The Heart Matters Most - Lessons From Matthew 15 Series

2025.06.15.Sermon Notes. The Heart Matters Most – Lessons from Matthew 15

When Religion Misses the Point

William Akehurst, HSWC

Reminder: It’s Father’s Day

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-39, Isaiah 29:13, Psalms 51:10, Psalms 139:23-24

INTRODUCTION:

JESUS confronts the religious leaders for honoring tradition over truth. HE reveals that true defilement doesn’t come from unwashed hands, but from an unclean heart. HE praises a Gentile woman’s persistent faith, heals the broken, and provides for the hungry. Through it all, JESUS reminds us that GOD is not impressed by rituals—HE wants our hearts.

Many people today practice religion outwardly, but Jesus calls for inward transformation.

Jesus challenges man-made tradition, reveals the heart’s true condition, honors persistent faith, and meets physical and spiritual needs.

BIG IDEA: God cares more about the condition of your heart than the traditions you keep.

God desires genuine inner purity and authentic faith, not religious performance.

True righteousness comes from a transformed heart, not outward tradition.

MAIN POINTS:

• Highlights the core issue—the heart.

• Points to Jesus’ confrontation of empty religion.

• Invites reflection on personal faith and authenticity.

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I. TRADITIONS VS. TRUTH (Matthew 15:1–9)

THE DANGERS OF EMPTY TRADITION

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,

2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—

6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

9 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said:

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths

And honor Me with their lips,

But have removed their hearts far from Me,

And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

SUMMARY: RELIGION WITHOUT RELATIONSHIP

THE CONFRONTATION WITH THE PHARISEES (VV.1–9)

• Pharisees criticize Jesus' disciples for not washing hands ceremonially.

• Jesus exposes their hypocrisy: they elevate man-made traditions above God's commands.

• Key Verse: v.9 – “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

• "These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." (v.8)

POINTS:

• The Pharisees elevate tradition over God’s command. The Pharisees focus on rituals (washing hands) but miss God’s commandments about honoring parents.

• Jesus confronts their hypocrisy—outward religion without inward righteousness. Jesus exposes how traditions can nullify God’s Word when they contradict true obedience.

• Jesus quotes Isaiah about people honoring God with lips but having hearts far from Him — a warning about hypocrisy that exposes a heart problem: lips say one thing, but the heart is far from God.

APPLICATION:

• Are we more concerned with religious habits than relational holiness?

• Are we holding to human traditions that invalidate God’s Word?

• True worship starts in the heart, not merely in rituals.

LESSON: Are there any traditions or rules we follow that might blind us to God’s real heart? True faith honors God fully, not just outwardly.

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II. TRUE DEFILEMENT COMES FROM WITHIN (the HEART) Matthew 15:10–20

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:

11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding?

17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.