Good morning!
Greetings in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
Imagine a group of people so devoted to their religious traditions that they believe they are protecting the very essence of their faith. They are meticulous in their practices, ensuring that every action aligns with the laws they have been taught to uphold. These individuals are sincere in their efforts, convinced that they are following the will of God. However, in their zealous pursuit of righteousness, they fail to recognize the true heart of the matter. This is the story of the Pharisees in the Gospels, a group of religious leaders who were committed to preserving the traditions of their elders, yet missed the deeper meaning of God’s commands.
In Matthew 12:1-14, we see two instances where the Pharisees confront Jesus because they believe He is breaking the Law. The first occasion occurs when Jesus and His disciples are walking through grainfields on the Sabbath. The disciples, hungry, begin to pluck heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees immediately accuse Jesus of allowing His disciples to do what is unlawful on the Sabbath. The second occasion takes place in a synagogue, where Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees again challenge Jesus, asking if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. In both cases, Jesus responds by revealing the true intent of God’s Law and highlighting the Pharisees’ misunderstanding.
But why were the Pharisees so wrong in their actions? After all, they were only doing what they believed was right. To answer this question, we need to delve deeper into Jesus’ teachings, particularly in Matthew 7:21-23, where He warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Instead, only those who do the will of the Father will be welcomed. This sermon will explore three key points: the danger of focusing solely on religious rituals, the true nature of God’s will, and the importance of loving God and our neighbors as the fulfillment of God’s commands.
Danger of Focusing Solely on Religious Rituals
The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to religious traditions and the laws handed down by their elders. Their devotion was intense, and they genuinely believed that by meticulously following these traditions, they were pleasing God and securing their place in His kingdom. However, in their fervor to uphold the Law, they tragically lost sight of its true purpose. Their focus on the letter of the Law overshadowed the spirit behind it, leading them to miss the heart of God’s commands.
This tension is vividly illustrated in Matthew 12:1-14, where the Pharisees confront Jesus on two separate occasions, accusing Him of violating the Sabbath. The first instance occurs as Jesus and His disciples walk through grainfields on the Sabbath. The disciples, hungry, begin to pluck heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees immediately pounce, accusing them of doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. Their objection was not rooted in concern for the disciples’ well-being, but rather in a rigid interpretation of the Sabbath law. Their primary concern was that a rule had been broken, regardless of the disciples’ hunger or need.
The second encounter takes place in a synagogue, where Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees, ever vigilant in their quest to uphold the Law, ask Jesus whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, hoping to trap Him. Once again, their focus is not on the suffering of the man, but on whether a rule would be violated by healing him. Their obsession with legalism blinded them to the miraculous restoration occurring before their eyes.
Jesus addressed their faulty reasoning directly. He posed a simple question to expose the inconsistency in their thinking: “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11-12). With this statement, Jesus highlighted the importance of compassion and mercy over rigid adherence to the Law. He demonstrated that the true purpose of the Law was not to impose burdens, but to guide people in living in harmony with God’s will, which is rooted in love and mercy.
This encounter with the Pharisees serves as a stark warning to us today. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our religious practices and rituals are what make us right with God. We might meticulously follow religious traditions, attend services regularly, and adhere to moral codes, all while missing the deeper, relational aspects of faith that God desires. Jesus’ interaction with the Pharisees teaches us that God values the condition of our hearts over mere outward compliance.
The danger of focusing solely on religious rituals is that it can lead to a form of legalism where the practice of religion becomes more about checking off boxes and less about cultivating a genuine relationship with God. We may become so engrossed in doing everything “by the book” that we forget the underlying principles of love, mercy, and justice that should guide our actions. As Jesus emphasized, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13).
In essence, Jesus teaches us that while rituals and traditions have their place, they are not the ultimate goal. The goal is a heart aligned with God’s will, a heart that loves Him and others deeply. True obedience to God is not about rigidly following rules, but about allowing His love and mercy to flow through us, shaping our actions and attitudes in ways that reflect His character.
Understanding God’s Will
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus delivers a sobering message that challenges our understanding of what it means to be truly aligned with God’s will. He says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) These words are not only a warning but also an invitation to examine the depth of our relationship with God. They call us to move beyond mere lip service and religious ritual to a place of genuine submission to God’s will.
The Pharisees, though devout in their religious duties, fell short of this standard. They were diligent in observing the Law and often referred to God with reverence, yet their actions revealed a disconnect from the true will of God. Their understanding of righteousness was rooted in external compliance rather than in a heartfelt relationship with the Creator. They called Jesus “Lord,” but their lives did not reflect the transformative power of truly knowing and doing the will of the Father.
So, what exactly is God’s will? Jesus consistently pointed to two foundational commandments that encapsulate God’s desires for humanity. In Matthew 22:37-39, He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” These commands are not merely rules to be followed; they are a call to live out a relationship with God and with others that reflects His love, grace, and truth.
God’s will is not limited to outward acts of piety or religious observance. It encompasses the totality of our lives—our thoughts, our words, our actions, and most importantly, the condition of our hearts. To do God’s will means to cultivate a heart that seeks to honor Him in everything we do. It means loving God with all that we are and extending that love to others in the same selfless, sacrificial way that God has shown us through Christ.
When we focus on these two commandments—loving God and loving others—we fulfill the entire Law. As Jesus explained, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). Every other commandment flows from these foundational truths. If we truly love God, we will naturally seek to obey Him in all areas of our lives. And if we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will act with kindness, compassion, and justice, reflecting God’s character to the world.
The Pharisees’ mistake was that they emphasized the external aspects of the Law while neglecting its internal, relational core. They were more concerned with maintaining their religious practices and appearances than with cultivating a genuine relationship with God and with others. In their zeal for religious observance, they missed the point of the Law, which was to draw them closer to God and to each other in love.
Jesus came to correct this misunderstanding. He showed that true obedience to God is not about rigidly following a set of rules, but about embracing the spirit of the Law, which is rooted in love. As Paul writes in Romans 13:10, “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.” When our lives are motivated by love—love for God and love for others—we are doing God’s will.
In summary, understanding God’s will involves more than just outward religious observance; it requires a heart that is fully devoted to God and seeks to reflect His love in every aspect of life. The Pharisees’ failure to grasp this truth serves as a reminder that God desires more than just our words or our rituals—He desires our hearts. When we align our lives with the greatest commandments, we truly fulfill God’s will and live in a way that honors Him.
Loving God and Neighbor as the Fulfillment of God’s Commands
Jesus made it abundantly clear that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors. In Mark 12:30-31, He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” These verses encapsulate the very essence of what it means to live according to God’s will. They distill the entire Law and the teachings of the prophets into two simple yet profoundly challenging commands that call us into a deeper, more authentic relationship with God and others.
Loving God is not just about adhering to a set of rules or regularly attending religious services. It is about cultivating a deep, personal relationship with our Creator—a relationship marked by devotion, worship, and a sincere desire to live in a way that pleases Him. When Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, He is calling us to an all-encompassing love that involves every aspect of our being. It is a love that goes beyond mere duty and is rooted in a genuine desire to glorify God in everything we do.
When we truly love God, our actions will naturally reflect that love. We will seek to honor Him not out of obligation, but because our hearts are aligned with His. As Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.” True love for God is demonstrated through obedience—not out of fear or obligation, but out of a heartfelt desire to please the One who has loved us so deeply.
Loving our neighbor is equally important, and often, it is even more challenging. It is easy to love those who are kind to us, those who share our beliefs, or those who are easy to get along with. But Jesus calls us to love even those who are difficult, those who may hurt us, or those who stand against us. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus takes this command to the next level: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This kind of love is radical and countercultural. It is not something we can muster on our own; it is a love that comes from God and is modeled after the sacrificial love of Jesus on the cross.
In loving our neighbors, especially those who are difficult to love, we participate in God’s work of redemption. We become His hands and feet, extending His love and grace to a world that desperately needs it. This love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
The Pharisees failed to grasp this because they were more concerned with maintaining their religious status and traditions than with genuinely loving God and others. Their focus on the external aspects of the Law caused them to miss the heart of God’s commands—love. Jesus, however, showed us a better way—a way that prioritizes love over legalism, relationships over rituals.
In practicing this love, we fulfill God’s commands and bring His kingdom to earth. It is through love that we build up the body of Christ, create genuine community, and draw others into His kingdom. As 1 John 4:12 reminds us, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Our love for God and for our neighbors is the truest reflection of God’s will, and it is in living out this love that we truly fulfill the greatest commandments.
Summary
The stories and teachings found in Matthew 12:33-37, Matthew 7:21-23, and Mark 12:30-31 reveal essential truths about what it truly means to follow Jesus and live according to God’s will. The Pharisees, despite their sincere devotion to religious practices, missed the heart of God’s commands by focusing on external rituals rather than seeking internal transformation. They were diligent in their observance of the Law, but their actions were devoid of the love and mercy that God desires.
Jesus challenges us to move beyond mere religious observance. He calls us to embrace the fullness of God’s will, which is rooted in love—love for God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love for our neighbors as ourselves. These are not just commands to be followed but are the very essence of what it means to live a life that honors God.
In the end, the decision to follow Jesus is not about adhering to a rigid set of rules. Instead, it is about entering into a transformative relationship with the living God—a relationship that changes us from the inside out. It is an invitation to experience the depth and fullness of God’s love, to be an active participant in His redemptive work in the world, and to walk in the light of His truth. This relationship with God leads us to live in a way that reflects His love and grace, fulfilling His will through our actions and relationships with others.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Word, which guides us in truth and love. Help us to see beyond mere rituals and religious practices and to understand the deeper call to love You with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us for the times we have focused on outward appearances while neglecting the inner transformation You desire for us. Fill our hearts with Your love, that we may live in a way that honors You and reflects Your grace to those around us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)