Matthew 12:43-45

1. Matthew 12:43-45 Matthew 12:38,39 “evil and adulterous” Matthew 12:41,42 Must Replace Evil with Good

2. The Danger of an Empty Heart • Matthew 15:19 “out of the heart…” • Matthew 12:35 “evil treasure brings forth evil things.” • Our House Can be Cleansed – Our Heart is Cleansed • Hebrews 10:22 “hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” • Acts 15:8,9 “purifying their hearts” • Hebrews 9:14 “cleanse your conscience”

3. Expected to “Fill” Our Home • Ephesians 3:17 “17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,” • Colossians 3:15,16 “….16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,…” • Hebrews 8:10 “…I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

4. What Happens When We Do Not Fill Our Heart? • “Nature abhors a vacuum” • If we do not make the effort to fill our home with good things, evil things are likely to return, with a vengeance!

5. Consider the example of: • 1 Corinthians 6:11 “washed, sanctified, justified” • 2 Corinthians 12:20,21 “20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish,.. lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;… have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.”

6. Consider the example of: • 2 Peter 2:1 “denying the Lord who bought them” • 2 Peter 2:20 “they are again entangled in them and overcome” • 2 Peter 2:21,22 “would have for them not to have known the way of righteousness, that having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” • How Do Things Become Worse than at First?

7. Consider the example of: • Forsaken the Right Way – 2 Peter 2:15 “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, ..” • Eyes full of adultery, heart trained in covetousness – 2 Peter 2:14 “having eyes full of adultery …enticing unstable souls. …a heart trained in covetous practices” Even denied the Lord who bought them – 2 Peter 2:1 “even denying the Lord who bought them,”

8. In Our Case… • Our heart hardened – Hebrews 3:12,13 • Hebrews 10:26-29 “fearful expectation of judgment” Hebrews 6:4-6 “crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” “The last state of that man is worse than the first!” Important not to let the home of our heart remain empty and thus invite worldly thing to take up residence

9. Filling The Home Of Your Heart • Filling it in Principle • Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts – 1 Peter 3:15 Be selective as to what goes into your mind Set your mind on things above – Colossians 3:1,2,16 Follow the example of David – Psalm 101:3,4 Think upon things that are good and wholesome- Philippians 4:8

10. Filling The Home Of Your Heart • Remember – transformation if character begins with renewing the mind – Romans 12:1,2 • Filling it in Practice… • Study God’s Word – 1 Peter 2:1,2 • Attend all assemblies of the church • Participate in Bible study programs • Read your Bible daily – Psalm 1:1-6 • Fill your heart with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs

11. Filling The Home Of Your Heart • For this is how: • Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly – Colossians 3:16 • Allow yourself to be filled with the Spirit – Ephesians 5:18,19 • Sing in the assemblies of the church, at home, in the car; sing alone and with others • Let your mind dwell on things that are worthy of praise and virtue

12. Filling The Home Of Your Heart • Let your mind dwell on things that are worthy of praise and virtue • Selective about what you watch on TV and in the movies • Choose your books, periodicals, magazines, etc., carefully • Choose your friends carefully – 1 Corinthians 15:33 • Proverbs 13:20 • 2 Corinthians 6:14

13. What is the condition of your “home” (heart)? • Are you filled your “home” with things that are good? • Have you experienced the initial cleansing of your “home” (heart)? • Have you been cleansed by the blood of Jesus in baptism?