The Unforgivable Sin

Harvest podcasts featuring Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org. Let's pray together. Father were glad to be here today on this rainy day and we know that your wording is true and we pray that as we open it. Now that you will speak to us will rat larvae come from all walks of life with different challenges with different experiences and frankly with different problem. But Lord you are the one who was the solution. You are the one that has the answers. You are the one that will give us the strength we need so speak to us now as we open your word and we ask this in Jesus name, amen. Good morning. I was a great video was not really good.

What a great to say really wonderful event. Then, such a secular city in such a tremendous work of the spirit so we really do give God the glory for that. Hey this last week I had the opportunity to be back in North Carolina I was with Billy Graham for some time.

We have the opportunity to serve in his board and he made a surprising announcement to all of us. Billy said that he wanted to do one last crusade is great. Here's a picture from our time together and so I had lunch with them and I said so Billy you want to do one last crusade I said I do you want to do it in front of a camera before a live audience and he said a live audience and then he said maybe I'll come and give it in your charts. I said well you would be welcome to do that. Of course you know we would love to have you and I I doubt that'll happen.

Frankly, because they probably end up in some huge arena, but I said or stadium event that I said Billy what is it you would want to preach on what is the message you want to get and he said well at second Chronicles 714, and as you know, that's God's word to Israel and really do all of us. In principle, where he says if my people, which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. So Billy says he wants to call America to repentance.

And that's a good thing and I'm sure I'm sure the world would listen. And I mean literally globally people would be listening to what the greatest evangelists of all time would have to say and it was one other passage he wanted to speak, from reading from the new start Bible and leather and what the type is too small so I have to look at it like this, but the Paul in Galatians chapter 6 says God forbid that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ with whom the world is been crucified to be a knight of the world you know one thing that Billy is always free from throughout his ministry is the cross of Christ. In fact years ago I was with them and I said if an older Billy could speak with the younger Billy what would you emphasize more as a younger preacher that you find yourself emphasizing now and Billy said I would preform the cross and the blood of Christ because that's with the powers I took note of that and this is something he is done faithfully and what a wonderful message, that would be if he could give its alleges pray if it's in God's will that that will happen, and would love to hear Billy one last time when we at least one last time. So he's on these 92 now and they had an event where he and Clint Barrows and George Beverly Shea were altogether better as we call them sing a song and Billy's 92 Bevis hundred and two and he still sings beautifully. Unbelievable.

I don't know what their feet in the southern boys, but the Lord is just been gracious to these guys have been together in ministry for 60 years and know what a great ministry. They've had were thankful to the Lord for them are I will assert in our Bibles to Mark Tuesday to Matthew right.

Matthew okay Matthew chapter 12 Matthew 12 the title of my message is the unforgivable sin. I would ask you to pray for my voice of enemies and voice problem lately and I'd appreciate your prayers have been struggling a bit with it as you probably hear. I heard a story the pastor who was speaking to us congregation. One weekend you want to make sure that people are getting the message he was trying to convey so yes his congregation. Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can receive forgiveness from God. A little boy shouted from the back of the room you have to say well yeah the better answer would have been you need to ask God to forgive you of your sin and turn from it, but that is true, before you can receive God's forgiveness.

First, you have to send some to make sure that I'm speaking of the right audience how many of you have ever sent razor. That's good to know we're some good news, something we all know what is good to be reminded of God forgive sin. Our God has a big eraser. Sometimes people will falsely say what you know. I believe in the God of the New Testament, but I have a struggle with the God of the Old Testament because of the God of the Old Testament is hard.

Certain route: judge mental and the God of the New Testament is loving and forgiving. That's just not true. The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament and one thing that is clear from Genesis to Revelation is. We serve a forgiving God.

David said in Psalm 86 five Lord you are so good, so ready to forget and full of unfailing love for those who ask cure God described himself to Moses as he prayed past in front of Moses and said in Exodus 34 I am the Lord.

I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God, I am slow to anger and written unfailing love and faithfulness.

I show this unfailing love to many thousand five forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion and then Micah reflecting on this great truth said in Micah 7 where is there another God like you who pardons the sins of the survivors among his people. You cannot stay angry with your people forever. You delight in showing mercy and compassion you trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean.

I love that picture the depths of the ocean. Experts tell us that the lowest part of the ocean is 36,000 feet below sea level. While that's the I once made it down to 100 feet and I thought it was something I imagine adapt like that and I don't think if we ever actually reach the little bottom of the ocean that we would suddenly find all those sincerely are, but rather it's a picture it's a metaphor God is using and basically what you think I will put your sin far away from you when you turn from it and asked for my forgiveness.

That means you don't have to keep dredging that we should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget Corrie 10 boom, put it well when she said got testicular cities thrown it into the sea of forgetfulness that he has posted a sign that says no fishing allowed forgiveness.

It's clearly in the Bible and then we go to the New Testament we see how the Lord forgave people. What better example, do we have of God's forgiveness and Jesus hanging on the cross and pray for the very people that counted the spikes through his hands and feet when he says father forgive them for they know not what they do and God reassures us in first John 19, we will confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all on righteousness wasn't the only sin that God will not forgive the sin that we will not confess now, having said that Jesus does warn of an unforgivable sin.

I've had people come to be. Over the years and ask about selling one's soul to the devil. I've heard people say well I sold my soul to the devil really I don't think that's possible.

Actually sort of the idea of that is that you entered into some kind of a business transaction with Satan himself where he gave UX in exchange for why you said all right double give me this and I give you my soul and what you giving your soul to Satan. You can never get it back again that's on the idea goes. This is not biblical. Of course your soul is not even yours to give you couldn't sell it if you wanted to. I'm sure somewhat of a good, but the idea of selling one's soul of the devil is somewhat represented in this message were looking at know where we are saying there is a point of no return.

There is an unforgivable sin. But what is that, while according to Jesus, it is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. So let's read about in Matthew 12 starting in verse 22. Then one was brought to him who was demon possessed blind and mute and he healed them. So the blind and mute man both spoke and saw all the multitudes were amazed and said, could this be the son of David, but when the Pharisees heard it, they said all this fellow does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons and Beelzebub is just another name for Satan but Jesus knew their thoughts, he said to them, you know every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation in every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan is divided against himself.

How then will his kingdom stand.

If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, but whom do your sons cast them out, therefore they will be your judges by if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God. Surely the kingdom of God is come upon you. How can you enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless you first bind the strong man then you can plunder his house. He that is not with me is against me he would not gather with me scatters abroad so Jesus is sort of blowing their argument a party think this is a logical to say I'm testing out Satan, by the power of Satan. Why would Satan allow something like that. Why would the devil want to disrupt his own kingdom.

So he showing that's not true. And now he warns them because of this attitude that they taken on verse 31 therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven men and anyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or the age to come. There are these religious leaders, these scribes and Pharisees were royally ticked off at cheese. Why because he was bad for business. Ironically bad for their religious business. They were insanely envious and jealous of his growing popularity. In fact, it was this very envy and jealousy that ultimately drove them to have him crucified. Why were the envious because the people the common people loved Jesus he was understandable. He was approachable. He was compassionate Jesus was everything the religious elite were not. Scripture tells us the common people heard him gladly. Jesus never spoke of her anyone said he broke it down so most people can understand what he was saying and that is what a good communicator should do you know Jesus was understood by children. But the greatest analects of the time were challenged by his war and I just don't get creatures that are boring to me. There's almost on a worse crime than to get up and poor people and reminds me about illustration I heard of a minister that was asked to go to a civic function and see if you were kind of challenging the ask a minister to say a few words ministers can be, well, long-winded.

So this minister got up. He was given.

I think 10 minutes and keep went through is 10 minutes rather quickly. He's moving on to 15 minutes now on the moderator is a meeting to conduct so he clears his throat, hoping the minister would hear him still. The preacher drones on. So now read 20 minutes on the moderator pounded his gavel down hoping the minister would stop the preacher doesn't slow down. He just keeps going and going to know the moderator is counting down the gavel loudly to stop this Rev. from talking. Still, the minister continued on number 30 minutes. Moderator can't take it anymore.

He takes his gavel throws it at the preacher barely misses him and hits an elderly man, one fallen asleep in the front row. The old guy wakes up and sees the preacher is still speaking and says of the moderator hit me again. I can still hear every felt that way you feel that way right now, by the way, I ripped off that illustration from Billy Graham. That was when used for years, but some that's how we can be. Sometimes you listen to some ministers speak.

Some pastors preach and it's like watching paint dry patches boring and difficult hour. They want to use words that will impress people and speak over the heads of the people and people walk unsay but that was impressive. His vocabulary is on raising I don't understand a thing. He said, but I'm glad he's on our side. You know what if I can't share something with you in an understandable way. I am missing what God has called me to do. That's what Jesus did.

That's what we are to do and that's what the religious leaders did not do instead of bringing people close to God.

In many ways he kept them from God and they wanted to stop Jesus and they actually attribute the work of God to the work of Satan and that shows that their hearts were getting hard and they were actually getting closer to committing the unforgivable sin to scary thing when you can see a work of God and say, will God's not in it are even go further and say I think the devil did that you we have people were critical of our Crusades. Now I don't expect a nonbeliever to necessarily always get what we do but get some of our most ardent critics are not nonbelievers at all their so-called Christian will say things like, well, you know, these Crusades of these people are really coming to Jesus Christ.

These conversions are not genuine.

You know Greg Laurie. He doesn't preach about judgment. He doesn't tell people to repent. He never mentions the death of Jesus Christ and these people are just going to a big rock show and they never cry tears of repentance and my responses. Have you ever been to a harvest Crusade is Exide do preach on judgment and I do tell people to repent and I do preach on the cross and those I know but still you know they critique it and this not of God, they'll say, and others will say they wear a hyper reformed person. Well, the problem is regular, you know you're giving false assurance to the nonelected really like the words of DL Moody when he said, Lord, save the elect and then Alexa more you know, and I would say this to these critics.

I don't mind being critique.

In fact, I have a lot of criticisms for myself and if it's a valid criticism. I more than open to hearing it but I think a lot of times lately set up a straw man and knocked him down. They critique something that doesn't exist to make themselves feel better. I think it says more about them than about the one they're critiquing and I would just warn them, and safe. Be careful when God is working and you think that is not a work of God, because that's exactly what these Pharisees were doing normally think of a Pharisee. We generally think of someone in a negative light that we were to call someone a Pharisee, it would certainly not be a compliment. We were to see you know you're a Pharisee that would be like saying you're a self righteous hypercritical mean-spirited person but actually that's not technically what a Pharisee was a Pharisee was a man who would dedicated his life to the study of Scripture he took a solemn bow before three witnesses that he would spend every moment of his life obeying the 10 Commandments now that the city succeeded because clearly they did not. That's at least what they tried to do. There were some good Pharisees.

Not many Nicodemus was a Pharisee and he came to Jesus at night and became a believer, but by and large, these Pharisees, these religious experts had hard hearts. Here is what it is ironic they spent their time studying the word of God. You read of scribes and Pharisees ascribed was someone who wrote down the Scripture seated in the printing presses and so they would write by hand out the word of God. That was her job. So they spent their entire day and night in Scripture carefully writing it, and the Pharisees spent their life studying it. Yet these men immersed in such a spiritual endeavor that hard to work so hard they attributed to the devil that which was being done by God.

This just reminds us of one thing the church is a dangerous place. Let me explain music with dangerous place. I was thought of. This is a safe place while camping depends with the churches. There are some churches today in Islamic countries were Islamic radicals are broken in and literally of being and even murder Christians. So, in their case, the church is literally a dangerous place, but here's out to be a dangerous place for us today. This is a place where we honor God. This is a place for the word of God goes out no you have a choice as to how you will react to that. I don't know why you're here today. I hope you're here because you want to grow spiritually.

You want to worship the Lord you want to learn more about Christ. But if you come here out of mere duty and obligation and your sort of almost like figuring off I go to church today. I can send a little more this week is a kind of done my thing, for God, and maybe I'll go back tonight so I can even get extra sin creditor and that boy watch or just sit there today unit with your arms crossed the room across his own which is cold. Sorry, but I just using this is a picture know your arms crossed and kind with a furrowed brow of the skeptical I don't know if I'd let you know. Careful now because the snow this the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. Sometimes the most hardened people can be in the church, not outside of it. We think that person down there at the bar right now have an the first drink of the day at 1036 in the morning. Maybe their third drink I don't know whether so far from God. Yeah, maybe they are but they may be closer to getting right with God, then a person becomes a church every Sunday. Okay Greg and I lost you there. That makes no sense. Kate using. I'm not advocating we all go to bars and drink okay.

You know that but just in case someone doesn't let me state that I'm saying that person drinking they might be, say my life is miserable. What am I doing in a bar at this time, living my life this way.

I need to get my life right with God that thinking about it maybe the lock on it but the person is sitting in the church they saved. I know it all. I've heard it all. I am so spiritual and the problem is are getting a hard heart because they're here again and they're actually resistant to the work that the spirit wants to do in their life easier to get a hard heart in the church than to get it outside so it's dangerous here in as far as you coming without the right motive enough you come with an open heart. This is the best place you possibly could be. This will be like a greenhouse for you. You will flourish and grow. But if you, the critical spirit and a hard heart they can be a dangerous place for you. These Pharisees were not doubting Jesus because they merely disagreed with them. They were hardened against him member in our last message we talked about John the Baptist and we double the subject down pointed out, doubt is a matter of the mind. Even Christians have moments of doubt we don't always understand what God is doing or why he is doing it. In contrast, unbelief is a matter of the will to choice one makes these Pharisees were full of unbelief. They did not reject Jesus for lack of evidence or because he was not consistent with what he said. The fact of the matter is, Jesus was a perfect example. Even Pontius Pilate would examine thousands of men said I find no fault in him. Judas Iscariot, who spent three concentrated years would Jesus and even betray them said, I have betrayed innocent blood. So Jesus clearly was a model of everything that he said they rejected Jesus because it interfered with the way they wanted to live and that is why people reject him today.

They don't reject Jesus because they carefully examine the evidence and I'm determined it's not convincing enough, they don't reject them because they read through the Scripture and I found some apparent contradiction.

They don't reject them because of the so-called hypocrisy of some in the church they reject him because he interferes with their lifestyle.

They want to live a certain way and Jesus tells them to live a better way is what Jesus said in John 319. This is the verdict light is coming to the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light will not come to life for fear that his deeds will be exposed and that brings us to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit known the very word blasphemy and the Holy Spirit shows us were dealing with by him. Not in it. Sometimes people think of the spirit.

As a force, you know, we can understand the idea of God as a father, even the idea of God as a son but God is a spirit is harder for us to wrap our minds around. But the Holy Spirit, a member of the Trinity has a distinct personality. Another words you cannot blaspheme an object, you can only blaspheme a person you don't blaspheme a car though. Maybe you try because it won't start in the morning you blaspheme a person there other sins that can be specifically committed against the spirit since upper have even ramp up if you will, to the ultimate sin, that of the blaspheming of this fear prints insurgents and of resisting the spirit. Stephen mentioned this in acts 751 as he spoke to the Sanhedrin and these were the elite of the elite. These are the guys that were in charge of the Pharisees effectively when they were the equivalent of a religious Supreme Court if you will, and they heard Stephen preach and rejected this message and he said to them, use stiffnecked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears are just like your fathers resisting the Holy Spirit. See Stephen is pointing out that the work of the Holy Spirit is to lead a person to God, Jesus said of the spirit. In John 16 when he is, he will convince the world of sin and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

The spirit is incredibly patient and persistent.

But it's possible to resist his pleading.

Apparently the spiritual leaders of Israel that Stephen was addressing had done just that. They were convinced of the truth of what he was saying, but they rejected it. They chose to not believe it. And that was resisting the spirit and that showed itself when they executed this innocent young man then there's a set of insulting the spirit Hebrews 1029 says, think Much how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have traveled on the son of God have treated the blood of the covenant that support common and unholy. Such people listen have insulted and enrage the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people. I don't know about you but I don't want to enrage the spirit. How is this done it's done by taking the death of Jesus and dismissing it as nothing again. Hebrews 10 says they exceeded the blood of the covenant as if it were common, and unholy. It would be like this, so you're going to propose marriage to your girlfriend of two years so she knows what, take her to a nice restaurant and right before your proposal. You pull back the curtain and there's a full orchestra playing a beautiful romantic song you get down on one knee you pull out the ring box to open it up in front of all of your friends and family. You say to your beloved will you marry me. I love you.

She looks at you and says no not only will I not marry you.

I don't even like you. In fact, you discussed me, but since were in a nice restaurant. Lunch orders that many would you mind wooing lots job that that's what she said let's insulting isn't it. Now imagine God for a moment.

He says tuition. I love you so much and so I sent my son to die for you to understand what kind of sacrifice. It is for a father to give a son. I gave my son to suffer and die in your place and if you turn from Mark your sin to put your faith in me through my son I will forgive you and you can spend all eternity with what you say are you serious here. I think all roads lead to God really, as long as a person is concerned with the death of Jesus. What is that me that means nothing to me at all. I think that if I develop a good life that's insulting the God you can you see all these things are escalating resisting the spirit insulting the spirit.

Now we come to blaspheming the spirit. What is on limiting what it isn't because people are troubled by this periodically out have this question asked in the what is the blasphemy of the spirit. Why, because of the unforgivable sin because a lot of people before they were Christians. They curse pretty much everything and everyone. Maybe in a drunken stupor or a drug induced state or just an outright rage. They curse the Holy Spirit under the command that I commit the unforgivable sin. The answer is no because that's not what I mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is the is to insult and reject his very work. Why is the spirit, we already read that verse he's come to convince us of our sin is to reject the mission of the spirit that Sissy note to the spirit. Blasphemy represents the conscious denouncing and rejection of God and is a defiant and reverent. The sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against God. Member King Belshazzar king of Babylon, and he had a grandfather name Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar was a proud, arrogant man but one day the Lord God's attention any repented and turned to God, but apparently his grandson didn't learn much from grandpa and went out of his way to defy God, that one day Belshazzar through this big feast in the invited all his concubines and all of his lords and subjects and and they're just partying away, and any such payment. Let's take this thing to the next level ago get those like holy objects, you know, the Jews used in the works of other God's film of why I let's convert those to the false gods that we serve here in Babylon so they bring in these objects ever used by the Jewish people in the works of the Lord and also others like Martin, God well cut says this God is not marked whatsoever man sows, that will he also reap just what is Belshazzar's drinking away he see something happening. It wasn't a pink elephant either. It was a hand just to hand writing on a wall that was lit by a lamb and all the while these words were written tackled tackle are many many tickle you Farson didn't know what that meant there was this weird prophet dude named Daniel that could interpret these things that bring up Daniel was an aged man at this point he reads it. Hey Belshazzar, that that the okay here's what it says you been weighed in the balances in you been found lacking in your kingdom is going to be taken from you now while now. That meant that Belshazzar was waiting God's divine scale and he was a lightweight.

I don't know about you but I do not like to stand on the scale away myself.

I'm always disappointed by the result will Belshazzar had no weight.

He had no substance that night he lost his life he found out the hard way. God is not mocked. The Bible tells us one of the signs of the last days as people will go out of their way to blaspheme God. That will be a distinguishing character restaurant characteristic of the antichrist, the Scripture says will blaspheme God, even as God's judgment is calling on nonbelievers in the tribulation. We read in Revelation 69, they were seared by the intense heat, and they curse the name of God who controlled these things and they refuse to repent and glorify him. So to commit this sin does not merely represent unbelief but determined on believe the Pharisees had intentionally hardened their hearts against God.

Yes, there is a point of no return. The Bible speaks of Esau who went too far. Hebrews 1216 says, make sure that you're not immoral regardless like Esau treated his birthright for a single meal and afterwards when he wanted his father's blessing. He was rejected. It was too late for repentance even though he wept bitter tears away. How can it be too late for repentance because as I said there is a point of no return. God looks on the heart and Esau's heart was as hard as stone and so you can get a hardened heart to Pharaoh's heart was hard even though we saw miracle after miracle performed by the hand of Moses and Aaron is hard, hard Pharaoh hardened his heart. We read, but then we read God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Some people are confused by that God hardened his heart. Yeah, after Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

God will strengthen you if you will, and the decision you've already made it to pivot the decision of believe he will affirm you when it if it's a decision of unbelief goggles is that the way you want to go then I'll affirm you in that as well. Pharaoh hardened his heart God merely affirmed. Don't get hardened heart of a heart is hard it'll come out of what we say. Look at verse 33 either make the tree good and the print good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad for a tree is known by its fruit brood of vipers, how can you been able speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things and I say to you that every idle word that men may speak the give an account of on the day of judgment, out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks your words will determine where your heart is that now we guard our words were careful in certain circumstances, but will be get around people were familiar with the real loss comes out. It's been said that in an average day from the time we say good morning and then later good evening that we speak enough words to fill a book of 50 to 60 pages or 100 books a year of 200 pages now girls would do twice that I you know I am convince girls talk more than guys did general, there are exceptions to this, of course, but you know just watch guys in a restaurant watch girls interest.

See guys you know though no one guy will say, you know, I think that God and the other guys Alyssa McGough well wait to give you know they're there girls doglike people I think will I think they're all document the same time yet. They understand one another. I think it's probably a higher intelligence at work. Perhaps some out. Don't clap, don't because you have to balance it and you don't want that to happen, you know, they just have this intuitive way of communicating that is all there, all but here's the thing, I don't know. It's always good thing to say more words because you will be judged for every word you said Jim average day you speak enough words to fill a book. This that's a pretty small book you can see just just not too many pages. That's let's one day day. This is one week is getting a little bigger you see is more pages. Okay.

But wait there's more.

This is one month. This is the biggest book I have in my library. It's called illustrations of 7700 encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations, but this is one month. Now imagine. Okay, let's say this is one month out of your life and I'm reading it now.

I'm reading everything I meaning every conversation I got your text in here to also your email your Facebook entries everything tall here little notes, little conversations, although cell conversation.

It's all here I'm reading every word to be held accountable for what you said, here's the thing is going to come out on what you say. If you're a bitter person. For instance, you're going to find yourself talking about a bitter people love this spread it around dinner party of one you know if you're around them.

It won't be long until they bring up that topic. Their pet peeve this person there ticked off at and on they go and coming back to that statement about Esau that I quoted. Let me read it to you now from a another translation. Keep a sharp sharp eye out for weeds.

A bitter discontent of this letter to Gandhiji can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome treating away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy short-term appetite.

But the weeds a bitter discontent that can ruin a whole garden in no time. If your heart is filled with bitterness and will come out in your words, if your heart is filled with lust that to come out and work. What is it was some people. Everything is essential innuendo or a double entendre. Their minds are so messed up everything they said say things of a sexual connotation. So you're talking on the site.

While I don't know but I know there's other� I'm not in you use words to illustrate it with you and it like what you know how I don't get it. You don't get it.

It's nice when we don't always get that stuff is like I didn't get that would explain that oh yeah well you really are twisted arch conjugate.

That's of the mind is filled with that's got to come out of their words or in their emails or in their tax or whatever else and if you have a heart filled with grace and love and wisdom from God's work that she will, you know, spending time with Billy Graham. I have to say that he is the most godly men I've ever met.

He is everything in private that you think of them think of him in public keys.

The same God.

In fact, he's disarmingly candid and you're amazed at his humility. I mean he is Billy Graham but he doesn't act like it. He's just a godly man was an open heart and gracious words. I can't really think of any times I've heard him speak critically of anyone amazing.

So it's all going to come out of what you say so after all this other having this conversation and in Jesus's morning is going guys and I was gonna warn you right now you are pushing the envelope big time by attributing to the devil that which is being done by God that shows you getting a hard night and I'm warning you, you might end up blaspheming the Holy Spirit which essentially is the rejection of Christ because the spirit is come to bring us to Christ, so be careful there, like, really. You know what we like to see a sign from you now what do we want to see a miracle to convince us like he hasn't done enough miracle, then he raise the daughter of gyrus from the dead. Then he just touches demon possessed man that we want to see a miracle you know.

That shows a trick to pull a rabbit out of a hat die. I have a little box of tricks I bought for Stella my granddaughter and them you know she loves to do little pranks on people that she doesn't learn the ways of deception very well and instance because people know what she's doing when she's doing the trick. I mean in this boxer and since we have the predictable tricks like the faith they can barf right you put it on the floor in all know barf in the then there's a squirting ring.

You know it's got the little squirter knee height up there and you hey look at my ring and squirt them in the face install doing squirter self and you and I and then there's the triple glass for you know you have the little holes in the drink of the water drips on the person and then there's the shocking time were you told the government that shocks you and all that so you should do these tricks to people in. They always know what the goal along with a cheek you know so happy when it up and do a trick for as Jesus what you got.

Jesus is not going to do any tricks for you guys.

I'm looking to do any signs for you. In fact, here's a sign that I want to give to you right now look at verse 39, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign will be given without of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of your you know sometimes we think it we could do a miracle for our friends they would believe I could just, you know, pray for this person to be healed, they would believe right there. I know they would have. I could just do something dazzling, or permit a barbecue at somebody's in coal-fired on my steak right there man checked his you know you want to believe in Jesus right now.

Now you know what that wouldn't convince him even when Jesus walked the earth.

They didn't believe him, though he raise people from the dead, even after he himself raised bodily from the dead people saw them at their own eyes they still rejected up. So here is what he says here's your sign know that Jonah guy three days three nights in the fishes way of the fish's belly whale stomach is to so the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of your mother was Jesus the same as my signed a lost world. I'm going to go to a cross. I'm in a die and I'm in a rise again from the dead, you can accept that and be forgiven, and you can reject that and not be forgiven. So that is your choice and if you don't accept that that will lead you to the blaspheming of the spirit where you were insulting the work and mission of the spirit, which is to bring you Jesus Christ.

Yes, there is a point of no return during World War II United States battleship aircraft carrier and some smaller boats were patrolling the waters of the northern Atlantic in search of German U-boat. One evening, several pilots took off from the carrier were told be back by a certain hour, but the leader of the squadron of four planes purposefully stayed out longer feeling with just a little more time he could score an impressive kit on the enemy, but as the sun was setting, a German armada entered the area and the American fleet was now in trouble with Iraq gone outmanned and outnumbered, so they had to order radio silence so they would not be discovered by the German armada.

Meanwhile, those four planes that were out of their mission were coming back.

They were very low in fuel they needed to land and they called him St. turn on the landing lights, but because radio silence him in order they would not turn the landing lights on in disclose their position to the Nazis and so is a story is recorded, the men of the aircraft carrier stood by in horror as they watch for American planes crash into the icy waters of the Atlantic God says today is a day of salvation. The light is shining. People hear the word of God.

There's going to come a day when the Lord, the commander-in-chief will order radio silence.

The lights will be dim and people will not be able to find their way home and I say will all just do it later. I want to be a Christian now want to mess around want to have some fun.

I'll be a Christian when I'm really old like boarding or make a commitment to Christ my death bed, get really, here's my concern. Maybe when the time you're forwarding your heart will be so hard you won't care anymore and I think at some of these atheists that have gone out of their way to thumb their nose at God. Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens with written books attacking the Christian faith. Christopher Hitchens has throat cancer. He's debating Christians on multiple occasions, including our friend Dinesh Desousa who is here a while back, and a lot of Christians have taken it upon themselves to pray for Christopher Hitchens and God would heal him and that he would come to Jesus Christ and is actually said please I don't really want your prayers. I I appreciate the fact that you care about me, but don't pray for me to be converted is Cottam publicly said, I will not be converted really I really pray you will be because you know what God can even save atheists CS Lewis was once an atheist and he came to faith in Jesus and became one of the leading apologists of the Christian faith. Lee Strobel was an atheist.

There is careful research into the claims and promises of Jesus. He became a believer in dollars and apologist as well.

There are many people who said there was no God and have come to know God, so there's always hope that we should pray, but we are concerned for those that would go beyond the point of no return. Don't let that happen to you when closing word from Jesus. Verse 30 of Matthew 12 he that is not with me is against me. He who does not gather with me scatters abroad mother a more modern translation makes a clear anyone who wasn't helping me opposes me and anyone who wasn't working with me is actually working against me. Yeah, you have to make a decision about Jesus and if you joined us today and you've never said yes to him do it now.

Say yes to Jesus and be forgiven of your sin. Don't say will do it later because every day you put it off your heart gets a little harder. The Bible says he who is often reproved hardened since our and he will be cut off, and that without remedy.

Don't harden your heart.

You can hear his voice today respond to this invitation that I'm about to get. Let's break father, thank you for your word to us now and I prefer any that have joined us who do not yet know you help the Lord to come to you at this very moment we pray, heads of God were praying, if you want Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want to be forgiven of all the wrongs and sins you've committed right now. Wherever you are. I want you to stand your feet, lead you in a prayer to stand your feet if you would wherever you are nominally doing a prayer of commitment to Christ up there in the balcony in the back you up there in the front of the balcony. God bless you just end up you won't be the only one there. Others already standing.

God bless you done your toward the front stand your feet.

You want Christ to come in your life you want your sin forgiven you want to go to heaven when you die, let me lead you in a prayer stand your feet. Now if you want to make this commitment to Jesus. Anybody else the bless you stand now if you want to pray and ask Christ in your life. This final moment stand now.

Anybody else arrived. Come bless you, bless you and you one final moment in the stand. Stand now, bless you. All right all of you that are standing on lead you in a prayer and I want you to pray this out loud after me again as I pray pray this out loud now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you died on the cross and shed your blood for my sin. I turned from that sin. Now I put my faith in you. I want to follow you, Jesus.

From this moment forward as my Savior and Lord is my God and friend. Thank you for calling me and loving me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

God bless each one of you there.

Pray that prayer