The Danger Of Being In Between

Text:

Matthew 12:43-45:

43   When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44   Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45   Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

 

Luke 11:24-26:

24   When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

25   And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26   Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

 

Theme:

The Danger of Being in Between

 

Introduction:

• The Gospels are written to tell the same story of Jesus Christ and sometimes even finds themselves using the same words. The two Gospels in our text are an example.  These Gospel writers have documented the words of Jesus Christ ALMOST the same wordings while one is a Jew and one is a Greek, while one was a disciple and one was not, and while they were written 5-10 years apart from each other.  This shows how the Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God.  There is consistency!
  • The Gospel according to St. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament and of the Gospels of Jesus, the Christ, is the book that contains the first scripture, and it was written by Matthew, the disciple of Christ, who wrote in more detail the life of Christ and His ministry than any other Gospel writer.
  • Luke, the physician, who is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles, wrote the Gospel According to St. Luke packed with more information than any of the other Gospels. Luke’s primary focus in writing this Gospel was, as the other Gospels, to depict the life of Jesus Christ.  However, Luke chose to focus on 1)the patriarchal lineage of Jesus and 2)the extensive details of the what, when, where and who of the life of Jesus with special attention given to Jesus’ birth and crucifixion.
• The theme, The Danger of Being in Between, sheds light upon the PROCESS of CONVERSION through Salvation.
  • The process of Conversion is authorized and initiated by Salvation
    • Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
      • Upon salvation (“So then”), the process of conversion begins
        • Conversion = turning around, change
      • Once God has cleaned you, He then goes about perfecting or sanctifying you – sanctification = make holy = set apart
• The dilemma is that there is often time IN BETWEEN the instance of CLEANSING and the beginning of SANCTIFICATION
  • As Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve”
    • After God has cleaned us up after our feeble cry for help, we then need to CHOOSE God again to take our reformed life, prepare us for service, and then commission us to His service.
      • It is at this point that we will pause and allow time to find us IN BETWEEN.
      • We act like the children of Israel as they cried out in Exodus 14:11, “… Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?”
        • God has cleaned and saved us and we still doubt…still waver …still question!

        • The Danger Of Being In Between

Body:

• What can happen when you are “in Between” … DANGER
  • “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man”
    • God cleans us and puts out unclean spirits
      • 1John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
  • “he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none”
    • After God puts him out, the unclean spirit looks for another home and doesn’t find one like his old one.
      • Mark 5:13, “And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.”
  • “I will return unto my house whence I came out”
    • The unclean spirit goes back to the person out of which it came.
      • Luke 22:31, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
  • “empty, swept, and garnished.”
    • We have not submitted ourselves to God wholly and in service
      • The heart is EMPTY à God has cleaned it!
      • The heart is SWEPT à We have “swept” it with outward intentions
        • “I am gonna go to church”
        • “I am gonna heed God’s Word”
        • “I am gonna stop sinning”
      • The heart is GARNISHED à BUT, it is still receptive/prepared/garnished to entertain evil
        • God is not there to guard the soul of the man
        • We have not let God be Lord over our life
          • He can be Lord over our pain
          • He can be Lord over our problem
          • He can be Lord over our weakness
  • “Then goeth he”
    • Satan will if you give him the opportunity
    • The old saying goes, “Don’t let him ride because he will want to drive!”
    • No one is exempt. Satan will attack the lowest and the highest, the meanest and the nicest, the weakest and the strongest…if he is given the opportunity!
      • We give Satan the opportunity by not allowing God to be Lord over our life
      • “taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there”
• The DANGER realized!
  • “the last state of that man is worse than the first”
    • The state of the man is explained in Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
    • If we are not careful, “Being in Between” can result in our being in a state 8 times worse than when we first begun
      • “I felt so good on Sunday, then all hell broke lose on Monday.”
      • “I joined the church and then ended up in a situation worse than the one that drove me to join.”
      • “I thought that I could fight my own battle after I joined the church but I did not know what to do and got caught up again.”
      • “Lord, I come to Thee a sinner all defiled. Please take the stain of GUILT away and own me as Thy child.”
    • He started with himself and a cluttered house, and ended with seven more devils and still a cluttered house.
      • 2Peter 2:21, “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
• The Disciples give us the example of what to do when you are “in Between”
  • Acts 2:1 explains, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”
    • ***TARRY***
      • Something’s about to happen!!!!!!
    • ***TARRY***
      • Please be patient with me, God is not through with me yet!
    • ***TARRY***
      • God’s got your back
  • As it Hebrews 10:25 warns, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
    • You can’t do it on your own.
    • You need the help, support, training, and encouragement of the church!!
    • The world runs in packs…shouldn’t we, if we want to overcome the world!

Conclusion:

• Be careful when you are “in Between”
  • After letting go of the old man in the world, and before the embracing of the new man in Christ
  • After God has cleansed your soul, and before the Holy Spirit has come to comfort and seal your life
  • After you have joined the church, and before you have committed to the service of God
  • After God has cleaned your room, and before there’s anything or anyone living in it
  • After you know what you should do, and before you actually do it
• Don’t be vulnerable to the world; instead, REST IN JESUS!
  • Matthew 11:28 says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
  • Matthew 11:29 says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
  • Hebrews 4:9 says, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
• If you are in between, find you a hiding place and tarry there until He comes.
  • Psalms 17:8 says, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,”
  • Psalms 31:20 says, “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”
  • Psalms 64:2 says, “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

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