Is Your Heart Clogged?
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Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online
Psalm 24, Genesis 43; Matthew 15:10-20
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Genesis 43:23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there. 26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?” 28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him. 29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.
Matthew 15:10-20
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Today we have all kinds of new technology to measure our heart condition. EKG’s, blood pressure, diagnostics to show how well the blood is flowing through our arteries, but Jesus is talking about a different kind of heart condition. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were in charge of making sure the Jewish people adhered to the purity laws contained in the Pentateuch, and specifically in the book of Leviticus. Therefore they were offended when Jesus said, “It is not what you put into your body which makes you unclean, but that what comes from within, from the heart that makes a person unclean.”
In our psalm today, the writer also affirms that the only one who can approach God on His holy hill, is the one with a pure heart and clean hands. The brothers of Joseph thought they could get back right with Pharaoh’s right hand man (unbeknownst to them their brother who they sold into slavery) by bringing back double the silver to atone for their transgression. But in reality the most important thing for Joseph was seeing the last son, his only natural brother Benjamin. It was enough for him to see the Son.
As we come into God’s presence today, if is enough for us to have the Son, the King of glory that Psalm 24 talks about. It is as we are in relationship with the Son, that our heart is clean and we are set free to serve God and love others. It is the Son who does the inside heart job changing us from those who live by our desires, to those living for Him each day, each hour. As we welcome the Son today, we will receive blessing and vindication from the Lord and we can be as faithful as our ancestors in serving and love Him.
Lord God, help us to be as faithful as our ancestors of who loved you and trusted your guidance within their lives and households. Amen.
Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online
Psalm 24, Genesis 43; Matthew 15:10-20
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Genesis 43:23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there. 26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?” 28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him. 29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.
Matthew 15:10-20
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Today we have all kinds of new technology to measure our heart condition. EKG’s, blood pressure, diagnostics to show how well the blood is flowing through our arteries, but Jesus is talking about a different kind of heart condition. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were in charge of making sure the Jewish people adhered to the purity laws contained in the Pentateuch, and specifically in the book of Leviticus. Therefore they were offended when Jesus said, “It is not what you put into your body which makes you unclean, but that what comes from within, from the heart that makes a person unclean.”
In our psalm today, the writer also affirms that the only one who can approach God on His holy hill, is the one with a pure heart and clean hands. The brothers of Joseph thought they could get back right with Pharaoh’s right hand man (unbeknownst to them their brother who they sold into slavery) by bringing back double the silver to atone for their transgression. But in reality the most important thing for Joseph was seeing the last son, his only natural brother Benjamin. It was enough for him to see the Son.
As we come into God’s presence today, if is enough for us to have the Son, the King of glory that Psalm 24 talks about. It is as we are in relationship with the Son, that our heart is clean and we are set free to serve God and love others. It is the Son who does the inside heart job changing us from those who live by our desires, to those living for Him each day, each hour. As we welcome the Son today, we will receive blessing and vindication from the Lord and we can be as faithful as our ancestors in serving and love Him.
Lord God, help us to be as faithful as our ancestors of who loved you and trusted your guidance within their lives and households. Amen.
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