WEIGHTIER MATTERS(Some copied items)

Our Lord urges us not to MISS the WEIGHTIER MATTERS.

It’s important that we PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST.

Our Lord addressed the Pharisees. It is a scathing rebuke right through Matthew chapter 23.

These were the proud religious leaders of the time. They were very meticulous and careful in how they practiced their religion.

Yet our Lord says, WOE to them...

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,

and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Now the Lord was talking here to the Pharisees. These men would carefully measure and weigh items such as mint, anise and cumin, which were different herbs and spices and seeds.

They would weigh the mint, tithe, and cumin seeds carefully, seed by seed, so as to make sure they gave just the right portion in their offering.

Our Lord rebukes these religious men for... A focus on formalities A Majoring on minors And a just going through the motions

They weighed the different spices and seeds carefully.

But they were neglecting WEIGHTIER MATTERS. They did not weigh up the weightier matters.

They missed out on the much more important things that God called them to.

We can make that mistake. Playing church is a dangerous game. Missing what God calls us to is a big mistake.

We must not play church, We need to be real.

There are WEIGHTIER MATTERS than some of the things that can occupy us and distract us from THE MAIN GAME.

The Pharisees were busy with doing religious acts – as was fitting for them in their day as they were under the law – yet while followed the letter of the law... they missed what mattered.

These men were very particular while going through their strict religious duties. They were certainly not slack. But their strictness missed the point on some main weightier matters. And their strictness was often aimed at others instead of themselves...

They neglected what God had put a priority on... What God says for us to focus on.

They had the head knowledge, but their heart relationship was not right.

They had THE THEORY and they knew the THEOLOGY, but THEIR FAITH was not real in practice. It missed their heart.

The Lord wants us to weigh things up.

To not miss the WEIGHTIER MATTERS.

The religious teachers of the day were MISSING THE WHOLE POINT.

They went by THE LETTER of the law, but missed THE SPIRIT... they were not APPLYING THE TRUTH to THEIR LIVES.

The Pharisees paid great attention to the FORMALITIES and the EXTERNALS of worship, yet they had missed the point.

They were caught up in the WORKS, and TRADITIONS, and the RELIGIOUS ACTS and CEREMONIES, yet they missed what the Word was all about.

The fundamentals.

The weightier matters.

Again, it says, Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:

these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

These men were very particular.

They would "strain at a gnat," but "swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:24).

They would magnify some minor things, while all the while missing THE MAJOR THINGS that God wanted of them.

So the Lord spoke:Of WEIGHTIER matters.

What are these? JUDGMENT MERCY FAITH

Number ONE, JUDGMENT.

Firstly, Judgment.

We are called to JUDGMENT.

What does that mean?

When I think of JUDGMENT I think of a judge and of one who is judged.

We know who the ultimate judge is. In Genesis 18:25 it says, ...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

The one who is to judge is God. And the one who is to be judged is ourselves. And He calls on us to do justly. To live rightly.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to DO JUSTLY, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

God wants us to act justly.

God wants us to exercise judgment.

As He does.

God must punish sin.He is absolutely JUST.

On one occasion the Pharisees brought to the Lord a woman caught in the act of adultery. In John 8.

They exercised JUDGMENT, yet there was no balance of GRACE there.

We see this graphically demonstrated in John 8. Read the whole context for yourselves...

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

The Pharisees were quick to exercise judgment. They judged this woman harshly. Though she was caught in the very act of adultery they seemed to have let the man go. Perhaps he was a friend of theirs. Their judgment was strict yet it was one eyed.

They did not judge themselves.

They were quick to point the finger at the sin of the woman. But the Bible says we are to judge OURSELVES.

Examine yourselves it says.

Judge yourselves.

It is interesting that our Lord did NOT say He that is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her.

He said, He that is without sin AMONG YOU, let him first cast a stone at her.

The only ONE without sin who was present was the Lord Jesus. Of Whom, it is said, He was WITHOUT SIN.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Truly the Lord Jesus was unique among men. It is what made Jesus different from everyone else. He had to be perfect. Only God could be without sin.

God became flesh.

The ONE without SIN, it says became SIN for us...

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When we fully consider God’s judgment against us it is all the more wonderful to consider God’s forgiveness and pardon.

God’s wrath and judgment against us has been vented, as Christ died for our sins. He has taken our rags of our own righteousness, which fails. And He clothes us with His own righteousness.

We come to Him.We come with our sin. Unworthy.

The wages of sin is death it says. We are subject to His judgment. His punishment is just. Someone must pay for our sin.

The penalty of our sin is death.

This is where grace comes in. The unmerited favour of God. God’s kindness.

He exchanges our guilt with His grace.He bore our sins in His body on the cross.The sinless one died in our place, the sinful one.

And so He gives us His righteousness.

He takes our sin. And He replaces it with His holiness.

He takes our guilt and He gives us His righteousness.

As a gift, as we receive Him.

Payment has been made.The judgment fell on Christ.Jesus paid the sin debt.Sin’s penalty.Death.It was paid in full.

God’s justice has been satisfied.God has sheathed His sword against us.He has set us free.

Christ did not suffer for Himself, or His own sin. But for us, and for our sin.

He suffered as a substitute – in our place.

With God there is rightful judgment, yes.

Yet there is also forgiveness.

There is a needful call to righteousness.

But where can this righteousness be found?

In works, in ritual, in animal sacrifices, in religious acts?

No... We must put First things first...

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.

It is noteworthy to see WHOSE righteousness we need.So the one who judges is God.And the one who is to be judged is us.Let us judge ourselves.

SECONDLY, of weightier matters...

We are called, Number TWO, to show MERCY.

Again, the religious crowd missed the point here...

What does MERCY look like?

We can think of MERCY as to do with our relationships with other people, horizontally, as to how we are to be considerate and giving and kind with others.

A good example for us is the familiar story of the certain Samaritan. The Good Samaritan...

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,

which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

You can read for yourself the context here, how there were certain ones who just glanced, and walked by.

Some were too busy, on their way to a religious service. They could not be bothered to stop and help the man,

despite his obvious need. They were too selfish and uncaring.

The Pharisees made that mistake. They neglected to show mercy to others. Thankfully, God’s Lovingkindness and Compassion extends widely towards us.

Luke 10:33-35 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

This Samaritan, though from another culture and from a country that was hated by the Jews, he was the one who took the trouble to help, to lend a hand, and to

show mercy. And our Lord praised him for what he had done. It says...

(34) And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

He showed mercy. He put himself out.

(35) And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him,

Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

It was the Samaritan who showed mercy. He went beyond expectations.

The Pharisees LACKED mercy.

They would load people up with burdensome rules and traditions. And they had NO GRACE AND MERCY in applying their manufactured interpretations... to others...

As another example, the Jews would not work on the sabbath.

They found fault with Jesus because He healed people on the sabbath. They questioned Him and criticised Him.

The Lord Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy – that that they helped their animals on the Sabbath, and rightly so.

So too, we are to help people in need (Luke 13:10-17; Luke 14:1-6).

The Pharisees, though they claimed authority and knowledge, were truly ignorant.

They did not know humility or integrity.

Though spiritual leaders they were as blind men leading the blind...

With them, it was...

All talk, no action.

Matthew 23:3-4 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

(4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

The Pharisees burdened men with unbearable manmade traditions and burdensome ritual, rules, and religion.

It is interesting that the word RELIGION comes from a word, that means, to BIND.

Jesus said that the Pharisees BIND people up...

The Lord Jesus did not come to bring religion, that binds people up and holds us in a prison cell, but He opens up a new and real relationship with God.

These religious men had form, but no power.

2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

They were busily going through the motions of works, yet were standing still, and spiritually they were lost.

With them, it was...All show, but no substance.

Matthew 23:5-7 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Just to explain, phylacteries were small leather boxes with the scriptures written in them. Here is a modern orthodox Jew. The box was tied on the head and one on the left arm facing the heart. It contained various scriptures, including:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 11:13 ...love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

The Pharisees made a great show of showing off these phylacteries – these boxes containing scripture verses, yet they were missing the point... They weren’t applying them in their lives...

We read on...

(6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, (7) And greetings in

the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

These men took the glory for themselves, in their pride, and their vain, self centred ways.

As much as they were worshipping, their worship was vain, empty, and pointless...

As was their fasting, and their praying, and their giving of alms... It was all show.

They were all about paying lip service, but lacking the heart.

Matthew 15:7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

(9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The Pharisees missed the whole point. They went out of their way to impress others with a lot of show but they did not have the substance.

Verse 9 says it all: ...their heart is far from me...

Instead of the doctrines and commandments of men we need THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE to show us the way to live.

Instead of MERE LIP SERVICE we need to serve and honour God from our heart.

Likewise we must stop playing church and start being the church.

As has been truly said, sitting in a garage does not make you a car. And likewise coming to a church service does not make you a Christian.

It’s important that we avoid a kind of religion that is just going through the motions, but missing the point.

Matthew 23:23-26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,

and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

(24) Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Verse 24 describes them in a very graphic way. "You blind guides, you strain out a gnat and swallow a camel."

In other words they were talking about filtering out the smallest unclean animal, which was a gnat.

Leviticus 11:42 declares it unclean. It’s a very small insect.

And the largest unclean creature that a Jew was forbidden to eat was a camel, Leviticus 11:4.

So here they were, straining out the speck of a gnat, lest one has fallen in their soup or drink...

While they were missing THE OBVIOUS.

(25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

(26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

They felt so pious, and were proudly so. Everything looked good on the outside, yet within they were sinful.

They counted out the seeds and weighed the mint leaves, so that they could allocate the required portion to God, but missed the weightier matters.

Their faith was vain. It was a trust in themselves and their own works

They were focusing on externals but missing the inward reality

Matthew 23:27-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Our Lord wants OUR HEART.He knows our heart.The condition of our heart.We cannot hide from Him.

It is not some outward show that He wants. An outward show without an inward reality.

He wants your heart.

God must work, inside of us.

He creates new life.

Revival cannot be manufactured.The real thing is God’s work.

We haven’t got time to play church, we need the real thing.

We are looking at...

Weightier matters...

God’s judgment is on us. We need God’s grace to work the miracle of salvation and forgiveness.

We need to extend mercy towards us others in kindness and love.

The THIRD weightier matter is:FAITH.

How we need to GET REAL with God.

To KNOW Him. Personally.

These religious people felt so pious and outwardly righteous. Yet our Lord describes them as being like whited sepulchres. Like tombs – bright and beautiful on the outside – but full of dead men’s bones.

The Pharisees had to swear an oath to keep every last detail of the law.

No one has ever been more religious than the Pharisees, but at the same time no one has been further from the kingdom of God.

They had SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS but NOT GOD’S righteousness.

They knew the law. As we saw, they wore scriptures – including - thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

They kept the letter of the law, but ignored entirely the spirit of the law. Their righteousness was entirely self-righteousness. They did not love God by faith.

It is always EASIER to be RELIGIOUS than to be RIGHTEOUS.

God’s righteousness comes by faith.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus

Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

We must rely on the Lord, and His righteousness, not on our own self-righteousness.

Nowadays there is a trendy, compromised Christianity.

Many who go to church are just like the Pharisees. Going through THE MOTIONS, but lacking the reality.

As someone expressed it, ‘I had rather preach the truth to a few than to drag a crowd behind me into a Christless eternity!’

We can be just like the Pharisees,... They TRUSTED IN THEIR OWN WORKS, INSTEAD of trusting in Christ, BY FAITH.

WE can make THE SAME MISTAKE.

They were set themselves up as their own authority, without submitting themselves to the authority of the Bible.

The Lord says, My people perish for lack of knowledge.

Many today are Biblically illiterate. They will not study the Bible, but instead follow after their own cherished ideas and philosophies and the idols they have set up in their hearts.

We must stop pretending, and be real.

We must stop the NEGLECT OF THE BIBLE. Now more than ever we need to hold truth out in a world that seems to care little for truth and spurns the idea that there are some unchanging absolutes.

In a world broken, hurting, and wounded, there is a healing balm. There is an answer.

Psalms 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

There is a cure, an antidote for the world’s ills.

It’s the Gos-pill.

This news is good news.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

This is our great need.The Bible foretells a Famine for the Word of God...

We can know...Revival in our lifeRevival in the church

The life is in the Word...

Philippians 2:16 calls this Book, the Word of Life.

When the prophet came, Elijah...

In Ecclesiastes it talks of Ecclesiastes 3 (4) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; and also (3) ...a time to break down, and a time to build up;

There is need to break down some things.Remove some thingsTear down some things

There is much need for us to warn the people... To speak for the Lord and bring warning...

It seems like the signs are escalating around us as we approach the end of days. The vast bulk of Christianity is lax and Laodicean. We must sound the alarm against falsehood and false teaching.

When the Lord commissioned Jeremiah He said:

Jeremiah 1:9-10 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

(10) See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the

kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

The prophets were called to pull down the altars of Baal and to destroy the images and false gods.

The Pharisees were just as guilty of having other gods, because they had not truly worshiped God.

Their hearts were far from God.

God has to pull down things before He can build.

Our self righteousness and vain religion has to be replaced with His righteousness which is by faith.

Faith is the third weightier matter. The Pharisees neglected this.

True faith that saves has to be from a heart changed by God.

And God wants ALL of our heart, not just a part...

1 Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Take sin seriously

With the Pharisees...It was a shallow religion.But it was skin deep.

There was much made of ritual and form and robes and words... But it was all form and not reality...

We see how they prayed... They missed the point...

Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

(11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,

adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

(13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast,

saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

(14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified

rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The greatest mistake of all that the Pharisees made was to miss the truth.

The Truth, Himself, was staring them in their eyes... yet they missed it.

They missed Him.

And instead they sought to destroy Him.To crucify Him.

Have you considered...The weightier matters...The priorities for life and for ever.

The Pharisees were self centred.We are never to be self sufficient.Our sufficiency is of God.

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

God will be glorified in your life as you sort out the weightier matters.

There are lost souls to win.Are you saved?He wants your heart.