He Said What?

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 7. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title ‘He Said What?’

Proverbs 4:23 says this: “Above ALL else, guard your hearts for it is the wellspring of life.”

The condition of our hearts dictates the condition of our lives – your heart is the WELLSPRING! What lives in your heart will reveal itself in how you live! So how do you know what lives in your heart? When you get squeezed, what comes out? When you get tipped over, what comes flowing out of you?

As you read the story of the Mom in Mark 7:24-30, what do her actions reveal about her heart? This mom comes to Jesus in humility (postured at his feet), begging for his help on behalf of someone else and Jesus insults her (calls her a dog) and then seeks to dismiss her!

Jesus is either having an un-christlike moment, or He is making a statement to this mom about His mission. I Love how this woman responds – she is quick, witty, bold, yet humble and she is the only individual to argue w/Jesus and win. Mark 7:28 – "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

She accepts the priority of Jesus’ mission – meaning she understands that Jesus mission is 1^st to the people of Israel, then to the Gentiles. She understands that Israel has preference over the Gentiles. She concedes that the children (Israel) should eat first, but she challenges Jesus to expand His vision that even the dogs (the Gentiles) should get something to eat as well!

She gets it! She does not become embittered by Jesus words! She’s not concerned that someone else has priority over her. AND she does not take NO for an answer!

Jesus was blown away be her response b/c her response revealed what resided in her heart? Question – Anyone ever insulted you? Say something about your personhood? Your character? How did you respond? Humility or fight back defend yourself? Remember, actions reveal the heart!

In this mom’s heart was humility, wisdom, courage, love, and faith! What RESIDES in your HEART will surface in how you react and respond to those around you!

Read the story of the friends that brought their deaf and mute friend to Jesus (Mark 7:31-37). Similar to the story in Mark 2, do you have friends that love you enough to ‘lead you’ to the place you need to go, which might not be the place you want to go?

What was in their hearts is revealed in what they did for their friend. They not only brought him to Jesus, but they ‘Begged’ Jesus to heal him. When’s the last time you begged someone for something on someone else's behalf? Not for you, but for someone else?

What these guys did was revealing of what resided in their hearts: love, humility and compassion.

What RESIDES in your HEART will SURFACE in how you react and respond to the NEEDS of those around you!

Now go back and read the story of a group of men whose hearts were at best far from God (Mark 7:1-23)

The Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus and his disciples were not like them – morally pure on the outside – meaning, why didn’t they wash their hands before meal time.

The Pharisees had begun to create a lot of traditions, but the problem with their traditions as with many of ours, is that they were not biblical – they were just man-made!

As you think about your own traditions ask yourself this question: ‘Are they shaping you into a person where they really only impact your hands, but never touch your heart?

Jesus responds to the Pharisees by calling them Hypocrites (play actors). What do you do when you realize you’ve become the very thing that you’ve worked so hard to avoid? You that person who said I can’t stand Christians b/c they are so judgmental, selfish and hypocritical but yet what do you do when someone points out to you that you have become that person? Either REPENT of your religiosity, or you can carry on your rituals in order to keep playing the part.

What a tragedy when the WORD of God is ‘let go off’, ‘set aside’ and ‘nullified’ ALL in order to justify a life that’s really all about you and not God! It begs the question of what does God really care about? Exterior performance, or inward moral purity of the heart. We know the answer, but typically live for the former! Why? Its easier to dress ourselves up so we look good to an outside audience, rather then deal with what lies beneath the fancy clothing – SIN!

Jesus message was clear – ‘what goes into you, does not make you unclean, its what comes out of you that makes us impure. Meaning: tThe guy who cut you off is NOT the problem – the issue is the ANGER that resides in your heart that manifests itself in Road Rage. Pornography is not the issue, it’s the LUST in your heart. Gossip & Judging others is not the problem, it’s a heart that’s filled w/pride that says you’re better then everyone that is problem.

‘From out of men's heart comes: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, folly! Did you notice that ALL of these things impacts our neighbor! The un-holiness of our hearts not only impacts our relationship w/God, but it has a serious impact on those around us!

The reality is ALL of our hearts are inclined towards these things and its only b/c of Jesus that we have a shot at a regenerated heart. How do you get that HEART that is not refurbished, but the heart that is GENUINELY filled with:

forgiveness, generosity, compassion, love, peace, joy, etc?

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The beauty of this PRAYER is that it acknowledges that God can and will CREATE in us what we cannot CREATE in ourselves.

Remember: what’s in your heart will show up in how you live!

Ask Jesus to create in you a new heart for it will lead you to newness of life!