God is after our hearts Expository teaching on Mark Chapter 7

A) Pharisees and their traditions & hypocrisy Mark 7: 5-8 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

A) Pharisees and their traditions & hypocrisy Qualities of Pharisees & teachers of the Law  They Acknowledge God  They study Scripture, Pray, witness, help the poor, keep the rules  They pay their tithes in everything they earn  But their hearts are far from God

Tradition - Greek word “parádosis” - transmission from one to another until something becomes a way of life Consequences of only following traditions  Tradition can be hypocritical honor (v.6)  Tradition can be empty, worthless worship (V.7)  Tradition can be man-made commandments (V. 8)  Tradition can be kept before the commandments of God (v.9-12)  Tradition can nullify the word of God or make the word of God ineffective (V: 13)

Consequences of only following traditions Traditions God’s commandments Our own standards

Questions to Ponder 1)Are we still coming to church as a tradition or do we want to really worship? 2)Are we giving our tithes & offerings as tradition or as an act of worship to God? 3)Are we listening to messages in order to know God? 4)How is our quiet time and prayer time with God? Is it a tradition or time that we look forward to everyday? 5)How is our Corporate prayer times? 6)How is our fasting and prayer?

B) What is uncleanness Mark 7: 20-23: He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come— sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

B) What is uncleanness Evil thoughts: Thoughts & imaginations, ideas and concepts that are evil Sexual immorality: a broad word including all forms and kinds of immoral and sexual acts. Theft: to cheat and steal, to take wrongfully from another person Murder: to kill, to take the life of another, hating his brother Adultery: Sexual unfaithfulness to spouse. Even to look at & lusting after the opposite sex Greed: to lust for more and more. To have a starving appetite to possess something that is never satisfied

B) What is uncleanness Malice: to be depraved, to be actively evil, to trouble others and cause harm Deceit: to bait, to snare, to mislead, conniving and twisting the truth Lewdness: Indecency, filthiness, shamelessness, unrestrained evil thoughts & behaviour Envy: to look where one should not Slander: to insult, to speak evil of God and man Arrogance: Self-exaltation, conceit, pride, haughtiness, putting oneself over others, looking down upon others Folly: Moral senselessness, foolishness, recklessness, thoughtlessness

C) We need Faith and Humility to receive supernatural power  Jesus honors a Syrophoenician woman’s faith (V: 24-30) (Matthew 15: 2328)  Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute man (V: 31-36)