Tag: Matthew 15
The ‘heart’ of man’s problem!
Scripture reading for January 21: Matthew 15
“And He said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”” Matthew 15:16-20
The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day had set up many rules for worship of God and often majored on these man-made rules and taught them as God’s doctrine. One such rule was on the washing of one’s hands in order to be clean when eating. Now this was a good rule for cleanliness, but Jesus taught that this was not the major cause of someone being unclean. It went deeper than surface dirt on the hands or face!
Jesus revealed that the human heart was a greater source of uncleanness. This uncleanness is revealed in words, thoughts and actions that break God’s law and bring sin’s defilement which leads to death. Murder, theft, adultery, immorality and lying, all dealt with in God’s Ten Commandments, spring from the heart of sinful man. Because of Adam’s sin, we are born with a sin nature and it comes ‘naturally’! In order to remedy this, the human heart must be cleansed of sin through repentance. Repentance comes from a humble confession of sin and a willingness to turn from it. The heart is willingly surrendered to Christ Jesus as our new “Master” instead of our sin nature. This is understanding that leads to cleansing!
Are you following human rules and effort in order to be a ‘good’ person? Have you humbly encountered Jesus’ teaching about where true defilement comes from? Have you confessed your defilement and by faith received a heart-cleansing?
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for the many ways that I have defiled my own soul through evil thoughts, hatred, lust and greed leading to idolatry. I receive Your cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Beware of hypocrisy!
Scripture reading for January 21st: Matthew 15
Key verses: Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites!” Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
Hypocrisy is very simply ‘play-acting’; putting on a show to please an audience. The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus day had devised many man-made rules to give them control over the people and make people think that they were super-spiritual. The fatal flaw in their thinking was the fact that nothing is hidden from God! (Hebrews 4:13) Jesus knew what was in men’s hearts and correctly took the prophesy of Isaiah to reveal their false worship and failure to worship God in spirit and truth!
Hypocrisy is rampant in the time we live. Everyone tries to play to the audience of their peers and even in church try to appear as ‘super-spiritual’! God wants our hearts to be pure towards Him and for each person to come humbly before Him. He wants our true worship, not just rituals taught by men. He doesn’t want us putting on a show or saying nice words or singing great love songs to Him when our hearts are full of adultery, lying, idolatry and sin! (Matthew 15:18-19) Be quick to repent of any hypocrisy in your life!
Observation for over-comers: Stay humble and honest in your relationship with God and Christ. Ask God to search you and reveal areas in need of repentance. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
Children’s bread for a Gentile!
Scripture reading for January 21st: Matthew 15
What would you and I do if we came to Jesus for help for our kids, and Jesus refused to answer us? Worse yet, what if He referred to us with a racial slur of the day, calling us “dogs?” Would we press on with getting down in front of Jesus with a more desperate plea? Matthew records just such an incident in Jesus’ ministry!
“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” “Jesus did not answer her a word.” (Matthew 15:21-23a) This Canaanite woman was a Gentile and yet recognized Jesus as the “Son of David” and “Lord”. She appealed to Jesus for mercy. “The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, ” but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:25-27) Jesus then commended this woman for her great faith! Her faith brought healing to her daughter immediately!
Jesus told this woman from outside the family of Abraham, that healing was the ‘children’s bread’! In other words, God gladly provides what His children need! He sent Jesus to those children who would have faith in His ability to provide and asked and kept on asking! This woman was persistent. She refused to be offended and sought the crumbs under the Master’s table! Jesus marveled at her “great faith”! He always honors faith! Why not press in today and ask Jesus for healing or help! If you are a child of His by faith, it belongs to you!