Real Treasure

Introduction

Coming up on Ten Years of Marriage! Cruise this week! Fake Louis Vatton bag - compliments - Appearance that I paid a lot for a bag that cost me $40 on street corner in China. When complimented, Staci doesn’t say, “Thanks, but it’s a fake.”

You wouldn’t dare go around advertising your faith is fake, but be honest, sometimes you feel that way. Sometimes you feel like what people see from you - a person who attends church faithfully and lives a good moral life - isn’t what’s really inside of you. Sometimes you feel like such a hypocrite. Church has a reputation of being full of hypocrites.

What God desires for us is real faith - real faith is far more concerned with discovering the rich treasures of knowing Christ personally and intimately than it is with giving the appearance of faith to others.

It’s one thing to have moments when we feel like a fake. It’s another thing when deep down we know that while we look like the real thing on the outside, something’s not right on the inside. How do we keep from faking it?

Whether you have moments of hypocrisy, or if deep down you know that something inside of you just isn’t right, Jesus’ words this morning will be challenging and helpful. We’re going to look at an encounter He had with the Pharisees and Scribes - a group He called hypocrites - and consider two warnings that I pray will help you in your pursuit of a life-changing faith.

This is the issue Jesus confronts the Pharisees with. The Pharisees certainly looked like they had faith, but Jesus challenged the substance of their faith.

This is an odd passage to look at on Mother’s Day - after all, aren’t we supposed to be talking moms and family? Hold on - I think you’ll see that this passage is very helpful on a day like today.

Genuine faith is like a diamond - it’s a treasure. Real faith will change your life. Fake faith will frustrate you and lead you away from God’s purpose. Different goals: The goal of genuine faith = to know God and live for His will. Fake faith = I want people to pat me on the back for the appearance of faith that I give - I want to look like I have my life together as a good, moral, upstanding person. Have you found the treasure of real, genuine faith? A faith centered not on what people think of you, but rather a faith centered on knowing God in an intimate relationship?

Two warnings to consider as you strive for a Christ-centered, Christ-exalting genuine faith.

Don’t let traditions get in the way of real treasure.

The feeding of the 5,000 - the pinnacle of Jesus’ Galilean ministry - height of popularity, but that popularity would begin to fade as Jesus continued to explain to the crowds that He was more than a miracle - and would say strange things like, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” ()

“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” () Jesus’ ministry became more focused on ministering to the twelve apostles, and His ministry became more opposed by the religious leaders.

Jesus’ amazing miracles and radical teaching got the attention of the Pharisees - a delegation of scribes, religious experts from Jerusalem, came to Capernaum with the intention to stifle Jesus’ ministry.

Looking for anything to discredit Jesus’ ministry, and they found it - He and His disciples didn’t wash their hands.

Pharisees were not concerned about hygiene! Concerned about ritual - Every time you ate you went through a cleansing ceremony that represented your commitment to religious purity.

Parenthetical statement - proper washing according to tradition of elders. When they go to the marketplace, wash hands when they return - in case they bump up against someone who is unclean - a Gentile, or even another Jew who was ceremonially unclean for some reason.

Tradition of Elders - teachings handed down over the years with the intention of protecting people from breaking God’s law - Oral law. Sometime after Jesus recorded in written form - the Mishnah.

A Jew’s way of saying that we are unstained by this world. Other traditions than washing hands - washing of dishes and couches they would dine on - Over 30 pages in the Mishnah concerning how to wash dishes so they are ceremonially clean!

Problem: This isn’t Bible - this is tradition. Not what God says you should do, what Jewish leaders say you should do to be a good, moral Jew. Taxing and burdensome on the people! For the Jewish leaders, the “Tradition of the elders” was just as authoritative as Scripture!

Jesus to Pharisees: - You look like religious, sincere followers of God, but your hearts are far from God. You are more concerned with your traditions than the commandments of God. You’re focused on living for God your way rather than God’s way!

Because you are so focused on your way you reject the command of God in order to establish your tradition! Example: “Corban” Corban = offering. Corban was a deferred giving program. If you declared a piece of property “Corban” it would go to the temple at your death. If you had parents that were in need you couldn’t sell your piece of property to financially support your parents, because it was “Corban,” but you could continue to live on it and make money off your land until you died. You profited, your parents suffered. You kept the tradition of the elders, but you broke the commandment of God to honor your parents.

(vs. 13) And many such things you do… Through their traditions, causing people to disobey God’s Word! They weren’t becoming more righteous, but less!

Reality: broke the greatest commandment: (Your heart is far from me) Their traditions far more important than actually loving God. Missing the real treasure of faith because of their traditions! Intimacy with God!

Ill - B&N - Online not the real thing - Carries the name - but get under the surface - it’s not the same - You’re carrying the name of Christ, but get under the surface, what’s really there?

Simple question: is your heart far from God? How do you know if you treasure Christ more than you treasure simply going through religious motions so you might have the appearance of being a good Christian person?

Could be this morning that you know the truth: on the outside you look like you’ve got it all together - you follow all of the traditions and rituals that you think you are supposed to in order to be a good Christian. You attend church, you give to the church, you serve, you smile, you know the right Christian things to say. To everyone in this room, you look the part of a genuine Christian, but you know the truth. You know it’s fake. You know your heart is far from God.

How do you know if you treasure Christ rather than treasure rituals and traditions?

God has not called you to go through your life faking it.

How do I know if I treasure Christ rather than treasure rituals and traditions?

Because you can be the kind of church member who gives, attends, serves, doesn’t cuss, doesn’t get drunk, doesn’t look at pornography, faithful to your spouse, and has well behaved kids. But, on your way to hell - because you can be a good, moral person without actually being changed by Jesus or without really caring about Jesus. If you treasure Christ:

You increasingly long for Jesus. It’s a hunger - you are what you love. You care far more about growing in intimacy with Him than you care about impressing others with your moral living. You care about a life of worship - drawing attention to the glory of God in Christ rather than drawing attention to yourself.

You increasingly long for Jesus. Christianity is about a pursuit of a person - a person you long for because you know in Him there is real joy and satisfaction.

Know the posture - humility - be honest before God - you’re missing what you need.

You increasingly live like Jesus. Think about this potential church member: he gives, he attends, he serves, he doesn’t cuss, he doesn’t get drunk, he doesn’t look at pornography, he’s faithful to his wife, and has well behaved kids. Sounds like a good Christian, right? That man could be hell bound, because living like Jesus isn’t simply living a morally upstanding life. The Pharisees did that. Living like Jesus is loving what He loves, doing what He does, desiring what He desires. Living like Jesus requires walking with Jesus - paying attention to the heart of His teaching, and asking His Spirit to daily transform your attitude, your desires, and your actions.

You increasingly live like Jesus. T Living like Jesus is loving what He loves, doing what He does, desiring what He desires. Living like Jesus requires walking with Jesus - paying attention to the heart of His teaching, and asking His Spirit to daily transform your attitude, your desires, and your actions.

You increasingly live like Jesus. Because you are convinced that His way of life might not be the easiest way of life but it’s the best way of life. The best way to live is to love what He loves, do what He does, and desire what He desires.

You increasingly love like Jesus. Other focus vs. self-focus. You’re willing to lay down your wants in exchange for the needs of others.

You increasingly love like Jesus. Other focus vs. self-focus. You’re willing to lay down your wants in exchange for the needs of others.

How do you get a heart that is close to God? You must get to a place where real acceptance by God is far more important than outward appearance!

If all you’re settling for is a moral life that focuses on traditions and rituals - you are missing joy, power, intimacy, and everything else God promises.

If all you’re settling for is a moral life that focuses on traditions and rituals - you are missing joy, power, intimacy, and everything else God promises.

Don’t let traditions keep you from real acceptance.

Pulls the crowd aside and says vs. 15.

Later, disciples want to know what He meant. He explains: It’s not bumping up against a Gentile that makes you dirty, or not washing your or pots the right way, or even eating unclean meat that makes you dirty. Whatever goes in you comes out of you… (vs. 18-19) - Parenthetical - Jesus declares all foods clean. What defiles you is not what goes inside of you but what’s already inside of you: an evil heart that manifests itself in evil thoughts, sexual immorality, etc.

What defiles you

You’ve got a far bigger problem than what you eat or what you wash - the Pharisees would tell you that if you don’t wash your hands and your plates you won’t be accepted by God. I’m telling you if you don’t wash your heart you won’t be accepted by God.

Why Jesus came: to wash your heart for you. () If all you are concerned with is outward appearance, traditions, and rituals you’ll never be clean and always separated from God. But, when the inside is clean - then you find real acceptance and freedom from all of the enslavement of all the religious traditions that are imposed on you by religious people.

Jesus Christ went to a cross and died in your place and rose again so that you could be forgiven of an evil heart and given a new heart. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

GOSPEL - Jesus makes you clean by taking your filth on Himself - () by suffering the punishment you deserve - He experienced condemnation so you could experience acceptance. He died and rose again so that you might be brought into a relationship with the Father.

On a day like today, when we think about mother’s and families this is freeing because you often feel beat down by the traditions or rituals we impose on the home:

For mother’s

To be accepted as a good Christian mother - must make the right educational choices for my children, must make sure they are well behaved and respectful; dinner on the table, clean house, etc. That stinking lady! Up before the sun, made her own clothes, buys fields, provides food! I can’t do it! You feel the guilt of not living up to “traditions.” What a mom should be. Good news: - You are not condemned. God has saved you, He has accepted you, and He longs for you to live as His daughter. Don’t let “traditions” keep you from enjoying your real acceptance! God doesn’t look at your bad cooking and say, “You know, you aren’t that mom she is.” There’s no condemnation but complete acceptance.

To be accepted as a good Christian woman - have to have a husband, children, etc.; but I don’t. I’m not whole or complete. What did I do to bring on this suffering? - You are accepted by God; complete and loved.

To be accepted as a good Christian father - work 60 hours a week to be the best at my career yet have time to come home and play with the kids, take to ball, help with homework, romance my wife, lead my family in Bible study and prayer… I can’t do it! No condemnation but complete acceptance.

To be accepted as a good Christian child - can never let my parents down, must make the right grades, be everything my parents want me to be, etc. - if in Christ, you’re already accepted!

When you know that your acceptance is based on what Christ has done and not keeping traditions, it creates a desire to pursue the treasure of knowing the One who has done everything for you so you can be accepted.

This morning:

Stop despairing - “I’ll never be...” If you are in Christ, you are accepted and no reason to despair.

Stop comparing - “I wish I was like...” The only one you should be comparing yourself to is Jesus. Are you growing more like Him?

Stop faking - “I’m going to do all I can to make it look like I have my act together even if it means I have to hide my need for help from God and His people...”

Start treasuring - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul because of what He’s done for you. Enjoy your acceptance in Him. Focus your life on getting to know Him daily.

This morning, repent of trying to look like you have your act together while neglecting to treasure Christ.