The Sin of Blasphemy

Matt. 12:22-37

Our tongues can be as powerful a weapon as a gun.  The Dangerous Human Tongue James 3:1-12.

Blasphemy of the Pharisees against Jesus

• Matt. 12:22-29 -Jesus healed this man.  The people were amazed.  The Pharisees said this was done by Satan. 
• Matt. 23:13-15 -The Jewish leaders were shutting people out of the kingdom and promoting evil.  Jesus told the leaders that they were blind (spiritually -vs. 16,19,24,26)
• James  3:9-10 -With our tongues we bless God and also curse men who are made in the image of God.  We must be careful today when we judge and attack other people's efforts to serve God.  When we speak against false teaching it is different than speaking against a person.

The Unpardonable Sin

• Matt. 12:30-32 - Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. 
• Acts 2:36-38 -Peter has given evidence that Jesus is the Son of God.  Peter says belief, repentance and baptism gives forgiveness for blaspheming the Son of God.  When we continue to harden our hearts by blocking out God we will be eternally separated from God.
• Isaiah 5:20-21 , Heb. 6:4-6 -These are examples of rejecting the Holy Spirit

Treasures from a Good Heart

• Matt. 12:33-37 -It is out of our spiritually heart that we speak.  (Matt. 7:15-20, Prov. 4:23)  Our words need to come from a pure source.
• John 6:56- We can have pure speech by communing with Jesus.  We have Jesus living in our lives.
• John 14:23 -  Jesus and God will come to those who abide in the word
• John 15:5 we can't do anything apart from God.  We can only bear fruit if God abides with us.  Our speech is one of the good fruits we bear.
• John 14:16-17 -The Holy Spirit is our connection to God.  We must let God in to be saved..
• John 7:37-39 - Jesus says that if we drink of him, out of us will flow rivers of living water. We are capable of great positive blessings  to others by God's grace to us.
• Gal. 5:22-23 -  We can bear spiritual fruits by having God within us.

 —Robert Lee, 8-10-08, a.m.