Circumcision of the Heart: Beyond Outward Religion

Good morning. Hard to believe we are in the second week of December already

I do want to welcome you all to CCC whether you are here in person.....thank you for making an excuse to be in God’s house this morning

Or if you are watching live on our livestream....thank you for choosing us however i would like to say you miss so much when you join via livestream....some do not have a choice as the distance between where they live or are at and the actual church building doesn’t allow for you to attend in person but when you livestream it is much like watching a fire on a screen....you see it but you do not experience or really feel it

Let’s Pray

Today we continue on with our Romans series with week 14

We will finish up Romans chapter 2 today as we look at 17-29

I will read the scriptures as we talk about them this morning

Romans 2:17-20

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Romans 2:17–20 “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.”

Knowing Is Not Enough

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We looked at this a little bit last week but will look at it again but from another angle this week

The Jews that Paul was addressing here felt privileged to be a Jew

they were set apart by God and as time went on and by this time for sure most Jews felt that God setting them apart made them better than everyone else

They took what God did and ruined it by inserting man and man’s traditions into the Godly

we still do this today....we take what God made....worship...and we can so easily ruin it by making it all about the wrong things

as a worship musician it is a battle......my flesh wants worship to be all about me and my abilities not about worshipping a God who made us for worship.....who saved us when we were doomed to hell by sending His only Son Jesus to be rejected, beaten beyond recognition and nailed to a cross where He, the perfect one, became the sin of the world so He could die for that sin to then be able to forgive that sin through His blood shed on the cross

that is why we worship......it has nothing to do with music but everything to do with Jesus!!!!!!!!!

The Jews, here, rested in the very thing that condemned them....The Law

They claimed to know God

They claimed they knew God’s will

they even claimed they approved of God’s will all because of the law

Do you see and feel the arrogance?

We all do this on varying levels still today

If we like something

if we invest our time in something

if we invest our money in something

then because we like it

because we invest our time

because we invest our money

we then give in to our sinful nature and feel we are granted the right to have a say in that thing

we feel comfortable inserting our own beliefs

inserting our own thoughts

inserting our own traditions into what is not ours to begin with

church folk are great at this

you come to a church

fall in love with the people and the teaching or worship or pastor or whatever

it feels like home

Praise the Lord for that

you even become more devoted to God by being devoted to the church

but soon something starts to happen

you want to change things to your liking

you want to give your input

yuou don’t bother to investigate why something is happening the way it is happening you just want it to change

input is great with a correct heart

God lays things on your hearts all the time

sometimes those things are to be shared with others

sometimes they are things to do differently here at church

that is not the problem

the heart is the problem

so many times you don’t care about the scriptural reason for doing something

so many times you don’t care to find out why something is being done the way that it is....logistics....manpower etc

you only want your way and if you can’t get your way by talking you move to trying to force your way and that leads to divisions in the church

that leads to disunity in the church

that is sin

The Jews saw themselves as a guide to the blind

they saw themselves as a light to them which are in darkness

the saw themselves as an instructor of the foolish

the saw themselves as a teacher of babes

those are all good things

those are all things you should be doing as Christians

you should be a guide to the blind

you should be light to them which are in darkness

you should be an instructor of the foolish and a teacher of babes

However all of that should be done through the Holy Spirit not your ways or your traditions or your power

The problem with the Jews was THEY thought they were doing these things

Arrogant

Just because you know doesn’t make you an expert

I remember a long time ago I was switching jobs and decided to go into the insurance business in Joplin

as i prepared to take the license exam they told me.....do just enough to pass then we will teach you how things really worked

Just because I passed the test and got my license.....i had all the knowledge that the state of Missouri said I needed to be an insurance agent but it didn't make me an expert.....I had a lot to learn

Just because I had the knowledge that wasn’t enough to be successful

As a Christian that is called being sanctified

moving from milk to meat

working out one’s own salvation

Philippians 2:12

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Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

You know

You have knowledge

You have heard the Gospel

If you are saved you were convicted to repentance that led to salvation

you know

now you are called to go work that knowledge out in to true faith and maturing in Christ Jesus

Notice Paul is stating the were responsible to do this AWAY from him...when he was gone they were to work out their own salvation

you are as well.....you are called to work out your own salvation away from here

away from the church

away from the teachers

away from the pastors

in your secret place

in your prayer closet

you...on your own...must

Be in the Word

Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out

Does this mean we should be quiet

absolutely not

but we must be careful to allow Jesus to shine not be the light ourselves

it is God that does the work

it is God that does the convicting

It is God who does the healing

It is all about God

we have to know and respect that and get out of the way!

The Jews wanted to be God

You can’t do it for people

you can’t convict people

you can’t heal people

That belongs to God almighty

Through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit you can motivate people

God can convict people through you

God can even heal people through you

In fact all of those things should be happening

a reason they are not happening is you may be trying to do them yourself and not getting out of God’s way

Ministry is dangerous

first dangerous to the enemy

but also dangerous to us.....the best intentions can be behind the actions but we get caught up in our sinful nature and begin to insert ourselves and we start to believe we can do things!

that is the opposite of working out our salvation

That leads us to the next truth in this section of scripture

Check Your Heart

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Romans 2:21-24

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Romans 2:21–24 “Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”

The Jews were teaching yet they themselves didn’t practice what they taught

they were doing the very things they were teaching others not to do

you and i do this all the time

shame on us

you preach do not steal yet you steal yourselves

no most of us don’t physically steal....well at least not anymore

But we still steal

Mark 7:9-13

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Mark 7:9–13 “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

Let’s digest this

First

Corban....this comes from a Hebrew word meaning offering or gift to God

that is a great thing

now there was something called the Corban vow

when one took the Corban vow they dedicated all their possessions to God so those possessions could be used for sacrifices....feeding the poor etc

again a great thing

The problem was men.....the Jews took matters into their own hands and used something Godly to avoid godly responsibility

God clearly said and expects you to honor your father and mother here on earth

God formed you in your mother’s womb and He expects you to honor your parents

what does that mean

it is much more than just doing what they say

you must do what they say with a pure heart....not a rebellious or resentful heart

you are also to take care of them as they age

you are flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone

you are to take care of them and most of the time that will cost money

when you get into money.....the flesh really starts to demand to be in control

What Jesus was addressing in Mark was these leaders or wealthy Jews who were telling their parents that they can’t help them as they should because they had taken a Corban vow

The children were to take care of their parents in their old age and these Jews didn't want to waste their money on their parents so they said sorry you have to suffer because I have taken a Corban vow

It is always about the heart

many made this vow not to honor God but honor their own pocket books

they weren’t giving to God they were giving in sin because their hearts were wrong

You do this all the time

you read God’s Word and instead of living it out exactly as it says you tailor it to fit you and your beliefs and your lifestyle

that makes God’s Word of none effect....not per me...per Jesus

If you reject one small part of God’s Word you reject all of it....including salvation

Most of you in here have committed adultery

now Pastor Joshua I have never and would never sleep with anyone but my spouse....how dare you say i have committed adultery

Matthew 5:27-28

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Matthew 5:27–28 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

You have done that

Jesus takes things further than actions

you may have and probably never will commit physical adultery however you have in your mind and heart and Jesus says it is the same!

Stand on God’s Word in your own life!

Stop justifying your sin

stop condemning others for their sin when you yourself are living in sin

Listen if you are not pointing people to Jesus you are pointing them to sin!

Check your heart!

Outward Appearances Are Meaningless

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The Jews depended on the outward appearance to determine worth and standing with God

They used circumcision to do this....again taking something God said to do and abused it and made it into something of man not of God

Genesis 17:9-14

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Genesis 17:9–14 “And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”

God used circumcision, a physical act to enter into covenant a spiritual act with God

this is one way God set the Jews apart from the rest of the world

The Jews however used this to define worth

to define position

to define prestige

the Jews used circumcision as a sign of power and privilege

they truly believed they were better than everyone else because of circumcision they also used circumcision to discriminate against the Gentiles

To try and hold them down

They believed that because they, the Jews, were circumcised they didn’t have to obey God’s law because they were good

There are so many religious movements today that teach this exact thing

God saved you and now you are good

don’t get bogged down with rules or the Bible

you do you

you live your best life because you are saved

obedience isn’t required or even necessary because God is love

That is the opposite of what God teaches in His Word

However the problem isn’t just physical obedience

Jesus takes things further and deeper to the heart level

I know that you and I still do this, not as blatantly as the Jews but still just as serious

We read scripture

we get confronted with a way or truth or teaching or belief that is opposite of our current way of living or thinking or believing

What do you do when this happens

not if but when

Mature Christians pray

they seek God’s help and ask Holy Spirit through confession to be led to true repentance and therefore change them to match the Word of God instead of trying to change the Word of God to match them

Less mature Christians spend lots of time wrestling with it

Knowing that action should result but wrestling with God over control and obedience but they do end up seeking God and ask Holy Spirit through confession to be led to repentance and therefore changed to match God’s Word

Milk Christians....babes in Christ.....justify it away and move on

Why

Mature Christians realize they must work out their salvation by being instantly obedient through the power of God!!!

Less mature and milk Christians depend on salvation...much like the Jews depended on circumcision...to allow them to refuse to obey because they believe they are good with God

That is the head waters

that is the start of the path that leads to a reprobate heart....we looked at that already so we know that the outcome of a reprobate heart is to eventually be turned over to that reprobate heart and your final destination is hell

This matters eternally

The outside appearance does not matter at all

what matters is the heart

if the heart is right God will take care of the outside from the inside

Circumcision of the heart

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Romans 2:28-29

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Romans 2:28–29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

Circumcision of the heart

What does that mean

how does it happen

what is the result

Deuteronomy 30:6

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Deuteronomy 30:6 “And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”

God does the work

He removes you

He removes your flesh

He removes your evil

He removes your hard heart

He does that to allow you to love Him with all that you have and all that you are

But again what does that mean

Freedom

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Romans 7:6

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Romans 7:6 “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

You through circumcision of the heart are delivered from the law

no longer bound

no longer enslaved to the law but set free from the law through Christ

set free from the power of satan

set free from the power of the world

set free from the power of sin in your life

sin is a choice

you must choose who you serve each time you are faced with the choice to sin or honor God

Surrender

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Deuteronomy 10:16

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Deuteronomy 10:16 “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.”

you and i.....all humans are stiffnecked

all of us are hard hearted

all of us are rebellious by nature

when God circumcises our your heart He removes that nature from a position of power in your life

it is still there but you are no longer bound to it

you are no longer enslaved to it

you can give it complete control over you when you submit to sin but it only has the power you give it because Jesus completely destroyed it’s power when He paid your price and gives you victory over it in Him

Surrender is moving forward

surrender is understanding your position in sin and confessing that sin and repenting from that sin which leads to salvation

once saved the work doesn't stop

you must work out your salvation through obedience through surrender

not to be saved but because you are saved

you must do things Gods way not your way

the third thing circumcision of the heart means is

Not Bound By Letter But Alive In Spirit

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II Corinthians 3:6

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2 Corinthians 3:6 “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

this is the verse that brought me here but I want to look at it in more context

II Corinthians 3:4-6

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2 Corinthians 3:4–6 “And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

you and i in and of ourselves are worthless in terms of the spiritual

we bring nothing to the table without Christ but in and through Christ we are made to be ministers of the new testament

not letter but Spirit

That is what the Jews here missed

that is what so many Christians today miss

they were so legalistic

they were so caught up in keeping the letter of the law they missed God Himself

you can still do that today

get so caught up in the letter of the law

get so caught up in ministry

so caught up in church

so caught up in so many things that you become bound by the letter of the law and not the Spirit and miss God completely

Through Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit you are free and you surrender all of you and then you get it

if you live in the Spirit you realize the Spirit gives life

that is why Jesus said love the Lord your God with all your hearts, soul, mind, and body and love and serve others the same way

Because when you do that nothing matters but loving and honoring God through obedience and loving and serving others

the Spirit gives life and takes care of everything else

When you love God with all that you have and all that you are and love and serve others with all that you have and all that you are

then the outside will be taken care of by God through the Spirit

Where are you this morning?

Invitation

Another One