WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.540 --> 00:00:09.519 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.419 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:22.640 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:38.039 Our Gospel reading today is a reading from the Gospel According to Mark, chapter 7, verses 1 through 23. 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:49.379 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 00:00:49.379 --> 00:00:55.260 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 00:00:55.259 --> 00:01:01.599 The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, 00:01:02.219 --> 00:01:04.000 holding to the tradition of the elders. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.519 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash, 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:14.019 and they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles. 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:18.879 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law asked Jesus, 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:25.459 Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands? 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:27.379 He replied, 00:01:28.759 --> 00:01:32.319 Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:33.939 As it is written, 00:01:34.939 --> 00:01:38.539 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 00:01:39.039 --> 00:01:40.419 They worship me in vain. 00:01:41.039 --> 00:01:43.179 Their teachings are merely human rules. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.979 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:50.180 And he continued, 00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:56.219 You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions. 00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:58.120 For Moses said, 00:01:58.859 --> 00:02:00.079 Honor your father and mother, 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.320 and anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:08.219 But you say that if anyone declares 00:02:08.219 --> 00:02:12.520 that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban, 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:14.240 that is, devoted to God, 00:02:14.460 --> 00:02:17.659 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 00:02:17.979 --> 00:02:22.739 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:24.899 And you do many things like that. 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:28.819 Again, Jesus called the crowd to him and said, 00:02:29.419 --> 00:02:31.759 Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:35.979 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.979 Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them. 00:02:39.979 --> 00:02:43.619 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, 00:02:43.799 --> 00:02:45.919 his disciples asked him about this parable. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:48.439 Are you so dull, he asked? 00:02:48.899 --> 00:02:52.979 Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:57.859 For it doesn't go into their heart, but into their stomach, and then out of the body. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:02.359 In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean. 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:04.180 He went on, 00:03:04.180 --> 00:03:07.280 What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.200 For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come. 00:03:12.940 --> 00:03:23.020 Sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:27.159 All these evils come from inside and defile a person. 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:29.740 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:35.520 Good morning, everyone. 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:36.960 My name is Andrew. 00:03:37.160 --> 00:03:38.180 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.660 And why don't we go before the Lord before we turn to his word. 00:03:46.660 --> 00:03:51.580 Father, we pray that you would make much of your son, Jesus Christ, 00:03:51.580 --> 00:03:57.980 in the preaching of your word, that we would behold him as our great high priest, 00:03:58.080 --> 00:03:59.040 whose name is love. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.480 The spotless, risen Lamb of God, 00:04:03.480 --> 00:04:07.820 who in our place bore the punishment that we deserved, 00:04:07.820 --> 00:04:12.680 and has given us his righteousness by faith. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:17.900 We so savor that reality in Christ this morning. 00:04:18.080 --> 00:04:18.860 In Jesus' name. 00:04:19.520 --> 00:04:19.759 Amen. 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:21.819 All right. 00:04:21.859 --> 00:04:23.740 Well, we have been in Mark's gospel. 00:04:23.919 --> 00:04:25.939 We've been following Jesus through this gospel, 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:28.199 and he's been doing a lot of incredible things. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:31.419 Last week, we saw how he fed over 5,000 people. 00:04:31.599 --> 00:04:34.719 And so at this point in the narrative, in Mark chapter 7, 00:04:34.919 --> 00:04:39.939 Jesus has developed, as you might imagine, quite a following, quite a reputation. 00:04:39.939 --> 00:04:45.560 So great is his reputation in this, at this point in the story, 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:49.980 that verse 1 tells us that there are some members from the Jewish religious establishment, 00:04:50.180 --> 00:04:54.160 the Pharisees, and even some teachers of the law who came all the way into Galilee in the north, 00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:55.980 from the south in Jerusalem, 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.500 because Jesus had gotten their attention. 00:05:00.300 --> 00:05:05.540 And in particular, they're concerned about the kinds of disciples that Jesus is making. 00:05:05.540 --> 00:05:12.560 Because, see, Jesus, his disciples are behaving quite contrary to the kinds of disciples that the Pharisees were making. 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:17.680 And the point of contention that we're looking at today has to do with a matter of cleanliness. 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:18.080 All right? 00:05:18.140 --> 00:05:22.500 Cleanliness, and not like hygiene, but spiritual, ritual cleanliness. 00:05:22.500 --> 00:05:27.879 In the eyes of the Pharisees, in the eyes of these teachers of the law who came all the way from the temple in Jerusalem, 00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:32.220 Jesus' disciples were unclean because, why? 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:36.819 As it says in verse 2, they were eating with unwashed hands. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:37.939 Oh, no. 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:38.759 All right. 00:05:39.579 --> 00:05:43.939 Now, I'm going to talk more about that and what's going on in the minds of the Pharisees 00:05:43.939 --> 00:05:46.040 and why this is such a big deal to them. 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:52.260 But before I lose some of you, in case some of you are thinking that this story is just some irrelevant religious dispute 00:05:52.260 --> 00:05:58.700 about cleansing rituals between some ancient Jewish teachers 2,000 years ago, 00:05:59.520 --> 00:06:03.420 can I just ask you to just lean in and hang on and just have an open mind? 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.200 Because I promise this really is more relevant than you might think. 00:06:07.280 --> 00:06:12.040 Even if you're here today and you couldn't care less about Jewish ritual cleansings, 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:20.400 can I just ask you again, if you're here today and maybe you couldn't care less about being clean in the eyes of the God of Abraham, 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.300 Isaac, and Moses, let me ask you this. 00:06:25.200 --> 00:06:31.320 Is it not true that we all still do want to be clean in at least some sense? 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.960 Like clean in the eyes of someone or something. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:36.580 We all do, right? 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:41.780 High schoolers in the room, you're not going to go on a date, all right, without taking a shower, all right? 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:45.040 You're not going to clean up before your first job interview. 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.500 And not just in like a physical sense of cleanliness. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:50.140 We all want to be clean in every sense. 00:06:50.200 --> 00:06:51.100 We want a clean conscience. 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:55.560 We want a clean record, a clean reputation, a clean bill of health. 00:06:55.980 --> 00:06:56.879 We all want to be clean. 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:05.200 And sure, we all may have, excuse me, different ideas of what it means to be clean versus unclean. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:10.879 But make no mistake, all of us, all of us operate within this duality, this dichotomy. 00:07:11.339 --> 00:07:12.979 This is clean and that is not clean. 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:18.920 This is pure and sacred and right and that is vile and filthy and defiled. 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:20.779 At some point, 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:23.419 excuse me, 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:29.139 at some point, we all recognize this duality, these two categories, clean and unclean. 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:33.779 And however we understand that distinction and wherever we draw those lines, 00:07:34.060 --> 00:07:40.899 what is true of each and every one of us is that we're all following what we believe will get us into the clean category, right? 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:45.439 The good category, the pure category, the just category, the category of the good guys. 00:07:46.099 --> 00:07:53.699 Whether it's in the eyes of God or whatever divine being we believe in or any other credible court of opinion, 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:56.300 we're all trying to be clean rather than unclean. 00:07:56.300 --> 00:07:59.939 And this is because being made in God's image, 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:03.939 we have a sense, we have an inherent affinity toward cleanliness. 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:06.040 It's what we were made to be. 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:07.100 We were made to be clean. 00:08:07.960 --> 00:08:11.740 And at the same time, ever since we chose our way over God's way, 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:17.620 every day we see all around us and even in ourselves so much evidence of filth and uncleanness. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:21.560 Things we know must make our maker gag. 00:08:22.259 --> 00:08:24.439 Because of the way that we've wrongly treated this world, 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:28.300 because of the way we've wrongly treated one another, who are made in God's image, 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.779 there's so much that seems so soiled around us, 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:35.820 so much that seems so far from what it ought to be. 00:08:36.659 --> 00:08:41.940 And so like our maker, as those also made in the image of God, we gag too, don't we? 00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:46.000 And then even those of us who don't believe in this maker, 00:08:46.700 --> 00:08:52.100 we all, we are all trying and trying and trying and trying to rid this world, 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:57.820 to rid our lands, to rid our society, to rid ourselves of all that we believe to be unclean. 00:08:57.860 --> 00:08:59.940 It's a natural thing for humans to do. 00:09:00.020 --> 00:09:05.960 We all want and we all seek to be clean and to get rid of what is unclean. 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:11.840 So you see, we're not actually so different than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law here 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:16.600 who are confronting Jesus about the uncleanness of his disciples. 00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:20.500 They cared about cleanness as far as they understood it. 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:22.060 And so do we. 00:09:22.800 --> 00:09:23.400 So do we. 00:09:23.920 --> 00:09:26.420 They wanted to be clean too, and with good reason, 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:31.940 probably better reasons than a lot of us have for the kinds of cleannesses that we pursue. 00:09:31.940 --> 00:09:35.620 They were pursuing cleanness before God. 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:43.660 The Pharisees were trying to live and lead the people of Israel into a national and spiritual purity 00:09:43.660 --> 00:09:44.980 in the eyes of Yahweh. 00:09:45.060 --> 00:09:48.320 In many ways, this was their solemn act of repentance, 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:53.160 an earnest effort to be clean and pleasing to their holy God. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:57.140 Their pursuit of cleanness, 00:09:57.139 --> 00:10:05.039 it came from their acknowledgement that the whole reason God had allowed their nation to go into exile 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:09.100 and the whole reason they were still under occupation under the Roman Empire 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:10.659 was because they had become unclean. 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:14.740 They'd disregarded the law of God and God's will for their lives. 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:20.299 So honestly, the Pharisees had regard for the holiness and the purity of God 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:25.159 that I sometimes dream that we would have as modern Bay Area Christians. 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:31.139 Like, I wish we were as zealous for the Word of God and for studying the Word of God as these Pharisees. 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:37.019 I wish we hated immorality and impiety as much as the Pharisees. 00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:42.139 And in so many ways, I wish we were as careful as they were to keep clean, 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:46.179 to observe the holy commands of our holy God. 00:10:46.899 --> 00:10:50.220 You see, that's where this big dispute came from. 00:10:50.220 --> 00:10:54.759 It's because they had such a high regard for the commands of God. 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.160 In the law of Moses, in Exodus chapter 30, verse 17, 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:03.180 when God is giving Israel instructions for how His priests are to approach Him, 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.100 God says to Moses, 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.320 Make a bronze basin for washing. 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:09.300 Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, 00:11:09.460 --> 00:11:10.480 and then put water in it. 00:11:11.420 --> 00:11:12.100 And then He says, 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:14.279 Aaron and his sons, who are the priests, 00:11:14.779 --> 00:11:20.100 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from this basin. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:23.600 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, that's where they met God, 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:28.100 they shall wash with water so that they will not die. 00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:32.379 And so the message being communicated here is God is so holy 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:36.680 that if you are unclean in His presence, you will die. 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:36.799 Why? 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:41.639 Because He cannot and will not tolerate and abide uncleanness. 00:11:42.599 --> 00:11:45.019 So what the Pharisees, and it says in verse 3, 00:11:45.099 --> 00:11:47.319 what all the Jews at this point decided to do, 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:52.779 what kind of tradition came up and was handed down for many generations at this point, 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.659 happened was they decided not just to make sure that their priests were clean 00:11:57.659 --> 00:11:59.139 when they went to the temple, 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:02.779 but they decided let's put a fence even around that 00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:04.919 and make sure we're all clean all the time. 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:07.079 Let's wash our hands all the time. 00:12:07.199 --> 00:12:09.319 Wherever they're coming from, verse 4, coming from the marketplace, 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:12.399 wherever, they committed to always washing their hands, 00:12:12.819 --> 00:12:16.179 and not just their hands, but their cups and their pitchers and their kettles 00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:18.860 and who knows what other washing traditions they had. 00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:23.319 But again, it was all to be as clean as possible before God, 00:12:24.099 --> 00:12:28.519 which to them was the ultimate, most highest, most important kind of cleanliness. 00:12:28.839 --> 00:12:32.259 They wanted to uphold this instruction given to Moses and Aaron, 00:12:32.259 --> 00:12:35.439 and they put this fence of traditions and rules around it 00:12:35.439 --> 00:12:40.379 to make sure they never broke the law and became unclean again. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:44.299 So you can see, right, you can hopefully appreciate, 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:50.379 you have to have some respect for the intention here that these Pharisees had. 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:56.080 You know, we usually easily write these Pharisees off as self-righteous and narrow-minded 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:01.480 and legalistic, dogmatic, you know, just evil, one-dimensional bad guys. 00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:03.580 But no, there's a vigilance here. 00:13:04.100 --> 00:13:08.460 There is a reverence even for God and His purity that I wish that I had, 00:13:08.520 --> 00:13:10.840 that I wish we as a church had ourselves. 00:13:12.040 --> 00:13:14.740 And that's the background we need as we come into this passage, 00:13:14.740 --> 00:13:16.700 as we approach verse 5 here, 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:19.639 where the Pharisees and the teachers of the law confront Jesus. 00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:21.639 And they ask Him, 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:27.419 why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders 00:13:27.419 --> 00:13:31.539 instead of eating their food with defiled hands? 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:36.519 The Pharisees are critiquing Jesus' discipleship. 00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:41.720 They're critiquing Jesus' way of making faithful followers of Yahweh. 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:43.600 See, for the Pharisees and the teachers of the law 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.539 and for generations of elders who had gone before them, 00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:49.500 ever since Israel's return from exile, 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:53.159 they'd devoted their whole lives to pursuing cleanness, 00:13:53.219 --> 00:13:54.759 never to have to go into exile again. 00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:59.419 They've devoted their whole lives to being clean and to washing their hands. 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:05.379 And in their minds, the very salvation and liberation and restoration of their people 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:09.579 depended on them making disciples who also washed their hands 00:14:09.579 --> 00:14:11.959 for the sake of national cleanliness. 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:17.840 And yet here, they found in Jesus a different kind of discipleship, 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:23.519 a different way, a way that they could only perceive to be wrong and defiled. 00:14:24.900 --> 00:14:26.600 And yet for reasons that I hope to make explicit, 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:29.720 Jesus, He doesn't see it that way at all. 00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:31.060 And so the question is why? 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.040 Why not? 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:36.420 Is it because Jesus has a lower regard for the holiness 00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:39.440 and the purity of God than the Pharisees? 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:44.740 Is it because Jesus doesn't care about ritual and ceremonial cleanness? 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:46.580 Or is it because Jesus is anti-tradition? 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.220 Well, no, no, and no. 00:14:48.300 --> 00:14:50.840 No one had a higher view of the holiness of God than Jesus. 00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:52.520 Remember what He said on the Sermon on the Mount? 00:14:52.700 --> 00:14:53.080 He said, 00:14:53.520 --> 00:14:57.000 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 00:14:58.180 --> 00:15:01.140 The same with ritual and ceremonial cleanness. 00:15:01.260 --> 00:15:02.360 He had a high regard for that. 00:15:02.420 --> 00:15:02.640 He said, 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:05.140 Not one jaw or tittle of the law will be abolished. 00:15:05.139 --> 00:15:09.519 And He told the lepers He healed to make sure they went and showed themselves to the priests 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:11.419 according to the law of Moses. 00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:15.600 And with regard to tradition, I mean, Jesus was the ultimate Jewish person. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:16.759 He loved tradition. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.319 He left traditions for us. 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:19.480 He's not anti-tradition. 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:22.779 No, Jesus had no problem with a high view of God's holiness. 00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:27.039 He had no problem with the importance of cleanness before God. 00:15:27.179 --> 00:15:29.500 And He definitely isn't anti-tradition. 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:35.639 But upon close inspection of what's going on in this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees, 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:41.519 we find that even if the original intentions behind the Pharisees' traditions were admirably 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.200 in pursuit of cleanness before God, 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:51.940 Jesus perceived in these Pharisees three problematic things about their cleansing tradition. 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:55.000 Three things that we all need to watch out for ourselves 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:59.100 as people seeking our own kinds of cleanness. 00:16:00.059 --> 00:16:03.000 The first is that they had a presumptuous sense of authority. 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:06.299 The second is that they had a self-serving pietism. 00:16:06.940 --> 00:16:10.860 And the third is that they had a heartless, externalized religiosity. 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:15.639 A presumptuous sense of authority, a self-serving pietism, 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:19.519 and a heartless, externalized religion. 00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.980 Look with me at verses 7 and 8. 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:26.240 The first thing I want you to notice is how Jesus rebukes the Pharisees 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:31.940 for presumptuously elevating their own dogma and doctrine and authority 00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:35.360 above God's revealed commands. 00:16:36.060 --> 00:16:37.980 Quoting from the prophet Isaiah, Jesus says, 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:39.139 They worship me in vain. 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:42.779 Their teachings are merely human rules. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.480 You have let go of, or this can be translated, 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:49.060 you have abandoned, neglected, forsaken the commands of God, 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.519 and you're holding on to human traditions. 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:55.899 Again, Jesus doesn't have a problem with tradition in and of itself, 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.039 and neither should we actually. 00:16:57.920 --> 00:17:00.740 No human society and culture could function without traditions. 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:04.720 They help bring order and stability and predictability. 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:07.839 They form and shape us in many positive ways. 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:10.920 They bring protection, and they bring consistency. 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:14.700 One tradition I'm aware of is, you know, Mike Francis, 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:17.320 Pastor Mike, Maria's husband in the back. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.039 When he was pastoring out in Florida, 00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:24.000 one tradition that he had to maintain his integrity as a pastor 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.680 is that on Saturday, in preparation for the Lord's Day, 00:17:27.060 --> 00:17:29.700 he would not watch any movies or any shows, 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:32.779 lest his eyes fall upon something that might make him stumble 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:37.519 or distract him from his preaching and pastoral ministry the following day. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.019 You know, I admire him deeply for that commitment, 00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:43.660 for that tradition that he took on in his life. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:46.980 But at the same time, Pastor Mike also knew better 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:50.920 than to say that every pastor had to live in that way 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:54.440 in order to be a clean, righteous, faithful preacher 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:56.319 and pastor in the eyes of God. 00:17:57.220 --> 00:17:58.420 Because Pastor Mike knew, right? 00:17:58.440 --> 00:17:59.619 He knew the difference between, 00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:03.319 thus saith the Lord, and thus saith Pastor Mike, right? 00:18:03.879 --> 00:18:04.839 We have to distinguish. 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:08.319 We have to distinguish between what God says and what others say. 00:18:08.899 --> 00:18:11.259 We have to understand that there's a vast difference 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:16.259 in the authority between even a pastor and what God says. 00:18:16.639 --> 00:18:17.679 What God says is ultimate. 00:18:17.919 --> 00:18:19.599 What humans say is not. 00:18:20.399 --> 00:18:22.480 And this is such an important thing for us to discern 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:25.779 and remember as we talk about discipleship in this church. 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:27.519 You know, there is a church not far from here. 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:30.500 They're actually quite excellent at discipleship. 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:33.599 I envy their discipleship culture in many ways. 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.899 They've led many people into deeper relationships with Christ. 00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:40.719 But there are stories of how they've gone overboard 00:18:40.719 --> 00:18:44.579 in their approach to follow me as I follow Christ. 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:48.399 For example, there are stories about leaders in this church 00:18:48.399 --> 00:18:51.079 saying you can or cannot date this person. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:53.839 Oh, you're going to buy a new vehicle. 00:18:53.959 --> 00:18:56.039 You should buy this minivan and only that one. 00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:59.299 And you know, they're not maybe not exactly saying, 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.279 thus saith the Lord, 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:03.240 but they're insisting on these things with such pressure 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:05.160 and with such authority 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:07.899 that many of their followers have felt like 00:19:07.899 --> 00:19:10.740 to make any other decision would be to sin against God, 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:11.960 to rebel against God, 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:16.359 and to do something that is wicked in God's eyes. 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:19.259 And I'm sure, you know, 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:20.799 these leaders probably had good reasons 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:24.700 why they commended or didn't recommend certain people to date 00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:26.519 or why they thought, you know, 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.600 a Dodge Caravan is the one to go for. 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.420 All right? 00:19:30.539 --> 00:19:31.900 Maybe it's good to serve the church, 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.960 drive a lot of people to church. 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.420 I don't know. 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:36.799 But I think this kind of elevation over, 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:38.860 this elevation of tradition 00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:42.000 over the explicit commands of Scripture 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.660 is exactly what Jesus is warning against. 00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:47.460 And this is actually why we so often plead 00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:49.300 with you, our congregation, 00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:51.019 to be in your Bibles, 00:19:51.120 --> 00:19:51.779 to read your Bibles, 00:19:51.860 --> 00:19:52.540 to know your Bibles. 00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.720 It's so that you can discern 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:55.440 what God says 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:58.340 versus what mere humans say. 00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:00.700 This is what Jesus was doing. 00:20:00.820 --> 00:20:01.779 Look at how he distinguishes 00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:03.300 the different sources of authority 00:20:03.300 --> 00:20:04.060 here in verse 6. 00:20:04.320 --> 00:20:06.259 Whereas the Pharisees are quoting their elders, 00:20:06.740 --> 00:20:06.960 right? 00:20:07.940 --> 00:20:09.240 Jesus quotes to them 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:11.620 the divinely inspired prophet Isaiah. 00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:13.179 And then in verse 10, 00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:13.879 he says, 00:20:14.199 --> 00:20:14.859 Moses, right? 00:20:14.919 --> 00:20:15.159 He says, 00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:15.919 Moses says, 00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.259 but you say. 00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:18.939 He's showing that there's a difference 00:20:18.939 --> 00:20:20.259 in who says what 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:21.599 and who has the authority. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:22.839 And this, again, 00:20:22.899 --> 00:20:23.479 is so important 00:20:23.479 --> 00:20:25.319 because inside and outside the church, 00:20:26.199 --> 00:20:27.939 everyone and everything around us 00:20:27.939 --> 00:20:30.219 is constantly trying to make us 00:20:30.219 --> 00:20:31.459 its disciple, 00:20:32.459 --> 00:20:33.799 trying to convince us 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:35.379 that their way is the way 00:20:35.379 --> 00:20:37.679 to become clean and whole. 00:20:38.719 --> 00:20:40.459 But just as Jesus submitted himself 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:42.100 only to the Father's will, 00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:44.039 only to the revealed authority 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:44.819 of the Scriptures, 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:46.779 so must we submit ourselves 00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:47.600 to the Scriptures. 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:50.000 Jesus had an incredibly high view 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.019 of the Bible 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:53.100 as the very Word of God 00:20:53.100 --> 00:20:55.519 and so must we. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:57.680 So discipleship under Jesus 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.360 demands that we constantly distinguish 00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:01.259 between he said, 00:21:01.360 --> 00:21:01.840 she said, 00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:02.680 we said, 00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:05.039 and thus saith the Lord. 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.840 What was Jesus always saying? 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.100 It is written. 00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:09.720 It is written. 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:12.079 Now, the problem wasn't just 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:12.740 that the Pharisees 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:14.340 didn't have a high enough view 00:21:14.340 --> 00:21:14.920 of Scripture 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:16.299 or that they elevated 00:21:16.299 --> 00:21:17.700 their tradition too high. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.500 They were also expressing 00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:21.819 their piety 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:24.059 in a way that was incredibly 00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:25.140 self-serving 00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:26.840 rather than God-honoring 00:21:26.840 --> 00:21:28.519 and loving 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:29.539 toward their neighbors. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:30.940 Look with me now 00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:32.319 at verses 9 through 13. 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:34.079 For the sake of time, 00:21:34.120 --> 00:21:35.100 I'm just going to read verse 9 00:21:35.100 --> 00:21:35.640 and then explain 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.000 what Jesus is talking about here. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.359 He says, 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:39.200 you have a fine way 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:40.319 of setting aside 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.259 the commands of God 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:43.440 in order to observe 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.720 your own traditions. 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:47.519 So Jesus gives this example 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.460 of how the Pharisees 00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:50.480 not only elevated 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.180 their tradition 00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:52.599 above God's command, 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.940 but they also used it 00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:55.619 to serve themselves, 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:56.640 all in the name 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:57.559 of being religious 00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.339 and pious. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.599 So basically, 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:00.220 there was this thing 00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:00.779 that they would do 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.500 where they would dedicate 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.160 something to God. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.540 Let's just imagine. 00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:04.440 Maybe they say, 00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.279 I'm going to dedicate 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:07.420 this cow to God. 00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:09.000 And by saying, 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.279 this cow is dedicated 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:10.860 to God, 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.120 they were also making a vow 00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:13.420 not to give that cow 00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:14.840 to any other person 00:22:14.840 --> 00:22:17.019 or any other cause. 00:22:18.120 --> 00:22:18.920 So even if something 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:19.640 might happen, 00:22:21.060 --> 00:22:23.380 what they had dedicated 00:22:23.380 --> 00:22:24.200 was this cow 00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:26.200 and they might continue 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:27.259 to enjoy the milk 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.220 for themselves, 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:29.360 but let's say maybe 00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:30.160 their parents came 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:31.320 into a financial hardship. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.620 And they might have 00:22:33.620 --> 00:22:35.420 been helped by the milk 00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:36.540 or even by the sale 00:22:36.540 --> 00:22:37.360 of the whole cow. 00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:38.680 Well, the Pharisees 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:39.040 would say, 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:39.580 sorry, 00:22:40.320 --> 00:22:41.120 I actually cannot 00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:41.980 take care of you 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.000 with this cow, 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:43.600 mom and dad. 00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:44.900 It's dedicated 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:45.960 to the Lord. 00:22:46.340 --> 00:22:47.740 I can enjoy its milk, 00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:49.240 but I can't share it 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.700 with you 00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:50.860 because I made 00:22:50.860 --> 00:22:52.060 a holy vow. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:54.340 And thus, 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:55.019 by upholding 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:55.680 this tradition 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.600 that wasn't even 00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:58.000 in the law of Moses, 00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:59.140 other than maybe 00:22:59.140 --> 00:23:00.340 Moses commending people 00:23:00.340 --> 00:23:01.300 to keep their promises, 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:02.799 they gave themselves 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.259 a reason to break 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.440 the explicit commandment, 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.319 the fifth commandment, 00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:08.059 honor your father 00:23:08.059 --> 00:23:08.919 and your mother. 00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:11.279 And it wasn't just 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:12.460 their parents 00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:13.099 who they were failing 00:23:13.099 --> 00:23:13.899 to love and honor 00:23:13.899 --> 00:23:14.639 in the name of 00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:15.879 this pietism. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.779 This tradition of theirs 00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:17.440 also gave them 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.099 a sense of superiority. 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:21.839 Superiority over all those 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:22.759 who didn't uphold 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:24.059 these traditions 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:25.319 that they insisted upon. 00:23:25.419 --> 00:23:26.099 Through the lens 00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:27.480 of their made-up tradition, 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:29.120 the Pharisees felt justified 00:23:29.120 --> 00:23:30.680 in judging 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.640 and condemning 00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:33.240 Jesus' disciples 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.180 and anyone else 00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:35.660 who didn't uphold 00:23:35.660 --> 00:23:37.799 their hand-washing rule 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.339 gave them 00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.900 a judgmental rubric 00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:41.039 by which to consider 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.339 others as defiled 00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:43.759 and unclean. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.099 They came to Jesus, 00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:46.579 why did they eat 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.660 with defiled hands? 00:23:48.099 --> 00:23:48.779 They asked Jesus 00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.660 about his disciples. 00:23:51.140 --> 00:23:52.099 See, their tradition, 00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:52.759 which began 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.460 with good intentions, 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.660 it became a tool, 00:23:55.099 --> 00:23:55.720 a tool for them 00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:57.000 not only to serve themselves 00:23:57.000 --> 00:23:58.240 and dishonor 00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.440 their parents, 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.559 but also to condemn 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:01.539 others as inferior 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:02.700 and unclean. 00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:03.579 And see, 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:04.299 this is always 00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:04.900 what happens 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:05.819 when we elevate 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:06.640 human customs 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.319 and traditions 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:08.420 to dogmas 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:09.039 that are higher 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:09.720 and contrary 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:10.500 to Scripture. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.140 We end up 00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:13.059 dehumanizing people 00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:14.579 because the motivation 00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:15.519 always goes rotten. 00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:16.940 Jesus saw through 00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:17.880 the Pharisees' 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:18.519 fake piety. 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:20.079 This wasn't about 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:21.000 preserving holiness, 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:22.059 it was about preserving 00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:23.039 their status 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.140 and their supremacy. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:24.340 Pharisee. 00:24:25.120 --> 00:24:26.020 And maybe up to this point 00:24:26.020 --> 00:24:26.560 you're thinking to yourself, 00:24:26.620 --> 00:24:27.440 well, I don't follow 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.540 any religious traditions 00:24:28.540 --> 00:24:30.060 so this doesn't apply to me. 00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:31.080 I'm no Pharisee. 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:31.720 But don't you see, 00:24:32.820 --> 00:24:33.840 you don't have to be religious 00:24:33.840 --> 00:24:35.920 to be Pharisaical. 00:24:36.940 --> 00:24:38.100 And you don't have to be religious 00:24:38.100 --> 00:24:39.060 to use tradition 00:24:39.060 --> 00:24:39.900 as a way to try 00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:40.880 to clean yourself 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.480 and distinguish yourself 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:44.700 from unclean other people. 00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:46.540 Every single one of us, 00:24:46.600 --> 00:24:47.180 whether we're religious 00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:47.620 or not, 00:24:47.660 --> 00:24:48.600 we're all trying to be clean 00:24:48.600 --> 00:24:50.120 according to some standard 00:24:50.120 --> 00:24:51.420 and we all commit ourselves 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.600 to various traditions 00:24:52.600 --> 00:24:53.720 that we believe 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:55.019 will help us to be clean. 00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:56.980 Why do we study 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:58.180 and work so hard 00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.080 often at the expense 00:24:59.080 --> 00:25:00.460 of serving the church 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.360 or our relationships 00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:02.000 with God 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.840 or with other people 00:25:02.840 --> 00:25:03.500 in our lives? 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.240 Why are we so obsessed 00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:06.320 with how we look? 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:06.920 Why do we want to be 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:07.860 so sleek and slim 00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:08.700 and young and beautiful 00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:09.680 following the tradition 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.940 or program of this or that 00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:12.640 fitness or nutrition expert? 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:14.420 We're trying to be clean. 00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:16.019 We're trying to be clean 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.660 and not only that, 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:18.039 we're also trying to clean 00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:18.879 the world around us, 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:19.299 aren't we? 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.480 Another side of the coin 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:23.339 is we're also trying 00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:25.180 to get rid of the uncleanness 00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:26.559 in ourselves 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:27.799 and all around us. 00:25:27.879 --> 00:25:29.899 Why do we harbor such malice 00:25:29.899 --> 00:25:31.420 or disgust 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:33.359 toward those who live differently, 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:34.579 think differently, 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:36.680 vote differently than us? 00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:39.299 It's because they're unclean to us. 00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:41.359 And maybe we're even trying 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.119 to cleanse them. 00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:42.819 Maybe we're trying 00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:43.899 to make them more like us 00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:46.079 or maybe even get rid of them. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.720 I mean, this is what's happening 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.539 all over the world 00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:51.079 on macro and micro levels. 00:25:52.139 --> 00:25:54.000 Individuals and whole people groups 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.059 claiming to be clean 00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:56.220 because they live 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:57.259 by a certain code 00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:58.299 and based on their 00:25:58.299 --> 00:26:00.000 deeply ingrained way of life, 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:01.000 based on their tradition, 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:02.779 those who don't live their way 00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:04.079 are deemed as unclean. 00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:05.359 This is the root 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.539 of every person-to-person 00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:08.179 malice and disrespect 00:26:08.179 --> 00:26:09.259 and it's the same root 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:10.819 that leads to genocide. 00:26:12.199 --> 00:26:14.019 People believing they're clean 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:15.299 because they live up 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:16.180 to their own traditions 00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:18.359 and hating or even seeking 00:26:18.359 --> 00:26:19.379 to cleanse this world 00:26:19.379 --> 00:26:21.039 of those who are unclean 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:22.799 according to these same 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:24.339 made-up traditions 00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:25.619 that are not of God. 00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.700 This is what happens 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:29.000 when tradition is elevated 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:30.500 to ultimate authority. 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:32.139 In the name of this 00:26:32.139 --> 00:26:33.160 ultimate authority, 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.160 people believe 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.039 they have the right 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:36.599 to make ultimate declarations 00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:38.700 and judgments upon others. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.599 This is what happens 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:40.680 in every instance 00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:43.440 of human-constructed discipleship. 00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:46.039 This presumptuous sense 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:46.860 of authority 00:26:46.860 --> 00:26:48.799 and self-serving pietism 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:50.259 always resulting in war 00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:51.019 and conflict 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:51.560 and hatred 00:26:51.560 --> 00:26:52.560 and dehumanization 00:26:52.560 --> 00:26:53.400 and violence 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:54.980 because all these evils 00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:55.960 find justification 00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:57.799 from these man-made, 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.779 made-up traditions 00:26:58.779 --> 00:27:00.220 that people cling to 00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:02.120 in order to purify themselves 00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:03.840 and convince themselves 00:27:03.840 --> 00:27:04.799 that they are better 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.400 than others 00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:06.680 who need to be cleansed 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:07.500 out of this world. 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:09.599 So don't you see? 00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:11.240 Like us all, 00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:11.940 the Pharisees 00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:13.160 weren't really about 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.680 being clean God's way. 00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:16.119 They were merely preoccupied 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:16.799 with their own 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.960 contrived self-cleansing, 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:20.859 world-cleansing projects. 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.420 And when you see it this way, 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:25.059 that they were elevating 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.720 their tradition 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:27.559 above God's commands 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:29.180 and weaponizing 00:27:29.180 --> 00:27:29.740 their tradition 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.839 to keep themselves 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.960 in the clean category 00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:34.119 and judge others, 00:27:34.579 --> 00:27:35.480 you begin to see 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.579 that whereas we tend 00:27:36.579 --> 00:27:37.619 to think of Pharisees 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:39.819 as these religious extremists 00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.799 who took God's holiness 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.460 and purity 00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:42.460 too seriously, 00:27:42.619 --> 00:27:43.439 no, the problem, 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:45.259 the problem was actually 00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.819 that they weren't 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:48.019 taking it seriously enough. 00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:50.259 By living according 00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.199 to their own tradition 00:27:51.199 --> 00:27:52.519 above God's law, 00:27:54.139 --> 00:27:55.539 excuse me, 00:27:56.379 --> 00:27:57.359 by setting their own 00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.639 standard of cleanness, 00:27:59.819 --> 00:28:01.359 one which they could pass 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:02.500 and yet they knew 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:03.960 others could not pass, 00:28:03.960 --> 00:28:05.819 they were actually 00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:07.180 adjusting the goalposts 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:09.019 and just making it 00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.940 suit their own strengths 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:10.500 and preferences. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.500 They were making 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.819 God's holy standards 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:13.779 achievable. 00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:14.640 They were saying 00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.860 perfection was possible 00:28:15.860 --> 00:28:17.340 so long as you change 00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:19.880 and copy them externally. 00:28:21.340 --> 00:28:22.100 But this leads me 00:28:22.100 --> 00:28:22.600 to the last 00:28:22.600 --> 00:28:23.340 and most important problem 00:28:23.340 --> 00:28:24.140 that Jesus perceives 00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:24.680 in the Pharisees, 00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.500 it's their hearts. 00:28:26.340 --> 00:28:27.299 Look with me at verse 6. 00:28:27.360 --> 00:28:27.759 He replied, 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.920 Isaiah was right 00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:29.680 when he prophesied 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:31.140 about you hypocrites. 00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:32.500 As it is written, 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:33.619 these people honor me 00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:34.299 with their lips 00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.599 but their hearts 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:37.200 are far from me. 00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.220 Jesus is saying 00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:40.000 that just because 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.480 you do this supposedly 00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:43.379 pious religious act, 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:43.980 it doesn't mean 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.599 your heart 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:45.960 is in the right place. 00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.660 You can say 00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:47.759 and think you're honoring me 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.539 but your hearts 00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.720 can be far, 00:28:50.140 --> 00:28:50.480 far, 00:28:50.819 --> 00:28:51.660 far from me. 00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:53.279 This is a word 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.180 for us, Christ Church. 00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:54.759 In this season 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.500 where we're pursuing 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:56.500 discipleship, 00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.900 pursuing a particular way 00:28:57.900 --> 00:28:59.299 of following Jesus 00:28:59.299 --> 00:28:59.900 in this season 00:28:59.900 --> 00:29:00.500 where we're promoting 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.400 spiritual disciplines 00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:01.920 where we have 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:02.859 scripture reading plans 00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:03.680 and prayer vigils 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:05.160 and all these things 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:05.720 that we promote. 00:29:06.279 --> 00:29:07.160 Worship plus three. 00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:08.160 We want you to be here 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:08.799 in corporate worship. 00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:09.720 We want you to be serving 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.140 in this church. 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:11.099 We want you to have 00:29:11.099 --> 00:29:11.660 a touch point 00:29:11.660 --> 00:29:12.579 with this community 00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.599 outside of Sundays 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:14.400 and we want you to be 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:14.980 in some kind of 00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:16.359 discipleship relationship 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:16.960 where there's 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:17.940 spiritual responsibility. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:19.400 Jesus will remind us 00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:20.019 that you can do 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.420 worship plus three here 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:22.220 but your heart 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:24.200 can still be far 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:25.059 from God. 00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:26.539 Your heart 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:27.279 can still be far 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.859 from God 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:29.359 and this should be 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:30.619 sobering to all of us. 00:29:30.679 --> 00:29:31.659 I've caught my own self 00:29:31.659 --> 00:29:32.519 in this in this past 00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:33.119 month and a half. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:33.419 You know, 00:29:33.659 --> 00:29:34.500 I love Tim Keller. 00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:35.599 He's one of my heroes 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:37.059 and I read on Twitter 00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:38.339 that his scripture 00:29:38.339 --> 00:29:39.000 reading plan 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:40.599 was the McShane plan 00:29:40.599 --> 00:29:41.720 plus the Book 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.639 of Common Prayers 00:29:42.639 --> 00:29:43.379 Psalms. 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:44.519 So he would read 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:45.279 the Old Testament 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:45.919 once a year, 00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:46.740 the New Testament 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:48.220 twice in one year 00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.659 and he would read 00:29:49.659 --> 00:29:50.480 the Psalms 00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:51.119 once a month. 00:29:51.159 --> 00:29:52.819 So 12 times a year. 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.619 So I've been on that. 00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:55.179 All right? 00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.599 And I'm not better for it. 00:29:57.619 --> 00:29:58.119 I'll tell you that. 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:01.299 I thought to myself, 00:30:01.379 --> 00:30:01.859 maybe if I just 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.679 follow this tradition, 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:03.159 maybe if I just 00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:03.859 follow this formula, 00:30:03.979 --> 00:30:04.719 I'll be the godly, 00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:05.819 wise, compelling pastor 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:07.179 that Tim Keller was. 00:30:07.479 --> 00:30:08.159 Maybe that's the way 00:30:08.159 --> 00:30:08.719 to greatness. 00:30:10.439 --> 00:30:11.039 But honestly, 00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:12.819 on more days than not, 00:30:12.839 --> 00:30:14.000 I'm just flying through this. 00:30:14.239 --> 00:30:15.579 No idea what I'm reading. 00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.659 Just to cross it off, 00:30:17.719 --> 00:30:19.239 my spiritual to-do list. 00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:21.379 Honoring God 00:30:21.379 --> 00:30:22.479 with my spiritual checklist, 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:24.000 with my heart 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.240 far from him. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:28.519 And yes, 00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:29.120 it's important. 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:30.900 These holy habits 00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:31.380 that we're trying 00:30:31.380 --> 00:30:31.920 to instill 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:32.940 in our church. 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:33.940 It's important 00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:34.519 to try on 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:35.960 these various traditions. 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.440 But at the end 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:37.960 of the day, 00:30:39.059 --> 00:30:40.360 how are our hearts? 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:42.660 How are our hearts? 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.660 Are they near to 00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:44.299 or far 00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:45.420 from Jesus? 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:47.539 At the very end 00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:48.000 of the day, 00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:49.660 that's what Jesus 00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:50.200 is after. 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:51.660 He's after our hearts, 00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:52.420 not just our hands, 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:53.140 not just our heads, 00:30:53.180 --> 00:30:53.680 but our hearts 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:54.980 from which everything 00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:56.279 flows, he says. 00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:59.019 And maybe to some of you, 00:30:59.120 --> 00:31:00.140 this sounds like a relief. 00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:00.960 Like, phew, good. 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.800 I could never keep up 00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:03.040 the demands of Scripture, 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:03.800 but at least I have 00:31:03.800 --> 00:31:04.500 a good heart. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.080 If that's what you're 00:31:06.080 --> 00:31:06.680 thinking right now, 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:07.620 Jesus has something else 00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:08.240 to say to you. 00:31:10.120 --> 00:31:10.840 Verse 14, 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.940 listen to me, everyone, 00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:14.720 and understand this. 00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:17.360 Nothing outside a person 00:31:17.360 --> 00:31:18.320 can defile them 00:31:18.320 --> 00:31:19.500 by going into them. 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:21.319 Not even Tim Keller's 00:31:21.319 --> 00:31:22.220 Scripture reading plan. 00:31:23.579 --> 00:31:23.880 Rather, 00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:25.380 it is what comes 00:31:25.380 --> 00:31:26.059 out of a person 00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:27.019 that defiles them. 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:28.079 I'm going to skip 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.759 to verse 21. 00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:30.440 For it is from within, 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:32.440 out of a person's heart, 00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:34.859 that evil thoughts come. 00:31:35.460 --> 00:31:36.440 And he lists all those 00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:37.140 different kinds 00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:38.920 that we're all guilty of. 00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:40.259 All these evils 00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:42.079 come from inside 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:43.940 and defile a person. 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.859 Thus saith the Lord Jesus. 00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:48.639 When Jesus said this, 00:31:49.299 --> 00:31:50.279 it wasn't supposed 00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:51.719 to be a relief to us. 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.959 What Jesus was saying 00:31:53.959 --> 00:31:54.919 was that the Pharisees 00:31:54.919 --> 00:31:55.919 and anyone who would 00:31:55.919 --> 00:31:57.240 seek to be clean, 00:31:57.399 --> 00:31:58.339 anyone who would seek 00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.159 to clean themselves 00:31:59.159 --> 00:32:00.439 by external means, 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:02.159 yo, we're in trouble. 00:32:02.679 --> 00:32:03.419 That's our method. 00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.399 Because the problem 00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.259 isn't primarily 00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:07.179 outside of us 00:32:07.179 --> 00:32:08.519 as though we're simply 00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:09.679 victims of sin 00:32:09.679 --> 00:32:11.179 with uncleanness 00:32:11.179 --> 00:32:11.939 coming at us 00:32:11.939 --> 00:32:12.859 from the outside 00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:13.879 to infect us. 00:32:13.959 --> 00:32:15.000 No, evil doesn't just 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:15.720 come at us 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.299 from the outside. 00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:16.940 More importantly, 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:17.740 Jesus says, 00:32:18.460 --> 00:32:20.440 it comes from within us, 00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:22.400 from the inside. 00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:24.039 And this is why 00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:26.400 no external religious tradition 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:28.380 will do to make us clean. 00:32:29.059 --> 00:32:30.880 We have an internal problem, 00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:31.680 a heart problem, 00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:32.980 every single one of us. 00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.579 And so the question is, 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:36.539 well then how do we fix that? 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:38.940 How do we get clean hearts? 00:32:39.559 --> 00:32:40.500 Especially if we can't 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.119 clean ourselves 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:42.319 from the outside. 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:44.299 Has anyone here 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:45.079 ever tried to change 00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:45.539 their heart, 00:32:46.159 --> 00:32:46.879 change their will? 00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.500 How'd that turn out 00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:48.879 for you? 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:52.200 And what's even more 00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:52.720 troubling here 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.679 is that here in Mark 7, 00:32:54.059 --> 00:32:54.779 Jesus just ends, 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:55.980 that's where the passage 00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.779 ends for us today. 00:32:57.679 --> 00:32:58.439 He lets us linger 00:32:58.439 --> 00:32:59.299 in this hard news 00:32:59.299 --> 00:32:59.859 that the problem 00:32:59.859 --> 00:33:00.759 is our hearts. 00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:02.379 And he doesn't give us 00:33:02.379 --> 00:33:03.519 an answer here 00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:04.960 for what to do about it. 00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:08.420 But if you think about it, 00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:09.819 if you think about it, 00:33:11.140 --> 00:33:11.720 this message 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:12.259 that the problem 00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:13.100 is our hearts, 00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.039 this is at the same time 00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:16.299 both the bad news 00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:18.400 and the good news 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:19.600 of the gospel. 00:33:21.019 --> 00:33:22.019 That we cannot 00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:23.640 clean ourselves 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:24.799 and yet 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:26.819 that we don't need 00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:28.180 to clean ourselves 00:33:28.180 --> 00:33:29.480 because there's 00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.319 a gracious God 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:31.380 who can 00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:32.860 and who will 00:33:32.860 --> 00:33:34.500 if we trust him. 00:33:35.960 --> 00:33:36.880 The Pharisees tried 00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:38.180 oh so hard 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:39.460 to cleanse themselves 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.579 through tradition 00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:41.960 and rule following 00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:43.539 because they wanted 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.160 to avoid 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:45.279 another exile 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:46.819 and we are all 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:47.700 trying so hard 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:48.900 ourselves, right, 00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:50.400 to avoid all kinds 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:51.240 of uncleanness 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.940 because we want 00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:52.880 to avoid all kinds 00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:54.539 of exiles as well. 00:33:55.420 --> 00:33:56.180 And the truth is 00:33:56.180 --> 00:33:56.920 we're all exhausted, 00:33:57.039 --> 00:33:57.400 aren't we? 00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:58.620 Trying to live up 00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.180 to all these 00:33:59.180 --> 00:34:00.079 different standards 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:01.460 and it's not 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:02.340 making us live, 00:34:02.620 --> 00:34:03.620 it's not making us, 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:04.940 it's not likely 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:05.660 life-giving for us, 00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:06.539 it's not making us 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:07.259 compassionate 00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.500 or even clean people 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:10.079 and we still feel 00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:11.079 the threat of exile 00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.940 every day, 00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:12.420 don't we? 00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:14.480 But you know 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:15.519 the prophet Ezekiel, 00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:17.420 he said something 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:19.200 to unclean Israel 00:34:19.200 --> 00:34:20.500 after they'd 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:21.440 gone into exile, 00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.039 after they'd 00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:22.579 made themselves 00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:23.260 unclean 00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:25.119 by disregarding 00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:25.860 the law of God. 00:34:26.820 --> 00:34:27.720 The word of God 00:34:27.720 --> 00:34:28.700 still came to them 00:34:28.700 --> 00:34:29.360 even though 00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:30.260 they never deserved it 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.039 and it was 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:31.900 a gracious word. 00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:33.519 through the prophet 00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:34.039 Ezekiel, 00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:34.880 God said to these 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.940 unclean people 00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:36.480 in exile, 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:36.860 he said, 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.440 I will sprinkle 00:34:38.440 --> 00:34:39.740 clean water on you 00:34:39.740 --> 00:34:41.019 and you will be clean. 00:34:41.220 --> 00:34:42.440 I will cleanse you 00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.480 from your impurities. 00:34:44.220 --> 00:34:45.380 I will give you 00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:46.440 a new heart 00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:48.300 and put a new spirit 00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:49.019 in you. 00:34:49.180 --> 00:34:50.599 I will remove 00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:51.900 your heart of stone 00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.980 and give you 00:34:52.980 --> 00:34:53.860 a heart of flesh 00:34:53.860 --> 00:34:55.519 and I will put 00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:57.000 my spirit in you 00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:58.220 and move you 00:34:58.219 --> 00:34:59.219 to follow 00:34:59.219 --> 00:35:00.239 my decrees 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:01.159 and be careful 00:35:01.159 --> 00:35:02.619 to keep my laws. 00:35:03.819 --> 00:35:04.199 And you see, 00:35:04.279 --> 00:35:05.059 this is the gospel. 00:35:05.799 --> 00:35:06.699 This is the gospel 00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.399 that Jesus 00:35:07.399 --> 00:35:08.319 was hinting at 00:35:08.319 --> 00:35:08.959 by pointing them 00:35:08.959 --> 00:35:09.539 to the problem 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:10.139 of their hearts 00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:10.819 that while we could 00:35:10.819 --> 00:35:12.119 never clean ourselves, 00:35:12.519 --> 00:35:13.259 God can 00:35:13.259 --> 00:35:14.239 and will to 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:15.259 and plan to 00:35:15.259 --> 00:35:16.339 to clean 00:35:16.339 --> 00:35:17.299 his beloved people 00:35:17.299 --> 00:35:19.000 who just trust him 00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:19.859 by faith 00:35:19.859 --> 00:35:20.579 and not in some 00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:21.579 quick, easy, 00:35:21.959 --> 00:35:22.500 inexpensive, 00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:23.839 uncostly way. 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:24.299 No. 00:35:26.259 --> 00:35:27.559 At the cost of his son. 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.319 The blood of his son 00:35:30.319 --> 00:35:32.639 on a cross 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:34.519 for us 00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:36.699 with his priceless, 00:35:37.339 --> 00:35:38.599 innocent blood 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:40.459 bearing our curse, 00:35:41.419 --> 00:35:42.219 bearing our sins, 00:35:42.379 --> 00:35:43.399 bearing our uncleanness, 00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.359 going on a cross, 00:35:44.439 --> 00:35:45.219 becoming unclean, 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.839 being covered in spit 00:35:46.839 --> 00:35:47.679 and hate 00:35:47.679 --> 00:35:48.719 and curse 00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:49.879 to the place 00:35:49.879 --> 00:35:51.559 of unclean death 00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:53.959 so that we might be clean, 00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:55.119 so that we might become 00:35:55.119 --> 00:35:56.119 the righteousness 00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:57.579 of God. 00:35:58.219 --> 00:35:59.799 And this is the gospel. 00:36:00.939 --> 00:36:02.159 This is the gospel 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:03.879 and this gospel 00:36:03.879 --> 00:36:05.599 is the inexhaustible fuel 00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:07.439 for the discipleship 00:36:07.439 --> 00:36:08.099 that we're seeking 00:36:08.099 --> 00:36:09.119 here at Christ Church, 00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:10.419 the inexhaustible fuel 00:36:10.419 --> 00:36:11.439 for the discipleship 00:36:11.439 --> 00:36:13.759 that Jesus calls us to. 00:36:14.399 --> 00:36:15.159 So different 00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:16.759 than any other 00:36:16.759 --> 00:36:17.779 kind of discipleship 00:36:17.779 --> 00:36:18.559 that anyone else 00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:19.259 could offer. 00:36:19.419 --> 00:36:20.259 We are invited 00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.739 to follow a master 00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:24.019 who exists 00:36:24.019 --> 00:36:25.219 not to forever 00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:25.939 command us 00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:27.619 do, do, do, do, do, do. 00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:28.000 No. 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:29.840 We're inviolate. 00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:30.539 We're invited 00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:31.559 to follow a king 00:36:31.559 --> 00:36:33.599 who said from his cross, 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:35.059 it is done. 00:36:36.840 --> 00:36:37.760 That is what 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:39.200 the core of discipleship 00:36:39.200 --> 00:36:39.700 is about. 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:41.559 Yes, it's about 00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:42.179 following Jesus. 00:36:42.340 --> 00:36:43.440 Yes, it's about obedience. 00:36:44.780 --> 00:36:45.659 But we love 00:36:45.659 --> 00:36:46.579 because he first 00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:47.500 loved us. 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:49.300 We deny ourselves 00:36:49.300 --> 00:36:49.940 and we take up 00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:50.480 our cross 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:52.340 following the Savior 00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.059 who took up 00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:54.159 his cross 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:54.920 first 00:36:54.920 --> 00:36:55.880 for us. 00:36:56.659 --> 00:36:57.619 Will you pray with me? 00:37:06.179 --> 00:37:06.920 Lord, we want 00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:07.579 to follow Jesus. 00:37:08.820 --> 00:37:10.019 He is a better king 00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:12.039 and we thank you 00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:13.219 that he has said 00:37:13.219 --> 00:37:13.759 it is done. 00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:16.079 In his name we pray. 00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:16.820 Amen. 00:37:16.820 --> 00:37:16.960 Amen. 00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.019 Amen. 00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.059 Amen. 00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:17.119 Amen. 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:17.159 Amen. 00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:17.179 Amen. 00:37:17.179 --> 00:37:17.239 Amen. 00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:17.279 Amen. 00:37:17.279 --> 00:37:17.299 Amen. 00:37:17.299 --> 00:37:17.360 Amen. 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:17.380 Amen.