“The Heart of Jesus from the Cross”
Matthew 15:18

Introduction

• Matthew 4:4…But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
• In Matthew 4:4 Jesus is telling us how we are to live our lives. The KJV is not that hard to understand…

1. “Man shall not live by bread alone,” meaning, that it is not only food that should sustain us or keep us alive and healthy. God knows that our bodies require a physical consumption of food because He (God) created us.
2. “…but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Jesus (God in the flesh) tells us that we are to live and keep a healthy diet of God’s word (A spiritual consumption).

• More words of Jesus we notice in our text verse of Matthew 15:18…But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
• This chapter 15 of Matthew gives this parable that Jesus spoke during a debate (argument) about the traditions of the church. The biggest issue was the Pharisees were all bent out of shape because some of Jesus disciples didn’t wash their hands before eating.
• This was a tradition created by the elders of the church not of God.
• I might add here that this is much like our world today. Not only church leaders, but world leaders and judges and such have allowed anyone and everyone to keep adding to the laws that God laid down for man to follow which has created more of a burden for the people to be able to remember every law passed and enforced.
• In this verse Jesus was telling the leaders that they were more concerned about their rules being ignored out of rebellion when the church leaders themselves were guilty of ignoring and rebelling the Law of God by their traditions.
• We are all guilty of this, aren’t we? We are always pointing out the faults of others when we have a handful of faults that we haven’t confessed.
• What I believe that God wants us to see this morning is this… “Matthew 15:18…But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;” In other words… If you want to know the heart of a person…pay close attention to their words. They tell you a lot.
• This morning, I believe we need to pay close attention to the words of Jesus from the cross to understand His heart that we are to be replicating.

 

I. Forgiving Others

  A) The heart of the world

• For the sake of time this morning I will not go through every trial as we have before, but remember this…Every trial Jesus faced, every judgment that Jesus experienced was not about pleasing God but rather to please themselves and to appease their guilty conscience.
• I have noticed that almost every law passed by man today is about trying to please one another or please a certain race, group, or agenda and not once is it about pleasing God. This is the heart of the world
• We as God’s children, followers of Christ are supposed to be examples by being a light (understanding) of God leading this world in the ways of God.
• The problem is that everyone wants to be a leader and lead their own way and not God’s way.
• After Jesus went from court to court, and judge to judge during the early morning hours, he is finally coming to the place of His execution in John 19:16…Then delivered he (Pilate) him (Jesus) therefore unto them (the Jews) to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him 17) And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18) Where they (The Roman soldiers by the judgment of the Jews) crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
• The comedy and disrespect at Calvary by Pilate and the Jews 19) And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
• I personally believe that this was not Pilate’s mocking of Jesus but rather Pilates way of making a political statement that this was not a man who was trying to become a King over Israel and take His position, but rather a King that the Jews had appointed to be King.
• Remember that Pilate washed his hands of the guilty charge and now this writing was his final act to pass the sentence of treason upon this man called Jesus.
• Verse 20) This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and 21) Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22) Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
• When Pilate said “What I have written I have written” I believe it to be what God had inspired Him to write because it is the truth. He was their King! He was their hope of eternal life. He was God’s Son, the promised Messiah.
• But we see that they rejected Him as their King in verse 21… Write not, The King of the Jews.
• Let me ask you this morning, “What would you have done if you were a priest here in Jesus time after witnessing a man (Jesus, God in the flesh) that always seemed to defy the church leaders, a man that taught heresies of the church, and a man would pull church members from your fold, a man who claimed to be God’s Son throwing out the money changers elected by leaders of the church, a man who did not discipline his followers to wash their hands before eating?” What would you do?
• The heart of the world is to “get even” or “make them pay for what they did to me.” They ignore the words of God in Romans 12:19…Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
• Back in John 19:23 we see the heart of the world …Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24) They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
• Whenever a person was condemned (received a death sentence) it was common practice to give their sandals, clothing, head dress and etc. or whatever they were carrying upon the arrest to the executioners. The Roman soldiers however felt it necessary to take Jesus clothing.
• Their heart is not concerned that an innocent man is dying, but rather what they might gain from His death.
• John doesn’t mention the words of Jesus here at this moment of crucifixion but Luke does in Luke 23:34…Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
• Jesus said that “…they know not what they do” because Jesus knew their hearts. If these people knew what they were doing, they would not be doing it. This is why Jesus had to die for our sins… We think we know what we are doing but in reality we know not what we do.
• THANK GOD FOR HIS SON! Thank almighty God who sacrificed His Son to be a redeemer of sinful mankind.

II.  Caring for Family

  A) Taking care of His immediate family

• John 19:26…When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
• First of all, Jesus looked at His mother (Mary) and asked her to look at John as a son that would provide for her after Jesus was gone. Mary’s husband Joseph was dead already and now she was homeless without Jesus to follow and take care of her. In those days, children were to care for their parents.
• Jesus heart was shown here out of a concern for His mother’s welfare. Jesus knew her position. He knew she was poor, a widow, and a woman worthy of God’s blessings.
• Question: Where was Jesus’ other siblings? Why were they not there to comfort their mother or their Brother.
• They were not at the cross because they cared for the world and gave credit to the world’s accusations. Their heart was not the heart of God. Their heart was not to care for others.
• You know the funny thing about this? In all Jesus words on the cross, not one was a question about “Where is James, Joseph, Simon, Judas (not Judas Iscariot), and sisters?”
• I think it is amazing that at Jesus worst hour, He can be concerned for His mother.
• What or who do we think of in our worst hour? Personally I think of God and how He can help me make it through this tough time.

B) Taking care of His Church family

• Secondly, Jesus asked John to look at Mary as a mother figure by taking care of her needs. 27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
• John was not a blood brother of Jesus. He was considered a very close friend who is like a brother to Jesus especially the way Christ treated him all through his apostleship.
• John was one of many church family members to Jesus. Jesus cared for the church, sacrificed Himself for the church, and loved the church.
• We are to be like Christ in sacrificial giving of our time, talents and tithes.

III.    Being Thirsty

  A) Meaning of thirst

• John 19:28…After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
• As was the case here in this verse at this time Jesus was thirsty due to the high fever and agonizing pain of being wounded in His hands, feet, head, and etc. which crucifixion causes.
• I believe that it also has a deeper meaning as you look at another meaning which also applies here. Another meaning of thirst is … “any strong desire.”
• I believe that Jesus not only had a strong desire to obtain a drink of water that would give Him some relief, I believe He had a strong desire to be with His Father (God).
• The first time Jesus used the word “thirst” was in His Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5:6…Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
• I also believe that Jesus thirsted for that righteousness after bearing all the weight of the sins in this world upon Him as He hung upon that cross.
• Do we as followers of God’s Son Jesus Christ have this same desire to be righteous? Do we also have the same desire to be with our Father in heaven?

IV. Finishing Your Work

  A) What is “it?”

• Look at Jesus final words on the cross in John 19:30…When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
• When Jesus said “It is finished,” What is “it?” I mean, what was finished?
• His work on earth was finished. All His teaching and preaching, all His example giving, all His work that God asked Him to do, all His atoning for sin was complete.
• I remember as a kid growing up my father taught me several things about working…

1. Don’t start something you can’t finish.
2. If you see something that needs to be done…do it. Because if you wait on someone else to do it, it may never get done.
3. Any Job worth doing is worth doing right.
4. If you don’t take the time to do your job right, then don’t do it at all.

• My dad was one of the smartest men I know. He was not perfect, he made mistakes as a father as we all do. But I truly thank God for giving me a good man with good ethics and morals to lead me through life the best way he knew how.
• More importantly I am thankful for my heavenly Father he teaches me and guides me in the best way for me to walk.
• What about you today, are we living the words of our Lord from the cross?