2.9.13 2.24.2019 Mark 7.1-23 Inside Job

Engage: It's because we, often with good intentions, make the same mistakes that all religious people make. We think that it's our doing. Our fault. Our ability. We think we are so good that if everything just did what I did….hmmm.

Mark 7:1–23 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.” 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.” 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.”

Expand: When we read a text like this we mistakingly sit ourselves down with Jesus' besieged disciples when the fact of the matter is that most of us, me included, behave like the Pharisees.

doing. Our fault. Our ability. We think we are so good that if everything just did what I did….hmmm.

Expand: When we re a text like we mistakingly sit ourselves down with Jesus' besieged disciples when the fact of the matter is that most of us, me included, behave like the Pharisees.

Expand: When we read a text like we mistakingly sit ourselves down with Jesus' besieged disciples when the fact of the matter is that most of us, me included, behave like the Pharisees.

▾ Expand: Then we read a text like and we mistakingly sit ourselves down with Jesus' besieged disciples when the

• We have to learn not to let our holiness get between us and God.

fact of the matter is that most of us, me included, behave like the Pharisees.

• We have to learn not to let our holiness get between us and God.

• We have to learn not let our understanding to get between us and God's Word.

• We have to learn not to let our own goodness get between us and the righteousness of Christ.

• We have to learn not to let our heart contradict what we claim to believe.

Excite: Holiness comes from a relationship with God in Christ Jesus a relationship that aligns us with His purpose, transforms our heart, reforms our behavior. Informs our character.

• Excite: Holiness comes from a relationship with God in Christ Jesus a relationship that aligns us with His purpose, transforms our

• Explore:

heart, reforms our behavior. Informs our character.

Holiness shows how Good God is-not how awesome we are.

• Explore:

Holiness shows how Good God is not how awesome we are.

Explain: In our text Jesus teaches us 3 lessons of holiness.

First He tells us to

1 Address the Problem of holiness. 1-5

▾ 1 Address the Problem of holiness. 1-5

1.1 Confusing our role.

▾ 1.1 Confusing our role.

…our job is not to tell others how to be holy (Just like me!)

• 1.1.1 …our job is not to tell others how to be holy Just like me!

1.2 Inflating our understanding.

▾ 1.2Inflating our understanding.

anytime we think that we are right and everyone else wrong…the opposite is generally true.

• 1.2.1 anytime we think that we are right and everyone else wrong…the opposite is generally true.

1.3 Weaponizing our influence.

▾ 1.3 Weaponizing our influence.

even if we are right, what good is it if we turn our personal holiness into a crusade of exclusion?

• 1.3.1 even if we are right, what good is it if we turn our personal holiness into a crusade of exclusion?

Next Jesus teaches us to

2 Avoid the Pride of holiness. 6-13

▾ 2 Avoid the Pride/Presumption of holiness. 6-13

2.1 Spirituality can either be a gate or a fence.

• 2.1 Spirituality is either a gate or a fence.

2.2 Tradition serves scripture…

• 2.2 Traditions serves scripture…not the other way around.

not the other way around.

2.3 God's Word can be used as either a guide or an excuse.

• 2.3 God's Word is either a guide or an excuse.

The last, most powerful lesson; we must

3 Accept the power of holiness. vv. 14-23

▾ 3 Accept the power of holiness. vv. 14-23

3.1 Stop pretending.

• 3.1 Stop pretending.

3.2 Start practicing godliness.

• 3.2 Start practicing godliness.

▾ Puzzle/purpose/process/power

Take time to be holy…

• Take time to be holy…

Early in our Christian life holiness appears to be a puzzle we have to solve. Then we see it as a process that we learn to follow. Even more maturity allows us to accept that God' works out the purposes of holy living in our lives. Finally we discern the power. We live in the power of holiness. That lesson is learned when we acknowledge that only through the power of God is

▾ Early in our Christian life holiness appears to be a puzzle we have to solve. Then we see it as a process that we learn to follow.

Even more maturity allows us to accept that God' works out the purposes of holy living in our lives. Finally we discern the power.

the problem solved

We live in the power of holiness. That lesson is learned when we acknowledge that only through the power of God is

pride avoided and the

• the problem solved

Power deployed.

• pride avoided and the

Jesus knew the limitations of our own faith, our own ability. He provides the needed transformation that allows us to become holy-not to impress others. Not even to impress God-but to imitate His Son and to be found faithful.

• Power deployed.

• Jesus knew the limitations of our own faith, our own ability. He provides the needed transformation that allows us to become

holy-not to impress others. Not even to impress God-but to imitate His Son and to be found faithful.

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