We're in Matthew 15, 1 to 20.
Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
! Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father,
You are seeking worshipers who worship you in spirit and truth.
Lord, followers who love you with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.
And that's what we long to be.
Lord, we don't want to be
fakers who paid lip service to you.
Lord, we want to worship you
and obey you
from the heart.
So to that end, Lord, speak to us from your word.
Teach us your will.
Fill us with the glorious vision of Christ, your Son,
and His grace toward us.
And as we behold Him, fill us more and more with your Spirit.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If you are able, please stand
so that we can honor God as we read from His word,
Matthew chapter 15, verses 1 to 20.
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their hands when they eat.
He answered them,
And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
For God commanded,
Honor your father and your mother,
and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.
But you say,
If anyone tells his father or his mother,
What you would have gained from me is given to God.
He need not honor his father.
So for the sake of your tradition,
you have made void the word of God.
You hypocrites!
Well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
And he called the people to him and said to them,
Hear and understand.
It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person,
but what comes out of the mouth.
This defiles a person.
Then the disciples came and said to him,
Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?
He answered,
Every plant that my heavenly father has not planted will be rooted up.
Let them alone.
They are blind guides.
And if the blind lead the blind,
both will fall into a pit.
But Peter said to him,
Explain the parable to us.
And he said,
Are you also still without understanding?
Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth
passes into the stomach and is expelled?
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.
And this defiles a person.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts,
murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
These are what defile a person.
But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
We were cooking in our home recently using daikon radish.
And as I was cutting them up,
I noticed that one of the radishes had a soft, spongy texture.
And I'm pretty frugal.
I don't like to throw food away.
But as much as it pained me,
I had to throw most of that away.
And this is a common issue with root vegetables.
You leave root vegetables in the ground for too long.
And rather than harvesting it at the proper time,
it loses its firm, juicy, and crisp texture.
And it becomes soft and spongy.
But it's hard to pick these bad radishes out at the grocery store
because they look perfectly healthy and delicious on the outside.
You only notice this problem when you cut it open and see the inside.
This is a common issue when you shop at grocery stores with other items as well
because the stores do their very best to make sure that all their items look ripe and healthy and fresh.
They wax some of their fruits to delay moisture loss
and then to add shine to them to make them look fresher and riper.
They mist their leafy greens constantly so that they can look glossy and hydrated
and so to mask any wilting that might already be there.
They use warm strategic lighting over their meat to enhance their color
and make them look fresher as you're shopping.
They're all made to look good on the outside.
But the moment of truth comes when you start to cook.
Outward beauty is much more easily attained than inward integrity.
Jesus teaches us in this passage that people are like this often also.
It's easier to groom our appearances,
to curate our social media accounts
and the way we present ourselves to others,
to put on a smiling face and to behave respectably on the outside
in such a way that we look good on the outside.
But likewise, it's easier to manage outward appearances
than inward transformation.
But Jesus reminds us of this truth in 1 Samuel 16, 7,
that the Lord sees not as man sees.
Man looks on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart.
And for this reason, God desires,
in this passage we learn,
that God desires heart worship,
not lip service.
God desires inward obedience rather than outward performance.
In verses 1 to 9,
we see the outside-in, quote-unquote,
obedience of the Pharisees.
And then in verses 10 to 20,
we see the inside-out obedience that Jesus seeks.
This is the last substantial account of Jesus' ministry in Galilee,
in the Gospel of Matthew.
After this, he will start moving on to foreign parts outside of Galilee,
and then he will start heading toward the cross,
toward Jerusalem.
Fittingly, we begin to see an escalation
in the hostilities of the Jewish authorities
against Jesus in this passage.
It says in verses 1 to 2,
then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem
and said,
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their hands when they eat.
These are not local Jewish rabbis.
They're not local teachers of the law.
These are a delegation from Jerusalem,
the Jewish capital.
They have come for a formal inquiry
into this famed street preacher and miracle worker
and to them, as it seems to them,
an unorthodox rabbi called Jesus.
This is an inquisition.
We get a sense of the tone of their questioning from verse 2.
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their hands when they eat.
The concern here is not with personal hygiene.
It's with ritual purity.
Washing oneself before meals
is described a few times in the Old Testament.
But importantly,
it is never prescribed as a command
to be observed by everyone.
The only context where hand washing
was required before meals
was for the priests in the temple of God.
If they had contracted any kind of ritual unclean,
the priests were required to wash their entire selves in water
before they could partake in the sacrificial food.
So the Old Testament law nowhere requires
ordinary people to wash their hands before eating
for the sake of ritual purity.
But subsequent accumulation of Jewish scribal law
reasoned that since Israel as a nation
is a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,
as God says in Exodus 19, verse 6,
therefore they reasoned that the whole nation
should keep this priestly requirement
of hand washing.
God had warned in Deuteronomy 4.2,
you shall not add to the word I command you,
nor take from it,
that you may keep the commandments
of the Lord your God that I command you.
But these Pharisees and scribes
have added to God's law.
They tied up heavy burdens,
hard to bear,
and lay them up on the people's shoulders.
This is the tradition of the elders
that they are speaking of.
Jesus knows this,
so he responds sharply and proportionally in verse 3.
And why do you break the commandment of God
for the sake of your tradition?
Notice how Jesus turns this around
and contrasts the commandment of God
from your tradition.
The Pharisees and the scribes accused Jesus' disciples,
and by implication Jesus,
of breaking the tradition of the elders.
But Jesus goes one step further
and in his response tells them,
that should be the least of your worries,
breaking the tradition of the elders.
You're concerned about my disciples
breaking the tradition of the elders?
They are nothing but man-made traditions.
You yourselves are breaking
the very commandments of God.
How so?
Jesus goes on to give concrete examples of this.
In verses 4 to 6,
he says,
For God commanded,
Honor your father and your mother,
and whoever reviles father or mother
must surely die.
But you say,
If anyone tells his father or his mother,
what you would have gained from me
is given to God,
he need not honor his father.
So for the sake of your tradition,
you have made void the word of God.
Once again,
Jesus draws a contrast
between what God commanded
and what you say.
The two quotations that Jesus cites here
are from the Old Testament law.
The first is the fifth of the Ten Commandments,
Honor your father and mother,
which literally God spoke
out of Mount Sinai
in Exodus 20, verse 12.
The second quotation
is an explanation
and an elaboration
of that commandment,
the fifth commandment,
in Exodus 21, 17,
which says,
Whoever curses his father or his mother
shall be put to death.
Jesus contends here
that the Pharisees and the scribes
are breaking the commandments of God
by saying,
If anyone tells his father or mother,
What you would have gained from me,
what you think I owe you as your child,
is given to God.
That's the practice called korban.
In Mark 7, 11,
this is explicitly stated.
Korban is a sacred gift
dedicated to God.
And if a Pharisee or a scribe
makes something,
declares something korban
and takes a vow
in declaring that,
then any food
or money
or property,
anything that belonged to them
that they have vowed to God,
now become untouchable
by anyone
and not even by their parents.
In this culture,
in this day and age,
parents could reasonably expect
to be financially supported
by their sons.
In those days,
children were the parents'
retirement plans.
However,
an unfilial
and stingy son
could declare
all his money
korban
and thereby maintain
possession of it
for the time being
until he could decide
on some
quote-unquote
sacred
or more self-serving purpose
putting some money
into the temple treasury
to enlarge their reputation,
for example.
It gives them,
it buys them time
to dispose of it
as they wish
rather than having to use it
to support their parents.
Saying,
well,
can you give me
some allowance,
some living expenses?
And then they say,
whoops,
sorry,
I dedicated all of that
a long time ago
to God.
And you know,
as the scriptures say,
you can't go back
on your word.
Any vow you make
to the Lord,
you must keep it.
So,
sorry,
it looks like
I will not be able
to support you.
You're on your own.
If that seems harsh
and heartless,
we don't need to look far
for similar examples
in our culture
and society.
How many children
have pocketed
their parents'
social security checks?
How many children
have prematurely
claimed the power
of attorney
over their parents
declaring their parents
infirm
and incompetent
to manage
their own finances
and then using
that power
to dispose
of all their wealth
in selfish ways?
These things
are not uncommon.
And Jesus rightly
and roundly
rebukes these Pharisees
and scribes
for this practice
of using their piety
as a pretext
for withholding
provisions
from their parents
and thereby failing
to honor them,
which is a commandment
of God.
For the sake
of your tradition,
you have made void
the word of God.
These teachers
of God's law
were themselves
breaking God's law
by their own
casuistry.
They worshipped God
but in vain
because they were
teaching as doctrines
the commandments
of men.
This raises the question
for us,
how many times
have we
added our own
traditions
to the doctrines
of God
and preached
our traditions
as the commandments
of God?
If you don't
dress like me
or talk like me,
then you're not
a good Christian.
If you don't
homeschool your children,
then you must not
be serious
about being
a disciple of Christ.
If you don't
vote for the same
political candidates
that I do,
then you can't
be a real Christian.
But we must
be careful
not to administer
litmus tests
on matters
where God's word
is silent.
Let us be controlled
by the fear of God
and carefully
distinguish
the commandment
of God
from our own
suggestions,
however wise
they might seem.
And let us
also be careful
on the flip side
not to subtract
anything from
God's word
because this is
a common temptation
too, isn't it?
Downplaying
parts of scripture
that offend
our sensibilities
and temperaments,
ignoring parts
of scripture
that contradict
the dominant ethos
of our culture
and of our time,
explaining away
and nullifying
clear commands
of scripture,
these are also
ways that we
make void
the word of God
to uphold
our own traditions.
When the traditions
of man
are at odds
with the commandments
of God,
let us be a people
who always stand
on the side
of the commandments
of God.
Jesus continues
his stinging rebuke
in verses 7 and 9,
you hypocrites,
well did Isaiah
prophesy of you
when he said,
these people
honors me
with their lips
but their heart
is far from me.
In vain do they
worship me,
teaching as doctrines
the commandments
of men.
The word hypocrite
is originally
a Greek word
that means
an actor
or a pretender.
Pharisees
are pretenders
because they act
like they care
deeply
about honoring God
and obeying
his commands
when they actually
don't care that much
about those things.
Rather,
they care deeply
about being seen
and thought of
by men
as honoring God
and obeying his commands.
But our God
desires heart worship
rather than lip service.
He desires
inward obedience
rather than
outward performance.
So Jesus cites
the prophecy
of Isaiah 29
verse 13
which is a lament
concerning
unfaithful city
of David,
Jerusalem.
Since this delegation
from Jerusalem
are the representative
leaders of Israel
at the time,
it is fitting
to apply this
8th century BC
prophecy to them.
What Isaiah prophesied
then and was true
of Israel then
is still true
in Jesus' day.
This people
honors me
with their lips
but their heart
is far from me.
There are some
in our day as well
of Christians
who are Christians
in name only.
People who are
Christians only
when people are looking.
They attend church services
and know all the
Christian jargon
and they know
when to say their
amens and hallelujahs
but in their private
lives,
their hearts
are far from God.
The love of God
does not burn
within their hearts.
They can talk
eloquently about God
in the third person
but they never talk
to God
personally.
They don't spend time
reading God's word
and praying.
There is no praise
of God
or thanksgiving to God
that swells up
from their hearts.
There are people
who volunteer
and serve
on the church
committee or boards
not out of humility
and love
but because they
like the spotlight
or the authority
and power
that come from
the position.
Their piety
is a pretext
for prestige.
This people
honors me
with their lips
but their heart
is far from me.
But God
desires
no such
mask wearing
or play acting.
However weak
and frail
and sinful
and faulty
we might be.
God would rather
be that we
be followers
who are true
and earnest.
God desires
heart worship
rather than
lip service.
This contrast
between the heart
and the lip
then paves
the way
for Jesus'
teaching
on true
inside out
obedience
in verses 10 to 20.
He says in verse 10
that Jesus
called the people
to him
and said to them
hear and
understand.
Notice that
Jesus is no longer
debating with the
Pharisees and the
scribes.
He has turned
his attention away
from the Pharisees
and scribes
and he is calling
the people
to himself
and he is now
teaching them
and he is calling
the Pharisees
and scribes
are still
within earshot
they are hearing
what Jesus
is saying
but now
he is making
a public
pronouncement
that summarizes
his teaching
on this matter
but before
he does that
he says
hear
and understand
if you are here
for our sermons
these last couple
months
you may remember
that those
were key words
that were repeated
over and over again
in chapter 13
hear
and understand
that's where
Jesus tells
several parables
of the kingdom
Jesus said
in Matthew 13
13 to 14
this is why
I speak to them
in parables
because seeing
they do not see
and hearing
they do not hear
nor do they
understand
indeed in their
case the prophecy
of Isaiah
is fulfilled
that says
you will indeed
hear but never
understand
and you will
indeed see
but never perceive
for this people's
heart has grown
dull
and with their
ears
they can barely
hear
and their
eyes
they have
closed
lest they
should see
with their
eyes
and hear
with their
ears
and understand
with their
heart
and turn
and I would
heal them
and then he
tells the famous
parable of the
sower
where Jesus
contrasts the
seeds that
are planted
but never
bear fruit
from the
seed that
that's planted
that bears
much fruit
and the
difference is
that the
seed that
fails to
bear fruit
are those
who hear
the word
but do not
understand it
whereas the
seeds that
do bear fruit
represent those
who hear the
word and
understand it
so the
parable of the
sower as well
as the parable
of the wheat
and the weeds
are being
reenacted in
this live
scene in
chapter 15
that's why in
verse 15
Peter asks
Jesus
explain the
parable to
us
in verse 13
then Jesus
compares these
fruitless
these Pharisees
to fruitless
plants that God
has not planted
their weeds
and therefore
they will be
uprooted
hear and
understand
Jesus says
he's inviting
us to pay
close attention
because what
we make of
this principle
in verse 11
will decide
our eternal
destiny
whether we
are wheat
planted by
God and
bear fruit
or weeds
planted by
the devil
that will
be rooted
up on
judgment
day
and that
all important
parable is
is this
it is not
what goes
into the
mouth
that defiles
a person
but what
comes out
of the
mouth
that defiles
a person
the Pharisees
and the
scribes
do not
understand
this
parable
this
principle
instead
they're
offended
by it
the disciples
say to
Jesus
in verse
21
do you
know
that the
Pharisees
were
offended
when they
heard
this
saying
yet
Jesus
does
nothing
to appease
them
or to
persuade
them
instead
he says
in verse
13
that they
are
plants
that the
father
has not
planted
therefore
they will
be rooted
up
leave them
alone
they are
like blind
guides
and if
the blind
lead the
blind
both will
fall
into the
pit
imagine
a blind
person
that you
see on
the street
trying to
cross the
road
and they're
being led
by a
guide dog
but then
it turns
out the
guide dog
is also
blind
it's a
senseless
folly
they will
both
get hit
by a
car
or
they'll
both
fall
into
a
pit
it's
better
Jesus
says
to
leave
the
blind
guides
alone
let them
go
their
own
way
these
Pharisees
are
blind
because
as
Jesus
says
in
John
9
41
they
insist
that
they
see
if
they
were
humble
enough
to
admit
that
they
are
blind
then
they
would
start
following
Jesus
and
in
doing
so
they
gain
sight
but
because
they
insist
that
they
Jesus
his own
disciples
have a
hard
time
understanding
that's
why
Peter
as
the
leader
and
the
representative
of
the
twelve
asks
Jesus
in
verse
15
explain
the
parable
to
us
and
Jesus
says
are
you
also
still
without
understanding
but
nonetheless
Jesus
goes on
patiently
to
explain
the
parable
to
them
why
because
to
them
to
the
disciples
it
has
been
given
to
know
the
secrets
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
but
to
them
once
again
this
principle
of
verse
11
is
drawing
a
clear
line
of
demarcation
between
the
Pharisees
and
scribes
and
Jesus
disciples
between
the
sons
of
the
evil
one
and
the
sons
of
the
kingdom
of
God
those
who
belong
to
God
will
hear
and
understand
this
truth
those
who
do
not
belong
to
God
will
take
offense
at
this
truth
but
what
does
it
mean
Jesus
unpacks
this
in
verses
17
20
do
not
see
that
whatever
goes
into
the
mouth
passes
into
the
stomach
and
is
expelled
but
what
comes
out
of
the
mouth
proceeds
from
the
heart
and
this
defiles
a
person
for
out
of
the
heart
come
evil
thoughts
murder
adultery
sexual
immorality
theft
false
witness
slander
these
are
what
defile
a
person
but
to
eat
with
unwashed
hands
does
not
defile
anyone
Jesus
point
is
simple
but
profound
the
food
that
we
eat
whether
it's
eaten
with
unwashed
hands
or
not
is
merely
a
natural
biological
process
that
has
no
bearing
on
the
person's
moral
or
spiritual
cleanness
it's
not
what
comes
into
the
person's
outside
in
the
outward
!
things
but
rather
what
comes
from
the
inside
out
the
inward
things
that
come
out
of
the
heart
that's
what
truly
defiles
us
the
heart
in
biblical
conception
is
not
merely
the
seed
of
our
emotions
the
way
we
talk
about
it
in
English
but
it
is
the
seed
of
our
thoughts
and
intentions
it
is
the
very
center
of
the
inner
person
that's
why
Proverbs
4
23
enjoins
us
keep
your
heart
with
all
vigilance
for
from
it
flow
the
springs
!
of
life
our
lives
all
have
a
certain
!
or
a
!
flow
that
directs
our
decisions
and
actions
and
the
source
of
that
God
says
is
the
heart
what's
in
the
heart
directs
that
course
and
isn't
this
true
we
know
this
from
our
experience
out
of
the
heart
come
evil
thoughts
don't
they
in
verse
19
Jesus
lists
the
sins
that
are
forbidden
in
the
second
half
of
the
ten
commandments
the
fifth
commandment
honor your
father and
mother was
already mentioned
earlier
now Jesus
lists
commandments
six
seven
eight
and
nine
you
shall
not
murder
you
shall
not
commit
adultery
you
shall
not
steal
and
you
shall
not
bear
false
testimony
against
your
neighbor
there
are
two
additional
sins
!
And in
the
original
Greek
of
this
all
the
sins
here
are
listed
in
the
plural
form
so
the
Christian
standard
Bible
renders
the
verse
this
way
for
from
the
heart
come
evil
thoughts
murders
adulteries
sexual
immoralities
deaths
false
testimonies
slander
they are
listed
in
that
plural
form
to
emphasize
the
fact
that
the
plurality
of
sins
all
kinds
of
murders
and
adulteries
etc
they all
stem
from
the
evil
thoughts
that
proceed
from
the
heart
does
not
our
own
experience
bear
this
out
Jesus
said
in
Matthew
5
22
that
we
violate
the
sixth
commandment
you
shall
not
murder
even
if
we
are
only
angry
with
someone
or
insult
them
why
is
it
so
because
the
attitude
of
the
heart
determines
the
action
of
our
hands
because
murder
comes
from
anger
and
bitterness
and
hatred
in
our
hearts
because
murder
is
precipitated
by
belittling
and
dehumanizing
insults
toward
others
it's
not
the
outward
circumstances
that are
responsible
for
murders
but
the
inward
attitude
you
can
take
everyone's
guns
away
and
that
might
mitigate
the
problem
some
but
it
will
never
eradicate
!
murder
people
will
still
find
other
ways
to
kill
each
other
why
because
murder
comes
from
the
evil
thoughts
of
the
heart
this
makes
obedience
to
Jesus
command
to
God's
command
much
harder
not
murdering
someone
is
relatively
speaking
easy
we've
all
hopefully
succeeded
in that
if we
have
even
a
modicum
of
self
control
and
fear
of
the
law
and
the
fear
of
the
government
you
can
avoid
that
steer
clear
of
murder
but
being
sinfully
angry
constituting
murder
of the
heart
that's
hard
isn't
it
our
hearts
can
be
so
unruly
at
times
similarly
Jesus
said
in
Matthew
5
28
that
not
only
a
man
who
commits
physical
adultery
but
anyone
who
looks
at
a
woman
with
lustful
intent
has
already
committed
adultery
with her
in his
heart
and has
violated
the
seventh
commandment
why
is this
so
because
adultery
comes
from
the
lusts
and
fantasies
of
the
heart
it's
not
the
outward
circumstances
that cause
defilement
but the
thoughts
you can
ban
and
disable
all
brothels
and
websites
that
facilitate
adultery
you can
ban
all
porn
from
the
web
and
people
will
still
find
a way
to
indulge
their
lustful
fantasies
because
adultery
comes
from
the
heart
you can
ban
all
sexually
suggestive
advertisements
and shows
you can
force
everyone
to
cover
themselves
make
all
women
wear
full length
dresses
and hijabs
and still
there will be
adulteries
and all
kinds of
sexual
immoralities
because
sexual
immorality
comes
from
the
heart
once
again
this
makes
obedience
much
harder
it's
easy
to pay
lip
service
to
obedience
oh
I've
never
cheated
on my
wife
I'm
faithful
but
have
you
ever
lusted
after
another
have
you
ever
entertained
those
fantasies
in
your
heart
even
if
we
were
to
eliminate
poverty
from
the
world
and
make
everyone
in
the
world
well
off
there
will
still
be
thefts
in
this
world
why
because
there
will
still
be
envy
that
compares
oneself
to
others
because
there
will
still
be
pride
that
wants
to
have
more
than
the
other
person
next
to
you
because
thefts
ultimately
come
from
envy
and
covetousness
of
the
heart
for
the
same
reason
there
will
always
be
people
who
bear
false
witness
against
their
neighbors
and
slander
their
neighbors
because
that
sin
comes
from
the
hatred
and
envy
and
selfishness
of
the
heart
outward
performance
is
easy
compared
to
inward
obedience
if
true
holiness
that
God
demands
must
come
from
the
heart
if
it's
a
matter
of
the
heart
then
who
can
be
saved
who
then
can
be
clean
the
Pharisees
and the
scribes
took
offense
at
this
idea
not
only
because
it
meant
that
they
were
failing
you're
not
as
good
at
keeping
the
lawn
as
you
thought
you
were
but
also
because
this
principle
that
Jesus
articulated
upended
the
entire
pharisaic
ideology
and
theology
of
ritual
purity
when
you
understand
its
implications
the
implications
of what
Jesus
is
saying
here
the
principle
is
really
radical
and
revolutionary
here's
why
the
hand
washing
was
just
one
small
aspect
of
Jewish
ritual
purity
if
you
read
through
the
book
of
Leviticus
which
I
happened
to
be
doing
just
two
weeks
ago
there's
all
kinds
of
laws
about
ceremonial
cleanness
and
defilement
you can
be
ceremonially
made
unclean
by
eating
or
drinking
unclean
food
you can
become
unclean
by having
discharges
of bodily
fluids
you can
contract
uncleanness
through skin
diseases
by coming
into
contact
unclean
things
or
unclean
people
all
these
laws
of
literal
cleanness
served
an important
purpose
in the
Old Testament
and God
explains the
logic
of
clean
and
unclean
foods
in
Leviticus
20
verses
24
to
26
!
holy
set
holy
set
apart
people
a
separate
people
belonging
to
God
unlike
these
other
nations
these
were the
laws
that
served
to
separate
Jews
from
Gentiles
these
laws
served
to
mark
the
chosen
people
of
God
for
I
the
Lord
am
holy
and
have
separated
you
from
the
peoples
that
you
should
be
mine
so
then
even
though
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
did
ask
a
peripheral
kind
of
nitpicky
question
why
aren't
they
washing
their
hands
before
they
eat
Jesus'
pronouncement
here
has
far
reaching
implications
and
strikes
at the
very
heart
of
Jewish
identity
this
is
what
set
them
apart
in
fact
if
you
pay
attention
to
the
gospels
as
you
read
this
dynamic
of
clean
and
unclean
throughout
the
gospel
of
Matthew
you
notice
that
this
issue
has
been
following
Jesus
wherever
he
has
been
ministering
to
people
in
chapter
8
right
Jesus
heals
a
leper
lepers
are
ritually
unclean
any
contact
with
them
makes
you
ritually
unclean
but
the
leper
comes
to
Jesus
and
says
Lord
if
you
will
you
can
make
me
clean
and
Jesus
stretched
out
his
hand
and
touched
him
saying
I
will
be
clean
and
immediately
his
lepersy
was
cleansed
this
would
have
raised
many
legal
questions
in the
minds
of the
Pharisees
and the
scribes
wait
what
just
happened
there
leper
unclean
Jesus
touched
him
he
should
be
unclean
but
in
the
moment
he
touched
him
the
leper
was
cleansed
so
does
he
contract
uncleanness
or not
they had
never dealt
with a
situation
like that
before
similarly
Jesus
healed
the
servant
of an
unclean
gentile
centurion
same
chapter
he
even
entered
the
gentile
territory
of the
gatherings
which
was
complete
with
the
herd
of
pigs
which
are
ritually
unclean
animals
according
to
Jews
and
then
he
cast
out
unclean
spirits
demons
from
the
demoniacs
then
in
chapter
nine
Jesus
called
Matthew
the
tax
collector
many
considered
by many
Jews
to be
unclean
because
of his
association
with
the
gentiles
to be
his
disciple
and
then
he
dined
with
tax
collectors
and
sinners
and
Jesus
doesn't
stop
there
in
that
same
chapter
in
chapter
nine
a
woman
who
had
suffered
from
a
discharge
of
blood
for
12
years
reached
out
and
touched
Jesus
and
then
was
consequently
healed
instantly
normally
being
touched
by a
woman
with
a
menstrual
bleeding
disorder
would
have
made
Jesus
unclean
but
what
about
in
the
case
when
that
contact
restored
and
healed
the
woman
immediately
and
right
after
healing
that
woman
being
touched
by
the
woman
with
a
bleeding
disorder
Jesus
then
goes
and
raises
a
dead
girl
back
to
life
and
how
does
he
do
that
he
does
it
by
touching
her
taking
her
by
the
hand
in
Matthew
9
touching
a
dead
body
also
renders
you
unclean
but
what
if
that
contact
brought
the
dead
to
life
does
that
still
make
you
unclean
this
issue
of
cleanness
and
unclean
has
been
following
Jesus
all
along
and
Jesus
is
systematically
dismantling
those walls
of
distinction
so it
is no
accident
that
immediately
after
this
teaching
on
what
causes
uncleanness
Jesus
then
travels
to
the
unclean
regions
of
the
Gentiles
district
of
Tyre
and
Sidon
and
then
there
ministers
to
a
Canaanite
unclean
woman
who
gladly
calls
herself
a
Gentile
dog
so
this
is
a
significant
debate
the
very
trajectory
of
salvation
history
depends
on
Jesus'
teaching
here
on
what
truly
causes
uncleanness
this
is
why
Jesus
repudiates
the
Pharisees
and
describes
objection
with
ferocity
Jesus
knows
that
if
he
gives
the
Pharisees
an inch
here
that
they
will
take
a
mile
the
implications
of
the
ritual
purity
laws
will
forever
bar
those
whom
they
deemed
unclean
from
inclusion
within
the
people
of
God
so
Jesus
is
here
not
only
defending
his
12
disciples
from
the
accusation
of
the
Pharisees
he
is
fighting
for
the
salvation
and
inclusion
of
all
unclean
people
Gentiles
like
you
and
me
all
those
who
put
their
trust
in
him
to
be
cleansed
of
their
sins
but
that
raises
the
question
how
can
Jesus
just
simply
do
away
with
long
standing
old
testament
laws
of
cleanness
and
uncleanness
that
distinguished
God's
chosen
people
from
the
other
nations
how
can
Jesus
do
that
how
can
Jesus
include
the
unclean
people
of
God
that
should
belong
to
a
holy
God
it's
because
of
what
Jesus
said
early
in
Matthew
5
17
I
have
not
come
to
abolish
the
law
but
to
fulfill
them
Jesus
is
bringing
the
law
of
God
to
its
intended
goal
and
finish
line
the
laws
of
ritual
cleanness
serve
to
distinguish
God's
people
from
the
unbelieving
nations
so
that
they
could
keep
the
covenant
of
the
Lord
their
identity
and
faith
and
this
was
absolutely
necessary
because
it was
out of
that
people
that
the
Messiah
the
Savior
of
the
world
the
Lamb
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sin
of
the
world
would
be
born
to
reconcile
Jews
and
Gentiles
to
himself
all
of
the
Old
Testament
laws
of
ritual
cleanness
pointed
to
this
coming
Messiah
Jesus
Christ
smack dab
in the
middle
of all
those
laws
about
clean
and
unclean
things
in
Leviticus
chapter
16
which
happens
to be
also
the
smack dab
in the
middle
of
the
entire
Pentateuch
the
first
five
books
of
the
Bible
the
Torah
the
law
of
God
the
first
five
books
of
the
Bible
are
structured
as
an
elaborate
chiasm
matching
sections
in
Genesis
and
Deuteronomy
and Exodus
and Numbers
and then
you come
to the
center
of the
book
Leviticus
and the
center
of the
book
of Leviticus
is Leviticus
16
which is
about
what
the
day
of
atonement
which
takes care
of all
your sins
and
uncleannesses
on the
day
of
atonement
you
sacrifice
one
goat
who
dies
for the
sins
for the
cleansing
of the
sins
of God's
people
and then
you
use
one
goat
the
second
goat
as a
scapegoat
you put
the sins
of the
people
of God
on that
scapegoat
and then
you
release
that
scapegoat
into the
wilderness
so that
the sins
!
Jesus
fulfills
both of
them
he comes
and he
dies
as a
sacrificial
lamb
he dies
for the
cleansing
of our
sins
the
atoning
of our
sins
and in
doing so
he takes
away
removes
our sins
as far
as the
east
is from
the west
Jesus
who knew
no sin
was made
sin
for us
that in
him
we might
become
the
righteousness
of God
this is
how he
bridges
that gap
and reconciles
Jews and
Gentiles
and saves
them
if God
desires
heart
worship
and not
lip service
if he
demands
inward
transformation
and not
merely
outward
performance
then no
one is
righteous
on their
own
not
one
and because
of that
there can
be only
one
solution
and that
is
someone
who can
give
people
a new
heart
and that's
Jesus
we read
this prophecy
for our
assurance of
pardon
from
Ezekiel 36
25 to
28
when God
said I
will sprinkle
clean water
on you
and you
shall be
clean
from all
your
uncleannesses
and from
all your
idols I
will cleanse
you
and I
will give
you
a new
heart
and a
new
spirit
I
will put
within
you
and I
will remove
the heart
of stone
from your
flesh
and give
you
a heart
of flesh
and I
will put
my spirit
within you
and cause
you to walk
in my
statutes
and be
careful to
obey my
rules
you shall
dwell in
the land
that I
gave to
your fathers
and you
shall be
my people
and I
will be
your
God
how can
God say
to an
unclean
people
I
will be
your
God
and you
will be
my
people
have you
wrestled
with your
own
uncleannesses
have you
felt
dirty
Hebrews 10
speaks of
the fulfillment
of this
prophecy
in Ezekiel
and from
Jeremiah 21
when God
established
the new
covenant
and writes
his law
on our
hearts
and it
says in
Hebrews 10
19 to 22
therefore
brothers
since we
have confidence
to enter the
holy places
by the
blood of
Jesus
by the
new
and living
way
that he
opened for
us through
the curtain
that is
through the
flesh
and since
we have
a great
priest
over the
house of
God
let us
draw near
with a
true
heart
in full
assurance
of faith
with our
hearts
sprinkled
clean
from an
evil
conscience
and our
bodies
washed
with pure
water
all that
you feel
and know
in your
life
that is
dirty
and unclean
all the
sins
that have
defiled
you
all the
past
that has
defiled
you
it is
in
Jesus
the high
priest
comes
and he
offers
himself
once and
for all
as the
sacrifice
the atoning
sacrifice
for sins
and when
you believe
in Jesus
and trust
that he
has done
that on
the cross
in his
death
and resurrection
then your
hearts
are sprinkled
clean
by the
blood of
the lamb
and by
the spirit
of God
so that
a people
who are
unclean
can stand
before God
and hear
those words
you
shall be
my people
and I
will be
your God
if you
are here
this morning
and you
are not
yet
a follower
of Christ
this is
your only
hope
you can't
make your
heart
clean
if God
only demanded
external
conformity
lip service
outward
performance
that's
doable
you can
do that
you have
to pray
five times
a day
yeah you
can do
that
set an
alarm
if that's
all that's
required
who wouldn't
do it
all I need
to do
is pray
five times
a day
and I'm
going to
have eternal
life
who wouldn't
do it
you would
set an
alarm
you would
just do it
and that
takes care
of it
that's easy
when your
heart must be
right before
God
that is
heart
and only
Jesus can
make that
right
only Jesus
can cleanse
your heart
so let
us
so let
us
as it
says
in 2
Corinthians
3 and
4
let us
behold
the glory
the light
of the
gospel of
Jesus
Christ
in the
face
of
Jesus
Christ
it's
as we
behold
what Christ
has done
for us
on the
cross
it is
as we
believe
in him
and hold
to him
in faith
that we
are
transformed
by the
spirit
from one
degree of
glory to
another
so that
we obey
him
more and
more
from the
heart
let's
pray for
that
yes
father
oh we
were hopeless
sinners
Lord we
were like
the lepers
who
who call
out from
a distance
before anyone
can approach
them
unwittingly
unclean
stay away
unclean
oh Lord
if you
in your
holiness
approached
us
apart
from
Christ
that's
all we
could
do
but
thank you
Lord
for
sending
your
son
Jesus
Christ
thank you
Lord
for giving
him
as the
atoning
sacrifice
for sin
as the
scapegoat
so we
might be
sprinkled
clean
thank you
for washing
us
we praise
you
we thank
you
in Jesus
name
amen
as