are you so dull

Familiar Traditions

Christmas

English breakfast

Sunday roast

Wedding

Series – ‘10 Questions Jesus asked’Today

‘Are you so dull?’ Mark 7:1-23

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had

come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with

hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed

Mark 7:1-2

Jesus & disciples criticised

“Why does this fellow talk like that?

He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 2:7

Jesus & disciples criticised

‘eating with tax collectors and sinners’

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?”

Mark 7:5

Jesus & disciples criticised

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you

hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’

Mark 7:6

Jesus exposes hypocrisy

‘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’ … You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God

in order to observe your own traditions!’

Mark 7:7-9

Jesus exposes hypocrisy

‘God is spirit, and His worshipers

must worship in the Spirit and in truth’

John 4:24

True worship

‘Honour your father and mother,’ … But you say that if anyone declares that

what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban … then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you

have handed down. And you do many things like that’

Mark 7:10-13

Jesus exposes hypocrisy

‘Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a

person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house,

His disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?”

Mark 7:14-17

Jesus reproaches disciples - spiritually unreceptive

The god of this age has blinded the minds of

unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the

glory of Christ, who is the image of God

2 Cor 4:4

…those who become Christians become new

persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has

begun!

2 Cor 5:17

I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my

people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But

when God, … called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son

in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles

Gal 1:14-16

Apostle Paul’s experience

Man’s traditionsOutward forms - bondage

Trifling rules - criticism

Outward piety

Ignore/replace God’s Word

God’s TruthInward faith - liberty

Fundamental principles

True Inward holiness

Exalts God’s Word