Severe Warnings Everyone Must Remember, 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 is 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 ministries 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 read it every time it's all 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 with Chuck Swindoll the claims of Jesus are the claims of Jesus. We either believe them or window. What he said is either false or true. Don't call yourself a Christian. If you believe only half of the red letters in your Bible. Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me. There is no neutrality. Remember, what are the telltale sign of those who follow Jesus and those who don't visit the church they attend social circles. They create the rules they follow.

According to Jesus following him has nothing to do with these external expressions of faith. Instead, Jesus provided a picture illustrates those who were loyal to him and those who defy him today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll's teaching from Matthew chapter 12 about a defining lecture from Jesus on the subject of true religion Chuck titled today's message severe warnings.

Everyone must remember, Paul writes in Romans chapter 15 verse four whatever was written in earlier times was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort from the scriptures might have hope. He was writing specifically of the Old Testament was written in earlier times for the New Testament was then being written and in the process. Ultimately, of being compiled. But even on the days of the Old Testament. What was written for was written for our learning. Then we come to the New Testament we have God's final word to all of us. It begins with the gospel by Matthew when we are involved in a verse by verse study of this great book word chapter 12 beginning in verse 30 and I'll take us down through a verse 37 today as we consider what will be three severe warnings. We all must remember, Matthew 1230 anyone who isn't with me opposes me and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. So I tell you every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man, can be forgiven but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven either in this world are in the world to come. A tree is identified by its fruit.

If a tree is good its fruit will be good for tree is bad its fruit will be bad.

You brood of snakes pocket evil men like you speak what is good and right for whatever is in your heart determines what you say, a good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil and I tell you this, you must give an account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak the words you say he will either acquit you or condemn study the book of Matthew Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures insight world.or/studies. Another message from Chuck called severe warnings. Every remember one of the most fascinating books in my library is titled snakes in suits. The cover is chilly, so man dressed in a tailored suit ready for business, white shirt, well pressed, sharp looking, but of the neck tie around his collar. There is a snake coiled around his neck. The subtitle when psychopaths go to work not only interesting, it is intriguing because the book describes and frequently illustrates the ranks of humanity that include those who have that serious personality disorder.

Psychopaths known for lying manipulation, deceit, egocentricity, callousness and other destructive trends. The book focuses on those in the workplace, but not exclusively since psychopaths are found in every other realm of life including the home and the church. Let me dig a little deeper in order to describe this type of person, and I quote psychopaths are without conscience and incapable of empathy, guilt or loyalty to anyone but themselves. Some psychopaths live in society and do not technically break the law although they may come close with behavior that is very unpleasant for those around them. They do not make warm and loving parents or family members. They do not make reliable friends or coworkers.

You probably know one you could work for our work with, or be married to one with a psychopathic personality who causes you so much pain and distress. They are egocentric in the extreme, seemingly unable to experience deep human emotions, especially love and compassion. Jesus dealt with such individuals during his earthly ministry, except they were not snakes in suits. They were snakes, and religious ropes and influential, like most of us cannot imagine you do not question the Pharisee you do not correct Pharisee you listened and you will be if you knew what was good for you, but no one could shame or Sean like a Pharisee you might think.

As I say this I'm a little harsh, actually. I'm simply quoting Jesus who called them verse 34 Matthew 12 vipers literally the Greek says offspring of vipers. You came from vipers. They were sons of vipers you birth vipers hypocrites in religious garb. Is there anything worse. If you think he was being too harsh. You've already forgotten that these were the ones who just earlier in the same chapter called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. That's a snake ready to strike a few Robertson rights. They now find out what a powerful opponent. Jesus is by parables by sarcasm by merciless logic. He lays bare their hollow insincerity in the futility of their arguments. I failed to mention earlier they were legal last all capital letters. Their list with all not satisfied with the 10 Commandments they added hundreds of others that to them carry the same weight is what God's finger rolled in stone and passed over to most Jesus when he came.

Decided enough was enough. The people have lived under this kind of pressure long enough. They need to know the truth and oh how Pharisees hate the truth and intimidated and unswerving in his approach. Jesus took them on with both barrels blazing did not back down, except for when it came time for others to say he is Messiah is the one we should take right on to the kingdom and he stopped in knowing his hour had not yet come in. Speaking of that, it would be the Pharisees who would play a major role in his being arrested and tortured and crucified snakes in religious room so not surprised the Jesus in his teachings, especially at this chapter, which is sort of the hands of the book of Matthew. Things change in chapter 12 were much of Jesus teaching goes underground because the pressure is mounting for his demise is not yet ready to turn himself over to them. He has work to do with his disciples and his followers need to hear things that would help them as they carry on without him.

So Jesus draws a line in the sand.

His enemies are on one side, his friends and followers. On the other and he helps them understand who the Pharisees really were not only was it true back then. It is true today.

You will encounter and I will encounter Pharisee. I have a friend I love dearly, who has walked with the Lord for a number of years happens to be a musician that lives in Nashville and he said in one of the concerts he gave some time ago for one of our insight for living gatherings.

He said I want all of you to know the truth, I'm a recovering Pharisee. I like the way that sounds you know, just pull out of it quickly.

If you been a legalist a long time.

It takes a long time to pull out of and understand grace. If you been judging and condemning others. It takes a long time to learn how to affirm and encourage them as you walk humbly with your God. Realizing you more than any other needs to be examined why Jesus said a person should take care of the log in his own eye before he concerns himself with the splinter in another's. So his warnings come in three here in the central section of Matthew 12 is a warning in verse 30 is a second warning in verses 31 and 32 1/3 morning and 33 down through 37 will take them in that order. The first morning is this that I will read the 30th verse, it's impossible to remain neutral. It's impossible to remain neutral list of the Jesus word anyone who isn't with me opposes me. Anyone who wasn't working with me is actually working against me is no middle ground.

There's no fence, you can sit on get off on one side or the other. What is it, one man wrote, it is neutrality that curses a man in the our decision is never more true than the decision regarding Christ.

You're either working for him or you are working against him. Let's help you examine your life. As I examine mine. We have all been at those awkward moments in our lives when we are tempted to stay quiet as Christ is being worked over the coals as Christianity is being mocked or the teachings of Jesus are being attacked in that awkward moment Jesus is you either get off on my side or you get off on the wrong side.

Here's another if you're dealing with an issue that is very important and you're surrounded by a majority who are politically correct and walking very gingerly through that issue. If you are a Christian. It is easy to hide in the shadows and let the majority have their say. But I urge you, based on what we just read in verse 30 take your stand. Do not be afraid. And I say that at this time of the year when so many high schoolers and collegians and seminarians were graduating those in graduate school or pulling out of their final days at school and you're on your own.

You will someday find yourself in the ranks of those who will have nothing to do with Christ and you will be tempted to blend in. Sean of Douglas Sean O'Connor writes this with the rise of the scientific worldview.

With the rise of pluralism, it is difficult for many to believe that Jesus is the only way to God.

We do not live in our religious bubble. Not only can we learn about other religions by reading, traveling or surfing the web, but also by sitting down its ghetto school cafeteria or a coffee shop and listening to our coworkers or fellow students who come from different parts of the world, representing different worldviews, but as Christians. O'Connor writes we must not let such information make us intelligently important. The claims of Jesus are the claims of Jesus.

We either believe them or we don't.

What he said is either false or true. Don't call yourself a Christian.

If you believe only half of the red letters in your Bible.

Don't think Jesus didn't die for your sins and rise for your justification. If you choose to smear his name. If you think obeying Christ command is optional. Don't call yourself a Christian, you think there are many ways to God don't call yourself a Christian, so those who hedge about devotion to Jesus or about the importance of a clear decision for him, who question Jesus is exclusivity or in trouble. You're either for or against. I know that is brutally frank.

But that is the truth and you will perhaps never hear it anywhere but in a church that stands for the truth. You won't hear it on the evening news. You will hear it in any form of the media, you will hear it when a Bible is opened, and truth is being declared Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me. There's no neutrality. You either come to God through Christ or you don't come to God when you die. It's that simple. It's impossible to remain neutral.

My Christian friends don't be afraid of that you and now more than ever in the history of the world. Certainly the whole world are living in a day would be known as a Christian is threatened existence were watching it all around us. Who knows how long it will be before it will invade our own shores. I warned us all about trying to remain neutral, we may see the day when it will mean our life. Remember that now the severity of blasphemy verses 31 and 32. I would suggest that he looked directly at the Pharisees because they had just committed this unpardonable sin by attributing to Satan the work of God, we saw that earlier he says.

I tell you every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven. By the way, that's a great relief.

We've all said and perhaps some have even blasphemed blasphemy or sin itself can be forgiven.

He says so more than once you accept blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which would be questioning the one who energizes the person of Christ, calling into question his motive will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man, can be forgiven but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven either in this world or the world to come. What is the unpardonable sin it is attributing to Satan what is accomplished only by the power of God is exactly what the Pharisees did remember they were the ones who said verse 24.

No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan the prince of demon, so it is a combination of a clear knowledge and intentional rejection of Jesus Christ being fully aware of the light and hating the light in earnest, persistent, intentional determination to extinguish the light that is the Pharisees MO Jesus walked on earth and all of those days, he exposes those around him to truth, he does so through his words and through his works, those who understood what he did and what he claim but deliberately persistently blatantly rejected all of that continuing to do so to the end found themselves in an unpardonable situation again. The classic example would be the first is not simply rejecting Jesus's teachings are his miracles are his offer of salvation.

It is the determination to know all that and attribute the origin of all that Satan continuing that disbelief. They know they are doing. They do not care about for this very reason Chuck Swindoll chose this title for today's message severe warnings.

Everyone must remember this is insight for living and please keep listening. We set aside several minutes at the close of today's program to hear a final comment from Chuck and to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org and insight for living.

We understand that some of your best times with God occur when you're alone and have some sorely needed quiet time to read and reflect.

In these moments of stillness is easier to hear God's voice and to feel his presence well.

In addition to your Bible reading, let me recommend a helpful book.

Chuck is written the complements our studies in Matthew 12 this week. We're confident this book will cultivate calmness and renewed confidence that God is with you. The book is called finding God when the world's on fire if you're looking to rekindle your passion for God even in the midst of unsettling circumstances. The Bible teaching in this book will guide you again is called finding God when the world's on fire and you can purchase a copy right now by going to insight.org/offer or give us a call if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 and I was promise these closing comments from our teacher. Not long ago we received a touching letter from Tammy she wrote this truck. Lately I've been spiritually draw. In fact, desert dry, your messages were exactly what I needed to hear and I've been inspired to persevere, no matter what what time you let me say this to you. You are not alone. We've all been to those parched places of discouragement. Nothing satisfies more deeply than taking a sip of living water from the word of God reminds me of Jeremiah's reassuring words, those who trust in the Lord are like trees planted along the riverbank with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.

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