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  Holy Trinity Church Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ Park Street, Frogmore & Colney Street, St Albans, UK and beyond... www.hotfrog.info
  Holy Trinity Church Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ Park Street, Frogmore & Colney Street, St Albans, UK and beyond... www.hotfrog.info
Talk: Mark 7:1-23, HTF 13th Feb 2005, www.hotfrog.info David Heath-Whyte NB: This is what I intended to preach, for the genuine article, listen to the audio version.

  1. Do you want to be clean? (1-5)

    1. Looking for relief

      ? been: pampering days at health centres - weekend away? purged all un-cleanness
      = v. fashionable
      ? = symptom of deeper need: clean from guilt

      Even : don't believe God - conscience: need for relief, cleansing - past guilt / shame - dozens of CDs or videos promise cures.

      Maybe not conscience - instead simply looking for wholeness = seeking freedom from things mar life - cling like dirt; = looking for cleansing.

      some: giving smg up Lent help

      Those us: know God exists, cares about our breaking his laws - we want to be clean before him, rid of guilt of breaking law (sin) - might not feel guilty: know that we are.

      Want to be clean - but how do we get clean?

    2. clean / unclean

      Bible has a concept of cleanness / uncleanness.

      - to do with 'acceptable to God'

      = at heart - dispute in this passage Mark 7

      =from: God's OT law for His people: (given in Exodus times - just been there)

      - God special - 'holy' - they were to be 'holy' as well, set apart; unclean person - not come before God.
      so God described variety things made you 'unclean' - certain diseases, anything to do with blood, certain foods, touching dead body -> unclean
      -> ceremonial washing, separation (e.g. til evening) -> clean

      = Big reminder: God's holiness - God = pure, set apart. His people too.

      we - ? confusing, daft? - important remember: God = SO clean! we = dirty before him - need uncleanness dealing with

    3. Pharisees

      Pharisees - religious group: tried to do that - taken these laws: added extra rules - fence around God's law, couldn't get near to break; = "oral law"; Mark 7:3: "traditions of elders" - v. acceptable in society!

      So: hand washing before eating food (7:1-4)

      So: why isn't Jesus getting his disciples to follow? 7:5

    4. Mark's Gospel

      been in Mark before, gradually working through; Starting series -> end April; end ch. 10

      Jesus' Popularity - high fed 5000, walked on water - 6:53-56

      But: opposition rising (reminded: JtB beheaded) - ch:7 - Pharisees on the attack. Want to be clean - right with God, acceptable to God - Jesus??!!

      Didn't bargain for hammering going to get!!!

      & what Jesus says:
      blows out of water all our human attempts to be clean, purified, free -
      if seeking cleanness some programme (book, magazine, weekend) - Jesus: "doomed to failure"
      if inclined to religious traditions, church traditions - Jesus: "dangerous ground"

      But: all not lost - Jesus shows us where the real answer lies.

      Lets see: how answers Ps

      v. 6-13 Outward Washing is dangerous: human laws & religion just make things worse

      v. 14-23 need for Inward Washing: Cleanness is a heart problem that needs Jesus' salvation

  2. (6-13) Outward Washing is dangerous: human laws & religion just make things worse

    human attempts: don't deal with problem, actually leave person trusting human things, not going to God

    1. Mumps!

      Mumps outbreak, students - imagine trying help: bandaging up peoples necks - useless. It's a virus - bandages won't help at all - just make your high temperature worse.

      Our human attempts to solve uncleanness = just like bandages: useless, making things worse

    2. Pharisees

      Pharisees weren't just 'well-meaning but mistaken'; = anti God!

      Jesus quotes OT prophet: 7:6-7

      = hypocrites, Pretenders: make outward show, but inside = rubbish; lips honour God, hearts miles away

      result? v.7 worship = useless, pointless

      What made them like that? v.8

      So caught up with Man's wise ideas, ignoring God's Word
      - 'commands' - things God specifically instructed
      ignoring God's specific instructions, doing other stuff because People think it's right.

      Jesus gives EG: command 5 (v.10)
      - but: E scheme (oral) "Corban" - explain...
      what if someone foolishly said v.11?
      their judgement: yes, that stands: Oral law > Command 5 & it's extension

      = making Man's ideas > God's words

      v. 13 - nullify - not just v.9 'let go' (oops) / v.10 'set aside' (deliberate) - antagonistic

      Phars didn't bargain for this, did?

      All their outward washing just makes things worse.

      -> False sense security.

      <- Focus - mechanical / religious / doing things; take sights off God.

      Point of commands / Word: send us to God: sinful, need forgiveness!
      But Oral law = you can do it without God (just keep on scrubbing) - wrap Mumps + bandages!

      outward washing is dangerous: human laws & religion - just makes things worse

    3. Our attempts

      ? our 'outward washing' today?

      ? things we think OK, that nullify God's word?

      1. satisfaction seekers

        ? maybe outward washing = health weekends, Atkins diets etc - try deal with life's problems.
        temporary 'feel-good-factor': -> false sense security, 'who needs God?'
        only God solve dissatisfaction + life (later...)

      2. God-denying churches

        where else see OW?

        don't we see it in all those churches: wear right clothes, right liturgy, hymns, organs, candles & choirs - but week by week criticise Bible, minimise Jesus' teaching, deny miraculous, reject challenge... - v.8

        sadly E many churches like that

        need: hear challenge God's Word undiluted, even when hits hard - only then turn to Jesus, instead of thinking our rituals will do.

        = why encourage: don't get involved in services @ Abbey (all means - have coffee, enjoy architecture, show visitors, concert) - not services.
        = ignoring God's specific instructions (not only Jeffrey John, existence terrible shrine & relics)

        it's outward washing: doesn't deal with our uncleanness before God; just denies God's Word

      3. evangelical laziness

        But: us? bibles in hands, focussing God's word - still: which us hear v.6 without wincing? 6b

        yes - challenges the satisfaction-seeking world
        challenges the God-denying CofE
        also: challenges our lazy, uncommitted, complacent hearts

        ?we worked out ways round God's anger @ sin?
        classic = Jesus'll forgive me, so it'll be OK
        or: 'compartments': dealing with greed problems (bought smallish car), so bit of internet lust OK
        maybe set up own rule: 'am coming every week to church / reading bible / praying regularly' - and so get away fudging somewhere else.

        Bro+Sis - we're all like this, not just you!
        whole power of God's Word = leads us not to fudges, outward washings - but to repentance:
        puts in posn: seek from Jesus smg else that works.

        Outward Washing dangerous: human rules, human religion - just makes things worse.

        So how can we be clean?

  3. (14-23)We need Inward Washing: Cleanness is a heart problem that needs Jesus' salvation

    - scrub all like + water; need smg works inside.

    = what J turns to now in v.14-23.

    1. Cleanness is a problem of the heart

      v.14-15

      Cleanness is a problem of the heart

      - v.17 disciples duh?

      v.18 Jesus explains: 'right-with-God', clean-enough-4-God: stuff you eat, well just goes into tummy, then down the loo (lit!)
      what eat - can't on own affect relationship + God.

      But: v.20 what's inside our personality - our emotions, desires, thoughts: ie - 'what comes out of a man' = what separates us from God ('unclean')

      ? Honda advert diesel engine? Old engine: making nothing but noise & filthy smoke, all time - generates polution
      what need apparently = their new design engine, quiet & clean

      = what our hearts do: generate polution
      all of us - generate polution: : separates us from God: 'unclean';

      v.21-22: some these are actions, others are attitudes - all generated within.

      Perhaps not sure? true for others, not you, you're not unclean?
      Q: when tired - how behave? always worse, aren't we? swear words to mind, easier get angry?
      ? = because when tired, world outside different? no - it's in us.

      Cleanness is a problem of the heart

    2. that needs Jesus' salvation

      So: where's the solution?

      Problem: clearly diagnosed by Jesus
      wrong solution: heavily criticised (outward washing: dangerous!)
      where's solution?

      Mark, writer, tells us: Book about:"Gospel of Jesus, Son of God": ie: Good News Jesus done, thru death & resurrection
      Book takes - > cross, cross casts shadow over whole book.
      = where need to go, instead trying solve it ourselves
      = where find forgiveness: where inward washing takes place, receive new heart (like new Honda Diesel)

      God's Commands, God's Word points us to cross:
      shows need (see sinful!)
      shows solution - expect Messiah, sin-bearer, by sacrifice

      how get inward cleansing? Jesus = answer: cross & resurrection provides cleaning need.
      today: s.t. God can see us as clean, even while we struggle
      future: making us completely clean, even inside.

      1. white robes

        illustration of this in Revelation 7:9-17: inward cleaning given an outward image: 'white robes'

        John - vision huge multitude before Throne God
        he's asked: Rev 7:13 - answer peculiar image: 7:14 - here's the inward washing: blood of sacrifice of Jesus
        result? eternal life: 7:15-17

        nb: this = picture of resurrection life, after return of Jesus.
        = ultimately what cross achieves

        in mean time:'tribulation' - ie life today: fight, struggle + sinful desires; but still answer in that struggle lies in Jesus alone.
        only with Jesus: God sees us as clean, even while we still struggle with sin.

      2. way of life

        Phars seeking way of life, ring-fence law s.t. not break. -> failure.

        ? our way of life, trusting in Jesus? - ? deal with v6b issue for us?!
        1. depending on Jesus' death for cleanness, acceptance by God;
        day-day: looking to Bible (undiluted!), to know what God is like, what God likes:
        (Help of Holy Spirit) wanting to please him,
        seeking to please him
        knowing E times: fall short,
        trusting Jesus alone for cleanness (& acceptance)

        Jesus is the answer!

        We need Inward Cleansing: Cleansing is a problem of the heart, that needs Jesus' salvation

  4. Real Power

    Do you want to be clean?

    Wonder what kind of washing you've been seeking?

    Perhaps trying to find satisfaction, wholeness, freedom - some human scheme, some religious practice?
    Outward Washing dangerous - human rules, human religion - just makes things worse.
    We need Inward Cleansing: Cleansing is a problem of the heart, that needs Jesus' salvation

    Don't look - other things, just look to Jesus.

    Maybe know that, v. well - but still Jesus' words convict us: 7:6 "These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

    You're not alone. But we rejoice that Jesus can clean us up completely, from the heart. Let's commit ourselves to him once more, to live for him alone.