Relationship or Ritual

Intro

I'll say bless the Lord if you say oh my soul.

Bless the Lord (Oh my soul)

Oh bless His holy name.

Good morning, my name is Eric and I'm the student pastor at The Glade. I'm not here in the pulpit every week, but every now and again I get the genuine blessing of standing before God's people on the Lord's Day and say, "Thus saith the Lord," and I consider it no small thing.

I've been asked quickly to call attention to a resource that we are making available to you (mention packet and groups expo on March 20). This is an opportunity for you to get plugged in. We make it well known characteristics we hope to see out of healthy church members... that they go to worship, that they serve, they give, and they belong to a small group. So we are making this available to you to shrink any barrier that may keep you from being in a small group. We'll have group leaders available that day, here to speak with you about their group, when they meet, where they meet, and we cannot wait to see how God works in and amongst our people as we grow together in small group community.

...

I want to do a little thought exercise as we start this morning. Close your eyes. If you're not comfortable I'll just ask for you to think intently as I guide you along, here.

Imagine an incredibly moral and upstanding man.

Attends church regularly

Goes on mission trips

He tithes

Reads his bible - even memorizes parts of it

Never gets drunk - doesn't have a foul mouth

Loves his country and votes "the right way."

If anyone has earned their right to heaven... it would be this man. In fact, that's been his goal, to live and believe rightly in the sight of onlookers. That's exactly what he's after. For someone to look at him and say, "he's such a good man."

Sadly, this man is bound for an eternal destination separated from King Jesus as he remains under his just judgement. Because his faith was in how he could tilt the scales in his favor.

I've just introduced you to the modern-day pharisee.

(open your eyes - look around... if anyone's still got their eyes closed you can wake em up for me.)

We have the benefit of hindsight as we read scripture. We look and we shake our heads of how insanely wrong they could get things... but I'll point out that in the days before Jesus, a pharisee wasn't scorned as a false believer... but seen as the pinnacle achievement in the world of faith.

We look to a couple of examples throughout the Bible. Pharisees who seemingly had it all together. Guys like Nicodemus, we read about his story in John 3 - right? Where we find the renowned John 3:16.

Nicodemus - It's built right into his name... complied of two words -- nike (greek god of victory, and demos... the same root word where we get the word demographics -- meaning, people.) So in short terms, victor of the people... champion of the people... pharisee. He had it going on.

And yet what we see in this dialogue is his confusion because he undoubtedly knows a lot about God, but not enough to see His Son in front of His own eyes.

And you very well might be asking the very same question as Nicodemus... "How can one be born again? How can one be seen as right in the eyes of a holy God.

That's where we're going this morning as we continue our series in the Gospel of Mark. And as we read, I want you to think intently about your own walk with Jesus, is it categorized by routines and rituals? Or is it a genuine--relationship.

Beloved, the central idea I would love for us all to walk away with in light of this passage is this: Purity, in God's eyes, is an issue of the heart, not of one's deeds.

If it helps you and you're a note taker, which I think is awesome, I've divided verses 1-23 in this way.

First we see: The Trap, The Turn, and The Truth (Take this slower to allow for writing)

The Trap - (vv. 1-5)

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him. They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean hands?”

We see right from the jump a clue that this inquisition is not one made in good faith. It says that the pharisees and the scribes had come down from Jerusalem to Galilee. No doubt they had heard of the miraculous works performed by Jesus.

You can look at at the accounts listed just in chapter 6 alone and think, maybe they are pursuing Jesus in light of these things... The feeding of the 5000, Jesus walking on water, the list goes on. They hear enough to know that there is someone off in the distance that's causing trouble.

It was a "rally the troops" moment. Let's go to Galilee and see about this hillbilly that thinks he's on par with us.

Again, you may look and shake your heads at such people, but it might be a bit a humbling experience if I asked you about your social media habits.

Who hear is guilty of doing a deep dive on someone on facebook or wherever and you turn to a close confidant and make some snide remark.

Because it's all too natural... I know it is for me... to look judgmentally upon others.

Enough was the feeling of contempt for these men that they saw fit to travel a distance to 'shut him up.'

They scan and observe, not with righteous intent but selfish intent, and it's not even an issue that they find with Jesus but they try and pin him as guilty by association.

"Hey... those people that follow you. They don't wash their hands before they eat."

All the germaphobes in the room are collectively wretching... but what is at hand (pun intended) is not an issue of hygiene, I assure you. It's an issue of purity. They were calling Jesus unclean. Which is a bit ironic, right?

The pharisees are pointing out a biblical prescription from the Old Testament, talking about cleanliness laws, laws that were originally reserved for the priests before they entered the temple... and they amplified that law to all people.

And what was the purpose of that law? To remind the people of God of a bitter reality that as you approach God, you do so as one who needs to be made clean. So this ritual was established as an act of worship, not meant to be heartless, but meant to be a reminder brothers and sisters that we all come up wanting if you want to talk about how holy we truly are.

So here we see men twisting and manipulating acts of worship. Theologically beating their chests and saying... "why don't you be more like me."

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If you grew up in the 90s in conservative evangelical circles, like I did, you may be familiar with something known as "purity culture"

Which was a movement that coopted that term "purity" to mean almost exclusively maintaining a moral sexual ethic.

But what we are so often guilty of and what the pharisees are guilty of is having such a narrow view of what purity truly means.

If your thought of purity... being seen as right in the eyes of God... is limited to what all you can't do, then you have a narrow idea of what it means to be pure.

God desires purity out of us because he desires relationship with us. He desires closeness with us.

But clean cannot dwell with the unclean. So we have a problem at hand. And instead of seeking to minister to that problem and go before God on behalf of the people. The pharisees seek to wound and entrap.

We know that this line of questioning was not made in good faith because we do see such a pointed turn from Jesus himself. So first we had the trap, now see the turn.

The Turn (vv. 6-13)

He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands. Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.” He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition! For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is corban’ ” (that is, an offering devoted to God), “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.”

Again if you had any question as to what was the pharisees intent, you can discern for yourself by Jesus' response.

He doesn't pull his punches. He calls them hypocrites... to their faces. Jesus doesn't navigate niceties to call out the falsely pious.

The word used here for hypocrites is meant to invoke thoughts of an actor... someone who is playing a part.

This past week, I went and saw The Batman. If you didn't know... I'm a huge batman fan, had a toy chest as a kid that largely consisted of batman and power rangers... because I was awesome.

I'm actually a huge nerd about this kind of stuff. Becca can attest.

But in the new batman film you look up who all is in the movie you see that Robert Pattinson plays The Dark Knight. Mr. Twilight himself plays batman, but you also see that Colin Ferrell plays Oswald "The Penguin" Cobblepot.

And if you know anything about this character you know that he has a very particular look. Short, round, typically wears a tux, top hat, and cane.

So when I see on twitter that Colin Ferrell has been cast as the penguin, I'm sitting there thinking... "there's absolutely no way."

Only to finally see that this is Colin Ferrell playing The Penguin.

It's pretty astonishing to see what Hollywood can do with makeup, but my point is this.

In the same way that you see a drastic difference here, I pray that no one can say the same about you, or the same about me. That on the outside you put on an image... you play the part... but the person underneath the makeup and the veneer is totally different.

I pray that no one would look at you and your faith and say... it's just an act.

Don't be a people who, as Jesus says here, is quick to praise God with your mouths but in reality your heart is in a totally different spot. If that's the case then your worship. is. in. vain.

Jesus himself would say in Matthew 7, at the tail end of the sermon on the mount, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Brothers and sisters, that should strike a holy fear into our hearts to constantly and continually check our motivations. Because it's not the ones who will behave and do right that will enter the kingdom of heaven... but the ones who desire God enough to seek after God and what he wants from this world... namely that many would come to repent and believe in the might of Jesus to save.

Back to the text... Jesus says here that the pharisees were teaching human practices on par with God's law.

Taking practices and beliefs not rooted in God's word and putting them on equal footing as if they were in Scripture.

Whether or not you know, Christians are really, really bad at this.

Worship styles, how people dress, renovation plans, I have plenty of friends from seminary, catching up with them on the phone and hearing about a business meeting was derailed by an ornery member because things weren't done to their liking. Change was happening and they didn't like it...

"Well we've always done it this way. Why should we change now."

These are potential areas for 21st century legalism.

Brothers and sisters, if ever you hear anyone say that in order to be made right with God you need Jesus and... run.

... and be married and have kids

... and no tattoos

... and vote republican

Beloved that is heresy wrapped up in religious zeal.

Which is a haunting prospect, as we look at the pharisees here and examine our own lives, and we see that it is entirely possible to be passionate about the things of God, but be far from him.

Verse 8, Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.” He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition!

[greek slide]

The word in greek here is entoleh and it is translated singularly or collectively and many think that this is because Jesus wasn't necessarily citing the vast multitude of the law... but Deuteronomy 6, the basis for what would later be called the great commandment.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Meaning if you ascribe to rule-keeping and manmade moralities and use these things to draw lines in the sand, looking at people and saying, not welcome here... you have lost the heart of God.

Jesus then launches into an example of what he's talking about.

For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

And all the parents said... amen.

But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is corban’ ” (that is, an offering devoted to God), “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.”

Jesus lays bare in front of the pharisees exactly where they are at fault. He recites the 5th commandment, to honor your father and mother. A commandment meant to promote the flourishing of the family, and holds it up against this manmade tradition called, corban.

Corban was a practice of essentially willing a possession or piece of property to the temple. Not unlike something that might happen today. My wife works in fundraising and part of her job over the past few years has involved families donating elements of their estate to the organization she worked for.

But where the pharisees are go wrong here is when someone corban's an offering to the temple, the pharisees prohibit you from any common use of that object. Essentially saying, "I know this was supposed to be a gift upon your passing, but we're going to go ahead and tke control of it now."

Be it real or hypothetical, Jesus points out here an instance where pharisees took property or goods from someone, and when the time came for that person to care for and honor their parents, be it in old age or just a time of need, representatives of the temple said... "nope, you can't use it that way. That would make the gift unclean. It's ours now."

Thusly invalidating, nullifying God's commandment. And he said to them, "you do many other similar things." -- Painting a picture of wide-scale corruption.

Notice the progression here, first these quote unquote godly men elevate the teachings of men, then they abandon the commandments of God, then they outright nullify the commandments of God. Again a terrifying prospect at how close any of us can be at any given moment, desiring to do good things for The Lord, but in the blink of an eye, these sinful hands, so often take good gifts and drag them through the mud.

They endorse a checklist theology... do x, y, and z and you will be right with God. And so often we do the same thing!

I can't tell you how many times I've had a conversation with someone and ultimately their answer to the question, "what must one do to be saved," revolves around, "just be a good person." Beloved there will be plenty of well-behaved people in hell.

Checklists are easy. you know what's not? Standing before God in full vulnerability and humility. Examining your heart and being honest with God.

I pray that we not drift into the lane of the pharisees.

What the pharisees thought they were doing, at least to begin with, was that they were setting up traditions that lived within, were supportive of, and were holding up God's command. [image 1]

But in reality, what they had created was something that swallowed up and superseded God's law. [image 2]

In chapter 2, Jesus' disciples were picking grain on the sabbath... and again the pharisees called Jesus to order... to which Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for man... not man for the Sabbath. Another showing that the pharisees took something good, in God-ordained rest, and made it into a manmade thing.

God's law was given to us for our flourishing. It was meant for our ultimate good, namely pointing us back to our need to be made right with God... As soon as you make it merely about rule-keeping and about being made right in the eyes of man... you have perverted what God intended for good.

My question to you is, where are you drawing that line in the sand? Where are you holding up your own sensitivities and preferences and whoever offends those things you cast them out as not welcome.

A sobering thought no doubt. Jesus then launches into the truth of purity and defilement.

The Truth (vv. 14-23)

Summoning the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” When he went into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods clean). And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

Corruption... is an issue of the heart. God is after your heart. Not your ability to heap up works and deeds.

Contamination, as we read here, comes from inside of us, not from anything that we may touch.

Danny Akin, president of southeastern baptist theological seminary, would comment about this passage that, the basic problem of fallen humanity is not what we do, but who we are.

That's not to say that we are free to do whatever without any consideration. I tell my students all the time, please for the love stop living out your faith as a spiritual credit card... continuing on in sin and just telling yourself, it's okay, God will forgive me, I'll worry about consequences later.

I pray that you see the the heart behind a statement like that. One that is uncaring. One that does not desire closeness with God but is instead, self-seeking.

But, beloved, out of all of this I hope that you see an incredibly beautiful and freeing truth in this passage. God is not roasting you over the flames saying, you better toe the line, or else.

But instead he's saying be with me. I'm better. I'm better than worldly desires. I'm better than all your efforts to repair the shipwreck of your life.

Defilement comes from within, not without. So the answer is simple, you need righteousness but not one that you are able to fashion with your own hands, but one that has been offered up for you.

Lay down what the prophet Isaiah would call your filthy rags that are your attempts to posture yourself rightly in the eyes of God.

If your idea of righteousness is burning a copy of Harry Potter and an AC/DC CD... and beating your chest as if to say, "look! look how good I am..." repent. Turn to something better.

By no means am I saying, go and live a licentious life, but what I am saying is look to Jesus and nothing else to be made right with God.

We are not a lawless people, make no mistake. It's not that we are called to abolish religion because its too formal and Jesus was a rebel. - I guarantee you, Jesus was an extremely religious man. He was a devout Jew.

But what I'm begging of you is this, as the pharisees looked to the law and traditions for their righteousness...

Throw yourself at the foot of the cross! Jesus himself said that he did not come to abolish the law but what... fulfill it.

We are not called to disregard God's good commands but instead of running to rules and regulations, let us run to Jesus with a heart of unspeakable gratitude, saying "Thank you. Thank you Jesus. Thank you for making me righteous. Thank you for fulfilling the law so that when I fail, you hold me up.

Beloved, make no mistake you will stand before a high and holy God one day and you will give an account for your life and God will ask, by what means are you welcome here?

And in a moment in will be the most humbling and most joyous moment you will ever know because the answer is simply, purely, and beautifully, JESUS.

The old hymn bears true today,

WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS

WHAT CAN MAKE ME WHOLE AGAIN

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS

oh how previous is the flow

that makes me white as snow

there is no other fount I know

nothing... but the blood of Jesus.

And what an incredibly appropriate truth to preach to ourselves this morning as we observe the Lord’s Supper. That in our deepest time of need, when we could not make things right ourselves, Jesus stood in our place.

Beloved if you are here this morning and the world has made you weary; if you are here and you feel that gaping hole in your life and you just feel like your are searching… I pray that you would search no more and see the face of God who looks at you and bids you to draw near by the blood of His Son.

I’m going to invite pastor Trevie to the stage to lead us in communion and as he does, I invite you to bow your heads and close your eyes....

And as you sit there in the silence, pray that God would remove all hard-heartedness from you. And when you think about what is it that makes you able to stand in the presence of God, may no other answer come across your lips but, Jesus.

Heavenly Father,