WEBVTT 00:00:00.660 --> 00:00:11.640 Mark chapter 7. If you study through the Gospel of Mark as we have been doing, whether you noticed it or not, there is a building up that happens. 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:11.640 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:43.620 Mark chapter 7. And the ministry of Jesus is bumping. It's working. We have went from the question of who is he? The people are now asking where is he? 00:00:43.619 --> 00:01:09.539 The passage that we look at today, some are asking, what are we going to do about it? Crowds are everywhere. Miracles are happening. Teaching is effective. Lives are being changed. People are noticing. The religious establishment is noticing. And now they're asking, what are we going to do about it? 00:01:09.540 --> 00:01:31.300 They are, in our passage today, they've already approached it before, but it's about to intensify. And they're kind of setting their feet for the proper attack on this Messiah-type figure in their eyes that people are trying to force to become king. 00:01:31.299 --> 00:01:38.939 Now, I want you to notice how they build up their attack. It's found in Mark chapter 7, beginning in verse 1. It says this, 00:01:38.939 --> 00:01:50.500 Now, when the Pharisees gathered to him with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 00:01:51.259 --> 00:01:59.060 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders. 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:03.620 And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. 00:02:04.540 --> 00:02:11.699 There are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. 00:02:11.920 --> 00:02:22.439 And the Pharisees and scribes asked him, why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with undefiled hands? 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:28.719 And he said to them, well, did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites as it is written? 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:33.539 These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 00:02:34.379 --> 00:02:39.219 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:44.219 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. 00:02:44.219 --> 00:02:50.659 And he said to them, you have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:58.340 For Moses said, honor your father and mother, and whoever reviles father and mother must surely die. 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:07.719 But you say, if a man tells his father or his mother, whatever you would have gained from me is corvid, that is, given to God, 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:16.620 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you've handed down, 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:18.379 and many such things you do. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:24.259 And he called the people to him again, and he said, hear me, all of you, and understand, 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:28.400 there is nothing outside a person by going into them can defile them, 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.719 but the things that come out of the person are what defile them. 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:38.180 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:43.919 And he said to them, then are you also without understanding? 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:49.460 Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 00:03:49.460 --> 00:03:53.400 since it enters not his heart, but his stomach, and is expelled? 00:03:53.400 --> 00:04:03.159 And then Mark adds this parenthetical statement when he says, thus he declared all foods clean. 00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:09.300 And he said, what comes out of a person is what defiles him. 00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:17.160 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:22.399 wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:29.039 All of these things come from within, and they defile a person. 00:04:30.219 --> 00:04:31.839 Well, they were on it. 00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:35.779 Jesus was getting too much attention. 00:04:37.179 --> 00:04:39.459 People were taking him seriously. 00:04:40.539 --> 00:04:43.019 And the religious establishment didn't like it. 00:04:43.179 --> 00:04:44.379 They didn't like what they heard. 00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:47.039 They didn't like the attention not coming to them. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:54.120 And so now they're starting to watch, and they're starting to listen, and they're looking for something to pin him on. 00:04:55.180 --> 00:04:57.860 It was time for them to confront him. 00:04:58.780 --> 00:05:00.680 And they didn't confront him over morality. 00:05:00.840 --> 00:05:01.260 They couldn't. 00:05:01.960 --> 00:05:06.280 They didn't this time confront him over blasphemy, although they had accused him of that before. 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:09.299 This is their key move this time. 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:11.739 Hand washing. 00:05:12.919 --> 00:05:14.339 That's where we'll get him. 00:05:14.939 --> 00:05:15.619 Hand washing. 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:20.420 But they're not the only ones that do such. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:25.639 Many focus on becoming clean on the outside. 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:29.459 Now, they were serious about this. 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:33.500 They were zealous upholders of the written law. 00:05:33.899 --> 00:05:37.300 And their written law is the first five books of our Old Testament. 00:05:37.540 --> 00:05:39.500 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:45.959 And particularly Exodus and Leviticus, those rules, they were big on it, zealous about it. 00:05:46.540 --> 00:05:50.779 But in addition to that, they were also zealous about their oral law. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:06:02.339 And the oral law was those laws that the rabbis came up with to better define how to interpret what was in the first five books of the Old Testament. 00:06:04.339 --> 00:06:08.779 They came up with how to define that. 00:06:08.779 --> 00:06:15.339 They didn't think the word went far enough with a great enough explanation, so they went further than that. 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:16.559 A lot further than that. 00:06:17.799 --> 00:06:21.179 And in the beginning, those rabbinical laws were only spoken. 00:06:22.779 --> 00:06:33.500 And then over time, after the life of Christ, in the second and third century, they were recorded into about a 200-page book called the Mishnah. 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:40.720 And the Mishnah were the rabbinical laws written down to interpret the law. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:44.280 They weren't satisfied with that. 00:06:45.340 --> 00:06:50.880 So over the next 400 years, they began to elaborate on that. 00:06:51.060 --> 00:06:54.780 And they came up with about 6,000 pages. 00:06:55.620 --> 00:07:03.100 All of it commentary, debates, and traditions stemming out of their interpretation of the laws. 00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:04.600 And they called that the Talmud. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:09.260 Let me just give you an example of some of these rabbinical rules. 00:07:10.620 --> 00:07:13.720 One is you could not look in the mirror on the Sabbath. 00:07:14.780 --> 00:07:17.500 Now, some of these men in here, I can tell you, you still follow that. 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:29.120 And the reason why you couldn't do that is because you might be tempted to work on your face or your hair, and that was labor on the Sabbath. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.199 And that was unlawful. 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:33.800 We don't consider that unlawful, by the way. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.220 You could not wear false teeth on the Sabbath. 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:40.779 Surprisingly, they had them. 00:07:41.500 --> 00:07:44.339 They weren't very good ones, and they fell out. 00:07:44.339 --> 00:07:49.199 And when they fell out, you had to bend over and pick them up, and that's work. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:51.619 So just don't wear them at all. 00:07:52.359 --> 00:07:54.479 We don't follow that policy either, by the way. 00:07:56.179 --> 00:07:59.120 You could not carry burdens on the Sabbath. 00:08:00.919 --> 00:08:08.539 And so if you were, if you needed a handkerchief, and you were downstairs and your handkerchief was upstairs, 00:08:09.219 --> 00:08:10.339 they literally wrote this down. 00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:16.500 You could go upstairs and tie the handkerchief around your neck so that you're not carried. 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:23.000 Untie it and blow your nose. 00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:25.219 That's allowed. 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:32.319 If you spit on the ground, if you scuff it with your foot, you're not going to be. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:34.680 Therefore, that's work. 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:38.100 So therefore, you could not do that. 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.440 And there are huge books full of this stuff. 00:08:41.540 --> 00:08:42.920 And they were serious about it. 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:47.580 And now they hear of one that claimed to forgive sins. 00:08:48.340 --> 00:08:50.440 One that is associated with tax collectors. 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:53.520 One that has disregarded some Sabbath rules. 00:08:53.640 --> 00:08:54.640 And they had to stop him. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:58.299 And so they saw him eating with his disciples. 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.059 And they went after ceremonial hand washing. 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.340 Now listen, they're not going after poor hygiene. 00:09:05.259 --> 00:09:06.080 I want to be clear. 00:09:06.379 --> 00:09:07.879 You ought to wash your hands. 00:09:08.139 --> 00:09:08.340 Okay? 00:09:08.620 --> 00:09:09.819 And you ought to do it thoroughly. 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:10.379 Okay? 00:09:10.419 --> 00:09:11.100 Wash your hands. 00:09:12.100 --> 00:09:14.399 What they were going after was not poor hygiene. 00:09:14.539 --> 00:09:15.759 It was about pure religion. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:19.360 And in some ways, there was nothing wrong with where they started. 00:09:19.460 --> 00:09:20.939 They started in the right place. 00:09:21.439 --> 00:09:25.480 It goes back to the priest washing before he went into the tabernacle. 00:09:25.980 --> 00:09:26.639 Which is good. 00:09:28.179 --> 00:09:31.679 Exodus and Leviticus spent a lot of time dealing with the need to be clean. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:34.419 But they took it further. 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:41.639 In a modern day demonstration, I was able to see when I went to the western wall in Jerusalem. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:44.899 When I went to the western wall in Jerusalem, 00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:48.120 when you're standing where the men can stand at the western wall, 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:52.159 and you look to the left, there's an arch called Wilson's Arch. 00:09:52.340 --> 00:09:56.220 And it leads to a lot of tunnels that go throughout the Temple Mount. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:00.259 But in the very beginning stage where I could enter, 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:03.379 there's the rabbinical library. 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:06.639 You look to the left there where the wood is. 00:10:06.899 --> 00:10:08.480 You go inside under that. 00:10:08.579 --> 00:10:10.220 There is a long library there. 00:10:10.259 --> 00:10:10.720 It's the top. 00:10:10.919 --> 00:10:13.199 It's all these rules and regulations that they have. 00:10:13.199 --> 00:10:14.460 And it's in that area. 00:10:14.460 --> 00:10:20.100 And they would come over and grab one of those scrolls and would pray there along that wall. 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:21.960 And that's what they're doing in that picture. 00:10:22.340 --> 00:10:27.820 But as you enter into that area, there was a faucet there for them to clean before they went in to pray. 00:10:28.680 --> 00:10:33.480 And there was a cup chained to the faucet. 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:40.019 Now, I went to the restroom right next to this. 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:44.620 And when I went to wash my hands, which I encourage you to do, 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:49.340 and when I went to wash my hands, there was a cup that was chained to the faucet. 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:50.680 It wasn't exactly this faucet. 00:10:50.800 --> 00:10:51.960 This is outside. 00:10:52.220 --> 00:10:56.259 It was primarily for going into Wilson's Arch to pray. 00:10:56.259 --> 00:11:00.840 But there was a faucet there, and a rabbi was standing next to me. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:02.000 And I watched the process. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.860 Now, he didn't notice that the cup has two hands. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:16.539 He grabs it with the right hand and fills it up and then moves it to the left hand when it's full. 00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:23.620 And then pour it over his right hand at least two times past the wrist. 00:11:25.199 --> 00:11:28.539 Most of them would do it three times just to make sure. 00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:34.120 But then either taking a towel or getting the other hand. 00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:36.559 Depending on the circumstances. 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:40.519 And get that, and then they do the same on the left. 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:45.240 Making sure not to touch the cup that would be dirty. 00:11:46.539 --> 00:11:48.199 Then they dried it with a towel. 00:11:48.419 --> 00:11:52.839 And they did that before they ate, when they woke up in the morning, 00:11:53.599 --> 00:11:57.219 and before some of the prayers were in the morning. 00:11:58.579 --> 00:11:59.939 That's what they were going to say. 00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:04.159 They didn't see that happening with the apostles. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:06.639 And Jesus found out ironic. 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:08.559 And he told them. 00:12:09.459 --> 00:12:13.179 To put it simply, he used the words of Isaiah to call them hypocrites. 00:12:13.179 --> 00:12:20.639 And the examples that he gave is about their neglect to their parents in the name of God. 00:12:21.319 --> 00:12:23.779 He mentions in verse 11, Corban. 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:29.579 Corban is money that has been pledged to the Lord. 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:35.800 It is when you take some of your assets and you pledge them to the Lord, 00:12:35.800 --> 00:12:42.759 if you don't need them before you give them or before your death when they're giving. 00:12:43.520 --> 00:12:45.220 So you had access to them. 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:50.120 But they're pledged to God unless you need them. 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:56.840 However, when other people needed them, they were pledged to God. 00:12:57.860 --> 00:12:58.480 You couldn't have them. 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:00.980 Including their own parents. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:07.860 When the parents were in need, instead of honoring their parents and taking care of them in their old age, 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:12.000 as you should and as tradition very much called for it, that happens. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:16.879 They would say, I'd be happy to help, but this is corporate, this is a gift. 00:13:18.059 --> 00:13:19.139 I can't help. 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:21.080 Understanding. 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:23.740 They can utilize it themselves. 00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:25.480 They can do it. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:27.539 Jesus calls it. 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:30.519 He speaks to that. 00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:33.340 He talks about the hypocrisy of that. 00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:44.340 In Matthew 23, he speaks even more about this kind of attitude. 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:46.980 The seven woes are rough. 00:13:47.180 --> 00:13:48.639 I'm just telling you, you're rough on them. 00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:49.960 I just want to read a few of them. 00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:50.600 It says, 00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:53.240 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:58.600 For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they're full of greed and self-indulgence. 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.940 And that was actually a practice where there was a greater emphasis on cleaning the outside of the cup than the inside. 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:05.740 Let me look at that. 00:14:06.820 --> 00:14:07.820 Woe to you! 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:09.759 He said, 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:11.120 Excuse me, you blind Pharisees. 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:15.680 First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, then the outside also may be clean. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:18.399 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:22.379 For you're like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful, 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:27.899 but within are full of dead people's bones and all that kind of thing. 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:34.860 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and flawlessness. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:41.340 And let me be clear, they're not the only ones that focus on looking clean on the outside. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:50.580 Any of us, maybe all of us, can be prone to look right on the outside and neglect the matters on the inside. 00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:55.920 I mean, we look good, dress right, leaving the house on Sunday morning, you know. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:00.719 And if there's some neighbor that's not going to church that don't look right, 00:15:00.819 --> 00:15:03.639 then we let them know we're going to the house of the Lord. 00:15:04.839 --> 00:15:06.319 And that's why we look so good. 00:15:09.319 --> 00:15:10.819 We come in here smiling. 00:15:11.599 --> 00:15:14.939 We may have beat our children with a hairbrush all the way here. 00:15:14.940 --> 00:15:25.240 But we come in smiling, singing, praising, maybe even amening. 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:28.940 But what about the real house? 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:35.060 Many focus on being clean on the outside. 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:40.339 Jesus focuses on being dirty on the outside. 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:45.739 He says in verse 15, there's nothing outside a person that by going into him can devile him. 00:15:45.979 --> 00:15:49.299 But the things that come out of a person are what deviles. 00:15:50.619 --> 00:15:52.839 Now notice what happens when he says that. 00:15:52.959 --> 00:15:57.619 Mark says in verse 19, then he declares all foods clean. 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:00.539 You see, it's not about food. 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:02.000 It's not about clean hands. 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:05.980 At least not for spiritual purity, which is what he's speaking of. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:09.279 It's about having a pure heart and a pure mind. 00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.820 It's about your thought life. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.679 And then he gets into that. 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:17.019 It's about combating the impure thoughts in your life. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:23.340 It's about going to war over the hateful thoughts in your life. 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:27.139 It's about doing away with the coveting thoughts in your life. 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:30.899 It's about not tolerating the deceitful thoughts of your life. 00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:35.259 It's about having nothing to do with the envious thoughts of your life. 00:16:36.680 --> 00:16:39.139 Not entertaining the slanderous thoughts of your life. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.720 Ignoring the prideful thoughts of your life. 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:46.639 Having nothing to do with the foolish thoughts of your life. 00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:48.500 It's about the dirt on the inside. 00:16:50.040 --> 00:16:52.960 And you may say, well, I'm not doing it. 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.720 I mean, I'm just thinking about sexual sin. 00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:59.360 Or I'm just thinking about revengeful sin. 00:16:59.540 --> 00:17:03.899 Or I'm just thinking envious thoughts or desires sins. 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:05.160 I just think those things. 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:07.019 I'm just thinking hateful things. 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:09.279 I'm just pondering on prideful things. 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:11.920 But I want to be clear about something. 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.500 Every action starts with a thought. 00:17:14.360 --> 00:17:15.539 It always does. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:20.180 And thinking about it, especially entertaining the thought, is a sin against God. 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:24.900 It is unclean as filthy hands at the table. 00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:32.660 It is as nasty in the eyes of God as what is expelled out of the body after we digest food. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:36.240 And that's graphic, but that's the graphic that Jesus uses. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.880 We can look the part. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:45.539 We can make others think what we want and pretend everything is okay. 00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:52.660 We can even look down on others who do not have their acts together like we pretend to have it. 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:56.620 But I want to be clear this morning. 00:17:57.560 --> 00:17:58.759 God knows the difference. 00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:03.300 He knows that we don't have our act together. 00:18:03.299 --> 00:18:10.659 He knows that when we put others down, sometimes just in our minds, that's sin too, by the way, 00:18:11.139 --> 00:18:15.480 when we put others down, that it's our effort to make ourselves feel better. 00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:20.399 Because maybe we don't live to the standard that we need to live to, but at least I'm better off than they are. 00:18:21.919 --> 00:18:23.639 And He knows those things. 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:25.680 He's well aware of those things. 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:28.419 Many focus on being clean on the outside. 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:32.740 Jesus focuses on being dirty on the inside. 00:18:33.060 --> 00:18:34.140 Let me tell you where we need to go. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:38.480 We must focus on really being clean. 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:40.140 Being really clean. 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:43.920 Now to get clean, we have to admit we're dirty. 00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:49.200 And Jeremiah 17.9 says that we are. 00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:56.060 It says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately deceitful. 00:18:56.059 --> 00:18:58.779 That is the human condition. 00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:05.599 Apart from God or not right with God, we don't just have bad habits. 00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:07.779 We're not just mistake prone. 00:19:08.379 --> 00:19:09.740 We have a sinful heart. 00:19:09.899 --> 00:19:11.740 We are sin prone. 00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:14.899 We are born that way. 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:20.079 And we have added to it with the bad habits in our life. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.480 And you may look at me and say, Pastor, who do you think you're talking to? 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:26.099 I'm talking to you. 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.199 And I'm talking to me. 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:30.579 And I'm talking to us. 00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:33.099 This is the state of our circumstances. 00:19:35.179 --> 00:19:36.579 And I want to be clear about something. 00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:39.799 Church cannot save you. 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:51.639 I just baptized two people in the 20s that grew up in church and got saved in the 20s. 00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:57.099 And they realized what had happened to them at an earlier time in their life was not really good. 00:19:58.659 --> 00:20:00.339 I'm glad you were here. 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:04.259 I'd rather you be here than anywhere else in the world for this morning right now. 00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:11.519 But I'm going to tell you, the church, the church itself is not going to fix it. 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:13.079 They can't save you. 00:20:14.500 --> 00:20:15.480 Looking right. 00:20:16.220 --> 00:20:16.919 And y'all look right. 00:20:16.919 --> 00:20:18.179 You do. 00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:21.579 You do. 00:20:23.579 --> 00:20:26.139 We can't even work our ways out of it. 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:32.180 The only hope that we have is a faithful walk in Christ. 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:38.160 Because when it comes to Christ, Christ changes our lives from the inside out. 00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:40.640 I like the way the prophet Ezekiel put it. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:42.860 He prophesied about such change. 00:20:43.520 --> 00:20:45.100 He's speaking the words of the Lord. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:51.000 He says, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness. 00:20:51.320 --> 00:20:53.680 And all your idols I will cleanse you. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:58.299 And I'll give you a new heart and a new spirit I'll put within you. 00:20:58.500 --> 00:21:02.860 And I'll remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 00:21:03.060 --> 00:21:07.100 And I'll put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues. 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:10.440 And be careful to obey my rules. 00:21:11.840 --> 00:21:16.740 We cannot be clean outside of the Lord's cleansing. 00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:22.019 We, in Christ, have become a new creation. 00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:27.039 The term is used in 2 Corinthians 5, 17, as I read from the book. 00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:30.460 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:35.660 Notice that what that means is that he does not change our heart. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:38.200 He does not change our spirit. 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:47.019 He gives us new life with a new spiritual heart and a new spirit and that spirit being the Holy Spirit. 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:52.319 And it's only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can walk in his ways in obedience. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:54.120 It's not in us. 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:56.279 It's only in him. 00:21:57.179 --> 00:22:03.179 And you may say, well, Pastor, I'm a Christian, but I'm still struggling with inward thoughts. 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:10.479 Or maybe you're here this morning and you're struggling not only with inward thoughts, but you've got outward actions that have developed from this. 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:14.599 One or both of those. 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:15.839 I want you to hear me. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:32.519 Inward thoughts and our outward actions affect every life. 00:22:35.399 --> 00:22:36.599 There's not acceptable. 00:22:39.399 --> 00:22:42.319 That means don't pretend that it don't affect you. 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:43.899 It's not acceptable. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:47.679 And you can lie to me. 00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:49.259 There's no lie to God about it. 00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:49.939 It's God's benefit. 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:56.599 The other thing that means is, thank God there's hope. 00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.699 Because we're all in the same way. 00:23:00.159 --> 00:23:04.199 And the only one that can save us is Christ Jesus. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:08.419 He's the only hope that we have for those things. 00:23:09.699 --> 00:23:11.879 Both of those things plague too many Christians. 00:23:11.879 --> 00:23:15.779 And Scripture is clear that we can walk away from that. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.500 And I'll tell you how we can do that. 00:23:17.879 --> 00:23:19.779 Romans 12 verse 2 says this. 00:23:20.199 --> 00:23:30.679 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:33.119 What is good and acceptable and perfect. 00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:36.240 My friend, that is real cleansing. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:38.240 It's not pretending. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:38.299 It's not pretending. 00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:40.859 It's not performing. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.980 It's not looking clean. 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:52.140 It's about not washing the outside while neglecting the inside. 00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:58.019 It's instead about walking before the Lord really clean. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.740 Really clean. 00:23:59.740 --> 00:24:00.599 It's not working. 00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:01.039 It's not working. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:05.759 And I don't want the evil one. 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:14.099 I don't want you to entertain the evil one whispering in your ear to see what is the will of God. 00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:18.619 because I'll tell you a few truths about that. 00:24:19.659 --> 00:24:20.639 One is Christ. 00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:26.480 Number two is Christ. 00:24:27.399 --> 00:24:29.899 And whatever jam you're in, 00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:34.179 wherever your mind is and it shouldn't be, 00:24:34.939 --> 00:24:38.059 wherever your action is and it shouldn't be, 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:41.799 all of that can be reversed. 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:48.980 It's the wonderful grace and mercy and power of the blood of God. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.299 It's the only hope we've got, folks. 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:56.099 This world is magnificent. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:02.740 It'll try its best to get you to get more to this place. 00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:07.419 Suddenly, slowly, like a water, 00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:11.740 and I'm probably going to get you to slowly turn to the temperature up, 00:25:12.320 --> 00:25:14.779 making us numb, but it's not again. 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:19.820 But when we serve our lives, 00:25:20.820 --> 00:25:23.519 and realize I'm curious, 00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:28.400 and realize for the rest of my days, 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:31.480 I'm not going to be good at this. 00:25:31.580 --> 00:25:32.780 For the rest of my days, 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:34.440 I will have to be the king. 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:40.500 I will not reach a place of Christian maturity 00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:42.900 where I don't need the Holy Spirit to guide you. 00:25:43.780 --> 00:25:44.759 I won't do it. 00:25:44.840 --> 00:25:45.540 You won't do it. 00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:45.900 We won't. 00:25:46.300 --> 00:25:48.300 We have to surrender our lives today 00:25:48.300 --> 00:25:48.680 and say, 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.680 from this day to the day, 00:25:49.860 --> 00:25:50.580 I'm in need. 00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:54.299 God, I can't. 00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:58.980 I need you. 00:26:02.699 --> 00:26:03.720 Make me clear. 00:26:05.419 --> 00:26:07.519 You've never given your heart and life to the Lord, 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:09.799 even if you've been in this church 20 years, 00:26:10.419 --> 00:26:11.399 40 years, 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:12.980 60 years, 00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.259 80 years. 00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:16.720 You've never given your heart and life to the Lord. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:19.000 You'll save me. 00:26:19.700 --> 00:26:20.100 Today, 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:20.920 the day of salvation. 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:23.519 You've stripped your life to the Lord Jesus today. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:25.140 Lord, I can't do this. 00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:28.120 I need you to forgive me to come into my life, okay? 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:30.319 He'll meet you where you are. 00:26:31.420 --> 00:26:32.600 God's speaking to you about that. 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:33.420 You can come down to silence. 00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:35.059 Just a moment when we stand and sing. 00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:36.000 You just come. 00:26:36.100 --> 00:26:36.420 Be here. 00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:38.319 Maybe you're here this morning, 00:26:38.360 --> 00:26:39.319 and you know you have done that, 00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:40.460 but you've never acknowledged that. 00:26:40.539 --> 00:26:42.759 You've had business like you saw a little while ago. 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:45.200 That's a step of obedience. 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:46.640 It ought to be the first step of obedience. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.759 It's after your decision drives. 00:26:48.320 --> 00:26:49.540 And if you don't do that, 00:26:49.580 --> 00:26:51.220 it's a hindrance to your home with God. 00:26:51.320 --> 00:26:51.860 I promise you. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:52.660 I've seen it. 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.380 You often say, 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:53.740 it's a hindrance. 00:26:54.940 --> 00:26:56.540 Because it's a step of obedience to you. 00:26:57.520 --> 00:26:58.380 If you've never done that, 00:26:58.420 --> 00:26:59.160 I encourage you to come. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:02.340 Maybe God's drawing you to pick up the First Baptist Church. 00:27:02.840 --> 00:27:03.980 God's doing wonderful things here, 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.759 and I thank God for that. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.420 And if God's leading you to be a part of that, 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:06.800 you come. 00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:07.540 We'll guide you. 00:27:07.540 --> 00:27:08.060 I'm at that. 00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:11.220 Maybe you're here this morning, 00:27:11.340 --> 00:27:13.900 and you just need to do business with God. 00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:17.420 You need to lay your thoughts down before the Lord. 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:20.620 You need to lay your actions down before the Lord. 00:27:21.580 --> 00:27:23.420 You need to recommit your life today 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:23.759 and say, 00:27:23.840 --> 00:27:24.000 Lord, 00:27:24.080 --> 00:27:24.540 for this day, 00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:26.920 I want to be transformed 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:29.740 by the renewal of my mind 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.539 through your word 00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:32.619 and prayer 00:27:32.619 --> 00:27:34.559 through my dependence upon you 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:35.180 today. 00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:38.639 Don't leave here today. 00:27:38.879 --> 00:27:39.319 You're not busy. 00:27:39.659 --> 00:27:40.599 You're not busy. 00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.000 You're not busy. 00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:42.180 Heavenly Father, 00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:42.740 I love you. 00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:45.180 I thank you for your word, 00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:46.779 and I ask your God today 00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:48.420 that we'll respond to you 00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:49.139 and to you. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:51.000 Jesus Christ. 00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:51.799 Amen.