Mark 7:1-37
I think that the teachings of this chapter are some of the most important and convicting in the gospels. The chapter presents two dangers from which each of us must guard our hearts. It also presents two blessings that give us the opportunity to not only observe Christ in action but learn from the attitudes of those who came to Him for help.
TWO DANGERS: Traditionalism is the first danger. The Pharisees were consumed by it and Jesus wanted to make sure that His disciples were not overtaken by it. The religious leaders passed traditions down from generation to generation. Each passing year the ruts of traditionalism eroded deeper and deeper with the passage of time. Unfortunately, these traditions strayed further and further from the principles of God's Word that they thought they were defending. Traditions are so dangerous because they can easily blind us to the truth. Those who are tied to tradition tend to be dogmatic in defending their position and are quick condemn those who do not "toe the line." Even though they have no biblical support for the traditions, they are quick to treat those who disagree with contempt or even hatred. It is amazing how we can so easily ignore the clear commands of Scripture like loving, honoring and serving one another in humility, when we defend our traditions for which we have no biblical support. May we always allow the Word of God to reign supreme over any of our traditions.
Externalism is the second danger. Since we have no ability to see the hearts of those around us, we also know that they have no ability to see ours. We look at the outside and we know that other see our outsides. We learn how people expect us to look as well as the acceptable standards of conduct to which we are all to conform. The reality is that we learn what masks to wear in all of the different places we go. We become experts at erecting one facade after another in order to please the people around us. The danger of this is that God sees straight through all of our facades and masks into our hearts. God is concerned about our hearts and, one day, we will give an account to Him, not for the quality of our masks, but for the reality of our hearts. We can fool others and even ourselves but we cannot fool God. We must not be impressed by what others might be able to see in us or what we think we see in ourselves. May God give us the grace to see our hearts and humbly lay them open at the feet of Christ that He might transform us on the inside. We must never be satisfied by the masks that we use to impress others but must long for the authentic transformation that only God can provide.
TWO BLESSINGS: Freedom for a Gentile Girl. We have seen Christ's power over and over again over the demonic world. What makes this story unique is that the request for liberation comes from a Gentile woman for her daughter. Jesus had come to minister to the Jews but that did not change the reality of this woman's daughter. She knows that Jesus can set her free and she desperately wants her daughter to experience that freedom. This lady will not take no for an answer. She is not hung up with the racial problems that Christ brings up. She loves her daughter and has complete confidence in Christ's ability. She has no doubt about what she desires and no doubts about what Christ can do. I believe that this kind of desire and confidence pleases God greatly. How often do we become discouraged in prayer because the results we expected are not immediate? Or is it that, in reality, we doubt whether God really cares or that He is willing to intervene on our behalf? There are times where God seems distant or unconcerned. The reality is that the problem is not with the distance of God but with the true desires of our heart. Are we desperate for God to grant our desires? I believe He wants us to be. If we are not, than there is something desperately wrong with our desires. If we desire what He desires we should pray with confidence and even desperation for those desires to be fulfilled.
Freedom for a Deaf and Mute Man. This might be one of the most unique healings recorded in Scripture or at least the most "hands on." Jesus stuck His fingers in the man's ears and then touched his tongue with His saliva. Definitely a strange method but the result was spectacular. This man who could not hear or speak was free. Jesus tells him not to tell anyone about what was done, but apparently the man had a temporary relapse of deafness when Jesus said that. Because He would just not shut up about it, and told everyone about what Christ had done for him. We need to imitate this same amazement at what Christ has done for us in freeing us from the chains of sin. This man proclaimed the greatness of Christ because Jesus had loosed his tongue. Christ has loosed our hearts from the shackles of sin. May we be faithful to proclaim His greatness to the ends of the earth.
TWO DANGERS: Traditionalism is the first danger. The Pharisees were consumed by it and Jesus wanted to make sure that His disciples were not overtaken by it. The religious leaders passed traditions down from generation to generation. Each passing year the ruts of traditionalism eroded deeper and deeper with the passage of time. Unfortunately, these traditions strayed further and further from the principles of God's Word that they thought they were defending. Traditions are so dangerous because they can easily blind us to the truth. Those who are tied to tradition tend to be dogmatic in defending their position and are quick condemn those who do not "toe the line." Even though they have no biblical support for the traditions, they are quick to treat those who disagree with contempt or even hatred. It is amazing how we can so easily ignore the clear commands of Scripture like loving, honoring and serving one another in humility, when we defend our traditions for which we have no biblical support. May we always allow the Word of God to reign supreme over any of our traditions.
Externalism is the second danger. Since we have no ability to see the hearts of those around us, we also know that they have no ability to see ours. We look at the outside and we know that other see our outsides. We learn how people expect us to look as well as the acceptable standards of conduct to which we are all to conform. The reality is that we learn what masks to wear in all of the different places we go. We become experts at erecting one facade after another in order to please the people around us. The danger of this is that God sees straight through all of our facades and masks into our hearts. God is concerned about our hearts and, one day, we will give an account to Him, not for the quality of our masks, but for the reality of our hearts. We can fool others and even ourselves but we cannot fool God. We must not be impressed by what others might be able to see in us or what we think we see in ourselves. May God give us the grace to see our hearts and humbly lay them open at the feet of Christ that He might transform us on the inside. We must never be satisfied by the masks that we use to impress others but must long for the authentic transformation that only God can provide.
TWO BLESSINGS: Freedom for a Gentile Girl. We have seen Christ's power over and over again over the demonic world. What makes this story unique is that the request for liberation comes from a Gentile woman for her daughter. Jesus had come to minister to the Jews but that did not change the reality of this woman's daughter. She knows that Jesus can set her free and she desperately wants her daughter to experience that freedom. This lady will not take no for an answer. She is not hung up with the racial problems that Christ brings up. She loves her daughter and has complete confidence in Christ's ability. She has no doubt about what she desires and no doubts about what Christ can do. I believe that this kind of desire and confidence pleases God greatly. How often do we become discouraged in prayer because the results we expected are not immediate? Or is it that, in reality, we doubt whether God really cares or that He is willing to intervene on our behalf? There are times where God seems distant or unconcerned. The reality is that the problem is not with the distance of God but with the true desires of our heart. Are we desperate for God to grant our desires? I believe He wants us to be. If we are not, than there is something desperately wrong with our desires. If we desire what He desires we should pray with confidence and even desperation for those desires to be fulfilled.
Freedom for a Deaf and Mute Man. This might be one of the most unique healings recorded in Scripture or at least the most "hands on." Jesus stuck His fingers in the man's ears and then touched his tongue with His saliva. Definitely a strange method but the result was spectacular. This man who could not hear or speak was free. Jesus tells him not to tell anyone about what was done, but apparently the man had a temporary relapse of deafness when Jesus said that. Because He would just not shut up about it, and told everyone about what Christ had done for him. We need to imitate this same amazement at what Christ has done for us in freeing us from the chains of sin. This man proclaimed the greatness of Christ because Jesus had loosed his tongue. Christ has loosed our hearts from the shackles of sin. May we be faithful to proclaim His greatness to the ends of the earth.
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