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Form Versus Content

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A recurring theme throughout Jesus' ministry was to show the difference between being religious and being spiritual. To be right with God, you must move beyond external religious behavior and embrace inner spirituality. That is what having a relationship with Jesus Christ is about.

 

Matthew 15 is the story of religious leaders confronting Jesus about their list of do's and don'ts. Jewish leaders had tacked on certain laws, rituals, and customs as a way of interpreting and applying God's law to daily life. To a Pharisee, the traditions were superior to the scripture. They "called Jesus on the carpet" because He and his disciples didn't keep them.

 

Jesus' responses to the Pharisee’s teach us what we can do to avoid this same mentality. Settling for surface-level spirituality is a sin, it's just not enough.

• Surface-level religion allows us to look for loopholes, there are no loopholes. God wants an obedient heart.
• Surface-level religion encourages us to substitute fancy words for heartfelt devotion, there are no substitutes. God wants your heart to be fully devoted.
• Surface-level religion tempts us to replace purity with appearances; there is no replacement for purity. God wants to change you.

 

 

 

 

FORM VERSES CONTENT

Matthew 15:1 - 11

To be right with God, you have to move beyond the limits of external religious behavior and embrace inner spirituality.

 

1. There Is No Loophole For Obedience.

"And why do break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? Matthew 15:3 NIV

 

A tradition had developed that allowed a person to pledge his possessions to the Temple upon his death.

 

This was to supersede any responsibility requiring generosity to those in need.

 

Many still use loopholes to avoid Christian responsibility. 

 

• If you do something wrong, it frees me of doing right.
• I know I'm supposed to tithe, but God wants me to take care of my family, too, and I can't afford to do both.
• I can't tithe because I'm too far in debt, and God wants me to get out of debt, doesn't he?
• I don't give money to my church, but I give my time.

 

No loopholes give you permission to sin.

 

2. There Is No Substitute For Love.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. Matthew 15: 8-9 NIV

 

God does not just want your religious talk he wants your heart.

 

The wedding ceremony is full of symbolic traditions but if the couple hasn’t given their hearts to one another, trading rings isn't going to keep their marriage together.

 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37 NIV

 

3. There Is No Replacement For Purity.

But things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' Matthew 15:18 NIV

 

Externals do not replace the necessity of a pure heart.

 

Dressing, looking, and talking the part cannot compensate for evil thoughts or deeds.

 

It is a question of form vs. content. Packaging is secondary; what matters is what's on the inside.

 

The Challenge: Dig a little deeper in your spiritual life, God’s desire for you is an obedient, loving, and pure heart.