Divided Heart - Matthew 12:25-30
Jesus does not mince words when he says he who is not for me is against me. Jesus' half brother James puts it this way in his letter, "He who is a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
Family Discussions:
- Do you love Jesus with a whole-heart, a half-heart, or a not at all?
- What is more important to you than Jesus?
- How can your family help you love Jesus with your actions?
Episode Transcription:
00:13 I've got two glasses of water in my hands. One of them is pure, and one of them is almost pure. As soon as this is over, I'm going to take a drink of this one. The Bible verse today is Matthew 12, verse 25 and then verse 30, and it says this, "And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, 'Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.'" And then going down to verse 30, it says, "He who is not with me, is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters."
00:48 Jim says he's a follower of Christ and seeks to improve his walk every day. Ann is defiant and rebellious and blasphemes God in her language and in her life. Rebecca and Tony claimed to be in a completely different group. They're not living for God, but they're not out to destroy Him either. They party a little, and they go to church a little. They don't want to be seen as Christians, but they don't classify themselves as atheist either. Folks, Jesus does not mince words when he says he who is not for me is against me. Jesus' half brother James puts it this way in his letter, "He who is a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
01:32 I've heard the stories for decades of many adults and many teenagers I work with who cop-out on God by saying, "You know what? I'm not doing anything that bad. I'm just not ready for a commitment yet."
01:43 In case after case that I've seen, and I've watched these cases for years, it was only a matter of time that each misled heart with a divided spirit was reeling in emotional pain from some kind of disaster that his friendship with the world had led him into, and the road to hell widens with every single passing day. Hey, Jesus in history clearly issues the warning: Either you love me with your whole heart, or you know what? You don't love me at all. I am so thankful for the blood of Christ. Drop it in this cup of impure water, and it becomes as pure is this one. And with that grace, you know what? any of us who've been loving him with a half-heart, can love him with a pure heart, and we can begin to do what Jesus says when he says, love me with everything you've got. That's the cup that he wants to drink from. That's the cup that you can drink from today.