Wash Your Heart
Mark 7:1-23
When the prophet Samuel was sent to Jesse’s house to anoint a king for Israel, we are told that the Lord said to Samuel…
1 Samuel 16:7 "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." NKJV
In the NT, the Pharisees found ways to appear outwardly righteous without ever entering into genuine worship of God; they honored God with their lips, without a true heart change.
We can only come to a complete surrender to the Spirit of God, through a heart change and then we can become true worshipers.
Religion promotes self effort and defiles a person, because religion only addresses our behaviors; a relationship with Jesus, changes our hearts and make us free to love and worship Him.
None of this can happen for us, without a complete heart transformation, through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
It has been said, “The wicked think their sin is nothing, the moral think their sin is small, and the religious think their sin is manageable.”
All sin is against God; only He can cleanse and transform us!
Please open your Bibles to Mark 7 as we continue that study
Last week, we learned that immediately after they finished serving the crowd and eating their lunch; Jesus made the Disciples get into the boat without Him, and go to Bethsaida.
In the middle of the night, the Disciples were out on the water straining at rowing, and Jesus was up on the mountain praying; but, He was also aware of what was happening to the Disciples.
Jesus walked on the water and He would have passed them by; but, He came over to them because they cried out to Him.
Jesus is always present, simply waiting for us to call on Him!
At this point in the narrative, Peter asked Jesus to let him walk on the water, but the Gospel of Mark seems to omit this detail.
Peter displayed radical faith, getting out of the boat and walking on the water; before he looked at the storm and then sank.
After the boat arrived on the other side, their break time was over; because as soon as they anchored, people recognized Jesus and ran to Him for a miracle touch from the Savior.
With our failures, the Lord is faithful to forgive us and to turn the situation around; to work it out for our good and His glory.
This morning, we will learn how the Pharisees traveled about 70 miles to come and correct Jesus about His Disciples eating without properly washing their hands, according to traditions.
I. The accusation.
Read Mark 7:1-5
Have you ever had someone come to you with a question that was not really a question at all; but they really wanted to argue?
You know, they start out with a question and before you can begin to offer an explanation, they have several rebuttal questions and comments ready to refute whatever you say.
In Mark 7, this is the second delegation from the Pharisees, and they traveled 70 miles from Jerusalem, having heard about the all of the miracles of Jesus, who people believed was Messiah.
At face value, the idea of the religious leaders sending men to evaluate the ministry of Jesus was a good thing; because it was the Pharisees responsibility to protect Israel from false prophets.
But, these religious leaders ignore the many sick people healed by Jesus and they ignore the miracle of feeding the thousands.
The Pharisees wanted to debate the fact that the Disciples were breaking the traditions of the Elders by the way they were eating
It is important to remember that this scene takes place right after the feeding of the 5000 men, plus women and children.
The religious leaders did not come to refute the reports of these miracles; rather, they were upset that Jesus did not make these people follow their religious rules.
Jesus meets the people’s needs; but, the religious leaders were more concerned with appearances and rules, than the needs of the people.
Notice, the accusation from the religious leaders was not, “Why do Your Disciples break Biblical Law”…
Rather the religious leaders’ accusation was, “Why do Your Disciples not walk according to the tradition of the Elders?”
We must be so careful, not to be offended by different people’s worship styles, just because they are different than us.
The methods of how we worship or communicate the Gospel can be different as long as they don’t go against Scripture.
There were two books the Jewish leaders relied on, in addition to the Old Testament of the Bible; the Mishna and the Talmud.
The Mishna contained oral traditions, and the Talmud was a commentary on the Old Testament Scriptures.
In the Talmud, these words are written, "The words of the scribes are lovely above the words of the law.”
Not only did these religious leaders place a higher value on their traditions than people’s needs; they also placed a higher value on their traditions, than the Word of God.
Their rituals insisted that the very first thing someone had to do once they woke up in the morning was to wash their hands because an animal could have come near them, while they slept.
When it came to feeding of the 5,000, the religious leaders probably thought that Jesus should have made the crowd walk four miles to town, to wash their hands properly, before they ate.
William Lane said, “The hand washing described here was purely ceremonial. It wasn’t enough to properly clean your hands if they were very dirty.
You would have to first wash your hands to make them clean, and then perform the ritual to make them spiritually clean.”
The washing of hands, according to their traditions, started by taking enough of this water to fill one and one-half egg shells...
Then they poured the water over their hands, starting at the fingers and running down towards the wrist.
Then they cleaned each palm by rubbing the fist of the other hand; followed by pouring water over their hands again; but this time, from the wrist towards the fingers.
The problem was not dirty hands; because a person can manage to appear clean with religion.
The real problem that causes a separation from Jesus is a defiled heart, which takes something more powerful than rituals, to fix.
Through the washing of the blood of Christ and the new heart He promises to those who would receive Him; we can respond to Him in love, and have new life.
Wiersbe said, “These washings not only indicated a wrong attitude toward people, but they also conveyed a wrong idea of the nature of sin and personal holiness.
Jesus made it clear in the Sermon on the Mount that true holiness is a matter of inward affection and attitude and not just outward actions and associations.
“Jesus taught that a person who obeys the law externally can still break the law in his heart, and that external “defilement” has little connection with the condition of the inner person.”
So the Pharisees were more concerned with traditions; but, instead of Jesus denying He broke the Pharisees traditions, He gets to the heart of the matter.
II. Jesus rebukes the hypocrites.
Read Mark 7:6-13
Jesus offers His answer to these religious leaders; as He points out the real issue.
The real issue was not the dirty hands of the Disciples; but, the real issue was the dirty hearts of the religious leaders.
Remember, the religious leaders come to Jesus with the accusation that He and His Disciples are breaking traditions…
The Pharisees asked Jesus why He allows their traditions to be broken, so Jesus asks them why they break the Law of God.
Jesus begins His rebuke of these leaders using the Word of God.
Jesus quotes from Isaiah and from the Law written in Exodus and Leviticus; it is as if Jesus was saying, “If you want to accuse Me of going against the Lord, show me chapter and verse.”
What a perfect argument, because the religious leaders cannot argue from a Biblical high ground when the Son of God showed them their stinking thinking right from their own Bibles.
Jesus pulls no punches and calls these leaders, “Hypocrites”.
Hypocrites in Strong’s G5273, is the word, hypokrites (who-paw-kray-tais) which means an actor, stage player, or pretender.
In the theater actors were given two masks to play different parts
Once we are in Christ, we are a new creation. When we behave like the old man we were before we were in Christ, we are being a play actor; which is the very definition of a hypocrite.
Jesus tells these religious leaders that the prophecy in Isaiah 29:13 was written about them…
These men are like professional Christians, knowing all about the Lord; but not knowing the Lord.
There are three things these religious leaders were doing that are signs of hypocrisy and so Jesus speaks against these behaviors:
1. They honor Me with their lips. (vs. 6)
Jesus is saying that there is no connection between what they are professing with their words and how they were living their lives.
2. Vain worship. (vs. 7)
The dictionary definition of vain is producing no result; useless.
They were practicing religion, with lives that didn’t honor God.
Can you imagine for a moment how angry this would have made these religious leaders who have spent their whole lives trying to appear righteous before men?
Jesus is saying, “Your life’s accomplishments are worthless.”
Imagine spending so much energy on religion only to have the Lord tell you that your worship is completely useless.
And why was their worship useless? Because they were…
3. Teaching man’s doctrines. (vs. 7)
Again, this was said of the religious leaders because they valued man’s traditions over Biblical teaching.
This means that true worship is connected to true doctrine.
Biblical Doctrine is important for every Christian because it shows us the real nature of God.
Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:24, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
So true worship of the Lord is connected to true doctrine; if something is not normative in scripture, it should not be practiced by Christ followers in worship!
Then Jesus gives them another example of their hypocrisy.
Re-read Mark 7:11
What is Corban? Corban was a dedication or offering of personal funds to the Temple.
These leaders would claim a Corban offering with their money, but retain total control over it; they would dedicate their money to the Temple after they died; but continue using it selfishly.
Instead of honoring their father and mother, the Pharisees found a loop hole, teaching that they could dedicate money to the temple in lieu of helping their parents in need.
The Pharisees used the excuse of a Corban offering as an illegitimate way of falsely appearing righteous, while defrauding their parents and selfishly keep their money for themselves.
J. R. Edwards said, “A man goes through the formality of vowing something to God, not that he may give it to God, but in order to prevent some other person from having it.
They were making the Word of God of no effect through their traditions; which means to make the Bible, legally null and void.
Their misuse of Corban was evil and not doing the right thing.
Catch this: rituals, without righteousness and a relationship with the Lord, is always wrong.
Without a personal relationship with the Lord, our rituals are good for nothing; the traditions of man should never be given higher precedence than the authority of God’s Word.
False religions always invent and follow traditions, rather than the pure Word of God; because most false religions are born out of greed for money, power or pride.
God’s Word understands the selfishness of man, and God’s Word is always contrary to the heart of the natural man.
Leaders of false religions are always seeking power, riches or pride for themselves; but God’s Word tells us...
Romans 12:2 do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The Word of God always hurts the natural man because it goes against the self-will.
Traditions of themselves are not bad; but, the Word of God is much more important than any tradition.
III. How defilement happens.
Read Mark 7:14-16
Jesus finished trying to explain Himself to the religious leaders who would not hear Him, so He calls the crowds over instead.
All of the traditions about ceremonial washing cannot cleanse you; it is not what goes into your stomach that makes you dirty.
What comes out of our mouth reveals if we have a dirty heart.
People, who want to use performance as a means of righteousness, will always be offended by God’s Grace.
The word translated here as defile, means to make common or unclean, to render unhallowed, profane.
Something becomes defiled when it is not devoted, or set aside for God alone. Jesus explains, “A person is defiled from the things that live in our hearts”.
We are not defiled by things from outside of the body; thoughts of murder, evil intentions, and what comes from the heart, defiles a person; not eating with dirty hands.
C.H. Spurgeon said, “Murders begins not with the dagger, but with the malice of the soul.”
In Acts 10, we read about Peter, who had a vision from the Lord of a sheet coming down from heaven with all sorts of unclean animals on it and the Lord told him to rise, kill and eat.
Acts 10:14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."
Acts 10:15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." NKJV
Later, Peter was eating with the Gentiles until some came from Jerusalem and then he would then not associate with Gentiles.
Galatians 2:11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
Galatians 2:12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
Galatians 2:13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. NKJV
Old religious traditions are hard to break. The emphasis of the religion is on external things, not the heart, where true righteousness is found by faith in Christ.
IV. Jesus explains the parable further.
Read Mark 7:17-23
It is easier to keep rules and traditions than to change our rebellious hearts and enter into a loving relationship with God.
Nate Holdridge said “Jesus said that the sinful heart produces sexual immorality”.
Sexual immorality covers any sexual behavior outside of biblical norms. But Jesus cleanses us and gives us a new heart.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces theft. Before Jesus changes our hearts, we are bound to take from another what is not ours. We cut corners. We are lazy at work.
But when Jesus changes our heart, He turns theft into generosity, diligence, and contentment.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces murder and takes the life of the innocent.
It mimics Cain by jealously, murdering our brother and it can also destroy others through hatred.
But when Jesus changes our heart, we begin to build up others, placing them above ourselves and our desires.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces adultery. We must be careful, because everyone is capable of causing long-term pain, in exchange for short-term pleasure.
But when Jesus changes our heart, self-control is given to us as a part of the fruit of the Spirit.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces coveting; which is a desire for more at the expense or exploitation of another.
But when Jesus changes our heart, we become content with what we have and rejoice with others who has been blessed as well.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces deceit.
The human heart is prone to deceive; but, when Jesus changes our heart, honesty fills our life, and we no longer need to cunningly deceive to get our own way in life.
He said the sinful heart produces sensuality.
This is a life that casts off all restraint and follows the impulses to addictive behaviors. Whatever feels good, do it.
But when Jesus changes our heart, we begin to grow spiritually sensitive and realize sensual behavior harms our walk with God.
Jesus said that the sinful heart produces envy. But when Jesus changes our heart, we begin to celebrate what God is doing in and for those around us.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces slander; but, when Jesus changes our heart, we begin, to respect others and rejoice at the image of God we see in them.
Jesus said the sinful heart produces pride; but the Gospel tells us that Jesus Christ can make us clean by His blood.
Jesus said that He came to this earth to rescue us from our unclean hearts! Jesus also said that He would make us clean by dying in our place and rising from the grave.
Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will receive a new heart and then they will be clean; truly clean, from the inside out!
What can be done about our defiled hearts?
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. NKJV
In our passage this morning, Jesus is saying, “We are defiled if we are not fully devoted, to God and for God alone”.
We can only come to a complete surrender to the Holy Spirit when He gives a heart change and then become a true worshiper.
“The wicked think their sin is nothing, the moral think their sin is small, and the religious think their sin is manageable.”
Religion always promotes self effort and turns people into hypocrites; but, relationship with God through Jesus gives life.
It is easier to keep rules and traditions than to change our rebellious hearts and enter into a loving relationship with God.
What can be done about our defiled hearts? You see, the problem is not dirty hands; we can manage that with religion.
Our problem before Christ is a defiled heart and it takes something more powerful than rituals to fix that…
The rules of religion can address our behavior; but, dirty hands are nothing compared to a defiled heart.
Kyle Idleman, in his book, “Not a Fan” said, “Fans have a tendency to confuse their knowledge for intimacy.
They don’t recognize the difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Jesus.
In church we’ve got this confused, establishing systems of learning that result in knowledge, but not necessarily intimacy.”
Only once we intimately know the Lord Jesus Christ can we then truly love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Through the washing of the blood of Christ and receiving the new heart He promises to those who would accept Him; can we respond to Him, and have new life.
Religion defiles, but a relationship with Jesus makes us free to love Him.
And once we receive Jesus’ free gift of salvation by faith; He gives us a new heart, true freedom over sin, and eternal life.
