Matthew 12:33-45
"The tree is known by its fruit" v.33-37
You don't have to teach a dog to bark or a cat to meow. It just comes naturally. The same should be true with Christians. Your works should be evidence of your faith. Who you are on the outside should reflect who you are on the inside. You're either producing good fruit or you're producing bad fruit. There's no in between. If you're going to be a saint, be a saint.
"The Sign of Jonah" v.38-42
Someone is here who is greater than Jonah. Someone is here who is greater than Solomon. If the people listened to Jonah and Solomon, how much more should we listen to Jesus?!! Think about the effort people put into things that really don't matter - driving 100 miles to a ballgame, working 12 hours a day for extra money, burning a vacation day just to go hunting - and then compare that to the effort we put into seeking Jesus. Does it even compare?
"Return of an Unclean Spirit" v.43-45
The example is given of a heart that someone sweeps clean like a sinner who tries to clean up his act on his own. Unless the Holy Spirit comes in to fill the space that has been swept clean, the dirt will come back worse than before. The demons will come back and will be harder to get rid of the next time. Giving in to sin becomes easier the more we do it. Therefore, if God deals with your heart, respond. Do not sit there and reject Him because rejecting Him will be easier next time then even easier the next time, until eventually you don't even notice when He tugs at your heart. Respond.
