As Jesus went on from there, two blind
men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
When he stopped and entered a house,
the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe I am able to do
this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
“According to your faith, let it be done to you.” After their sight was
restored, Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But
they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
Someone possessed by an evil spirit,
blind and mute, was brought to Jesus and healed so that he could speak and see.
The multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?” But when
the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out evil spirits,
except by Beelzebul, the prince of evil spirits.”
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to
them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every
city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan,
he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out evil
spirits by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore, they
will be your judges. But if I by the
Spirit of God cast out evil spirits, then God’s kingdom has come upon you. How
can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless
he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. “He who is not
with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
Every sin and blasphemy will be
forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks
a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the
Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the age to come.
“Either make the tree good, and its
fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is
known by its fruit. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak
good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good
man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of
his evil treasure brings out evil things. People will give account in the Day
of Judgment for every idle word they speak. By your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The language of “a kingdom divided” was used by Abraham
Lincoln to warn America on the eve of the Civil War. What examples do you see
of division in church and society today? Are there groups today who are
convinced their opponents are “of the devil?” How can those who can’t tell the
difference between God and Satan be forgiven?
Prayer: Slow me down, Lord, when I too quickly ascribe evil
intentions to those who think differently than I do.
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