When Will You Know? (St. Matthew 5:20-26)

If you drive through the city of Philadelphia — which I do often — you see a number of buildings with names on them …

— the Kimmel Center … concert hall 

— the Sidney Kimmel Medical Center

— the Honickman Center at Jefferson Hospital

— the Perelman Campus at Children’s Hospital 

… the list is literally endless.

There are a multitude of buildings named after their benefactors … those wealthy individuals who want to be recognized for their philanthropy.

We often read about Bill Gates … the founder of Microsoft … and how much he is giving away.

The other day there was the report that his net worth dropped 51 Billion dollars — his worth was now only $ 124 Billion!

It must be tough!

I think that it’s admirable that he wants to give away his fortune before he dies.

Some of the recipients of his money truly benefit many — those who are trying to eliminate polio and malaria … and those who want to improve the birth rate in 3^rd world countries.

Unfortunately … his foundation also supports many liberal and progressive causes.

As with the others … whose names are on buildings in Philadelphia … or whatever … school … university … 

… there is often the attitude of “look what I’m doing!”  “See how much good I am doing.” … or I want to be remembered long after I’m gone.

And yet … there seems to be a couple of Biblical principles that are missing.

I am reminded of what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: 

““But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.””

The other thing that is seen in all of this is that those who do these things … while in a way admirable and even necessary … think that there is an eternal significance to their works … 

… that is … that their good works will make them more acceptable to God … however they define Him.

However, in our Gospel Lesson … also from the Sermon on the Mount … we read in St. Matthew 5:20: ““ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.””

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The Biblical record would seem to indicate that this was early in the earthly ministry of Jesus … and already he is calling out the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees. 

In a way … Jesus is continuing what John the Baptizer had started.  

In St. Matthew 3, ““But when he (John the Baptizer) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?””

The context of our passage from Matthew 5 concerns the condition of the heart … not just the outward appearance.

The Pharisees and Scribes were the religious leaders of the Jews at the time of Christ.

They were meticulous in the keeping of the law, but their whole observance of the law was simply for outward appearances.

In Matthew 23 … where we read of our Savior’s condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees …

““The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.””

Notice clearly what Jesus says: ““But all their works they do to be seen by men.””

Later in that same chapter Jesus calls them blind guides and whitewashed tombs … that is looking good on the outside only.

But we also see in Matthew 23, why Jesus tells us that their works were for only others to see:

““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!””

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As we compare Scripture with Scripture we see that what the Scribes and Pharisees were essentially doing was making “faith”… or their religion — a list of does and don’ts … so people could see how “righteous” they were!

In other words … they made their faith a religion of works … essentially saying … look at me and what I don’t do … and what I do.

Unfortunately … there are some branches of Christianity that follow this same pattern … with a list of does and don’ts … don’t drink … don’t dance … do go the church every time the doors are unlocked … etc.

For those who try to earn their way to heaven … the question that always arises … is when will I know that I’ve done enough?  At what point am I confident that I have done enough to enter the Kingdom of Heaven when this earthly life is over.

The answer is that one can never know when they have done enough to earn their way into heaven … they don’t have any assurance … it’s always … I think so … or on balance, I think that I have done enough!

Yes … obedience to the law is essential … but it is the condition of the heart that really matters.

As we read in the Scriptures … our works … our goods … are the evidence of our faith … because they come from a heart that has been changed.

This is made clear as we continue in our passage from Matthew 5.

Jesus uses two examples to emphasize that faith must begin in the heart … one of which we read and one that we didn’t … you can read our Savior’s words concerning adultery following our Gospel portion.

Jesus tells us that murder and adultery begins in the heart … not just the outward … visible acts.

This is why Jesus says: ““For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.””

Now … we must notice clearly that Jesus is not condemning good works … in fact … as we read from Matthew 23 … these things still need to be done.

This past week saw the deaths of a number of “celebrities” … those who had been in the public eye.

When I read or hear about the death of famous people … famous at least in the eyes of the world … one of the first things that comes to mind … is did they know Christ … as Savior and Lord?

One of those who passed was the former professional wrestler known as Hulk Hogan … and wow … that made me think … he was younger than me!

Many are talking about was his faith … he had been baptized a couple of years ago … and he made it clear in the past few years that his faith was in Christ as Savior … and it had changed his life!

I don’t know that much about his life before Christ … and I will let God be the judge … but lately he has not been ashamed to profess Christ as Savior.  He wanted people to know that Jesus changed his life … in other words … he had a change of heart!

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The Scribes and Pharisees during our Savior’s life were eyewitnesses to the person and work of Jesus Christ … and yet they didn’t believe who he was and what he came to do.

And the reason for this is that THEY DID NOT HAVE a change of heart.

Jeremiah tells us: ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?””

And yet the Ezekiel tells us that when the spirit of God enters a person … he changes that heart.

When the prophet addresses the restoration of Israel he tells us what God will do in Ezekiel 11:

““Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.””

And later in Ezekiel 36, the prophet continues this theme of what God will do:

““I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”” 

Notice the phrase … A HEART OF FLESH … a heart that is living as opposed to a heart of stone.

The Scribes and Pharisees did not have a heart of flesh … they had a heart of stone … what Jeremiah said was true of them … ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?””

And this precisely why Jesus would say: ““For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.””

So my friends … we need to ask ourselves do we have a heart of flesh … one that has trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord … do we believe that Jesus died in our place for our sins?

And then … do our actions reflect what we believe?

Do you have the assurance … and I have to ask myself the same question … do I have the assurance of my salvation … based only on the completed work of Jesus??