What Jesus Did

Key Passage
"On the judgment day, you people that live now will be compared with the people from Nineveh, and they will be witnesses to show that you are wrong (guilty). Why? Because when Jonah preached to those people, they changed their hearts and lives. And you are listening to someone greater than Jonah, {but you refuse to change}! On the judgment day, you people that live now will also be compared with the Queen of the South, and she will be a witness to show that you are wrong...

 

Key Passage
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus. They said, "Teacher, we want to see you do a miracle as a sign (proof)." Jesus answered, "Evil and sinful people are the ones that want to see a miracle for a sign (proof). But no miracle will be given as a sign to those people. The only sign will be the miracle that happened to the prophet Jonah. Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in...

 

Key Passage
"And I tell you that people will have to explain about every careless thing they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment. The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will make you right, but some of your words will make you guilty."

— Matthew 12:36-37 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
"Oh no! Not this judgement stuff again." Yep! To a culture which wants no consequences, only blessings, this is a hard concept. But when we look at all...

 

Key Passage
"If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good then it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it makes. You snakes! You are evil people! How can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. A good person has good things saved in his heart. And so he speaks the good things that come from his heart. But an evil person has evil saved in his heart. So he speaks the evil things that come from his heart."...

 

Key Passage
"So I tell you, people can be forgiven of every sin they do. And people can be forgiven for every bad thing they say. But if a person speaks against (refuses to accept) the Holy Spirit, then that person will not be forgiven. Any person that says things against the Son of Man can be forgiven. But any person that says things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. That person will not be forgiven now or in the future."

— Matthew 12:31-32 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key...

 

Key Passage
"If a person is not with me, then he is against me. The person that does not work with me is working against me."

— Matthew 12:30 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
So often as human beings, we want to do what I call "play in the gray." Rather than seeing issues as black and white, right and wrong, good and evil, we often say, "Well, it's not all that cut and dried. It's not really a black and white issue; it's really more a gray issue." Jesus does not allow us to "play in...

 

Key Passage
"You say that I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons. If that is true, then what power do your people use when they force out demons? So your own people will prove that you are wrong. But I use the power of God's Spirit to force out demons. This shows that the kingdom of God has come to you. If a person wants to enter a strong man's house and steal his things, first the person must tie the strong man. Then the person can steal the things from the strong man's house."

—...

 

Key Passage
The Pharisees heard the people saying this. The Pharisees said, "This man uses the power of Beelzebul (the devil) to force demons out of people. Beelzebul is the ruler of demons." Jesus knew the things that the Pharisees were thinking. So Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom that is fighting against itself will be destroyed. And every city that is divided cannot continue. And every family that is divided cannot succeed. So if Satan (the devil) forces out his own demons, then Satan...

 

Key Passage
Then some people brought a man to Jesus. This man was blind and could not talk, because he had a demon inside him. Jesus healed the man, and the man could talk and see. All the people were amazed. The people said, "Maybe this man (Jesus) is the Son of David {that God promised to send to us}!"

— Matthew 12:22-23 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Isn't it amazing how the common everyday folks were so much better at recognizing Jesus than all the religious leaders? What's...

 

Key Passage
"He will not argue or shout; People will not hear his voice in the streets. He will not break the reed that is already bent; He will not stop the light that has almost stopped burning. He will continue until he makes fair judgment win the victory. All people will hope in him."

— Matthew 12:19-21 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
While being strong and mighty, Jesus could also be loving and tender. His role was to be our sacrifice, a sin offering that frees us of guilt by...