The Church of Eleven22 - Legalism Kills: Where’s Your Faith? - Old to New - Matthew S4E4

Episode Date: May 10, 2026

What happens when religion becomes more about rules than relationship? In Matthew 12, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and exposes how legalism can distort the heart of God. Through encounters with the Pharisees, healing on the Sabbath, and powerful teaching about grace, Jesus shows us that religion without Him only leads to pride, shame, and exhaustion. The gospel is not about earning God’s love through performance. It’s about receiving the mercy and freedom that Jesus already paid for on the cross. Jesus did not come to heap burdens on people. He came to bring rest, healing, freedom, and new life. Supplemental Resources From This Week: • Religion Couldn’t Heal What Faith Did - Kerry's Story • Legalism Kills: Where’s Your Faith?- Old to New - Matthew S4E5 • Jesus Is Greater Than Religion - Deepen with Pastor Joby Martin: Matthew S4E5 • Legalism Kills: Where’s Your Faith?- Old to New - Matthew S4E5 (Full Service) • Matthew Season 4 About The Church of Eleven22 The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://coe22.com/donate

Amen and amen. Hope you will. Grab your Bibles. We're going to be in Matthew chapter 12. We're actually going to back up a couple verses into Matthew chapter 11 to get a running start because if you were reading this in its original context, the chapters and verses didn't get added until later so that we can figure out where we are. And I want to say happy Mother's Day weekend.

Way to go, Mom. Let's get up for the mamas. We wouldn't be here without you. You're the best. Praise God. Now, I don't really line up the text with Hallmark Weekends. In fact, the last text we're going to read is Jesus' his mom, brothers, and sisters come try to stop him preaching.

And he's like, you ain't my mama. Happy Mother's Day. So there you go. That's fun. All right, wasn't Jesus so sweet last week? He was mean at first, especially if you were in one of those towns that he talked about, like Copernium. He was like, y'all going to hell.

So he got mean. But then remember right at the end? Remember how sweet he was? He said this, the greatest invitation in the history of all invitation. Jesus says this, come to me. This is Matthew 1128. We've got to get a running start into so you understand the context of 12. 1128.

He says, come to me all who labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart. And you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is life. And last week at all of our services, 239 people took on Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Praise God, right? Praise God. So just on the heels of that, okay, you would think when Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah,

he's been healing people. Remember, we went through the whole litany of people that he has been healing. He's been preaching, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Then he gives this beautiful invitation not to be weighed down by the yoke of the Pharisees by this religious activity that would just wear you out and make you exhausted. And so he says, come on, man, come to me. If you're worn out, I'm your God. Come to me.

And I will give you rest for your soul. What a beautiful invitation. And then instead of the religious leaders, what they should be doing is showing up with cake and balloons going, yay. And instead they show up with a clipboard to try to find them doing something wrong. They should be throwing a party, and instead of they're throwing a fit. Because he does not fit into their religious construct. And that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about the reality that legalism kills.

That religious duty to try to prove yourself right before God. It's not just a bad idea. It will kill you. Chapter 12, verse 1, and at that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. If you're new to Bible study, the Jewish Sabbath was from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. This was to reflect the creation account because in six days God created everything. And then he rested, not because he was tired, but he was going to demonstrate to us that it is good to live in a rhythm. And then he creates the man and woman and their very first full day of their life.

Guess what they do? Rest in him. Why? Because I don't care how you order your life. If he is not preeminent in your life, your whole life will be out of order. Then when Jesus is going to resurrect from the grave, spoiler alert, by the time we get to the end of Matthew, he's going to die on a cross, be dead, buried, and on the third day be resurrected on a Sunday morning known as the Lord's Day. So when the early church began to gather together, they said the Sabbath is still legit, and Jesus has fulfilled this Sabbath. It's still a good idea for sure to live in that kind of rhythm that Christ has set out for us.

But we are going to worship on Sunday, the first day, the Lord's Day. that's what most Christians would consider their Sabbath. Now, Jesus, at this time, he's walking through a grain field on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said, look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. Well, first of all, why are they in the grain field? See, the Pharisees are just walking around with a clipboard. Just being like, oh, just do something so I can be a friend.

defended. Yeah. Again, I told you a few weeks ago, the Greek word for that is X. They go, you did that wrong. And I'm going to comment that. I'm going to comment on your comment. This is what they're doing. You're not doing it right. That's what they're saying. And they say, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. The key question is, not lawful according to who. Not lawful according to who. This is what legalism is. legalism is when we don't trust God's law so we think we have to add to his law. It started all the way back in the Garden of Eden. If you'll remember when the servant comes up to Eve and says,

did God really say you shall not eat from this tree? Well, that's not what he said. The first thing he said is you are free to eat from every tree in the garden except this one. all of the commandments God gave, there were a bunch of thou shouts, there was only one thou shalt not, and then Eve, this is classic legalism. She says, he said that we can't eat from that tree, and even if we touch it will die. He doesn't say anything about touching it. She's just made some stuff up.

Legalism is when you take the word of God and you're like, good try, and you're welcome. I'm going to add my own preferences to your word, and I'm going to. to treat them like their precepts of you. Now listen, what may be wisdom for you is a good idea for you, but if it's wise for you, but you make it salvific for somebody else, that's what legalism is. See, so what happened is the Pharisees, what their name means is separated ones.

These were biblical scholars. They know the Bible really well. Their intent was that they would set up rules about the rules by the rules so that they would be so obedient to the law that they would be untainted from this nasty world so that when the Christ, when the Messiah, when the anointed one, when the serpent crusher shows up on the scene, they would be the first ones to recognize them. The problem was, is that they fell in love with the laws that they made up about the laws of God instead of the giver of the law.

I mean, think about this. They are two feet from the Son of God. They can smell his breath, but they don't have the breath. of God in them. Because they can't see pass their own law. So in the Bible, the Bible will say things like, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, and do no work on the Sabbath. And then they would sit down and be like, what does it mean to do no work?

And the Pharisee would be like, oh, I know what that means. The Bible will say, so do not carry a heavy load on the Sabbath. Well, what does that mean? Can you carry your clothes around? Whatever got to just walk around naked all day on the Sabbath? Not a terrible idea, depending on the context. And they were like, okay, okay, well, you can carry your clothes as long as they're on you, but you can't carry your clothes in your hand because that would be working.

So you can wear your jacket, you just can't carry your jacket. Now, think about the crazy. You think God's up there, be like, you better put it on, you better put it on. I mean, they go crazy, man. They would order just how many steps you can take unless you're going to get something to eat, and then that doesn't count. So what they would do is they would set up food kind of all around town so they could still run all their errands. And the moment you set up these rules by which you think made you righteous before God, then what you will do is you'll find every loophole in them you can.

This is what they're doing. And the boys are just hungry. He wants something to eat. It's still true today, though. If you ever go to Israel with me, it's crazy. We're in downtown Jerusalem. We're staying at this really nice hotel. And on Saturday, you pull up to the elevator and there's like a Gentile elevator.

and a Shabbat elevator. And the deal here is that the Bible, some of the Pharisees decided that work meant fire, and if you push it, let your button, somehow a little fire thing happens, so that equals work, so you can't push the button on an elevator. So if you get in that elevator,

it stops on every floor. And if you get stuck there, all of a sudden, you'll really love the grace of God. They're like, what the heck we doing? So I get on the Gentile elevator, and this little Jewish family all scuttles in there with me on my elevator. and they're like can you push four

can I tell you about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you can ride on this thing whatever you want and they got off the elevator but whatever man okay and actually what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 23 25 it says you can pluck grain from the field when you walk through it just don't put a sickle to it that's what it says but they are making up

their own rules looking for an offense so they say hey what you're where you guys are doing it's not legal according to the law. Verse three, and Jesus said to them, have you not read? Let's stop right there. Do you know what a shot this is? These dudes are pro-bibal readers.

That's what they do. They are known for their interpretation of the law, and what Jesus says, have you not read, and he's going to get some Old Testament examples that I don't have time to completely unpack, what David did when he was hungry and those who were with him,

how he entered the house of God and he ate the bread of the presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priest. You remember that one? You don't want to yell at David? And they're like, no, no, we like David. I'm like, okay, cool. Then he does it again. Have you not read?

This is another shot, dude. This is like going up to a gym bro and be like, do you even lift? This is what this is. He is so insulted. They are so... Have you not read in the law on the Sabbath, the priest in the temple profane the Sabbath? And are guiltless, verse 6, and then he says this,

I tell you something greater than the temple is here. This is the kind of stuff got Jesus killed. Something greater than the temple is here. The reason God gave his law, listen, God's law is a gift to us. The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul. And a part of the reason he gave his people, the Israelites, the law is so they would just be different than everybody else. They'd have different haircuts, they'd have different kind of clothes, everything would be different or set apart from this world,

so that they would be a light in the darkness, a city on a hill so that the whole world may know that God is the one true God. That was the reason for the holiness laws. And the temple represented the very presence of God on earth. Inside the temple, there was a room inside a room, inside a room. It was called the Holy of Holies. And that's where the Ark of the Covenant was. It held the broken laws of God. It's where on the Day of Atoment the priest would consecrate himself.

He would shed the blood of a lamb and sprinkle the blood over the Ark of the Covenant on the Mercy Seat called the Hill Astaireum, which means perpetuation. And there were these two chairmen with their like wings set out of, it was a throne. the throne room of God. And so the temple represented the very presence of God. And Jesus says something greater than the temple is here. He's like, look, dude, one priest on one day a year gets to hang out in the presence of God. Tadda, I am right here. This is what he's saying.

Secondly, the temple was the centerpiece of the sacrificial system where every year they would shed the blood of a lamb to cover the sin of the Jewish people until the next year. And Jesus is saying, something greater is here. I'm not here to just point to the sacrifice. I am the sacrifice. Behold the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of anyone who would believe. And the temple was supposed to be a light to the Gentiles that they would come and see. And Jesus is saying, we're not going to do the come and see anymore. I came on a rescue mission because I'm going to go and make disciples of all nations.

He says something greater than the temple is here. and if you had known what this means, he's quoting the Old Testament, I desire mercy and not sacrifice. You would have not condemned the guiltless. Here's what Jesus is saying. He said, man, you can't see the forest for the trees, boys. Again, the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

The law was given to, the Old Testament was given to us like a babysitter, a guardian. And when you get a babysitter, what do you do? Step one, please keep them alive. And so a big part of the law is this slave nation comes out of Egypt. They don't know how to live together. They don't know what to do. And so the law was to keep them alive because when we live in God's world, God's way, things go better. But not only was it, the other job of the babysitter is not just to keep them alive.

and then you rat them out in every way that they're terrible little hellions that I know them to be. And that's what the word of God does. That's what the law of God does. It is both a map and a mirror. It's a map to show us how to rightly live before a righteous king. But then it's also a mirror so that when we look at it, we go, well, I can't pull any of this off on my own.

And what God wants is hearts. What God wants is people. What God wants is you. Not just religious activity at the expense of people. That is not what he is looking for. And then he says this. For the son of man. Stop right there.

Daniel chapter 7. There is one coming on the clouds who is called the son of man. Jesus is saying, I'm him. Anybody that's dumb enough, if you've ever heard somebody, they're probably on YouTube. Because that's where all the dumb people live. And then they just make it public for everybody to know. Oh, look. that guy's not smart and they'll say well Jesus never claimed to be God oh my goodness he

he's a Hebrew rabbi talking to Hebrew people so when he says things like this the son of man is Lord of the Sabbath he's saying I'm him and I'm the Lord of the Sabbath I am God this is what he's saying he said I'm God I set the rules you want to talk about the law that's adorable I wrote it and so I do what I want. So I'm cool if my disciples grab a little grain. Dads, you ever have like rules for your kids at the house and then your kids bust you breaking the rule? And you're like that, well, Dad, we can't have cookies before dinner.

What you're talking about, dude? This is my house. See, the difference, dummy, is I can have a cookie. You're a moron, and you'll just eat cookies and not eat dinner. So we have to have these rules because you're a moron, and I'm dad. Give me another cookie. This is what he's saying. I'm Lord of the Sabbath.

It's my house. Now I love this part. This is why you've got to read every word, man. And he went from there and entered their synagogue. So they're out there picking grain, and again, Jesus is. face and Jesus said, oh, you want to fight? He follows them to church, synagogue, the place that they would gather every weekend, to study the word and pray prayers and teach the kids.

Sound familiar? And so he rolls up into their synagogue, and he goes there and he's going to prove the point that legalism kills and God wants mercy, not sacrifice. So he rolls up into their synagogue, verse 10. This one gets me animated. and a man was there with a withered hand and they, the Pharisees, asked Jesus, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath

so that they might accuse him? Why does that make you mad? Let me tell you why it makes me mad. You think this man's proud of his withered hand? You think this man's probably got his withered hand tucked away? You know at the core of every man he has this question, do I have what it takes?

and how is this man going to be able to work in an agricultural society and take care of his wife and take care of his kids? This might be the thing that the man is most ashamed of, his biggest pain point. It's not just his hand, it's his heart. And what do these religious leaders do? These religious leaders don't mind shaming him in front of everybody. They don't mind using him as a pawn in order to try to catch Jesus. This is spiritual abuse.

how dare they man this is how you know their hearts because they're trying to shame this man as a prop so that they could check some kind of religious box listen 1122 not on my watch not on this place I love you I'm for you and the role of the shepherd is not to be served by the sheep

you are not here to support my ministry my ministry is to support you to serve you Every single one of us here that's on staff or as a pastor or a minister, every single person that's a deacon or an elder, what our job is is to lower ourselves as low as we can to help you discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. You are not some kind of pawn, some kind of chess piece in the grand narrative of 1122. Who even cares about that? We are here to serve you and we just gather together to serve you to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. that the whole world may know, our chief shepherd, and that is the posture that we take here.

You need help? Tell somebody, man. We want to help you. And when I say I love you like crazy, that's like for real. And I know you're like, well, you don't know me. I know, but I love us. And if you're part of us, man, and thank you for loving me back. That's what this thing is about. You see, these religious leaders, they care more about the laws than the love of God, or the love of their fellow man. And if you ever put the laws in front of loving God and loving one another, you're playing for team Pharisee, not team Jesus.

And he said to them, so they ask him, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? And they're like, ha, we got him. Man, you don't try to Jesus juke. Jesus? He invented the Jesus juke. And he said to them, which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out.

See, Jesus knew the law. He wrote it, and he knew all of the exceptions, all of the loopholes that they wrote in there. Because in that world, if one of your sheep was in the ditch, that meant money. And when they're writing the religious rules, they're like, yeah, but you can't mess with our money. So we ain't going to do no work unless it costs me a lot of money,

and then that one's going to be okay. So Jesus is like, all right, man, you got a sheep falls in a ditch. You taking it out? And everybody's like, I already got us. And of how much more value is a man than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. And implied in the Greek is, right?

And they're just like, um, got us again. And then he said to the man that they wanted to use as a pawn in their trick. And then Jesus is going to, he's going to mess with them. He says, okay, so in order to work, I got to move my hands and do some stuff, right? Watch this. I ain't even going to pull my hands out of my pocket for this one. And all he does is speak to the man. Because sometimes Jesus does like show and tell.

You know, he'll spit and make some mud. Sometimes he does that. He does all kinds of little tricks sometimes, right? This one, he don't even bring his hands up. He's like, okay, all right. And he looks at the man and he just says this, stretch out your hand. Now we just read by this too quick. Some of you have a withered hand.

It's not your actual hand. It's that thing you're so ashamed of. It's that past. It's that divorce. It's that abortion. It's that one you paid for. It's that promise that you broke when you swore you'd never do that again and you did it again. It's the thing that

that you're not sure what God would do if he saw it, and the reality is he does actually see it. And he's like, I know. I know you fully and I love you fully. Stretch out your hand. And look what the dude does. And the man stretched it out, and it was restored healthy like the other.

Here's the thing. What if the man doesn't stretch his hand out? What if the man doesn't trust the words of Jesus? and because of his own shame and condemnation, he leaves it hidden in there. And he says, I don't know, Jesus. And the Bible doesn't say that he peaks to see if the healing happens and then brings it out.

What I think the word here is saying, it's in the obedience that the miracle happens. Which I just wonder how many miracles are still tucked away in sin and shame because you don't do what he said. Because there's something withered in your life. It could be your marriage or your finances or an addiction or you're just crippled by fear and shame and condemnation. And you think failure is final

because you've been listening to your dumb friends or your own voice or the voice of the enemy. And his primary job is that he's a thief and he's a liar and he accuses the brethren. Don't you show anybody that. And Jesus says, don't you be ashamed of that? I doubt on the cross to make that thing whole. So what is it for you?

And your next step is to quit hiding and just do what he tells you to do. Verse 14. And you would think the Pharisees would see this and say, praise God, but they don't. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Jesus how to destroy him. Listen to me.

Christless religion operates by fear and control, period. That means every religion, even a Christless church, ain't really a church. but anybody, any religion, world religion, cult, any demonic religion says it's about what you do to earn a right standing with God. And if you dig down deep enough, the guy's in charge with the funny hats and everything, they get to set the rules, it will always be about fear and control. And the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is about freedom. Freedom from sin, not free to sin, freedom from sin. Freedom from the penalty of sin.

Once and for all, if you'll put your faith in Jesus. Freedom over the power of sin in your life. As Jesus, by the power of the spirit in you and the Word of God like a hammer and chisel, continuously just chisels all the things in you a way that don't look like Jesus. And then one day in the sweet by and by, when we get to glory, freedom from the very presence of sin, this is what the marker of Christianity, of the gospel is, freedom. These men are ruled by fear and control.

Verse 15, and Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. You know, there's some places you might need to withdraw from. Because the only word you hear is accusation and condemnation and shame, and you're not good enough. And Jesus is like, all right, I'm out of here. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there, and many followed him, and he healed them all. that's just a little casual sentence, isn't it?

If everybody got here, healed here all at once, I'd give you a line by line of exactly what happened, but this was so commonplace in the ministry of Jesus that is it, and he healed them all, verse 16, and ordered them not to make him known, this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Jesus loves some Isaiah. Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus,

and Isaiah prophesied that Jesus is coming, the suffering servant, the Messiah. We talked about it last week in Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61, and here you quotes Isaiah. It says, behold, my servant, whom I have chosen. This is talking about Jesus, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I, this is God the Father, will put my spirit on him.

This is a Trinitarian verse right here. God the Father will put the Holy Spirit on God the Son, Jesus Christ, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry a last. nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed, he will not break. I know I get animated, but let me tell you, you're beating up battered and bruised.

Jesus ain't going to break you like that. He's gentle. A smoldering wick, he will not quench. Some of you feel like the flame of your faith that's just barely hanging on. He can blow it out, man. He's gentle and lowly until he brings justice to victory and in his name the Gentiles will hope.

once again Jesus is saying I am him and then he keeps going same context here then a demon oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus and Jesus healed him so that the man spoke and saw so now he's healing hands and he's casting out demons now I just want to remind you a few weeks ago we were in Matthew chapter 10 and what Matthew chapter 10 and what Matthew chapter 10 told us, remember we talked about this, I do not see an expiration date on the commands of Jesus or the power of the Holy Spirit. He's the same yesterday, today, today, and tomorrow, and in Matthew 10, verse 7, he said, he sent out his disciples and he said, here's what you do, proclaim as you go. That means preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We're spending in the whole year on that. Jesus's sermon in all of Matthew is this, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And then he says that here's what I want you to do. I want you to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,

cast out the demons. These are not euphemisms. This is a command. And you're saying, so pastor, are you saying we should heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out the demons? Yes, right after you preach, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. I had dinner with two of my mat carriers last night. And one of them picked up a side of the corner and said,

I need to talk to you about something. about you and he called me out and I love it. Sometimes when, especially when I'm talking about like Matthew chapter 7, the end of the sermon on the mount where Jesus says, and many will say to me, Lord, did we not cast out demons in your name? Did we not prophesying your name? And he goes, apart from me, I never knew you.

And I will say, I've never cast out a demon. I said, the closest thing I've ever come is sending a seventh grader home from camp, right? And everybody like, ha, ha, okay, because I'm trying to be cute. He said, you need to check that because I've seen your ministry. And so let me clarify. Currently in my ministry, I have never, I haven't, I have yet to encounter a person where like they levitate and their head spins and pee suit comes all out of their mouth.

Okay, I haven't done that. And the demon screech as they go. But show me one and I'll go. Let's go. Let's go. Because Jesus told me I'm supposed to do that. But let me tell you what I have done. I have prayed and seen addictions broken,

and I've seen the spirit of fearfully, and I've seen the spirit of condemnation be lifted, and I've seen marriages resurrected to a new life, and I've seen bodies healed, and I've seen cancer be gone, and I've seen a person with suicidal thoughts that were believing the lives of the enemy, telling them they shouldn't live anymore,

and I've seen that dude walk in the joy of a Lord. And if that ain't cast it out a demon, I don't know what it is. And so we are to get in the game, man. So Jesus casts out these demons. And the blind is a mute, man. Now they see and they speak. And all the people, almost all the people, because the Pharisees aren't convinced,

but all the people were amazed that they said, can this be the son of David? Here's another time where Jesus is associated with the messianic prophecy that he's the son of David. The son of David was prophesied. that one would come from your lineage that would sit on the throne

and rule forever and ever and ever and ever. It's not enough that David was his great-granddad. That's not what it's talking about. This is the prophesied one that will rule forever. But when the Pharisees heard it, they're so dumb to be so smart. It's only Bielas above the Prince of Demons that this man cast out demons.

So pay close attention because I'm going to answer a theological question in a minute. that comes up in this text, that you have probably been mistalk. They are saying that's not the work of the Holy Spirit, that is the work of the devil and evil spirit. That's what they say. Verse 25, I love it, knowing their thoughts. Ever think about that when you sit up in church?

I mean, I don't like that song. Better check yourself. Knowing their thoughts. He said to them, here's what he's saying, bro, are you done? This don't make no sense. your argument it doesn't make logical sense

every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste and no city or house divided against itself will stand and if Satan cast out Satan he has divided against himself how then will his kingdom stand he's like dude this don't make no sense even even the demonic kingdom

can't accomplish their goals if there's fighting with each other y'all are dumb and he says if I cast out demons by Beelzebub then by whom to your sons cast them out. And they're like, oh, therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. This is the third time in one chapter where Jesus is saying, I am God. Jesus is clearly stating the Spirit of God is on him,

and therefore you could know that he is the son of God. He is saying, God in the flesh is right here. That is what he is saying. And then he gives an analogy. Okay? And if you're in like deliverance ministry, you love this, but then Jesus is going to check you here in a minute. Here's his analogy. He says, or how could someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man?

And he's like, that's what I just did. That the strong man, the enemy, was ruling in these two men's life and I went in there and stomp the mud hole in him and now look at the freedom that they have. Very loose translation, that's what he says. Then indeed he may plunder his house. Who, oh, if you don't like the binary, you're not gonna love Jesus here, okay, ready? Whoever is not with me is against me.

Only two categories. They ain't almost saved. Almost saved is all the way lost. Almost a Christian is all the way spiritually dead. He says, whoever is not with me is against me and whoever does I gather with me scatters. Jesus is clear. This is real.

It's heaven or hell. It's saved or lost. It's team Jesus or team Satan. Those are the only two teams you can be on. C.S. Louis says it this way. Christianity, if false, is of no importance. Paul says it's in Corinthians. If Christ is not risen from the dead,

we're just all wasting our time. C.S. Louis says, Christianity, if false, is of no importance. And if true is of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important. So choose for yourself whom you will serve. This day is team Jesus. You're either for him or you're against him.

Therefore, I tell you, this is the theological part I want to clear up for you. Therefore, I tell you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. You ever heard of the unpardonable sin? This is it. And whoever speaks word against the son of man will be forgiven. We see this in the life of Peter, right? Peter denies Christ, and then Peter is moved by the Spirit to repent, and he's forgiven.

But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come. So what is the unpardonable sin? Sometimes the church has taught all kind of things. There's only one unpardonable sin to blasph-me the role of the Holy Spirit. is to point people to Jesus so that we would believe he is who he says he is, Savior. And if you don't believe that before you die, that is the sin that sends you to hell.

Every other sin is forgiven at the cross for anybody who would believe would receive the right to become a child of God. There is more grace and mercy at the cross and there is sin in you. but if you reject Jesus, then you have rejected the way by which we are forgiven, which is to repent and to believe. And if you're like, well, that's harsh. Is it? Is it?

I mean, if you had a terminal illness and I had the cure, but I was too afraid of what you would think about me to offer it to you, then wouldn't I be the evil one for not offering it to you? I mean, this is it, man. And then he says, either make the tree. good and its fruit good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad for the tree is known by its fruit. Basically, here's what he's saying. If you knew the father, you would know and recognize me.

And the reason that he used the fruit analogy here, the tree and fruit is this. Okay, if I take, this is what the Pharisees were doing. If I take a two by four and I nail oranges to it, it does not make it an orange tree. You got to, this thing starts in the, it starts with a seed that begins to germinate and it grows deep roots. and then what is in the orange tree is manifested out on the branches. That's how fruit works. And what Jesus is saying is, it's not your good works that save you,

but if you are saved by me, then I work in you and you produce from the inside out. Fruit of the spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. But if you just try to manufacture those things from the outside end, then see the previous chapter. it's going to wear you out because you don't know me. That's what he's saying.

And then he looks at the religious leaders. And he says, you brew the vipers. You know what a brood of vipers is? That's where the baby snakes grow. In my house, we are of the opinion. There are no good snakes. I know. Somebody be like, no, that one's good.

You should read your Bible. Okay. Here's what he's saying. Oh, you do-goaters? Yeah, you don't pick grain and you try to obey all these laws so that you can present yourself righteous before God. That's what you think you are. The reason he calls him a brute of vipers is because he says, you don't recognize me because your dad is the devil.

That's what he says. And then he says, how can you speak good when you were evil? This is a scary verse. Don't memorize this one. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, nothing slips. It only reveals what's in there. So he says. And here's the thing, Jesus wants your heart, not lip service.

Anybody can raise your hand. Anybody can go into the beach and get baptized. Anybody can sing the songs, how great thou art. But does he have your heart? The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good. And the evil person out of his evil treasure bring forth evil. And I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every careless word they speak. Does that make you nervous?

It should. Because specific to this context, what he's saying is out of your mouth, you just blaspheme the Holy Spirit by rejecting Jesus. That's what came out of your mouth because that is what is in your heart. Now should you watch your mouth, that's a really good idea. And this is what's crazy about how good our God is. And the very thing that would damn us our mouth is the very instrument that God uses for our salvation. Any good.

For by your words, you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned. So let me ask you, what comes out of your mouth toward God? You got one of two options. You can go. I got this. Whether it's by rebellion, I do what I won't, who can do when I won't, you ain't a god of me. Or it's even religion. Now, I got this.

By the works of my own hands, I will sew fig leaves together to cover my sin and shame. That's one option. I got this. The other option is this, God I ain't got this. Lord save me. Romans 10.9 says, because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Not might be saved. Not hope to be saved. But if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord. And deep down here in the wellspring of life, believe in your heart, in the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus, that somehow when he does,

out on the cross, that counted for me, and that flows out of your mouth, and you go, Lord, save me, you will be saved. Then Jesus is going to go straight gospel by using the Old Testament. Why does he use the Old Testament? These guys are experts in the Old Testament. He's that, boys, you remember Sunday school? Uh-huh. Remember Jonah, Big Fish?

Got it. Let's talk about that for a little bit. First 38. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, this is ridiculous. teacher we wish to see a sign hey demon possess guys come here he just did it he could get them he could be like hey with her hand guy come here come here hey yeah cool waving come here somebody go jaris's daughter she was dead and I brought her back or how about the woman I called daughter or the countless people in

Copernian you see what I mean here's what Jesus knows it'll never be enough it'll never be enough there's not a sign There is one sign that Jesus says he will give, but it is enough. And I'm going to tell you, he's got a word for us if we, we bow up our chest and say, all right, Lord, if you are who you say you are, I need a sign. When Jesus is being crucified between two thieves, we talk about that one legit guy all the time. The one that Alistair Begg says, the man on the middle cross said I could come,

the guy that asked for a favor. That's my guy. That's my guy. Can't wait to meet that guy. There's another thief. I don't know the church person that identifies with him. although the majority of us show up to church the way that thief shows up on the cross. If you are who you say you are,

save yourself and us with you. If you are who you say you are, then answer my prayer. And if you do, then maybe I will believe you. Jesus says, it doesn't matter what kind of sign I give. There's signs all over town, you don't believe it. He answered them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,

but no sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Now, he doesn't have to explain it a lot. Here's two things. One is just for free. Sometimes when people are like, you believe the Bible, I'll stake my whole eternity on it.

I'm more than believe it. I trust it. So you believe that there was a guy that got swallowed by a fish for three days. Yes. Why? Because Jesus believed it. And if you can be dead,

three days in the tomb, resurrect from the grave and predict it, I'm with you, man. That's my theology. Okay? Secondly, here's the sign that Jesus will point to to prove he is who he says he is once again. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Jesus is clearly pointing to his resurrection,

and the resurrection is the event that all of our faith hinges on. that if you were a believer in Jesus, you don't primarily just believe in his teachings. You don't believe, you don't even have faith in faith. We understand in the historical reality that was a man named Jesus. He claimed that he was the way, the truth, the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him. He predicted his death.

The Romans killed him, and they're really good at it on the cross. He was dead and buried in the tomb for three days. They put a legion of soldiers around him. And then guess what? Three days later, the stone is rolled away, and he comes walking out, and he appears to over 500 people in Jerusalem. All Rome has to do is go get dead Jesus and hang him up there, and we got our weekends free for the rest of our lives. But they couldn't do it because he was alive. Jesus is the proto-toco from the dead, the prototype.

And because he resurrected from the grave, what we're about to celebrate at Beach Baptism is I'm praying over 2,000 people professed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and we see a picture of them dying to them. and like Christ was resurrected, they're going to come out of that watery grave brand new. This is what he's talking about. And then he says, the men of Nineveh, that's the place that Jonah went to prophesy. And he didn't like those people. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

When we tell you about Jonah, Jonah, Jonah was a reluctant prophet that brought A word from God. And Ninevehra repented. Oh yeah, and he was in a fish for three days. Jesus is the word of God. He didn't have a word from God. He is the word of God. He did not come reluctantly. The Bible says, for the joy set before him, he endured the cross.

And he didn't just stay in a fish for three days. He was dead in the ground and came out of the grave, and he put death to death. Jesus says, I am here. And he gives another example. The queen of the south will rise up at the judge. with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,

and behold something greater than Solomon is here. Here's what he's saying. People without the prophets, people without the law, people without the sacrificial system, or the history of God's faithfulness to their people. They had so much less information, and they repented and turned to God,

and he redeemed them, but your pride will not allow you to. With the Son of God standing around, right in front of you. And I know what you're thinking. You think of what I think when I read the Bible and I see the Pharisees. I'm like, how could you be so dumb? It's hard for church people to get saved because of religious pride. That's it, man. It's hard for church people to go to heaven. Especially if you think your good works earn it, your own team Pharisee. This is why Jesus began his teaching ministry. We studied it, sermon on a mount. I think I've said it every single week. Blessed

or the poor in spirit. The opposite of that is, woe to you if you have a prideful spirit. Now Jesus is going to return back to his demon casting out analogy, and he says this, when the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest but finds none, and then it says, I will return to my house from which I came. But when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.

But there's no one inhabiting the house. get that that's what he's implying then it goes and it brings it seven other spirits more evil than itself and they enter and dwell there and the last state of that person is worse than the first so also will it be with this evil generation here's what it's saying if your life is an absolute train wreck you might not use the word demon oppression i would but if you're addicted and your life is just i mean it's jack man heart soul mind and strength everything's jacked and then by the sweat of your own brow you clean it all up you you run the steps you break the addiction you clean up your life everything is orderly and you go from train wreck

to good citizen and you think i did it but you don't surrender your life to the lordship of jesus christ then what will happen is you're just going to trade the demonic forces of sexual immorality and drugs and rebellion for a stronger demon of religious pride and arrogance and self-righteousness and the problem is you won't even know you're oppressed. You'll think you're winning. And everybody at church tell you you're doing great. This is what we call beach ball theology. I call it.

We don't. I made it up for so long, man. In churches, God bless them, people teaching the Bible, everything with some Old Testament lesson about how you could do better. be more like David and more like Solomon, at least part of his life. And the message I would hear over and over and over sounded something like this, God is good and you are bad. Try harder.

See you next week. I would try so hard sometimes for many days. Being a follower of Jesus, being redeemed, being saved, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not simply sin management. Now, I've preached a hundred. I wrote a whole book on run over by the grace street. train and about how the grace of God changes everything. So I'm not saying you just act a fool and then claim Jesus as your Savior.

That ain't how it works. If you look at him and do what you want, then he's not your Lord. But what I am saying is that if you think, if I can just get, if I can just clean my life up, then I can present my life as right before God. That's the message of a demon. It's also Islam. It's also Hinduism. It's also what's taught by a Jehovah's Witness and a Mormon.

if I clean myself up and here's the track then I will stand right before God that is the message of a demon put it down here on the bottom level it's beach ball theology a lot of us think that being a believer in Jesus

is like holding a beach ball under the water the beach balls are sin and we go out to the beach you ever try to do this you will now I see people at the beach now and I say that guy goes love 22 he's okay so how long can you do it

what depends on I mean some some of you yoked up fellas for a minute, man. But what happens? Be getting tired, too much sunscreen, wave catches you, and have you ever noticed when you let go of the beach ball,

it doesn't it just gently return to its place? It blows up in your face, doesn't it? The gospel is not Jesus walking now the beach going, try harder. No, man. Jesus walks up with his pocket knife because he would obviously have one, and he just stabs the beach ball,

and sucks all of the power out of it because it has been nailed to the cross with its sin and shame and does it have power over you anymore? That is the gospel. And listen, man, this makes no sense. The only reason I'm giving a salvation invitation today? Me and a bunch of people buried Bob Tebow today, Timmy's dad, and he lived his whole life so that one more person would have an opportunity to put their faith in Jesus. So maybe you've never put your faith in Jesus. And you're trying. Maybe you're trying hard.

You're like, maybe if I keep coming to church, he'll be into me. Or maybe if I just, you know, learn the right words, know when to do the things. That's not it. Some of you are exhausted because the enemy is wearing you out. And that enemy may be masquerading as religious activity and it's wearing you out. And maybe today, you say, Jesus, will you come stab, this beach ball of sin and shame and just take away all the power for me please because I can't do it would you cast it out of my life would you bind the strong man and not leave me

empty and open to just substitute one false God for another moment but you come into my life and take up residence and just rule and reign anybody? ready for that? If you've never done that, I want to give you the opportunity right now. What do I do? Repent, believe. That's it. Repent just means, all right, old me is dead.

I'm turning my back to my flesh, this world, the enemy, turning my face to Jesus. And for anyone who would confess with their mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead, you will, like right now. Be saved. Would you bow your head? Would you close your eyes?

And if you were ready to do that, if you were ready to put your faith in Jesus, to quit fighting against him and just surrender to what he wants for you and what he wants is mercy because he was the sacrifice. If you're ready to admit it, I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe, I trust somehow for the very first time when Christ died on the cross. That counted for me. And today I'm ready to confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord.

I want to invite you to just lift your hand as high as you can right there and you say whatever words you want to say, Lord Jesus, save me. Our good and gracious Heavenly Father, we love you because you first loved us. Jesus, I thank you that you did not come with a list of rules for us to do better, but you came on a rescue mission for us. God, you came to bind up the strong man, the devil of hell himself, our own flesh in this world that we have been submitted to. put our faith in you, God, you bind him up, you kick him out, you forgive us of all of our sins, and then you rule and reign and you take your rightful place on our very hearts. And God, I thank you that you desire mercy because you weren't looking for a sacrifice. You became the sacrifice that we might know you. Now I'm going to give a second invitation.

I don't ever do this. Keep your heads now. A bunch of you have been Christian. a long time, man. You've been following after Jesus for a long time. But you're worn out because your inner Pharisees been rising up. And even though you know cognitively that were saved by grace through faith and not by works, you find yourself slipping into that workspace righteousness. And you need freedom from that. Because it's the enemy whispering in your ear. Is there anybody, would there be anybody we'd be bold enough to raise their hand and say,

Pastor, that's me. I fall into that pharisaical mindset. I look down my nose at other people. I think God's mad at me when Jesus paid the full price. Dear Jesus, I pray for freedom for your sons and daughters here. That where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And God, I pray that you would set us free. That we would be about our father's business.

We would not get caught up in the civilian matters of this world and waste our life with the silliness. this world offers us that we, because we have been rescued, we would be on your rescue team. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. And we're going to respond to the gospel if you would please stand to your feet. I'm going to read the last little bit of this because this is what just happened. This is the worst Mother's Day passage in the history of sermons.

While Jesus was still speaking with the public, behold, his mom and his brothers stood outside asking to speak to him. They ain't into it. Let's somebody go get Jesus. He's talking like a crazy person. And he replied to the man who told him, who is my mother and who are my brothers? And stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. For all of you that just put your faith in Jesus Christ, welcome to the family of God. You have just been adopted into his family. So we're going to sing and we're going to bring and we're going to pray.

Like everything depends on it. Because it does. Let's respond.