King of Hearts: How Jesus Brings True and Lasting Change
Hopson Boutot
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Welcome & Announcements (Bubba)
Good morning family! Please take your seats.
5 Announcements:
1) Connect Card
Thank guests for attending
Explain what the Connect Card is, where to find it, and where to return it
2) Baby Bottle Campaign
To support the ministry of CareNet, a gospel-minded ministry on the front lines in the fight against abortion
Grab a bottle, fill up with money, and return on or before Feb 26
Bottles available at the Missions wall
3) Members Meeting tonight
Potluck at 5:30 (we’ll eat what you bring!), meeting at 6
Encourage people of the importance of attending
Packets available at the exits
4) Theology Week at Temple Baptist Church
Jan. 15-18
Dinner at 5:30, teaching from 6-7:30 pm
Childcare is provided
Teaching from Wes Taylor (Temple Baptist) Nathan Cecil (Fox Hill Road Baptist), Kenny D’Auria (Reformation Christian Fellowship), Hopson Boutot, and Jeff Mingee (SBCV)
5) NextGen Vision Luncheon
Parents, teachers, and NextGen volunteers join us immediately following the Sunday morning service on the 22nd from 12:30-1:30 for the NextGen Vision Luncheon. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions, learn more about how we plan to disciple your kids from lost to leader, and to engage with other parents. For more information you can speak with Sam at the blue flag after the service.
Now please take a moment of silence to prepare your heart for worship.
Call to Worship (Psalm 86:8-10)
Prayer of Praise (Penny Adams)
Great Things
Lovingkindness
Prayer of Confession (Ronnie Evans), sinful words
Let the Nations Be Glad
There is a Fountain
Scripture Reading (Matthew 12:33-42)
Pastoral Prayer (Bubba)
SERMON
START TIMER!!!
In 2011, Alex Bedolla was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and had a defibrillator installed. Several years later, he had a stroke that affected his mobility, and his health was rapidly deteriorating.
"I was getting weaker and weaker," Alex remembers. "I couldn't walk a few steps without stopping to take a breath."
Alex’s only hope to stand was a new heart. [1]
Most of us may never know what it’s like to be on a heart transplant list. But whether we realize it or not, all of us have more in common with this man than we think.
Turn to Matthew 12:33
Controversy in Jesus’ ministry
Pharisees just accused Him of casting out demons with the power of Satan
Jesus’ response to the Pharisees isn’t just directed to them, but to all of us.
Our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
Six truths that support this big idea:
1) All People Bear FRUIT
1) All People Bear FRUIT
12:33—Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons with Satan’s power
They look holy, sound holy, probably even smell holy, but the words they’re speaking are evil.
Jesus is saying, “make up your minds! are you guys good or evil?!? If you’re good, quit speaking evil words! If you’re bad, why do you act like you’re good?”
Then He says “the tree is known by its fruit.”
This is very similar to Jesus’ words in...
Matthew 7:17-20—So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
In both instances, Jesus is saying that the way to tell what type a person you’re dealing with is the fruit of their lives
Examining ourselves for communion—do our lives bear fruit of belonging to Jesus?
The Bible doesn’t say our lives must bear fruit perfectly.
Does an apple tree have to be perfect to be healthy? Even on a healthy apple tree there are unproductive branches, and the occasional bad apple. Not to mention there’s plenty of critters who love to gnaw at that fruit whenever they can reach it.
So too a Christian may have unproductive places in their lives, as well as sin struggles that gnaw at the good fruit the Spirit wants to produce in their lives.
But there are some apple trees that are so diseased at the root that they don’t bear a single useful apple. That tree may even look more healthy than an ordinary apple tree. But once you slice the apple you see it’s rotten to the core. It’s an apple tree in name only—it doesn’t bear good fruit!
The unbeliever won’t have good fruit at all. And what appears to be good fruit is rotten to the core. It’s self-serving, bitter, and proud.
Which one are you?
Recognizing all people bear fruit is the first step to understanding why our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
Maybe you’re concerned so you decide to try harder to bear good fruit this year.
This is like stapling apples on an unhealthy apple tree
The problem is not fixed by focusing on the fruit, but on the root!
The same is true spiritually...
2) All Fruit Comes from the HEART
2) All Fruit Comes from the HEART
12:34—You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
In verse 33 Jesus was talking about the bad fruit of the Pharisees’ blasphemous words
Here he says they’re speaking that way because of a deeper, root problem: the human heart.
Let me remind you what I said a few months ago about the word “heart” in the Bible...
Not the blood-pumping organ in your chest
Not entirely right to view the heart as your feelings either.
The Bible divides you into two pieces—outer self and inner self
Body = outer self
Bible uses many terms for inner self: mind, emotion, soul, spirit, will
Those words are summarized by the word HEART
Paul David Tripp— “This term [heart] is used in almost a thousand passages of Scripture. It’s one of the most well-developed themes in all of the Bible. . . . The heart is your directional system. The heart is your steering wheel.” [2]
Dane Ortlund—“The heart, in biblical terms, is not part of who we are but the center of who we are. . . . The heart drives all we do. It is who we are.” [3]
Jesus says to the Pharisees, “you’re speaking evil because your hearts are evil!”
We often think and talk as if the opposite were true. “Yeah I know I said that, but I didn’t really mean it! It’s not who I really am! I just slipped up.”
The Bible says what comes out of our mouths and lives is rooted in what’s in our heart.
What have you said or done lately that’s troubled you? What does it say about your heart?
Recognizing all fruit comes from the heart is the second step to understanding why our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
Maybe you’re concerned so you decide to try to have a better heart.
No shortage of self-help books, movies, conferences, etc. about how to be a better you!
But as we’ll see in a few weeks in vv. 43-45, self-transformation doesn’t work!
There’s something deeper going on here...
3) All Hearts Have a TREASURE
3) All Hearts Have a TREASURE
Do you ever wonder how the Pharisees could see the same miracles the disciples saw, hear the same teaching, and yet reject Jesus while others believed? What was the difference?
You could say the difference was “their hearts!” And that’s true as far as it goes. But the answer is a little deeper than that.
12:35—The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
We do what we do and say what we say because of what we treasure on the inside. Our actions flow from what we treasure!
This is the same point Jesus was making in...
Matthew 6:19-21, 24—Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also . . . . No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Everybody lives for some kind of treasure
It may be lasting treasure in heaven or fading treasures on earth, but you treasure something
It may be something tangible (car, house, boat, job, collection, etc.) or immaterial (comfort, pleasure, approval, etc.)
Whatever you treasure will control you
12:35—The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
No matter how hard Smeagol tries to be good, he cannot keep it up because his heart is treasuring the wrong thing. The ring is his precious. But despite all it’s power, the One Ring isn’t strong enough to carry the weight of Smeagol’s affections. So Smeagol becomes Gollum because his heart is treasuring the wrong thing!
What do you treasure?
What do you talk about the most?
What do you think about when your mind wanders?
What do you crave when you’re sick, sad, lonely, or angry?
What are you afraid of?
Our fears are the flip sides of our treasures.
If I treasure your acceptance, I’ll be terrified of your rejection
What do you sacrifice for?
Everybody sacrifices! Usually we’re most willing to sacrifice our time, money, energy, etc. for the things we treasure the most.
Recognizing all hearts have a treasure is the third step to understanding why our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
Maybe you’re concerned, so you decide to treasure the right things.
But how do you know if you’re treasuring the wrong things anyways?
Thankfully Jesus tells us...
4) All Words are MIRRORS
4) All Words are MIRRORS
What’s a mirror do? It shows you you. Your words are mirrors to show you your heart. Like treasure maps, they reveal what we treasure.
Jesus says one of the best way to tell what somebody’s heart treasures is what their mouth says.
But it’s not just any words that reveal this. It’s when your speech is most unguarded and carefree that your heart is revealed.
12:36—I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak
The word “careless” is often translated lazy.
"Lazy” words are throwaway words, the things we say when we’re hungry, angry, sad, not thinking, under the influence, unguarded, behind a screen, etc.
Like the Mirror of Erised shows whatever the person wants most, your most careless and unguarded words show what you treasure!
As I was preparing for this sermon, the Lord convicted me about the way I had talked with some of my closest friends. Especially Holly.
When you hear me talk up here on a Sunday, these are carefully prepared, studied, edited words. And they should be.
But Holly often hears my most unguarded words. Again, as it should be.
What convicted me is that often in my conversations with her about some particular challenge I would speak angry, unkind words. Not towards her, but towards other people that frustrated me.
Two things I can do:
(1) stuff those feelings down a bit deeper, never again to see the light of day
(2) untangle them and figure out what they’re saying about my heart
Where is your speech most unguarded? How do you speak in your most unguarded moments? What do your words say about your heart?
CHALLENGE: Ask your best friend sometime this week, “what do my words say about my heart?”
Recognizing all our words are mirrors is the fourth step to understanding why our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
Maybe you’re concerned so you decide to only say the right things.
How long will you be able to keep that up? How long until you slip up and say something you shouldn’t?
Besides, it’s already too late because...
5) All Fruit Will be JUDGED
5) All Fruit Will be JUDGED
12:36—I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak
Last August I was summoned to York General District Court to give an account before the honorable Judge Stephen Hudgins about an incident a few months before when I was caught driving with a cell phone in my hand. Thankfully I did not have to give an account for every time I drove with a cell phone in my hand. Or every time I violated a traffic law in the commonwealth of Virginia. Not to mention the other states where I’ve driven.
Jesus says on judgment day we will all appear before a Judge. And we will all give an account for every careless word.
Every angry word when someone cuts you off on the highway
Every typed word in a heated text message conversation
Every word of gossip whispered to a friend
Every comment on social media
Every bitter word spoken about the person who’s hurt you
Every lie, every complaint, every boast, every insult, every profanity, every flattery, every word that tears down instead of builds up
Why?
12:37—for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
The Protestant Reformers opposed the Roman Catholic church’s teaching of justification by works because they rightly understood Paul teaches we are justified by faith alone
Jesus is not teaching justification by words. Much like in the book of James, Jesus uses the word “justification” differently.
For Paul, “justified” is righteousness declared
For Jesus and James, “justified” is righteousness demonstrated
Your words will demonstrate whether you are righteous or not.
On judgment day, your words are like a spiritual EKG that reveal the state of your heart
What will the fruit of your life reveal on judgment day?
Recognizing all our fruit will be judged is the fifth step to understanding why our only hope to stand before a holy God is a new heart.
According to a 2007 study, the average person speaks about 16,000 words a day. [5] If we added the words we type or text, it would be much higher.
Even giving account for one day is a sobering thought. When you spread that out over a lifetime it’s staggering.
What hope do we have to stand before a holy God?
6) All We Need is THE GOSPEL
6) All We Need is THE GOSPEL
The Gospel = Good News
This Good News is our only hope to stand before a holy God!
Often summarized by four words: God, Man, Christ, Response
We see those four truths in our passage...
God
God
Verses 33-37
He is the holy Judge to whom everyone must give an account
But how do people respond to the righteous judge?
Man
Man
12:38-39a—Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,
They had already seen and heard plenty!
Heard Him teach with authority, unlike their scribes
Seen him heal the sick, cast out demons, make the lame walk and the blind see, cleanse the leper, and raise the dead
Why did they still reject Jesus?
This is the normal response of the human heart!!!
Romans 3:10-12—As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
This is why fruit stapling won’t work!
This is pretty bad news! It is, if the story ends here...
Christ
Christ
12:39b-40—but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus says, “I’m not here to do magic tricks!”
Why is He here?
To live a sinless life—He never spoke careless, sinful words!
To die a sinner’s death in our place—He was punished as if He had spoken all the sinful words we spoke!
To rise from the dead to prove that He alone can save!
That’s the sign that Jesus gives!
Evangelism tip: keep pointing unbelievers to the cross and the empty tomb!
How have you responded to the death and resurrection of Jesus?
How am I supposed to respond?
Response
Response
12:41-42—The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
In the book of Jonah, the Ninevites repented when they heard Jonah’s preaching.
Jesus says, “I’m greater than Jonah! If they repented when Jonah came to Nineveh, you should repent when I come to you!”
Have you repented of your sin?
Admit your inability to stand before God on your own. Your sin is too great! Tell Him you’re sorry!
In 2 Chronicles 9, the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s wisdom she came to see for herself.
Jesus says, “I’m greater than Solomon! If the queen came to Solomon, you should come to me!”
Have you come to Jesus in faith?
Trust you can only stand before a holy God because Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sinner’s death in your place!
When that happens, we receive a new heart!
2 Corinthians 5:17—Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Now of course, this doesn’t mean we no longer speak the wrong words or treasure the wrong things.
But it does mean a change has begun.
Like Eustace in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. He was such a beast of a boy that he eventually turned into an actual beast. Until he met Aslan.
After that meeting C.S. Lewis writes, “It would be nice, and fairly nearly true, to say that ‘from that time forth Eustace was a different boy’. To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses. There were still many days when he could be very tiresome. But . . . the cure had begun.” [4]
When Alex Bodella got a new heart, it didn’t end all his heart problems. But the cure had begun!
Has the cure begun in your life?
If it has, it is only by the work of Jesus! Confess to Him your sinful words and silly treasures, then receive bread and cup with joy!
If it hasn’t, it can today! Repent and believe!
Get children from PBC Kids after we pray
Prayer of Thanksgiving
LORD’S SUPPER
1 Cor 11:23-28—“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
Jesus and you moment as you pray silently, preparing your heart for Communion
Confess sin to God and (if necessary) to others
PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GRACE!!!
Jesus and others moment as you come to a table, one of our pastors prays over you, and you eat the bread in a small group of friends/family
Sit and pray as long as you need. Then when you’re ready, just walk towards the front and gather around a table in groups of 3-5 or so
If you’re uncomfortable coming to a table because you’ve been sick or you’re just being very careful not to get sick, just remain in your seat and put your hand up and one of our deacons will bring the bread and cup to you
Jesus and everybody moment as we take the cup together as a church family
After you eat the bread, you’ll walk down the side aisles back to your seat while we wait for everyone to finish then we'll eat the bread together
More important than how we celebrate communion is who:
Christian: This is Jesus' gift to encourage you! Receive it with joy!
Not a Christian: Don’t receive the symbol, receive the reality. If you're ready to receive Him today you can come to one of the tables and talk to one of our pastors. Let us know of your desire to give your life to Jesus and we’ll happily drop everything to talk and pray with you. If you're not ready to do that today just remain in your seat.
Bow your head and prepare your heart while Cliff plays
When you’re ready, come to any of the tables
After everyone has had the bread...
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Let’s sing together
Hallelujah What a Savior
Benediction (Romans 15:5-6)