" What God will not forgive " -- Matthew 12:12-37 -- Rev. John W. Armstrong

Sermon notes:

 

“He said WHAT? Hard sayings of Jesus”

What God will not forgive  (Matthew 12:22-37)

 

I.     Words matter to God because God does everything by _______________ (Genesis 1:3; Matthew 9:2,6; John 11:43).

 

A.  His word is how God ___________________________________ us. 

B.  Our _____________ reveal who we are (vv.34b-35).

C.  Our “careless words” undermine the importance of all words, including ____________ (Romans 2:24; 2 Peter 2:2).

D.  If the devil can get us to diminish the importance of words generally, he can get us to diminish the importance of God’s word specifically.

 

II.    Threatening words:  what does Jesus mean (vv.31-32)?

   

A.  “Perhaps there is not in all holy Scripture a more important or more difficult question” [than what blasphemy against the Spirit is and who is—and who is not--guilty of this] (St. Augustine).

B.  “__________________ speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be                    forgiven” (v.32).

C.  Let the words of Jesus do their work.  Let them make you ____________________ (Psalm 119:67; 141:5) 

D.  You cannot appreciate __________________ until yours is threatened.

E.  The threat of ___________________ reveals how completely vulnerable we are before God (Isaiah 66:2b).

 

III.   God’s _________________________ is our only refuge.

 

A.  “Set a watch before my mouth O Lord and guard the door of my lips”       (Psalm 141:3).

B.  “__________________ comes to Me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).