Mark 7:1-23 (ESV)

1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” 14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Intro: Have you ever experienced a misdiagnosis?

A DISTORTED MISDIAGNOSIS
What is not the problem? It wasn’t circumstances.

THE REAL & RADICAL PROBLEM
What actually IS the problem?

A GRACIOUS & ETERNAL REMEDY
And how does Jesus answer this problem?

YOU CAN PRAY WITH US …
1 - Worship the LORD for His absolute holiness and purity. Praise Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit that there is no impurity in Him and that He is gracious to cleanse everyone who trusts in Jesus.

2 - How have you lived as if you do not actually have a heart problem, or as if you don’t need to be cleansed? Confess your guilt and helplessness to Jesus, asking Him to change what you cannot change.

3 - Give thanks to Jesus for His work to call us what we are and then meet us where we are to save our lives. Thank Him for taking our defilement upon Himself (by His death) and giving us His purity (by His Spirit).

4 - Who do you know that sizes up other people as defiled or unworthy (and it might be you)? Pray for them, asking the Lord to help them see first their own defilement and corruption of heart, and His power and grace to save people like us.

5 - Ask the Holy Spirit to bear in you His fruit of love and goodness. Pray for His power of renewal and transformation built upon the security that only Jesus can give us by faith.