Are You A Haunted House?

Jesus said a puzzling little parable in Matthew 12:43-45 about a spirit going out of a person, then it coming back in with 7 times more evil than before. WHAT WAS JESUS TALKING ABOUT?? He was talking about what the Pharisees & Scribes (the religious leaders & elite) were doing at the time & what we do today all too often. They had decided that since they no longer served idols like they used to & they kept the oral law very religously they were 'clean', 'safe', 'pure', & 'holy'. Jesus said... NO, you have swept up & cleaned the outside, but the INSIDE IS JUNK & that's not going to cut it. That is what happens to many today... they clean up on the outside, they look good, they try to be holy & righteous in their own strength, but there has NEVER BEEN A TOTAL REBIRTH & change of the heart through Jesus Christ & the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus looked at the Pharisees & said "there has been reformation, but no REGENERATION". That is what we need..that is what the person srtuggling in the world needs... REGENERATION... not reformation. That is why some will struggle with sins over & over & over again.. only to fall into it time after time after time. They usually are trying to 'clean up' themselves instead of running to God & saying "change me on the inside through your Spirit". Don't just clean up & look good on the outside... be changed from withing. The Gospel work is from inside to outside, NOT outside in. You also can't clean a fish until you catch it... so don't expect people to fix their problems & situation before they come to church.... let them come JUST AS THEY ARE to meet a Savior ready to heal them!!
Pastor G (you can listen to the sermon on this on our website odky.org)