February 07, 2025 | Be God's Family
Crowds from Everywhere Follow Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 12:15-37(NIV)
15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Devotional
Why did Jesus instruct witnesses to not tell about the healings they received or observed? As His reputation grew, many people began to follow Jesus. Knowing human nature, it is likely that most were attending for the “show” and excitement of the visible miracles, so the advertisement of His next appearance would certainly have expanded the audience. It was great entertainment! However, others genuinely listened to His teachings. Jesus wanted His listeners truly to hear His words.
Words matter. In a verbal agreement, often accompanied by a handshake, a person may offer a pledge by saying “I give you my word.” In his essay, “The Death of Words,” C.S. Lewis notes that spoken words demonstrate a person’s set of beliefs and actions. He says, “May the words we use have meaning and truth, knowing what we know about the God we pray to and who is revealed through the Word became flesh, Jesus Christ.”
In this portion of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” James 3:10 tells us “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” We are to give account for every careless word, and by our words we are acquitted or condemned.
The most important Truth we can tell is that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The miracles, signs, healings and wonders Jesus performed during His brief physical time on earth were an outward manifestation of the inward, spiritual wholeness that Christ will speak into each person who accepts Him as Savior. Jesus still mends broken lives, and that is the story which is to be told.
You have His Word.
Questions:
Am I more impressed by a person’s words or actions?
How do my words demonstrate my beliefs?
Am I a man/woman of my word?
Poem
I Have Been...
Psalm 119:17-24
I have been searching
Wandering
Starving
For food
I have been longing
Craving
Thirsting
For truth
I have been robbed by
Arrogance
Contempt
For faithfulness
I have been praying
Constantly
Begging
For you
