Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ¹²  Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”

 ¹⁷  “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?

 ¹⁸  “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

 ¹⁹  “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

 ²⁰  “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”  Matthew 15:1, 2, 8, 11, 12, and 17-20. 

None of us worry now about whether or not we wash our hands before we eat as a matter of religious practice that we should follow.  We don’t worry about defiling ourselves, although as a matter of common sense, we may worry about physical contamination, as compared to spiritual contamination, if we eat with dirty hands.  So, I don’t think the lesson is, at least primarily, one of freedom in Christ.   

Rather, the lesson in these verses is the importance of a clean heart as compared to the relative non-importance of clean hands.  We covered this point just a bit in our last devotion, as one among several points, but this devotion will be devoted to this one point.

Jesus explains his statement in Matthew 15:11:   “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”  He states in Matthew 15:17-19:   “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?  “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.   “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”    

It is a lot easier to clean one’s hands than to clean one’s heart.  As is stated Proverbs 20:9:  “Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,  I am pure from my sin”?”

Where do we go from here?  When I did a word search for “heart” at the Gateway web site, there were 805 entries!  Click here: BibleGateway.com – Keyword Search: heart  I have selected two entries and will talk about those verses.

 ³⁶  and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.”  Matthew 14:34-36.   

This section of Scripture is very short, but it is worthy of a separate devotion.  I liked the powerful simplicity of this message.

It is stated here that “the men of that place recognized Him”. 

Do we recognize Jesus when we read Scripture?  Or, do we pass Him by to teach a good moral lesson that is on our agenda?  Jesus said in John 5:39:  “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”

Do we recognize Jesus when we consider a church and a denomination to attend?  Is He the focus of that church or denomination?  Do they have a passion for Him?  But, most importantly, do they have a true understanding of Him based on Scripture? 

Do we recognize Jesus when we see activities by other Christians?  We may consider joining them or financially supporting them or encouraging them or praying for them.  

It is stated here that “they sent word into all that surrounding district”. 

After we recognize the presence of Jesus, do we send word into all the surrounding district? 

There are many means by which word can be sent.  There is personal word of mouth.  There are telephone calls.  There is mail.  There are emails.  There are web sites.  There is newspaper advertising.  There are pamphlets, magazines, books, and other written publications.  I have seen vehicles with messages written outside.  I have seen airplanes pulling banners. 

It is stated here that they “brought to Him all who were sick”. 

Do we also bring people to Him?  It is easy to invite someone to church.   But, it is much more of an effort but much more effective to pick that person up and bring them to church, sit with them, and then maybe even bring them home for Sunday dinner after church. 

It is stated here that “as many as touched it (Jesus’ cloak) were cured.” 

“O taste and see that the LORD is good;  How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”  Psalm 34:8

Would it help anyone to admire Jesus, and maybe even talk about Jesus, without “touching” Him?  Yet, there are those who do so, but they are unwilling or do not take time to attend church and read Scripture and pray. 

We may scorn those who don’t, and we may feel quite proud that we do attend church and read Scripture and pray, but do we really “touch” Jesus as we should?

Notice the passion of Paul for Christ, for the righteousness that comes from God, and for the resurrection from the dead, in the following Scripture.  Notice that Paul did not consider having “obtained it or have already become perfect”.  He states:  “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

“⁷  But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

 ⁸  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

 ⁹  and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

 ¹⁰  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

 ¹¹  in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

 ¹²  Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

 ¹³  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

 ¹⁴  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 ¹⁵  Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

 ¹⁶however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”  Philippians 3:7-16.

 ³  For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.

 ⁴  For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

 ⁵  Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet.

 ⁶  But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,

 ⁷  so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

 ⁸  Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

 ⁹  Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests.

 ¹⁰  He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.

 ¹¹  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

 ¹²  His disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.”  Matthew 14:1-12. 

At first reading, our thoughts may dwell on the cruelty of Herod and the dancer and her mother.  We may think:  “How unfortunate and sad!” 

It is sad, and grief is appropriate.  But, it is not unfortunate in the sense that it was out of God’s sovereign control.  John the Baptist himself said:  “”He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John 3:30  It is also not a random response by Herod who said:  “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”  There is also a little truth in that statement.  These conclusions do not take away the sin of this beheading from the responsible parties:  Herod, the dancer, and her mother, but these conclusions can help us better understand that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28. 

The thought occurred to me today that so many Christians, even “fundamental” Christians, believe in creation and scoff at the idea of evolution.  Yet, inconsistently, many of these same Christians, even “fundamental” Christians, approach history as “evolving”.  Their mantra is “free will”, and they think God and man continually need to respond to an endless line of arbitrary, random actions of sinful man.  Their view of history is the “H.S.” of “Helter Skelter”, not the “H.S.” of “His Story”. 

As much as we get upset about the scientific origin and development of the biological world being promoted as evolution, should we not get much more upset about history being promoted as “Helter Skelter”?

We need to be reminded that God remains on His throne in total control no matter what even kings may do. 

^“1  Why are the nations in an uproar
         And the peoples devising a vain thing?
    ²  The kings of the earth take their stand
         And the rulers take counsel together
         Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
    ³  “Let us tear their fetters apart
         And cast away their cords from us!”
    ⁴  He who sits in the heavens laughs,
         The Lord scoffs at them.
    ⁵  Then He will speak to them in His anger
         And terrify them in His fury, saying,
    ⁶  “But as for Me, I have installed My King
         Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
    ⁷  “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
         He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
         Today I have begotten You.
    ⁸  ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
         And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
    ⁹  ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
         You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”
    ¹⁰  Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
         Take warning, O judges of the earth.
    ¹¹  Worship the LORD with reverence
         And rejoice with trembling.
    ¹²  Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
         For His wrath may soon be kindled
         How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm Chapter 2.

  ⁴⁷  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind;

 ⁴⁸  and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.

 ⁴⁹  “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,

 ⁵⁰  and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 ⁵¹  “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.”

 ⁵²  And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”  Matthew 13:44-52.

Here we have the Kingdom of Heaven Treasures:  hidden in the field, displayed in the marketplace, dragged in from the sea, and revealed by the saints.  What a contrast!

Let us look at Scripture which may give us further insights into the kingdom of heaven for each of these descriptions.

There is a sense that the kingdom of hidden is like a hidden treasure.  Proverbs 2:3-5 states:  
   ^“3  For if you cry for discernment,
         Lift your voice for understanding;
    ⁴  If you seek her as silver
         And search for her as for hidden treasures;
    ⁵  Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
         And discover the knowledge of God.”  Proverbs 2:3-5.  (Emphasis added.)

There is a sense that the kingdom of heaven is like a pearl displayed in the marketplace.  Everyone saw the pearl.  Everyone had the chance to buy the pearl.  But, few paid the price to get the pearl.  “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”  Romans 1:20-21.  We see creation everywhere which displays the glorious attributes of God.  We also have churches in every marketplace which also display the glorious attributes of God.  But, few truly pay the price necessary to obtain Him. 

There is a sense that the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet.  There are the good fish, and there are the bad fish.  There is the wheat, and there are the tares.  There are the sheep, and there are the goats.  God is sovereign and will separate the good from the bad, and God will throw the bad into hell and bring the good into heaven.  “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 13:49-50. 

There is a sense that the kingdom of heaven is revealed by the saints out of the treasure within their hearts as is stated above in Matthew 13:52:  “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”  “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.”  Matthew 7:17.  “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.”  Matthew 12:35. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”   2 Corinthians 4:7

 ³³  He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”

 ³⁴  All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.

 ³⁵  This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
         “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES;
         I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”  Matthew 13:31-35.  (Emphasis added.)  

 ³  And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;

 ⁴  and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

 ⁵  “Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.

 ⁶  “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

 ⁷  “Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.

 ⁸  “And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

 ⁹  “He who has ears, let him hear.”  Matthew 13:1-9. 

  ¹⁸  “Hear then the parable of the sower.

 ¹⁹  “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

 ²⁰  “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

 ²¹  yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

 ²²  “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

 ²³  “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”  Matthew 13:18-23.  

Although this is perhaps the best known parable, it gives me the greatest pause on what to write.  One could focus on the four different places where the seed (the Word) was sown. 

But, I am struck by one overall and simple message.  We should sow God’s Word liberally and broadly.  You will notice that the sower did not seem to sow carefully in one place.  The sower liberally and broadly sowed the seed.  We too should preach and teach God’s Word liberally and broadly.  

“⁶  Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

 ⁷  Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

 ⁸  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

 ⁹  as it is written,
         “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR,
         HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.”

 ¹⁰  Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

 ¹¹you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

 ¹²  For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

 ¹³  Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,

 ¹⁴  while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

 ¹⁵  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:6-15. 

Let us not try to figure out who are the Elect and only preach and teach them God’s Word.  Let us not try to figure out who would be most receptive to God’s Word and only preach and teach them God’s Word.  But, rather let us sow God’s Word liberally and broadly (“bountifully”).  Let us trust God, as promised above in 2 Corinthians 9:10, that He will give us more seed and increase our harvest.

 ⁴⁸  But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”

 ⁴⁹  And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!

 ⁵⁰  “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”  Matthew 12:46-50.  

Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“our Lord teaches a very useful doctrine;  for he admits all his disciples and all believers to the same honorable rank, as if they were his nearest relatives, or rather he places them in the room of his mother and brethren

He tells us also, that there is no tie of relationship more sacred than spiritual relationship, because we ought not to think of him according to the flesh, but according to the power of his Spirit which he has received from the Father to renew men, so that those who are by nature the polluted and accursed seed of Abraham begin to be by grace the holy and heavenly sons of God.

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven.  When he says that they do the will of his Father, he does not mean that they fulfill, in a perfect manner, the whole righteousness of the law;  for in that sense the name brother, which is here given by him to his disciples, would not apply to any man.  But his design is, to bestow the highest commendation on faith, which is the source and origin of holy obedience, and at the same time covers the defects and sins of the flesh, that they may not be imputed.

Although these words seem to imply that Christ has no regard to the ties of blood, yet we know that in reality he paid the strictest attention to human order, and discharged his lawful duties towards relatives;  but points out that, in comparison of spiritual relationship, no regard, or very little, is due to the relationship of the flesh.  Let us therefore attend to this comparison, so as to perform all that nature can justly claim, and, at the same time, not to be too strongly attached to flesh and blood.  Again, as Christ bestows on the disciples of his Gospel the inestimable honor of being reckoned as his brethren, we must be held guilty of the basest ingratitude, if we do not disregard all the desires of the flesh, and direct every effort towards this object.”

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses –