Reformed For The Worse | Matthew 12:43-45

Scripture

• Matthew 12:43–45

About this sermon

Introduction: The passage that we come to tonight is unique and fascinating. It gives us information that only the Son of God could give us access to. He takes us into a world that we cannot see. We see the results of that world. Sometimes in God’s sovereign purposes He has allowed manifestations of that world. But if we are left to what belongs to the powers of human observation, we have no access to that world. We know it exists because God tells us it exists. What is equally fascinating about what our Lord says, is the consideration of how it fits into the conversation. He has responded to the evil desire of an unbelieving generation for a sign. He now talks about a demonic exit from a human life that results in the reordering of that life, only for the demon to return with other demons, and the life, as a result, to be in worse condition than before. HOW DOES THAT FIT WITH OUR LORD’S COMMENTS ABOUT AN EVIL AND ADULTERIOUS GENERATION? Tonight, we consider how this all connects, and as we do, we think about the ruin of reformation that doesn’t represent the fruit of transformation. We consider deliverances that are not the result of regeneration. • THE DESCRIPTION OF A DEMONIC TRAGEDY (vs.43-45a) This is a parable, but it speaks of spiritual reality. It is amazing that our Lord describes these things in such matter-of-fact terms. He speaks of these things as if they are the most natural things to know about in the world. And the fact that He can do this is another testimony to His unique identity. He knows about these things because He is Lord over every realm. The one who formed the angels and who witnessed their fall and who assigned them their present realm, and who will judge them in the end, knows exactly how they operate. He knows their desires. He knows their behaviors. The fallen angels know that He knows them. THEY KNOW HIM. ESV Matthew 8:28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" ESV Mark 1:23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- the Holy One of God." ESV Luke 4:41 And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. What He describes here can only be understood and accepted if we understand that people are sometimes delivered from demons without being saved. It is true, that once a person is saved, they can no longer be demonized in the way an unbeliever can. ESV 1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? But it also seems plain that there are people who find temporary relief from demonic harassment and possession without permanent deliverance. This is something we need to recognize about the earthly ministry of our Lord. Not everyone He healed was saved. Not everyone He delivered from demons was saved. Our Lord worked signs, demonstrated kingdom power, and kingdom mercies, in the case of some who did not exercise personal faith in Him as the Son of God. And I actually believe that this is pertinent to WHY JESUS USES THIS PARABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE (We’ll talk about that in a moment). IN THIS PARABLE WE ARE NOT TOLD HOW THE MAN WAS TEMPORARILY FREED FROM THE DEMON’S HARRASSMENT. John MacArthur — “We are not told by what means this unclean spirit went out of a man. It may be that the man made a moral decision to forsake the sin in which this demon had entrapped him and that the demon no longer had control over the man. It may be that the man had been cleansed of the demon but, just as many people whom Jesus cleansed and healed, did not trust in Him for salvation. For whatever reason or by whatever means, the man was temporarily freed from the demon’s presence and influence.” Now before we talk about the USE of this parable, lets note some details from it. • OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE OPERATION OF DEMONS Our Lord gives us some insight about a realm He knew perfectly. • DEMONS INHABIT PEOPLE This was not new information. The fact that Jesus is casting out demons demonstrates that.