A New Year's Choice
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Introduction
Introduction
Well, Christmas 2021 has come and gone. Yet, I hope you won’t forget to continue to share Jesus throughout your life.
Now we are approaching another New Year. Can you believe it, that next week it will be 2022! As we approach a new year, many people make “New Year’s Resolutions.” I’ll bet some of you have been making resolutions. Things like: “I want to lose weight this year.” or “I want to save more money this year.” Some may want to get a new job or want to travel more. There are all kinds of resolutions.
Yet, each one of us needs to make sure our resolutions don’t go against God’s Word. This morning, we want to return to our study in the book of Mark. The last time we were in the book of Mark we left off at the end of the sixth chapter. So if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Mark chapter 7.
Right before we began our 2021 Christmas Series, we were in Mark chapter 6. There we saw:
Jesus in His Home Town (Mk 6:1-6).
Jesus sending out the 12 (Mk 6:6-13).
The Execution of John the Baptist (Mk. 6:14-30).
The feeding of the 5,000 (Mk 6:30-44).
Today, we come to Mark chapter 7, which includes an interesting interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees. If you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, let’s look at Mark 7.
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed.
Not Doing It Right
Not Doing It Right
Let’s look at the scene. Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law had come up from Jerusalem to check Jesus (and his message out). Yet, before they heard too much, they saw something that upset them. The disciples were not washing their hands the right way. The religious teachers considered them to be “unclean.” In fact, Mark does a good job of filling us in on the customs and traditions. Look at verses 3-4.
(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 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.)
So, according to these religious leaders, the disciples were not doing the religious rituals the right way! So they were “unclean” which was not good. So they turned and asked Jesus—the “Teacher” why He would allow this blatant rejection of the elders’ traditions. Look at verse 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 ‘unclean’ hands?”
Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ Response
Jesus listens to them, and knows their hearts. In His response to them, Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13.
Look at verse 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. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’
First, Jesus calls them “hypocrites.” We all know how hypocrites say one thing but end up doing the exact opposite.
Next, Jesus says that even though these religious leaders say the “right” things, their hearts are far from the Lord and what the Lord wants in worship. Instead of really worshiping God, they focused on all the rules that were taught by men!
QUESTION 1: As we look towards a new year; are you only honoring God with your lips, or are you working to keep your hearts close to God?
QUESTION 2: Is your worship following God’s rules? Or are you following after all the do’s and don’ts of men?
But Jesus went on. Look at verse 8.
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”
To drive His point home, He gives them an example.
And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.
Let’s see if we can figure out what is going on in this passage.
Jesus reiterates that to these religious leaders their religious traditions are more important than God’s commands! (v. 9)
Moses said: Honor your father and mother. (v. 10a; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16)
And, Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. (v. 10b; Ex 21:17; Lev. 20:9)
But you say. . .if a man says to his father or mother. . . any help you might have received is now Corban (that is a gift devoted to God). Now let’s look at this Corban idea. Corban is a Hebrew word referring to a gift to God that would be given at a later date—so it still belonged to the person. According to Jewish traditions when a man (or woman) claimed Corban, the person would be free from their obligations to support or assist their parents. Nevertheless, this tradition was a violation of the Mosaic Law.
Jesus acknowledges that many of these religious leaders were nullifying God’s Word.
Jesus goes on to say that the Corban tradition was NOT the only such situation.
QUESTION 3: Do you have traditions like Corban in your life? Traditions of sorts that nullify God’s Word?
Jesus Talks to the Crowd
Jesus Talks to the Crowd
Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’”
Today, to us, it sounds pretty straight forward. But the disciples don’t get it. So they ask Jesus to explain it. Perhaps this goes back to chapter 6. In 6:52.
for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Now some of you may have a verse 16—but the NIV has left the verse out, because it is not in the oldest manuscripts—Verse 16 said—“Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Now, maybe their hearts were still hardened so they could not simply didn’t get it. So, they come to Jesus and ask Him (again) to explain the “parable.” Look at verse 17.
After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.
Jesus Response to the Disciples
Jesus Response to the Disciples
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”)
No food going into the body can make us unclean before the Lord—because it passes through us.
Mark also reminds us that Jesus declared all food to be “clean.”
He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’
Jesus says it is what comes out a person that makes a person unclean.
For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ ”
It’s what comes out of the person’s heart that makes such a person unclean.
Then Jesus gives us a list of things that are concerning:
Evil Thoughts—this could be translated, “evil thoughts such as. . .” or evil thoughts could be on of the things on the list.
Sexual Immorality—the Greek word porneia from which we get the English word “pornography.” It means any kind of sexual impurity.
Theft—guess what it means? Stealing.
Murder.
Adultery—a betrayal of one’s marriage vows.
Greed.
Malice—acting out evil thoughts, or wickedness.
Deceit—being deceptive.
Lewdness—lustful desires.
Envy—wanting what others want.
Slander—this is the same Greek word that when used about God is translated blasphemy—it is defaming someone’s character.
Arrogance—this could be translated “pride.”
Folly—today we would call it “foolishness.”
The passage concludes with “All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”
As we begin a new year, the question that each of us needs to ask ourselves is:
QUESTION 4: How am I “unclean?”
James wrote:
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
This year, I want to challenge you to make a New Year’s Resolution—This year’s resolution is two fold.
First, get rid of all moral filth and evil—James acknowledges that moral filth and evil is so prevalent!
Secondly, this year humbly accept the Word of God that was planted in you—because it can save you, from the moral filth and evil that is so prevalent.
