Mark 7:1-23 The Heart of the Matter

(Done on the morning of December 3/10, posted in the afternoon due to internet issues.  Sorry for the lateness.)


From this passage, we see Pharisees questioning Jesus about why some of his disciples don’t wash their hands vs. 3 “(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions.”  

Ok, personally .. Er… I wash my hands all the time, and it’s a good practise.   But the Pharisees were preaching this like it was divine holy law, and that was tradition.

We have tons of traditions in the Church that we hold on too, or traditions from our past, that many times we try to preach as holy law before others.   In verse 8 Jesus says “For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

Do we look down on somebody that doesn’t go by our traditions?   Look at the Christmas season, and yes, I love Christmas time .. But really, it is a tradition not a holy covenant, or thing that we must celebrate.   But we hold it up more than the teachings of Christ sometimes.   Vs. 9 “You skilfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to you own tradition.”  And then he uses the example of honouring your father and mother, but using God as an excuse for noth helping them.

Check out verse  14“It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”   and verse 18 “Don’t you understand either? He asked.  “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you?  Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes)”   Hehe, now hand me that bacon strip!!

But we need to be careful of what we teach to others, that we are not teaching tradition, but the actual scriptures.   Jesus says is verse 20 “It is what comes from inside that defiles you.   For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.   All of these vile things comes from within; they are what defile you.”

Mark 6:45-56

Jesus just finished the miracle of feeding 5000 men and their families with  5 loaves of bread and two fish.   Really amazing miracle, considering everyone had their fill.   Then Jesus INSISTS that the disciples get into a boat and head across lake Bethsaida, and then he tells everyone "goodbye" go home.   Then Jesus goes up to the hill to pray ... to finally spend some time alone with God.

Around 3 am Jesus see's his disciples in trouble on the lake, they're rowing against the wind, Jesus walks on the water toward them, but .. check this out in vs. 48 "He intended to go past them"  He was just going to go to the other side of the lake, no intention of stopping for them.   But when the disciples  cry out in terror thinking that they see a ghost, Jesus tells them "take courage" and gets into the boat.   Of course then the stormy waves calm and everything's ok.  The disciples were totally amazed that He calmed the storm, because their hearts were to hard to take in the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Couple things I'll point out to myself (before I have to shove the snow off my car.) and to whoever reads this.   The hearts of the disciples were to hard to take in the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  It was astounding the miracle that Jesus performed, but they couldn't understand it ... and couldn't therefore understand Jesus calming the storm in the boat or that Jesus walked on water.  They didn't let God take total control of their hearts, and they continued to see Jesus as just a man, instead of the Christ.   ..at least, that's what I think.

Another thing that is subtle, is that Jesus was going to let the disciples weather the storm, he was going to walk by.   Not because he didn't care, but maybe because he knew that they could weather it.  

There is alot to ponder.  For me, today, it's not to harden my heart to who Jesus is, and to trust him no matter what the weather or storm is in my life.  ... or at work.  He is in control!! Awesome stuff.

Jesus, Bigger than the Beatles Mark 6:30-44 (NLT)

The passage starts of with the apostles returning from "their ministry tour" and they told Jesus what they had done, and Jesus says "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile"  ... the disciples had been working hard and haven't had time to eat, so Jesus and his disciples take a boat, to get away from all the people that were following them.

But, more and more people came, and they "ran ahead along the shore" .. and got ahead of them.   Still, no eating.   Jesus had compassion on the people, and when he got off the boat, he began to teach them until late afternoon.

The disciples then said "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.   Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat."   Now the disciples themselves haven't had a chance to eat yet as well.

Would we be so different?  Was there a time I never ate because of ministry?  Heck, I don't even remember a time at work when I didn't eat .. sure it may be an hour later than usual, but I still ate.   Already these disciples are doing more than I think I've done.   Crowds of people were everywhere, for more than a day (remember the disciples were on a ministry tour before this) Jesus and the apostles had been ministering to people.   The disciples asked a reasonable question .. we should let these people go to get something to eat.   The Beatles were big, but lets face it, they just sang ... they were entertainers ... but lets see them keep everyone's attention for a full day speaking!! ;)

Sometimes I'm pessimistic when I look at this passage, and I think that the disciples are just trying to get rid of these people, so that they can eat.   But maybe they were genuinely concerned about the welfare of these crowds.  

Either way, Jesus has compassion on these 5000 men and their families and goes ahead and feeds them with five loaves and two fish.   The disciples were involved in organizing people into groups, and participating in another great miracle.    I think what Jesus taught them, and definitely me is that compassion for people trumps our own needs sometimes.  Are we compassionate people?   Do we look for ways to bless others?   Do you think this miracle helps or hinders the Kingdom of God?   What would people's ideas about Jesus be if the disciples had sent those 5000 away?
We need to think about the bigger picture in our lives, and I know I need a heart that is filled with compassion... compassion is filled with action .... NOT pity filled compassion.

Guilt of Sin Mark 6:14-29

Have you ever done something to cover-up your sin.   Usually it takes another sin to cover the first one up doesn't it?   Here we have the account of John the Baptist who was arrested and beheaded by the order of Herodias, the wife of King Herod... why?  Because she was first King Herod's brother's wife first (Philip)  and John had been telling Herod "It is against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife."

First thing that pops into mind was, why was John telling Herod Antipas what to do, under Jewish Law?   But Antipas was an Edomite and of Jewish decent.   So John could expect for Herod to obey Jewish law concerning marriage.

Most importantly, in this telling though, I think I need to look at Herodias ... trying to cover up the shame that she  had inside her, by having this grudge against John the Baptist.   Herod I don't think really cared what John said, though while in prison, John seemed to amuse Herod with his teachings.

When we are corrected, what is our response?   Do we accept the correction and change what we are doing?  Or do we start to feel tense and defensive?    I tend to lean towards the last part, especially if the correction comes from someone I don't respect as much.   But really, isn't that part of Selfish Pride?    When I get into these situations, it's only later that I tend to realize, "you know, maybe they were right."   I think this can be very true in a marriage... on both sides.

It seems harder to admit your wrong, or to be corrected by people, then we do with God sometimes, and yet, we need to learn the lesson of Herodias ... of how hard our heart can become if we don't learn from other people, and let pride get in the way of doing what is right.

Sin begets more sin, unless we take measured step to avoid stepping into the same trap... and that encompasses being more involved with letting go of self, and allowing Christ to work in us.

Mark 6:1-6 Jesus Rejected

In these versus we see that Jesus' ministry was hampered by unbelief, probably due to skepticism of the people. Here Jesus is, going back to his home town... people there were amazed at his teachings, but his family lived there.  Jesus' sisters were living there, and they knew his brothers ... they said "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary".

Scripture tells us that because of their unbelief, Jesus couldn't do any 'mighty miracles' (vs5).   This is not like the the previous verses were we looked at Jesus healing a woman from bleeding, or raising someone from the dead. It's amazing how faith is essential for God to work in our lives.

In this scripture, Jesus says "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."   Even Jesus had family issues.   People couldn't come to grips of "Jesus the carpenters son" to .. "Jesus the Messiah".   Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.

Are there times when people you know can't comes to grip with how you changed your life?   Or do some people have trouble believing that you have truly changed?   Not easy especially when they're your family eh?

In the broader strokes of society we have many people, who won't believe that Jesus even existed ... despite all the historical evidence to the contrary.

The good news is that Jesus is alive, that Jesus continues to want to work in our lives, but it comes down to faith doesn't it?   Where do we put our faith in?  In ourselves? In this world?  Or are we willing to give Jesus the chance to do some 'Mighty miracles' in our life?   Do we go for the ordinary? Or the extraordinary?  Our choice.

Mark5:21-43 Faith in action.

In today's reading we have 2 accounts of faith, one from a Jairus, the leader of a local synagogue, who's daughter at the time was dying; and an account of an unnamed woman who had been suffering from bleeding for years.  Both of these are faith accounts ... both of these people had nothing else, and so they put their faith in Jesus.

Jesus was walking toward Jairus' house, to heal his daughter, and of course there was a big crowd gathering around him, and then this woman "came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed."  Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.   Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched me"".

A few things to point out, first, everyone was touching him because people were crowding around him, but his healing power went out to this woman because of her faith.   (vs 34)   I think this is the only time that his healing power went out without him directing it.   This woman's faith was so deep, that it healed her.

What does this say about our prayer life, and about our own faith?  Take a look at her words again "If I can just touch his robe, I WILL be healed"  -- no doubts, just faith.   

Jesus made his way to Jairus' house, were his daughter was dead, but he said to the people "The child isn't dead; she's only asleep".   Taking Jairus, Jairus' wife, and 3 disciples into were the daughter was lying, Jesus took her hand, and told her to "get up".  and she did.    Now it says that Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what happened, and he told them to get her something to eat."  Hmm, wondering if girl was diabetic?  Well, whatever it was, Jesus did another great miracle that  day.   I think why he gave the parents strict orders not to tell anyone was so that everyone would ask for him to raise everyone's dead relatives.  But, that's just a guess.   

What great stories of faith, one for themselves, and the other for their daughter.   Both examples of faith in action.   To know Christ is on thing, to put your wholehearted faith in him is another.   

Mark 5-1-20 Swine flew

I had eggs and bacon, and hear I am reading about Jesus casting demons into pigs.   Oh the irony.   Anyway, this is a great account of Jesus authority over the demon spirits, Jesus casting 'Legion' out of a man, who was crazy possessed -- breaking chains and shackles, living in and around burial caves, cutting himself, howling -- crazy stuff.

The demon appealed to Jesus for Him not to cast them out to "some distant place"(vs. 10 -- oh remember, hell isn't made yet, so don't assume that Jesus had been casting demons there ... Check out the end of the book of revelation.), but to be cast into a herd of Pigs.

Really, a strange request especially since once Jesus did do that, all 2000 pigs plunged to their doom into a lake and drowned.   

Check out what happened ... vs. 14 "The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran."   -- herdsmen ... you know, probably the ones that looked after the 2000 pigs!!

Here is the good news, Jesus rescued the demon possessed man, he was free!!  Yet the herdsmen were SO concerned about their herd, that they couldn't appreciate what kind of miracle that Jesus did.   They were only concerned about their loss of livestock.   vs 17 "and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone."   

It's sad when material wealth and possessions blind us to the work that God is doing in front of us.   You know what, I think the Legion knew what they were doing.   They knew that the people wouldn't want Jesus to stick around once their livestock was gone.   Satan always plans to deceive and destroy.   That's why Legion wanted to get into those pigs.

But wait, Legion didn't win in thwarting Jesus' ministry, because as Jesus was getting back into the boat, "the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.  But Jesus said, "No, go home to your family and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."  So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns (gk. Decapolis) of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them."

This now free man wanted to follow Jesus, but instead went throughout these 10 Roman towns spreading the good news ... and people listened, people were amazed.   The demons 'Legion' may of thought that they had the last laugh, or at least thwarted the ministry of Christ .. but they hadn't.

Oh what joy there must of been when this man's family learned that he was free from these demons, what a great testimony.

Blessings.