Sermon: “With Christ or Against Christ”
Text: Matthew 12:30 – “He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”
There are some statements Jesus made that are so sharp, so clear, so unbendable, that no one can hide behind excuses or grey areas after hearing them. This is one of those statements. Here Christ removes all neutrality, all middle ground, all self-made zones of convenience. There are only two positions in the spiritual realm: with Christ or against Christ, gathering with Him or scattering abroad.
This verse was spoken in a context where Jesus was not addressing atheists, not addressing pagans, not addressing people who openly hated God. He was speaking to deeply religious people—men who thought they were defending God, honouring Moses, and protecting the purity of Israel. Yet Jesus said that in opposing His work, in rebuking His ministry, in resisting His message, they were actually against God Himself, even though in their own minds they believed they were serving Him.
This is extremely important for our generation, because the greatest resistance to Christ often does not come from the openly wicked, but from the self–righteous, the proud, the religiously trained, or those hardened by tradition and personal pride. And sometimes it is even a friend, a family member, a co-worker, or a pastor who, thinking he is doing good, ends up standing against the very purpose and mission of God.
So today let us consider this statement of Jesus under three headings:
-
Christ Leaves No Neutral Ground
-
To Resist the Gospel Is to Resist God
-
How a Man Who Rebukes You for Preaching Christ Stands Against God
1. Christ Leaves No Neutral Ground
Jesus did not say, “He who is against Me is against Me.” That would be obvious. Instead, He said something far deeper: “He that is not with Me is against Me.”
This shows us that neutrality is an illusion. There is no spiritual Switzerland. A man who says, “I am not for Christ, but I am not against Him either,” imagines a third category that Jesus Himself never allowed.
Why?
Because Jesus did not come to offer an opinion or a philosophy to be admired.
He came as:
-
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
-
The King of Kings
-
The rightful Lord of every heart
-
The Judge of the living and the dead
No one can stay neutral toward a King who demands the throne. As C. S. Lewis once said, “A man can no more remain neutral toward Christ than he can remain neutral toward gravity.”
If He is God, then to ignore Him is rebellion.
If He is Lord, then to delay obedience is disobedience.
If He is the Savior, then to reject His call is to embrace spiritual death.
Jesus did not say “with My teachings,” or “with My moral ideas,” but “with Me.”
To be with Him means:
-
to believe Him
-
to love Him
-
to follow Him
-
to obey Him
-
to stand publicly for Him
-
to gather others to Him
Anything less is already a position of opposition.
One may not speak against Christ with their lips, but if they refuse to stand with Him, they silently side with darkness. The human heart cannot remain empty; if Christ does not rule it, sin and the world will rule it. Therefore Jesus draws a clear line that no one can erase: you are either with Him or you are against Him.
2. To Resist the Gospel Is to Resist God
Jesus continues: “He that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”
Here Christ reveals that His mission is to gather—to gather lost souls into the kingdom, the sheep into the fold, sinners into grace, the broken into healing, the condemned into forgiveness. Every preacher of Christ, whether a pastor, missionary, or ordinary believer, joins Him in this sacred work of gathering.
But Jesus says that anyone who does not gather with Him is not simply lazy; he is actively scattering.
A person might say:
“But I’m not scattering! I’m just staying silent.”
“I’m not against the gospel; I just don’t want to get involved.”
“I’m not opposing preaching; I just don’t like that you are preaching to others.”
But Jesus sees deeper into the invisible kingdom. To oppose gospel preaching is to scatter the sheep. To discourage evangelism is to hinder souls. To silence the message of Christ is to push people back into darkness.
The Pharisees thought they were protecting religion. Jesus said they were fighting God.
In Matthew 12, Jesus heals a man possessed by a demon. The Pharisees see the miracle, hear the truth, and yet accuse Him of being empowered by Satan. Jesus answers them with this devastating statement: “He that is not with Me is against Me.”
In other words:
“You think you are defending God. But in rebuking the work of God, you are resisting Him.”
This has always been the pattern:
-
Moses’ authority was opposed by religious traditionalists in Israel.
-
Jeremiah’s prophecy was condemned by priests who thought he was too bold.
-
John the Baptist was rejected by Pharisees who thought he was too radical.
-
And finally, Jesus Himself was crucified by religious leaders who believed they were protecting their nation and honouring Moses.
Every generation sees people who rebuke the truth while believing they are on God’s side. But the question is not: Do they think they are right?
The real question is: Are they standing WITH Christ?
3. How a Man Who Rebukes You for Preaching Christ Stands Against God
Let us now apply this to a situation many believers face: someone rebukes you for preaching Christ. They tell you:
-
“Stop talking about Jesus.”
-
“Don’t preach here.”
-
“Don’t share the gospel with people.”
-
“You should keep religion private.”
-
“Don’t bring Christ into this conversation.”
Some do it out of irritation, some out of pride, some out of worldly mindset, some out of fear of man, and some out of spiritual blindness.
But whatever the reason, Jesus has already defined what this action means: to rebuke the preaching of Christ is to stand against God Himself.
Let us consider why:
(1) They oppose the very mission of Christ
Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
When a person rebukes you for seeking the lost with the gospel, they are working against the purpose for which Christ came into the world.
They are not disagreeing with you, they are opposing the whole mission of God’s redemptive work.
(2) They hinder the Holy Spirit’s work
The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to:
-
convict the world of sin
-
open hearts to Christ
-
draw people to salvation
-
glorify Jesus
When someone tries to silence the gospel, they attempt to silence the voice of the Spirit who is at work through the message. Scripture calls this “resisting the Holy Ghost” (Acts 7:51).
They are not merely uncomfortable; they are resisting God.
(3) They discourage the church from gathering souls
Jesus said that those who do not gather with Him scatter.
Someone who discourages gospel preaching automatically becomes a scatterer—someone who pushes people away from the truth, away from conviction, away from the possibility of salvation.
The devil does not need to send demons to silence evangelism; he often uses ordinary people who simply tell believers to “keep quiet.”
(4) They place themselves in direct opposition to Christ’s command
When someone rebukes a believer for preaching Christ, they are opposing:
-
Jesus’ Great Commission: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.”
-
Jesus’ call to witness: “You shall be My witnesses.”
-
Jesus’ example: “He went about preaching the kingdom.”
To tell a Christian not to preach Christ is to tell Jesus that His command is unwise, unnecessary, or offensive. It is to contradict the Lord of heaven.
(5) They reveal a heart not aligned with God’s values
A man who rebukes gospel preaching is showing:
-
that he values human comfort over eternal souls
-
that he fears man more than God
-
that he prefers silence over truth
-
that he does not grasp the seriousness of eternity
-
that he loves the world more than the kingdom
This is why Jesus says there is no neutrality.
A heart that belongs to God will never oppose the preaching of Christ.
A heart that loves Christ will rejoice when the gospel is proclaimed.
A heart filled with the Spirit will never rebuke someone for sharing salvation.
Therefore, when a person rebukes you for preaching Christ, no matter how polite or religious they may seem, they are revealing their spiritual position:
They are not with Christ.
Therefore, they are against Him.
A Word to the Believer Who Is Rebuked for Preaching
If someone rebukes you for preaching Jesus:
-
Do not be discouraged
-
Do not be ashamed
-
Do not remain silent
You are standing where the prophets stood.
You are following the steps of Christ Himself.
You are obeying the Great Commission.
You are doing the work heaven rejoices over.
In fact, opposition is often a sign that you are doing something right. The devil never attacks a silent Christian. The world never rebukes a believer who hides his faith.
But when you speak the name of Jesus, when you carry the cross in public, when you lift up the gospel, the kingdom of darkness trembles—and the world will try to silence you.
Stand firm.
Speak truth.
Fear God, not man.
And remember Jesus’ words:
“Blessed are you when men shall revile you… for great is your reward in heaven.”
Conclusion
Jesus’ words ring with unchanging authority: “He that is not with Me is against Me.” There are only two sides—Christ’s side or the world’s side. The one who encourages the preaching of Christ stands with God. The one who rebukes it opposes the very heart of heaven.
So let us be people who stand boldly with Christ, who gather with Him, who lift up His name, and who refuse to be silent. And may we never fear the rebuke of man, for it is better to be approved by God and rejected by the world than to be welcomed by the world and found standing against the King of Kings.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment