Is My Heart Good? - Matt 12:33-37

In Covid-19 season, you better purchase a thermometer

2020 is going to be a record setting year. Most masks sold, longest line to get into Walmart, strangest sporting seasons. There is another record that was probably set this year for most of us… the highest number of temperature checks. Prior to March of 2020, I would measure my temperature a few times per year. Now, if you are like me, I am often running to the drawer where the thermometer lives and checking my temperature. 98.6, 98.9, 99.1, 97.4 - yikes!

If you think about it, God has created an amazing truth about our bodies. Generally speaking, your temperature should be 98.6. If it rises 1 degree, there is trouble, if it raises 5 degrees, you are in the hospital. This is remarkable nature of the thermometer. In about 10 seconds, I can quickly determine if I am under the weather. When the temperature is up, its not good.

Begs the question : What if there was a way to accurately measure the goodness of your heart?

What if we could design a took that measures the condition of our heart. A spiritual thermometer that through objective observation, a person could have a sense of the condition of their heart. Heart unredeemed? Heart operating out of the strength of the flesh? Heart sensitive? Heart bad? Heart good?

There is… the Tongue!

We are going to discover today an original truth of the human. Our teacher will be Jesus Christ - the designer of our bodily systems. And He is going to reveal a spiritual law that we would be wise to remember:

Our words reveal the condition of our heart.

Scripture speaks volumes about the tongue.

And the overwhelming message is this… we cannot control it on our own.

Many have tried to control it on their own… to their great frustration

The Power of the Tongue - James 3:5-10

James 3:5–10 ESV

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Try as we might, the tongue will always tell the truth… eventually, in some environment, the tongue will reveal the condition of the heart.

The tongue is dangerous, destructive, debilitating, and impossible to improve… but Jesus can change it.

See what Jesus has to say about it - Matthew 12:33-37

Fruit reflects the Root (vs. 33)

Matthew 12:33 ESV

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

In Matthew 12:33, Jesus words for us to come face to face to a devastating truth

Context

Chapter 12 of Matthew gives us glimpse of the experience of Jesus. He had warned his apostles that they would be opposed (10). Then, in chapter 11, Jesus shared the message that brought opposition. Now, in chapter 12, that opposition is occuring for High Definition Detail.

Jesus has encountered the religious system of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the defenders of the legalist system that had been developed to lift up those who practiced it and push down those who didn’t. We saw that the primary area of conflict centered around the Sabbath. In Matt 12:2, the Pharisees raise the issue. The situation quickly devolves from questions about picking grain on the Sabbath, to helping a struggling man on the Sabbath, to accusing Jesus of being empowered by Satan.

Jesus reveals an Earthly Reality

From this conversation, Jesus identifies an earthly reality that he will use to teach us of a spiritual truth.

Fruit Reflects The Root

See Mark 11:12-14; John 15:1-5; 2 Kings 19:29-31

Fruit reflects the Root

Earthly Reality… Laws

In physics, there are four fundamental forces: gravitation and electromagnetism, and molecular forces of weak and strong.

Like Gravity, there are Spiritual Laws

Another example of a Spiritual Law: Reap what you sow - Galatians 6:9

Fruit reveals Root

Apples, Oranges, Figs, Pine Cones… reveal the type of root

Long standing illustration from God’s Messengers in their agrarian society

In Matt 3:8-10, John the Baptist calls out Pharisees

In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus curses a fig tree because of no fruit

In 2 Kings 19:29-31, the Lord declares that Judah will produce fruit again

Fruit Truth - Followers of Jesus Produce Fruit

Just like a living plant, an individual who is now experiencing the New Life, will produce fruit. Scripture points us to 3 types of fruits.

Fruit of Righteousness - Matthew 3:8-10

A General term that refers to a life that reflects our New Life Nature

Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23

A specific list of fruits that testify to the Spirit’s influence in our life

love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control

Fruit of Followers - Colossians 1:15-16

Paul identifies individuals who have responded to the Gospel and are growing in Christ… New Followers of Jesus Christ… as fruit

This Earthly Reality Points us to a principle that God has ordained.

Arguing with the Law of Gravity is a foolish… or even deadly endeavor

Similarly, arguing against the Law of the Fruit is foolish… or even eternally dangerous endeavor.

Words reflect the Heart (vs. 34-35)

Matthew 12:34–35 ESV

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

Jesus reveals a Spiritual Reality

See Matthew 12:2, 24, 38

Words Reveal the Heart - As seen in Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees

Vs. 34: Jesus begins with a living, breathing example: the Pharisees.

Vs. 1-32 Jesus and Pharisee Conflict - Evil Words reveal an Evil Heart

Jesus - perfect human, completely loving, sinless, purely reflecting God

Pharisees - sinful, selfish, demanding, judgmental

In 38 words… 3 sentences of 14, 15, 9 words,… the Spirit of God reveals the condition of the Pharisee’s heart

Broken, evil, self serving hearts - Matt 12:2 (14), Mat 12: 24 (15); Matthew 12:38 (9)

These 38 Words are enough to understand the status of a heart… the same truth applies to us today.

Words Reveal the Heart

Vs. 35: Jesus goes from an example to a rule

Main Point: Words Reveal the Heart: Good heart produces good words; Evil Person produces Evil Words

Its our tendency of preachers and teachers to emphasize good fruit, but Jesus focuses upon bad fruit

Matt 12:2 - Criticism, Complaining, Falsely Using God’s Word, Tattling, Stirring Division, Gossip, Lying

Matt 12:24 - Assaulting, Cursing, Envious Reporting, Hateful Speech, Slandering

Matt 12:38 - Innuendo, Silent Treatment, Backbiting

They even accuse Jesus of being empowered by Satan! (vs. 24)

Every evil word reveals something about a person’s heart

Consider some examples

Impurity reveals a filthy heart; Murmuring reveals a thankless heart, Criticism reveals a jealous heart, Pessimism reveals a faithless heart

Evil Words: Lack of Loving Trust of God

Criticizing, Cursing, Envious reporting, Falsely using God’s Word, Impurity, Murmuring and Complaining, Pessimism, Sarcasm

Evil Words: Lack of Loving Concern for Others

Arguing, Assaulting, Backbiting, Breaking confidences, Contentious Words; , Filthy language, Gossip, Hateful Speech, Idle Jesting, Innuendo, Lying, Silent treatment, Slander, Stirring up division, Swearing 

Heart reflects Eternity (vs. 36-37)

Jesus reveals an Eternal Reality

Jesus drives hard to the basket -

How our Words reflect our eternal destination

Day of Judgment - give an account… All people stand before the Lord to have an accounting of their righteousness

And Jesus points out that every word spoken. Even the careless ones!

This accounting indicates either justification or condemnation

For instance: Liars: Proverbs 6:16-19 (2X!), 1 Tim 1:10; Rev 21:8,

See Proverbs 6:16-19; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:28

Understand the Logic of this Truth

Romans 8:29 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I. The presence of God’s Spirit will produce Christlikeness - Romans 8:29

II. The nature of Jesus Christ was good… therefore, his heart was Good

III. Therefore, Presence of God’s Spirit will produce good words.

Corollary Truths

If the Spirit is dwelling in a person, then their speech will become Christlike

If speech is not becoming Christlike, then the Spirit is not dwelling in a person

Logical Conclusion

Justification - Words reveal Spirit’s Work

Condemnation - Words reveal Unchanged Heart

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Review of Matthew 12:33-37

• Fruit reflects the Root

• Words reflect the Heart

• Heart reflect Eternity

Our Words Matter...

They can glorify God

They can point to Jesus Christ

They can bring healing to people’s hearts.

They reflect the condition of our Heart