You Might be a Pharisee if...
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Emotion
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Social
Traditions
Traditions
We all grew up with traditions
Finishing up your traditions for the summer
Back to school traditions
Holidays coming up
Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Years
Daily rhythms/traditions
Traditions are good. God has designed us to crave tradition.
Traditions of Men
Traditions of Men
Mark 7.1
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.)
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.)
The Gospel of Mark 7. Defilement According to the Tradition. Ch. 7:1–8
It serves notice that far more is involved in the exchange between the scribes and Jesus than a rabbinic debate in which alternative decisions will be preserved and made the subject of further consideration. The eating of bread without proper concern for the removal of ritual defilement was merely the immediate occasion for this confrontation. Its ultimate occasion was Jesus’ evident disregard for the whole structure of oral tradition which examined virtually every aspect of personal and corporate life and sought to regulate it in a manner consistent with the Law under conditions often vastly different from those in which the Law was first handed down. In areas where the Law was silent the tradition was vocal, drawing the conclusions felt to be implicit in the mandates of the written code.
We need to notice that far more is involved in the exchange between the scribes and Jesus than a religious debate.
The eating of bread without proper concern washing hands and defilement was merely the immediate occasion for this conflict.
The ultimate issue the Scribes and the Pharisees had was Jesus’ blatant disregard for the whole structure of oral tradition which examined virtually every aspect of personal and corporate life.
The Ultimate Issue Jesus had with the Scribes and Pharisees was their desire to be God.
This is the essence of Sin - Man wanting to be God.
In areas where the Law was silent the tradition was vocal, drawing the conclusions felt to be implicit in the mandates of the written code.
Rather than man worshiping God, Man wants to worship himself.
When the disciples did not wash their hands before eating they were not breaking the law, but rather they were breaking the traditions of the elders.
The religious leaders essentially created an entire moral eco system that took the the law and then filled in the gaps with their own laws. To the point that everything aspect of life was regulated. The traditions of the elders have been written down in what is known as the Mishna.
EXAMPLE**
Just the past week I have been in three conversations where our traditions have enslaved people and skewed the beauty of the gospel.
A friend of mine was telling me about his conversations with a woman who is part of a church denomination/culture that does not allow woman to where pants, any bright colors, makeup, jewelry, or modern clothes.
This is part of their tradition
The tradition is determined by the pastors convictions
To please God is to live according to these traditions.
Mormons
Scriptures
KJV bible
Book of Mormon
Pearl of Great Price
Doctrine and Covenants
Motivation for Right Living
Rather than bringing glory and honor to the King
Mormons believe in three heavens
The life lived determine which heaven you will get to.
Part of earning your way into the better heaven “Terrestrial or Celestial” you have to go on mission.
Fundamental Baptist
I talked to a couple guys this week about their experience growing up in Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches
They mentioned many of the traditions
KJV only
Only certain types of clothing
Only certain types of music
Each of these examples claim to follow Jesus, yet they have added their own traditions to Christ in order for us to live lives pleasing to God.
For the Jews it was
Washing hands
washing cups and pots
washing copper vessels
washing dining couches.
Washing hands
These washings were not for health or hygiene , these washings were for holiness. Meaning that without the washing they were defiled before God.
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.)
In verse 4 they call the washing a baptism. Its the same greek word - This is a sacramental action done by the Pharisees thinking that they were holy before God by washing their hands.
But again, this is according to their traditions which they have imposed upon all the people of Israel. Not according to the Law of God.
So after seeing Jesus’ disciples eating without washing they ask Jesus,
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?”
To which Jesus responds,
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.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
Mark 7:6-
Commandments of God
Commandments of God
Mark 7.5-
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.”
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.”
Jesus calls the religious leaders hypocrites.
They were hypocrites because Jesus knew their hearts. He knew their motivation. They condemned the disciples for not loving God enough to wash their hands, all the while their hearts were far from God.
This is why Jesus quotes Isaiah
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.’
Mark
Hearts far from God
The religious leaders honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him.
This prophecy comes from . And I love that Jesus quotes this passage because by doing so he is also calling our attention to the rest of
Thus far in the Marks gospel a common theme has been amazement and wonder toward Jesus
people marvel when he preaches
Teachers are astounded with his authority
People are amazed with his ability to cast out demons
The disciples are astonished with Jesus’ power to raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead
There is constantly a sense of wonder for Jesus because of what he has done and is doing.
Looking at the passage Jesus quotes in we will see this theme of wonder accompanying mens hearts being far from God.
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,
14 therefore, behold, I will again
do wonderful things with this people,
with wonder upon wonder;
and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”
Isaiah 29:
The religious leaders have seen and heard about Jesus doing wonderful things with his people, with wonder upon wonder, yet their hearts remain far from God.
WARNING**
This is the greatest danger to the American church - this is the greatest danger to Exodus Church.
This is the greatest danger to the American church - this is the greatest danger to Exodus Church.
The greatest danger is not
legislation
Same sex marriage
Free Speech
Tax exempt status
Its not persecution
Its not suffering
Its not hurt feelings
The greatest danger for Exodus Church is that we will become a people who pay lip service to God all the while our hearts are far from him.
The greatest danger is that our hearts will become satisfied with another
That our hearts will find the object of its affections somewhere other than God.
May we be a people so in love with Christ, so devoted to his word, so focused on his mission that our worship will be an overflow of our love.
May we be like David who said,
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
Ps. 119.
May our hearts long for Christ
May our desires be his desires
We must not give our heart to another
We are to draw near and worship God with a pure heart, a heart that belong to him.
You see, whatever our hearts long for that is what we worship. When our hearts long for God, we worship God. When our hearts long for something else, that is what we worship.
What Mark is telling us is that for the Pharisees worship was not an overflow of their love for God, rather their worship was in vain
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
Vain = empty, fruitless
Vain worship comes from a heart that is far from God.
Vain worship comes from devotion to the traditions of man above the truth of God’s commandments
Jesus says this in verse 8
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
Mark
What is the commandment of God?
36
Honor Father and Mother
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus then goes on to say that in order to hold to the traditions of the elders that they are holding on to, they have to reject the commandment of God
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
Mark 7:
You see, these traditions are not harmless add ons to the faith
To keep or observe these traditions means that by necessity you are rejecting the commandment of God.
Now lets pause for a moment and appreciate the biting irony of what Jesus just did to the Scribes and Pharisees -
The religious leaders came to Jesus stating that the disciples are not keeping the traditions of the elders as it relates to washing their hands, thus they are defiled before God. In other words, they are rejecting the God’s commands
Jesus then responds with a very high level of cleverness by quoting Isaiah saying that the traditions of men (or the traditions of the elders) is actually antithetical to loving God. Therefore it is the religious leaders who are rejecting God’s commandment which is to love God.
Jesus takes the whole line of reasoning from the religious leaders and flips it upside down to where they now stand condemned.
Jesus then illustrates this point for further clarity.
Mark 7.
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’
What does it mean to honor father and mother?
not just to honor them with your words, but to honor them with your time, possessions, money etc. To honor your parents is to make sure they are taken care of when they get older
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)—
Now if a man tells his father and mother that everything he has that should be used to take care of them in their old age, (house, money, food, beds, cloths etc.) is corban
Corban = something dedicated to God (therefore it could not be used by anyone else)
Now if this man made an oath to God by presenting everything he has as Corban (which we are all called to do even today) the religious leaders won’t let the man take care of his parents with his possessions - thus breaking the 5th commandment. And by breaking the 5th he is breaking the greatest.
13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
By holding to these traditions you are making the word of God void.
Now, its not the traditions that are evil, but rather its the heart that longs for man made traditions over the liberating grace of God’s word.
Its not evil to have a tradition that say we wash our hands before we eat - in fact most of us in this room have that tradition.
The evil comes from the heart that thinks it is earning God’s favor by holding to this tradition
The evil comes form the heart that takes pride in the fact that it follows this tradition.
The evil is not from the outside, such as washing hands, not waring jewelry, or wanting to read the KJV only. It comes from within. The evil from within is what wants to hold to these traditions for the wrong reason.
Jesus goes on to make this point
Inside Out
Inside Out
mark 7.
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.” 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.”
Inside Out
Inside Out
Jesus is not lowering the bar for the people - in fact he is raising it!
It would be easy to stay undefiled if all we had to do was wash our hands and keep the commandments of the law and the elders.
But Jesus is saying that what defiles you is not what enters your body, but what comes out of your heart.
Therefore
Evil thoughts defile you
Coveting defiles you
Envy defiles you
Foolishness defiles you
Pride defiles you
The religious leaders thought they could wash their hands and be cleansed before God. Jesus is saying that washing your hands won’t do a single thing in regards to your standing before God.
Its not your hands that need to be washed, its your heart.
For the Scribes and Pharisees their hearts were far from God, therefore they were guilty of sorts of evil.
What about you?
Is your heart far from God?
Are your affections devoted to another?
Do your personal habits, traditions, desires determine your worth before God?
Our hearts day after day produce idols for us to worship.
These idols can be good things like daily prayer, reading your bible. Spiritual disciplines
These idols can be a clean house, a job well done, your paycheck.
These idols can be peoples opinions and praises of you. Living for recognition is one of the most powerful idols that will destroy you.
We need not our hands washed, but our hearts need to be washed.
Our hearts need to be cleansed before God.
The problem is, unlike washing hands, we are unable to wash our hearts.
Therefore, we need someone to come and cleanse our hearts for us.
David knew he could not cleans his heart on his own, this is why he cries out,
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Jesus is the good king who does not leave us the way he finds us. Jesus cleanses the hearts of his people.
By the blood of the cross Jesus renews our souls. He cleanses us of all unrighteousness. and as far as the east is from the west he has removed our filth.
Jesus himself is our new heart, he is our righteousness, he is our cleansing, he is our everything. And this is why we worship him as our king.
Therefore this good king has cleansed the hearts of his people. He has removed their defilement, he has changed them from the wretched clothes they once ware and have given him pure clean clothes.
This is why our affections must be drawn to him, And this is why we worship him.