The Empty

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The Empty House
Matthew 1243-45
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Matthew 1243-45... When an unclean spirit goes
out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking
rest, and finds none. 44Then he says, I will
return to my house from which I came. And when
he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in
order. 45Then he goes and takes with him seven
other spirits more wicked than himself, and they
enter and dwell there and the last state of that
man is worse than the first. So shall it also be
with this wicked generation.
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Our next parable can be found in Matthew 12
Lets see the sequence that can be found in
Matthew 12
Matthew 122... And when the Pharisees saw it,
they said to Him, Look, Your disciples are doing
what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!
The disciples are being accused!
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Matthew 1210... And behold, there was a man
who had a withered hand. And they asked Him,
saying, Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath?that they might accuse Him.
Every miracle that Jesus performed has been
tested.
5
Matthew 1224... Now when the Pharisees heard
it they said, This fellow does not cast out
demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the
demons.
Jesus is being accused of casting out demons in
the name of Beelzebub
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Matthew 1238... Then some of the scribes and
Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we want to
see a sign from You.
Now they are asking for a sign so that they can
accuse Jesus with the "authorities"
7
This is the frame, in which Jesus is going to
present our next parable.
They have never believed in him.
He has always been a bad teacher.
He has always violated Moses' law.
Tired of all these accusations, Jesus said
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Matthew 1243-45
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he
goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds
none. 44Then he says, I will return to my house
from which I came. And when he comes, he finds
it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then he
goes and takes with him seven other spirits more
wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell
there and the last state of that man is worse
than the first. So shall it also be with this
wicked generation.
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This is our parable for this afternoon...
After all of the accusations, now Jesus is going
to reprove them all..
I would like to say that this is a very
frightening story.
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It is important to note what is described in the
parable.
Matthew 1245... So shall it also be with this
wicked generation.
This was the problem that Jesus faced in his
days.
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The Story Detailed
1. Jesus said that an unclean spirit has just
inhabited a man
Matthew 1222... Then one was brought to Him who
was demon-possessed, blind and mute and He
healed him, so that the blind and mute man both
spoke and saw.
They very well knew about this in Jesus' times.
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2. For some reason, the unclean spirit went out
from the man.
But why did he leave the man?
13
3. Jesus said that the spirit went through dry
places.
There was a common belief that demons inhabited
dry places.
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4. The spirit decided to return to its former
house.
Who is the house?
House The man in which it had once lived.
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5. He found the "house" but in a particular
condition
... he finds it empty, swept, and put in order
The house has been repaired.
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6. Then the evil spirit does something it has
not done before.
What does he do?
It found seven demonic roommates...
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7. It is easy to see why Jesus said the last
state was worse than the first.
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Again, lets try to understand what Jesus is
saying...
Matthew 1245... So shall it also be with this
wicked generation.
What Jesus is saying to these people is
You are like this man...
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Do we have something to learn from this parable?
Let's see...
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1. The evil spirit considered the body of a man
as "his house".
Ephesians 612...
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.
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2. The reality of demon- possessed people.
1 Timothy 41
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter
times some will depart from the faith, giving
heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of
demons,
Can this happen to me?
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Did you know brother, that there are
other kinds of evil possessions?
When does this occur?
When we leave the door of the soul open...
23
Ephesians 426,27...
26Be angry, and do not sin do not let the sun
go down on your wrath, 27nor give place to the
devil.
Possessed?
24
When we become careless...
1 John 38
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has
sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the
Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy
the works of the devil.
Can we be children of Satan?
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Is it marvelous to see people possessed nowadays?
2 Cor.1114,15
14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms
himself into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is
no great thing if his ministers also transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose
end will be according to their works.
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Can we be possessed by Satan?
Acts 53,4
3But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled
your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep
back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4While it remained, was it not your own? And
after it was sold, was it not in your own
control? Why have you conceived this thing in
your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.
Possessed?
27
Getting rid of the evil, is only half of the
battle.
We make a great mistake in thinking that all we
have to do is eliminate the devil from our lives.
But why do many fail?
28
True success in handling evil is not over until
we replace the evil with something different.
How?
There is a big difference between
Reformation - and - Transformation
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Romans 122
2And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may prove what is that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God.
To Change To Turn To make new
To be Transformed is
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Ephesians 420-24
20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if
indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by
Him, as the truth is in Jesus 22that you put
off, concerning your former conduct, the old man
which grows corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your
mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was
created according to God, in true righteousness
and holiness.
We need to renew ourselves
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But what is the mistake of many?
Trying to underestimate the power of Satan.
How do we overcome Satan's attacks?
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Romans 1221.
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.
This is the cause and reason why many fall.
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Keep in mind that the evil spirit of Jesus
parable returned with seven evil partners...
2 Peter 220-22.
20For if, after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for
them than the beginning. 21For it would have been
better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than having known it, to turn from
the holy commandment delivered to them. 22But it
has happened to them according to the true
proverb A dog returns to his own vomit, and,
a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the
mire.
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Jesus saw a serious problem with the generation
of his day.
My question is
Have the problems changed?
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The people who condemned Jesus had refused to
take a good look at themselves
Are we like that?
Do we search ourselves constantly?