Mathew 15:10-20 - Deacon Terry

​Going over this morning’s Gospel, it seems there are two lessons to be had. And to keep things simple, I thought we could focus on just one of them. It’s the first part of the reading. Where Jesus says “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth.” In one sentence, Jesus overturns centuries of tradition, exposes the emptiness of man-made religion, and redirects the entire conversation toward the heart. The Pharisees were obsessed with external focus — washing hands, keeping rituals, long winded prayers and maintaining appearances. But Jesus says the issue is not what you touch, what you eat, or what you look like. The real issue is what you focus on, because what you focus on eventually becomes what you say, and what you say eventually becomes what you do and defines who you are. And that seems so true to me and I imagine to you also. Our lives always move in the direction of our dominant focus. If we focus on fear, we will speak fear and act fearfully. If we focus on bitterness, we will speak bitterness and act harshly. If we focus on God, we will speak life and walk in His ways. Jesus seems to be teaching us that the heart is the steering wheel of our soul. And whatever captures our attention will eventually shape our character. After Jesus speaks, the disciples come to Him and say, “Do you know the Pharisees were offended?” Of course they were. The truth always offends the people who build their identity on lies. Jesus responds with a warning that echoes through every generation: “They are the blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” This is not just a critique of the Pharisees — it is a warning to us. Blind leaders still exist today. Not just religious leaders, but cultural leaders, political voices, influencers, celebrities, and even friends who speak confidently but see nothing clearly. A blind leader is anyone who:  speaks without spiritual understanding  teaches without truth  guides without God  influences without integrity  leads others toward themselves instead of toward God Blind leaders are loud, confident, and persuasive. But blind leaders cannot truly see. And if we follow someone who cannot nor does not see God, cannot hear God, and does not obey God, we could eventually end up in the same ditch. This is why our focus matters. Because whatever we focus on becomes our leader. If we focus on the world, the world becomes our guide. If we focus on our emotions, our emotions become your master. If we focus on Christ, Christ becomes our Shepherd. Jesus says, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.” Our mouth is the microphone of our hearts, our words reveal our focus. If our heart is full of anger, our words will be sharp. If our heart is full of fear, our words will be anxious. If our heart is full of pride, our words will be boastful. If our heart is full of God, our words will be full of grace. This is why Scripture repeatedly tells us to guard our hearts, renew our minds, and fix our eyes on Jesus. Because focus determines flow. Whatever fills our heart will eventually spill out of our mouths. We cannot hide our focus. We cannot disguise our meditation. We cannot conceal our inner world forever. Eventually, our words will reveal what we have been feeding our souls. So the question becomes: What are you focusing on? Are we feeding our heart with the Word of God or the noise of the world? Are we filling our mind with truth or with distraction? Are we meditating on God’s promises or on problems? Our focus is forming us — whether we realize it or not. Jesus continues: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Notice the progression: Thought → Word → Action. Sin does not begin with the hands — it begins with the heart. Before you ever act, you imagine. Before you ever speak, you meditate. Before you ever fall, you focus. This reminds me of a book I read several years ago about Rudolph Hoss. Rudolph Hoss was a German farmer growing up in the 1930’s. He studied to become a priest. When the Hitler movement started, he checked it out and joined the movement. Over some time, he rose in the ranks and became the commandant of Auschwitz. Auschwitz was one of the most brutal concentration camps during that time. Hoss, personally executed women and children along with ordering the deaths of thousands. When I finished this book, I was absolutely dumbfounded as to how someone could go from studying to be a priest to becoming the commandant of a concentration camp, killing innocent people. It’s all about focus – what we focus on. Hoss let himself become focused on something, not of God and he was led down a terrible path. Jesus calls us to a different focus:  “Seek first the kingdom of God.”  “Set your mind on things above.”  “Fix your eyes on Jesus.”  “Meditate on these things.” Our actions are the fruit of our focus. If you want to change your life, change your focus. If you want to change your behavior, change your meditation. If you want to walk in righteousness, walk with your eyes on Christ. So how do we focus on the things of God in a world full of distractions? 1. Focus on reading some Scripture The Word of God is not just information — it is illumination. It trains our eyes to see clearly and our hearts to discern truth. Take the readings home each Sunday. Read them a few time over the week, maybe instead of looking at our phones every two minutes. 2. Focus through prayer Prayer is not just talking to God — it is aligning your heart with His. It shifts our focus from your strength to His strength. Just listen for God. Just take ten minutes each morning and do or say nothing, let God in. 3. Focus through worship – coming to church Worship lifts your eyes above your circumstances and places them on the greatness of God. Our prayers as a group make a great deal of noise to God. Other people can often say things to God that we ourselves find it hard to do. 4. Focus through community You become like the people you walk with. Walk with the wise, and you will grow wise. Walk with the blind, and you will fall into their ditch. I know that when I am around many of you, you inspire me to be more faithful, more humble and more loving. 5. Focus through obedience Every act of obedience sharpens your spiritual vision. Every compromise blurs it. The more you focus on God, the more clearly you see. The more clearly you see, the more faithfully you walk. The more faithfully you walk, the more your life reflects Christ. Page 6 — The Call to Refocus Jesus ends this teaching by reminding us that defilement is an inside job. The Pharisees washed their hands but never washed their hearts. They cleaned the outside but ignored the inside. They followed the Jewish traditions but missed the truth. And Jesus calls us to something better — a life where the heart is aligned with God, the mind is renewed by truth, and the focus is fixed on Christ. So today, the Lord asks us: What has your focus? What has captured your attention? What has shaped your words, your thoughts, your actions? If your focus has drifted, refocus. If your heart has wandered, return. If your eyes have dimmed, look again to Jesus. Because when your focus is on God: Your words will carry life. Your actions will reflect His character. Your heart will overflow with His presence. And no blind leader will ever mislead you again. So I’ve got this index card on my visor in my truck that I see each day. It helps me focus. From Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. May we be a people who:  guard our hearts  fix our eyes on Jesus  refuse to follow blind leaders  speak words that reflect God’s truth  and live lives shaped by a holy focus Because what you focus on determines what you become. And when you focus on God, you become more like Him. AMEN