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The Bible Breakdown: Daily Bible Reading
Welcome to "The Bible Breakdown," where we break down God’s Word so we can know God better. I'm your host, Brandon Cannon, and I'm here to guide you through the pages of the Bible, one day at a time.
Each day, we'll read through a section of the Bible and explore key themes, motifs, and teachings. Whether you're new to the Bible or a seasoned veteran, I guarantee you'll find something insightful or inspiring. My hope is to encourage you to dive deeper and deeper.
So grab your Bible, your journal, your coffee, and join me on this journey of faith and discovery. And don't forget to hit that subscribe button to stay up-to-date with our daily readings and breakdowns.
Remember, as we journey through the pages of the Bible together, we're not just reading a book, we're unlocking the secrets to eternal life. The more we dig, the more we find! Let's get started!
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The Bible Breakdown: Daily Bible Reading
Matthew 12: Kingdom Family
Have you ever felt like you don't quite fit in? Jesus knows that feeling—and offers something better. In Matthew 12, Pastor Brandon explores the revolutionary concept of "Kingdom Family" and what it means to truly belong in God's household.
The chapter begins with Jesus challenging the Pharisees' rigid interpretation of Sabbath observance. When his hungry disciples pick grain on the sacred day, religious leaders object immediately. Jesus responds by reminding them that the heart of God's law is mercy, not sacrifice. Similarly, when Jesus heals a man with a deformed hand on the Sabbath, the religious establishment plots against him rather than rejoicing at the good being done. These confrontations reveal a fundamental tension between legalistic religion and the freedom Jesus offers.
Pastor Brandon provides exceptional clarity on one of scripture's most misunderstood passages—the "unforgivable sin" of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Rather than a single statement that condemns someone eternally, this represents an ongoing posture of actively opposing God's work. If you've worried about having committed this sin, Pastor Brandon offers reassurance: the very fact you're concerned suggests your heart remains open to God.
The chapter culminates with Jesus redefining family beyond blood relations. When told his mother and brothers are waiting outside, Jesus gestures to his disciples saying, "Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." This wasn't rejecting his biological family but expanding our understanding of belonging. The Kingdom Family transcends traditional boundaries, creating a community where doing God's will creates bonds stronger than DNA.
Ready to discover your place in God's Kingdom Family? Subscribe to the Bible Breakdown podcast and join our growing community as we continue exploring God's Word together!
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The More We Dig. The More We Find.
Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today, matthew, chapter 12, and today's title is Kingdom Family, kingdom Family. I want to tell you, when I first started dating my wife, my wife's family was very different than my family. Both were okay. It was just very, very different. We just related to one another differently. The way we communicated as a family was just very different, came from different backgrounds and I remember the first time I went over to at the time I was dating.
Speaker 0:Later we got married, but at the time my girlfriend's family and it was awesome because just kind of our thing at my house and we would have dinner, we would have dinner, we would have dinner and we would talk about the day or whatever, but it would just be a normal dinner. Well, I went over to my wife's family's house and they were all together and it was like watching a movie, I mean, they were animated and they were loud and they would just laugh loudly and then they would argue and they'd, they would argue and then be back. It was just, it was fun and I remember leaving going. What was that? I don't know what that was. I'm coming back. It was almost like. I don't know, if it doesn't work out between she and I, can I still come back here Because that was a lot of fun and that's what I think the kingdom of heaven is. The kingdom family is fun and it's what I think the kingdom of heaven is. The kingdom family is. It's fun and it's loud, and it's people from different walks of life who have decided to come together and to grow together. That's what a kingdom community is and that's what God invites us into, and we're going to see a chapter of what it looks like when we do life together in the kingdom of heaven in Matthew chapter 12. So if you have your bibles, want to open up with me to Matthew chapter 12.
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Speaker 0:Well, hopefully you've had an opportunity to find Matthew, chapter 12. And I wanna remind you that the overall theme of Matthew is what we call King Jesus and, if you remember, this was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by Matthew to the Jewish nation, and it was for them, but it also was for us as well, because he is telling us in the very first chapter Jesus is at least the earthly king, he has a right to rule and he's like. I can prove it. He shows the family lineage and he's saying he's at the very least, he has a claim to the earthly throne. But then he spends chapter 2 through 28 saying but he is so much more than an earthly king. He is the king of kings and the Lord of lords and we've been seeing as he is consistently and continually building onto the kingdom of God. And today we're going to see as Jesus is walking through this world and he's bringing his disciples with him, and what it looks like for the kingdom of God to grow and how we relate to those outside the kingdom and just all of that. So if you're ready, let's jump into God's word.
Speaker 0:Matthew, chapter 12, verse 1, says this at about that time, Jesus was walking through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some of the Pharisees saw them doing it and protested look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath. And Jesus said to them haven't you read in the scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, he and his companions, and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. Haven't you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the temple were the only ones that may work on the Sabbath. I tell you that there is one here who is greater than the temple, but you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of the scripture. I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices, for the son of man is lord even over the sabbath.
Speaker 0:Now, what he is talking about here is the pharisees. I know they get a bad rap and, to be honest with you, they deserve it. Okay, but at the same time, the motives were good, because they wanted to honor God. And so what they said was if we're not supposed to harvest on Sabbath, well, because Sabbath was intended to be a day of replenishment and rest and worship to God. And they said, okay, well, we don't want to violate the law of God. Therefore, if we shouldn't harvest, then we ought to not do even more so that we don't break the law. And they had gotten all the way back to we can't even pick up a piece of grain on the Sabbath day, because that might lead to this, which will lead to this, which eventually leads to harvesting, which then will lead to work. So they had gotten so far away from the intended nature of the Sabbath that it had no longer anything to do with worshiping Jesus as Lord, worshiping God as Lord and honoring the Sabbath. The goal of the Sabbath was not to do without, it was to press into their relationship with God. And so what Jesus is doing is he is correcting all of this and he is saying actually you missed the point. The point was to honor me as Lord, not do without. That's the whole point of this. And he is saying actually you missed the point. The point was to honor me as Lord, not do without. That's the whole point of the first night.
Speaker 0:Then Jesus went over to their synagogue where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath? They were hoping that he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him. And? And he answered if you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable a person than a sheep? Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man hold out your hand. So the man held out his hand and it was restored just like the other.
Speaker 0:Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. So he is just doubling down on this idea that the goal of the Sabbath is to do good, to worship God, do good to others. But once again it is totally flying in the face of what they wanted. So they have went from not knowing who Jesus was to being curious, to now they are hostile against him Verse 15,. But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area and many people followed him and he healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was.
Speaker 0:This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him. Look at my servant, whom I have chosen. He is my beloved, who pleases me. I will put my spirit upon him and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally, he will cause justice to be victorious and his name will be hope to all the world. Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and couldn't speak was brought to Jesus and he healed the man so that he could both speak and see.
Speaker 0:The crowd was amazed and asked how could it be that Jesus the Son of David, or could it be that Jesus the Son of David is the Messiah? Now pause again. Remember that was the primary way they had said they would know if that was the Messiah is that he would have power over evil spirits. That's why when they saw Jesus healing someone of demon possession, immediately their thought was well, this is probably him. And that frustrated the Pharisees. So then they say in verse 24,.
Speaker 0:But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said no wonder he's casting out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons. Jesus knew their thoughts and replied any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcist? They cast out demons too. So they will condemn you for what you have said.
Speaker 0:But if I am casting out demons by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods, only someone even stronger, someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. Everyone who isn't with me opposes me, and everyone who is working with me is actually everyone who is not. Wait a minute, let me say it again Anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. We'll come back to that in just a moment. Everyone who speaks against the Son of man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. A tree is identified by its fruit. If the tree is good, then its fruit will be good, and if the tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You, brood of snakes. How could evil men like you speak what is good and right, for whatever is in your heart determines what you say. That is the key to understanding what he said up here. We'll get to that in just a moment.
Speaker 0:Verse 35, good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. I tell you this you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak, and the words you say will either acquit you or condemn you. And before we go any further, I want to address quickly the number one question I get as a pastor, and that is am I going to hell? Have I committed the unforgivable sin which is blasphemy? And I'll go and tell you the number one thing I usually tell people when they ask me that question is if you're even asking no, because when you look at this, you got to read it in context.
Speaker 0:If you read it out of context, it sounds like if you say anything against God, then you've committed blasphemy and you're going to hell. Right, If that's the case, then Peter's going to hell because at one point he said I don't know the man, he was speaking against Jesus. That can't be it. But if you keep reading, he is saying that there's something that happens in your heart that determines what you say, that God simply is not able to forgive Now, able as in he's not going to go against your own desires. A better way to understand this is blasphemy is a position of your heart where you are actively working against the Holy Spirit, where you are against what he's doing, against his ways, and you are not open to receiving what God is saying. And so then it makes common sense the reason why someone who is in the verbal tense committing the act of blasphemy is because you are not open to receiving what God has.
Speaker 0:In this situation, these Pharisees are actively speaking against and working against the Holy Spirit, and so it's not like they did this one thing and now they can never, ever be forgiven. It is saying that they are actively opposing the Holy Spirit. Therefore, there's nothing else coming. The Holy Spirit is the only one who is convicting us of our sin. There's nothing else that's doing that. And so if you are actively opposing the Holy Spirit, your heart is actively working against him then you cannot be saved. So therefore, blasphemy is a verb. If you think about it like that, it's an ongoing denial of God. So it's not that God can't forgive it, it's that you are putting yourself in position that God is not going to override your rebellion. And so I would say to you, if you are afraid you have committed the sin of blasphemy, then to realize it is not a one-time sin, it is an ongoing lifestyle, and so the way to get back to God is to repent from resisting the Holy Spirit. Okay, let's keep going. Verse 38.
Speaker 0:One day, some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign "'to prove your authority'. Jesus replied "'Only an evil and adulterous generation "'would demand a miraculous sign'. But the only sign I will give them is a sign of the prophet Jonah, for as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on Judgment Day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here, but you refuse to repent. The Queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here, but you refuse to listen.
Speaker 0:When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert seeking rest, but finding none, and then it says I will return to the person I came from. So it returns and finds its former home, empty, swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits, more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. So the person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation. In other words, what he's saying is, for those in this generation who were turning away from Jesus, that they actually are interested in the word of God but they're turning away from Jesus. But what's ultimately going to happen is it's going to become worse and worse and worse for them as they continue to turn further and further into idolatry. All right, let's finish up this chapter with the family of God, verse 46,.
Speaker 0:As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they want to speak to you. And Jesus asked well, who is my mother and who are my brothers? And then he pointed to his disciples and said look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Now it's important as we get ready to end our time together.
Speaker 0:He wasn't speaking negatively toward his family, it was more, that he was saying that how you were born does not determine your ability to get my attention, to be in the kingdom of heaven. It is about how you are born again, that my family doesn't just consist of one group of people, but it is anyone who allows me into their life. We know that Jesus wasn't disrespecting his family, because when he's on the cross he is taking care of his mother Mary by asking John to take care of her. He wasn't talking bad about them. He was talking well of the family of God. And can I tell you, the Bible says in the book of Psalms he says that God is a father to the fatherless and he puts the lonely into families. One of the things I love about Jesus is that when he saves us, he puts us into his heavenly family.
Speaker 0:The book of Romans, chapter eight, says that we become children of God and in whom we're able to cry out Abba, father. That word Abba is the Aramaic and Hebrew word that simply means Papa. It's a little bit more formal than the word daddy, but it's more like the word dad. In other words, if you didn't really know your father very well and you were in a public forum, you would say my father, james Cannon, right, but when you're behind closed doors and it's just you and the family, you would say hey, dad, and that's the term that's being used.
Speaker 0:Then we come into the kingdom of God. Yes, he is the king of the universe, he's the king of kings and the Lord of lords, and he is worthy of our respect and admiration. At the same time, he is our heavenly father, our heavenly daddy, and it feels disrespectful sometimes to say it like that, because when you're thinking about the king of kings, you want to give him more honor, and there's nothing wrong with that. But it's to understand that at the same time, he could have, if you think about it, he could have called or told us to relate to him in any way, but he said I want you to call me father because I want a relationship with you. Can I challenge you today? If you would think of your relationship with God as formal, god's calling you deeper into relationship. On the other side, if you think of your relationship as something that is very personal, god also wants to call you into realizing you're part of something bigger than you realize, that the kingdom of heaven is moving and growing constantly all around us and we have the honor to be part of it. Have you thought about lately how you are part of something so much bigger and more amazing than you could ever imagine, and it's called the kingdom of God and our kingdom family.
Speaker 0:Let's pray together right now. God, thank you so much for your word, for it is powerful, it is deep, it is rich, it is beyond finding out. My prayer, god, today, is as we dig deeper into your word, you, god, will dig deeper into our hearts. Help us to know you more in all things. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen, amen. Well, god's word says in Matthew 28, verse 19,. It says all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for Matthew, chapter 13.
