I. Introduction
A. A Church note in The New Forest Magazine, England: "In the future the preacher for next Sunday will be found hanging on the notice board."
B. Davy Troxel from New Albany, Ind wrote in the Christian Reader this little story: One day in junior church, I taught about Gideon. The following Sunday, for the sake of review, I asked who remembered last week's Bible hero. No hands went up. "Okay," I said. "I'll give you a clue: he fought a battle using only lamps, pitchers, and trumpets." Still no response. "Maybe you remember how he used a fleece to learn God's will," I said. Ten little blank faces stared at me. "One final clue," I pleaded. "There are people today with the same name as our hero, who go around hotels putting Bibles in the rooms." Finally an eager 8-year-old boy shot up his hand and said, "Oh! Oh! It was Hilton!"
C. Today we will examine one more miracle
1. In this chapter Jesus has done many miracles
a. He has healed a paralytic
(1) You know, the one lowered down through the roof
b. He has healed Jairus’ daughter
(1) Well, resurrected Jairus’ daughter
c. He healed the woman with the issue of blood
d. He gave sight to two blind men
2. And now, He will heal the mute by casting out the evil spirit
a. Turn to Matthew 9:32
II. Body
A. The demon possessed man was brought to Jesus by another or others
Matthew 9:32 NKJV
As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.
1. This man was possessed by an evil spirit
a. Anthony of Egypt said, in part, “Demons are very cowardly, always anxious about the fire that has been prepared for them.”
(1) If we turn to Matthew 8:28-29
(2) The demon called legion when confronted by Jesus showed their fear
Matthew 8:28-29 NKJV
When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. {29} And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
2. The man with the mute spirit had to be brought to Jesus
a. He would not have voluntarily gone to Jesus
b. The demon would have wanted to keep the man away from the Lord
B. There are lessons to be learned here
1. One, Many have to be brought to Jesus if they are ever to come.
a. They are too weak in spirit, mind, or body to come on their own
b. Remember the paralytic who’s friends brought him to Jesus and would not be deterred from their purpose
c. Remember, friends and family have the greatest chance of bringing some one to Christ
(1) We tell the AWANA kids just to ask their friends to come
(2) Its the easiest thing to do, won’t you come to AWANA with me this Wednesday evening?
2. Two, We must go after the needy in order for them to come
a. Many would come
(1) If we would simply visit and go after them
(2) If we would make friends and nurture them along the way
3. Three, Some are possessed by the wrong spirit
a. Spiritually they are mute, lacking knowledge of the Lord
b. There is no spiritual awareness
c. They have no spiritual consciousness
d. They have no understanding
e. They don’t believe that they are in need of a Savior
4. Four, Some are in the grip of monestrous evil
a. Habitual sin such as drug addiction
b. Or some other foul compulsion or obsession
c. Even demon possession
5. Very few individuals will come to Christ on their own
a. I know that it happens
b. But it is rare
c. These people need to be brought to Christ by those who care enough
(1) Brothers bring sisters, sisters bring brothers
(2) Mom’s bring their kids
(3) Dad’s bring moms and kids
(4) Friends bring friends
6. Those who brought the man with the mute spirit had to care enough to bring him
a. Sergei Nikolaev, an energetic Christian leader in Russia, said, "Don't look at the circumstances and don't look at what you can't do. Look at your Lord. Call on his power. Trust his timing. Don't put a period where God puts a comma."
b. Do we care enough?
(1) Turn to Matthew 9:33
C. Jesus cared enough
Matthew 9:33 NKJV
And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!"
1. Jesus cast the demon out of the man
a. As evidence of this the man spoke
2. The crowd marveled
a. Jesus had cast the demon called legion out of the Gadarenes demoniac
b. Jesus had cast many unclean spirits out of people who were brought to Him
c. Jesus had cast the unclean spirit of epilepsy out of a boy
d. Yet, the people in this crowd marveled at Jesus power
(1) More to be commented on should have been Jesus compassion on the suffering
(a) Turn to Ephesians 1:19 & 20 and Ephesians 3:20
3. Jesus power then and now
Ephesians 1:19-20 NKJV
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power {20} which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 3:20 NKJV
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
a. The well driller found water at 95 feet but insisted he ought to drill deeper because there was not enough water. He found water again at 120 feet. He was not satisfied and wanted to drill deeper. There was plenty of water at 120 feet, but it was not pure enough. He drilled deeper still until he found water that was both abundant and pure. Are our lives too shallow?
b. We should take notice and understand that Jesus can, did in the past, is doing now, and will in the future touch a life because of the faith of another
(1) Pastor Don told about his grandparents. His grandmother had come to know Christ soon after she married PD’s grandfather. She prayed for his salvation for over 80 years and then he committed the rest of his life to Christ. PD’s grandfather became a committed lay evangelist and many came to the Lord because of his efforts.
c. Jesus can, has, is, and will break even the greatest power which holds a person captive
(1) Even the power of Satan
(2) Even when Satan holds absolute sway over that person
d. Think about this
(1) As we recognize the infinite power of God in Christ
(a) It should give us courage and confidence to bring our friends and loved ones to Christ
(b) It should give us courage and confidence to bring others to Christ
i) Turn to 1 John 5:14-15
(2) Even if only in our prayers
(a) Some times we are hampered in our evangelistic efforts by our handicaps
(b) Some times we are hampered in our evangelistic efforts by distance
(c) Some times we are hampered in our evangelistic efforts by the resistance of the others
(d) But even though we are unable to make that contact our prayers are heard by God
1 John 5:14-15 NKJV
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. {15} And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
(e) Dial-A-Prayer has been around for years. The Tampa, Florida, chapter of American Atheists installed a 24-hour telephone line called "Dial-An-Atheist." We wonder if anyone burdened by guilt, anxiety, or fear will seek comfort from "Dial-An-Atheist." Most churches in the area are not worried about the competition.
(f) If we ask anything according to His will
(g) That is always the ticket, according to His will
i) Now we turn to Matthew 9:33 - 34
D. The jealousy and hatred of the religious elite
Matthew 9:33-34 NKJV
And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!" {34} But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."
1. We must understand that the miracle could not be denied
a. The man possessed by the mute spirit spoke
b. The demon was gone
2. But, notice these two reactions
a. The people in the crowd marveled
(1) They were amazed
(2) They declared saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!"
(3) The crowd acknowledged Jesus power saying, essentially that even the prophets of old were not equal to Christ
(4) We have seen that the common people believed in Jesus
(a) When Jesus was in town the common people brought their suffering friends and loved ones to Him to be healed
(b) There were the four men who tore up the roof to get their friend in to be healed by Jesus
(c) There was the father who brought his son to Jesus to be healed of the unclean spirit of epilepsy
(d) There was this mute man brought to Jesus to be healed
(e) And we could go on and on
3. But notice the reaction of the religious elite
Matthew 9:34 NKJV
But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."
a. They could not deny the miracle
b. But they attributed the miracle to the work of Satan
(1) There were times when these religious people would not commend Jesus, but would tell the individual who was healed to glorify God
(2) At other times they would minimize the miracle
(3) And at other times their jealousy and hatred would spill out to their condemnation
(a) Turn to Mark 3:22
E. The unforgivable sin
Mark 3:22-29 NKJV
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons." {23} So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: "How can Satan cast out Satan? {24} "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. {25} "And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. {26} "And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. {27} "No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house. {28} "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; {29} "but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation";
1. This is not a subject I want to get into right now
a. However, it must be dealt with to a degree now, because of the words of the Pharisees in this passage
(1) Dr Wretland, one of my collage professors said that according to this passage, the words of Jesus indicate that there is an unforgivable sin
(2) And that sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
b. Dr Wretland defined blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as attributing to Satan the works of the Holy Spirit performed through the Son of God
(1) Well, Jesus is not the Holy Spirit, so why then is what the Pharisees said blasphemy
(a) Well, if we turn to Luke 4:1
2. We will find that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit
Luke 4:1 NKJV
Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
a. Now we have examined the temptation in the wilderness, but the point I want to make is Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit
(1) We turn to Luke 4:14
b. Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit
Luke 4:14 NKJV
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
c. God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit of power
(1) We turn to Acts 10:38
(2) This is from Peter’s sermon
Acts 10:38 NKJV
"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
3. What Jesus did, He did in the power of the Holy Spirit
a. So that attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ is the unforgivable sin
(1) Now I want you to know that this is the conclusion of Dr Wretland and others far more educated individuals than me
(a) But, I tend to agree with Dr Wretland and those others
III. Conclusion
A. My intent was to point out truths from the healing of the demon possessed man
1. Many have to be brought to Christ by those who care
a. They can’t come by themselves
(1) They are hindered physically
(2) They are hindered emotionally
(3) They are hindered by outside influences
b. The greatest percentage of believers, 73% at last count, were brought to the Lord by a friend or loved one.
c. Those who brought themselves to some evangelistic effort only amounted to 3%
d. So we see that our love and caring will produce the greatest harvest
(1) Let us each pray to that end
(2) So, to that end, tear off the side of your bulletin, write the first name of some one you would care to see come to the Lord, and put that slip in the offering bag, and we will pray over those names here in the service and at our Bible Study
