Hearken and Understand

Journey with Jesus   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  38:58
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Turn to and read Mark 7:14-17. Pray.
Last week, as we considered Christ’s interaction with the scribes and Pharisees, we saw that scribes and Pharisees aside God’s Word in favor of tradition. They even went so far that they rejected God’s Word in favor of tradition. We see Christ’s indictment in vs. 13:
Mark 7:13 KJV 1900
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
After finishing with the scribes and Pharisees, Christ turned to the crowd that had been watching and had been listening and said:
Mark 7:14 KJV 1900
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
In essence Christ said, “You’ve just heard what I have said to the scribes and the Pharisees but have you been really listening?” He went on to say:
Mark 7:15–16 KJV 1900
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
After that, Christ and His disciples stepped into a house to get away from the crowds. Once inside, we are told that the disciples “…asked Him concerning the parable.”

The Disciples’ Question

In Matthew chapter 15, we are told that it was specifically Peter who spoke up:
Matthew 15:15 KJV 1900
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
In other words, “We still don’t understand!”
Christ’s response? Turn to and read Mark 7:18-23.
I believe that Christ’s response should be fairly simple for us to understand. But, there are two phrases that I would like to highlight before we move on. In vs. 19, Christ says...

Because it entereth not into his heart...

The Pharisees were concerned with the external; Christ was concerned with the internal.
The Pharisees were focused on the physical; Christ was focused on the spiritual.
That which we are concerned with will generally dictate what we are focused on.
If we are concerned with the external, we will likely be focused on the external.
What are people most concerned with today? The external! COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, the presidential election, the economy, in person vs. virtual school, and the list could go on.
Therefore, what are must people focused upon? The physical! COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, the presidential election, the economy, in person vs. virtual school, and the list could go on.
What are you concerned with this morning? What is your focus upon this morning?
I know that these verses are familiar, but they bear repeating...
Colossians 3:1–2 KJV 1900
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
The word affection that is used there is verse 2 literally means to set your mind upon.
We are told, in 2 Corinthians 10:5:
2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV 1900
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Every morning, as we start our day, we should determine that we are going to set our minds upon things above. And, yes, while I understand that there will be much, during our day, which relates to our physical life and existence, we still must approach those things with our minds set upon “…things above, not on things on the earth.”
The Apostle James warns us...
James 1:8 KJV 1900
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
The Pharisees were concerned with the external; Christ was concerned with the internal.
The Pharisees were focused on the physical; Christ was focused on the spiritual.
Let’s not be like the Pharisees; let’s be like Christ!
Then, in vs. 21, Christ says...

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed...

It was because of this truth that King Solomon, in Proverbs 4:23, wrote...
Proverbs 4:23 KJV 1900
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
Researchers tell us that each of us carry an invisible cloud of bacteria, viruses, fungi and chemicals around us every day. If we could see this “cloud” we would look very much like the Peanuts-character, Pig-pen.
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20180920/we-all-carry-a-personal-cloud-of-germs-chemicals#1
That bacteria and other “things” are just looking to find an entrance inside of your body so that they can wreck havoc.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the same is true spiritually! Satan’s strategy is to get one of his fiery darts into our hearts so that he can corrupt us internally! That is why it is of utmost importance that we guard our hearts!
There are only two ways in which Satan can get one of his fiery darts into our hearts: through our eyes and through our ears.
As children sing in Sunday school:
Oh be careful little eyes what you see - For the Father up above is looking down in love - Oh be careful little eyes what you see.
Oh be careful little ears what you hear - For the Father up above is looking down in love - Oh be careful little ears what you hear.

How can we guard our hearts?

Actively set God’s Word as the Watchman of your heart by reading it (eyes) and by hearing it preached (ears).
Colossians 3:16 KJV 1900
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Allow God’s Word to be the filter for each circumstance, each decision, every response, and every thought.
Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Now, we move from the disciple’s question to...

A Mother’s Faith

Turn to and read Mark 7:24-30. Notice...

She “besought” Christ on behalf of her daughter.

The Gospels include several accounts of parents who “besought” Christ on behalf of their children (such as we have here in Mark chapter 7).
Mark 5:22–23 KJV 1900
And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mark 9:24–25 KJV 1900
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
John 4:49–50 KJV 1900
The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
From this, I want to challenge all of us, who are parents, with this truth...

The greatest thing that you can do for your children is to beg God on their behalf!

A great example of this is seen in the life of Job.
Job 1:5 KJV 1900
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

The greatest thing that you can do for yourself is to simply take God at His Word!

In vs. 29, Jesus said, “…go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.” Christ did not go to this woman’s house to heal her daughter. He simply spoke. “And His word was enough for this woman. If the Lord said that her daughter was set free, that was all she needed to hear. It ought to be enough for us.” – John Philipps
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word; Just to rest upon His promise; Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er, Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more.
There’s an old southern Gospel song that goes…“God said it; I believe it; and that settles it for me!” It should simply be, “God said it; That settles it!”
The greatest thing that we can do for our children is to beg God on their behalf; the greatest thing that we can do for ourselves it to simply take God at His Word!
Finally....

The Praise of the Deaf & Dumb

Turn to and read Mark 7:31-37.
We have already seen Christ perform many miracles. This instance is no more or less miraculous than any others. However, I would like you, for just a moment, to consider what is said in vs. 37:
Mark 7:37 KJV 1900
And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

He hath done all things well.

The word well is the Greek work kalos which means good. In other words, these individuals said, “Everything that Christ does is good!”
God is good…all the time. All the time....God is good!
The truth that everything that God does is good can be seen all the way back to Genesis and the Garden of Eden:
Genesis 1:31 KJV 1900
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
And, because God does everything well, it should cause us to tell everyone, just as this man did!
Mark 7:36 KJV 1900
And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
The Lord is good - Tell it wherever you go, The Lord is good - Tell it that others may know; Tell of His blessings and tell of His love, Tell how He's coming from heaven above; The Lord is good - Tell it wherever you go.
When was the last time you told someone that the Lord is good? Who was the last individual that you told, “The Lord is good?”
Truly, He hath done all things well! Now, let’s tell someone!
The Disciple’s question...
A Mother’s Faith...
The Praise of the Deaf & Dumb...
What have you learned today? Will you allow it to make a difference in your life?

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