2025.04.27 | When Following Rules Isn't Enough

I’ve always been the type of person who loves a good checklist… someone who feels secure when everything is planned, controlled, and in order. But recently, I hit a season where all my careful plans fell apart.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t manage my way through the uncertainty in my relationships, my career, or even my spiritual life. It left me feeling exhausted and frustrated, wondering what I was doing wrong.

That’s when Jesus' words in Matthew 15 challenged me deeply.

Like the Pharisees, I realized I was focusing more on following the "rules", trying to do everything right,  instead of surrendering my heart to God. Jesus reminded me that true faith isn’t about appearances or traditions. It's about the heart.

In the passage, the Pharisees are all about the rules and traditions, but Jesus cuts to the heart of the issue. He says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Matthew 15:8). I’ve been guilty of that, haven’t you? I sometimes get so caught up in trying to make sure everything looks good on the outside, whether it’s my actions, my words, or even my faith, that I forget to check if my heart is truly aligned with God’s will.

It’s not enough to just follow the rules or attend church services.

What matters most is the condition of my heart and whether I’m truly surrendering my life to God, not just my actions.

The call to follow Jesus goes deeper… it’s about giving Him our hearts, not just our actions.

The more I surrender my heart to God, the more authentic my faith becomes. It’s not about following the rules for the sake of following rules; it’s about becoming more like Jesus in every part of who I am. This message was a reminder that God isn’t after perfect actions; He’s after our hearts. And that’s what truly brings us peace and freedom.

I’m thankful for how Hope Community digs into these truths week after week.

If you missed Sunday’s message, I highly encourage you to check it out on our YouTube channel. These messages have the power to transform us from the inside out.