Tradition or Truth?

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-1500 words is about the intro & altar part

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SERIES DESCRIPTION: In this series on the Book of Mark, we take time to notice how Mark highlights Jesus as the main attraction of his book. This week, Pastor Shawn explores Mark 7:1-23, where Jesus teaches about what how unbiblical traditions are the root of corruption and evil.

ALTAR RESPONSE: Clay, during point 3 “The Teaching” when I begin the 1st sub point “Corruption comes from the heart” go ahead and make your way to the stage to begin playing. Please be ready to sing during the altar response.

Series | The Main Attraction

Pre-Message Welcome

Well... we’re so glad to see everyone of you that are here today in person and online.

· My name is Shawn... my wife and I are the Co-Pastors here at The Grace Place.

· Our mission here is simple... it’s to be Caring People... Caring for people.

· We hope you feel cared for... by God today in every way… from worship to the message and by the people of God.

Spanish Welcome - 2nd Service ONLY!

A mis amigos hispanos, me-da-gusto.. que vino... a adorar... con nosotros hoy!

To our spanish people listening through translation… we are glad your year.

Before I get into the message today… I want to invite you to…

Pastor Plug: Dessert with the Pastor’s

Who is this for? If you new around here or have never attended -this is for you. Its a casual way for us to hang out and get to know each other. We have child care for those with small kids

It’s two weeks away on Sept. 22 after 2nd service.

Just make sure to Register on CC app to help us prepare for you.

***A-Team Brag

By the way… I cant help but brag on our amazing staff! Especially the team who put together every detail of our A-Team One Day - Amanda, Bruce, Clay and Krista.

There we’re several supporting cast member -

You guys put it on the top shelf!

Series Intro

Transition: We’re in a series called

The Main Attraction

We’re going through the book of Mark – noting how Mark makes Jesus the Main attraction of every story he writes.

Well... if you have missed the opener to our series you can catch up

By listing on most Podcast sites

As well as

Watch on our Youtube

Introduce Text

Before we read our passage today… let me give you a little

CONTEXT:

Jesus just finished preforming healings and miracles that most have NEVER seen. as we saw in last weeks message.

The Pharisees show up and change the subject… onto petty religious matters.

Never mind the power of God that is displayed through Jesus… so… in the most manipulative way - the Pharisees find a way to turn the attention away from Jesus and onto the petty matters of life.

***It would almost be like your son just won the winning touch down at the state championships and when you see him after the game… you don’t tell him good job you… no high five… but instead you come down on him about all the other plays where he missed tackles… played sloppy etc..

Today we are going to be looking at Mark 7:1-23 ESV

Mark 7:1–23 (ESV)

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)

Just a note… this ritual of washing-hands was NOT just about hygiene.... this was more about the fact that they had come in contact with sinners in the community… and it was part of their tradition to ensure their RELIGIOUS PURITY.

Scriptures continue and say…

And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

I would like to point out 3 main things I see in this story. As always… 1st priority in understanding a passage is to know what it ment for the original audience… becuase it can never mean for us what it did not mean for them.

2nd priority is to consider is this - what the Holy Spirit might be saying to us corporately today.

***Feel free to encourage people to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to them personally as the message is preached

*********************LETS PRAY******************

Transition: the title of our message today is...

Sermon Title | Truth or Tradition

The first thing I want you to notice IN YOUR NOTES is…

The TRADITIONS v. 1-5

We see this in V. 1-5.

The Pharisees and Jews followed many traditions that were passed down orally. Keep in mind… these were not scriptural commands… but traditions demands.

Eventually these things were written down in the 3rd century in whats called the Mishnah.

Jesus and his disciples did NOT keep with the tradition of HAND WASHING… and this was an ISSUE for the Religious leaders.

This tradition said, do not eat unless one washes their hands properly.

Understand - This issue was less about hygiene and more about maintaining religious and ritual purity.

in V.7 Mark specifically mentions how they would wash…. after coming from the marketplace —which is where Jesus has just been performing miracles.

In the opinions of the religious… these guys out touching and healing sinners and the sick … this defiled them and made them impure.

The Pharisees had a big problem with this!

Never mind celebrating the dozens of people that we’re just healed… instead because of their Jealously… they get real petty… and ask.. in v. 5

v.5 “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

In their passive aggressive ways… They are basically saying Jesus apparently you disciples doesn’t care about being pure before our holy God!

As ridiculous as this might sound to us today… the truth is… we all have traditions… they are NOT all bad… they are NOT all good either.

Here is the truth about traditions… IN YOUR NOTES

Traditions can be a CURSE

We see this is the case in our passage.

Yea, when we elevate a non-biblical traditions to the level of scripture we are placing ourselves under… man made ideas… we are devalue the word of God that can bring us life and put ourselves under man made things which have no power to bring us life…

Here are a few examples of

Traditions in the CHURCH

Styles of worship

Typically, what we grew up under or what we got saved under has a special nostalgia to it.

It brings back good vibes… good feelings… good memories of when we we’re a child, teen, young adult, first saved.

Depending on your generation the style of this music is very different.

Yet… christians get PETTY when it comes to arguing over styles of worship…

For some WORSHIP is too OLD SCHOOL… or its too SECULAR sounding…

Too much electric guitar and not enough cow bell (Trying to see if your away)

They might say… the lyrics are too much about man and not enough about God…

It’s too loud… it’s too soft…

it’s sounds like worldly music.

I get the nuances might not be your preference - and maybe a bit annoying for you… but - it’s none the less… it’s WORSHIP!

We even have traditions when it comes to the color of he carpet and walls.

Funny Storie: The Devils Colors

When my wife and I first became youth Pastor’s in Midland - the youth group we inherited was called HEARTS ABLAZE - now that is a good late 90’s early 2000’s youth group name if you ask me.!

Our logo had bright orange to represent a blazing FIRE>

We updated the youth room and painted an accent wall a really bright orange color.

One Sunday morning… a Saint came to visit that happened to be from this church… when it was called Bethel. This was in the early 2000’s and My father in law was the new Pastor here… he had some members traveling through the town we we’re youth Pastors at so they came by to join us for church.

After visiting and taking a tour… they came home and reported that the youth room had been painted with the DEVILS COLOR :) ORANGE!

Thats exactly what TRADITION looks like

It even assigns certain colors to God and others to the devil…

Some of you who grew up in the old school church with lots of religion traditions.

You had to dress a certain way

Your hair had to be a certain way

The main goal was that you could not look anything like the world… so if you we’re on trend in anyway you we’re seen as too worldly.

Listen… at some level… I understand the sentiment of these things…. but these things can not be raised to the level of SCRIPTURE…

Jesus reminds them…

Your traditions do not and can not make you clean… but you prioritize them as if they do.

It’s sad when people are more concerned… about tradition…. than they are about the great works of our God.

Here is the truth about traditions… IN YOUR NOTES

Traditions can ALSO be a BLESSING

Listen… Not all traditions are bad. To be clear… Jesus’s focus here is when we elevate things above Gods word. So to hold a tradition is not in itself bad… its when we give it the same importance as scripture.

For example Each of our families have traditions…

Some of my FAMILY traditions growing up we’re…

Take your shoes of in the house.

Do your chores before & after school

Family Dinners.

There was NO option to say… I’m not hungry… or in some families there was no options to say… I don’t like that.

***I am glad we don’t force feed kids liver and onions…. Just saying…

Our other traditions we’re…

Big Family Holidays

Music (I did NOT grow up in a religious family)

My parents always had music on - and so did we as kids.

Working in the yard, hanging out by the pool, chillN at the lake etc.

I remember when I was 12 years old I the best CHRISTMAS PRESENT… my first STERIO with those sick detachable speakers.

It had an AM/FM Radio

Record player on top

two casette players for recording mix tapes… and the first tape my mom bought me… At my request… was…

Sir Mix A Lot… Butter Milk Biscuits! lol

If you know you know… if you don’t you don’t…

***Traditions can be a blessing and hold special memories…

When I throw on NOT butter Milk biscuts… but some of the old jams our family played it brings back great memories of hanging at the pool… being at the lake.. and Holidays together.

Here is whats important to remember:

Traditions should be a blessing… NOT a burden.

When we place traditions upon others in the forms of demands we start placing burdens upon others.

It’s sad to me when I see people push tradition upon others and it becomes a very heavy load.… and can drive a wedge between between us.

***It’s interesting to me that even Jesus say’s this in Matt. 11:30… my yoke is easy and my burden is life…

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: What traditions are you holding that might be a curse rather than a blessing?

Transition: the title of our message today is...

__________________Tradition or Truth__________________

Are you living according to religious traditions or according to the Truth of Gods word.

The next thing I want you to notice IN YOUR NOTES is…

The TWIST v.6-8

These religious leaders are fueled by Jealousy… know they are losing control… their Traditions they have tried so hard to pass down to the next Generation are now being resisted… by Jesus and his disciples.

What do we do when we don’t get our way… we typically DIG in and demand… and thats what these religious do… they double down on their tradition… never mind Gods word… but TRADITION…. don’t mess with tradition!

When you really think about it… how ridiculous does they sound? “Hey Jesus… I know you and your followers just came back from a day of healing the sick… bringing peace to those in emotional turmoil… we are not here to talk about that… I would like everyone here to notice HOW YOU GUYS DON’T FOLLOW our TRADITIONS.

Jesus is like… ok, you want the attention turned on yourself… we can do that… so Jesus TWIST the conversation to be about THEM.

Jesus turns and points out IN YOUR NOTES…

Their corrupt HEART v.6-7

We see this beginning in v. 6… Jesus uses their own Scriptures against them. I like how it reads in the NIV…

Mark 7:6–7 (NIV)

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“ ‘These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules.’

Can you imagine receiving a rebuke like this?

Here is the issue: These Pharisee’s are PRETENDING to be clean… when in fact Jesus tells them you are UNCLEAN.

Jesus say’s… you are giving me LIP SERVICE… but your heart is far from me.

In fact… You are not even teaching GODS word…. you are teaching MAN MADE RULES!

These religious people are disillusioned…. and deceived concerning the truth.

This is the perfect picture of Hypocrisy.

The sad thing is… in broader terms… we see the very same thing today.

It just looks a little different…

There are many who claim to be “Christians”… give God lip service on Sundays but their heart is far from him.

They are like an arm-chair quarter back… sitting in the stands telling the quarter back how to play and telling the coach how to coach… when the reality is…

They are NOT even on the playing field themselves… in fact they are standing on the sidelines with their perfectly pressed Jersey without a drop of sweat or so much as a grass stain… on them… yet they- throwing stones… at every player on the filed.

Throwing stones at those out on the field serving God.

Throwing stones at those who do things different from them

By the way… we’re about to see a LOT of this in the coming months with the election cycle…

What would Jesus say to the religious today.. I believe Jesus say’s something very similar to what he told these religious people in our text:

These guys want the attention… and Jesus TWIST it right back to them… IN YOUR NOTES… he also turns their attention to…

Their corrupt TEACHING v.8

We see this in v. 8… the NIV says it like this…

Mark 7:8 (NIV)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

Why is their heart full of corruption????

Jesus is say… they are teaching TRADITION as DOCTRINE…

Church…

When we elevate traditions to the same level as God's Word or above it, we push both God and people away from His saving grace.

Your traditions, including moral ones, cannot save anyone. While morality is important to God, it doesn't have the power to save.

Only the Gospel has the power to save. Make sure you're teaching the Gospel, not just traditions.

Jesus twist the spotlight upon our teachings today… on the teachings that your passing down… to your kids and your friends…. What will he find in your message?

Will he find TRUTH OR TRADITION?

Will he find you teaching TRADITION as DOCTRINE.

Will he find consistency between your message and your heart?

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: What might you be preaching that your not living?

Transition: the title of our message today is...

__________________Tradition or Truth__________________

The next thing I want you to notice IN YOUR NOTES is…

The TEACHING v.14-23, Mk 7:21, Jer. 17:9, Jn. 7:38

We see this in v. 14-23 as Jesus take a moment to teach them… to correct their theology…. about where real evil, corruption comes from.

His 1st point is this IN YOUR NOTES.

CORRUPTION comes from the heart v.21

We see this in v. 21 - Jesus points at the HEART as the source of sin and evil.

Mark 7:21 (ESV)

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

You think your external actions and works make someone EVIL… no… evil comes from the HEART.

This was NOT a new concept… but you would think it was based off the attitude of these religious people. This was actually a core part of their scriptures but they chose to ignore it and make tradition more important that Gods word.

Here is what their scriptures say… it’s found in Jeremiah that describes the human heart like this… it’s found in Jer. 17:9 it says…

Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,

and desperately wicked.

Who really knows how bad it is?

The message about the root of evil was always in their scriptures…

Jesus say’s the same to us today.... your heart is deceitful… Lets deal with your heart…

It comes down to this one reality found in ROm. 3:10

No one IS RIGHTEOUS NOTE EVEN ONE.

Friends… without Christ… . we are all guilty before a holy God.

Here is something really important to understand about the heart..

A true-Christians heart is NOT lost and stuck in a state of EVIL and SIN.

In fact Jesus and Jeramiah when describing the EVIL heart… are describing the condition of the fallen heart before salvation… someone say BEFORE salvation.

Jesus is teaching us that

Corruption comes from the heart…

he also teaches us … IN YOUR NOTES… that

RIGHTEOUSNESS comes from the heart v. John 7:38, 2 Cor. 5:17

Not naturally… becuase we already noticed that the only thing that naturally flows form the heart is EVIL and that’s why God is after transforming and changing us from the heart…

Friends righteousness only comes through a heart transplant…

It only comes through the salvation JESUS.

What is he saving us from? Our EVIL heart.

Jesus says it like this in John 7:38…

John 7:38 (ESV)

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

For saved believers in Jesus…

Those who admit the heart produces nothing but sin and evil..

Those who admit your need for a new heart, for salvation…

When you believe in jesus and trust him for salvation… RIVERS of LIVING water (Not dead corrupt water) will flow from your heart!

Who is the live in the water that makes it living? JESUS

I am the way the truth and the LIFE…

Some believers still confess MY HEART IS CORRUPT - I am EVIL … SOME Preachers will actually preach this kind of Gospel over your life… and tell you your heart is EVIL…. FRIENDS this not the GOOD NEWS that Jesus preached, that Paul preached…. etc…

in 2 Cor. 5:17….Scripture declare this…

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

What is NEW about you?

You have received a heart transplant… a heart of stone has been removed and you have been given a soft heart of flesh.

You we’re dead and evil and now you are alive and living!

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: How does your new identity in Christ change the way you think about your heart?

Too many Christians are stuck with unbiblical thinking about their heart… they are still confessing

I am evil… God doesn’t love me…

I am unworthy… unrighteous… I am a slave to sin…

This all must be becuase of my EVIL HEART!

I ask you again…

Question: How does your new identity in Christ change the way you think about your heart?

You should be confessing…

I am not a sinner… that is a slave to sin.

This is NOT to say that you NEVER SIN…

Its just NOT your identy any more…

You are a son and daughter of God… that NOW has the choice to chose to live in their new spiritual reality of RIGHIOUSNESS>

You have a daily choice to life from your NEW heart or your old sin nature.

Transition: As I close today….

PAUSE -CLIP BEGINING

Pharisees

PAUSE -CLIP ENDING

Pharisees

Transition: the title of our message today is...

________________Tradition or Truth__________________

Have you been teaching your traditions as doctrine?

Have you been offering tradition as the solution to an evil heart?

Have you been missing it… giving religious lip service to God and holding on to a heart of evil that is far from him.

He reminds us today… LET GO OF OUR TRADITIONS

They don’t make us right… holy… better than…

THe only thing that can make you right is a heart transplant…

So today… if you do NOT know Jesus as your Lord and Savior today is your day…

Salvation Altar Call

I believe Jesus is here today… and I believe he wants to save you.

The same way it took the power of God and the faith of that woman to believe in Jesus… is the same way your receive salvation.

Believing in Jesus is about beleiving everything that Jesus reveals to us…

It’s about believing

What he say’s about Sin and the eternal punishment.

It’s about believing

That … His death on the cross paid the penalty of our sin….

Because of this we can be made right in the sight of God.

According to Eph 2:8 – there are 2 things required for Salvation

For it is by Grace that we are saved through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

1st is this... Gods Grace

What is his Grace: It’s when God gives you something you do not deserve because of his incredible love for you– What does he give us... He gives us His forgiveness and His life

2nd is this... Faith.

He invites us to PUT our FAITH in him... for our salvation

1. If you have never asked Jesus to save you and made a public profession of faith… today is your day…

a. All across the room....

b. If you would like Jesus to save you today… RIASE YOUR HAND ALL AROUND THE ROOM….

I want to invite you to Repeat a prayer after me

· There is nothing magical in this prayer.. it simply is a way of declaring to Jesus what has taken place in your heart.

Here is how I would like to end the service for everyone else….

As this woman pictures… every believer who is loaded down with a heavy burden… Jesus is here today if you want to touch the hem of his garmet.

Call to Action Altar Call

Has the Holy Spirit spoken to you today…

What might the Holy Spirit be saying to you in light of this teaching? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How might the Holy Spirit want to transform you in light of this teaching? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Going Deeper

What traditions are you holding that might be a curse rather than a blessing?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What might you be preaching that your not living?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does my new identity in Christ change the way I think about my heart?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What might the Holy Spirit be saying to you in light of this teaching?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How might the Holy Spirit want to transform you in light of this teaching? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What actions might the Holy Spirit want to take in light of this teaching? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tongues & Interpretation

1. To STRENGTHEN the Church (1 Cor14:5)

For prophecy is greater than SPEAKING in TONGUES, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be STRENGTHENED.

Believers, God has operated through this gift today to strengthen you today. Let your faith be strengthened and know that God is in control and using supernatural measures to speak to us.

2. Is a SIGN for unbelievers. (1Cor. 14: 21a, 22)

1 Corinthians 14:21–22 (ESV)

In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

22 -  So you see that speaking in tongues is a SIGN, not for believers, but for UNBELIEVERS.

The Bible explains to us God has chosen to use this gift to be a sign for you. A sign for what? It is a sign of his realness for those of you who have been doubting or questioning the existence of God. He wants you to know he is REAL and he wants to bring you spiritual life and health. If you're in here today and you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior... he wants you to know he has gone to great lengths to show you his love today. (Great opportunity for a salvation altar call if it fits).