Mark 7:1-23 | The Heart of The Matter

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Jon Gruss

Allegan Bible Church

Mark • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago • 38:54

Mark 7:1–23

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Pursuit of Purity and Holiness (Mark 7:1-23)

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Introduction:

Welcome, everyone! Today, we're diving into a powerful message from Mark 7:1-23. Have you ever wondered what truly matters to God? Is it the way we look or the rituals we follow? Or is there something deeper at play? Join us as we explore Jesus' teachings on true purity, revealing how real transformation begins from the inside out. Let's open our hearts to discover a life-changing truth that goes beyond appearances.

Theme: Understanding True Purity Beyond Traditions

The Danger of Externalism

Mark 7:1–8 ESV

1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 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.) 5 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?” 6 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; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

Is it focuses on human comparisons rather than holy convictions.

Traditions / Comparisons can overshadow God's commandments, leading to misplaced perspectives.

Matthew 15:1–3 “1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?”

Colossians 2:8 “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.”

Colossians 2:20–23 “20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

Galatians 1:10 “10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Evaluate your motivations: Are you seeking man's approval or God's?

Reflect on areas where comparison has led you away from genuine faith.

Charles Spurgeon: "The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation."

Is it leads to Legalism, Hypocrisy, and Hard Hearts.

1 Samuel 16:7 “7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.””

Galatians 5:1 “1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Romans 14:17 “17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

God values the heart's intent over mere ritualistic practices.

Isaiah 29:13 “13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,”

Matthew 23:25–26 “25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”

John 4:24 “24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.””

Romans 2:28–29 “28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

The Pharisees focused on the external, missing the transformative power of internal purity.

J.C. Ryle: "A man may preach like an apostle, and pray like an angel, and yet his religion may be altogether vain."

Thomas Watson: "Hypocrisy is a vice all men condemn, but none forgive."

Illustration: Consider a beautifully wrapped gift that is empty inside. The wrapping may impress, but the contents are what truly matter.

Application: Focus on the heart, and let the outward expressions take care of themselves. Examine your practices for signs of legalism. Confess areas of hypocrisy and seek accountability.

The Source of Defilement

Mark 7:9–15 ESV

9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 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)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” 14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 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.”

Shows itself in the Rejection and or Manipulation of the Word of God.

Natural / Supernatural

Romans 1:25 “25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

James 1:22 “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Galatians 1:6–7 “6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”

1 Timothy 4:1–5 “1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Commit to studying the whole counsel of God.

Guard against altering Scripture to fit personal agendas.

A.W. Tozer: "Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."

Richard Baxter: "The very design of the devil is to keep us from the Word of God."

Is ultimately due to the internal corruption of the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Proverbs 4:23 “23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Luke 6:45 “45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

James 1:14–15 “14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Ephesians 2:1–3 “1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Sin originates from within, not from external sources.

Galatians 5:19–21 “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Quote: "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart." - Adrian Rogers

Jonathan Edwards: "The heart of man is exceedingly prone to idolatry."

Illustration: A polluted well cannot produce clean water. Similarly, a heart filled with sin cannot produce righteousness.

Application: Examine the condition of your heart regularly. Cry out to God for a clean heart. Seek transformation through repentance and faith.

The Path to True Purity

Mark 7:16–23 ESV

17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 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, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Begins with Supernatural rebirth.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26–27 “26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Ephesians 2:1–5 “1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

John 3:3 “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

Continues through the sanctification process.

Renewal happens through a transformed heart and mind.

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 2:11 “11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,”

Hebrews 10:14 “14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Is found by purposely pursuing God honoring holiness by the power of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, producing genuine purity.

daily surrender

prioritizing holiness

Engage in spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study.

Seek community support for growth and accountability.

Ephesians 4:22–24 “22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Philippians 3:12–15 “12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”

Philippians 4:8 “8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

1 Peter 1:14–16 “14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

Galatians 5:16 “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Quote: "Holiness is not the way to Christ. Christ is the way to holiness." - Adrian Rogers

D.L. Moody: "A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine."

Illustration: A tree’s fruit reflects its roots. Only a healthy tree can produce good fruit.

Application: Pursue a relationship with Christ to cultivate inner purity.

Through these teachings in Mark 7:1-23, Jesus invites us to look beyond the superficial and embrace a heart-centered approach to purity, enabled by His transformative power.

Conclusion:

As we wrap up, remember that true purity is a matter of the heart. Jesus invites us to look beyond the external and embrace a relationship that transforms us from within. Let's commit to examining our hearts and allowing His love to redefine our lives. May we leave here not just hearers of the Word but doers, living out genuine purity in our everyday actions.