Matthew 12:30……….Ready

Matthew 12:30……….Ready

12:30 “He who is not with me is against me,  and he who does not gather with me scatters. (For Complete Expository See Book) 

Extended Sermons

“Warns Neutrality is not an option when it comes to Jesus. (“Middle of the road” Christianity won’t cut it.) ⇒ As believers there’s no “Fence-Straddling”. We often want to avoid offending others so we try to stay neutral about many things. But when it comes to Jesus and the Gospel, neutrality is opposition to Him. When two kingdoms are at war, there are no spectators. One is either for Jesus or against Jesus. You may be sitting on the fence with respect to politics, but not with respect to Jesus. In spiritual warfare, we cannot be checked out and sitting on the sidelines. Everyone lines up on one side or the other.

“Teaches discipleship is not a spectator sport or side-hobby, either you’re all-in or you’re not.” → You can’t be changed by the grace of God and continue to stand around as other people are going to hell. You can’t be lazy in your discipleship. You can’t claim to be His followers once or twice a week, then live like the world the rest of the week. You can’t be a disciple of Jesus and remain silent about the injustices of the world. You can’t be a disciple of Jesus while embracing a culture of tolerance. You can’t be Christlike and let people live their own lives without telling them the reality of hell. This tendency to sit on the fence might show up in moments where you hesitate to take a stand, remain silent instead of speaking up, or choose neutrality rather than wholehearted devotion. Choosing to remain undecided or to straddle the line between God and the world is, in itself, a decision. Jesus emphasizes that spiritual indecision is still a choice—a choice that aligns us away from Him. Therefore, it is essential to identify those areas where you may be withholding full commitment and consider what steps you can take to move from indecision to conviction, from passivity to active engagement in your faith.

“Calls for asking are we a “Gatherers” in doing more Jesus type work, or “Scatterers” in doing more Satan type work?” → As believers we need to evaluate whether our words, actions, and attitudes are drawing people to Jesus or pushing them away from Jesus. A “Gatherer” will have a life marked by love, kindness, forgiveness, encouragement that attracts others to Christ and builds up His Kingdom. A “Scatterer” will have a life that is unloving, uncaring, negative, indifferent, selfish that pushes people away. As believers we need to ask ourselves are our conversations filled with grace and truth, or do they sow discord? Are we building up the faith of those around us or contributing to spiritual confusion? Are we active participants in gathering—bringing unity, hope, and the message of Christ wherever we go. Ultimately, Jesus invites us to join Him in His work of gathering, making our lives instruments of His love, truth, and redemption. Each day offers new opportunities to align our hearts and priorities with Him, so that through us, others may be drawn into God’s Kingdom.

“Even today, people will say I got nothing against Jesus or religion.  I just worship God in my own way. I may not do the church thing, or accept everything the bible says. But I consider myself a spiritual person. I obey the Golden Rule. I don’t judge others.” →. Other people will say nice things about Jesus: “I believes Jesus was a good man, great teacher  and moral example. I love the kindness, the mercy, the compassion. but I won’t go so far as to say he’s the Son of God.” While these views may seem respectful or inclusive, they actually reveal a reluctance to commit fully to the truth of who Jesus is. The notion that all religions are fundamentally the same and that any path will lead to God contradicts the clear teachings of Jesus and the Gospel. Choosing to remain neutral—saying Jesus is just one path among many—actually puts us in opposition to the clear claims Jesus made about Himself. If all paths truly lead to God, then Jesus’ death and resurrection would be unnecessary. But the Gospel teaches that only through faith in Christ do we find forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. He calls for a decision, not just admiration or polite agreement. The challenge for each of us is to move beyond vague belief or cultural Christianity and to embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior, fully committing our lives to Him.

Additional Notes & Applications

Warns against standing on the sidelines, hoping to get a free pass because we came to church all of our lives.

Warns a passive faith that is not following and serving Jesus can start to scatter and drift over time.

Teaches how indifference and indecision are not options; they are choices that amount to rejecting Jesus and siding with evil.

Teaches how you got to believe in Jesus, not just have belief’s about Him.

Calls for asking are we “gathering” others into the Kingdom of God or are we scattering them by our negativity and indifference.

Teaches how failing to resist evil is effectively a form of cooperation with it.

Teaches how indecision is a decision itself.  (If you choose not to decide you still have made choice!)

Warns the dangers of spiritual indifference in drifting and sliding us away from God.

Teaches rather than supporting the status quo by staying silent. Take a firm stand when your principals are tested.

Teaches how in a world that want’s to tow-the-line and believe in relative truth, that anything goes is in complete opposite of living for Jesus.

Teaches how Jesus leaves no room for toleration with Him. No straddling the fence between God and the world.

Warns how remaining undecided or attempting to balance allegiance is in fact a choice that distances us from Christ.

Note: Rather than supporting the status quo by staying silent, Jesus encourages His followers to take a firm stand when their principles are tested. In a world where relative truth is often celebrated and “anything goes” is the norm, living for Jesus means rejecting compromise and embracing conviction.

Note: An indecision is still a decision—choosing not to decide is, ultimately, making a choice. Therefore, it is essential to identify the areas in your life where you may be withholding full commitment and take steps toward wholehearted devotion and active engagement in your faith.

Note: This is not talking about working through Evangelism or instructions on discipleship. Sometimes, the church has taken Jesus’ statement—“he who is not with me is against me”—and misapplied it as justification for hostility toward those who do not share our beliefs. This phrase has occasionally been used as a license to attack or alienate individuals who disagree with us, or as a signal of animosity directed at non-believers. Rather than fostering understanding or dialogue, such a stance can lead to division and unnecessarily harsh attitudes that do not reflect Jesus’ call on loving, caring, and praying for others..  It is important to recognize that this statement is not meant to be an endorsement for antagonizing those outside the faith. Instead, it serves as a reminder that indifference and indecision, in matters of faith, are still choices with spiritual consequences. Using this teaching to justify hostility is a misinterpretation, and doing so undermines the spirit of compassion and grace that Jesus modeled.