The Heart of the Matter

Introduction

A man who came across $100 bill. It had all the right markings, the correct size, and even passed the quick tests people use to check for counterfeits. But when he tried to use it, the cashier held it up to the light and immediately knew it was fake. No matter how real it looked on the outside, the bill was worthless because it lacked the authentic markings on the inside.

In the same way, holiness is not about looking the part on the outside—it’s about what is truly inside. The Pharisees in Mark 7 looked holy, they followed religious customs, and they were careful to maintain traditions, but Jesus exposed the truth: Their hearts were far from God.

The heart of the matter is that holiness is not about what we do outwardly but about being transformed inwardly .

Central Message

Holiness comes from God; holiness is not about what we do outwardly it is about being transformed inwardly

Transition Statement

Holiness is the heart of the matter that we want to address today . There are a lot of practices a lot of things that are good but that are not the heart of the matter and we see this in our text today .

Body

A good practice, but not the heart of the matter

Mark 7:1–5 NIV

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

This is a good practice but it is not the heart of the matter . The question that we need to ask is not what is good but what should we prioritize.

We should prioritize holiness .

Transition Statement

Truly seeking God’s will , seeking holiness is more important than appearing holy and doing what appears to be God’s will . In our text Jesus speaks to those who want to keep up the appearance of holiness rather than to truly be holy .

Being Holy and doing God’s will is more important then appearing Holy, And doing what appears to be Gods will.

Mark 7:6–13 NIV

6 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. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)—12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Explanation of corban

Anything that you do that attempts to subvert Word of God is sin , even traditions that appear to be holy

Illustration

One person who values mercy might say:

"God is a God of second chances, so we shouldn’t punish criminals too harshly. Jesus said, ‘Judge not, lest you be judged’ (Matthew 7:1), so we should always extend grace, no matter the crime."

This sounds righteous because it emphasizes God’s mercy. However, this ignores the fact that the Bible also upholds justice. Mercy does not mean ignoring consequences; mercy acknowledges wrongdoing and seeks restoration—not lawlessness.

This is similar to Corban in that it allows someone to seem gracious and godly, while actually undermining biblical justice and accountability. In reality, mercy and justice must work together.

A person who values Justice might say:

God is merciful, and we should be merciful, but the fact is, Some people have ruined their lives with bad decisions, that’s on them. Some people ruined the lives of others with their bad decisions. We should show mercy, but we should focus on Justice. We shouldn’t waste mercy on people who won’t change."

This sounds like upholding justice, but it contradicts the heart of the Gospel. The parable of the unforgiving servant found in Matthew 18 warns against withholding mercy from those who have fallen, especially when God has shown us mercy.

This mindset weaponizes righteousness to justify a lack of grace, much like the Pharisees did when they criticized Jesus for eating with sinners

Instead of offering restoration, this distortion of mercy makes mercy it conditional.

Let’s consider a subject such as holiness, one person who values holiness might say:

"Holiness is about being true to yourself and living authentically as God made me. If God made me this way, then embracing my personal identity—whatever it may be—is what it means to be holy."

This sounds righteous because it promotes personal integrity, but it redefines holiness in human terms rather than God’s terms.

Biblical holiness is about being set apart for God’s purposes, not self-expression. Holiness requires surrender, not self-justification. This distortion turns personal desires into the standard for holiness rather than God’s character and commands.

Just like Corban, this reasoning appears pious—using the language of holiness—but in reality, it undermines the biblical call to be transformed by God rather than conforming to the world.

Another person who values holiness might say:

"We must be holy and set apart. That means we shouldn’t associate with people who live in sin—bad company corrupts good morals. If we welcome them in, they might contaminate the church!"

First let’s address the statement bad company corrupts good morals , if we welcome them in, they might contaminate the church. This mindsets clearly states that one believes that evil, or wrong will always overcome good or right . Therefore the statement is assuming that evil is more powerful and influential than good.

This the statement contradicts Jesus’ example. Jesus ate with sinners and ministered to those whom religious leaders avoided.

This mindset misuses holiness to justify exclusion and self-righteousness, rather than pursuing holiness while extending grace to the lost.

Transition Statement

We can get so focused on what is important to us that we lose focus on what is truly holy . Jesus addresses this when he talks about how it is not what is on the outside of the body that defiles but what is within what is within the heart that defiles let’s look at what he had to say.

Mark 7:14–23 NIV

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” 16 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

What matters is not what is on the outside going in , but what’s on the inside and being projected out . What’s inside is the heart of the matter

Transition Statement

Application (So What)

So my brothers and sisters what are we to do with this , we want to make sure that we Keep the Heart of the Matter in Focus. As we reflect on Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7:1-23, lets ask ourselves:

What are the things in our lives that we have elevated above holiness?

What are the traditions, practices, or personal convictions that have taken priority over what God truly desires for us and from us?

There is nothing wrong with having good practices. In fact, many of them serve a great purpose.

Personal disciplines, traditions, and routines can be helpful. They can keep us focused, guard our hearts, and even foster spiritual growth. But the danger comes when we begin to mistake these practices for holiness itself.

Think about it—what are the things we prioritize?

Some prioritize attending church every Sunday,

making sure they are present at every Bible study,

maintaining a daily devotional routine.

These are all good and important, but none of these things, by themselves, make us holy. It is possible to do all of these things and still have a heart that is far from God.

Others may prioritize personal convictions—certain behaviors, habits, or boundaries that help them in their walk with Christ.

While these can be valuable, we must be careful not to elevate personal convictions to the status of divine command.

Not drinking

Not eating pork

Dressing a certain way

The Mike Pence rule

When we elevate such things to the level of a divine command , we run the risk of becoming like the Pharisees—upholding external actions while neglecting the transformation of the heart.

Still, others may emphasize doctrinal precision—ensuring that every belief is correct and every theological statement is flawless.

Sound doctrine is crucial, but we must never allow our knowledge of theology to become a substitute for knowing and loving God.

So what does this mean for us?

Examine Your Heart – Are there areas where you have prioritized external conformity over internal transformation? Have you fallen into the trap of thinking that holiness is simply about doing the right things rather than being truly surrendered to God? Ask God to reveal any area where you need to refocus.

Hold Practices Loosely, but Hold Holiness Firmly – Continue to do what is good. Keep your spiritual disciplines. Maintain your convictions. But don’t let these things become idols. Let them serve their purpose—pointing you toward Christ—without replacing your dependence on Him.

Seek Transformation, Not Just Compliance – Holiness is not about behavior modification; it is about heart transformation. True holiness is being set apart for God, not just looking the part. If we are only concerned with appearing holy rather than actually being holy, we have missed the point.

Keep the Gospel at the Center – Jesus does not call us to external righteousness; He calls us to a changed heart.

Conclusion (Tell them what you said)

Holiness comes from God; holiness is not about what we do outwardly it is about being transformed inwardly

Throughout our text, we have seen how the Pharisees were more concerned with maintaining traditions than with seeking true holiness. They had good practices, but they elevated those practices above what truly mattered—having a heart that honors God. Lets not do the same do not

prioritized good practices and neglect the deeper work of holiness in our lives?

Lets not substitute appearing holy for actually being holy?

Lets not hold onto traditions, personal convictions, or even theological stances in a way that undermines the greater call to transformation in Christ?

Jesus made it clear: It is not what is outside a person that defiles, but what comes from within. May we not be defiled , may we have a heart that is surrendered to God. May we not be a people who honor God with our lips while our hearts remain far from Him. Instead, may we pursue a holiness that is rooted in the transforming power of Christ.

Let’s not just look holy—let’s be holy.