Matthew 15 - Matters of the Heart - Boldness, Faith, Healing & Provision

Matthew 15  - Matters of the Heart, Boldness, Faith, Healing & Provision

Text: Read Matthew 15

May 15, 2020

Defilement (Dirtiness, Uncleanness) from the Inside of a Person Vs. 1-20

The Scribes and Pharisees confront Jesus about His disciples not washing their hands before dinner.

Jesus highlights the fact that they teach people not to honor their parents, thereby they teach people not to honor God by sticking with their traditions

.

Jesus pinpoints their actions as making God’s word ineffective due to men’s rules/laws.

The prophesy stated by Isaiah long before Jesus came addresses this very issue, saying people honor God with their words, but their hearts are not really close to His.  

Isaiah also said that their worship was useless because they were more focused on what men like to teach rather than what God says it right.

Jesus addressed the crowd afterward and explained that what goes inside a person by mouth (even with dirty hands) is not what makes a person’s heart defiled. He explained that it what comes from the heart of a person is what makes them unclean.

The disciples told Jesus that the Pharisees were offended by what He had said to them.

Jesus advised them not to be concerned. The Father in heaven would tear up anything not planted by Him.

He told them to leave them alone because they were spiritually blind and leading others to do the same things as they were. In the end, they would all fall into a ditch.

Peter sought further explanation on what defiles a person. We need to understand it as well.

Jesus marveled that the disciples still didn’t seem to grasp the meaning of the situation overall.

He told them again that what goes in doesn’t make people unclean. But what comes out from the mouth is what will defile and thereby dishonor a person.

Jesus further explains the types of unclean things that come from the heart of unclean people, such as:

Evil thoughts & plans, murder, adultery, sexual Immorality, stealing, lying, verbal abuse, disrespectable talking, blaspheming – showing blatant disrespect and disregard for God and His things.

Reflection

I was thinking about something I ate yesterday. The thought came to me that what I ate didn’t really matter as much as why I ate. I have in the past struggled with the enemy trying to make me focus too much on food because 1. I like it, and 2. Sometimes I have eaten purely for comfort reasons rather than due to real physical hunger. Often when we think we are hungry but are not really, it is a sign of spiritual hunger. I was pondering these thoughts this morning before ever opening my Bible and reading this chapter.

Our flesh and the devil can cause us to be distracted from focusing on Jesus. We should never cooperate with the devil or his evil plans – like the things that are listed above. Additionally, we have to tell our flesh to shut up and wait sometimes. We know when we have had enough to eat. Eating itself is necessary and won’t make us unclean. But why and when is a matter of the heart. There are times that we need to fast and get alone with God so we can have fellowship with Him. The food can wait until later.

I had to see this reminder today. God never condemns us for missing the moment with Him or seeking comfort in something other than Him, but it definitely does not honor or please Him. He wants to be first in our hearts – where everything matters most. The food, clothing, and daily activities are secondary to knowing and fellowshipping with Jesus.

Colossians 3:2

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

How About You?

What might be coming from your heart that needs to be cleaned up? It’s not our hands that need to be washed as much as our hearts.

A Woman of Boldness, Determination and Great Faith Gets Results Vs. 21-28

In His journeys, Jesus encountered a woman with a desperate situation. She asked for His mercy and help to heal her demon possessed daughter.

She understood and believed that He could help her.

She approached Him with boldness and faith believing He would help her.

She didn’t get offended even when it looked like He may not help her because she was not an Israelite.

Instead, even in a moment that seemed like rejection, she chose to honor and worship Him. She didn’t give up.

She was desperate, persistent, bold, had strong faith, and respectful.

When He spoke about her not getting the things that belonged to the children of God, she didn’t argue but agreed fully with Jesus’ statement. She still showed respect to Him. She was willing to take to take anything that fell from the table of the Lord. That’s how much she cared about her daughter and that’s how much she honored the Lord even though she was an outsider.

Like the centurion in another chapter whose faith Jesus marveled at, He honored the great faith of this woman and gave her exactly what she came for and even more. He made her daughter whole! 

Reflection

It is so amazing how God works each day. I took an early morning soaking bath as I listened to worship music. I thought about the parts of my body that I have long been in faith that God has healed, yet have not seen the manifestation. I thought about how I still need a lot of heart healing. Since I am a child of God and part of His family, I should be showing these healing manifestations. I deeply desire that for 2 reasons. One is obviously for my comfort and relief from the symptoms and the problems they cause. The other is for the testimony that I can give to others about the power of God and His goodness. This is the ultimate goal to show others His goodness and win them to the Lord.

As I write this, I thought about this woman who is an outsider. In other words, think of her as one who is not yet born again into the family of God. It would only make sense that if an outsider could approach the Lord with that kind of boldness and faith for healing, how much more should we as born again children of God? It happens all the time. Lost people are in meetings and crusades and come to Jesus for healing, not being saved, and yet they get great results and then give their lives to Jesus. I have witnessed this many times.

Matthew 8:13

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

How About You?

Are you willing to approach Jesus with boldness and unrelenting faith for your healing?

Healing, Provision, Multiplication & More Than Enough Vs. 29-39

Many people who knew about Jesus brought a multitude, a large mass of people to Him who desired to be healed. They laid them at His feet expecting to get results.

What did Jesus do? He healed them. Not some of them. All of them.

He healed the blind, the deaf, the mute, and the maimed (crippled, disabled) along with many others (situations not mentioned here). He made people whole. (Whole means spirit, soul, and body) Whole means entirely complete, lacking nothing. It doesn’t get any better than that!

People stood in awe of God in this great mass of people when they saw with their own eyes what Jesus did. As a result they praised and glorified God! What a day!

This great event took place over 3 days. The people had not eaten and would have been very hungry.

He showed compassion to them, knowing they needed to eat food or else they might faint on their way home.

His disciples were concerned about how to feed so many people.

Jesus responded to them with a question. What do you have right now?

Once they responded that all they had was seven loaves and a few fishes, He took over to show them how to take care of the people.

Once all were seated, Jesus simply gave thanks for what they had and then began to give it to the disciples to distribute to the people.

Every person ate and was filled up.

There were seven basketfuls left over. More than enough. Exceedingly and abundantly above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine. See Ephesians 3:20.

Reflection

This morning I thought about how we need to forgo other activities, including eating at times in order to seek the Lord for our own healing. Even thought the Bible wasn’t written in chapter and verse like we use it today, it all ties together beautifully.

Amazingly, (and God is always amazing), He will do so many different things to get a message through to us. I see this entire chapter tying together in ways only God can do it. The whole thing about the matters of the heart, forgoing food, approaching the Lord in boldness and faith to get what we need from Him, and seeing how He not only wants to heal us but always will – if we believe and receive.

I see how we just need to set aside other things for a moment to seek Him. We show Him love and respect when we do this. It honors Him – like the bold lady in today’s chapter. We also see how compassionate Jesus is. He will call us aside to be with Him at times, but He will always feed us what we need and even make sure that there is plenty leftover. He is our more than enough Provider.

We need not fear lack when we go to Him. He will never leave us or forsake us. What we need to be filled with more than anything is His love. That’s what I thought about this morning. Yes, we need to eat most days, but there are times when it can wait until later. Yes, there are things we need to do, but that too can wait until later. God can not only multiply what He provides us foodwise, but our time as well. When we focus on His things first, He can help us get so much more done in less time afterwards. I have seen Him do it.

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

How About You?

Do you need some heart healing and/or healing in your body? Why not spend some time with Jesus and receive what He has already provided for you and wants you to lay hold of?

Contact me at hannylynn05@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

Be blessed as you study.