The Heart Of The Matter Series

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Matthew 5:21-48

There is a rare congenital heart defect that occurs in 1 in 12,000 pregnancies called Dextrocardia. This is a condition in which the heart is located on the right side of the chest and points to the right instead of being on the left side of the chest and pointing to the left. For those who are born with Dextrocardia, their heart is literally in the wrong place.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed several subjects that proved that the Pharisees’ hearts were in the wrong place. While it is easy for us to analyze and criticize those self-righteous leaders in Israel, we must be honest enough to admit that there are many times in our own lives when our hearts are in the wrong place.

The Scribes & Pharisees were known for their knowledge of (and seeming devotion to) God’s Law. This popular sect within Judaism was concerned with such rituals as avoiding certain foods, observing certain days, fasting, and the ceremonial washing of hands, eating utensils & furniture. However, they missed the spirit and true purpose of God’s Law. Upon close examination it is clear that the Pharisees suffered from “spiritual heart disease”.

Many people within the Church today suffer from the same sort of spiritual heart problems. It is imperative that we assess our lives and ensure that our hearts are truly right with God. Jesus’ teaching in this specific section of the Sermon on the Mount, makes it clear that He would have us to comprehend the reality that works, morals, rituals, and observances are not what matters most to God. What He wants is for us to have a clean and pure heart. This is only possible when we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Once the Savior does His transforming work in our hearts good morals, works and observances will come. But these characteristics are the fruit of our salvation, not the source of it.

In the preceding verses Jesus’ teaching focused on the truth that it was not His intention to abolish or even amend God’s Law and the teaching of the prophets. He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished”.

After this declaration, Jesus warned against relaxing the least of God’s commands and teaching others to do the same. He said that those who foolishly do this will be called “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven. Moreover, He proclaimed that those who obeyed God’s commands and taught others to do likewise would be called “great” in the Kingdom. After these warnings and instructions, the Lord stated that unless one’s “righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, (they) will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (v20)

Following this sobering revelation, Jesus draws a contrast between the true meaning of God’s Law and the Pharisees and Scribes incorrect interpretations of it. The primary subjects that He covered were anger, murder, lust, adultery, divorce, oaths, and retaliation. It is important for us to examine these subjects because understanding and obeying the teaching that the Lord provides in these verses is essential if we seek to live a life that follows the Holy Spirit, honors Christ, and glorifies the Father.

We would all agree that murder and adultery are grievous sins. However, Jesus teaches that one may not literally kill another or even be involved in the physical act of adultery, yet he/she is still just as guilty as those who have done (and are doing) so. His primary point is that the root cause of such vile sins is the condition of one’s heart.

- I would like to listen to the words of our Savior and examine “The Heart Of The Matter”.

We have all been guilty of thinking that we are right with God because we possess good morals and because we are a religious people who seek to obey the commands and instructions that are recorded in the word of God. We avoid what God tells us to avoid and attempt to do those things that He has called us to do. This is certainly good and commendable but it is not enough.

Tragically, the world is filled with people who strive to live honorable and moral lives in an arrogant attempt to impress others with acts of piety and self-righteousness. This was a defining characteristic of the Pharisees. Throughout the Gospels we see that they were masters in the art of:

PUBLIC PIETY

The term “piety” refers to the quality of being holy, religiously devout, or reverent. Piety is commendable if it is genuine; however, many people are involved in what is called false piety, though they appear to be devout on the outside, inwardly they are corrupt, sinful and wicked.