God's Servant or Satan's Pawn?, Part 1

In March 2022 Insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God Chuck Swindoll for thousands of years no place has been more meaning to God's children in the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone. The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world.

Analysis the good news of Christ's every nation and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll, Insight for living ministry March 6-17, 2022. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with the refreshed heart for God and a renewed vision for the world really undefeated every time so I want you to have the same life changing experience to learn more, go to Insight.org/events per call this number 1-888-447-0444 Insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll.

Jesus not only cast out the demons of site and he gives hearing gives the ability to speak, the crowd appropriately is amazed.

They're not just following now have their stomachs filled the not following just to see things like this happen.

They now reason the undermined it be in business.

I have accuracy tender conversations with those who are suffering, the locals began to follow Jesus and drove to the chagrin of his critics, Jesus was becoming immensely popular as a result, the religious leaders.

The Pharisees were deeply annoyed. The fact they attempted to sabotage Jesus growing reputation today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll's teaching from Matthew chapter 12 we watch the mounting tension between fans and fault finders check title. Today's message God's servant, or Satan, going to the gospel by Matthew and we come to the 12 chapter right in the middle of it, actually.

And if you got a Bible handy turn to verse 15 in chapter 12 of this first of the four Gospel writers of the reading of smaller sections and will be speaking from but for the sake of time, let's do that. Matthew 1215 through 21 but Jesus knew what they were planning. So we left that area and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them. But he warned them not to reveal who he was. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him look at my servant whom I have chosen. He's my beloved who pleases me. I will put my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nation.

He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest read or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious in his name will be the hope of all the work study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures by going to Insight world.org/studies and other message from Chuck about God's servant or Satan's pawn. How do you respond when you know someone has it in for you. I'm at. It seems to be their delight to make life miserable and no matter how hard you try. They absolutely will not get along. In fact you, you know for sure that they're working against you. I know right now world dress up and we don't want to admit the truth want to look like we are dressed, but when were not so attractive and nobody else is looking. Don't you just hate that I mean don't you just think if I if I could just get even that's like the bumper sticker I don't get mad I get even read this past week about a man who couldn't get along with his wife.

To make matters worse, couldn't get along with his mother-in-law to make it even worse. Mother-in-law lived with the man and his wife so he couldn't take it one day and finally decided he needed to get out below fresh air and jogging, walking away for a while so he's takes a long time doing that gets fairly close to home, and he looks over to his right and sees a strange sight. There's a hearse is a big dog in the hearse and the behind the hearse as a second hearse behind the second hearse is a long line of about 3040 man walking in line.

They walked toward buxom adoring arose on the when reason this dog is always a what is this, he said well in this casket is my my my wife and in that casket is my mother-in-law and this dog killed both guy goes Or that no gases get in line. This is the most human nature is to get back to get even. Because, down deep inside there's something crawling around the just makes us retaliate. Even though we we don't like to admit it be we understand folks who keep up the fight specially when they tried to get along and they can't make it work.

All of a sudden we moved from that scene. Believe it or not, to a very similar scene right in the middle of Matthew's gospel hears Jesus who is done only write things said right words responded in right ways cared about others. Never once did wrong. Never once and is being followed by those who were determined to make his life miserable. The call Pharisees slice it anywhere you like. They're not that they're not good people. Then again, when he comes on the scene to be curious and their curiosity grows into suspicion and then when he begins to expose them for who they really were. Then the suspicion turns to resentment and then gets gets really downright ugly.

And before long. There's nothing he can do that they see is right. He threatens them by his words because the words are true, but no one else would ever dare say that he calls them hypocrites which they were. He didn't back down when they tried to intimidate finally reaches a climax and tucked away in this writing of Matthew is a is a hinge on which the whole book turns in everything from here on becomes different than it was before because of verse 14 in chapter 12. Look at it, circle it, at least in your mind then Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. There is strata truth.

I take it that the plot was laid behind the scene in the secret place you don't announce plots like that you don't discuss them before others meeting alone together they began a conspiracy, a campaign to get rid of what's amazing is the very next verse. Jesus knew what they were planning. He knew it. Now understand his followers by now grown larger and larger in number. The crowd is increasing as he's doing all these right things and teaching all these right truths and SE has the audacity to expose what the followers new in their hearts because they had seen it, but who's going to criticize a Pharisee, especially since they were the keepers of the wall, or so they declared they knew the Scriptures is then living. They adjusted everything according to their own way of thinking. Jesus knew that these people who had it in for him now were plotting to kill him. I'm telling you his response is disarming three things occur that you would not normally expect.

First, without a word regarding the plot we read he left that area and many people following you realize that all he needed to do was get along with his followers and tell them what was being planned against any just could step aside and then take care of things. Human nature being what it doesn't do that without a word he leaves the area.

Many people follow him and noticed.

Secondly, he stays on mission he heal all the sick among them, so he still involved in doing what he came to do. He still is healing the sick among them, and of all things. He warned them not to share with others who he was. This not a list of self-serving or kind of sympathy encouraging words uses the don't spread the word is he. He knew it wasn't his hour. It wasn't time there would be a time when the plot would run its course. There would be a time when he would train the disciples. There will be a time when he is done. The teaching that needs to be done when he has completed his mission, then the word will get out and then the plot will run its course.

They're willing to across but not now. It's too early.

Timing is everything. We warned him not to reveal who he was interesting, but Matthew records that he remembers a passage out of 700 years BC. Isaiah chapter 42 you could check it for yourself is this all fulfills the words of Isaiah the prophet concerning him, I love this particular statement look at my servant. Just look at my servant whom I've chosen, would you keep in mind that these words are 700 years old, a prophet who lived way back when 740 to 680 BC wrote this of the servant of God, look at my servant is my beloved who pleases me. I will put my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nation.

But that's not all he will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest read or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious in looking all the way to the kingdom age.

He will be the hope of the whole world.

I checked Eugene Peterson in the message sortable popular rendering of what I just read, listen to this look well in my handpicked servant. I love them so much.

Take delight in him. I place my spirit on heal decree justice to the nation, but he will yell even raise his voice that there will be no commotion in the streets. He will walk over anyone's feelings he will push you into a corner before you know it is just as will triumph. The mere sound of his name will signal hope even among far-off unbelievers while what a million for the Savior of always love Max would Cato's title for his book. No wonder they called in the sleeve wouldn't be attracted to someone like this who has the power of the Godhead.

Never once chosen self around like some kind of Superman. He lives under restraint spirit directed restraint.

He knows there against him. He realizes they're out to get it.

He knows the plot is the killing, but he continues on carrying out the characteristics of compassion, understanding, faithfulness, goodness, grace, and yes justice is they will be the hope of the whole world. By the way, your follower of Jesus. That's who you're following good choice good decision walk with learn from them. He is meek and lowly in heart, as we just learned of the Chapter 11 you will find rest for your soul. You will retaliate. You will try to get even. Let's learn from him. The master teacher and out of the blue after all of what we just read out of the blue. There's a demon demonized man that appears in front of I don't know the more prophetic individual that this would and I mean that compassionately he is totally helpless.

He has demons within them the control and demonized is the word I moaned and so my demonized powers other than his own direct his life is full of misery of that and he's blind and he's mute cannot speaker here no one calls him he could never heard no one says see him come over here. He couldn't see he is brought to Jesus and look at this beautiful is this is a double healing Jesus not only cast out the demons he gives site and he gives hearing gives the ability to speak, the crowd appropriately is a maze there already following him. But look at this, look at this and they asked the crucial question could be the Jesus the son of David is Messiah. He's doing the work of Messiah.

He fulfills what was prophesied of Messiah.

He is the personification of the very one that Isaiah wrote of. So they began to be increasingly more persuaded. They're not just following now I have their stomachs filled the not following just to see things like this happen. They now reason in their mind could it be that this is Messiah telling you the Pharisees heard that when you see it. Verse 24, when the Pharisees heard about the miracle they applauded. Well, this man is not one word earlier or now just amazing to me so hard and they are religious and hardened, legalistic, proud, individuals don't have the heart to applaud the relief of this helpless man in his now dating site and the ability to speak no heard about the mirror: said no wonder you can cast out demons. He gets his power.

Mayo civil Prince of demon interesting word. The term means Lord of the fly's Lord of fill. It's a slang word for Satan himself appears in second Kings as a whole account there will not go into but they drawing from that exceeds it's the power be eligible. Prince demon he's operating as Apollo, Satan.

Not again.

They're not announcing this member. These are followers are thinking, who are thinking correctly to be the Messiah but I'm impressed with verse 25 Jesus knew their thoughts. He knew the thoughts that were behind the words and what would be their actions.

You notice a comparison look at the correlation here. Verse 15 Jesus knew what they were planning.

Verse 25 Jesus knew their thoughts. Look at his response defense number one begins in verse 25. Any kingdom divided against itself, but this version reads any kingdom divided by Civil War is due a towel in her family's flavored by computing will fall apart if Satan is casting out Satan is divided in fighting against himself his own kingdom will not survive, it makes sense titled with a question God's servant or Satan's pawn. This is insight for living and we set aside several minutes tear some closing comments from Chuck simply stay with us and to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org. At this point, a Jesus ministry he stepping into the crosshairs of his detractors. The Pharisees thought they had his number and wanted to see Jesus disappear, but there were those who watched with fascination as Jesus quietly stepped into the limelight. They had a growing sense that he could be there long awaited Messiah. This tension, this precarious place where belief and unbelief seem to hang in the balance is not unlike the tension many feel in our own times, and if you're looking for a helpful way to bolster your confidence in God's watchful eye suggestion recheck devotional book called perfect trust. There's no shortage of critics in today's world, pundits who mock him even attempt to sabotage the credibility of Jesus woodchucks devotional book will restore your conviction that God's presence even in rough seasons like the one we are enduring right now is perfect and true again. The book is called perfect trust and you can purchase a copy right now by going to insight.org/offer or call us if you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888. Check back to you.

Okay, okay, another one for long spells of nostalgia, but sometimes reflecting on the past is entirely healthy.

In fact, it's biblical. Looking back, provides ample evidence of God's enduring faithfulness and that's what this season does for Cynthia and me on June 30 insight for living closes the books on another financial year, but more important than that.

The following day, July 1. We celebrate God's faithfulness to insight for living he's been with us every step of the way every week, every month of every year, surprising us beyond measure with twists and turns in the plot that he had planned for us every chapter in his book has been filled with evidence of his grace and his abundant provision and what began as one man's voice. Mine is now multiplied many times over with resources and ministries. We never dreamed about. Back in 1979 you been part of our story to think about that you been listening and many times investing in this ministry and were so grateful and now as we reach another milestone, call on you to express your gratitude to God. Maybe for the first time or maybe once again all I need is for you to give a generous donation to insight for living. If this is a place where you draw spiritual strength.

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The most convenient way to give us to follow the simple instructions insight.or or use our convenient mobile app you can also speak with someone on the phone when you call us directly listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or give online@insight.org then a fire spiritual phony Thursday insight for living. The preceding message got servant or Satan's pawn was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles are swindling. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited