Download this MP3
If you want to stay up on the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.
Tweet

COMPLETE SERMON NOTES

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

• The truth offends:

• Salvation is God’s work: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… (John 6:44 ESV).

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

• What I ‘do’ is better than ‘Who I am’ [so they thought]

• DEFILE: To make filthy or dirty; pollute: defile a river with sewage. A MAN WILL ALWAYS BE DEFILED UNLESS GOD CLEANS HIM.

• “Are you also still without understanding”? We must mature in our faith – “when I was a child…”

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart”

1. EVIL THOUGHTS – they will imprison you: “Bring every thought captive” (2 Cor. 10:5).

We’re either fueling evil thoughts or quenching them…

2. MURDER [explosive anger] – “…the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).

3. THEFTS – dishonest

4. FALSE WITNESS – lie

5. BLASPHEMIES – arrogant words; saying things opposite of the truth

6. ADULTERIES – “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

7. FORNICATIONS – All sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman is harmful and immoral. Why?

The word “fornication” in the Greek is porneia; where the word “pornography” comes from. We cannot say, “But I was born this way,” because we were all born to lie, cheat, lust, and deceive; this doesn’t make it right…it makes us sinful and in need of a Savior.

• People caught in sin, especially sexual sin, often use Scriptures on forgiveness & grace, and Matthew 7 AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS.

Sexual Sin … leads to death: steals love, communication vanishes, joy leaves, passions fades, and honesty is nowhere to be found

• “BUT I’M TRAPPED!” You’re allowing yourself to be trapped.

Addicted to pain meds…they find a way to get more.

Addicted to porn…they don’t take hard-core steps.

Addicted to alcohol and yet head to Vegas.

Can’t control their rage, but rarely submit to anyone.

Can’t control jealousy but don’t want to stop watching the media

The devil isn’t dressed in red … he comes as everything you’ve always wanted.

• One reason we love excuses is so we can continue

Dear Dad, I found your porn on the computer somewhere around the age of 12 or so, just when I was starting to become a young woman. First of all, it seemed very hypocritical to me that you were trying to teach me the value of what to let into my mind in terms of movies, yet here you were entertaining your mind with this junk on a regular basis. Your talks to me about being careful with what I watched meant virtually nothing.

Because of pornography, I was aware that mom was not the only woman you were looking at. I became acutely aware of your wandering eye when we were out and about. This taught me that all men have a wandering eye and can’t be trusted. I learned to distrust and even dislike men for the way they perceived women in this way.

As far as modesty goes, you tried to talk with me about how my dress affects those around me and how I should value myself for what I am on the inside. Your actions however told me that I would only truly be beautiful and accepted if I looked like the women on magazine covers or in porn. Your talks with me meant nothing and in fact, just made me angry.

As I grew older, I only had this message reinforced by the culture we live in. That beauty is something that can only be achieved if you look like “them”. I also learned to trust you less and less as what you told me didn’t line up with what you did. I wondered more and more if I would ever find a man who would accept me and love me for me and not just a pretty face.

When I had friends over, I wondered how you perceived them. Did you see them as my friends, or did you see them as a pretty face in one of your fantasies? No girl should ever have to wonder that about the man who is supposed to be protecting her and other women in her life…

If I could tell you one thing, it would be this: Porn didn’t just affect your life; it affected everyone around you in ways I don’t think you can ever realize…Love, Your Daughter MORE AT: http://www.faithit.com/an-open-letter-to-the-dad-looking-at-porn/?c=news&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=faithit_newsletter&utm_content=faithit+20141212

READER WROTE: Wow…that was maybe the most ruthless and vicious attack I’ve ever seen…and I have witnessed hideous atrocities. I hope God will be more merciful…and tactful in His assessment and evaluation of this daughter than she was with her beloved daddy….”For as you measure it out; so will it be measured unto you.”

• It’s not “Will” Power vs. “God’s” Power – you engage God’s power

Put the vehicle in DRIVE

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith…

• 1 Peter 1:14 says, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” 1 John 3:3 adds that “all who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.” And Romans 6:19 tells us to present our “bodies as slaves to righteousness.” Peter asks, “What sort of people ought you to be in holiness and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:11).

There is Hope and Freedom: admit, return, repent – Discipline alone is not enough…only the power of God can radically set a man free.

• Salvation – as i submit and repent, my heart is changed.

MANY NEED A NEW HEART – You can’t overcome anger, addiction, lying, cheating, sexual sin, and so on with willpower alone.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS