Our paragraph topic is: (Christ refutes them) Part 2.
And they came to him seeking to divide. They came to him seeking to cast doubt. They came to him seeking to destroy the power of the kingdom of heaven. The battle continues, for they did not know to whom they came. And Christ was meek. Christ was mild. Christ was gentle in his response to the accusations of the Pharisees. For they accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. They accused him of being evil. They accused him of having the power of the devil, and they did not know.
Christ refutes them simply by saying, "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?" For he had told them that a house divided will not stand. He had shown them the simple truth of their misstatement. Yet, from their own mouths, they spoke these words of evil, thereby condemning themselves. For they said that Christ, the Son of Man, was evil, that he had the power of evil, that he belonged to the house of evil. For they were fearful. They feared for their positions and their authority. They saw Christ as a threat and wanted to eliminate him and separate him from the people. So they sought to bring division into the minds of the people by making the Messiah look evil to the people.
But Christ had mercy. Christ forgave them. Christ opened the door to let them come in. But they refused to come. Christ told them, And if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? For the children of the Pharisees called upon the same power that Christ himself called, the one true God, Jehovah. He called upon his father to give him the power to cast out demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk, and the blind see. And this is the one and same God that the children of the Pharisees called upon also. For they believed in God. They followed his commandments. They knew of his power. And they, the children of the Pharisees, loved him. But the Pharisees did not understand. They were fearful and followed the counsel of evil.
Christ, therefore, told them that because they did not believe, their children, "Therefore they shall be your judges." On the day of judgment, their children would be present. On the day of judgment, their children would give witness. On the day of judgment their children will be their judges, condemning them to hell. Christ wanted them to see. He wanted them to understand. He wanted them to change their ways and turn from evil that he might love them. But they would not. They could not. They were lost and captured by evil and kept imprisoned by their own wills, their own desires, their own fears.
Will your children judge you or will you have to give judgment for them on the day of judgment? Do not be captured by evil, for it will imprison you and not let go. It will drag you to the deepest darkest corner of despair and offer to end your life as an option. Christ will come for you, if you only ask him. He will help you, if you become open to him. He will guide you, if you will only follow him. Be not trapped with evil. Turn to Christ for salvation. For salvation is not something that is shunned because it signifies the church. Salvation is in the world, with you. Salvation is with you at all times, in daylight and darkness. Salvation is ever present even outside of the church in your time of need. Seek not the four walls of the church but seek first the salvation of Christ and the church will welcome you. The church will accept you. The church will know you. For through Christ is your salvation. Through Christ is your deliverance from evil. And through Christ is your life eternal in heaven. Come, take his hand and he will lead you to salvation!
And they came to him seeking to divide. They came to him seeking to cast doubt. They came to him seeking to destroy the power of the kingdom of heaven. The battle continues, for they did not know to whom they came. And Christ was meek. Christ was mild. Christ was gentle in his response to the accusations of the Pharisees. For they accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. They accused him of being evil. They accused him of having the power of the devil, and they did not know.
Christ refutes them simply by saying, "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?" For he had told them that a house divided will not stand. He had shown them the simple truth of their misstatement. Yet, from their own mouths, they spoke these words of evil, thereby condemning themselves. For they said that Christ, the Son of Man, was evil, that he had the power of evil, that he belonged to the house of evil. For they were fearful. They feared for their positions and their authority. They saw Christ as a threat and wanted to eliminate him and separate him from the people. So they sought to bring division into the minds of the people by making the Messiah look evil to the people.
But Christ had mercy. Christ forgave them. Christ opened the door to let them come in. But they refused to come. Christ told them, And if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? For the children of the Pharisees called upon the same power that Christ himself called, the one true God, Jehovah. He called upon his father to give him the power to cast out demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk, and the blind see. And this is the one and same God that the children of the Pharisees called upon also. For they believed in God. They followed his commandments. They knew of his power. And they, the children of the Pharisees, loved him. But the Pharisees did not understand. They were fearful and followed the counsel of evil.
Christ, therefore, told them that because they did not believe, their children, "Therefore they shall be your judges." On the day of judgment, their children would be present. On the day of judgment, their children would give witness. On the day of judgment their children will be their judges, condemning them to hell. Christ wanted them to see. He wanted them to understand. He wanted them to change their ways and turn from evil that he might love them. But they would not. They could not. They were lost and captured by evil and kept imprisoned by their own wills, their own desires, their own fears.
Will your children judge you or will you have to give judgment for them on the day of judgment? Do not be captured by evil, for it will imprison you and not let go. It will drag you to the deepest darkest corner of despair and offer to end your life as an option. Christ will come for you, if you only ask him. He will help you, if you become open to him. He will guide you, if you will only follow him. Be not trapped with evil. Turn to Christ for salvation. For salvation is not something that is shunned because it signifies the church. Salvation is in the world, with you. Salvation is with you at all times, in daylight and darkness. Salvation is ever present even outside of the church in your time of need. Seek not the four walls of the church but seek first the salvation of Christ and the church will welcome you. The church will accept you. The church will know you. For through Christ is your salvation. Through Christ is your deliverance from evil. And through Christ is your life eternal in heaven. Come, take his hand and he will lead you to salvation!
