My Heart Condition
Jerry Watts
Matthew 15:1-20
I submit that this story is a microcosm of the life of Jesus and His focus on the truth.
This past week I read a statistic that over 40% of deaths in America are caused by issues of the heart. Ultimately, every death is caused by heart failure. When the heart stops beating, stops functioning, and stops doing its job - life cease.
However, the reasons so many death occur at the hand of an unhealthy heart seems to be many. First, the initial signs can be so subtle that we ignore them. Next, those initial signs can resemble other conditions (indigestion, cough, fatigue, etc) and it's easier to dismiss them as a heart issue. Today, if caught early enough, most heart problems can be treated today. While this is indeed ''Good news'', it is required that we notice when symptoms develop and get checked out.
The same is true with our spiritual hearts. Just like we tend to ignore the initial signs of heart problems in our physical bodies, perhaps we do the same with our spiritual heart. By the way, it's real easy to do. However under God, we should be diligent each and every day, let alone when we come to the Lord's Table, to check our hearts. Proverbs 23:7 says, ''As man thinks in his heart.''
The Apostle Paul is very clear about how we should approach ''The Lord's Table.'' We should do our best to come with a clean heart and life. From our text, let's focus on two thoughts:
The Problems with the Heart - We are born with a heart problem. While we don't care to admit it, since the Garden of Eden, man's heart is faulty, flawed, and failing. Watch:
It deceives us - For the last 16 months, as we made our way through the gospel of Mark, we witnessed the Sanhedrin (the church going people, the church leaders) fighting against Jesus.
Do you think they thought they were fighting against God? No, they were trusting their hearts and minds. They actually believed they were doing God's will & ...
Jerry Watts
Matthew 15:1-20
I submit that this story is a microcosm of the life of Jesus and His focus on the truth.
This past week I read a statistic that over 40% of deaths in America are caused by issues of the heart. Ultimately, every death is caused by heart failure. When the heart stops beating, stops functioning, and stops doing its job - life cease.
However, the reasons so many death occur at the hand of an unhealthy heart seems to be many. First, the initial signs can be so subtle that we ignore them. Next, those initial signs can resemble other conditions (indigestion, cough, fatigue, etc) and it's easier to dismiss them as a heart issue. Today, if caught early enough, most heart problems can be treated today. While this is indeed ''Good news'', it is required that we notice when symptoms develop and get checked out.
The same is true with our spiritual hearts. Just like we tend to ignore the initial signs of heart problems in our physical bodies, perhaps we do the same with our spiritual heart. By the way, it's real easy to do. However under God, we should be diligent each and every day, let alone when we come to the Lord's Table, to check our hearts. Proverbs 23:7 says, ''As man thinks in his heart.''
The Apostle Paul is very clear about how we should approach ''The Lord's Table.'' We should do our best to come with a clean heart and life. From our text, let's focus on two thoughts:
The Problems with the Heart - We are born with a heart problem. While we don't care to admit it, since the Garden of Eden, man's heart is faulty, flawed, and failing. Watch:
It deceives us - For the last 16 months, as we made our way through the gospel of Mark, we witnessed the Sanhedrin (the church going people, the church leaders) fighting against Jesus.
Do you think they thought they were fighting against God? No, they were trusting their hearts and minds. They actually believed they were doing God's will & ...
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