A clean heart?

Many of our modern cultures are fascinated with appearances. Worldwide, people spend billions on clothes, cosmetics, fitness programmes, diets, and social media images.

Folks carefully edit photographs before posting them. We create versions of ourselves that look successful, happy, confident, and popular.

Now - there’s nothing wrong with taking care of ourselves BUT Jesus asks us a harder question … “What does your heart look like?

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SPEAKER_00 0:33

Welcome, brothers and sisters, and peace be with you. The words on my lips and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen. The media has been full of images of President Donald Trump over recent years, and he always looks impeccable, well pressed and tailored suit, immaculate shirt and tie, polished shoes, immaculate haircut, expensive watch. Looking at him, he appears to portray the very image of success. As I have watched the man recently, I don't quite think that things are going quite the way that the image he is trying to portray would wish. You see, God and the world are not interested in appearances. Instead, God and the world ask questions about honesty, teamwork, integrity, and how he treats the people who don't agree with him and or when he is under pressure. It's become clear to me that beneath the polished exterior is someone who often blames others, exaggerates the truth, and takes credit for work he hasn't actually done. Matthew's Gospel chapter fifteen, verses ten to twenty reinforces for me, that looking good on the outside can never compensate for what is missing on the inside. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were experts at appearing holy. They carefully washed their hands before meals, observed countless traditions, and made sure everyone knew how religious they were. They believed that ceremonial cleanliness made them acceptable to God. Jesus shocked them. He called the crowd together and said, It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth. The disciples were nervous, knowing the Pharisees were offended by Jesus, but knew exactly what he was saying. He wasn't condemning good hygiene or healthy habits. He wasn't saying that what we eat doesn't matter physically. He was making a far deeper point. Spiritual uncleanliness isn't caused by food, dirt or unwashed hands. It comes from the human heart. That was revolutionary then. It's still revolutionary today. Many of our modern cultures are fascinated with appearance. We spend billions on clothes, cosmetics, fitness programmes, diets, social media images. We carefully edit photographs before posting them. We create versions of ourselves that look successful, happy, confident, and popular. Now there's nothing wrong with taking care of ourselves, but Jesus asks us a harder question. What does your heart look like? No filter can hide bitterness. No expensive clothing can cover jealousy. No perfect smile can disguise hatred. No carefully crafted social media profile can conceal pride. God sees beneath the surface, and Jesus explains Out of the heart comes evil intentions murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. Jesus says these things begin not in our circumstances, not in our politics, not in other people, not in bad luck. They begin in our heart. Life has a way to create storms in our lives. Stress, disappointment, criticism, illness, family disagreements, financial pressure, etc. When those moments come, what spills out of our hearts? Anger? Harsh words? Bitterness or kindness. Patience. Grace. The pressures of life don't create what is inside us. It simply reveals it. And that is Jesus' point. The heart is the source. The wonderful news of Christianity is that Jesus didn't come merely to improve our behavior, he came to transform our hearts. The prophet Ezekiel had already promised God's people, I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. It is that promise, that promise from God that finds its fulfillment in Christ. When we come to Him in faith, He begins an inside out transformation. Yes, it is often slow, sometimes painful, but it is real. As we spend time with Christ through prayer, scripture, worship and serving others, His Spirit reshapes our hearts. Gradually our words become gentler, our forgiveness becomes deeper, our compassion becomes stronger. Not because we're trying to appear religious, but because Christ is changing us from within. The Pharisees focused on outward rules. Jesus focused on inward renewal. The Pharisees asked, Have you washed your hands? Jesus asked, Have you surrendered your heart? And that is the question for each of us today. Remember, a doctor cannot treat an illness that remains hidden. Neither can Christ heal the parts of our hearts that we refuse to bring into his light. King David understood this after his own failures. He prayed, Create in me a clean heart, O God. Not give me a better reputation, not help me look more spiritual, but create in me a clean heart. And I believe that is a prayer God delights to answer. As we continue our journeys of faith and worship, perhaps that can become our own prayer. Lord search my heart. Lord, show me what needs changing. Lord fill me with your love. Lord let my words reflect your grace. Because when Christ transforms the heart, everything else begins to change. And so may our lives not simply look good on the outside. May they shine with the love, the mercy, the truth, and the holiness that only Jesus can place within us.