Matthew 12:30 – “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
When Jesus said these words, He drew one of the clearest lines in all of Scripture. He was not talking about politics, opinions, or preferences. He was talking about allegiance. You are either with Him, or you’re against Him. You are either helping Him win souls, or you’re scattering them away. There is no middle ground. No neutral position.
This statement came after a great miracle. Jesus had just healed a man who was blind, mute, and possessed by a devil (Matthew 12:22). The crowd was amazed, but the religious leaders accused Him of doing it by Satan’s power. Jesus exposed their nonsense and showed that their hearts were in rebellion against God. Then He finished by saying, “He that is not with me is against me.”
That truth is just as real today. Every person in this world is on one side or the other. You’re either living to bring others to Christ or living in a way that pushes them further from Him. There’s no sitting in the middle.
In this text, we can see three clear lines drawn by Jesus.
1. Deliverance vs. Bondage (v. 22)
“Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.”
This man was under Satan’s power. He couldn’t see, couldn’t speak, and couldn’t free himself. That’s a perfect picture of every lost person before salvation, spiritually blind, unable to speak truth, and bound by sin.
When Jesus steps in, He brings deliverance. The man didn’t help himself. Jesus did it all. And when you’ve truly been saved, you know what real freedom feels like. What you once thought was liberty, doing what you wanted, when you wanted; was really slavery.
Romans 6:16 says, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?”
Sin always leads to bondage, but Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18).
If you’ve been delivered, you can look back and say, “I was blind, but now I see. I was bound, but now I’m free.”
2. God’s People vs. Satan’s People (vv. 23–24)
“And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.”
Here we see two kinds of people: those who believed, and those who rejected. Some looked at the miracle and said, “This must be the Messiah.” Others, filled with pride and jealousy, said, “He’s working for the devil.”
The sad part is that the religious people were the ones calling good evil and evil good. Their religion blinded them to the truth standing right in front of them. Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.”
The common man recognized the Savior, while the religious elite missed Him. That’s still true today. There are plenty of “religious” people who can quote verses, attend services, and play the part: but their heart isn’t with Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
You’re either one of God’s people or one of Satan’s. There’s no middle crowd.
3. Unity vs. Division (v. 25)
“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”
Jesus used simple logic. A divided kingdom can’t survive. If Satan were casting out Satan, his kingdom would crumble. Division always destroys.
Satan’s kingdom is full of division, strife, and confusion. You’ll notice that about evil, it might seem united for a moment, but it always turns on itself. Proverbs 6:19 says one of the things God hates is “he that soweth discord among brethren.”
On the other hand, God’s people are called to unity and fellowship. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
In Acts 2:44, we see the early church “together, and had all things common.” They prayed together, gave together, and cared for one another. That’s how Christians are meant to live.
Unity brings peace, joy, and strength. Division brings chaos and destruction.
So in Closing…
Which side are you on?
Have you been delivered, and can now see others still bound in sin?
Do you clearly see what Jesus is doing in your life and what the enemy is trying to destroy?
Is there unity and peace in your life, or division and turmoil?
You’re either gathering people toward Jesus, or you’re scattering them away.
There is no middle ground.
Jesus didn’t leave room for interpretation: He drew a clear line.
Today, ask yourself honestly:
Are you helping Christ, or are you part of the scattering?
