God's Servant or Satan's Pawn?, Part 2

According to Jesus is impossible to ride the fence with today on Insight for living for me. Your gets the reader for Christ through your reader a believer or you're a nonbeliever. I've heard people ask are you a Christian or non-Christian you somewhere along the way, whatever that you either are or you are not has been a lightning rod for controversy always seems to garner a loyal following all of the very same time, drawing a fraction of super annoyed critics today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll describes a moment. When these two worlds collide. Jesus followers love you tractors. The Pharisees despised so who was this man Jesus was he the promised Messiah title. Today's message with an implied question God's servant or Satan's and we begin. No wonder they call him the Savior. Your father, what a pleasure it is to follow him to know him intimately to walk with him to adjust our life to fit his pace to alter our attitude to correspond with his magnificent response to people. Thank you for the pleasure of your company and our gathering today. Thank you for the thrill of standing alongside one another, reminding us were not alone in this journey from Earth to glory. Grateful we are for those who stand near us and remind us by simply being here.

They too are waiting and trusting and believing anticipating how you will work in specific areas of our lives in a very special way. Speak to us, Lord, through the life of Jesus as he lived openly and vulnerably among those who follow him as well as those who despised him teach us. We pray what it means to do what is right to love kindness and to walk humbly with you are God like Jesus. These are our gifts and we give them gratefully in his name and everyone said to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll sure to download searching the Scriptures study by going to Insight world.org/studies and other message from Chuck about God's servant or Satan's pawn. Here's Jesus who is done only write things said right words responded in right ways cared about others. Never once did wrong. Never once been followed by those who are determined to make his life miserable difficult Pharisees slice it anywhere you like.

They're not good they're not good people. They began 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 it's really downright ugly. And before long. There's nothing he can do that they see is right. He calls the regrets 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 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. 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 that these people who had it in for him.

Now all 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 he leaves the area. Many people follow him and noticed. Secondly, he stays on mission heal all the sick among them. So is 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 out of the blue after all of what we just read out of the blue. There's a demonized man that appears in front of I don't know of a more prophetic individual that this would and I mean that compassionately he is totally helpless. He has demons with them in the control and and is blind and he's mute cannot speaker here no one calls and 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.

He gives the ability to speak, the crowd appropriately is raised there already following him. But look at this and they asked the crucial question could be the Jesus the son of David is Messiah telling you the Pharisees heard that when you see it.

Verse 24, when the Pharisees heard about the miracle said no wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power bills and pull the good prince of demon he's operating as Apollo, Satan 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 the directions you notice the comparison look at the correlation here verse 15 Jesus knew what they were planning. Verse 25 Jesus knew their thoughts with him.

There is no secret. He knew motives. We hear words he knows motives. We see actions he knows reason he knew their thoughts and so without hesitation. And I might add, without time to prepare his defense. He sets forth three very distinct differences that is in defense of his true character of what he would let it go, but no significant enough for him to give reasons that they are wrong, lest anyone think as less the word ever get out that is operating under the power of the elves of all that he's a pawn of Satan look at his response defense number one begins in verse 25. Any kingdom divided against itself of this version reads any kingdom divided by Civil War is due a town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart if Satan is casting out Satan he's divided in fighting against himself, his own kingdom will not survive, it makes sense just talking with friends. Between the morning services and one was describing his his roots that go back in this area before the Civil War that into the dark ages of our years of our history as a nation we all agreed that that had to abandon our darkest hour brother against brother, mother dealing with the loss of sons on each side.

On occasion sometime. Dad gets son is a Civil War and it's going on. It works against the nation.

If if there is a divided power here than Satan is fighting against the why would Satan cast out a demon or why would a pawn of Satan do that again makes sense. Satan would be working against himself. If I were who you are thinking I am and he goes along. Verse 27 with another point in his defense. What about your own exorcists. If I'm empowered by Satan.

What about your own exorcists. See, there were some of those who were casting out demons and they believe they cast them out of the power of God.

They cast out demons to so they will condemn you for what you've said if I casting out demons with the spirit of God the kingdom of God is a rotten among you, why would you say they are working for God and I am or their powers coming from human mind isn't this the third has to do with equal strength who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods. Only someone even stronger. So now the battle is between stronger and stronger.

If you go to overcome a demonic influence yet to be stronger than that influence your saying my powers stronger than Satan's power he's getting it. Jesus is getting his power from Satan. It certainly not be offering the people God's kingdom and he would certainly not be casting out one who is controlling the individual. One of their own demon wheezes tell you in. In verse 29. Only someone even stronger.

Someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. You see the point then becomes the turn with the bottom. We call it. The bottom line state. There is no middle ground.

There is no neutrality that you can clean your either for your against verse 30 anyone who isn't with me opposes me anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.

Course, but in our day. You won't hear that this is a day of pluralism are all roads leading toward the same destination. Don't you believe it is ancient as the Proverbs were there is the statement are those who sincerely believe there were the right road, but it is the way to death your either for me or your kids always love that about the Bible you read far enough and you will come to these sort of ultimatum moment where you realize that there is no room to straddle fences, your either for Christ or you're not your either a believer or you're an unbeliever. I've heard people ask are you a Christian or not a Christian or you somewhere along the way, whatever that you either are or you are not you either make the flight or you missed the flight. Your either married or not married you not somewhere along the way. You are a believer or you're an unbeliever knows of this terms of verse 30 and to me when I was doing my preparation I thought that's the place to stop. You carry a red letter Bible you notice the red words go on. Jesus is still teaching here, but will stop will wait on a give you time to think where you verse 30 says anyone. So that's all of us know Christ there's been a time in your life when you trusted him. Or there's never been a time when you've trusted for our please bow your head with me, just sit quietly for a few moments. It was interesting folks I've been preaching a long time and I have looked into the faces of congregations gatherings like this over 50 years.

But honestly, I cannot tell by looking whose foreign whose against today is an example.

Not being Jesus who was able to read motives and no thoughts. I can only give you something to believe Jesus died on the cross and in doing so he paid the total payment percent and be satisfied the righteous demands of God. In doing so, and then he made the offer. Whoever believes in me will have everlasting life. He who doesn't believe does not have life with the wrath of God abides on that's in the book.

I didn't come up with you either know the Savior or you do not know the Savior. How wonderful it is that you're alive.

You're able to listen, you're able to decide right now there will be a day when that opportunity is over because there is no second chance. There is no purgatory. There is no time to decide following your last breath on earth it's now or never believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be rescued you be saved from that old power. That's been in control of you all your life.

The Lord will release you from all of that guilt and shame that follows a life filled with that and he will provide you with the gift that will never be taken away trusted now. Thank you, dear father, for a plan that is been put together by by you in such a perfect way thank you that it is not complicated or confusing, so clear. A child can understand.

There are those today who are trusting in you. Thank you for hearing their words of faith accepting their those who choose not to.

Please Lord, don't leave them alone make them restless, sleepless trouble until they can find's in you through your son Jesus is exciting to realize that this very moment. Men and women are hearing these words and placing their trust in Jesus Christ you're listening to Insight for living, our Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll titled today's message God's servant or Satan's pawn and we set aside several minutes dear some closing comments from Chuck simply stay with us and to learn more about this ministry.

Please visit us online@insightworld.org. In light of the complicated issues facing our country and world today is possible.

You've come to a place of discouragement. Perhaps fear quite candidly your trust and confidence in God's sovereignty is waning laser natural responses when our world seems to be spinning out of control will recommend a helpful book. Chuck is written that will bolster your confidence is a tremendous resource for yourself or perhaps someone you love is going through a challenging time. It's a devotional book called perfect trust. If you're ready to let go of the things you can control. We believe you'll find the biblical insight in this book, a game changer and you'll find all the details about Chuck's devotional book called perfect trust@insight.org/offer or if you prefer. Call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 Chuck, I want to share a personal story with all of you to me as a deeply personal. My mother's prayer for me years ago. Change the course of my life a few years ago I browse the books in my study and my eyes fell upon an old volume but one of my favorite authors FB Meyer, a British pastor of many years ago. On impulse, I pull that little volume from the shelf, leaned back in my old leather desk chair and began turning the pages to my unexpected delight, it was not FB Meyer's words that spoke to me that evening.

It was my mother's words in her inimitable handwriting she had added her own observations and prayers on the margin of many of the pages on the back cover. She had penned these words finished reading this may eight 1958 I looked up and pondered 1958, and I thought it was in May 1958 while serving overseas in the Marines that I had written in my journal. The Lord has convinced me I am to enter the ministry. I need to begin preparing for a lifetime of serving Christ. Amazingly, that very same month.

My mother had finished reading FB Meyer's book as I scan her words with my eyes, I found one reference after another to her prayers. Some of them including me as I was overseas. Her concern was for my spiritual welfare per desire obviously was God's best for her son. I can still hear her voice as I was growing up, I love you Charles always walked with God son finish strong. While sitting there clutching FB Meyer's book, I realized that my mother had prayed for me when I didn't even know about it at her prayer had change the course of my life I have been privileged to pass on the faith I learned from her as a child as well as the lessons I gleaned from pouring over the Scriptures. That's my story.

I suspect you have your story to so often when I meet Insight for living friends. I discover that our stories are often interwoven.

Many times our stories converge with something we learn together right here on this program while engaging in the truth of God's word using the admonition of my mother let me urge all of us to finish strong on June 30 will close another chapter on the Journal of our memories this year and your gift to Insight for living will be used by God to perpetuate and propagate his story around the world. I cannot overstate the critical importance of your gift today. That's right, today, no matter the size, thanks so much for financially supporting this work of God. Let's heed the words of the psalmist who called upon all of us to tell the world about his unforgettable and here's how to respond to Chuck Swindoll the most convenient way to give is to follow the simple instructions insight.org or use our convenient mobile app would be pleased to take your personal phone call. Well, listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org that's insight.org Friday on insight for living. The preceding message God servant or Satan's pawn was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll.

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