Class Lesson April 21, 2019

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#2

You’ll Never Die

John 11:25-27; 20:24-29

 

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Oh, the things we will do to live longer! We all know that a healthy diet and exercise improve our bodies and, therefore, help us live longer. Beyond that, though, researchers have discovered a few more things that might increase your life span.

Live on top of a mountain. People who live at high altitudes live longer.

Learn a new language. Being able to speak multiple languages slows the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Live on a reduced-calorie diet. One of the longest-living people groups limits their daily intake to 1,200 calories.

Work harder. Serious and persistent workers tend to live longer than the carefree employee.1

You could try all these, and while you might increase your life span, you can be sure of one thing: you’re still going to die. Jesus told us the only way not to die is to believe in and follow Him. And He made that possible when He died on the cross and rose from the dead.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

John 11:25-27

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

As John 11 opens, we see “Lazarus from Bethany,” a man who was sick and at the point of death. Jesus Himself was only days away from His crucifixion and death. Lazarus was a beloved friend to Jesus (vv. 3,11), yet Jesus intentionally delayed making the trip to Bethany to heal His friend. Jesus delayed, and Lazarus died (v. 14).

When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, He sought to comfort Lazarus’s grieving sisters, Mary and Martha. He told Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (v. 23). Martha did not disagree; she accepted the popular view taught by the Pharisees that there is an afterlife, and the Jewish people would experience a resurrection someday. But Jesus was referring to something a lot more immediate!

To explain the miracle He was about to do, Jesus gave one of His seven I AM statements; this one carried a great claim of Deity.2 “I am the resurrection and the life.” Implied in this statement is the truth that Jesus is the One true God; He is not just any god, but one that can resurrect Himself. He did not say He would bring about the resurrection or He would be the cause of the resurrection; Jesus said He is the resurrection.

Resurrection from death and the promise of eternal life are so closely related to Jesus that we can only find them in a relationship with Him. That relationship begins with believing. Jesus went on to say “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

Wait. If I’m dead, doesn’t that mean I’m not alive? Yes, your physical body will die, but you will not cease! For those who believe in Jesus, they are and will remain spiritually alive in Christ—and they will be resurrected to a new glorified body. Jesus promised us a life with Him in heaven (John 14:2-3).

What brings this truth about Jesus into our lives is the word believe. This verb means far more than acknowledging something. The Greek word carries the idea of placing our confidence and trust in that which we believe. And in this context, we are to believe in Jesus.

This great truth of Jesus as the resurrection calls for a response. Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” She affirmed her belief and trust in Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” She had seen His miracles and heard Him teach; now she came to the only conclusion: Jesus is the Messiah.

John 20:24-25

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

The resurrection can be a difficult reality to grasp. It’s hard to think that two thousand years ago a man loved us enough to give His life for us—and it seems even more fantastic that He would come back to life. Yet that very truth is the cornerstone of our whole belief system. No other religion can claim the resurrection.

Can other religions claim death? Sure, every religion can point to their founder’s death, but only Jesus died and came back to life. Only Jesus is the resurrection.

The disciples had no doubt Jesus had died. The duty of a Roman soldier assigned to a crucifixion was to ensure the victim died. Should a criminal escape death, the soldier paid for it with his own life. The women had seen where Jesus was buried, so there was no question they went to the right tomb—which was empty (24:1-3). And now the disciples had seen Jesus alive for themselves!

The resurrection was surely a hard reality for the disciples to believe at first, considering the shockingly hard reality of Jesus’ death. Yet here He stood in front of the disciples.

Except Thomas. John did not tell us why Thomas was not with his fellow disciples, but he did give us Thomas’s reaction to the news. Thomas, most likely in awe and confusion, demanded to see Jesus’ scars and wounds before he would believe. This is where we get the phrase “doubting Thomas,” an unfair distinction for Thomas. He wasn’t the only one who doubted. The other ten disciples initially refused to believe as well (Luke 24:11).

It’s hard to believe without seeing. It’s far easier to believe when evidence and proof are right in front of us. The Christian life is one of faith, but that faith has to be grounded in something solid. Otherwise, it’s just blind faith, something we hope might be true. Faith is only as good as its foundation.

So how can we have faith in the resurrection? Like Thomas, up to this point, we haven’t seen the physical, resurrected body of Jesus. Thankfully, God has given us ways to trust with confidence.

John 20:26-29

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John gave us “the rest of the story” when Jesus appeared again to the disciples. “The doors were locked,” indicating the disciples were still scared. They may have worried that the Jewish leaders who had wanted Jesus dead were after them too.

Into this locked room, Jesus appeared. With His presence, Jesus gave His disciples the peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7), the peace that only He can give, the peace the world will never understand unless they are followers of Christ (John 14:27). This is yet another reminder that Jesus is our peace.

Jesus then turned His attention to Thomas. He did not rebuke Thomas for his disbelief. Jesus met Thomas with reassurance, compassion, and grace. We might wonder if Thomas fell to his knees weeping as he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” This was his clear confession of his belief. Through seeing the scars in Jesus’ hands, Thomas found a new faith in Jesus—a faith that no longer included doubt or fear.

Thomas and the other disciples got to see firsthand what we can’t see today: Jesus’ ministry at work. Jesus knew many believers like you and me would come after Him, who would be unable to experience what the original disciples did. So, He told Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So why do we believe? We trust the words and witness of those who did see Jesus alive. Disciples like Thomas. Paul underscored the witness of those who saw Jesus.

We don’t simply believe the resurrection of Jesus happened, but it is an event that we can trust to be life changing. Jesus IS the resurrection, and life only comes through Him. If you want eternal life, trust the truth of the resurrection, follow the words of Jesus, and believe.

LIVE IT OUT

We can do nothing on our own to have eternal life. All we need to do is repent, believe, and follow Him. Choose one of the following applications:

• Believe. Jesus is alive, and He invites you to follow Him. If you have never trusted in Christ, place your full faith in Him. Read the inside front cover of this book to learn how you can do this. Talk to someone in your group about your desire to believe and trust in Christ.

• Investigate. Look into the truth of the resurrection for yourself. Many books address the resurrection, such as Buried Hope or Risen Savior: The Search for Jesus’ Tomb by Charles Quarles or The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

• Share. Who has God put on your heart to hear the truth of the resurrection? Ask God to put someone on your heart who needs to hear about His resurrection and eternal life.

God’s not against healthy living; He’s for it! But let God be the source of your joy. Joy is found in Him and the sure hope of His resurrection.

Hope to see you this Easter Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show. If you’ll recall, she played the associate producer for a local news show. Ed Asner played her boss, Lou Grant. One of its most famous episodes involved the death of Chuckles the Clown, who hosted the children’s program at their station. He was killed in a rather bizarre accident, and some of the news staff couldn’t resist making jokes about it. They knew the jokes were insensitive, but they just couldn’t seem to help themselves. Lou and some of the other men were discussing it, and one of them asked, “What’s the matter with us? A man has died, and we’re laughing!” Lou replied, “It’s a release – a defense mechanism. We laugh at things that scare us. We laugh at death, because we know death will have the last laugh on us!” 

Should we laugh at death?

Why do we fear death when Christ says,

“you’ll never die”?

Our inability to understand the things of God completely is to be anchored in an unquestioned faith in Jesus and conviction that what He says is true and can be trusted.

Lou was correct as far as he went, but he missed one little detail. If you’re a follower of Jesus, death will never have the last laugh on you, because Jesus has already gotten the last laugh on death! Because He has risen from the dead, we can be certain that all of His promises are true, including the promise of life after death. 

YOU’LL NEVER DIE

John 11:25-27

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

What does Jesus mean when He says,

“I am the resurrection and the life”?

I. Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will never die. 

What did He mean by this?

· Each person is confronted with a decision to declare who Jesus is.

· Those who believe in, trust, and are committed to Jesus have the promise of eternal life.

· Jesus embodies within Himself the power to bring the dead to life. He said that He is the resurrection!

I. The promise of life after death. 

A. Jesus went to the home of His friend Lazarus who had been sick. 

1. When Jesus arrived Lazarus had already been dead four days. 

a. His body had already started to decay (v. 39). 

b. He was likely the provider for Mary and Martha. 

2. This chapter contains a short but powerful verse: “Jesus wept” (v. 35). 

a. Though He was going to bring Lazarus back to life, He still felt compassion for Mary and Martha. b. Likewise, Jesus understands our pain and grief. 

B. He made an important promise to Lazarus’ sister Martha. 

1. “I am the resurrection and the life”. 

a. He not only raises the dead, but He has life in Himself. 

b. Those who believe on Him have eternal life, and thus we have no need to fear the grave. 

2. To Martha’s credit, she affirmed her belief in this promise. 

a. She had stated her belief in the final resurrection. 

b. She said she believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. 

C. Jesus then raised Lazarus from the dead. 

1. This was an undeniable miracle. 

a. No one could deny that Lazarus was dead (v. 39). 

b. There were numerous witnesses to his resurrection. 

2. It upset the Jewish religious leaders. 

a. Many of them were Sadducees, who did not believe in any kind of resurrection from the dead. b. They were afraid of the political consequences (v. 47-48).

Implied in this statement is the truth that Jesus is the One true God; He is not just any god, but one that can resurrect Himself. He did not say He would bring about the resurrection or He would be the cause of the resurrection; Jesus said He is the resurrection. Resurrection from death and the promise of eternal life are so closely related to Jesus that we can only find them in a relationship with Him. That relationship begins with believing. Jesus went on to say “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” Wait. If I’m dead, doesn’t that mean I’m not alive? Yes, your physical body will die, but you will not cease! For those who believe in Jesus, they are and will remain spiritually alive in Christ—and they will be resurrected to a new glorified body. Jesus promised us a life with Him in heaven. 

John 20:24-25

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Do you consider Thomas a skeptic or an honest searcher?

· We generally characterize Thomas as a skeptic, which may be unfair to him.

· In John 11, when word came that Lazarus was at the point of death, Thomas, knowing how dangerous it would be for Jesus to return to Bethany, near Jerusalem, spoke up to his fellow disciples saying, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (11:16). Some suggest that this statement shows his negative perspective. I read it as a bold declaration of commitment. 

· Resurrection can be difficult to accept as reality. 

II. Resurrection can be difficult to accept as reality. 

What’s your reaction to that?

· The great testimony of every believer is “I have seen the Lord.”

· Each person must have his own personal experience with the Risen Lord; someone else’s experience cannot be ours.

Jesus had risen from the dead, but Thomas was not yet convinced. Thomas was evidently a pessimist. Newspaper columnist George Will has said the nice thing about being a pessimist is you’re either right or you’re pleasantly surprised.

Hobbs cuts Thomas some slack regarding his “doubt.” He says, “Doubt is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a protective device given us by God. … When one doubts, he should not be content to let the matter end there. But he should pursue all evidence with an open mind – and with a disposition to believe – if the evidence demands it. Thomas did just that. And the result was most wholesome indeed!”

John 20:26-29

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? 

1. It proves that Jesus’ claims about Himself were true. 

a. He predicted He would die and rise again. 

b. He claimed to have power over death (John 10:17-18). 

2. Since Jesus has proven Himself, we can believe His other claims. 

a. He is coming again (John 14:3). 

b. He is the only way to God (John 14:6). 

3. His resurrection is a foretaste of our own resurrection. 

a. When we die, our souls go directly to heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8). 

b. When Jesus returns, our bodies will be raised, too (1 Thess. 4:16). 

c. Our new bodies will not be under the curse of sin (1 Cor. 15:53). 

d. Jesus’ resurrection was “the first fruits” of the future resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

III. Jesus backed up His promise of eternal life by rising from the dead.

· Jesus comes to us and accepts us just as we are, doubts and all.

· The call of the gospel is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the way of salvation.

· We may long to have walked with Jesus when He was on earth, but actually, we have the greater blessing of knowing Him and having Him dwell within our hearts through a dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit.

· When someone asks you how you know Jesus lives, sing out, “He lives within my heart!”

What part of the gospel seems too good to be true?

In what area of life do you need to stop doubting and believe that God is in control?

Conclusion: By His own resurrection, Jesus gave validity to His claim that He is “the resurrection and the life.” And because He lives, we live. His resurrection assures us that we too shall be resurrected. Thus, we claim the hope; we receive the new life; and we invite friends, neighbors, family members, and yes, all the inhabitants of the world to believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Hope of eternity! We do not worship a martyr on Easter or any other Sunday. We worship the Risen Lord.

You don’t die. When you die. Whatcha talkin bout, Jesus?

Jesus made some unusual statements. Consider what he said to a woman named Martha: “The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25).

If you take that statement at face value, it sounds contradictory. If you die, you won’t die. What?? That sounds like something out of one of the zombie movies and series that have flooded popular culture in recent years.

So, which is it? Do I die or do I live?

Human history is full of attempts to find a fountain of youth or at least increase our lifespan. There are scientists committed to the study of longevity called — surprise! — longevity scientists. Their goal is to find ways to increase the average lifespan.

I’ve got to be honest. I don’t want to live a long life. I mean, a loooong life. I turned sixty last year, and within a month, I saw three different doctors for three different reasons. It’s like my warranty suddenly ran out. My mother died last month after many years of ailments and pain, mostly related to just age, and she said on several occasions she was ready to die and go Home. Who wants to live a long life if that’s in the future?

OF course, we know what Jesus meant with His statement, “The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” This physical life ain’t all there is. According to Barna Research, 81% of Americans believe there is life after death. That large percentage of the population, though, would differ on what exactly life-after-death means. Jesus is clear: Belief in Him is the key to having eternal life. That means, conversely, that eternal death awaits those who do not believe in Him.

Our physical bodies wear out. All the kale, vitamin supplements, and workout regimens won’t change that. Your warranty will give out. But that’s not the end of the story for the follower of Christ.

“There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power…. The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality” (1 Cor. 15:40-43,52-53).

I’m hesitant to use the phrase “new and improved” to describe our bodies after we die. Too many advertisements have jaded me to shout “NOW NEW AND IMPROVED!” I buy the new product, and it seems just like its old counterpart. And sometimes the new is not better than the old. Who really thinks all the design changes to the original Mustang were an improvement?

I cannot say what our new physical bodies will be like, but I’m pretty confident in saying we won’t miss our old ones! “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived —God has prepared these things for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

It may be that 81% of Americans believe there is life after death, but it is only those who trust their lives and futures to Christ who can look forward to a never-ending life in a physical body beyond anything we can imagine.

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Got Questions: When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He was claiming to be the source of both. There is no resurrection apart from Christ, and there is no eternal life apart from Christ. Beyond that, Jesus was also making a statement concerning His divine nature. He does more than give life; He is life, and therefore death has no ultimate power over Him. Jesus confers this spiritual life on those who believe in Him, so that they share His triumph over death (1 John 5:11-12). Believers in Jesus Christ will experience resurrection because, having the life Jesus gives, it is impossible for death to defeat them (1 Corinthians 15:53-57). Death will not have the last laugh! The grieving Martha wished that Jesus had arrived earlier so He could have healed her brother. And when Jesus spoke of resurrection, Martha assumed He was speaking of “the resurrection at the last day.” In both statements, Martha reveals that she considered Time an insurmountable obstacle. In effect, Martha was saying, “It’s too late to help Lazarus (the time is past), so now we must wait (allow more time).” Jesus shows that neither Death nor time is an obstacle to Him. Outside the tomb, “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ The dead man came out” (John 11:43). It’s one thing to claim to be the resurrection and the life, but Jesus proved it by raising Lazarus, who was four days dead. Truly, with Christ, death is but “sleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Death has no dominion over Him who is Life itself, nor does death have dominion over those who are in Him (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Because He lives, we live. Because He is Life, we have life eternally.

Jesus’ statement that He is the resurrection and the life provide a godly perspective on several spiritual matters. 

· Martha believed that the resurrection is an event; Jesus showed her (and us) that the resurrection is a Person. 

· Martha’s knowledge of eternal life was an abstract idea; Jesus proved that knowledge of eternal life is a personal relationship. 

· Martha thought victory over death was a future expectation; Jesus corrects her, showing that victory is a present reality.

After presenting Himself as the resurrection and the life, Jesus asks Martha an all-important question: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). May Martha’s answer be ours as well: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world” (verse 27).

Billy Graham

Many people will soon hear the famous saying, "I am the resurrection and the life" but what does it really mean? 

"I suppose I'd believe in life after death if I ever met someone who had gone there and then came back to tell about it," a man once wrote. But this is exactly what Jesus did when He died and then came back to life by the power of God. This is the Easter message and it is the glorious Good News that has been broadcast around the world for 2,000 years. 

When Jesus was put to death, He truly died. The Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross attested to that fact when they took His body down and placed it in a tomb. Its entrance was sealed with a huge stone and placed under guard. But that was not the end of the story. 

When the first day of the week dawned the tomb was empty, and shortly after, Jesus appeared numerous times to His followers -- as many as 500 on one occasion. His resurrection proved that Jesus was who He claimed to be, the Son of God, sent from Heaven to save us from our sins. But it also proved for all time that there is life after death -- this is the Resurrection Story. The resurrection blasts apart the finality of death. The most important events in human history are the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without this, the cross is meaningless. 

Jesus made this wonderfully profound statement that changed the world, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). The resurrection is our great hope.

New Series Begins April 14, 2019

Am I really following Jesus?

Most of us are familiar with things Jesus did: walking on water, feeding five thousand with the loaves and fishes, healing a blind man, and of course, dying on the cross.

We’re equally familiar with many things He said: Love God. Love your neighbor. Fear not. Do good.

We love these teachings, and they certainly line up with what we know about God: His love, peace, and goodness. But Jesus also said some other things that don’t end up as framed prints on our walls.

• Sell everything you own.
• Love your enemies.
• Hate your parents.

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Some of the teachings of Jesus are difficult, but we would be wise to see why Jesus said them.

So let’s dive in to these hard teachings. What we’ll find is that these hard statements—these seemingly counter-intuitive or counter-cultural teachings—are where we find the abundant life Jesus promises to those who really follow Him.

He Said What? Hard Sayings of Jesus

1. God Won’t Forgive This Sin - Matthew 12:22-32
2. You’ll Never Die - John 11:25-27; 20:24-29
3. Sell Everything You Own - Matthew 19:16-26
4. Love Your Enemies - Luke 6:27-36
5. Let the Dead Bury Their Dead - Luke 9:57-62
6. Hate Your Family - Luke 14:25-35
7. Exploit Your Friends - Luke 16:1-12

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

A friend of mine told me about an encounter he had with a woman seated next to him on an airplane. It was a typical conversation until he told her he was a pastor. At that point, she became upset and began talking about a terrible crime one group of people had committed against another. My friend was also shocked by the immoral act, but the woman’s insistence that “some sins should not be forgiven” and “those individuals should be condemned to hell forever” genuinely caught him off guard. 

Before my friend could respond, the woman addressed her own sins and shortcomings. She declared, “I know I’m not perfect, but God knows my heart. I attend church, try to help others, and I’m a good person. So, I know God will forgive me, and one day I’ll go to heaven!” 

Is this woman correct? Are there some sins God will not forgive? Is being “religious” or “a good person” all it takes to get to heaven? Jesus’ confrontation with a group of Pharisees found in the Gospel of Matthew will help to answer these questions.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Matthew 12:22-23

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?” 

While Jesus was on earth, He met some interesting people. On one occasion, a group of men brought “a demon-possessed man” to Jesus. The word “demon-possessed” may seem odd, but it’s an important word to keep in mind; it means to be owned by evil spirits. The evil spirits in this man prevented him from being able to speak or see. 

During this time, people believed demon possession was caused by big sins in someone’s life. To the Pharisees—the religious leaders—this man was so deep in sin he had been rendered both blind and mute. We don’t know how long this man had been tormented, but the demons had surely ruined his life. 

This man had tried everything within his own power to be free from the evil spirit. Those who tried to help him may have accepted the popular notion this man was just a sinner who had no hope. Some days even he may have believed the same thing. 

But all that changed when people brought the man to Jesus, knowing He was the only one who could help him. After all, they had tried everything else to no avail, so they came to Jesus with a degree of hope and trust that He was the answer. 

We all know people who seem to be controlled by evil. Their lives are in direct conflict with God, but they live the way they do because they’re living without Jesus. Like this man, they also need to encounter Jesus. In fact, we all need an encounter with Jesus, because we are all sinners in need of forgiveness. 

No matter how sinful people are, they are never beyond God’s power to forgive. Clearly, the demon possessed man before Jesus was full of evil, but what did Jesus do? “Jesus healed him.” In those three short words, we see the incredible power of God. 

The work of Christ—the power of God—is why it is crucial we share the gospel with all people, no matter how bad we think they are. We often think they won’t listen, go to church with us, read the Bible, or accept Christ, but when we think that, we underestimate the power of God. God works through even the smallest seeds we plant, seeds of His love and grace. 

No matter how many times people reject Jesus, He stands ready and waiting to forgive them. But they must come to Him. Our responsibility is to point people to Jesus. 

When the demon-possessed man was transformed by Christ, it pointed to the power of God. Likewise, when we lead people to Jesus, their lives are changed, and that change points others to God. 

Matthew 12:24-29 

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.” 

Not everyone was amazed by what Jesus did. Enter the Pharisees, the religious teachers who were constantly protesting the actions and words of Jesus.  

Since Jesus did not conform to their religious traditions, the religious leaders were always looking for ways to discredit Him before the people. So when the people suggested Jesus might be the “Son of David” (12:23), this angered the Pharisees. Since Jesus would not conform to their traditions, their arrogance led them to conclude He must be of Satan.

As usual, Jesus’ response showed the foolishness of their thinking. These men obeyed the laws of God, but they lacked a relationship with Him. They believed their good works would make them more pleasing to God, but instead those works weighed them down. They refused to give up their self-righteousness in order to acknowledge the Messiah Himself who was in their midst. They rejected Jesus, His message, and eventually His sacrifice on the cross for their sin.

The failures of the Pharisees should be a warning for us today. The Pharisees were so prideful they thought Jesus was of Satan. Their self-righteousness blinded them to the truth about Jesus’ identity. The Pharisees had blinded themselves to this truth, so they saw no need to repent and turn to Him. We know people like this today. They will mock the church, Christians, and even our personal testimonies. We have to remember they don’t know Christ and His love for them. We were once like that. We were once rebels without Christ, but our kindness can lead others to a better understanding of Jesus.

Matthew 12:30-32 

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.”

Jesus delivered an ominous warning. He prefaced it by pointing to the greatness of God’s forgiveness, even forgiveness of those who speak against Jesus. “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.” Jesus made it perfectly clear that even sin against Him—blasphemy, irreverent speech, or slander—can be forgiven. 

But there is a limit to God’s forgiveness. “Anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is serious, and it is sometimes referred to as “the unpardonable sin.” The Holy Spirit speaks into our lives the truth of Christ. He convicts “the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). To reject the Spirit’s message is unpardonable. Why? If we reject His message, we see no need to repent, come to Christ, and ask His forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is limited in that He won’t forgive us if we do not seek His forgiveness. 

Jesus’ warning is very serious, but it has caused people to wonder, “What if I have committed the unpardonable sin?” At one time or another, everyone has rejected the Spirit’s call to repentance, belief in Jesus, and commitment to live for Him—even if momentarily. The very fact that you accept the truth about Jesus Christ and have a desire to turn from sin and follow Him is a sure sign you have not committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit! 

God is lovingly patient with us and wants to forgive us and give us eternal life with Him in heaven. That is why we have to be persistent with those who reject God. As long as they have breath in their lungs, we need to keep sharing and praying that one day they too will accept Jesus.

LIVE IT OUT

All sin is offensive to God, and we all need to come to Christ to be forgiven. What will you do with that truth? Choose one of the following applications: 

• 

  Be humble. Pride keeps us from seeing our need for Christ and His forgiveness. Allow the Lord to search your heart for areas of pride that point to reliance on self and not on Christ.                                                                                                                                 
• Be patient. It can be hard to be around people who are resistant to what Christ offers. Pray for patience! God is often working “behind the scenes” in a person’s life, so pray for opportunities to be used by God to patiently plant seeds.                                                                                                                                                 
• Look for opportunities. You know others who need to hear the gospel and come to faith in Christ. Ask God to open their hearts to receive His forgiveness, and pray for opportunities to share the message of Christ. 

Just like the woman on the plane mentioned at the beginning of the session, many people compare themselves to others and think they’ll be just fine. Remember, though, that what really matters is that we look up and compare ourselves to Him.

Hope to see all of you this Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

The Point: “God does not forgive those who reject Jesus and never seek His forgiveness.” 

Matthew 12:22-23

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

What roles did Jesus, the people who brought him to Jesus, and this man play in this healing?

• The word “demon-possessed” may seem odd, but it’s an important word to keep in mind; it means to be owned by evil spirits – this man couldn’t speak or see. 
•  People believed demon possession was caused by big sins in someone’s life. 
• This man had tried everything and those who tried to help him figured he was just a sinner with no hope. Some days even he may have believed the same thing. 
• But all that changed when people brought the man to Jesus – He healed him!
• We all know people that seem controlled by evil. No matter how sinful people are, they are never beyond God’s power to forgive. 
• This is why it is crucial we share the gospel with all people, no matter how bad we think they are. We often think they won’t listen, go to church with us, read the Bible, or accept Christ, but when we think that, we underestimate the power of God. God works through even the smallest seeds we plant, seeds of His love and grace. No matter how many times people reject Jesus, He stands ready and waiting to forgive them. But they must come to Him. Our responsibility is to point people to Jesus. 

What do these verses reveal about Jesus’ power and identity?

I. The work of Christ points to the power of God.

When the demon-possessed man was transformed by Christ, it pointed to the power of God. Likewise, when we lead people to Jesus, their lives are changed, and that change points others to God. We are to act to bring people to Jesus in their time of need. 

Matthew 12:24-29

When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Knowing their thoughts, he told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.”

What can you tell about the Pharisees’ thoughts based on Jesus’ response to them?

• Not everyone was amazed by what Jesus did. The Pharisees were constantly protesting the actions and words of Jesus and always looking for ways to discredit Him before the people. So, when the people suggested Jesus might be the “Son of David,” this angered the Pharisees and their arrogance led them to conclude He must be of Satan. They refused to give up their self-righteousness in order to acknowledge the Messiah Himself who was in their midst. They rejected Jesus, His message, and eventually His sacrifice on the cross for their sin.
• The failures of the Pharisees should be a warning for us today. The Pharisees were so prideful they thought Jesus was of Satan. The Pharisees had blinded themselves to this truth, so they saw no need to repent and turn to Him. 
• We know people like this today. They will mock the church, Christians, and even our personal testimonies. We have to remember they don’t know Christ and His love for them. We were once like that. We were once rebels without Christ, but our kindness can lead others to a better understanding of Jesus.

What can we learn from these verses about how Jesus and the Holy Spirit work together?

• Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit.

II. The work of Christ points to the presence of God’s Spirit.

Jesus came to defeat Satan and the destruction he seeks to bring upon the earth. In Jesus, the kingdom of God has come.

Matthew 12:30-32

“Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.”

Mark 3:28

"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

Luke 12:8

"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven". 

A. Jesus gave two very strong warnings.

1. He warned of indecisiveness.

a. If you do not side with Jesus, you are siding with the devil.

b. We must not be ashamed of Him (Luke 9:26).

2. He warned of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

a. Most forms of blasphemy can be forgiven (Luke 12:10).

b. By attributing Jesus’ work to Satan, the Pharisees were speaking against the Holy Spirit. This was a very serious matter.

B. How do these warnings apply today?

1. What constitutes blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

a. When a person sees all the evidence in favor of Jesus, but still refuses to believe on Him.

b. When a person is under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but still refuses to repent.

2. What are the consequences of this sin?

a. The Holy Spirit withdraws, and no longer convicts of sin.

b. You no longer feel any guilt over your sins.

• Someone has wisely said if you’re worried about whether you have committed the unpardonable sin, then you probably have not committed it.

c. There is no chance of ever being saved.

So, what is this 'blasphemy' against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven?

The word 'blasphemy' means in the Bible 'to speak against' or 'to defy'. To defy the Holy Spirit is to reject fundamentally His work in our lives to bring us to repentance and faith, that is, salvation. Jesus described this work of the Holy Spirit by saying that "when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement" (John 16:8). In other words, the Holy Spirit reveals to us that we are sinners, tells us the righteous way we should take to find and know God, and convinces us that God will one day judge us if we refuse to listen.

The sin against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven is, therefore, to reject the gospel by refusing to repent from sin and place our trust in Jesus for salvation.

How were the Pharisees in danger of committing the unforgiveable sin?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has to do with accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled.

Jesus delivered an ominous warning. 

The Holy Spirit speaks into our lives the truth of Christ. He convicts “the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). To reject the Spirit’s message is unpardonable. Why? If we reject His message, we see no need to repent, come to Christ, and ask His forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is limited in that He won’t forgive us if we do not seek His forgiveness.

What are the consequences of willful and persistent unbelief? – No repentance or forgiveness

III. Willful and persistent unbelief leaves no room for repentance, and forgiveness is absent when repentance is absent.

God is willing and able to forgive those who seek it, accept Jesus as Lord, and allow the Spirit to cleanse them. The unpardonable sin is not something that mysteriously overtakes a person but is the deliberate choice of an individual to refuse what God makes available by attributing the work of God to the devil. 

How would you explain blasphemy against the Spirit and why does God refuse to forgive this sin?

What is the hope and challenge for us in these hard words of Jesus?

In summary, all of our sins will be forgiven is we are truly repentant of them; that we turn our back on our old ways. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is when a person rejects the gospel of Jesus Christ and refuses to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then I encourage you to do so today. 

The Point: God does not forgive those who reject Jesus and never seek His forgiveness.

Run from Sin with Fear and Trembling – John Piper

The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.”

Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God’s justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God’s patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that He withdraws forever with His convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven.

They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls, he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever.

Billy Graham: Do you honestly think God wants you to spend eternity apart from Him in the place the Bible calls hell? No, He doesn’t. Instead, He wants you to be with Him in heaven because He loves you. The Bible says, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Those words were written by the Apostle Peter—and if anyone was guilty of denying Christ, it was Peter. Do you remember? Jesus had warned Peter that he would deny Him, but Peter strongly disagreed. Then Jesus was arrested, and when someone asked Peter if he also was a follower of Jesus, “He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know this man'” (Mark 14:71). But Peter repented, and God forgave him—completely and totally. And He will forgive you.

Yes, Jesus said only one sin couldn’t be forgiven, and that was “blasphemy against the Spirit” (Matthew 12:31). But what does it mean to blaspheme the Spirit? I have studied Jesus’ words very carefully, and it simply means this: To deny the Holy Spirit’s witness to Jesus.

In other words, the only sin God can’t forgive is the sin of rejecting Christ. 

God’s promise is for you: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:18). Commit your life to Him today.

Abundant pardon for all

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 Timothy 1:13-15 “Although I [Paul] was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

The concept of “blasphemy against the Spirit” is mentioned in Mark 3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32. Jesus has just performed a miracle. A demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus, and the Lord cast the demon out, healing the man of blindness and muteness. The eyewitnesses to this exorcism began to wonder if Jesus was indeed the Messiah they had been waiting for. A group of Pharisees, hearing the talk of the Messiah, quickly quashed any budding faith in the crowd: “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons,” they said (Matthew 12:24).

Jesus rebuts the Pharisees with some logical arguments for why He is not casting out demons in the power of Satan (Matthew 12:25–29). Then He speaks of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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” (verses 31–32).

The term blasphemy may be generally defined as “defiant irreverence.” The term can be applied to such sins as cursing God or willfully degrading things relating to God. Blasphemy is also attributing some evil to God or denying Him some good that we should attribute to Him. This particular case of blasphemy, however, is called “the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” in Matthew 12:31. The Pharisees, having witnessed irrefutable proof that Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit, claimed instead that the Lord was possessed by a demon (Matthew 12:24). Notice in Mark 3:30 Jesus is very specific about what the Pharisees did to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “He said this because they were saying, ‘He has an impure spirit.’”

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has to do with accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. This particular type of blasphemy cannot be duplicated today. The Pharisees were in a unique moment in history: they had the Law and the Prophets, they had the Holy Spirit stirring their hearts, they had the Son of God Himself standing right in front of them, and they saw with their own eyes the miracles He did. Never before in the history of the world (and never since) had so much divine light been granted to men; if anyone should have recognized Jesus for who He was, it was the Pharisees. Yet they chose defiance. They purposely attributed the work of the Spirit to the devil, even though they knew the truth and had the proof. Jesus declared their willful blindness to be unpardonable. Their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was their final rejection of God’s grace. They had set their course, and God was going to let them sail into perdition unhindered.

Jesus told the crowd that the Pharisees’ blasphemy against the Holy Spirit “will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32). This is another way of saying that their sin would never be forgiven, ever. Not now, not in eternity. As Mark 3:29 puts it, “They are guilty of an eternal sin.”

The immediate result of the Pharisees’ public rejection of Christ (and God’s rejection of them) is seen in the next chapter. Jesus, for the first time, “told them many things in parables” (Matthew 13:3; cf. Mark 4:2). The disciples were puzzled at Jesus’ change of teaching method, and Jesus explained His use of parables: “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. . . . Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13). Jesus began to veil the truth with parables and metaphors as a direct result of the Jewish leaders’ official denunciation of Him.

Again, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be repeated today, although some people try. Jesus Christ is not on earth—He is seated at the right hand of God. No one can personally witness Jesus performing a miracle and then attribute that power to Satan instead of the Spirit.

The unpardonable sin today is the state of continued unbelief. The Spirit currently convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). To resist that conviction and willfully remain unrepentant is to “blaspheme” the Spirit. There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirit’s promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. The love of God is evident: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And the choice is clear: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

When I was in high school, I read a book called My Life Without God, by William J. Murray. He’s the son of the notorious atheist, Madalyn Murray O’Hair. He told what it was like being raised by a mother who literally hated God. By the time he was in his early 30’s, he was a confirmed alcoholic and his life was on a downward spiral. In 1980, though, he came to know Christ as his Savior, and his life was completely changed. Many years later, when investigators confirmed that his mother had been kidnapped and murdered, Murray issued a statement. He declined to say that his mother was in hell. After all, who knows what happened in those days before her death? She might have realized she was wrong, and she might have cried out to God for mercy.

Murray’s compassion for his mother is admirable and deathbed conversions happen, nevertheless, many militant atheists have gone to their graves defying God every step of the way. How can they continue to resist Him even when they’re at the point of death? They have committed the unpardonable sin, and the Holy Spirit is no longer convicting them. They resisted Him once too often, so He left them to go their own way. 

Do you want that to happen to you? If not, then repent of your sins and surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not only forgive your sins, but He will also give you an eternal citizenship in His kingdom (John 10:27-29).