“Excellent Hearts"
September 2, 2012
The 14th Sunday of Ordinary Tine
A.K.A.
Kingdomtide
and
Time of the Church
Deuteronomy 4: 1 – 9/Psalm 15/Ephesians 6: 10 – 20/Mark 7:1 - 8 14 - 15;21 -23
His Eminence
The Most Reverend Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines D.D.
Archbishop of Manila
and
Primate
of the
National Church in the Philippines
and
the Territorial Church of Asia
International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church
The lessons today guide us or instruct us in how we can have success in life. Scriptures, right from the very beginning, had challenged us to follow the principles of God, setting them as the guideline of our lives and out of our heart will flow that which is of God. Proverbs tells us to protect the heart, to guard it because out of it flow the very issues of life.
I doubt many understand this because life for us has become treacherous, difficult. Life has, in many cases, confusions. Instead of having the success or the abilities that God has given to us because we don’t understand where these things come from, we find ourselves struggling and battling.
From the beginning of Scriptures, we are taught that what God really wants is our whole heart. We are to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart. I wonder, “What is the desire of our heart?” Do we really understand having that desire? Do we comprehend its power and its ability that it has in each of our lives?
In the gospel today, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and some of the Scribes because they saw the disciples eating without first cleansing their hands according to the traditions that have been sent by man. “The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of the His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders. When they came from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.”
“And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, ‘Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?’ And He said to them, ‘Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandments of God, you hold to the tradition of men.’”
In our lives today, this fits where we are. God has given to us traditions, patterns, guidelines, doctrines, and commandments. And yet, we have set as the desires of our heart things that are contrary to what God has given to us. We follow what men say. We look at success according to the standards of men. We look at achievements according to what men say achievements are rather than listening to God that in so doing finding our lives filled with fulfillment, satisfaction, with joy and happiness.
The world today sets a course of prospering for themselves: setting their desires, their likes, and their rights according to what they want. They don’t care about anybody else. “It is my right.” In so doing, we have confusion and anxiety and in some places we have murders and suicides because our hearts are confused. We don’t realize that from the heart flows the life that we have.
Mark 7:14-16 says, “And after He called the multitude to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.” What comes out will determine what our life really is.
Verse 21, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornication, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” They come from the heart. They come out of man. It is not what is on the outside coming to defile man because if man does not bring them out of his heart, they will not defile him.
In our lives, we allow ourselves to set in our hearts things that are not what they should be. We allow anger and unforgiveness. We allow bitterness to have a place in our hearts. In that place then comes out the revenge, the evil thoughts, murders, and adultery. It is from the heart that these things come. It is not because of temptation on the outside. It is because we have planted within us, in the heart, those things which will eventually destroy us if they are not the principles and the things of God.
In many of our lives, we have no desires that are prominent. Scriptures says God will give us the desires of our heart. Do we know what our desires are? Do we lust for flesh? Is this what we meditate on? Is this what we plant in our hearts? Do we lust for material things? Does this become such a prominent part of our thoughts, our minds, and our dreams that they literally become a part of our hearts? That from there we are driven, we are brought forth with that desire being prominent in all that we do? It is the things that we do that demonstrate what we are within our hearts. If we don’t understand that, we find ourselves confused.
We have today a very selfish, self-centered society around us. Scriptures teach us tell us that from the beginning of life, the intent of a man’s heart are evil from his youth. This is from Genesis 8. Do we understand that those things that are there from the beginning, they are not the things that are necessarily of God?
You go back and you go through life and the development of a child. One of the first things that a child comes up with is, “Mine.” This is self-centeredness. If a parent does not correct that, that child grows up to think that only his thoughts and his wants count. This is why we have today the “rights societies” – rights in this area, rights in that area because we have never been corrected to destroy that self-centeredness and become a part of society, become a part of community, become a part of family.
It is not just me and what I want, but it is my understanding of fitting together, molding together as a part of what is around me. In so doing, I don’t always get everything I want, but if I have been taught properly as a child, and Scriptures says, “Train up a child in the way that he should go,” the child has to know that there are times that he doesn’t get his way. There are times when he has to be quiet and silent. There are times when correction comes to help him understand these are not acceptable things.
The heart brings forth the very beauty of life if only we train it properly. If we set the principles of Christ within us, the principles that God has given to us from the very beginning, out of the heart will flow the very issues that give us life, success, and happiness. We see frustrations around us today because people haven’t been taught to have a desire. When you have a desire, nothing will stop you from fulfilling that desire. You may not have the money to take care of it, but somehow you will make it work, you will make it happen. Maybe things around you are against you, but it will not stop you.
We desire to build our nation to a place of strength and power, but we haven’t been taught that we can change the circumstances if only we would stick to our principles and have the desires to see things happen. Christ shares this with us. He will give us the desire of our heart. What is the desire of our heart?
Many people have the desire to go overseas and work rather than building our nation and causing our nation to rise up in its ability to take care of itself and to prosper in what God has given to us. We are a very wealthy, wealthy nation; and yet, as a people, in our hearts, we have trained ourselves to think poverty. We have trained ourselves to think impossible. We have trained ourselves to think, “The only way I can survive is to get out of this country.” The heart controlling us; the heart setting the course and the direction and so if that is what is in our hearts, if we follow the Scriptures, God will give us the desire of our heart. If you want failure, poverty, you will have it because that is your desire.
God has shown to us principles that literally bring life to us. It is showing to us the very beauty of God. Being created in the image of God, in His likeness, there is a certain amount of elegance, power, strength and ability that comes in having life itself. Life is not weak; life is not wasted; life is powerful if only we have faith in it and we understand it.
Deuteronomy says that we turn to the Lord with all of our heart. What is in our heart? Do we want to be prosperous? Are we wanting in our hearts to have degrees or to have things that we own? Or are we putting in our hearts the things that bring glory and praise to God and not to us?
Much of what we desire is to bring glory to “me”. “It is to bring praise to me. I want people to see me. I want people to recognize what I can do.” What the Scriptures teach us is that in everything we do, we bring praise to God and glory to Him. It doesn’t mean that we will be poor and be without. Probably we will prosper much more readily when we are giving glory and honor to God. He is the One to whom all these is due.
When Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, He wasn’t talking about washing your hands before your eat. He wasn’t talking about going through all the traditions of man before the things of the flesh. He was talking about the heart. He was talking about those things which are within. He was talking about purity that when we read the Scriptures, we are reading them with an understanding of knowing God and building a relationship with Him.
We are looking at the inner purity, the purity of heart that does not allow us greed, lust. It does not build on anger, un-forgiveness, and bitterness. Instead, it builds us on the very principles of God. If that heart is filled with the love of God, which He has given, which He has put in our hearts, that love will make our life reflect the love of God. It will be out of the heart that all these things take place keeping the precepts that are indicative of a relationship with God.
If we have this relationship with God, first we are secure. Second, we have peace. We have confidence and security, and then our whole life is based on that. We are not frustrated; we are not anxious and filled with nervousness and anxiety. Instead there is a realm of peace that overwhelms our being because the heart has the peace of Christ dwelling within it.
We don’t have a destructive behavior. This peace will not us want to destroy people. We would not think of gossiping about a brother or a sister. Instead, if there is a problem, we will come right to their side to assist and to help rather than trying to destroy them. The heart that God has given to us, out of it flow the very issues of life.
If Christ is in the heart, love flows out of the heart. If Christ is in the heart, peace is in the heart. It does not mean that there will be those moments of anxiety. It doesn’t mean that there will be the lack of conflict, but it means that even in the midst of these things, the assurance, the confidence of Christ’s presence with us brings us to a point of confidence, strength, security and peace.
Much of today’s problems are due to a lack of peace in the heart, due to a lack of diligence as far as making certain that we know what we want. What we want is the most important thing in our lives. If we have that diligently entrenched within us, we will see things around us that will bring forth glory and honor to God. If the mouth speaks that of which is in the heart, the good man out of the good treasure brings forth that which is good. The evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil.
When we dream, think, scheme or spend our time thinking how that we can overcome, how that we can set aside others and take their place, these things eventually show the weakness of our character. Instead of being the character that is built around love and compassion, we see frustration, anxiety, and destruction coming out of our hearts.
If we have truly Christ dwelling within us, our attitude toward others is to help, to be of assistance to them, and to build them up rather than trying to tear them down. Not sharing their weakness, not uncovering their sins, but instead reaching out to lift them up and to bring them to a point wherein they can have hope and joy.
In the Old Testament reading today, God says, “Listen, so that you may live and that you may take possession of the land that I have given to you.” God has prepared great things for each of us. God has prepared a kingdom. The Old Testament imagery is a land of milk and honey. But in possessing and taking it, we have to listen to Him and be careful to make certain that we get His directions and we follow what He says.
Deuteronomy 4:6 says, “Keep and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” Would we not want people to think of us in such a way rather than seeing us as a threat to them? Rather than seeing us as that which is trying to destroy their character and their position? Would they not see us, if we are walking where God wants us to be, as that which is strengthening them and helping them?
Verse 9, “Keep your soul diligently, lest you forget…lest they depart from you.” Have we become so consumed with the world’s system around us that we have forgotten the very principles of God? Have we forgotten the very respect that God gives to us? What is our desire in our heart? Is it only for me? Is it always to make certain that I am the thing that is seen, the most or heard the most, or the one who is in control?
If we look at our nation today, we see a people who are very self-centered. The way they drive their automobiles, the way they will not stop for a red light. They think that they have the right to go through because, “I am the only important person on the planet?” To step out of an automobile and just hold up your hand as if you are the most important person around that everybody else have to stop.
For some reason, we have not learned respect. For some reason, we have not learned that we work together as a whole and we bring together the things that blend us to be strong. When we are only thinking of ourselves, we have nothing but destruction around us. We have nothing but confusion, bitterness and anger around us because we are not thinking of others, but we are thinking of “Me, my way.” We set appointments and we are not on time because, “I did not feel like doing it this way, at this time. I wasn’t quite ready yet. I didn’t push myself to agree to my time so I just come whenever I want.”
We have an appointment to meet God at nine o’clock in the morning. How many come in late because they are more important than meeting God? They see that it is not important to be on time. It is not important that we keep their word. It is more important that we satisfy ourselves and do what we want rather than realizing that I am a part of a Body, a community, a nation. In order to be a part, sometimes I have to give a little. Sometimes I have to step aside. Sometimes, I have to use understanding and wisdom rather than just thinking only of me, only of what I want, and only of what I believe is good.
Ephesians says that we are to be strong in the Lord. It is not to be strong in our own character, but to be strong in the Lord. In the strength of His might, He tells us to put on His armor. Put on His helmet. Put on His garments and walk on those things which then bring to us an imagery of the greatness of God. We are to clothe ourselves in His glory, not in our own recognition, our own identity and desires, but letting His very principles be the principle of our lives because He is the One who created life. He is the One who knows how life functions the best. He is the One that knows how things melt and how things are destroyed. He knows that if you function according to the ways things were made, that you are going to find happiness, security and prosperity.
Instead of listening to God, as we are commanded to do, we listen to ourselves. We listen to other people who give us instructions. Sometimes those instructions are not of God. We find ourselves almost as if we are in battle with God because our ways are not His ways. Our thoughts are not His thoughts. Our hearts have been perverted and we twisted the heart to take care of us rather than to bring forth that which is right and that which is glorious to Him.
This is a challenge for us. Psalm 15 says, “Who may abide in His tent? It is he who walks in integrity and works righteousness, and he who speaks truth in his heart.” Not excuses for excuses are only expressions, “I don’t have to pay attention to anything except what I want to do.” We give an excuse rather than speaking the truth and saying, “I did not want to do it. I felt that I was more important than that.” We come up with all the excuses to show the weakness of our character, to show that we cannot be trusted, to show that we are not worthy of what Christ has done.
This is now what Christ wants of us. This is why Ephesians says, “Put on the armor of God. Put on this which will give strength to your character.” This will give might to all that you do because God will give you the desire of your heart. We desire to be a witness for Him. He will guide us and help us in that. If we desire to build for Him, His kingdom, He will work with us in these areas.
Probably, most of us have set the desires of our hearts as selfish desires. We think we are the ones who are important. We think that we are the ones who deserve the attention and recognition rather than making certain that others have their needs met. Others are comforted, others are given respect and honor because it is there that we find our greatest praise. It is there that God gives us that which will bring glory and honor to us.
It is that which proceeds out of man that is what defiles man. It is from within. Out of the heart of men proceed the evil thoughts. What are we? Where are we? Do we see and feed our minds constantly meditating on things which are not righteous and well? Do we hold bitterness in our minds thinking of the ugliness or the rebellion of others rather than thinking of the things of God?
“The whole earth is filled with His glory.” Do we see it? Have we prepared our hearts to recognize the glory of God all around us? “His train fills the temple and temple is filled with His glory.” Do we recognize that? Do we see that? Do we experience that? Are we excited about what He is doing? What His hand is bringing into our lives? What is the desire of our heart?
We need to check our heart and make certain that the rights things are what we want and desire. We are not trying to fit in the world around us. We are trying to fit into the kingdom of God. Fitting there will make the world receive us because the gift makes room for us. When the gift that we have been given is brought out in its fullness, there will be room for us because the gift makes the room. Are we trying to open the doors or are we allowing the gift to bring that opening to us?
It is a challenge for us, but it is in Ordinary Time that God wants us to understand how we will succeed. How will we overcome? How will we see His glory around us? It will come out of the heart. What is in the heart? May we, as God’s people, make certain that in our hearts is the love of God. We see compassion in all things. We see patience even with the bus drivers, even with the taxi drivers because we have the love of God in our hearts.
It doesn’t mean that we succumb to them, but it means we have peace in the midst of the storm. We have confidence that in the storm, we will conquer and overcome. This peace will cause the storm to calm. May that be the hope in our hearts. Do we know our God? Do we know His provision in our lives? Do we recognize that He has chosen us? We don’t need to struggle. We don’t need to battle. He chose us. He appointed us a royal priesthood. Do we see ourselves in royalty? Do we set our hearts accordingly? Do we know ourselves to be a holy nation? Is this a part of what we are? Or are our minds, our hearts focused upon other things but we try to act righteous, and we try to do things on the outside? It is what is in the inside that God will judge. He judges the intentions of the heart. He judges what we are really made to be.
May we, as God’s people, evaluate our hearts and prepare it to be the throne room of God so that our very being flows life itself, the peace and the joy that comes in knowing the greatness of our God. Excellent hearts because God has taken away, through Christ, the sin, the iniquity. They do not have the right to stay any more. We must put on the garments. We must on the breast plate. We must put on the helmet of salvation. We must gird ourselves with the things of God. In so doing, we gain our strength, we gain our joy, and we gain the peace of knowing Him.
LET US CONTINUE OUR REFLECTION
WITH
HIS GRACE, THE MOST REVEREND ARCHBISHOP LUIS ANTONIO "CHITO" GOKIM TAGLE D.D.
ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA AND VENERABLE PRIMATE OF THE PHILIPPINES
THROUGH
THE WORD EXPOSED
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