Jesus is: The Purifying One

A Burden Given v.1-5

Pharisees accuse Jesus through his disciple’s actions of unwashed

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/607403/jewish/Meal-Hand-Washing.htm

Challenge the teaching and heart of Jesus’ ministry

Paul spoke of following the traditions of the elders in Gal 1:14 “And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.” . Col 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

We NEED to know the scriptures (burden is easy yolk is light)

If you believe in the Gospel what you like, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.

Augustine of Hippo

The Heart Exposed v. 6-13

Jesus reveals that their own teaching leads to a heart far from God and a community left in ruins.

A man that depends on the riches and honors of this world, forgetting God and the welfare of his soul, is like a little child that holds a fair apple in the hand, of agreeable exterior, promising goodness, but within ’tis rotten and full of worms.

Martin Luther

CORBAN :a vow made in haste

The Sickness Diagnosed v. 14-23

The heart of the issue is the issue of the heart.

As pride was the beginning of sin, so humility must be the beginning of the Christian discipline.

Augustine of Hippo

the true threat to our holiness, our spiritual growth, our victory over sin stares at us every morning in the mirror.

Alas! Our heart is our greatest enemy.

Charles Spurgeon

Ourselves are the greatest snares to ourselves.

Richard Baxter

Yet so often we trust this person to sustain us, to provide for us and our families, we believe that we are the arbiter of our salvation.

This is why Jesus calls us to die to ourselves.

There is no hope found outside of the mercy of Jesus.

HE IS MERCIFUL

The Remedy Administered v. 24-37

The pharisees who thought them selves clean but were unclean, were arrogant towards Jesus, but this pagan woman who was manifestly unclean falls before Jesus in humble adoration begging him for mercy.

Do you see the difference between this woman and the Pharisees? She was not interested in fighting for her rights or for her dignity. She knew who she was. Very often in the Bible, when people come before the living God, they identify themselves with the lowest forms of life. David said, “I am a worm, and no man” (Ps. 22:6a). He was saying: “I have no claim on the sweetness of Your grace. Every crumb that You bestow on me is given to an unworthy servant.”

In a very real sense, this is what happens to every Christian. Before the Holy Spirit opens us to the things of God, we are as deaf to the Word of God as this poor man was deaf to all verbal communication.

Jesus is the purifying one. He is the one who makes the heart of man pure before God. We are defiled, we are unable to cleanse ourselves. He makes you clean, me clean, like a pure bride he cleanses us, heals our broken souls, allows us to truly see, and fixes our tongues for praise.

Faith in Jesus, not faith in faith, is the remedy that cure the heart problem.

Jesus is the Purifying One

Warnings against legalism

What are pragmatic means you have employed to make yourself right in the sight of God?

What traditions of men have been placed as a yolk on your shoulders, have you placed on other’s shoulders?

How do you need to believe the gospel

What do you need to repent of?

In who or what are you placing your hope?

All death can do to Christians is make their lives infinitely better.- Tim Keller

Church Planting Encouragement

We have the best news

We need to keep preaching the gospel to ourselves

Where are you struggling to believe the gospel?

Personally: Identity in vocation-Where does my identity really abide?

Not just who am I but WHOSE am I? There are going to be many hard moments. There’s a lot of demand but we must believe the gospel.

Who you are

Whose you are

What sustains you

Who supplies your needs

Where you are in time and place, we get to do this together!

Why: Because God has called us as disciples to make disciples!

Lord’s Supper

Fence the table

Words of Institution

Gifts of God for the people of God

Charge & Benediction

Because Jesus is the purifying one, come to him with all of your defilements, all your brokenness, all your doubts, all your fears, all your troubles, and all your sin, he will make you clean.

(Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-18)

Go out into the world, and labour to bring forth new life. Speak of God’s goodness in the presence of those who would hear. And may the God who breathed life into creation be your delight. May Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming, and may the Holy Spirit, your advocate and supporter, ........set your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace. Go in peace to serve and love the Lord,

…In the name of Christ. Amen.