Mark 7
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honours Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Matthew 7
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
We easily forget that God looks at the heart of a person. We know exactly how a Christian should walk, talk, behave and dress. We think that by changing a person’s outward appearance we can change the heart. So we train our children exactly how to behave correctly and impress people, but their heart is far from God and His Kingdom. We must make sure that their heart is cleansed by Jesus’ Blood and they’re in tune with God.
Maybe you find yourself constantly judging people and trying to reform them outwardly.
If the heart is changed, then out of the heart will come forth good fruit. You will no longer have to put down laws for a person. When the heart is changed, the old has passed away and everything has become new.
You must start where God starts. He gives everyone according to what He sees in their hearts. You might mislead people but God knows whether you serve Him in truth and what your true motives are.
We need to live such that there be nothing between us and Him and that we be in tune with Him.
Jealousy, anger, bitterness, evil thoughts and other sins will separate you from Him, and break the relationship so that you can no longer hear His voice. You know what is in your heart. Has all been cleansed by the precious Blood of Jesus, or is there anything that would grieve Him?
May your behaviour towards your fellowman come from a right heart, which seeks God’s Kingdom first. May that which wells out of your heart have a sweet taste and be good fruit. May we reflect the Lord Jesus through our lives, as the moon reflects the sun.
If we truly live for Him, what a wonderful day it would be when we stand before Him, and hear His voice, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
It is extremely important that that which proceeds from your heart show forth Christ.
The story is told of a cat, who wanted to be a waiter in a restaurant. He practiced and eventually was accepted. Many people commended him for his excellent service. However, one day, a mouse ran across the floor, while the cat was carrying a laden tray. Immediately it forgot that it was a waiter, dropped the tray and ran after the mouse. Its true nature was exposed. It still had the heart of a cat.
Many so-called Christians are like this cat. They behave very piously, but in their heart they love the world. Sooner or later their nature will be revealed. They need a spiritual operation that their heart be changed. Are you dead to the fashions of this world? Ask God to come and cleanse your heart and accomplish full salvation in your heart and make everything new.
You cannot be satisfied with anything less.
We’re called to a supernatural life. We must live so Christ-like so that what people see in us cannot be expressed in earthly words.
After the service, Rev Waldemar Engelbrecht gave the following illustration.
Hudson Taylor once spoke to his missionaries about the same matter. He illustrated it with a full glass of water which he placed on the pulpit. As he preached he hit the pulpit with his hand and the water spilled out. He asked them what had spilled on the pulpit, and the answer was, “that which was in the glass.” So too with us Christians. Many times we have many excuses why we behaved the way we did. However the true answer is: Never mind who bumps you or does what to you, that which is in your heart will simply come out. The way you behave in a given situation, reveal your heart.