Where is Your Heart

Matthew 14:34–15:9 (ESV)

And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

What do you do when you are sick? You go to the doctor. What do you do when you have a headache? You take pills. Toothache? You go to the dentist. Back pain? You go to the Chiropractor.

—What would you do if someone said “if you just touch the robe of that man over there all of your aliments will be healed.” Would you do it? I’m sure we would be sceptical, but when people heard that Jesus was in town they said “If we can just simply touch His cloak, just the hem of it, we will be made well.”

— It takes some crazy faith to say if I can just touch His clothes that touch His body then my body will be fixed, but that is all you need when it comes to Jesus. Jesus could do many things, but one thing that Jesus did not do was work where people did not believe in Him. In Gennesaret it appears that they truly did.

These Pharisees come to Jesus and they say “If your such a good teacher, why are your disciples not following the law?” What law were the Pharisees supposed to be giving to the people? God’s law. Do you know where in God’s law it tells you that you must wash your hands before you eat? It does not. It does mention that priests must wash their hands, but only when they are eating holy offerings.

Jesus fires back with the arguing of honoring your parents. One of God’s commandments, and the first commandment with a promise (Deuteronomy 5:16 ““ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”) Children took charge of the mother and father in their old age when they were unable to do so. That was the practice in Bible times, that is still at practice today all over the world in different cultures and is even found here in America. But we have choices. It was the duty of the eldest son to take over care of his parents as he would get the most inheritance, but would also take the most responsibility.

—If a son became angry at his parents he could commit his inheritance to God. Which meant that everything he had could only be used for church use. Nothing else. So when mommy and daddy became ill there was not money to take care of them, there was not house to sell, there was not land to pawn off, there was noting. It “Belonged to God.” Thus the son would disrespect the parents, neglect their needs and his role, all under the guise of giving his property to the church. He looks good, but his heart is wicked.

This is why Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 “And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,”

They did not fear God. They learned about Him, and even taught certain principles of the Lord, but their hearts were not in it. They had head knowledge, but their hearts were not in it.

Its like school. There are classes you hate, but you still have to pass them. Does the information stick with you once you exit the class? It does not. Not after a while anyways. Why? Because your heart is not in it. Your brain can do the work, but only if you love what you are doing will you commit it to memory.

People continuously say they are a Christian, but they never show the fruit. They go to church, but God is not in their hearts. They claim that they have given their lives to the Lord, but He does not govern what they say nor what they do. If you are going to worship God it must start on the inside, and flow out. We will talk more about that in the coming weeks.