Deciding for Christ: The Call to Genuine Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Urgency of Choosing Sides

In the spiritual journey, neutrality is not an option. Jesus presents a clear choice: you are either with Him or against Him. This decision is not merely about acknowledging Jesus as a wise teacher or a moral guide but recognizing Him as the Savior who came to redeem humanity. The call to decision is urgent and demands a response. It challenges individuals to examine their beliefs and align their lives with the truth of the gospel. The choice to follow Jesus is transformative, leading to a life of purpose and fulfillment in His kingdom. [15:26]

Matthew 12:30 (ESV): "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you are trying to remain neutral about Jesus? What steps can you take today to fully commit to following Him?

Day 2: The Danger of Hardening the Heart

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a grave warning against attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan, as the Pharisees did. This sin is rooted in a willful rejection of the truth, despite clear evidence of Jesus' divine nature. It serves as a caution against hardening our hearts to the truth of the gospel. The unforgivable sin is not a momentary lapse but a persistent state of resistance to the Spirit's work. It calls for self-examination and openness to the Spirit's conviction, leading to repentance and faith. [20:47]

Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

Reflection: Are there truths about Jesus that you have been resisting or ignoring? How can you open your heart to the Holy Spirit's work today?

Day 3: The Power of Words

Our words and actions are a reflection of our inner spiritual state. Just as the Pharisees' words revealed their spiritual deadness, our language and behavior testify to our faith. As believers, we are called to live lives that reflect the teachings of Christ. This involves being mindful of our speech and actions, ensuring they align with the values of the kingdom. Words have the power to build up or tear down, to bless or curse, and they reveal the condition of our hearts. [27:04]

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV): "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

Reflection: Reflect on your recent conversations. Do your words reflect a heart aligned with Christ? What changes can you make to ensure your speech is life-giving?

Day 4: Embracing Genuine Faith

For those who have been playing the part of a believer without genuine faith, the call is to repent and truly embrace the life that Jesus offers. This involves a heartfelt turning away from sin and a commitment to live according to God's will. Genuine faith is not about outward appearances but an inward transformation that manifests in a life of obedience and love. It requires a daily surrender to God's purposes and a reliance on His grace to live out the gospel. [35:23]

James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where your faith feels more like a performance than a genuine relationship with Jesus? How can you cultivate a deeper, more authentic faith today?

Day 5: Invitation to Transformation

For those who have not yet heard the gospel, there is an invitation to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. The transformative power of the Holy Spirit leads individuals to faith, drawing them into a relationship with Christ. This invitation is open to all, offering a new life characterized by hope, peace, and purpose. It is an opportunity to experience the fullness of God's love and to be part of His redemptive work in the world. [39:08]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: Have you fully embraced the invitation to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with Him and experience His transformative power?

Sermon Summary

In today's exploration of Matthew chapter twelve, we delve into the escalating tension between Jesus and the religious leaders. This tension, which has been building since chapter eight, reaches a climax as the leaders accuse Jesus of being a fraud, claiming that His miraculous works are not Spirit-filled but rather powered by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus responds to these accusations with clarity and logic, emphasizing that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He challenges the religious leaders' illogical claims and asserts that His works are indeed by the power of the Holy Spirit, signifying the presence of God's kingdom.

The core message is the necessity of making a definitive choice about Jesus. There is no middle ground; one is either with Him or against Him. This call to decision is not just about acknowledging Jesus as a good teacher or a moral person but recognizing Him as the Savior who came to serve humanity by dying on the cross. The sermon warns against the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which involves attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan, as the Pharisees did. This sin is rooted in a willful rejection of the truth, despite having witnessed the evidence of Jesus' divine nature.

The sermon also highlights the importance of our words and actions as reflections of our inner spiritual state. The Pharisees, despite their religious appearance, were spiritually dead, and their words revealed their true nature. As believers, we are called to live lives that reflect the teachings of Christ, being mindful of our language and actions as they testify to our faith.

For those who have been merely playing the part of a believer without genuine faith, the call is to repent and truly embrace the life that Jesus offers. The sermon concludes with an invitation to those who have not yet heard the gospel to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, emphasizing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in leading individuals to faith.

Key Takeaways

1. The Necessity of Decision: Jesus presents a clear choice—either you are with Him or against Him. There is no neutral ground in the kingdom of God. This decision is not about acknowledging Jesus as a good teacher but recognizing Him as the Savior who came to redeem humanity. [15:26]
2. The Unforgivable Sin: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, as demonstrated by the Pharisees, involves attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan. This sin is rooted in a willful rejection of the truth, despite clear evidence of Jesus' divine nature. It serves as a warning against hardening our hearts to the truth of the gospel. [20:47]
3. Words Reflect the Heart: Our words and actions are a reflection of our inner spiritual state. Just as the Pharisees' words revealed their spiritual deadness, our language and behavior testify to our faith. As believers, we are called to live lives that reflect the teachings of Christ. [27:04]
4. Repentance and Genuine Faith: For those who have been playing the part of a believer without genuine faith, the call is to repent and truly embrace the life that Jesus offers. This involves a heartfelt turning away from sin and a commitment to live according to God's will. [35:23]
5. Invitation to Know Jesus: For those who have not yet heard the gospel, there is an invitation to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. The transformative power of the Holy Spirit leads individuals to faith, drawing them into a relationship with Christ. [39:08]
** [39:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:56] - Tension with Religious Leaders
[06:34] - Miracles and Amazement
[07:45] - Accusations of Beelzebub
[10:45] - Jesus' Logical Response
[12:25] - The Strong Man Analogy
[13:55] - No Middle Ground
[15:26] - All In or All Out
[17:13] - Jesus' True Intention
[18:26] - Blasphemy Against the Spirit
[20:04] - Forgiveness and Unforgivable Sin
[22:06] - Pharisees' Rejection
[23:35] - Willful Rejection of Truth
[25:41] - Words Reflect the Heart
[27:04] - Genuine Faith and Repentance
[30:33] - Language and Testimony
[34:02] - Invitation to Know Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What accusation did the religious leaders make against Jesus, and how did He respond to it? [07:45]
How does Jesus use the analogy of a divided kingdom to address the claims of the Pharisees? [10:45]
What does Jesus say about the importance of words and their connection to the heart? [27:04]
How does Jesus describe the unforgivable sin, and what context does He provide for this teaching? [20:04]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize that there is no middle ground in following Him? What implications does this have for believers today? [15:26]
How does the concept of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit challenge our understanding of forgiveness and accountability? [20:47]
In what ways do the Pharisees' actions and words reveal their spiritual state, and how does this serve as a warning for us? [27:04]
How does Jesus' teaching on the necessity of decision relate to His mission and purpose on earth? [17:13]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you might be trying to find a middle ground with Jesus? How can you commit to being "all in" with Him? [15:26]
Have you ever struggled with understanding the concept of the unforgivable sin? How does this sermon help clarify your thoughts on this topic? [20:47]
Consider your daily language and actions. What do they reveal about your inner spiritual state? How can you align them more closely with the teachings of Christ? [27:04]
If you have been playing the part of a believer without genuine faith, what steps can you take to truly embrace the life that Jesus offers? [35:23]
For those who have not yet heard the gospel, how can you be an effective witness to them, sharing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit? [39:08]
Think of a recent conversation where your words may not have reflected your faith. What could you do differently next time to ensure your language aligns with your beliefs? [30:33]
How can you actively participate in your community to demonstrate the love and teachings of Jesus, especially to those who are skeptical or unaware of the gospel? [34:02]

Sermon Clips

1) "You see, what I want us to get from this text here today is to understand, when it comes to Jesus Christ, there is no middle ground. It's either you're all in or you're all out of. If you're not sure, if you're all in, where you're at, if you're on the fence to God, you're actually all out. Which is why we need to understand. Need to cover through." [06:34] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "Jesus is a good person and a great teacher. But that was never the intentions of why Jesus came to earth. That was never the intentions. Jesus did not leave the throne of heaven to come to earth to be a good person and good teacher. He came to be the savior of all of us. That was his intention. He came to serve us by dying on the cross so that we would have salvation and be connected back to God the father. That was always his intention. So we got to be careful when we're in the world and we're talking about all these spiritual things and they talk about Jesus, if they say he's a good teacher and a good person, ask him, what do you mean by that?" [18:26] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The good news is everyone who sins, blasphemies and speaks against the son of man are forgiven. The bad news is those who blaspheme me against the Holy Spirit. Those who speak against the Holy Spirit. We know for a fact. We know for sure that in Christ, all sins and blasphemy against the Son of man is forgiven. We know that for sure because that's what? Jesus says here, we are forgiven. But then he says, there's a sin there. That's unforgivable, right? He says, there is. Those who speak against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What does that mean? Well, let's try to unpack it a little bit." [20:04] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "They were saying no, like, they were saying, okay, we see you as God, but we don't see you as God. Like, I get it. But we're not. We're not accepting you as God. And so they're. They're rejecting the truth. That's unforgivable. But those who sin and blaspheme over here, they do it unknowingly, ignorantly. They don't. They've never heard God. They've never heard the gospel. Now, can we, anybody here today, commit the unforgivable sin? The same one that the Pharisees committed here? I would say no. Some of us differ on this, okay?" [24:29] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Yet the fruit that came from them, the fruit that they bore, was straight, nasty like at the core of who they were. They were evil, they're selfish, they were prideful, and that's the kind of fruit. No matter how the outside looks, no matter how the outside appearance we have, the fruits that we will always produce is always going to give way to what's in our hearts. I love that Jesus brings it up here because he's kind of bringing it home. He's showing the pharisees, be like, hey, remember how you said that I was Satan filled? Like, he's taking their accusation and he's saying, actually, you're Satan filled." [27:04] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "What comes out of our mouth is. We say and the words we use always gives a glimpse of what's happening inside of us. Christians, as Christians, one of the easiest ways to be different from the world is to really watch our language. It's to not cuss. But I get it. Our world is pushing this whole thing of like, hey, be you, speak your truth, be authentic. And we would all admit a four letter word sometimes, most of the time, sounds better and better describes how we feel, right? Us, if we are a new creation." [28:37] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "If you are a believer here in Sanger, California, today, this text here is to remind us who Jesus Christ is to us. Like, I get it. You probably. Of Sunday service every Sunday. Yeah. It is like, this text here today is that Jesus is our Lord and savior, that we know him as our Lord and savior, that we understand him as our lord and savior, that we are kingdom workers in his kingdom, that we are to remember, to always orient our lives, to match his, to live out his scriptures. And so that's for us here today." [34:02] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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