The Heart of the Matter!

Pr 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to

you, But his heart is not with you.

In the physical realm of things our hearts are of vital

importance!▪The heart is said to be “our life pump” and truly it is indeed!

▪It is the heart that pumps blood to our bodies!

▪As the heart is important physically, it is even more important spiritually!

▪We will study tonight about “the heart of the matter!”

How many of us have heard someone say, “let’s just get to the

heart of the matter!”▪What do they mean when they say this?▸Let’s get down to business!▸Let’s get down to the nitty gritty!▸Let’s get down to where the rubber

meets the road!▪What is meant by this, is that it is time to

deal with the source and not just the symptoms!

In both the physical & spiritual realm, many spend all their time trying to treat the symptom rather than the

source of the problem!▪A child is acting up in school & getting

into fights & trouble, so the parents get angry and they beat & ground the child, but never take the time to find out “why” his behavior has changed!▸There is a even greater need to find out

“why” he is acting up and getting into trouble!

When the heart is right, everything else will follow!

I. The External!(Mt. 7:15-20)

▪One of the most common words used by Jesus describing the religious leaders of His day was “hypocrites!”▸In Mt. 23 we find Jesus pronouncing 8

woes against the scribes, Pharisees!▸Jesus calls then “hypocrites” because

they were teaching and preaching one thing and then living another! (Mt. 23:3)

They would make a big show outwardly, but only to be seen of

men!(Rom. 2:17-21; Mt. 6:1-18)▪We should understand that the external

reviles the symptoms, but not the source!▪The reason hypocrites were acting, is

because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God!(Jn.12:42,43)

▪We should understand that the external is important, but it can be deceiving! (Mt. 7:15 many are wolves in sheep’s clothing!)

II. The Internal!(Mt. 22:34-40)

▪I have chosen this passage for good reason! Notice (Mt. 22:37) where are these found?▸Mark and Luke add another element!

“Strength!” (Mk. 12:20 & Lk. 10:27)▪When we get the inside right, the

outside will follow!

Working from the source to the symptoms/results!

(Mk. 12:28-31)▪What is of interest here is that Mark

adds the “result!”▪The Lord begins with the “internal”

heart, soul, mind and ends with the “external” strength!

▪One might what to sum this up by saying, “we are to love God from the inside out!”

III. The Eternal!(Mt. 25:31-46)

▪We must always keep in mind that God judges our intentions & motives, but He is also looking at our actions or inactions!

▪We maybe able to fool others, we may even be able to fool ourselves, but none of us are fooling God!▸Eccl. 12:14 For God will bring every work into

judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

Getting to the heart of the matter!▪There is a song we often sing “Is thy heart

right with God?”▸This is indeed an important question that each

of us most answer for ourselves!–I cannot answer for you, you cannot answer

for me, but we will all answer to God!▪May we never forget that our eternal destiny is

on the line!▸Who here desires a home in heaven?▸May we never forget the warning of Ezekiel 18

& 33!

Conclusion:▪It is not the things that enter a man that

defiles him, but what comes out of the man! (Mt. 15:1-20)

▪I hope that this lesson has reminded us of the importance of the “inward man!”

▪Have we gotten to the heart of the matter or are we still trying to treat the symptoms rather than the source?

▪Are you a child of God tonight? Have you had your sins forgiving? Is your heart right with God?