This is message #204 in the Restoration Series. Introduction: Restoration: Getting the things that defiles, [to make filthy, pollute, make unclean] out of the body and begin to strive for the body without spot or wrinkle.
I. This is one of the most startling things Jesus ever taught.
A. It shook His world and is still disturbing, and gnawing at man's conscience today.
1. The teaching revolutionized man's idea of evil and wrongdoing.
II. Jesus calls the multitude to Him. Vs 14-17
a. Mainly, what is evil and what causes it.
2. Four major to these verses.
b. Sort of knocks the props out of man's religion and morality.
c. It lays a man bare before God.
d. It makes him dependent upon God for the solutions of life.
a. Jesus calls the multitude to Him. Vs 14-17 Matthew 15:10-20.
b. Explanation 1: the thing that enters the body does not defile. Vs 18-19.
c. Explanation 2: the thing that comes out from the heart does defile. Vs 20-22.
e. Explanation 3: the source of evil is the heart. Vs 23.
A. Jesus said; "Harken, hear and understand" Vs 14
1. Not only hear, but understand what is said.
B. Simply stated, man is not defiled by what goes in the body.
2. It is of supreme importance that you understand. Vs 15
1. It is what comes out of the heart.
III. Explanation one: things that enter the body do not defile.
2. Jesus said; "If you got ears, hear what I say."
3. Yet the disciples were "spiritually dull". Vs 17
A. It is not what a man eats or drinks that defile.
1. What one eats does not go into the heart.
B. There is no connection between what we eat and spirituality.
2. It enters the digestive tract and passes through the body.
3. Therefore, food and drink, or eating with unwashed hands cannot defile.
4. These outward things cannot defile a man spiritually.
1. Though we can make eating and drinking excessively to be wrong.
IV. Second Explanation: the thing that comes from the heart does defile. Vs 20-22
2. Lustful and excessive appetites come out of the heart.
3. The items themselves, food or drink has no merit or value.
4. No morality or virtue to them, not within themselves.
5. It is what we do with the "things", what our heart does.
6. That makes us neither good nor bad, spiritual nor carnal. Romans 14:17
1 Corinthians 8:7-8
A. Here is exactly what Jesus said: "It is not things that defile a man. It is the heart that defiles a man. A man's heart is corrupt; therefore he corrupts himself. Man is not made unclean by things; he is unclean because of his polluted heart. It is he himself who takes things and does unclean things with them."
B. It is from the heart sin begins. Vs 20
1. Heart: the major organ in the body, also to man's innermost being.
V. The sins named and explained. Vs 21-22
a. The heart is the center of man's life, the most vital part.
2. Sin: note the progress of sin within the man.
b. It contains the hidden man or real man. 1 Peter 3;4
c. The heart is the source of man's rational being, reasoning, understanding and thinking.
d. The heart is the center of our emotions.
e. The heart is the center of our spiritual being: our conscience, will, faith or evil.
f. The heart determines what a man does, his behavior, good or bad.
a. It begins in human nature, within, out of the heart.
b. It develops in the mind; in evil thoughts.
c. It is expressed in human acts. Vs 21-22
A. In these verses there are thirteen sins named.
1. EVIL THOUGHTS:
VI. Third explanation: the source of evil is the heart.
a. Thoughts and imaginations and ideas and concepts that are wrong base, wicked, immoral, unjust.
2. ADULTERY:
b. Thoughts that are not what they ought to be.
c. Thoughts that are not uplifting, edifying and spiritual.
d. Evil thoughts are a sin against all the commandments.
e. Psalm 94:11, Proverbs 23:7
a. Sexual unfaithfulness to husband or wife.
3. FORNICATION:
b. Even looking on man or woman to lust after is sin.
c. Pornography in any form is sin, male or female.
d. Adultery is a sin against the seventh commandment. Exodus 20:14 "Thou shalt not commit adultery".
e. Matthew 5:27-28
a. Includes all forms of immoral and sexual acts.
4. MURDER:
b. Pre-marital sex and adultery is sin.
a. Exodus 20:13, "Thou shalt not kill".
5. THEFTS:
b. 1 John 3:15
a. To cheat and steal.
6. COVETOUSNESS:
b. Wrongfully take from another person. Exodus 20:15, "Thou shalt not steal"
c. Leviticus 19:11, Ephesians 4:28
a. Lust for more and more.
7. WICKEDNESS:
b. To have a starving appetite for something.
c. To have a love of possessing.
d. To grasp after possessions, pleasure, power and fame.
e. An insatiable lust and craving of the flesh that cannot be satisfied.
f. An intense appetite for gain, seeking happiness.
g. All this instead of God is idolatry.
h. Exodus 20:17, Luke 12:15.
a. To be actively evil, to do mischief.
8. DECIEPT:
b. To trouble and cause harm to others.
c. To be dangerous and destructive.
d. A desire within to do wicked acts, harm, to corrupt people. Psalm 5:9.
a. To snare, mislead, be crafty and deceitful.
9. LASCIVIOUSNESS:
b. To give false impressions by word, acts or influence.
c. Twisting the truth to get one's way.
d. Romans 3:13, Psalm 101:7
a. Filthiness, indecency, shamelessness.
10. EVIL EYE:
b. Open and shameless indecency.
c. Unrestrained evil thoughts and behavior.
d. One who knows no restraint.
e. When sin no longer makes any difference. Jude 4, 7
a. Looking at what one should not.
11. BLASPHEMY:
b. To lust after what one should not.
c. To envy, covet, crave and desire by looking.
d. To use the eye in an evil way. Luke 11:34
a. To slander, insult; revile, to speak evil of God or man. Mark 3:28-29.
12. PRIDE:
a. Self- exaltation, conceit, arrogance, haughtiness.
13. FOOLISHNESS:
b. Putting self above others.
c. Comparing self with others.
d. Pride can be hidden in the heart as well as openly.
e. Proverbs 3:7, 11:2, 16:18, 21:4
a. Moral senselessness, wrecklessnes, thoughtlessness.
b. One who acts foolishly in morals and duty, behavior and thought.
c. Proverbs 15:14, 28:26.
A. The problem of evil is from within, not from without.
1. Evil comes from a man's heart [spirit], not his body.
B. Read or hear the news from any city on any given day and see the evil.
1. Pick any city today. Is it better or worse now than 125 years ago?
VII. Three fatal mistakes man makes when dealing with law and evil.
2. So depressing to see and hear of all the evil, bad news.
C. Jesus saw man's heart was the problem.
1. From the heart evil things come.
2. Yet from within man knows better.
3. Man cannot control his heart.
1. Man judges evil to be external only.
a. He looks at the sinful act, only the deed.
2. Man fails to see evil arise from the heart, within.
b. Man is considered good if he never did anything bad.
a. Evil things come from the heart.
3. Man must realize the human heart needs to be changed.
b. Little restraint, if any, upon the lust and inward thoughts.
a. The heart must be converted, born again, saved, delivered.
Conclusion: Restoration! Cast aside those weights [sins] that hinder the move of God in our churches. Repent and be saved, or let the Holy Spirit minister to you. Let the precious Blood of Jesus cleanse and make you whole and clean.
b. A new man is needed.
c. 1 Peter 1:23, Ephesians 4:23-24