Podcasts about pharisaic

In this episode, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb explore one of Scripture's most fascinating puzzles: the parable of the lost sheep appears in both Luke 15 and Matthew 18, yet teaches dramatically different lessons depending on its context. In Luke, it defends Christ's mission to seek the lost and exposes Pharisaic self-righteousness. In Matthew, it becomes a pastoral manual for church discipline, humility, and restoration. This conversation challenges the common assumption that parables have only one meaning and demonstrates how the same story can illuminate multiple theological truths. The hosts unpack the scandalous grace woven throughout both accounts while wrestling with practical implications for church life, confrontation, and the celebration of repentance within the covenant community. Key Takeaways Context transforms meaning: The parable of the lost sheep appears in both Luke 15 and Matthew 18 with similar wording but vastly different applications—proving that parables can have multiple valid meanings depending on their literary and theological context. Matthew 18's audience is internal: Unlike Luke 15, which addresses outsiders and critics, Matthew 18 speaks to disciples about life within the kingdom community—focusing on humility, care for "little ones," and the church's responsibility toward vulnerable or straying members. The parable sets up church discipline: In Matthew 18, the lost sheep parable (vv. 12-14) directly precedes and theologically grounds the church discipline passage (vv. 15-20), teaching that confrontation should be motivated by pastoral rescue, not punitive justice. "Little ones" matter to the Father: The phrase "little ones" refers to children, new believers, and those vulnerable within the church—Christ warns sternly against despising them and insists it is not the Father's will that any should perish (v. 14). Restoration is the goal, not excommunication: Verse 15's language of "gaining your brother" frames confrontation as recovery. Even final excommunication (v. 17) should be carried out with ongoing hope for repentance and return, not with triumphalism or relief. Christ's presence empowers difficult work: The promise that "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them" (v. 20) is not a general prayer meeting verse—it's a specific assurance of Christ's authorizing presence during the judicial and painful work of church discipline. Divine intention shapes church posture: The statement "it is not the will of my Father...that one of these little ones should perish" (v. 14) must color every step of the discipline process, ensuring the church never loses sight of God's restorative heart. Explanatory Paragraphs Context Transforms Meaning One of the most significant insights from this episode is the recognition that the parable of the lost sheep serves distinct theological purposes in Luke 15 and Matthew 18. In Luke, Jesus tells the parable to Pharisees and scribes who criticize Him for welcoming sinners—the lost sheep represents those outside the covenant community whom Christ seeks. In Matthew, however, Jesus addresses His disciples within the context of kingdom life, and the lost sheep represents a believer who has wandered from the fold. This contextual shift demonstrates that parables are not rigid allegories with single meanings but flexible teaching tools that illuminate different facets of divine truth. The hosts argue that this reality should free interpreters from overly narrow readings and encourage careful attention to literary setting, audience, and surrounding discourse when seeking to understand Jesus' teaching. The Parable Sets Up Church Discipline In Matthew 18, the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 12-14) is not an isolated story but a theological foundation for the church discipline instructions that immediately follow (vv. 15-20). By emphasizing the shepherd's joy in recovering the one lost sheep and stating that it is not God's will for any "little one" to perish, Jesus prepares His disciples to approach confrontation with a restorative rather than punitive mindset. The language of "gaining your brother" (v. 15) echoes the recovery theme of the parable—confrontation is rescue, not victory. This connection is often missed because English Bible headings create visual breaks between verses 14 and 15, obscuring their flow. When read together without interruption, the passage reveals that every step of church discipline—from private conversation to final excommunication—must be undertaken with the Father's heart, which longs for the wanderer's return rather than their expulsion. Christ's Presence Empowers Difficult Work The promise in Matthew 18:20—"where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them"—is frequently misapplied as a general encouragement for small prayer groups or house churches. While Christ's omnipresence certainly validates such gatherings, the primary context of this verse is judicial and ecclesiastical. The "two or three" echoes the Old Testament requirement for multiple witnesses in matters requiring serious judgment (Deuteronomy 19:15), and the phrase appears at the climax of Jesus' teaching on church discipline. Christ is promising His authorizing presence specifically during the church's most difficult and painful work: confronting sin, evaluating repentance, and when necessary, declaring someone outside the visible church. This is both sobering and comforting—sobering because it reminds us that church discipline carries divine weight, and comforting because Christ does not leave His church alone in this weighty task but stands in the midst of the assembly, confirming its righteous judgments and sustaining its members through heartbreak. Memorable Quotes "This almost proves the idea that parables have one meaning just isn't really real...a single parable with the same words can have multiple, at the very least, can have multiple gradations of meaning." — Tony Arsenal "The scandal here is that it's not God's will that any one of these little ones should be lost. And that sometimes, I think, in the midst of great conflict feels scandalous." — Jesse Schwamb "Gaining your brother frames confrontation as rescue...discipline begins maybe actually all the way through as pastoral care. It's not public shaming." — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [The complete, unedited transcript of the episode would be included here for reference and accessibility.]

The sermon centers on Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees, who, despite claiming to uphold God's law, had reduced it to a system of loopholes and traditions that served their own interests, particularly their love of money. By highlighting how the Pharisees distorted Scripture—such as redefining divorce to justify personal desires—Jesus exposes their hypocrisy and reaffirms the enduring authority of God's law, which demands perfect obedience and reveals human sinfulness. The passage underscores that the law's true purpose is not to enable self-justification but to convict, point to Christ, and guide believers in holy living. The sermon calls the church to reject the Pharisaic tendency to lower God's standards for personal gain, instead embracing the law as a mirror that reveals our need for Christ and a guide for life after redemption, with marriage and morality rooted in divine fidelity, not human convenience.

Read OnlineJesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. Mark 7:31–32Throughout Jesus' public ministry, His actions, while purely charitable, were often deliberate and provocative. His words and deeds testified to the true meaning of the Mosaic Law by exposing the damaging legalism of many Pharisees, whose misinterpretations deeply influenced God's Chosen People. For example, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath (cf. Mark 3:1–6) and cured a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years (cf. John 5:1–18). In both cases, Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath rest as interpreted by the Pharisaic traditions. By challenging these restrictive and erroneous interpretations, Jesus demonstrated that the Sabbath is a day for mercy, healing, and honoring God, not a burdensome observance of human traditions. Jesus boldly lived the Mosaic Law as it was intended, while challenging the erroneous practices and beliefs He encountered. Another act of deliberate and charitable provocation was Jesus' ministry among the Gentiles. At that time, observant Jews often avoided direct interactions with Gentiles, considering them ritually unclean and outside the covenant community of Israel. Yet Jesus traveled into Gentile regions such as Tyre, Sidon, and the Decapolis. In today's Gospel, Jesus traveled from Tyre to Sidon and then to the Decapolis, where He healed a deaf and mute man. Being predominantly Gentile regions, they were marked by pagan worship, Hellenistic culture, and lifestyles often incompatible with Jewish religious practices. It is likely that Jesus' companions—the Twelve—were surprised and uneasy during these visits, but that was precisely the point. Their journey to these territories was itself a lesson Jesus intended to teach. By engaging with Gentiles, Jesus revealed that God's salvation is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham: “All the families of the earth will find blessing in you” (Genesis 12:3). In doing so, Jesus began preparing His disciples to shed nationalistic biases and embrace the universal scope of God's covenant of salvation.The healing of the deaf and mute man carries profound significance. First, by performing the miracle in predominantly Gentile territory, Jesus directed its meaning beyond the Jews to all peoples of every nation. The message is clear: By healing the man's deafness, Jesus teaches that all must hear the saving message of the Gospel. By healing his speech impediment, Jesus further teaches that all who hear the Gospel are called to proclaim it.Though the manner of this healing—putting “his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue”—is rich with symbolism, it also reveals Jesus' personal and compassionate approach. For a deaf and mute man, spoken words alone would not have conveyed what Jesus was about to do. By using touch and visible gestures, Jesus communicated with the man in a way he could understand, engaging him personally and tenderly. This reflects the boundless compassion of Jesus, Who meets each of us where we are.Reflect today on the lesson the Twelve learned as they traveled with Jesus through Gentile and pagan regions. As followers of Christ, we must learn not only from His words but also from His actions. The Creed, the Sacraments, and the moral teachings of the Church are not meant for Catholics alone but for all people. At times, sharing the Gospel might require charitable provocation within the social circles in which we live and work. We must strive to do so in ways that people can understand, setting aside artificial or inconsequential traditions that obstruct the message. True compassion leads us to every person, making us instruments of their salvation, knowing that the message we bring is for all, so that “all the families of the earth” may find blessing in God through you.My compassionate and provocative Lord, You confidently and lovingly challenged the burdensome and restrictive traditions that had overshadowed the true spirit of the Mosaic Law, pointing Your disciples—and us—to the universal scope of Your saving mission. Grant me the courage and wisdom to be an instrument of Your Gospel to everyone I meet. Help me to love them where they are, with the tenderness and compassion You show, so that they, too, may be drawn into the joy of Your eternal Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: unknown, (Markusmaler und Gehilfe), Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Pharisaism cannot be mollified. Paul, nor Jesus, ever makes excuses for it. Pharisaic teaching and practice are destructive.

The Messiah Confrontation: Why Israel Knohl Says the Pharisees Wouldn't Have Executed YeshuaIn this video, I review Professor Israel Knohl's groundbreaking book The Messiah Confrontation, a work I first discovered through the excellent Kedem YouTube channel. Knohl argues that Yeshua's execution was not the result of Pharisaic hostility—since the Pharisees, the ancestors of Rabbinic Judaism, would not have condemned Him—but rather the outcome of a trial dominated by Sadducees, a sect that no longer exists. Knohl laments that centuries of Christian–Jewish tension have been fueled by blaming “the Jews,” even though the group responsible disappeared long ago.From a Christian perspective, I highlight an important point: if Yeshua is the Messiah, then His innocent death was necessary to fulfill prophecy. Without His death and resurrection, there is no Messiah and nothing for the crowds in Acts 2 to repent of. Antisemitism, which long predates Yeshua's crucifixion, stems from ancient hatred of the children of Abraham—not from the gospel story itself.Knohl devotes most of the book to tracing the development of messianic expectation in the Tanakh, the Qumran texts, and first century Judaism. He explains why many Jews expected a warrior king who would overthrow Rome, and why Yeshua's message challenged those assumptions. While I disagree with Knohl's rejection of Yeshua as the Messiah, his scholarship is honest, rigorous, and fair toward both Jewish and Christian traditions.I recommend this book to anyone who loves deep, academic study of Scripture and the history of God's people. Knohl's treatment of messianic divinity alone is worth the read. My one critique is that he does not address Daniel 9, where the Messiah is linked to the destruction of Judea—something Yeshua explicitly referenced when He foretold the fall of the Temple.If you enjoy serious biblical scholarship, this book is a treasure. I've also linked Knohl's interview on the Kedem channel so you can explore his ideas firsthand. Shalom, and may YHVH bless you and keep you in the Name of Yeshua.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipr7qJZZLx8https://www.youtube.com/@KEDEMChannelhttps://firstcenturychristianity.net/

Featured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topSupport us - become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/crosstocrown.org@DougGoodin

In Scripture a yoke can be either a punishing burden impossible to bear or a tool to get useful work accomplished. Scripture presents the Pharisaic understanding of the Torah as the former while Christ described His yoke as easy and light. One of the dividing lines between the two is that Christ's words are true and the Pharisaic interpretation is not.

Experience the power of Jesus' teachings and miracles at a Pharisaic feast, where divine compassion confronts legalistic traditions.In this episode, we explore the tension between Jesus and the Pharisees during a feast, where Jesus challenges their understanding of the Sabbath and performs a miraculous healing. Witness the unfolding drama as Jesus' acts of compassion and justice clash with the rigid legalism of the religious leaders.Today's Bible verse is Micah 6:8, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experience the power of Jesus' teachings and miracles at a Pharisaic feast, where divine compassion confronts legalistic traditions.In this episode, we explore the tension between Jesus and the Pharisees during a feast, where Jesus challenges their understanding of the Sabbath and performs a miraculous healing. Witness the unfolding drama as Jesus' acts of compassion and justice clash with the rigid legalism of the religious leaders.Today's Bible verse is Micah 6:8, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acts 23 tells of Paul before the Sanhedrin. In a similar way to when our Lord Jesus Christ appears before them, the hearing commences with an illegality from the High Priest, Ananias. That corrupt priest commands that the Apostle be smitten on the cheek - this is contrary to the Law of Moses. Paul reacts to this violation by saying that God would in His time smite the high priest. For this answer Paul is rebuked by those of the Council. The Apostle says he had not recognised the high priest. This seems unusual as in Acts 9 this high priest had given letters to Paul authorising the persecution at Damascus. Some such as Ramsay have suggested Paul's eyesight was poor, due to malaria possibly contracted on his first missionary journey. Others suggest that this is in fact a rebuttal of the high priest's right to hold that office. Paul undoubtedly had poor eyesight as many of his letters attest e.g. Galatians 6verses11. The Apostle sees the impossibility of him getting a fair trial and so he divides the Council on the question of the teaching of the Scriptures regarding the raising of the dead. Verse 8 tells us of the difference in teaching between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Verse 10 informs us that the disagreement became violent. Paul is once again rescued. Paul's sister's son learns of a plot to assassinate Paul and informs the chief captain. The chief captain immediately responds by sending Paul to Felix the Roman Governor in Caesarea with a heavily armed escort - a journey of two days. This heavily armed company carry with them a letter explaining why the Chief Captain has taken these measures. Chapter 24 speaks of Paul before Felix and of the flattering orator the Jews hired to prosecute the Apostle. The Apostle defends each charge magnificently. Paul points out that he came to Jerusalem for worship and to bring charitable gifts for his nation. The aged Apostle also is a Pharisee. The Pharisaic teachings were an allowable teaching among the Jews. Felix finds himself in a difficult place having some understanding of the teachings of the Way (an early name for believers in Christ Jesus). Felix detains Paul not wanting to fall out of favour with the Jews. Paul is provided with protection and liberty. Having heard of Paul's bringing charity to his fellow Jews Felix hopes to secure a bribe. Felix becomes very disturbed knowing that since he understands the reality of the coming judgment and that he would be subject to the judgment of God. Felix's life makes it certain that he will be rejected when that judgment comes. After two years Rome replaces Governor Felix with Governor Festus. Festus maintains Paul's imprisonment to please the Jews.

Ezra 3 opens with a magnificent statement of unity of purpose - the whole nation gathers as one man. They come to build the altar, the focus of the nation is to be as a whole burnt offering living their lives in dedicated service to their God. The returned exiles next keep the feast of booths, or Tabernacles, in fellowship with each other and in acknowledgment of Yahweh's provision of all that they had received at His bountiful hand. The building of the temple begins on the first day of the seventh month and the laying of the foundation was accompanied with great rejoicing and the singing of David's psalm of thanksgiving composed for the time when the ark was brought to Jerusalemverses 1 Chronicles 16verses8-35. The focus of this Psalm is Yahweh's "chesed" - steadfast and enduring love. Chapter 4 opens with the enemies of Judah   asking Ezra the Governor and the returned exiles to cease their work. They attempt to discourage and intimidate the builders with fear. When this doesn't work they write to the Persian king pointing out the risk to his realm should the Judean kingdom be reestablished. The adversaries rejoice when an order comes from the Persian king to cease the work. The work was halted for about 20 years and at the end of this time the Almighty stirs up two prophets - Haggai and Zechariah - to revitalise the people's spirit through several prophesies spoken in close succession. How unfortunate at the end of the chapter that unity is broken by the inability to get over "the good old days." Odious comparisons dampen ecclesial unity. Hosea 6 tells of a plea to return to the LORD who had torn Israel, but would again restore them in two days (each of a thousand years on the principle of a day for a 1,000 years- see 2 Peter 3verses8). Then in Israel's restoration under the Lord Jesus Christ - the Messiah - times of great blessing will come. Read aloud Hosea 6verses6 pause and ponder. Blessings require Israel's responding as God always desires (see Christ's comments in Matthew 9verses13). But Israel deal treacherously and even Gilead a city of the priests becomes the place of violence and robbery. Shechem another city of refuge where elsewhere in Scripture a place focussed on now a place of violence and corruption. sincerity and truth a den of robbers whose corrupt words and ways shamed this otherwise national place for dedication to Yahweh. Shechem also now becomes a den of robbing priests. Acts 23 tells of Paul before the Sanhedrin. In a similar way to when our Lord Jesus Christ appears before them, the hearing commences with an illegality from the High Priest, Ananias. That corrupt priest commands that the Apostle be smitten on the cheek - this is contrary to the Law of Moses. Paul reacts to this violation by saying that God would in His time smite the high priest. For this answer Paul is rebuked by those of the Council. The Apostle says he had not recognised the high priest. This seems unusual as in Acts 9 this high priest had given letters to Paul authorising the persecution at Damascus. Some such as Ramsay have suggested Paul's eyesight was poor, due to malaria possibly contracted on his first missionary journey. Others suggest that this is in fact a rebuttal of the high priest's right to hold that office. Paul undoubtedly had poor eyesight as many of his letters attest e.g. Galatians 6verses11. The Apostle sees the impossibility of him getting a fair trial and so he divides the Council on the question of the teaching of the Scriptures regarding the raising of the dead. Verse 8 tells us of the difference in teaching between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Verse 10 informs us that the disagreement became violent. Paul is once again rescued. Paul's sister's son learns of a plot to assassinate Paul and informs the chief captain. The chief captain immediately responds by sending Paul to Felix the Roman Governor in Caesarea with a heavily armed escort - a journey of two days. This heavily armed company carry with them a letter explaining why the Chief Captain has taken these measures. Chapter 24 speaks of Paul before Felix and of the flattering orator the Jews hired to prosecute the Apostle. The Apostle defends each charge magnificently. Paul points out that he came to Jerusalem for worship and to bring charitable gifts for his nation. The aged Apostle also is a Pharisee. The Pharisaic teachings were an allowable teaching among the Jews. Felix finds himself in a difficult place having some understanding of the teachings of the Way (an early name for believers in Christ Jesus). Felix detains Paul not wanting to fall out of favour with the Jews. Paul is provided with protection and liberty. Having heard of Paul's bringing charity to his fellow Jews Felix hopes to secure a bribe. Felix becomes very disturbed knowing that since he understands the reality of the coming judgment and that he would be subject to the judgment of God. Felix's life makes it certain that he will be rejected when that judgment comes. After two years Rome replaces Governor Felix with Governor Festus. Festus maintains Paul's imprisonment to please the Jews. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

After 70 years of exile in Babylon Cyrus, the king of Persia, who had recently conquered the city of Babylon, decreed that the exiled Jews be allowed to return to Judea and to rebuild Jerusalem. The decree was made in BC 537. Read it aloud in verses 2-4 of Ezra 1. Two thousand five hundred and twenty years later the Embassy of the USA is relocated from Tel Aviv of Jerusalem and a coin is minted showing Cyrus on one side and the then American president, Donald Trump. The uncirculated coin - meaning the coin is not legal tender - is inscribed with the words from Ezra 1verses2. The gold and silver vessels of the former temple at Jerusalem which had been stored in the treasure house in Babylon are returned to the new temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. Chapter 2 of Ezra gives us an inventory of the vessels and speaks the faithful remnant who with Ezra the scribe. King Cyrus makes a generous donation towards the cost of rebuilding Jerusalem. The vessels represent the saintsverses Isaiah 22verses24; 2 Timothy 2verses20-21.Hosea 5 deals with the judgment to come upon faithless Israel and Judah. Yahweh would, like a lion, tear His people because of their rebellious ways firstly through the Assyrian lion who would carry Israel captive; and then Judah would experience a similar fate 120 years later at the hands of the Babylonians.Acts 21 records Paul's journey to Jerusalem. The Apostle comforts and encourages many groups of disciples as he heads to Jerusalem. An old prophet, named Agabus, attempts to persuade Paul to go no further. Paul will not, like his lord, be dissuaded from going. The first thing Paul does on his arrival is to see James who advises him of the best course of action to be taken so as to avoid trouble. The Apostle is advised to complete his Nazarite vow and to cover the expenses of four other brothers who are completing their vows. James reiterates to Paul that the only binding requirements on Gentile believers are the keeping of the four matters agreed upon at the Jerusalem Conference. However, Paul cannot peacefully complete his vow since he is arrested in the temple by Asian Jews. These hostile Jews mistakenly believe that Paul has profaned the temple by bringing Trophimus, a Gentile Ephesian into the temple. A Tribune from the Roman fort of Antonia rescues Paul and commands that he be chained. The crowd clamours for the Apostle's blood, just as they had for his Lord's some three and a half decades earlier. In the barracks Paul speaks with the Tribune dismissing many of the fanciful thoughts as to who Paul might be. Paul asks for permission to address the crowd from the steps of the fort and his speech is recorded in chapter 22. Paul gives his defence in Hebrew and initially the crowd pays close attention. The aged Apostle describes his own education in the Pharisaic tradition under Gamaliel and his zeal for the Law. After this he tells of his experiences on the Damascus road, his conversion to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says that he is warned by Jesus his Lord to immediately leave Jerusalem since his testimony will not be accepted. The Jews attentively listen until Paul speaks of being sent to the Gentiles. Once again uproar follows and the Tribune commands that Paul be scourged that the Tribune might understand why the multitude were so angry with the Apostle. Paul, on this occasion, uses his Roman citizenship to avoid a pointless flogging. The chapter concludes with the Tribune intending to have Paul examined by the Jewish Sanhedrin on the next day.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

After 70 years of exile in Babylon Cyrus, the king of Persia, who had recently conquered the city of Babylon, decreed that the exiled Jews be allowed to return to Judea and to rebuild Jerusalem. The decree was made in BC 537. Read it aloud in verses 2-4 of Ezra 1. Two thousand five hundred and twenty years later the Embassy of the USA is relocated from Tel Aviv of Jerusalem and a coin is minted showing Cyrus on one side and the then American president, Donald Trump. The uncirculated coin - meaning the coin is not legal tender - is inscribed with the words from Ezra 1verses2. The gold and silver vessels of the former temple at Jerusalem which had been stored in the treasure house in Babylon are returned to the new temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. Chapter 2 of Ezra gives us an inventory of the vessels and speaks the faithful remnant who with Ezra the scribe. King Cyrus makes a generous donation towards the cost of rebuilding Jerusalem. The vessels represent the saintsverses Isaiah 22verses24; 2 Timothy 2verses20-21. Hosea 5 deals with the judgment to come upon faithless Israel and Judah. Yahweh would, like a lion, tear His people because of their rebellious ways firstly through the Assyrian lion who would carry Israel captive; and then Judah would experience a similar fate 120 years later at the hands of the Babylonians. Acts 21 records Paul's journey to Jerusalem. The Apostle comforts and encourages many groups of disciples as he heads to Jerusalem. An old prophet, named Agabus, attempts to persuade Paul to go no further. Paul will not, like his lord, be dissuaded from going. The first thing Paul does on his arrival is to see James who advises him of the best course of action to be taken so as to avoid trouble. The Apostle is advised to complete his Nazarite vow and to cover the expenses of four other brothers who are completing their vows. James reiterates to Paul that the only binding requirements on Gentile believers are the keeping of the four matters agreed upon at the Jerusalem Conference. However, Paul cannot peacefully complete his vow since he is arrested in the temple by Asian Jews. These hostile Jews mistakenly believe that Paul has profaned the temple by bringing Trophimus, a Gentile Ephesian into the temple. A Tribune from the Roman fort of Antonia rescues Paul and commands that he be chained. The crowd clamours for the Apostle's blood, just as they had for his Lord's some three and a half decades earlier. In the barracks Paul speaks with the Tribune dismissing many of the fanciful thoughts as to who Paul might be. Paul asks for permission to address the crowd from the steps of the fort and his speech is recorded in chapter 22. Paul gives his defence in Hebrew and initially the crowd pays close attention. The aged Apostle describes his own education in the Pharisaic tradition under Gamaliel and his zeal for the Law. After this he tells of his experiences on the Damascus road, his conversion to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says that he is warned by Jesus his Lord to immediately leave Jerusalem since his testimony will not be accepted. The Jews attentively listen until Paul speaks of being sent to the Gentiles. Once again uproar follows and the Tribune commands that Paul be scourged that the Tribune might understand why the multitude were so angry with the Apostle. Paul, on this occasion, uses his Roman citizenship to avoid a pointless flogging. The chapter concludes with the Tribune intending to have Paul examined by the Jewish Sanhedrin on the next day. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

In Do Whatever They Tell You, we explore Yeshua's words in Matthew 23:2–3, where He tells the crowd to obey the scribes and Pharisees who “sit in Moses' seat.” Did Yeshua affirm their teachings—or was He pointing to something deeper? This teaching examines the historical and textual background showing that Yeshua wasn't validating Pharisaic tradition but affirming obedience to the words of Moses they read aloud each Sabbath (Exodus 18:13–16; Acts 15:21; Matthew 23:1–4). When understood in context, Yeshua's command calls His followers to heed the Torah itself, not the traditions that make void the Word of God.Takeaway: Yeshua directs His people to hear Moses' words and live them—testing every teaching by Scripture, not by man-made authority.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary TimePrayer is the oxygen we need to spiritually live. It is our primary connection with God. In today's Gospel we read about two individuals who enter the temple to pray with different postures of this fundamental reality: the pharisee and the tax collector. The pharisee left the temple self-justified leading to further self-guilt and self-hatred. Whereas, the tax collector left justified by God. God listens not to perfection, but to humility. True prayer is is the posture of dependence, not pride. Pray like the tax collector and live like St. Paul-humble, grateful, and confident in God's mercy.Scripture Readings for October 26, 2025Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 232 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Luke 18:9-14 

7 September 2025Find out more about Jesus⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button.To give/tithe to the work of Hills Church, follow the link below⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/give⁠OverviewWeek 3 of “Sight That Leads to Surrender” (John 9). The man once blind is cast out by people—but sought out by Jesus. His journey lands where all true sight must: faith that bows in worship.PassageJohn 9:35–41 (supporting: Rev 3:20; Luke 19:10; John 4; James 4:6; Heb 13:8).Big IdeaJesus pursues the rejected; humility opens the door; true sight surrenders in worship.Flow / Movements 1. Jesus finds the cast-out (v.35) • “When Jesus heard… he found the man.” • Gospel heartbeat: the Shepherd moves toward the overlooked, excluded, humbled (cf. Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus). • Takeaway: You are not an afterthought to Jesus; he is the Initiator. 2. Humility opens; pride closes (vv.35–37) • “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” / “Who is he, sir? I want to believe.” • Posture matters: pride shuts the door, humility opens it (Rev 3:20; James 4:6). • “Son of Man” (Dan 7): the divine-human King with authority to save and judge. 3. Faith responds with worship (v.38) • “Yes, Lord, I believe”—and he worshiped. • He doesn't get a five-year plan; he gets a Person. Worship shifts eyes from what is unknown to Who is unchanging (Heb 13:8). 4. Sight & judgment clarified (vv.39–41) • “I came… to give sight to the blind and show those who think they see that they are blind.” • Judgment here = revelation/sifting: humble seekers receive light; self-assured “seers” harden into blindness. • Culpable blindness isn't lack of data; it's resistance to Jesus' light.Key Truths • Jesus pursues before we perform. Grace is first-mover. • Availability beats ability. The man's simple, honest need is the doorway to sight. • Worship is faith's first action. Bowing precedes explaining. • Blindness can be religious. Knowing Scripture yet missing its Author is the Pharisaic tragedy.Applications • Trade self-sufficiency for humble dependence. Name a place you've been “holding it together.” Pray, “Jesus, I need You here.” • Practice worship in uncertainty. This week, sing/pray before solving. Let praise precede plans. • Listen to learn, not to win. Shift from criticism to compassion—in family, team, and church conversations. • Welcome the cast-out. Who's on the margins you can actively seek, include, and seat near you? • Keep testimony simple. Before—Jesus—After. Share it with one person; give Jesus the credit.#hillschurch #beencouraged #nathanbell #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.

In this compelling episode of Proclaiming Justice, Laurie Cardoza-Moore continues her conversation with Yaffa Batya da Costa to expose the growing threat of replacement theology. Together, they unpack Romans 11, the writings of Paul, and the historical reality that Jesus and Paul taught from a Hebraic perspective rooted in the Torah.From the ancient Inquisition to modern conservative circles, this dangerous teaching has resurfaced—often under the guise of patriotism or nationalism—driving a wedge between Christians and Jews. Yaffa explains how the early Church Fathers distorted first-century faith, why Pharisaic tradition matters, and what the Bible truly says about Israel's eternal covenant.Listeners will come away equipped to recognize antisemitism in their churches and armed with historical and biblical truth to counter it.Follow Proclaiming Justice on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and share this episode with others who need to hear the truth.Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us equip more Christians to stand with Israel and fight antisemitism.✨ Stay connected with PJTN! ✨

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.The Art of Spiritual SubversionWhat Jesus exposed was the Pharisees' sophisticated methodology for changing, altering, and ultimately subverting the values, principles, and doctrines of God for their own selfish, self-centered religious agenda. The term "tradition" in this context refers not merely to cultural practices or ceremonial preferences, but to an entire framework of interpretation and application that served the Pharisees' institutional interests rather than God's redemptive purposes. They had developed what Jesus called "a fine way" of accomplishing this subversion; a methodical approach that maintained religious respectability while gutting spiritual authenticity.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.The Art of Spiritual SubversionWhat Jesus exposed was the Pharisees' sophisticated methodology for changing, altering, and ultimately subverting the values, principles, and doctrines of God for their own selfish, self-centered religious agenda. The term "tradition" in this context refers not merely to cultural practices or ceremonial preferences, but to an entire framework of interpretation and application that served the Pharisees' institutional interests rather than God's redemptive purposes. They had developed what Jesus called "a fine way" of accomplishing this subversion; a methodical approach that maintained religious respectability while gutting spiritual authenticity.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.The Art of Spiritual SubversionWhat Jesus exposed was the Pharisees' sophisticated methodology for changing, altering, and ultimately subverting the values, principles, and doctrines of God for their own selfish, self-centered religious agenda. The term "tradition" in this context refers not merely to cultural practices or ceremonial preferences, but to an entire framework of interpretation and application that served the Pharisees' institutional interests rather than God's redemptive purposes. They had developed what Jesus called "a fine way" of accomplishing this subversion; a methodical approach that maintained religious respectability while gutting spiritual authenticity.

THOUGHT PATTERN AND THE RELIGIOUS MINDSETJesus Christ said of the Pharisees: "You Make the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:13This exploration of transformative thinking would be incomplete without addressing one of the most insidious obstacles to spiritual growth and maturity: the religious mindset. Far from being a minor theological error or concern, the religious mindset represents one of the most dangerous frameworks of thinking, plaguing a larger part of today's church. It's devastating impact extends beyond just an individual pattern of thinking; This is a well-organized systematic operation of the forces of darkness by using what sounds biblical and spiritual to do damage by dividing the Body of Christ. Its main object is to cripple the advancement of God's purpose within a society or region. May believers are living below God's divine provision and plan due to this powerful mindset.The apostle Paul's instruction to "take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) cannot be fully implemented if we ignore or casually dismiss this powerful religious system. This system operates as a demonic arsenal specifically designed to limit the advancement of God's purposes within communities, regions, and nations. "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:5The apostle Paul's warning about those who maintain "the form of godliness but deny its power" describes one of the most challenging and deceptive positions any believer can encounter when confronting religious mindsets. This condition represents the very essence of what makes religious thinking so insidious, it provides all the external forms and displays that appear righteous and sound doctrinally correct, while systematically denying the power, values, principles, and standards that allow the authentic life of God to flow through such systems.This particular manifestation of religious mindset finds its most perfect historical expression in the system established by the Pharisees, a system whose influence extends far beyond first-century Judaism and continues to operate within contemporary Christianity and broader society. The Pharisaic model demonstrates how religious structure can become the very mechanism that prevents genuine spiritual transformation while maintaining an appearance of spiritual authority.In Mark 7:13, Jesus delivered a bold and penetrating statement that challenged the entire leadership order of His day. His words to the Pharisees and elders were uncompromising: "You make the word of God of no effect because of your tradition which you have handed down." This declaration provides crucial insight into how religious mindsets operate and perpetuate themselves across generations.On the surface level, this statement might appear to address a simple conflict between old traditions and new teaching. However, when we allow the Spirit of God to illuminate the deeper doctrinal implications of what the Pharisees were systematically doing, a far more troubling pattern emerges.The Art of Spiritual SubversionWhat Jesus exposed was the Pharisees' sophisticated methodology for changing, altering, and ultimately subverting the values, principles, and doctrines of God for their own selfish, self-centered religious agenda. The term "tradition" in this context refers not merely to cultural practices or ceremonial preferences, but to an entire framework of interpretation and application that served the Pharisees' institutional interests rather than God's redemptive purposes. They had developed what Jesus called "a fine way" of accomplishing this subversion; a methodical approach that maintained religious respectability while gutting spiritual authenticity.

In the Christian church, the Pharisees are often seen as the epitome of hypocrisy.-- the essence of all that is wrong with Judaism. But what if Jesus' teachings were borrowed straight from the traditional writings of these rabbis? What if Jesus wasn't teaching something "new" but something "true" that had always existed in the sacred teachings of these Jewish sages. Kathy and Gary demonstrate how Jesus' teaching flowed in the stream of Pharisaic teaching of his day. Placing his teachings in their proper perspective and context hopefully chips away at underlying anti-Jewish messaging in the Christian church.

Acts 21 records Paul's journey to Jerusalem. The Apostle comforts and encourages many groups of disciples as he heads to Jerusalem. An old prophet, named Agabus, attempts to persuade Paul to go no further. Paul will not, like his lord, be dissuaded from going. The first thing Paul does on his arrival is to see James who advises him of the best course of action to be taken so as to avoid trouble. The Apostle is advised to complete his Nazarite vow and to cover the expenses of four other brothers who are completing their vows. James reiterates to Paul that the only binding requirements on Gentile believers are the keeping of the four matters agreed upon at the Jerusalem Conference. However, Paul cannot peacefully complete his vow since he is arrested in the temple by Asian Jews. These hostile Jews mistakenly believe that Paul has profaned the temple by bringing Trophimus, a Gentile Ephesian into the temple. A Tribune from the Roman fort of Antonia rescues Paul and commands that he be chained. The crowd clamours for the Apostle's blood, just as they had for his Lord's some three and a half decades earlier. In the barracks Paul speaks with the Tribune dismissing many of the fanciful thoughts as to who Paul might be. Paul asks for permission to address the crowd from the steps of the fort and his speech is recorded in chapter 22. Paul gives his defence in Hebrew and initially the crowd pays close attention. The aged Apostle describes his own education in the Pharisaic tradition under Gamaliel and his zeal for the Law. After this he tells of his experiences on the Damascus road, his conversion to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says that he is warned by Jesus his Lord to immediately leave Jerusalem since his testimony will not be accepted. The Jews attentively listen until Paul speaks of being sent to the Gentiles. Once again uproar follows and the Tribune commands that Paul be scourged that the Tribune might understand why the multitude were so angry with the Apostle. Paul, on this occasion, uses his Roman citizenship to avoid a pointless flogging. The chapter concludes with the Tribune intending to have Paul examined by the Jewish Sanhedrin on the next day.

In this session, biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan examines the fundamental conflict between two competing visions in the ancient world: divine deliverance and human resistance. He contrasts the positions of two self-identified Pharisees - Paul and Josephus - revealing how Josephus portrayed Rome's imperial power as divinely ordained while Paul offered a radical alternative vision. Most provocatively, Crossan uncovers evidence of organized nonviolent resistance movements in first-century Judaism that predated Jesus and Paul, suggesting these movements connected Pharisaic beliefs about the resurrection with nonviolent opposition to empire. This historical context illuminates Jesus' command to "love your enemies" as a form of nonviolent resistance, challenging us to consider whether humanity must embrace Paul's radical vision of justice over empire to become a sustainable species. Through archaeological and textual evidence, Crossan demonstrates how these competing worldviews physically manifested in the ancient world, ultimately asking whether Paul's alternative vision remains our best hope against escalating violence. To access all 5 of Crossan's lectures, submit questions, and join future live streams, head here to join the class. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida. Previous Podcast Episodes with Dom & Tripp Paul, Rome, & the Violent Normalcy of Civilization Paul & the Fictional History of Luke-Acts Paul & Thecla Ask JC Anything Diana Butler Bass & John Dominic Crossan: The Resurrection of Jesus Brian McLaren & John Dominic Crossan: The Message of Jesus & the Judgement of Civilization Brian Zahnd & John Dominic Crossan: God, Violence, Empire, & Salvation Why the Biblical Paul is Awesome Christian Resurrection & Human Evolution The Cross & the Crisis of Civilization The Coming Kingdom & the Risen Christ The Parables of Jesus & the Parable of God How to think about Jesus like a Historian the Last Week of Jesus' Life Jesus, Paul, & Bible Questions Saving the Biblical Christmas Stories the most important discovery for understanding Jesus The Bible, Violence, & Our Future Resurrecting Easter on the First Christmas   From Jesus' Parables to Parables of God  Render Unto Caesar on God & Empire Join Dom Crossan at ...Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast for March 23, 2025RighteousnessDescription:J.P. discusses true righteousness from Matthew 5:19-20, emphasizing inner transformation through faith, surpassing Pharisaic superficiality, and adhering to God's unchanging truth.Chapters:0:00 Opening00:00:49 What Does It Mean to Be Truly Righteous?00:06:57 Jesus' Sermon on the Mount-00:15:14 The Absolute Truth of Scripture00:21:31 Matthew 5:1900:30:41 True righteousness is not about looking righteous or even living a Christian life00:39:14 All About ItRecorded on March 23, 2025 at Skycrest Community Church.

In Good Will Hunting, a math professor watches in anguish as Will Hunting burns a page of groundbreaking equations—his life's passion reduced to ashes. Will, however, is unfazed. This clash of values mirrors Paul's perspective. He takes everything his opponents prize—status, heritage, achievement—and sets it ablaze. Circumcision, Pharisaic righteousness, and zeal for God are mere ash heaps compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. True status isn't found in human credentials but in being united with Christ, conformed to His death and resurrection. Any boasting apart from Him not only misses the point but insults God Himself. This is the scandal of grace—the radical message that righteousness comes not by human effort but by the resurrecting power of God. This is Understanding Philippians Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you'd like us to reply)In which John and David explore Paul's strategic use of Roman citizenship and Pharisaic identity in Acts 22–23. We discuss how Paul navigates power dynamics, shifts conversations, and exposes the divisions within the Sanhedrin. The episode highlights how Paul's argument for resurrection sparks controversy, drawing a connection between resurrection and the inclusion of the Gentiles. They reflect on the dangers of oversimplifying complex issues, the biblical critique of power, and how Paul's testimony ultimately serves the spread of the gospel. What can we learn from Paul's wisdom in engaging with hostile audiences? Episode 183 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence 126If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love it if you left a review or comment where you're listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021________Help us keep Two Texts free for everyone by becoming a supporter of the show John and David want to ensure that Two Texts always remains free content for everyone. We don't want to create a paywall or have premium content that would exclude others. However, Two Texts costs us around £60 per month (US$75; CAD$100) to make. If you'd like to support the show with even just a small monthly donation it would help ensure we can continue to produce the content that you love. Thank you so much.Support the show

Start your year with a biblical perspective on God's commands in this episode of Words of Grace with Ben Winslett. Exploring 1 John 5, we reflect on John's assertion that God's commandments are not grievous. What does it mean that His commands are not heavy or unbearable, as compared to Old Testament law or Pharisaic … Continue reading "God’s Commandments Are Not Grievous!"

Send us a textWhat does it truly mean to be part of Israel in the context of salvation? Join us on this intriguing exploration as we examine Paul's radical transformation and his reflections on trading Pharisaic zeal and Jewish heritage for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. We unravel the profound shift in values Paul underwent, moving from pride in his lineage and adherence to the law to considering these attributes worthless compared to his faith in Christ. Our discussion ventures into the theological divide between Christianity and Judaism, emphasizing Jesus Christ's pivotal role as the Messiah and the implications of Paul's teachings on the salvation of Israel.We'll challenge the notion of guaranteed salvation for national Israel and confront the controversial idea of universalism. Through examining scriptural insights and Paul's teachings, we highlight that true Israel comprises those who have faith in God through Jesus Christ, transcending ethnic backgrounds. The conversation takes a fiery turn as we tackle the contentious debate on hell and universal salvation, underscoring that salvation is through Christ alone. Tune in to hear our passionate reflections and historical parallels, emphasizing that true salvation is tied to faith and being regarded as a child of Abraham, not merely by heritage or nationality.Support the show

Shalom Aleikhem, my dear listeners, believer and nonbeliver alike! Welcome back to another blog post of #FindingHyerGround - Messianic Jewish Perspectives on Modern Day Events - a Spotify for Podcasters publication now streaming on all major platforms and bringing the Good News of Salvation through Messiah Yeshua to 28 countries including Uzbekistan

This message was delivered on Nov 10, 2024 at Amity UCC in Meyersdale, PA. Text: Mark 12:28-44

This is part three (3 of 3) of a book review of a book arguing Jesus is for gun control. The book advocates criminalization of paradigmatically innocent conduct in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The book by professor Mike Austin called "God, Guns and America." This is part one of a review of the book with Kurtis Olson on FB LIVE 1 April 2021 at 7:36 pm. This episode was co-hosted and co-produced by Mr. Kurtis Olson. The Republican Professor is a pro-correctly-hemming-the-parameters-of-the-criminal-law-to-conduct-genuinely-criminal-and-not-innocent-conduct podcast The Republican Professor is produced and hosted by Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. Buy the producer a cup of coffee at Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/lucasj.mather Or, support the costs of the podcast @TheRepublicanProfessor on Venmo. Any support is much appreciated and every penny counts now more than ever. Warmly, Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. The Republican Professor Podcast The Republican Professor Newsletter on Substack https://therepublicanprofessor.substack.com/ https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/podcast/ https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/articles/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRepublicanProfessor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRepublicanProfessor Twitter: @RepublicanProf Instagram: @the_republican_professor

On this episode of the MiU podcast, the Bow Tie Guy sits in the guest seat as Giselle and Bev interview him about his brand new book "Hookers in Heaven". Listen to the show, then go get a copy of the new book on Amazon and Apple Books.

In this engaging episode of *Exploring Scripture*, host Wayne Heins and co-host Jeremy Griffin dive into the complexities of Acts Chapter 23, unraveling the dynamics of Paul's confrontation with the high priest Ananias and the ensuing drama before the Jewish council. Kicking off with a reading from the end of Chapter 22, Wayne sets the scene for Paul's bold declaration of conscience and the heated response from Ananias, which sparks a rich discussion about righteousness, authority, and the nature of conflict. As the narrative unfolds, Wayne and Jeremy explore the strategic maneuvering of Paul, who declares his Pharisaic roots to ignite a division between the Pharisees and Sadducees. This moment not only illustrates Paul's cleverness but also mirrors the tensions that often arise within modern-day churches. The hosts bring to light the importance of unity within the body of Christ and the challenges that congregations face when differing ideologies clash. The conversation deepens as they reflect on God's redemptive plan, particularly observing how He can guide us back to our intended path, even when we veer off course. Drawing parallels between Paul's journey and their own experiences, Wayne and Jeremy emphasize the significance of patience and trust in God's timing—a reminder that His plans may unfold beyond our immediate understanding. As they wrap up the episode, the hosts invite listeners to approach Scripture with an open mind, encouraging them to seek the rich insights and lessons embedded within, even in the seemingly mundane passages, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate new dimensions of faith and understanding. Tune in for an enlightening discussion that promises to deepen your appreciation for the intricacies of Scripture and the ever-relevant themes of faith, conflict, and redemption. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/reduxchurch/support

We head back into Mark in our Gospel today and into the thick of Pharisaic criticism. Jesus is asked why his disciples do not wash their hands before eating. To fully understand the Pharisees' charge we take a step back and explore the heart and history of the Pharisaic school of thought. What we find in the Pharisees are Jews zealous for the law of God but fixated on ancillary things, things that inevitably distort their judgment, corrupt their heart, and prevent them from seeing that which they've longed for most: the Messiah who's standing right in front of them.

Experience the power of Jesus' teachings and miracles at a Pharisaic feast, where divine compassion confronts legalistic traditions.In this episode, we explore the tension between Jesus and the Pharisees during a feast, where Jesus challenges their understanding of the Sabbath and performs a miraculous healing. Witness the unfolding drama as Jesus' acts of compassion and justice clash with the rigid legalism of the religious leaders.Today's Bible verse is Micah 6:8, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The familiar story of Jesus' nighttime conversation with the Pharisaic leader, Nicodemus, centers on the “birth from above,” a birth that allows us both to see and enter the Kingdom of God. Audible whispers of the One True God as Triune echo throughout the conversational exchange. Although the Church's teaching on the Trinity is so deeply rooted in the Scriptures and the deepest theological reflections of the Church, and although trinitarian teaching is one of the most foundational and distinctive teachings of the Christian faith, it is a doctrine that, while surely acknowledged by orthodox believers, is avoided and neglected. The doctrine of the Trinity is thought to be merely abstract and philosophical, largely detached from day-to-day living. But trinitarian thought is at the center of God's Being, as the God who “loves [us] and gave himself for [us]“ (Gal 2:20). God is love [agape]” (1 John 4:7), and agape love requires an “Other” to whom and for whom One offers Oneself in self-giving, humble, Other-centered service. This God of eternal, loving, communion is the One who gives us new birth, into the kingdom of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and into a new family of brothers and sisters in Messiah Jesus. The image associated with this podcast is "Jesus and Nicodemus (a study)" by Henry Ossawa Tanner.

In this episode, Mike chats with Jason Hensley about his book 'One Family' and the importance of recognizing the Jewish roots of Christianity. They begin by discussing the historical setting of first-century Judaism, discussing the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes. Jason underscores the importance of viewing Jesus within his Jewish context, highlighting how his teachings align with Pharisaic teachings. He describes Jesus as a “reformer working on the inside”.  Mike and Jason examine the impact of the temple's destruction in 70 CE on the Jewish religious leadership and Christian followers. Finally, Jason shares his hope that readers will recognize the deep connections between biblical Christianity and Judaism, urging them to stand against anti-Semitism. Purchase book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CT8CHWXV --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/a-little-faith/message

This is part 10 of the Read the Bible For Yourself. We've taken our time working through the Old Testament, section by section. Before we tackle the New Testament and look at the Gospels, we need to talk about the time between the Old and New Testaments. In the gap of roughly four hundred years, massive political and cultural changes occurred. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we see anything about the Romans, Pharisees, Sadducees, or the Sanhedrin. In today's episode I'll catch you up on what happened after the OT and before the NT so you can better understand the world in which Jesus functioned. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3humYIVYho&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2TrdUEDtAipF3jy4qYspM_&index=10 —— Links —— See other episodes in Read the Bible For Yourself Other classes are available here, including How We Got the Bible, which explores the manuscript transmission and translation of the Bible Get the transcript of this episode Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Recent History Persians: Cyrus the Great Greeks: Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes Hellenization (2 Maccabees 4.7, 10-15; 1 Maccabees 1.41-53) Maccabean Revolution: Mattathias, Judah the Maccabee, Jonathan Apphus, Simon Thassi, John Hyrcanus, Aristobulus I, Alexander Jannaeus, Salome Alexandra, Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus II Romans: Pompey the Great annexed Judea in 63bc Herodian Dynasty: Herod the Great and his descendants Geographical and Political Setting Roman Empire: Augustus (27bc-ad14), Tiberius (14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68) Provinces: every region outside of Italy Galilee: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Antipas (4bc-ad39), Herod Agrippa I (37-44) Judea: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Archelaus (4bc-ad6), Coponius (6-9), Marcus Ambivulus (9-12), Annius Rufus (12-15), Valerius Gratus (15-26), Pontius Pilate (26-36), Marcellus (36-37), Marullus (37-41), Herod Agrippa I (41-44) Samaria: under Judean jurisdiction; Samaritans and Jews conflicted with each other Jewish Groups Sadducees controlled the temple partners with Roman governors wealthy aristocrats chief priests were the leaders only accepted the Torah as scripture didn't believe in resurrection or angels Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah accepted the law (Torah), prophets (Nevi'im), and writings (Kethuvim) oral tradition & fence laws not in power at the time of Jesus, except those in the Sanhedrin Sanhedrin Romans established 5 councils over 5 districts most important council was in Jerusalem had temple police at their disposal to arrest people could meet out punishments except capital punishment, which was reserved for the Roman governor Scribes every group had scribes even Paul used scribes to write his letters (Tertius in Rom 16.22) writing was a skill copy scripture to preserve it called lawyers or experts in the law Revolutionaries wanted to overthrow Roman occupation Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews23 “But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man Lord” John's Renewal Movement called people to repent baptized them in the Jordan River possible connection with the Essenes Important Issues Temple Taxes Torah Unrest Review When the Greeks conquered the world, they made cities adopt their customs, culture, language, and religion. When Antiochus Epiphanes forcibly Hellenized Judah, it resulted in the Maccabean Revolution under Mattathias and his sons. After they won their independence, the Hasmonean Dynasty ruled up until 63bc when Pompey annexed Judea into the Roman Empire. Herod the Great and his descendants ruled over the region for many years, though in Judea the Romans directly ruled through governors. During Jesus' ministry Herod Antipas ruled in Galilee and Pontius Pilate governed Judea and Samaria. Sadducees partnered with the Roman government and controlled the temple. The Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah, according to the traditions of the elders. The Sanhedrin was a council in Jerusalem made of Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled a police force and ruled on legal issues. Scribes copied scripture and had expert knowledge of the Law of Moses. Jesus lived in a time of fragile peace when Roman provocations threatened to light the match of Jewish revolution at any moment.

Most people pay attention to actions more than to words. They hear what you say, but they see more what you do. We we do in life echoes in eternity.No matter what you are going through today, don't quit and do not be defeated.You are doing the best you can, Remember, giving up is not who you are. You may pause, take a long breath, pivot and then keep going. In faith and by God's grace, you can overcome. You can be at peace again soon of you trust in God and are patient.Possible Date for Christ's ResurrectionMany scholars believe that Christ died and rose from the dead again in AD 30. Even more prefer a date in AD 33, although champions of several other dates can also be found. If the events recorded in the gospels took place in AD 33, then this day, April 23, 33 is the probable date for Christ's resurrection.To be clear, the Bible does not explicitly specify the precise date of Jesus's crucifixion and it is not an essential salvation truth. But that does not make it unknowable or unimportant. Because Christianity is a historical religion and the events of Christ's life did take place in human history alongside other known events, it is helpful to locate Jesus's death—as precisely as the available evidence allows—within the larger context of human history.In the Pharisaic-rabbinic calendar commonly used in Jesus's day, Passover always falls on the fifteenth day of Nisan (Exodus 12:6), which begins Thursday after sundown and ends Friday at sundown. In the year a.d. 33, the most likely year of Jesus's crucifixion, Nisan 15 fell on April 3, yielding April 3, a.d. 33, as the most likely date for the crucifixion.

Lesson 10 Notes Download Recent History Persians: Cyrus the Great Greeks: Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes Hellenization (2 Maccabees 4.7, 10-15; 1 Maccabees 1.41-53) Maccabean Revolution: Mattathias, Judah the Maccabee, Jonathan Apphus, Simon Thassi, John Hyrcanus, Aristobulus I, Alexander Jannaeus, Salome Alexandra, Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus II Romans: Pompey the Great annexed Judea in 63bc Herodian Dynasty: Herod the Great and his descendants Geographical and Political Setting Roman Empire: Augustus (27bc-ad14), Tiberius (14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68) Provinces: every region outside of Italy Galilee: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Antipas (4bc-ad39), Herod Agrippa I (37-44) Judea: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Archelaus (4bc-ad6), Coponius (6-9), Marcus Ambivulus (9-12), Annius Rufus (12-15), Valerius Gratus (15-26), Pontius Pilate (26-36), Marcellus (36-37), Marullus (37-41), Herod Agrippa I (41-44) Samaria: under Judean jurisdiction; Samaritans and Jews conflicted with each other Jewish Groups Sadducees controlled the temple partners with Roman governors wealthy aristocrats chief priests were the leaders only accepted the Torah as scripture didn't believe in resurrection or angels Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah accepted the law (Torah), prophets (Nevi'im), and writings (Kethuvim) oral tradition & fence laws not in power at the time of Jesus, except those in the Sanhedrin Sanhedrin Romans established 5 councils over 5 districts most important council was in Jerusalem had temple police at their disposal to arrest people could meet out punishments except capital punishment, which was reserved for the Roman governor Scribes every group had scribes even Paul used scribes to write his letters (Tertius in Rom 16.22) writing was a skill copy scripture to preserve it called lawyers or experts in the law Revolutionaries wanted to overthrow Roman occupation Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews23 “But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man Lord” John's Renewal Movement called people to repent baptized them in the Jordan River possible connection with the Essenes Important Issues Temple Taxes Torah Unrest Review When the Greeks conquered the world, they made cities adopt their customs, culture, language, and religion. When Antiochus Epiphanes forcibly Hellenized Judah, it resulted in the Maccabean Revolution under Mattathias and his sons. After they won their independence, the Hasmonean Dynasty ruled up until 63bc when Pompey annexed Judea into the Roman Empire. Herod the Great and his descendants ruled over the region for many years, though in Judea the Romans directly ruled through governors. During Jesus’ ministry Herod Antipas ruled in Galilee and Pontius Pilate governed Judea and Samaria. Sadducees partnered with the Roman government and controlled the temple. The Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah, according to the traditions of the elders. The Sanhedrin was a council in Jerusalem made of Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled a police force and ruled on legal issues. Scribes copied scripture and had expert knowledge of the Law of Moses. Jesus lived in a time of fragile peace when Roman provocations threatened to light the match of Jewish revolution at any moment. The post 10: Key Background for Reading the New Testament first appeared on Living Hope.

Lesson 10 Notes Download Recent History Persians: Cyrus the Great Greeks: Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes Hellenization (2 Maccabees 4.7, 10-15; 1 Maccabees 1.41-53) Maccabean Revolution: Mattathias, Judah the Maccabee, Jonathan Apphus, Simon Thassi, John Hyrcanus, Aristobulus I, Alexander Jannaeus, Salome Alexandra, Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus II Romans: Pompey the Great annexed Judea in 63bc Herodian Dynasty: Herod the Great and his descendants Geographical and Political Setting Roman Empire: Augustus (27bc-ad14), Tiberius (14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68) Provinces: every region outside of Italy Galilee: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Antipas (4bc-ad39), Herod Agrippa I (37-44) Judea: Herod the Great (37-4bc), Herod Archelaus (4bc-ad6), Coponius (6-9), Marcus Ambivulus (9-12), Annius Rufus (12-15), Valerius Gratus (15-26), Pontius Pilate (26-36), Marcellus (36-37), Marullus (37-41), Herod Agrippa I (41-44) Samaria: under Judean jurisdiction; Samaritans and Jews conflicted with each other Jewish Groups Sadducees controlled the temple partners with Roman governors wealthy aristocrats chief priests were the leaders only accepted the Torah as scripture didn't believe in resurrection or angels Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah accepted the law (Torah), prophets (Nevi'im), and writings (Kethuvim) oral tradition & fence laws not in power at the time of Jesus, except those in the Sanhedrin Sanhedrin Romans established 5 councils over 5 districts most important council was in Jerusalem had temple police at their disposal to arrest people could meet out punishments except capital punishment, which was reserved for the Roman governor Scribes every group had scribes even Paul used scribes to write his letters (Tertius in Rom 16.22) writing was a skill copy scripture to preserve it called lawyers or experts in the law Revolutionaries wanted to overthrow Roman occupation Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews23 “But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. They also do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man Lord” John's Renewal Movement called people to repent baptized them in the Jordan River possible connection with the Essenes Important Issues Temple Taxes Torah Unrest Review When the Greeks conquered the world, they made cities adopt their customs, culture, language, and religion. When Antiochus Epiphanes forcibly Hellenized Judah, it resulted in the Maccabean Revolution under Mattathias and his sons. After they won their independence, the Hasmonean Dynasty ruled up until 63bc when Pompey annexed Judea into the Roman Empire. Herod the Great and his descendants ruled over the region for many years, though in Judea the Romans directly ruled through governors. During Jesus’ ministry Herod Antipas ruled in Galilee and Pontius Pilate governed Judea and Samaria. Sadducees partnered with the Roman government and controlled the temple. The Pharisees focused on obedience to Torah, according to the traditions of the elders. The Sanhedrin was a council in Jerusalem made of Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled a police force and ruled on legal issues. Scribes copied scripture and had expert knowledge of the Law of Moses. Jesus lived in a time of fragile peace when Roman provocations threatened to light the match of Jewish revolution at any moment. The post 10: Key Background for Reading the New Testament first appeared on Living Hope.

Lord, as we end one year and begin another, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for preserving us to this moment, sustaining us by the power of your spirit. And we thank you Lord that you continue to reveal yourself to us. That's what we long for. More than anything else, is your presence. We long to know you. We long to know your will and Lord, as we open up the scriptures and as we look at a text where you emphasize the preeminence of God's law, I pray, make us a people that love your law, love your 10 commandments. Stare deeply, gaze deeply into your law, seeking how we can grow in faithfulness, how we can grow in obedience. And as we do, you will grow us in fruitfulness. Lord, to make our church a church that loves your word, reveres your word. Make Bostonians like the Bereans that eagerly accept your word and on a daily basis, examine to see if it's true.If it's true that you are a God who reveals yourself, a God who guides us, and God who gave us the law to guard us from evil, show us what it means that you sent your son Jesus Christ because we disobeyed the law, we sinned against you. You sent your son to walk in the ways of faithfulness and then to offer himself as a sacrifice in our behalf in order to forgive us. And we thank you Lord that you offer that sacrifice. If anyone is not yet a believer today, Lord, show them where they've transgressed the commandments and show them that sin and the penalty for is eternal damnation and that Christ took all of that on the cross and whosoever believes, repents and turns from sin to Christ is granted forgiveness and eternal life. I pray save many even today and Lord bless our time in the holy scriptures and we pray all this in Christ's name.Amen.We're continuing our servant series through the Gospel of Mark. We've called it Kingdom Come, the Gospel of Mark and the secret of God's kingdom. And the idea is that the kingdom has come and Jesus has come to establish the kingdom and we are to be a people that pray. Lord, may your kingdom continue to expand in our life and where we live. And as we end one year and begin another, it's helpful to take account of the year past. Remember lessons learned, consider changes to make and make resolutions that pesky word, pesky, pesky. We don't like that word resolutions, but I urge you, church, I challenge you, make this resolution. If you have never read the Bible cover to cover, resolve that this year you are going to change that. Cover to cover, four chapters a day. There's about 1200 chapters in the Bible, four chapters a day that's got you reading 300 or so days of the year.You've got 65 days off to study the Psalter and the Proverbs and go deeper. But four chapters a day, it's about 20 minutes and that's a tremendous time to spend with the Lord. And I say that because it's not the resolutions that change us, it's the reformation that we make in our life. It's the restructuring of the routine. It's the spiritual disciplines that we welcome in. That's what really changes us. We need not just resolutions or short-term change, we need a reformation. We need to be reformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We're like clay in the potter's hands. He's shaping us, he's forming us, he's reforming us. And this reformation or transformation as Romans 12 puts it happens when our minds are renewed according to the word of God, when our minds are saturated with the word of God. It's the word of God when applied by the spirit of God that leads to true transformation and lasting reformation.One of the great principles that came out of the reformation along with the five solos, if you're not familiar with them, here they are. Sola scriptura, that's scripture alone, Sola gratia, that's grace alone, Sola fide, that's faith alone, Solus Christus, that's Christ alone, and Soli Deo gloria to the glory of God alone.Well, along with those five, there was also the principle of semper reformanda, which is always reforming. The title of my sermon today is always becoming reformed and the idea isn't that we are capitulating to the culture, that we're evolving in order to make the message more palatable. No, the message is that we study the holy scriptures and we long for the holy scriptures to reform us and reform how we live, reform how we worship the Lord. And the church should always be seeking to change in ways that make its testimonies more faithful to God's revelation.The church is formed by the word of God and it's always being reformed by the word of God just as individuals are. And how does reformation happen in our lives and in the churches in our land? When we look into the word of God and to the law of God and say, "Lord, where have I been unfaithful to your word? Where have I added to your word or where have I subtracted from your word?" Deuteronomy 4:2 says, "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."And you say, "Well, which word is he talking about here in Deuteronomy?" Don't add or take away from which word? Well, in the same chapter in verse nine through 14, he explains, "Only take care and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen unless they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.""How on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, gather the people to me that I may let them hear my words so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth and that they may teach their children also. And so you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain where the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud and gloom. Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form. There was only a voice. And he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, that is the Ten Commandments. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules that you might do them in the land that you were going over to possess."Well, what word do we not to add or subtract from? It's the 10 commandments. And adding to the law of God is legalism and taking away from the law of God is antinomianism and Jesus didn't add to the law of God, but he did uphold the 10 laws to show us primarily that we have sinned against God, therefore we need Christ's sacrifice. And then once we've received Christ's sacrifice and his grace, we are then to out of gratitude, live according to the law that in primarily motivated by love for God and neighbor.Today we're in Mark 7:1-23. As we continue our series, would you look at the text with me?Now when the Pharisees gathered to him with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is unwashed. For the Pharisees and all the Jews did not eat unless they washed their hands properly holding to the tradition of the elders. 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. 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?" 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. In vain do they worship me teaching his doctrines the commandments of men? You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition.""For Moses said, honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die." But you say, "If a man tells his father or his mother, whatever you would've gained from me is Corban, that is given to God, then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down and many such things you do."And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me all of you and understand, 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." And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable 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 since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled?" Thus he declared all foods clean. And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him for from within out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, sexual morality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, all these evil things come from within and they defile a person."This is the reading of God's holy, inherent and infallible, authoritative word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. Three points to frame up our time. First traditions are not God's commandments. Second God's 10 commandments are God's commandments. And three, the law cuts and Jesus regenerates.First, traditions are not God's commandments. In Mark 7:1 says, "The Pharisees gathered to him and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem." These are the representatives of the big establishment religion.The scribes in the Pharisees did not approve of Jesus. Jesus did not have their stamp of approval as he's doing his ministry. They were furious with Jesus that he would eat with sinners and tax collectors. They became angrier when Jesus rejected their distinctions between clean and unclean. And the scribes and the Pharisees challenged Jesus' view of fasting as well as Jesus' view of the Sabbath observance. And Jesus showed no qualms whatsoever in defying these traditions, rejecting their oral traditions. In many ways, I was sharing the gospel recently with someone. They say, "You know what? Jesus sounds kind of like a rebel, kind of like a renegade." And I was like, "Yes, he's the revolutionary of deregulating religion. He's God, it's his law, it's his word. He's come." And he said, "That's all made up and that's all made up and that's all made up." And he's pointing people to the law of God because it's only the law of God that can show us our need for God's grace.So yes, he confounded the canon lawyers and he sent them into fits of rage. How? By just teaching the plain word of God, God's law, what it says, what it doesn't say with absolute precision. For Jesus the oral traditions were not binding, they were not law, they were just decorum. Jesus rejects the authority of their tradition and therefore he openly contradicted what they taught and practiced. And so he made a lot of enemies and that's what ultimately got him crucified. And these men were sent from Jerusalem indicating that their representatives of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish ruling body in Jerusalem. Like Herod Antipas, members of the Sanhedrin had heard about Jesus Christ. They perceived him to be someone that can mobilize people, therefore they perceive him to be a threat. And some of the religious leaders even accused Jesus Christ of doing his ministry because he was demon possessed.They said, you cast out demons by the power of Satan. And as a result, Jesus places upon them the ultimate covenant curse that no forgiveness in this age or in the age to come was given to the blasphemers of the blessed Holy Spirit. So the Jewish leadership, the Pharisees, they've sworn to destroy Jesus, they've partnered with the Herodians and they gather to him, the verb used to gather to him here is the same one used in Psalm 2, which is a messianic prophetic Psalm about Christ that the anointed one will come and the rulers of the day will rise against him in opposition. And that's exactly what they're doing. In other Psalms, the same verb is used for the wicked conspiring against the righteous to take his life. For example, Psalm 31:13. "For I hear the whispering of many terror on every side as they scheme together against me as they plot to take my life," or Psalm 35:15."But at my stumbling, they rejoiced and gathered. They gathered together against me, wretches whom I did not know, tore at me without ceasing."And the fact that the scribes who interrogate Jesus, they come down from Jerusalem marks that the opposition is coming from the center of power from Jerusalem where Jesus will be eventually executed. In verse two, "They saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is unwashed for the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly holding to the tradition of the elders. 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."The hand washing is not a biblical... You should wash your hands. That's not what we're talking.We're talking about what makes you moral. That's what they're getting. What they're doing is immoral. They're sinning. That's the conversation. The hand washing that they're alluding to. It's not a biblical requirement for lay people. In the Old Testament, only the priests are required to wash their hands before offering a sacrifice. And the Pharisees however they thought, you know what, this is a good thing to do. We should have everybody do it. We're going to regulate this on absolutely everyone on the theory that every Jew should live as a priest and every Jewish home should become like the temple. The reasoning sounds very rational. And in this tradition, that's what the tradition forces forms the basis of their challenge. Though this was only a priestly requirement from the law of God, all the pious Jews at the time of Jesus had been doing this for about 200 years.So Jesus shows up and he says, that's not in the Bible, that's not regulation for everybody. And their response is, "Jesus, we've always done it this way. Our parents have always done it this way, our grandparents and they've all done it this way.By Jesus' day it had become firmly entrenched this tradition as a requirement for those that want it to be clean and people wash their hands in the morning before morning prayer. The benediction used by the priest of that time of consecration was now being recited by the people as part of the course of daily life. And many felt that even eating bread without a ceremonial washing rendered the bread unclean. And verse five, "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?" And the word for walk here is standard metaphor for living a certain way.Why don't your disciples live in the way that our elders taught us to live? In the tradition of the elders, not the law of Moses, but oral and written tradition received from antiquity and honored only because it was from antiquity. Honored as the word of God just because it's old for the Pharisees, the oral tradition was equally binding with the law of God and with the scriptures. And some of them even believed that tradition was more precious and more authoritative than holy scripture. And with this kind of tradition, the gospels record that Jesus always expressed angry impatience. On the surface, this looks like an argument brought about Jesus' disciples watching procedures, but in reality it's a debate about authority. Is oral tradition authoritative over God's people? And the answer is no. The problem was that with the Pharisees and what the Pharisees had to be doing is they'd been controlling people with their religious regulation.They had been requiring demanding that people obey their oral traditions even though this tradition had no biblical support. Put it another way, the scribes and the Pharisees big religion, they were binding people's consciences to things that were not required of them by scripture. And as the scribes saw the matter, it was their sacred duty to teach the people and then enforce this manmade law upon the people. These legalistic religious lawyers force their rules and regulations on everyone and try to adjudicate.Jesus answers on two levels. Those who criticize him first, he answers on their level by showing that their premise, their presupposition is unsubstantiated. And then after doing that, he demolishes their position from within by going deeper. Verse six, "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; in vain do they worship me teaching us doctrines and commandments of men."On the principle that the best defense is a good offense, Jesus goes on the offense against these guys and he responds to their hostility by not answering their question about hand washing but actually dismantling this false presupposition that their human traditions are on the same level as God's word in terms of binding moral authority calls them hypocrites. In the classical Greek, it was a word to designate actors, pretenders. And he's saying, you guys are hypocrites because you present a religious godly front, but it's a front based on your own regulations. You made up rules, you've been playing according to these rules. You look really wholly according to those rules, but that's not the game. You're playing the wrong game. And he accuses them of a hypocrisy because they're masking God's law with human made regulations. And the Pharisees certainly would not have agreed with Jesus here, with his charge that tradition represented a betrayal of the commandments of God.No, they would've said, "No. Tradition is part of God's revelation to us." Yet God revealed himself to Moses, but he's also been revealing himself through us, through the pharisaical sect of Judaism. This feeling of connection with ancient revelation is what has given rabbinic Judaism the successor of Phariseeism, a great sense of continuity. But what they teach depends entirely on their authority, on people's authority, not on divine authority. And humans, as Jesus makes clear at the end of the text, we're sinners and everything we touch is singe tinged with sin. And even if we try with our greatest attempts of wisdom to add to the commandments of God, those additions are going to be tinged with sin. This clinging to human traditions makes them actually neglect the plain commandment of God, which is what led to their downfall. Not only does Jesus use one of Israel's most widely red prophets, Isaiah, he quotes Isaiah, they knew this was God's word, but in that context, Isaiah was prophesying to the people of God and he says, "You, the kingdom of Israel, you're in shambles because you have left the commandments of God." And what Jesus is doing by quoting that same text to these people, he's saying in the same way that Israel had fallen from glory because they had moved away from the commandments of God, you guys are doing the same thing.And that's why Israel was in the state it was. They've replaced the law of God with laws of humans and that never leads to shalom or universal flourishing. Notice that Jesus does not even attempt to answer their trick question. He doesn't even want to talk about hand washing. These are manmade rules and traditions. They're not binding. Only the law of God is, and these rules and regulations, they may be signs of great zeal, but in actuality they demonstrate this sad fact that they don't know God. Their hearts are far from God because they're spending all of their time living according to their own interpretations of what God said. They're hypocrites because they pretend to love God, but they don't even do what he says. They prefer to do what they say about what he said. And to the people of Israel, the scribes and Pharisees look like holy and godly men, but they're not because they're not worshiping God in the way he said to worship him.These men claim to defend the law of God by arguing, but their humanly contrived rules actually block the word of God. They distort the law of God and they rob the word of God of its power. According to Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees have so buried the true meaning and purpose of the law under countless layers of canon law and oral tradition. They've made the law null and void. Their traditions not only bury the law under rules of men that so much that people don't even know what God's law actually says.So that brings us to point too. God's manmade traditions are not God's law, but God's 10 commandments are. Look at verse eight, what Jesus does. He says, "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." Well, what does Jesus mean by the commandment of God? Well, he explicitly tells us in verse 10 that he's referring to the 10 commandments because in verse 10 he says, "Case in point hears a command that you have nullified with your own tradition." And he goes to commandment number five. So by command he's referring to the 10 commandments. In verse 10, "For Moses said, honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father and mother must surely die."For Moses said here, that's what Jesus says. There's a parallel account where Jesus is having a similar conversation in Matthew 15, four. And there it doesn't say Moses said. There, it just says, for God said. God said this. These are his words. God had written the 10 commandments with his finger. So making the contrast that the commandment of God and it makes the contrast even more direct between command of God and tradition. Matthew 15:4, "For God commanded honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die. Their hearts had strayed from God and the people have fallen under the sway of human tradition that emptied the divine word of its force and blinded its possessors to God's true will."And that's why in Mark 7:9, Jesus said to them and he said to them, you have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition. They weren't in complete disobedience. Here Jesus adds the word fine as a touch of sarcasm because they had done this so beautifully. No one even noticed that they sidestep the word of God in order to establish their own tradition. But by supplanting and replacing the commandment, they're actually rejecting it.In verse 10 of Mark 7, Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother, whoever reviles father or mother must surely die." That's from Exodus 20:12, "Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." And that's repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16. This is the fifth commandment and it does include material support of parents as parents grow older.That's the conversation here and that commandment honor your father and your mother. It was so important that the penalty for breaking that commandment was capital punishment. Exodus 21:17, "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death." In Leviticus 20:9, "For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death, he has cursed his father or his mother, his blood is upon him."Just as being angry or refraining from performing a cure is equivalent to murder. So withholding support from parents is equivalent to cursing them. That's what Christ is saying, that dishonoring of parents is a capital offense according to the Torah. Yet the Pharisees facilitate it by their Corban practice. They're like, "Well, that's what the commandment said, honor your father and your mother." They're getting a little older and you should start thinking about how you're going to provide for them.And they're elderly age. And then the Pharisees come in and they say, that's a lot of money and that's a lot of time and that's a lot of resources. We could actually increase the budget of our ministries, of our synagogues, of our temples by tweaking the commandment a little bit. And children, instead of actually supporting your parents when they're older, just give that money to the Lord so to speak. And that was their Corban stuff. Verse 11, "But you say, if a man tells his father or his mother, whatever you want, whatever you would've gained from me is Corban that is given to God then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down in many such things you do."Corban was a transliteration from the Hebrew and Aramaic of sacrifice, their offering. And what they're saying is, "Okay, this money I would've given to you mom and dad. I'm going to offer to the Lord therefore making it unavailable for any other use." The person declares that any material support he might have given his parents is pledged to God. Not that he necessarily intends to deliver it to God, but he just wants to remove it from the parents. If you think about it's just incredibly diabolical this rule that they invented. Yeah, they're going to fill their coffers, but you're also actually, you're doing the opposite what the commander said. Commander said, to honor your father and your mother and you're dishonoring them by pretending to honor the Lord. And Jesus here zeroes in on this specific example of Pharisaic tradition that empties the word of God of its force and it did it through a legal fiction maneuver just to avoid the law.And so what begins as a trick question quickly turns into a lesson in biblical hermeneutics or the interpretation of scripture. Jesus here is saying the law is perfect. Any addition or subtraction to the 10 commandments is the incorrect interpretation. Jesus does not set aside the law, he doesn't question its authority or do anything to weaken its demands, but he's saying traditions added to the law of God, they're not morally binding. And for these traditions and the Pharisees, it was actually subversion of the Lord of the word of God, a betrayal of it. And what's fascinating is the word for tradition in the Greek has two meanings. It could be translated as tradition parados, but there's other places where the same exact word means betrayal. When John the Baptist was handed over, this word was used when Jesus was betrayed, this word was used. And when Christians were betrayed and suffering and death, this word parados was used.So you can read this text and say you forsake the commandment of God and hold fast to the betrayal of human beings because by adding to the law, they have betrayed the word of God. You do a good job of annulling the commandment of God so that you may establish your betrayal, thus avoiding the word of God for the sake of your betrayal, parados by means of which you have betrayed. And the word for human here or person is anthropos. It's not the word for men that's used when Jesus feeds the 5,000. It's anthropos, person, human being. When humans add to the word, when they add to the law, they are subverting the commandments. Mark's point seems to be that human traditions, no matter how laudable in their original intention, they end up suffocating revelation because of the basic warp of the human heart of the anthropos.There's evil inside every single one of us that corrupts everything that we touch including the word of God. So whenever you listen to anybody interpreting the word of God, you do have to be like the Bereans. Word of God I welcome you eagerly, but I'm going to examine everything the person says according to the scriptures. Christians are not and indeed cannot be bound by the rules of men. And while many of these rules are based in wisdom, they cannot be used to bind a Christian's conscience to things that God has not forbidden in his word or expressly or implied. When we say we believe in sola scripture, what are we saying? We're saying we are bound to obey the law of God and in our case, the moral law, the 10 commandments, and that we are not bound by any manmade rules or traditions. God's word is our ultimate authority, not human tradition, not the tradition of the church.And this is why we are not Catholic. We understand that the Pope is not infallible. The Pope is actually very fallible and clearly he's adding to the word of God in a way that subverts the word of God. No, we reject that. We keep on reforming. Scripture speaks of the law of God as the perfect law, the law of liberty. And to put it rather simplistically, God gave us 10 commandments, not countless volumes of canon law. And these 10 commandments are for the most part, very simple. Even our children know the 10 Commandments and we do this in our home. You should try doing this in your home. We go through the 10 commandments and as we're doing our devotionals and we call each other out. We're Slavic, we're direct. We call it like, "Which commandments did you break today? I know, I know I live with you."And you're like, "Yes, I have broken the commandments. Lord, forgive me. I need grace. Help me and no longer break them."God binds us to obey his commandments, not to obey the rules of man. It's that simple. And this leads to the second evil that we see in our passage, just the evil of self-righteousness. These Pharisees had invented rules that they added to the commandments, which protects them from the commandments actually revealing their own sin. And then they walk around and they say, "I have the cleanest hands. I have the cleanest hands, I'm undefiled." And they judge everyone else according to these manmade rules. And that's why Jesus didn't spend time with them. They thought they weren't sick and Jesus would rather spend time with tax collectors, sinners who knew that they were sinners in need of a doctor.The 10 Commandments are given to us to show us our need for Christ and then also show us after we've received Christ what it means to follow him. And these are, I think about 10 lanes on a track. You know there's 10 lanes. I know this because I ran track as a kid for a season and my daughter reminded me of this recently. We're going through a trophy case and she's like, "Oh, here's a trophy." And it was for 10th place in track and field. That's how I know there's 10 lanes. Back when they started giving out trophies for absolutely every single person. Terrible. That was the beginning of the end.And it's like 10 lanes, 10 lanes. This is the straight and narrow. This is how we walk in the ways of righteousness. There's no other lanes and people try to add the lanes through ceremonial minutia and stuff. That's not the law.Point three is the law cuts and Jesus regenerates. Mark 7:14, "And he called the people to him again and said to them, hear me all of you and understand 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."And this is the ultimate answer to the question of the Pharisees and the scribes when they said, "Well, why aren't your disciples washing their hands as they are?" The Pharisees thought and their system of theology, they thought that to eat with unwashed hands made you ritually impure because the contagion of impurity was outside of you. So if you ate something that was impure, all of a sudden you become impure. They thought that the evil was outside of them and they had to protect themselves from the evil coming in. And Jesus counters that false idea by saying that external things like unwashed hands have no power to transmit defilement. In Matthew 15:11, "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that this defiles a person." And this bold statement ran contrary to all of their rabbinic teaching.To the rabbis and to the Pharisees for any defilement to occur, there must be a mother of defilement, an external source by physical contact with that source, you become unclean. That's why they stayed away from the Gentiles, your sinners. Your sin might be transmitted to me that's why they stayed away from anyone with leprosy. They thought this is how the sin or defilement comes upon, and that's why they stayed away from the sinners and tax collectors and they were shocked. "Jesus, how are you spending time with these people? You're going to get contaminated by their sin." And Jesus says, you're false because you're assuming an initially pure state. You're assuming that you are pristine and it's someone else's sin that makes you sin. And this is false. Jesus says, "The source of defilement is not external, but within." It's already existent. We're born with a sin nature, and every mom and dad in the room says, amen.Our children prove the doctrine of total depravity. They're born as little individualistic sinners and we need God's grace and their hearts and our hearts and we need the transformation to come from within. To the Pharisees, lack of ceremonial purity, as in the case of the disciples was sin. And Jesus saying, that's not sin. Don't just throw that word around. They didn't break a commandment. That's not sin. They broke the decorum. Mark 7:17, "When he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable." They didn't understand what's happening so they asked for interpretation of verse 18. 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 since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled, thus he declared all foods clean."Here Jesus shows us that he has authority over ritual purity to redefine ritual purity. And he declared all foods clean, meaning that he, by his word and by his authority and by his power, shows that the ceremonial law, which was given by God was to point to Jesus Christ and he has fulfilled the ceremonial law. Therefore, he can redefine ritual purity. Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building. Do not for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats."So we see that Jesus in the same text does not abrogate the 10 Commandments. He actually upholds the 10 commandments, but he is abrogating the Old Testament food laws, the same laws that divided the Jews from the Gentiles and significant that this happens here because Jesus in the next section is going to begin his Gentile ministry. And we see that with the Syrophoenician woman. And then we see that with Jesus feeding 4,000 Gentiles, Gentile men.Ephesians 2:11 says, "Therefore, remember that one time you gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."So having declared all foods clean and thus having shown that there's no longer anything external to human beings that can defile them, Jesus identifies the real source of defilement. How does sin enter the world? How does sin enter our lives? It's the human heart. It's not what goes into people, what comes out of the human heart that is actually sin. Mark 7:20, "And he said, what comes out of a person is what defiles him for from within out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, sexual morality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, all these things come from within and they defile a person." This catalog of human offenses truly paints a hellish picture. And Jesus says that that's all inside every single one of us.And there's a series of seven offenses in the plural, which he's showing crimes against the law, against the 10 commandments, followed by a series of more sinister things that are the reason or the root causes of the evil action. He says, out of the heart of man, come evil, thoughts, evil as defined by the law. All the other evil flows out of this one. Evil thoughts, the battleground for the soul. It begins with the mind. It begins with thoughts.In Genesis 8:21, "When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, and the Lord said in his heart, I will never again curse the ground because of man for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done."The word of God teaches that we're born with the sin nature, that there's sin in this world because we're born as sinners and the sin comes from within our hearts. It begins with the word sexual sin, sexual morality or porneia, which originally meant fornication. The Pharisees didn't want to talk about that. They want to talk about washing hands. Let's not talk about anything deeper than that. And after the sexual sins, he talks about robbery and murder and adultery, all transgressions of the 10 commandments. Then he gives seven singular words that talk about internal disposition that then leads to external action. Mark 7:23, "All these evil things come from within and they defile a person." And that word person anthropos, I've already mentioned it's used over and over and over in our passage, five times in a short passage, anthropo. And he says, this is where the sin comes from within the heart of a person. And that's really why adding traditions to the law of God is so sinister because anything that we add is tinged with our own sin.What the Pharisees could not see is that in their desire for piety and zeal, they were actually covering the law with their sin. These men looked like they were pious and godly individuals, but their hearts were far from God because their hearts were sinful. Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it?"And then who can change it? Who can do something about it? And this is the beauty of the gospel. God gives us the 10 commandments like the scalpel. The 10 commandments show us that our hearts are stoned toward God, their hearts are sinful, that their hearts are evil. And the 10 commands, they cut, they cut, they cut, they cut. And then we look to the cross of Jesus Christ and we realized that the Son of God, the perfect Lamb of God, spotless Lamb of God who would never sinned, not one commandment that Jesus ever break in his whole life, and then he offers his spotless record as a sacrifice in our stead on the cross in order to do what, in order to transform us.Scripture talks about this as regeneration, to be born again, be born from within spiritual heart surgery. Jesus has this conversation with a Pharisee, a religious person named Nicodemus in John 3. And Nicodemus said, "Jesus, how do I go to heaven?" And Jesus answered him and said, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter a second time to his mother's womb and be born?' And Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.""Do not marvel at this that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes. So it is with everyone who was born of the Spirit.""Lord, I need a new heart." That's what Nicodemus says, and he says, "How do I get it?" He said, "You got to be born again.""How do I do that?"And Jesus' answer, "The Spirit blows where it wishes." The Spirit is the one that converts therefore, church and therefore Christians, we can just proclaim the plain word of God to people and not be afraid, not be ashamed, not try to cover it in these layers to make it more palatable. What he's saying is Nicodemus is like, I want to go to heaven. And Jesus is like, well, hopefully the Holy Spirit converts you. That's his answer. But he tells him the truth.And Nicodemus at that point then what does he do? He starts begging the Holy Spirit, convert me. Holy Spirit regenerate. Holy Spirit, I need this transformation reformation from the inside. And then later on we find out Nicodemus was converted and did become a child of God. So if you're not sure that you are a Christian, if you're not sure that you have a heart that loves God, how does your heart respond when you hear about the 10 Commandments, when you hear about the law of God, the true regenerated believer, Christian child of God, when you hear about the law of God, all you want to do is know more so that you can love God more by obeying the word. And if you hear about the law and you're like, 'I don't want the law, I want nothing to do with God's law," then most likely you still have a heart of stone.Most likely you still are on your path to hell. And therefore we plead with you. I beg you, end the year right. End the year the way you should by repenting of your sins. Say, Lord Jesus, please forgive me for breaking the commandments. Lord Jesus, give me a brand new heart. Holy Spirit, fill me and God will. And that's the promise of God. Ezekiel 36:26, "And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers, and you shall be my people and I will be your God."New heart that desires to do what? Desires to obey God's law, because of God's grace. The law is both the teacher of sin and the rule of gratitude. It is important to see that while Jesus completely rejects the rules of men with equal force, he reaffirms the authority of the law of God. The rules of men are not to be confused with the law of God no matter how much wisdom, how much piety or how much zeal these rules appear to have, it's the law of God, the 10 Commandments which are binding upon God's people. This is because the law of God reveals his will to us. Therefore, as Christians, we define sin in light of God's law, not in light of rules and ceremonies invented by the self-righteous who actually think that they keep these rules, they are righteous. While those who don't keep them as well or not. God has made his will perfectly clear. The rules of men only obscure what God has said.Jesus calls out to us today. He says, repent of your sins and believe the good news. And the moment you do, his righteousness is counted to you. His recorders counted to you. Righteousness covers you. And Jesus loves repentance, sinners, but he has no patience for the self-righteous. So let's look at this text and let's be convicted that often we are like the Pharisees and let's repent of that self-righteousness and repent of our sin, continue to follow Christ. And honestly, may this be the year that we read the Bible. Everybody, everyone's going to read the Bible this year, and that's how revival is coming into the world. In Jesus' name, amen. Let us pray.Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word and we thank you that the word of God, you became incarnate. And I pray, Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood and by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us the people that embody your word. Make us the people that love your word so much. Study your word so much that our hearts are absolutely transformed by your word. That our minds are renewed by the transformation that the word gives us. And Lord, make us a missionary force here in the city pointing people to the word of God, pointing people to the cross of Jesus Christ and pointing people to the fact that the church is God's plan to rebuild this world. Lord, we love you and pray this in Christ. Holy name.Amen.

Lord, as we end one year and begin another, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for preserving us to this moment, sustaining us by the power of your spirit. And we thank you Lord that you continue to reveal yourself to us. That's what we long for. More than anything else, is your presence. We long to know you. We long to know your will and Lord, as we open up the scriptures and as we look at a text where you emphasize the preeminence of God's law, I pray, make us a people that love your law, love your 10 commandments. Stare deeply, gaze deeply into your law, seeking how we can grow in faithfulness, how we can grow in obedience. And as we do, you will grow us in fruitfulness. Lord, to make our church a church that loves your word, reveres your word. Make Bostonians like the Bereans that eagerly accept your word and on a daily basis, examine to see if it's true.If it's true that you are a God who reveals yourself, a God who guides us, and God who gave us the law to guard us from evil, show us what it means that you sent your son Jesus Christ because we disobeyed the law, we sinned against you. You sent your son to walk in the ways of faithfulness and then to offer himself as a sacrifice in our behalf in order to forgive us. And we thank you Lord that you offer that sacrifice. If anyone is not yet a believer today, Lord, show them where they've transgressed the commandments and show them that sin and the penalty for is eternal damnation and that Christ took all of that on the cross and whosoever believes, repents and turns from sin to Christ is granted forgiveness and eternal life. I pray save many even today and Lord bless our time in the holy scriptures and we pray all this in Christ's name.Amen.We're continuing our servant series through the Gospel of Mark. We've called it Kingdom Come, the Gospel of Mark and the secret of God's kingdom. And the idea is that the kingdom has come and Jesus has come to establish the kingdom and we are to be a people that pray. Lord, may your kingdom continue to expand in our life and where we live. And as we end one year and begin another, it's helpful to take account of the year past. Remember lessons learned, consider changes to make and make resolutions that pesky word, pesky, pesky. We don't like that word resolutions, but I urge you, church, I challenge you, make this resolution. If you have never read the Bible cover to cover, resolve that this year you are going to change that. Cover to cover, four chapters a day. There's about 1200 chapters in the Bible, four chapters a day that's got you reading 300 or so days of the year.You've got 65 days off to study the Psalter and the Proverbs and go deeper. But four chapters a day, it's about 20 minutes and that's a tremendous time to spend with the Lord. And I say that because it's not the resolutions that change us, it's the reformation that we make in our life. It's the restructuring of the routine. It's the spiritual disciplines that we welcome in. That's what really changes us. We need not just resolutions or short-term change, we need a reformation. We need to be reformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We're like clay in the potter's hands. He's shaping us, he's forming us, he's reforming us. And this reformation or transformation as Romans 12 puts it happens when our minds are renewed according to the word of God, when our minds are saturated with the word of God. It's the word of God when applied by the spirit of God that leads to true transformation and lasting reformation.One of the great principles that came out of the reformation along with the five solos, if you're not familiar with them, here they are. Sola scriptura, that's scripture alone, Sola gratia, that's grace alone, Sola fide, that's faith alone, Solus Christus, that's Christ alone, and Soli Deo gloria to the glory of God alone.Well, along with those five, there was also the principle of semper reformanda, which is always reforming. The title of my sermon today is always becoming reformed and the idea isn't that we are capitulating to the culture, that we're evolving in order to make the message more palatable. No, the message is that we study the holy scriptures and we long for the holy scriptures to reform us and reform how we live, reform how we worship the Lord. And the church should always be seeking to change in ways that make its testimonies more faithful to God's revelation.The church is formed by the word of God and it's always being reformed by the word of God just as individuals are. And how does reformation happen in our lives and in the churches in our land? When we look into the word of God and to the law of God and say, "Lord, where have I been unfaithful to your word? Where have I added to your word or where have I subtracted from your word?" Deuteronomy 4:2 says, "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."And you say, "Well, which word is he talking about here in Deuteronomy?" Don't add or take away from which word? Well, in the same chapter in verse nine through 14, he explains, "Only take care and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen unless they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.""How on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, gather the people to me that I may let them hear my words so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth and that they may teach their children also. And so you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain where the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud and gloom. Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form. There was only a voice. And he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, that is the Ten Commandments. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules that you might do them in the land that you were going over to possess."Well, what word do we not to add or subtract from? It's the 10 commandments. And adding to the law of God is legalism and taking away from the law of God is antinomianism and Jesus didn't add to the law of God, but he did uphold the 10 laws to show us primarily that we have sinned against God, therefore we need Christ's sacrifice. And then once we've received Christ's sacrifice and his grace, we are then to out of gratitude, live according to the law that in primarily motivated by love for God and neighbor.Today we're in Mark 7:1-23. As we continue our series, would you look at the text with me?Now when the Pharisees gathered to him with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is unwashed. For the Pharisees and all the Jews did not eat unless they washed their hands properly holding to the tradition of the elders. 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. 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?" 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. In vain do they worship me teaching his doctrines the commandments of men? You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition.""For Moses said, honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die." But you say, "If a man tells his father or his mother, whatever you would've gained from me is Corban, that is given to God, then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down and many such things you do."And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me all of you and understand, 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." And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable 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 since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled?" Thus he declared all foods clean. And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him for from within out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, sexual morality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, all these evil things come from within and they defile a person."This is the reading of God's holy, inherent and infallible, authoritative word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. Three points to frame up our time. First traditions are not God's commandments. Second God's 10 commandments are God's commandments. And three, the law cuts and Jesus regenerates.First, traditions are not God's commandments. In Mark 7:1 says, "The Pharisees gathered to him and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem." These are the representatives of the big establishment religion.The scribes in the Pharisees did not approve of Jesus. Jesus did not have their stamp of approval as he's doing his ministry. They were furious with Jesus that he would eat with sinners and tax collectors. They became angrier when Jesus rejected their distinctions between clean and unclean. And the scribes and the Pharisees challenged Jesus' view of fasting as well as Jesus' view of the Sabbath observance. And Jesus showed no qualms whatsoever in defying these traditions, rejecting their oral traditions. In many ways, I was sharing the gospel recently with someone. They say, "You know what? Jesus sounds kind of like a rebel, kind of like a renegade." And I was like, "Yes, he's the revolutionary of deregulating religion. He's God, it's his law, it's his word. He's come." And he said, "That's all made up and that's all made up and that's all made up." And he's pointing people to the law of God because it's only the law of God that can show us our need for God's grace.So yes, he confounded the canon lawyers and he sent them into fits of rage. How? By just teaching the plain word of God, God's law, what it says, what it doesn't say with absolute precision. For Jesus the oral traditions were not binding, they were not law, they were just decorum. Jesus rejects the authority of their tradition and therefore he openly contradicted what they taught and practiced. And so he made a lot of enemies and that's what ultimately got him crucified. And these men were sent from Jerusalem indicating that their representatives of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish ruling body in Jerusalem. Like Herod Antipas, members of the Sanhedrin had heard about Jesus Christ. They perceived him to be someone that can mobilize people, therefore they perceive him to be a threat. And some of the religious leaders even accused Jesus Christ of doing his ministry because he was demon possessed.They said, you cast out demons by the power of Satan. And as a result, Jesus places upon them the ultimate covenant curse that no forgiveness in this age or in the age to come was given to the blasphemers of the blessed Holy Spirit. So the Jewish leadership, the Pharisees, they've sworn to destroy Jesus, they've partnered with the Herodians and they gather to him, the verb used to gather to him here is the same one used in Psalm 2, which is a messianic prophetic Psalm about Christ that the anointed one will come and the rulers of the day will rise against him in opposition. And that's exactly what they're doing. In other Psalms, the same verb is used for the wicked conspiring against the righteous to take his life. For example, Psalm 31:13. "For I hear the whispering of many terror on every side as they scheme together against me as they plot to take my life," or Psalm 35:15."But at my stumbling, they rejoiced and gathered. They gathered together against me, wretches whom I did not know, tore at me without ceasing."And the fact that the scribes who interrogate Jesus, they come down from Jerusalem marks that the opposition is coming from the center of power from Jerusalem where Jesus will be eventually executed. In verse two, "They saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is unwashed for the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly holding to the tradition of the elders. 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."The hand washing is not a biblical... You should wash your hands. That's not what we're talking.We're talking about what makes you moral. That's what they're getting. What they're doing is immoral. They're sinning. That's the conversation. The hand washing that they're alluding to. It's not a biblical requirement for lay people. In the Old Testament, only the priests are required to wash their hands before offering a sacrifice. And the Pharisees however they thought, you know what, this is a good thing to do. We should have everybody do it. We're going to regulate this on absolutely everyone on the theory that every Jew should live as a priest and every Jewish home should become like the temple. The reasoning sounds very rational. And in this tradition, that's what the tradition forces forms the basis of their challenge. Though this was only a priestly requirement from the law of God, all the pious Jews at the time of Jesus had been doing this for about 200 years.So Jesus shows up and he says, that's not in the Bible, that's not regulation for everybody. And their response is, "Jesus, we've always done it this way. Our parents have always done it this way, our grandparents and they've all done it this way.By Jesus' day it had become firmly entrenched this tradition as a requirement for those that want it to be clean and people wash their hands in the morning before morning prayer. The benediction used by the priest of that time of consecration was now being recited by the people as part of the course of daily life. And many felt that even eating bread without a ceremonial washing rendered the bread unclean. And verse five, "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?" And the word for walk here is standard metaphor for living a certain way.Why don't your disciples live in the way that our elders taught us to live? In the tradition of the elders, not the law of Moses, but oral and written tradition received from antiquity and honored only because it was from antiquity. Honored as the word of God just because it's old for the Pharisees, the oral tradition was equally binding with the law of God and with the scriptures. And some of them even believed that tradition was more precious and more authoritative than holy scripture. And with this kind of tradition, the gospels record that Jesus always expressed angry impatience. On the surface, this looks like an argument brought about Jesus' disciples watching procedures, but in reality it's a debate about authority. Is oral tradition authoritative over God's people? And the answer is no. The problem was that with the Pharisees and what the Pharisees had to be doing is they'd been controlling people with their religious regulation.They had been requiring demanding that people obey their oral traditions even though this tradition had no biblical support. Put it another way, the scribes and the Pharisees big religion, they were binding people's consciences to things that were not required of them by scripture. And as the scribes saw the matter, it was their sacred duty to teach the people and then enforce this manmade law upon the people. These legalistic religious lawyers force their rules and regulations on everyone and try to adjudicate.Jesus answers on two levels. Those who criticize him first, he answers on their level by showing that their premise, their presupposition is unsubstantiated. And then after doing that, he demolishes their position from within by going deeper. Verse six, "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; in vain do they worship me teaching us doctrines and commandments of men."On the principle that the best defense is a good offense, Jesus goes on the offense against these guys and he responds to their hostility by not answering their question about hand washing but actually dismantling this false presupposition that their human traditions are on the same level as God's word in terms of binding moral authority calls them hypocrites. In the classical Greek, it was a word to designate actors, pretenders. And he's saying, you guys are hypocrites because you present a religious godly front, but it's a front based on your own regulations. You made up rules, you've been playing according to these rules. You look really wholly according to those rules, but that's not the game. You're playing the wrong game. And he accuses them of a hypocrisy because they're masking God's law with human made regulations. And the Pharisees certainly would not have agreed with Jesus here, with his charge that tradition represented a betrayal of the commandments of God.No, they would've said, "No. Tradition is part of God's revelation to us." Yet God revealed himself to Moses, but he's also been revealing himself through us, through the pharisaical sect of Judaism. This feeling of connection with ancient revelation is what has given rabbinic Judaism the successor of Phariseeism, a great sense of continuity. But what they teach depends entirely on their authority, on people's authority, not on divine authority. And humans, as Jesus makes clear at the end of the text, we're sinners and everything we touch is singe tinged with sin. And even if we try with our greatest attempts of wisdom to add to the commandments of God, those additions are going to be tinged with sin. This clinging to human traditions makes them actually neglect the plain commandment of God, which is what led to their downfall. Not only does Jesus use one of Israel's most widely red prophets, Isaiah, he quotes Isaiah, they knew this was God's word, but in that context, Isaiah was prophesying to the people of God and he says, "You, the kingdom of Israel, you're in shambles because you have left the commandments of God." And what Jesus is doing by quoting that same text to these people, he's saying in the same way that Israel had fallen from glory because they had moved away from the commandments of God, you guys are doing the same thing.And that's why Israel was in the state it was. They've replaced the law of God with laws of humans and that never leads to shalom or universal flourishing. Notice that Jesus does not even attempt to answer their trick question. He doesn't even want to talk about hand washing. These are manmade rules and traditions. They're not binding. Only the law of God is, and these rules and regulations, they may be signs of great zeal, but in actuality they demonstrate this sad fact that they don't know God. Their hearts are far from God because they're spending all of their time living according to their own interpretations of what God said. They're hypocrites because they pretend to love God, but they don't even do what he says. They prefer to do what they say about what he said. And to the people of Israel, the scribes and Pharisees look like holy and godly men, but they're not because they're not worshiping God in the way he said to worship him.These men claim to defend the law of God by arguing, but their humanly contrived rules actually block the word of God. They distort the law of God and they rob the word of God of its power. According to Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees have so buried the true meaning and purpose of the law under countless layers of canon law and oral tradition. They've made the law null and void. Their traditions not only bury the law under rules of men that so much that people don't even know what God's law actually says.So that brings us to point too. God's manmade traditions are not God's law, but God's 10 commandments are. Look at verse eight, what Jesus does. He says, "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." Well, what does Jesus mean by the commandment of God? Well, he explicitly tells us in verse 10 that he's referring to the 10 commandments because in verse 10 he says, "Case in point hears a command that you have nullified with your own tradition." And he goes to commandment number five. So by command he's referring to the 10 commandments. In verse 10, "For Moses said, honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father and mother must surely die."For Moses said here, that's what Jesus says. There's a parallel account where Jesus is having a similar conversation in Matthew 15, four. And there it doesn't say Moses said. There, it just says, for God said. God said this. These are his words. God had written the 10 commandments with his finger. So making the contrast that the commandment of God and it makes the contrast even more direct between command of God and tradition. Matthew 15:4, "For God commanded honor your father and your mother and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die. Their hearts had strayed from God and the people have fallen under the sway of human tradition that emptied the divine word of its force and blinded its possessors to God's true will."And that's why in Mark 7:9, Jesus said to them and he said to them, you have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition. They weren't in complete disobedience. Here Jesus adds the word fine as a touch of sarcasm because they had done this so beautifully. No one even noticed that they sidestep the word of God in order to establish their own tradition. But by supplanting and replacing the commandment, they're actually rejecting it.In verse 10 of Mark 7, Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother, whoever reviles father or mother must surely die." That's from Exodus 20:12, "Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." And that's repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16. This is the fifth commandment and it does include material support of parents as parents grow older.That's the conversation here and that commandment honor your father and your mother. It was so important that the penalty for breaking that commandment was capital punishment. Exodus 21:17, "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death." In Leviticus 20:9, "For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death, he has cursed his father or his mother, his blood is upon him."Just as being angry or refraining from performing a cure is equivalent to murder. So withholding support from parents is equivalent to cursing them. That's what Christ is saying, that dishonoring of parents is a capital offense according to the Torah. Yet the Pharisees facilitate it by their Corban practice. They're like, "Well, that's what the commandment said, honor your father and your mother." They're getting a little older and you should start thinking about how you're going to provide for them.And they're elderly age. And then the Pharisees come in and they say, that's a lot of money and that's a lot of time and that's a lot of resources. We could actually increase the budget of our ministries, of our synagogues, of our temples by tweaking the commandment a little bit. And children, instead of actually supporting your parents when they're older, just give that money to the Lord so to speak. And that was their Corban stuff. Verse 11, "But you say, if a man tells his father or his mother, whatever you want, whatever you would've gained from me is Corban that is given to God then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down in many such things you do."Corban was a transliteration from the Hebrew and Aramaic of sacrifice, their offering. And what they're saying is, "Okay, this money I would've given to you mom and dad. I'm going to offer to the Lord therefore making it unavailable for any other use." The person declares that any material support he might have given his parents is pledged to God. Not that he necessarily intends to deliver it to God, but he just wants to remove it from the parents. If you think about it's just incredibly diabolical this rule that they invented. Yeah, they're going to fill their coffers, but you're also actually, you're doing the opposite what the commander said. Commander said, to honor your father and your mother and you're dishonoring them by pretending to honor the Lord. And Jesus here zeroes in on this specific example of Pharisaic tradition that empties the word of God of its force and it did it through a legal fiction maneuver just to avoid the law.And so what begins as a trick question quickly turns into a lesson in biblical hermeneutics or the interpretation of scripture. Jesus here is saying the law is perfect. Any addition or subtraction to the 10 commandments is the incorrect interpretation. Jesus does not set aside the law, he doesn't question its authority or do anything to weaken its demands, but he's saying traditions added to the law of God, they're not morally binding. And for these traditions and the Pharisees, it was actually subversion of the Lord of the word of God, a betrayal of it. And what's fascinating is the word for tradition in the Greek has two meanings. It could be translated as tradition parados, but there's other places where the same exact word means betrayal. When John the Baptist was handed over, this word was used when Jesus was betrayed, this word was used. And when Christians were betrayed and suffering and death, this word parados was used.So you can read this text and say you forsake the commandment of God and hold fast to the betrayal of human beings because by adding to the law, they have betrayed the word of God. You do a good job of annulling the commandment of God so that you may establish your betrayal, thus avoiding the word of God for the sake of your betrayal, parados by means of which you have betrayed. And the word for human here or person is anthropos. It's not the word for men that's used when Jesus feeds the 5,000. It's anthropos, person, human being. When humans add to the word, when they add to the law, they are subverting the commandments. Mark's point seems to be that human traditions, no matter how laudable in their original intention, they end up suffocating revelation because of the basic warp of the human heart of the anthropos.There's evil inside every single one of us that corrupts everything that we touch including the word of God. So whenever you listen to anybody interpreting the word of God, you do have to be like the Bereans. Word of God I welcome you eagerly, but I'm going to examine everything the person says according to the scriptures. Christians are not and indeed cannot be bound by the rules of men. And while many of these rules are based in wisdom, they cannot be used to bind a Christian's conscience to things that God has not forbidden in his word or expressly or implied. When we say we believe in sola scripture, what are we saying? We're saying we are bound to obey the law of God and in our case, the moral law, the 10 commandments, and that we are not bound by any manmade rules or traditions. God's word is our ultimate authority, not human tradition, not the tradition of the church.And this is why we are not Catholic. We understand that the Pope is not infallible. The Pope is actually very fallible and clearly he's adding to the word of God in a way that subverts the word of God. No, we reject that. We keep on reforming. Scripture speaks of the law of God as the perfect law, the law of liberty. And to put it rather simplistically, God gave us 10 commandments, not countless volumes of canon law. And these 10 commandments are for the most part, very simple. Even our children know the 10 Commandments and we do this in our home. You should try doing this in your home. We go through the 10 commandments and as we're doing our devotionals and we call each other out. We're Slavic, we're direct. We call it like, "Which commandments did you break today? I know, I know I live with you."And you're like, "Yes, I have broken the commandments. Lord, forgive me. I need grace. Help me and no longer break them."God binds us to obey his commandments, not to obey the rules of man. It's that simple. And this leads to the second evil that we see in our passage, just the evil of self-righteousness. These Pharisees had invented rules that they added to the commandments, which protects them from the commandments actually revealing their own sin. And then they walk around and they say, "I have the cleanest hands. I have the cleanest hands, I'm undefiled." And they judge everyone else according to these manmade rules. And that's why Jesus didn't spend time with them. They thought they weren't sick and Jesus would rather spend time with tax collectors, sinners who knew that they were sinners in need of a doctor.The 10 Commandments are given to us to show us our need for Christ and then also show us after we've received Christ what it means to follow him. And these are, I think about 10 lanes on a track. You know there's 10 lanes. I know this because I ran track as a kid for a season and my daughter reminded me of this recently. We're going through a trophy case and she's like, "Oh, here's a trophy." And it was for 10th place in track and field. That's how I know there's 10 lanes. Back when they started giving out trophies for absolutely every single person. Terrible. That was the beginning of the end.And it's like 10 lanes, 10 lanes. This is the straight and narrow. This is how we walk in the ways of righteousness. There's no other lanes and people try to add the lanes through ceremonial minutia and stuff. That's not the law.Point three is the law cuts and Jesus regenerates. Mark 7:14, "And he called the people to him again and said to them, hear me all of you and understand 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."And this is the ultimate answer to the question of the Pharisees and the scribes when they said, "Well, why aren't your disciples washing their hands as they are?" The Pharisees thought and their system of theology, they thought that to eat with unwashed hands made you ritually impure because the contagion of impurity was outside of you. So if you ate something that was impure, all of a sudden you become impure. They thought that the evil was outside of them and they had to protect themselves from the evil coming in. And Jesus counters that false idea by saying that external things like unwashed hands have no power to transmit defilement. In Matthew 15:11, "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that this defiles a person." And this bold statement ran contrary to all of their rabbinic teaching.To the rabbis and to the Pharisees for any defilement to occur, there must be a mother of defilement, an external source by physical contact with that source, you become unclean. That's why they stayed away from the Gentiles, your sinners. Your sin might be transmitted to me that's why they stayed away from anyone with leprosy. They thought this is how the sin or defilement comes upon, and that's why they stayed away from the sinners and tax collectors and they were shocked. "Jesus, how are you spending time with these people? You're going to get contaminated by their sin." And Jesus says, you're false because you're assuming an initially pure state. You're assuming that you are pristine and it's someone else's sin that makes you sin. And this is false. Jesus says, "The source of defilement is not external, but within." It's already existent. We're born with a sin nature, and every mom and dad in the room says, amen.Our children prove the doctrine of total depravity. They're born as little individualistic sinners and we need God's grace and their hearts and our hearts and we need the transformation to come from within. To the Pharisees, lack of ceremonial purity, as in the case of the disciples was sin. And Jesus saying, that's not sin. Don't just throw that word around. They didn't break a commandment. That's not sin. They broke the decorum. Mark 7:17, "When he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable." They didn't understand what's happening so they asked for interpretation of verse 18. 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 since it enters not his heart but his stomach and is expelled, thus he declared all foods clean."Here Jesus shows us that he has authority over ritual purity to redefine ritual purity. And he declared all foods clean, meaning that he, by his word and by his authority and by his power, shows that the ceremonial law, which was given by God was to point to Jesus Christ and he has fulfilled the ceremonial law. Therefore, he can redefine ritual purity. Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building. Do not for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats."So we see that Jesus in the same text does not abrogate the 10 Commandments. He actually upholds the 10 commandments, but he is abrogating the Old Testament food laws, the same laws that divided the Jews from the Gentiles and significant that this happens here because Jesus in the next section is going to begin his Gentile ministry. And we see that with the Syrophoenician woman. And then we see that with Jesus feeding 4,000 Gentiles, Gentile men.Ephesians 2:11 says, "Therefore, remember that one time you gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."So having declared all foods clean and thus having shown that there's no longer anything external to human beings that can defile them, Jesus identifies the real source of defilement. How does sin enter the world? How does sin enter our lives? It's the human heart. It's not what goes into people, what comes out of the human heart that is actually sin. Mark 7:20, "And he said, what comes out of a person is what defiles him for from within out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, sexual morality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, all these things come from within and they defile a person." This catalog of human offenses truly paints a hellish picture. And Jesus says that that's all inside every single one of us.And there's a series of seven offenses in the plural, which he's showing crimes against the law, against the 10 commandments, followed by a series of more sinister things that are the reason or the root causes of the evil action. He says, out of the heart of man, come evil, thoughts, evil as defined by the law. All the other evil flows out of this one. Evil thoughts, the battleground for the soul. It begins with the mind. It begins with thoughts.In Genesis 8:21, "When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, and the Lord said in his heart, I will never again curse the ground because of man for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done."The word of God teaches that we're born with the sin nature, that there's sin in this world because we're born as sinners and the sin comes from within our hearts. It begins with the word sexual sin, sexual morality or porneia, which originally meant fornication. The Pharisees didn't want to talk about that. They want to talk about washing hands. Let's not talk about anything deeper than that. And after the sexual sins, he talks about robbery and murder and adultery, all transgressions of the 10 commandments. Then he gives seven singular words that talk about internal disposition that then leads to external action. Mark 7:23, "All these evil things come from within and they defile a person." And that word person anthropos, I've already mentioned it's used over and over and over in our passage, five times in a short passage, anthropo. And he says, this is where the sin comes from within the heart of a person. And that's really why adding traditions to the law of God is so sinister because anything that we add is tinged with our own sin.What the Pharisees could not see is that in their desire for piety and zeal, they were actually covering the law with their sin. These men looked like they were pious and godly individuals, but their hearts were far from God because their hearts were sinful. Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it?"And then who can change it? Who can do something about it? And this is the beauty of the gospel. God gives us the 10 commandments like the scalpel. The 10 commandments show us that our hearts are stoned toward God, their hearts are sinful, that their hearts are evil. And the 10 commands, they cut, they cut, they cut, they cut. And then we look to the cross of Jesus Christ and we realized that the Son of God, the perfect Lamb of God, spotless Lamb of God who would never sinned, not one commandment that Jesus ever break in his whole life, and then he offers his spotless record as a sacrifice in our stead on the cross in order to do what, in order to transform us.Scripture talks about this as regeneration, to be born again, be born from within spiritual heart surgery. Jesus has this conversation with a Pharisee, a religious person named Nicodemus in John 3. And Nicodemus said, "Jesus, how do I go to heaven?" And Jesus answered him and said, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter a second time to his mother's womb and be born?' And Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.""Do not marvel at this that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes. So it is with everyone who was born of the Spirit.""Lord, I need a new heart." That's what Nicodemus says, and he says, "How do I get it?" He said, "You got to be born again.""How do I do that?"And Jesus' answer, "The Spirit blows where it wishes." The Spirit is the one that converts therefore, church and therefore Christians, we can just proclaim the plain word of God to people and not be afraid, not be ashamed, not try to cover it in these layers to make it more palatable. What he's saying is Nicodemus is like, I want to go to heaven. And Jesus is like, well, hopefully the Holy Spirit converts you. That's his answer. But he tells him the truth.And Nicodemus at that point then what does he do? He starts begging the Holy Spirit, convert me. Holy Spirit regenerate. Holy Spirit, I need this transformation reformation from the inside. And then later on we find out Nicodemus was converted and did become a child of God. So if you're not sure that you are a Christian, if you're not sure that you have a heart that loves God, how does your heart respond when you hear about the 10 Commandments, when you hear about the law of God, the true regenerated believer, Christian child of God, when you hear about the law of God, all you want to do is know more so that you can love God more by obeying the word. And if you hear about the law and you're like, 'I don't want the law, I want nothing to do with God's law," then most likely you still have a heart of stone.Most likely you still are on your path to hell. And therefore we plead with you. I beg you, end the year right. End the year the way you should by repenting of your sins. Say, Lord Jesus, please forgive me for breaking the commandments. Lord Jesus, give me a brand new heart. Holy Spirit, fill me and God will. And that's the promise of God. Ezekiel 36:26, "And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers, and you shall be my people and I will be your God."New heart that desires to do what? Desires to obey God's law, because of God's grace. The law is both the teacher of sin and the rule of gratitude. It is important to see that while Jesus completely rejects the rules of men with equal force, he reaffirms the authority of the law of God. The rules of men are not to be confused with the law of God no matter how much wisdom, how much piety or how much zeal these rules appear to have, it's the law of God, the 10 Commandments which are binding upon God's people. This is because the law of God reveals his will to us. Therefore, as Christians, we define sin in light of God's law, not in light of rules and ceremonies invented by the self-righteous who actually think that they keep these rules, they are righteous. While those who don't keep them as well or not. God has made his will perfectly clear. The rules of men only obscure what God has said.Jesus calls out to us today. He says, repent of your sins and believe the good news. And the moment you do, his righteousness is counted to you. His recorders counted to you. Righteousness covers you. And Jesus loves repentance, sinners, but he has no patience for the self-righteous. So let's look at this text and let's be convicted that often we are like the Pharisees and let's repent of that self-righteousness and repent of our sin, continue to follow Christ. And honestly, may this be the year that we read the Bible. Everybody, everyone's going to read the Bible this year, and that's how revival is coming into the world. In Jesus' name, amen. Let us pray.Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word and we thank you that the word of God, you became incarnate. And I pray, Lord Jesus, by the power of your blood and by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us the people that embody your word. Make us the people that love your word so much. Study your word so much that our hearts are absolutely transformed by your word. That our minds are renewed by the transformation that the word gives us. And Lord, make us a missionary force here in the city pointing people to the word of God, pointing people to the cross of Jesus Christ and pointing people to the fact that the church is God's plan to rebuild this world. Lord, we love you and pray this in Christ. Holy name.Amen.

Audio Transcript: This media has been made available by Mosaic BostonChurch. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston,or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com. Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we pray that You make us a people that love Your Word and love every part of Your Word and people that love Your law even. As the psalmist in Psalm 119 says, "O, how I love Your law. It's my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies for it is ever with me." Lord, I pray that You give us a love for Your law, and I pray that You give us a desire to meditate on it all the day. And I pray that You make us a people who grow in wisdom and knowledge and discernment. Lord, as we continue our sermon series in the Gospel of Mark, I pray that You focus our attention on not just how Jesus taught or how He lived, but how He did everything He did according to Your will, to fulfill Your commandments. And Lord, I pray that You extend grace to us, that if we and where we break commandments that You forgive us and then You give us grace to live according to the law. Lord, I pray that You bless our time in the holy Scriptures. Send us the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, regenerate anyone who's not yet a believer, speak to their hearts, and draw them to Yourself. And Lord, fill them with the power of the Holy Spirit. And continue to refine Your church, Lord, to continue to build up Your body and with the washing of water, with the Word continue to cleanse Your bride. We pray all this in Christ's holy name. Amen. We're continuing our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark. We call it Kingdom Come: The Gospel of Mark and the Secret of God's kingdom. And the title of the sermon is Yes, God Really Said. There are two ways offered to people, two ways of life. One way promises God likeness and one promises godliness. Both offer a way of becoming like God. The first one is offered by Satan, God's adversary. He tempts each person with the following: "Reject God's law and you'll become like God, God likeness, defining what is good and evil for yourself. The second way is offered by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who says, "Follow me in keeping the law of God from the heart." Satan is too crafty to just come out and say, "Reject God's law" or "Follow me." No, the way Satan builds his kingdom is by veiling, God's law, by obfuscating, distorting it. And he does it by undermining it with the question, did God really say? Did God actually say? Those are his very first words spoken in Scripture when he tempts Eve, "Did God really say that on the day that you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you will die." Jesus Christ comes declaring with divine authority, "Yes, God really did say. God really said it." God really did give us a law, a perfect law, an everlasting law written by the very fingers of God. It was initially just called the Word, the Word of God, written with His finger, the Ten Commandments. Trivia question: who was the very first person to break all Ten Commandments in one day? It was Moses when he broke the Ten Commandments as he's coming down from the mountain. I asked two people this week and within two seconds of asking, I asked my third daughter and she nailed it. I was like, "How did you know?" She's like, "It's obvious." But that happened because it's a symbol, it's a symbol of the fact that God has given us His law. And the very first thing that the person entrusted with the law, the very first thing he does is break it. Why does he break it? Because he sees the people of God not worshiping God. His heart was broken by the fact that their hearts were so far from God that they wanted nothing to do with worshiping God. And therefore, God does send us the law and the prophets. God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses to all of humanity in all places for all time. God also provided a sacrificial system for atonement when the people of God broke commandments. Then God sends Jesus Christ as the king to establish God's kingdom on earth. What are the laws of the kingdom? It's the Ten Commandments. Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven." So when Jesus says, "I've come to fulfill the law," what does He mean? To fulfill the law means that Jesus kept the law, He followed the law. He kept every one of the Ten Commandments from the heart, and then He offers Himself as a sacrifice to provide atonement for our law-breaking. Then He says, "Repent of your breaking of God's law. Receive forgiveness. Receive a new heart. And in that new heart, the wineskins, new wineskins and filled with new wine of the Holy Spirit and with the indwelling power of the spirit in the new heart. We want to follow God from the heart. We want to obey His laws as they're written on our heart. The righteous law of God, which condemns our sin, is as permanent as the good news from God, which promises salvation from sin's judgment. It's an inside-out kingdom because God regenerates our hearts, writes His law on our hearts. We want to obey the letter of the law and also the spirit of the law, which is love. It all starts in the heart, but it doesn't stay in the heart. And that's really the issue with Jesus and the Pharisees. We keep coming up on Him going toe to toe with them in debate on the Sabbath. Why? What's the fight over? It's what is God's law? They ended up adding traditions and regulations, their own law on top of God's law to obfuscate the law. So today we're in Mark 3:1-19. Would you look at the text with me? "Again He," Jesus, "entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus to see whether He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man with the withered hand, 'Come here.' And He said to them, 'Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?' But they were silent. And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him. "Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galileo and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that He was doing, they came to Him. And He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they crush Him, for He had healed many so that all who had diseases pressed around Him to touch Him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, 'You are the Son of God.' But He strictly ordered them not to make Him known. "And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him. And He appointed 12, whom He also named apostles, so they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed to the 12: Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder, Andrew and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. This is the reading of God's holy and infallible, authoritative Word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. Three points to frame up our time. First, King Jesus defends the law of God. Second, King Jesus endures the crush of service. And third, King Jesus appoints the 12 apostles. First, King Jesus defends the law of God. Here in verse one it says, "Again He entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand." The emphasis here is on the word again. This was the pattern of Jesus' life, on the Sabbath day, He would go to the synagogue, which was the place of the gathering of the people of God. He did this on a weekly basis. He enters this synagogue, this was his way of going to church. And the way of Jesus is the way of God's law. He fulfilled God's law. When He says, 'Follow me,' He say follow me in obeying God's commandments. And thus the emphasis on the fourth commandment, thus the emphasis on the gathering to worship God on the Sabbath. He's keeping the fourth commandment, and He's doing it from the heart. He gathers on the Lord's day to give God His due glory because He loves the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, strength, and mind. And in the synagogue are the Pharisees, the representatives of big religion, the religious establishment. They were pitted as the enemies of Christ here because Christ's popularity is growing His authority, it's self-authenticating. They're losing authority, and they recognize that Jesus is a threat to their dominion, so to speak. In verse two, "They watched Him to see whether He would heal Him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him." It's a gentleman with a withered hand and most likely it's an image of paralysis, most likely he couldn't work. The Pharisees are watching Jesus closely because they're concerned with Sabbath observance. The word for watch here is used in the Septuagint and other places in the salter of sinners who are lying in wait for a righteous person to slay him, lying in wait. So the Pharisees who objected to Jesus eating with sinners, well, they are revealing themselves to be sinners here. So that they might accuse Him, they want to bring charges against Him because they're breathing murderous plots in their hearts. So this is the second run in with big religion over the Sabbath between the Pharisees and Jesus. In the previous text, they accused Jesus' followers of not following the Sabbath law. Here they're accusing Jesus Himself. Why? Because the deliberate transgression of the Sabbath law carried the death penalty. If they can find Jesus breaking the Sabbath, they can bring charges against Him in order to execute Him. Exodus 31:12, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, "Above all you shall keep My Sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among the people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."'"And He gave to Moses, when He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. And then in Numbers 15:32, "While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath. And those who found him gathering sticks brought them to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation. They put him in custody, because it had been made clear what should be done to him. And the Lord said to Moses, 'The man shall be put to death, all the congregations shall stone him with stones outside the camp.' And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones as the Lord commanded Moses." So Jesus is here to fulfill the law. He's fulfilling it. Now the question is, is He transgressing the law by healing on the Sabbath? Well, Jesus is going to heal the man on the Sabbath. He has an opportunity to do a good work. And no, He's not transgressing the law, as He's going to explain, because the law was given for the people of God as a day that is designated in holiness. This day is different. This day is devoted to the Lord, and it's devoted to good works. So no, doing good works on the Sabbath does not transgress the fourth commandment. Verse three, He tells the man, "Come here." Jesus calls him to stand up publicly. Jesus knows that the man wants to be healed, and if the man truly desires healing, he must confess his need and show his faith in the power of Jesus Christ by standing up in the face of the whole congregation and displaying his need. It's a moment of public confession, of faith, and potentially costly confession. He understands by standing up and doing what Jesus says, he is going against the religious establishment which might come at a cost. This is one of the reasons why baptism is what it is. Jesus Christ commanded us to be baptized, and baptism is a public profession of faith. When we do baptism here at Mosaic, we ask that whoever's being baptized to come on up and to answer one question, why do you love Jesus Christ? We do that because that's the pattern of Holy Scripture and that's commanded to us. The person gets up, and they're confessing their need for Christ. "I've broken the commandments. I need Christ. I need His sacrifice. I need His grace. And I commit to follow Jesus Christ all of my days." So that's what He's doing here. And then Jesus, before He heals the man, He has a theological debate with the Pharisees by asking them a question that leaves them silent. He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And here Jesus is getting at the intent of the law, and He's saying, "What is the point of the law?" The point of the law is that God is a God who loves life. He's the creator. God is love, so whatever he does command, the point of what He commands is love. He's given us the law because He loves us, He wants us to flourish. This is the pattern of the less life, the life of shalom, the life of universal flourishing. So on the Sabbath He's saying, "What's lawful? What's lawful? Is it lawful to do good or to do harm?" The point of the Sabbath is to designate one whole day where we do good, where one-seventh of our waking hours are devoted to God, loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love people, to do good. The reason why they fall silent is because they understand that in their hearts they are intending to destroy Christ. What are they doing in the Sabbath? Are they doing good, or they doing harm? They're doing harm. So Jesus reads their minds, He asks a question that answers the doubts of their heart, and He's like, "Obviously the point of the Sabbath is to do good, is to promote life, is to promote rest in the Lord." And also, He is showing them their inconsistency. On the Sabbath they allowed for people to rescue animals. Obviously if it's true for animals that they could be saved on the Sabbath, it's an order of magnitude more true for humans as image bearers of God. This is more explicit in Matthew 12 where it says, "He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. They asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they might accuse Him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." According to most of the rabbis, they would argue that what Jesus here is doing transgresses the Sabbath law because the man is not in imminent danger. According to most of the rabbis, and certainly those the Pharisees followed, unless the person's life is at stake, it's work to help the person. But there's nothing remotely even close to that in the Old Testament. Why are they judging Him according to a standard that's not in Scripture? Well, by the time that Christ has come, they have created an elaborate set of rules regarding what could and could not be done on the Sabbath. And their rules, their own regulations, their own traditions were presented as inert, infallible, and more authoritative than the Word of God itself. Jesus here is saying, "No, I'm not going to be ruled by human tradition. I'm not going to be ruled by human rules and laws. I'm going to be ruled only by the law of God." Jesus was, and that's why He's the righteous king. We always have to be careful of that. Whenever we look at the faith, we have to ask, "Is this in Scripture? Is this from the Holy Scriptures, or is whatever we're doing, whatever we're teaching, whatever we're following, is it based in tradition and human tradition?" So Jesus as the holy one of God, He knows exactly what God's law says, and He knows the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, and He's saying that, "No, on the Sabbath we should be doing kindness. It is permitted. We should be doing good works. There's no better day of the week to do good works than on the Sabbath." The Pharisaic attitude, on the other hand, not only misses the point of the day but smacks of indifference to this human being who's suffering. So they were silent. Their silence is hostile. They understand that they have been publicly humiliated because how do you answer that question? There's only one answer, and they know that Jesus is right. They understand that they've lost face in front of the people, in front of the crowd, which makes them for dangerous enemies. To what extent was it lawful to watch for the life of another as they were doing? They're looking to destroy Christ. Verse five, "And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored." There's anger in Christ's heart because He understands that they don't have love for God and they don't have love for neighbors. So they are law-breakers and they present themselves as the guardians of the law. So he's angry at that. He's angry and grieved at their hardness of heart. Hardness of heart is willful refusal. When you see a miracle in front of you, when you see the power of God in front of you, when the truth is evident and you just choose to refuse it, choose to not believe. Some of the commentators are saying that this appeal of hardness, it's actually an illusion to in the Old Testament where Pharaoh exhibited hardness of heart. He saw miracle after miracle after miracle after miracle, and he chooses to harden his own heart, and then God hardens Pharaoh's heart as well. Some of the commentaries say that that's why the Pharisees, it's a play of words, Pharisees and Pharaoh perhaps. But the hardness of heart is the Son of God is in front of them, the Son of God who knows the Word of God better than them, who reads their thoughts and actually does miracles right in front of them to authenticate that what He's saying is true, in the face of all the evidence, they still choose to disobey. Jesus heals the man, and He does so by telling the man, "Stretch out your hand." Here you see the cleverness of Jesus. Can they accuse Him of doing works by healing the man? Well, what was Jesus' work? Jesus told the man, "Stretch out your hand." The man stretches out the hand, the man does the work, and as he does, the man is healed. Verse six, "The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him." The Herodians were the Jewish supporters of Herod. And so you have the religious Jews, that's the Pharisees, and the political Jews, the Herodians, teaming up, uniting in wanting to kill Jesus Christ. How to destroy Him, that's a phrase that was used by the demons when they said, "Are you the Son of God come to destroy us?" And here the Pharisees are seeking to destroy Christ. Big religion's response to Jesus stands in stark contrast to the other response, which is the crowds. They flock to Jesus Christ to experience healing and to experience exorcisms. And this is point two, King Jesus endures the crush of service. Verse seven, "Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from a round Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that He was doing, they came to Him." He withdraws, and the emphasis here is that He's leaving the danger from the Pharisees. Withdrawal from danger fits in this context. And it shows us that as He goes outside He's entering Gentile territory. He shows that He's not just the savior of Israel but the savior of the nations. As He told the shocked Pharisees in Matthew 8:11, He says, "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." So the people flock to Jesus Christ. In verse nine, He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they crush Him. The crowd is growing and they're exerting pressure on Him. It's a phrase that's used metaphorically, to oppress or afflict. These are people that know that Jesus can meet their physical needs. They're attracted to Jesus primarily for that. They're pressing in to just touch Him and get just a taste of His power to be healed. Jesus backs away from them onto the boat that's probably owned by Peter, James, and John. And He heals them. In verse 10, "He healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around Him to touch Him." The word for press here and crush, those are two implications that when Jesus comes as the Messiah, as prophesied in Isaiah 53, our diseases will be placed upon Him, our chastisement and sins will crush Him. This is Isaiah 53:4-6, "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteem Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Along with healing, Jesus exorcizes demons. Verse 11, "Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, 'You are the Son of God.' And He strictly ordered them not to make Him known." The human and demonic reactions to Jesus here are similar. The human sufferers fell upon Him, the unclean spirits fall before Him, and they confess that, "You are the Son of God." This is the second time in Mark that Jesus is called the Son of God, the first time by God the Father. He said, "This is my Son, my beloved Bon whom I'm well pleased and whom I've taken delight." The demons say similar thing, "You are the Son of God," but there's no love for Christ in their hearts, that's why they're demons, and they do not delight in Him. But Jesus doesn't want their confessions. He tells them, "Don't say this out loud." Because it's not their job to proclaim the good news. It's not their job to proclaim who He is. That's the job of His followers. Speaking of His followers, this is point three, that King Jesus appoints the 12 apostles. Verse 13, "And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him." And here Jesus as sent on the mountain, recalls Moses as sent to Sinai. Throughout the Pentateuch in Exodus 19, God prophesies and He said, "Israel is my treasured possession." And here Jesus in calling the disciples calls them to intimacy, that they are His treasured possession. Another important mosaic ascent of Moses occurs in Exodus 24 when Moses ascends Sinai in the company of the priests and the elders and sets up 12 pillars to symbolize the 12 tribes. The emphasis here is on Jesus' call. He called the disciples to Himself. He initiates the call. Those whom He desired, it's to emphasize His power of choice, that He chooses whom to follow Him. When Jesus calls, it's a prophetic call, and it's a call that's effectual, with a desired effect because God's Word does not return to Him void. Isaiah 55:11, "So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth, it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." So they come up the mountain with Him, they follow Jesus. They leave behind whatever their vocational calls were in order to devote themselves to Christ. In verse 14, "He appointed 12, whom He also named apostles, so that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons." He appoints the 12, and this reawakens the Jewish hope that the Messiah will come, renew the nation, and these 12 are to symbolize that. What does He call them to? He calls them to be with Him. He calls them to be with the presence of God. In the Garden of Eden, the greatest blessing that Adam and Eve experienced in that garden, the greatest blessing was the fact that they had unfettered access to God. They walked with God in the cool of the day. Whatever questions they had, they could ask God face to face. He knew them, they knew Him. When we listen to Satan's lies of, "Did God really say?" and we rebelled against God, they lost that access to the presence of God. They lost the ability to walk with God in the garden. Jesus Christ comes and He offers His presence. He offers the presence of God. He offers that same ability for them to walk with God. So He called them to be with Him, that's the first step. Before they preach, they got to spend time with the Lord. But if you spend time with the Lord, if you truly experience the presence of God, your heart gets filled, it brims with truth about God, and you have a desire to speak about the Lord. So He calls them to be with Him, and then He calls them to preach, to preach the good news. A lot of Christians, they just want to be with Jesus. That's all they want to do. Jesus, me, Jesus. It's all privatized. It's all very self-focused. No, Jesus says, "If you spend time with Me, go and make disciples of all nations. If you follow me, I'm welcoming you into the mission of God." And what is the mission of God? To seek and to save that which is lost. He gives them power to preach the word and also authority to cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ. He gives them power over even the demonic realm. In Mark 3:16, "He appointed the 12. The first one was Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter." Simon was His Hebrew name. He's renamed by Jesus to Peter. In the Greek that's Petros. So he's got a Hebrew name, Simon, he's got a Greek name Petros. And then the Apostle Paul affectionately calls Peter Petros. He calls them Syphus. If anyone that knows multiple languages, you know affectionately you do that with people, you call them their name, but you do it in the language that only the two of you know. Syphus is the Aramaic version of Petros, which is the new name, and Simon was his Hebrew name. I say that because a lot of people think the disciples were morons. They're like, "Oh, He picked fishermen. They don't know anything." These guys were very well-educated. They grew up most likely trilingual in an area that was trilingual. They knew Aramaic, they knew Hebrew, and they knew Greek. That's why Jesus chose them, because they knew the scriptures of Hebrew and Aramaic, and they understood how to communicate it to the Greek world and the Greco-Roman Empire. So Simon Peter is the first one. And then verse 17, "James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is Sons of Thunder." Then Peter, James, and John, they formed the inner circle of the three disciples of Jesus Christ. He changes the name of Peter. He gives the others, James and John, He gives them a nickname, but Peter is the one that gets the name changed. And this is significant because of the patriarchs in the Old Testament, whenever God chose the spiritual leader of the people, He would change His name, Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel. Abraham is called the rock in the Old Testament, which is why Jesus, who gives primacy to the leadership of Peter, calls him the rock. Isaiah 51:1-2, "Listen to me, you'll pursue righteousness you who seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you, for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him." So Peter is presented as the man in charge. That's why in all the lists of the disciples he's the first one. This is why Jesus resurrected Christ, revealed Himself to Peter first. James and John are called Sons of Thunder. Why? Because they had a hot temper. They were very zealous for the Lord, and sometimes the zeal overcame their wisdom. For example, in Luke 9:51, "When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messages ahead of Him, and he went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for Him. But the people did not receive him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, 'Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village." I always find that text funny or interesting. "Jesus, You want us to call fire from heaven? No one believes here, let's just smoke the whole place." What if Jesus said yes, "Yes, I want fire from heaven."? They'd be like, "Jesus, could You send the fire?" Everything they did was in the power of Jesus. What Jesus is there saying is, "They didn't receive me, yes, but hold on, the power of the Spirit isn't here yet. That'll come on the day of Pentecost." And that changed their hearts as well. The other disciples in Mark 3:18, "Andrew, and Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him." I'm not going to get into what the names is, but the titles here are important. Simon the Zealot is pointed out. Who were the Zealots? They were nationalist party willing to fight to free Israel from Roman rule. So on the one hand, you got Simon the Zealot. They hated the Romans, and they hated anyone that collaborated with the Romans. And then you got Levi, who then became Matthew, was a tax collector. Who's he collecting taxes for? The Romans. So God brings these two people, diametrically opposed, completely different political ideologies, perspectives in the world, brings them together and saying, "Now I'm going to show you what it means to love one another as I have loved you." Iscariot, Judas Iscariot, it's from the Greek sikarioi. Commentators say there were also a group of Jewish revolutionaries who practiced assassinations. Perhaps that's why Judas did ultimately end up betraying Jesus Christ, because he assumed Jesus was going to be primarily a political king. And the first time that Christ came, He came to build His kingdom from the inside out by saving people. Although the text ends on a somber note, foreshadowing of violent crucifixion, the main theme of this text is joyful of being called by God, being called by God's grace, being chosen by Jesus Christ, personally enlisted in the war where battles are won by proclaiming good news and thereby shattering demonic structures of evil. God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses, and Jesus Christ lived according to the Ten Commandments. He summarized them by saying, "This is the point: it's love God and love people." He was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" and He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. The second one is love your neighbor as yourself." But in summarizing the Ten Commandments, He does not obliterate or abrogate the Ten Commandments. The summary does not abrogate the expansion of which is a summary. A lot of people think that in the old covenant the law was in force, then Jesus Christ comes and gets rid of the law. A lot of Christians think in the new covenant there is no law and the new covenant is just grace. I would push back and say, "No, that's not true." Because in Hebrews 8 it says that in the new covenant, when God gives us new hearts, He writes His law on our hearts. Which law? It's God's law, the Ten Commandments. This is Hebrews 8:8, "For He finds fault with them when He says: 'Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, "Know the Lord," and they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and will remember their sins no more.'" I do, I pray for a day when the Spirit descends upon our town, upon our city where people's hearts are regenerated, and then they turn to Jesus Christ as king. And then what? Then I pray that they join the Body of Christ, join the church. Recently school restarted, and I have a high schooler now, so I was driving to the high school. I have a high schooler now, Christ. I was driving to the high school and there was traffic everywhere. I've never seen that many people on the street just crossing left and right. And when it's that chaotic, we've got crossing guards. Just families going to school. I was like, "That's awesome that that happens Monday through Friday. Imagine if that happened on Sunday. That's where people just come and they're drawn by the Spirit and they want to worship God and they want to obey the fourth commandment, which is worshiping God on the Sabbath day." We practice Sabbath on a Sunday because Jesus Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday. The church was birthed on a Sunday. Have you broken any commandments? Jesus Christ calls us to repent, believe, and follow the king. I do want to mention that obeying the commandments and loving God's law, the approach with God's law is very different than the approach of man-made laws. I've been pulled over one time by the Brookline Police. On Route 9 going east, there's a speed trap, it goes from 55 to 35. I realized I try to obey man-made law basically to keep the cops away, to keep the authorities away. I don't keep the law to get to know them or to have a relationship with police. No, no, no, just leave me alone. But it's the opposite with God's law. That's why Psalm 119, meditate on Psalm 119, says, "I love your law, O, Lord." Because the law is an extension of God. God is holy, His Word is holy, His law is holy. By walking in the commandments of God, you grow in holiness and you grow in the presence of God. You grow closer to the Lord. Have we broken the commandments? Of course we have. What are we ought to do? We are to repent and believe that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law perfectly in our behalf. And then He goes to the cross and He bears the penalty for our law-breaking. The wrath of God comes down upon Him. Why does Jesus do that? So that after He is resurrected and ascends, when we repent and believe, our sin is counted to Him on the cross and His righteousness counted to us. And He gives us grace to do what? To then follow Him. And following Him means following Him in the obedience of the law of God from the heart. Following King Jesus and keeping God's law and to live lovingly is to live lawfully, and to live lawfully is to live lovingly. Hebrews 5:9, "And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." Does that verse contradict salvation by grace through faith? No. It's the inevitable outworking. We're saved not by our works, not by fulfilling a law, but by Christ's work in fulfilling the law and Christ's work on the cross. And then we're saved by grace through faith for works, which is walking in the commandments of the Lord. 1 John 3:24, "Whoever keeps His commandment abides in Him, and God in Him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." If you're not a follower of Jesus Christ, today, the Lord commands you, King Jesus commands you, God commands you, follow Christ by repenting of sin, turning to Him, receiving grace, and then following Him the rest of your days. And then if you are a believer, is the law of God, is it on your mind, is it the meditation of your heart? This is what every single one of us should be doing, every day going through the commandments, "Lord, where have I not kept the law from my heart? In those places, Lord, forgive me, give me grace, and give me the power of the spirit to live in obedience to you. Amen. Would you please pray with me in conclusion? Lord Jesus, we thank You for being a great God, and we thank You for being a great king, a righteous king. We thank You, Jesus, that you don't call us to do anything that You have not done yourself. When You call us to live in obedience and obedience of faith, it's because You've already done that. You are the champion of our faith, and You lived perfectly according to the law. And Lord, we thank You for saving us. We thank You for giving us, and we pray for the power of the Spirit to empower us to continue to walk in Your ways and continue preaching the good news to those who are far from You, so that people meet You, so that people are transformed by You, so that Your church is built up and so that You are glorified. We pray for a revival. We pray for Your Spirit to fall on this church, to fall upon our neighborhood, on our community, on our town, on our city, and we pray, Lord, that You do that for the glory of Your name and for our joy. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

How do you deal with conflict? I may have an unpopular approach, but I tend to address conflict head on, right away. I don't like using the silent treatment or leaving passive aggressive notes. But I think my approach can be a little intense sometimes, so I'm learning to give others time to process disagreement and conflict. .When I'm practicing better conflict management, I try to remember how Jesus dealt with conflict. He stepped into conflict, but His purpose was to bring shalom. "Shalom" is a Hebrew word that can sometimes be translated as "peace," but a more comprehensive translation would be closer to reconciliation, making all things as they should be, or making broken things whole. Jesus is a maker of this kind of peace—not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness without fear or anxiety. And when Jesus returns, He will bring all things into shalom, making everything whole so all things work together the way they were designed to. .To make things whole again, sometimes we do need to step into conflict. Jesus often did this with the Pharisees (a group of Jewish religious leaders), rebuking them for their hypocrisy and for caring more about rules than about people. For example, one time Jesus's disciples were hungry on the Sabbath (a Jewish day of rest) so they picked a few heads of grain from a field. This went against a Pharisaic law that stated a person shouldn't pick heads of grain on the Sabbath. When the Pharisees confronted Jesus about this, He rebuked them. He told them He is Lord over the Sabbath, and it wasn't right for them to condemn people for breaking human-made rules. Those rules brought division and self-righteousness, not shalom. They blinded the Pharisees to the bigger picture—that Jesus was God in human flesh, and He had come in love to bring about shalom. Soon after this, when the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into breaking the Sabbath, Jesus healed a man's hand—He restored what was broken and made his hand whole. In this way, Jesus stepped into conflict to reconcile what was wrong and bring about shalom. .So when we see division and brokenness, we can look to Jesus, the One who brought wholeness to our broken relationship with God, and seek to follow in His footsteps. We can step into conflict with Jesus right beside us, aiming to bring wholeness to broken places. • Naomi Zylstra .• How do you tend to deal with conflict? Learning when and how to step into conflict is difficult. Consider spending some time talking to God about this, asking for His guidance and direction. .“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 (WEB)