Unlocking the Strength Already Inside You | The Gospel of Matthew

·49 min·4 clips

Jesus heals a withered hand on the Sabbath, and the religious leaders decide they must destroy him.

Pastor Matt of Sandals Church preaches a sermon from the Gospel of Matthew, beginning by sharing his personal struggle with grief and anger over political violence in America. He frames the episode as a call to unleash the Holy Spirit's power to foster reconciliation rather than division. The teaching centers on Matthew chapter 12, where Jesus heals a man with a withered hand and a demon-oppressed man, only to face accusations from Pharisees that he acts by the power of Beelzebub. Pastor Matt recounts the biblical narrative where Jesus' miraculous healings lead some to see him as a political savior while others, like the Pharisees, accuse him of operating by the prince of demons. He connects this to contemporary politics, citing the recent assassination of commentator Charlie Kirk and a separate incident where a man killed a Democrat while posing as an officer. The sermon references Acts 7:51, where Stephen condemns people for resisting the Holy Spirit before being killed, and Psalm 51:11, where David fears God taking the Holy Spirit from him. Pastor Matt argues that a rejection of the Spirit's work, as shown by the Pharisees, is a rejection of God itself, referencing Matthew 12:31-32 on the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit. A key insight is that the greatest threat to any group, including the church or a nation, often comes from internal division rather than external enemies, drawing a parallel to ancient Israel's internal conflicts before the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Pastor Matt claims it is dangerously easy for Christians to excuse evil actions against others once they label them as fundamentally evil, using the Pharisees' response to Jesus as a template. He surprises by admitting his own fear of being shot while preaching and confesses he initially felt too angry to post about Kirk's death honorably. The episode suggests that many Christians resist the Holy Spirit's work, preferring to debate doctrinal minutiae among believers rather than engaging with non-believers. The tone is confessional, passionate, and exhortative, blending personal vulnerability with direct theological teaching and contemporary political commentary. Its style is conversational, using humor and candid anecdotes alongside scriptural exegesis to challenge listeners. This episode would strongly appeal to Christians seeking a politically engaged, charismatic-leaning perspective on current events through a biblical lens, particularly those concerned with national unity and spiritual renewal. Listeners who prefer apolitical, strictly doctrinal, or calmly delivered sermons might find its tone and contemporary references too intense or divisive.

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