees.  For he knew who they were and he knew that because of the darkness that had captured the minds and hearts of the Pharisees, they had become like vipers, just as their underlying evil demons.  And Christ knew that there was no light within them.  He knew that there was only darkness.  He knew that evil was in their hearts and only evil would come from it.  This is why he told the Pharisees that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  For there hearts were filled with evil and it overflowed into their mouths.

Christ spoke a mystery that is with us today.  He said, "The good man from his good treasure brings forth good things; and the evil man from his evil treasure brings forth evil things."   Christ spoke this to the Pharisees as if they would understand the meaning.  He spoke the mystery but they only understood the face value of his words.  They only heard that they were evil men and the evil came from their evil treasures within them.  They spoke with their mouths what was in their hearts, what was in their treasure.  Therefore, because their treasure was filled with evil, they were evil.  They had no good treasure.  They brought forth nothing good.  They only knew that they must do whatever it took to maintain their power, their authority, and if that meant bringing forth the evil that was in them, so be it.

Christ often spoke in mysteries.  He praised God the father for concealing the mysteries, not revealing them to the wise and the prudent, but only revealing them to the little ones.  And the mysteries have stood for thousands of years for the little ones to possess.  Are you a little one or are you wise and prudent?  Do you understand the mystery of the heart?  What treasure do you have in your heart?  Is it of good things or of evil things?  We live in a world where masks are a way of life.  We wear masks to keep others from seeing the truth of who we are.  But when we are put to the test the mask comes off and the true nature of who we are comes forth.  Christ spoke against anger and yet anger opens the door to the truth of our nature, the truth of who we are.

Do not subject yourself to the fires of Gehenna, but receive the peace of Christ that you may know the truth of who you are.  Receive the Holy Spirit and forsake the dust of the earth.  For the treasures of the earth are but dust compared to the treasures of heaven.  For out of the heart will come forth the knowledge that the Holy Spirit brings and you will be set free.  The heart is the key.  The heart is the vessel through which comes forth the good things from heaven.  Do you know the Holy Spirit?  Does he live within you?  Have you received the light?  Christ awaits you.  Come, open the door of your heart and receive the Holy Spirit that Christ may live in you!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 34, The Vipers appear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Part 4. 

Christ has called the Pharisees evil trees with bad fruit.  He has spoken to their core value.  He has proclaimed their evil nature because they have been taken by the demons that possess them.  The Pharisees are not aware of their evil.  In their eyes they are seeking to maintain their control over the people that they are loosing face with.  For Christ has spoken to them as though they were men of little value.  He has spoken to them without honor.  He has spoken to them without the respect that they were accustomed to receiving from the public.  So they sought to destroy him.  They sought to trick him.  They sought to bring Scandal to him in the face of the public.  

Their plans were unsuccessful.  Their plans failed.  There plans were conceived in the dark corners of evil who counseled them.  And now it was time for Christ to speak to the evil that possessed them.  It was time for him to call them by their name.  And he said to them, "You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things, when you are evil?"   For vipers they were, hissing in the background in the ears and minds of the Pharisees.  Suggesting all sorts of evil that they may commit against him.  They were telling the Pharisees all the things that they can do to this man who calls himself the Son of God.  They hated Christ.  They loathed his presence.  They needed to remove him from the earth so that they could continue their reign over the house of the lost sheep of Israel. 

So they spoke their evil to the Pharisees.  They whispered evil into their minds.  They brought darkness into their hearts and filled it with evil.  Christ said to  them,  "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."   And their hearts were dark.  Their hearts were empty.  Their hearts were filled with the passions of destruction for Christ.  There was no love in their hearts.  There was no faith in their hearts.  There was no hope in their hearts.  There was only the darkness of evil fully possessing their being with the desire to destroy Christ.  Their abundance was evil.

Where is your heart today?  Is it filled with darkness?  Is it filled with evil?  Is it filled with the passions of the world that keep you from recognizing that you are a child of God?  Do you know what is in your heart?  Can you see the darkness?  If there is no light then there is darkness.  If there is no light then there is evil present.  If there is not light within you then the world possesses you and the darkness lives within you. 

Do you not know that Christ came to give you light in your heart?  Do you not know that the Holy Spirit came to live within you, in your heart?  Do you not know that the eye is the lamp of the body and if the eye is sound then the body is full of light?  Christ has told us in these passages that we are the children of God.  Christ has told us in the sermon on the mount to let our light shine before men that they may see the good that we do and give glory to God.  Where is your light?  Do you not know how to find it?  Can you see it?  It is there within you to see.  It is there within you to feel.  It is there within you to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within you.  Come, receive the light of the Holy Spirit that he may be your guide in this world!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 33, Discerning the Tree: Good or Bad.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 3. 

The Pharisees have been given the curse that they brought upon themselves.  Christ has told them that blasphemy against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either here on earth or there in the coming of the kingdom of heaven.  The demons have delight in this pronouncement by Christ because the Pharisees have placed themselves into the hands of Satan.  They have officially taken on the mark of the beast through their actions against Christ and the Holy Spirit.  How did they do this, by proclaiming that Christ performed miracles by the power of Beelzebub. 

Christ had warned them of their blindness.  He had warned them of their judgment.  He had warned them of the presence of the kingdom of God.  But they did not listen.  They did not hear.  They did not understand the truth.  For they were fearful of loosing their positions.  They were fearful of loosing their power.  They were fearful of loosing their authority over the people.  And it was this fear that led them to bring upon themselves the curse proclaimed by Christ.  For the battle continued.  The lines were drawn and the sides were chosen.  The Pharisees chose their side in the battle and they chose to fight against Christ.  Christ had told them that they were either against him or they were with him.  There was no in between.  They were there to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel or they were there to scatter the sheep.  It was simply a matter of black and white.  There was no grey.  The tree was either good or bad.  Christ said to them,  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad for by the fruit the tree is known."

Long had the Pharisees been in power.  Long had they exercised authority over the people.  Long had they led the people in the ways that were of their own making.  And the devil came.  They devil crept into their midst.  The devil slowly and steadily grew on them such that they began to change to his ways and forsake the ways of God.  Greed took over.  Lust brought her chains into the temple and enslaved the leadership.  Vanity prevailed.  Corruption was brought in.  And all manner of evil began to surface and become part of the rank and file of the Pharisees.  And Satan had his grip upon them, that their passions and desires blossomed fully without check.   And Christ came into the picture.  Christ began to preach.  Christ spoke against them.  And Christ proclaimed the curse upon them that they spoke with their own mouths.

The Pharisees lived in luxury.  The Pharisee lived in honor and respect of the people.  They enjoyed favors and privileges that were given to no others.  And it was those same favors and privileges, that same honor and respect, that brought them to their downfall.  They did not want to change.  They did not want to relinquish to a higher authority.  They wanted to hold own to their positions despite the decrees of the higher authority.  For God declared the end of their reign.  God declared the beginning of a new time.  God proclaimed the judgment and the sacrifice of the lamb to justify the people.  God proclaimed the end of the reign of Satan on earth.

But Satan continues to influence, even today.  Satan continues to creep.  Satan continues to steal, and kill, and destroy.  For the tree is bad and the fruit is bad of those who follow him.  There is no middle ground.  Satan would have man believe that there is a middle ground so that he can snatch those who walk the fence.  Do you know the fruit of the Spirit?  Are you a tree of good fruit or a tree of bad fruit?  There is no partial fruit, partially good and partially bad.  Do not be deceived by the suggestions of the devil.  For he is there to deceive, he is the father of all deception.  

Are you with Christ or against him?  Are you a scatterer or a gatherer?  Know your fruit.  Know who you are.  Stand up and become a warrior for Christ that your fruit may be known.  Put on the armor of the Holy Spirit and take the sword of God that you may fight the temptations of the devil.  The devil will deceive you.  The devil will lie to you.  The devil will steal from you that precious gift of life given you by the blood of Christ.  Be not in the world but be in the word of Christ!  Be not in the world but be in the Holy Spirit!  Know that he will come to you.  Know that he will provide for you.  Know that he will protect and guide you that you may do the will of God in this world and be blessed with his riches.  For God is the owner of the vineyard and all those who produce bad fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  Be of good fruit and know who you are!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 32, The Unforgivable Sin: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not forgiven in this world or the world to come.

Our paragraph topic is: (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 2.  

The curse is pronounced and the Pharisees listen.  The curse is pronounced and the demons rejoice for the Pharisees have been handed over to them.  The curse is pronounced and the world listens as the prophecy is fulfilled.  For Christ had prophesied that the kingdom of God had come upon them.  Christ had prophesied that the children of the Pharisees would be their judges.  Christ had prophesied that he came to plunder and there are those who are against him and those who are with him.  And the Pharisees stood on the other side, against him.

Still the Pharisees clung to their need for power, their requirement for authority.  The desire for power blinded them.  The passion for authority over the people left them without a footing or foundation to stand upon when the battle had ended.  And when the battle ended, the foundation was removed from under their feet and the footing was destroyed.  For a new foundation was being built and a new footing was being poured with Christ as the cornerstone.  So this man that the Pharisees did not believe was the Messiah told them about blasphemy.  This man that was an unrecognized teacher, a miracle worker, told them, the educated men of scripture, that their sin would not be forgiven.  This man told them that they had committed a grave sin against the Holy Spirit and it would not be forgiven.  Christ told them further,  "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come."  

The unforgivable sin was committed.  The unforgivable sin was spoken.  The unforgivable sin brought the curse upon them and it would not be changed in this world or the next.  Their fates were sealed.  Their future was known.  Their sentence was pronounced for all the world to hear.  And the demons rejoiced, for the Pharisees had just been placed on their side and they carried the mark of damnation upon them.   But the battle continued and the Pharisees plotted and planned how they would trick him so that they could bring about his downfall. 

In this world there are those who are dead and know they are dead, and there are those who are dead and do not know that they are dead.  The unknowing dead are just waiting to be pronounced dead.  God is a merciful God.  He is a patient God.  He is a loving God, for he does not bring judgment upon all who sin instantly.  He places his wrath in vessels until the day of judgment that justice may be fulfilled.  He waits patiently until the end of time that all may have the opportunity to repent and receive new life, to awaken from the dead. 

Are you dead and do not know it?  Do you have life eternal?  Christ calls to you that he may give you eternal life, now.  Christ calls to you that you may know the light of his life within you.  Christ calls to you that you may know the truth of life with the Holy Spirit.  Come receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that you may know life eternal.  Do you not know that the Holy Spirit may dwell within you, today, right now?  How can you know for certain that you have the Holy Spirit within you?  Seek Him and he will come to you, he will show himself to you.  Seek Him and he will demonstrate his love for you.  Seek Him and he will provide his eternal light to guide you.  For Christ has promised to send the Holy Spirit.   And the Holy Spirit will teach all things.  Do you want Him to live in your life?  Do you want Him to be your guide?  Come, receive the indwelling and become a warrior for Christ!