When Christians Reject Christ
Mark 7:9-13
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)[d]— 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.”
Yesterday we saw the danger in trusting in tradition rather than in the heart transformation that God offers. Today we see what happens when that danger is unnoticed or ignored.
The one who relies on tradition to save them will inevitably reject Christ and everything He stands for.
In this story, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for allowing or even condoning a truly vile practice. Part of the Old Testament Law (God’s Law, not any human law) protected the elderly (and other often marginalized groups) by securing a method of provision for them. In this case, it was the responsibility of the son to take care of his parents should they need it as they age. However, the Pharisees were allowing younger men to declare that their possessions were “an offering to the Lord” (Corban). While not necessitating an immediate change in the son's lifestyle (the property would go to the religious leaders upon his death or slowly over time), the Pharisees then required the man to NOT support his parents, because then it would be taking something away that was promised to God.
Jesus offers the Pharisees a scathing rebuke for allowing or condoning this. In their efforts to so tightly follow tradition, religion, and rules of piety, the Pharisees forsook a key essential principle God’s Word teaches. Love and care for all, especially amongst God’s own people.
And before we think ourselves superior, we are just as capable of this as the Pharisees.
How many times have we seen the church fail to care for its community on the grounds of a specific sin of an individual or community, or even that community's hatred of the church?
How many times have we seen people in the church abuse authority, power, and influence to do what they think is best even when it flies in the face of what God’s Word teaches?
How many times have we seen the church callously treat the most broken people who seek Jesus out, because their sin or life circumstance is deemed too heinous or too difficult?
The answer is often, and we are not immune to that temptation, so we must watch to make sure we follow the commandments of God and not the commandments of men.
Tradition or Transformation?
Mark 7:1-8
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,[a] holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.[b] And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.[c]) 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.”
This week, I’ll take us through the passage I preached on Sunday, Mark 7:1-30. I had to go over a lot of it quickly, so these devotionals will give us a chance to catch some important things we didn’t have time for Sunday or re-hit essential things.
The Pharisees had a major issue. Well actually they had multiple, but one is the most important. They were devoted to tradition, while lacking any transformation of their hearts. They followed all kinds of rituals, had all kinds of checklists of things to do and things to avoid doing (and even people to avoid).
Yet they are condemned by Jesus again and again. Why? Look at verse 6-8.
Their hearts were far from God. Do you see how that contaminated everything else they did? It didn’t matter that they had great things to say and to sing about God, because in their hearts they were far from Him. It didn’t matter that they thought they were following all the commandments, because in their hearts they were doing what they thought God wanted, even though He had told them again and again in His Word what they should do.
They all knew Micah 6:8, they probably even had it memorized.
Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,[a]
and to walk humbly with your God?
So I ask you today, is your heart far from God? Have you created traditions to follow instead of receiving the heart transformation that Jesus offers?
Ask God to draw your heart near to Him and to transform your life.
Authority over Death Itself
Mark 5:35–42
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
Death is the great equalizer. No one escapes it.
As a child, death terrified me. To this day, it still does. I don’t want to die (is that too honest to admit?). I wish I were like Paul, who penned, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I still have growth needed in my understanding of how great heaven will be (especially compared to this broken world I love).
Death scares most of us.
In Jesus, we trust in the One who has authority over death. In Mark 5, we see Jesus give us a glimpse of this power as He raises a 12-year-old girl from the dead. I believe this was shown so that we already had a taste of the resurrection power that was to come on the third day.
Unless Christ returns first, death awaits us all.
Yet, death is not final. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, just as Jesus raised this daughter and His friend Lazarus, Jesus will raise us—not to dwell again bodily on this broken earth, but to dwell with Him in the New Heavens and New Earth where all is made right.
What does this mean for us? It means that the final enemy that seemingly defeats all is actually defeated by the resurrection power of Jesus. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, “O Death, where is your sting?” The power of death has been swallowed up by the resurrection power of our God.
Death is scary. I want to live to see my son grow old. I want to experience things on this earth. I want to enjoy this life as much as possible. I want my life to be used to point others to this hope I have found. And yet, I know I will die. But I also have full confidence that death is not final. There is hope beyond the grave for those in Christ Jesus. So while death is scary, it is not ultimate.
May this morbid truth encourage you today!
Authority over Scarcity and Limitations
Mark 6:42–44
42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Our verses today come from Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Today, I want you to focus on v. 43—twelve full baskets of leftovers. One for each disciple to grab, hold, and experience.
Just an hour before, the disciples were urging Jesus to dismiss the crowd because it was late and everyone was hungry. They were in a desolate place, so food was not readily available, and even if it was, they did not have the money to cover the catering costs of that many mouths to feed.
It was a moment of scarcity. How are we going to cover this need? There is no way that we have enough to fulfill all the obligations that exist.
Have you ever been there? With more month than money? More bills than reserves? More burdens than blessings to cover it? Not enough time to do all the tasks?
In this moment of scarcity, Jesus steps in with abundance. Not only are all fed, but leftovers exist.
Our God is the God of All. There is nothing that He cannot do, and yet how much time and energy have you spent fretting over what you lack? How much time have you spent fretting over what you lack instead of bringing it to God in prayer?
I do not write this with a promise that God will miraculously multiply your checking account each time it gets low. However, I am writing for you to look to God in times of scarcity and need, for as He cares for the birds of the air, He will care for you.
In the times I have lived in legitimate scarcity, what I have also learned is that I am living in legitimate dependence upon God.
When you feel that anxiety of absence coming upon you, I invite you to take a step of faith and pray for God to give you peace and answers to this real problem.
Authority over Nature and Fear
Mark 4:35–41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Jesus actually fixes two problems in this story. Go back and try to spot them.
Jesus both calms the wind and calms the nerves of his friends. This is our God, the one who commands the world and has command over even our inner thoughts.
On the boat that night, the disciples were terrified—experienced fishermen scared for their lives. This was a major storm. Yet, it was not too big for Jesus.
Over the course of our lives, we will experience major storms that will challenge our trust and, I hope, push us to faith.
However, we will experience many minor storms each week. These fears creep in after a conversation we had at work, when guilt overtakes us, when worst-case scenarios repeat in our minds, and when we question our identity and worth. These storms arise out of nowhere, it seems, and yet can ruin our day and week.
Will you look to the One who has Ultimate Authority in these storms of life as well? Will you “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)? Or will you keep allowing those daily fears and worries to rule your heart? Will you keep trying to overcome these mental anguishes alone?
Jesus has displayed His authority over the major issues of life as well as the hidden issues of the heart. Will you trust Him to have authority in your life?