Daily Bread 2010 - Mark 7
Daily Bread 2010 – Mark 7
14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "
17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")
20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
Jesus again redefines “true spirituality”. In the legalism of the Pharisees, strict adherence to the rules gave one a clean heart. But Jesus reminds them that it is an “inside job”. Although we are made in God’s image when we are born and have a heart that is restless until it rests in God, we also inherit a sinful nature from birth.
Many who come into the Christian faith think if they will just try hard enough or deny themselves of any thing that might be deemed sinful, that they can clean up their act.
The Pharisees thought through religious rituals that a person could be made clean. But Jesus shows how these rituals are only symbolic of the inner cleansing that only God can bring.
Jesus came to bring this true healing of the inner person. Jesus healed many people of physical maladies, but the ultimate healing he brought was from the spiritual disease we all suffer from called “sin”. That is why Jesus is often called the “Great Physician”.
Today we spent tons of time and money in making sure we are physically fit and healthy, but it wouldn’t it make sense to put the same kind of energy into our spiritual condition. For out of our heart will flows all that we do.
Prayer: God we know that our hearts, like our bodies, need continual healing and renewal. Jesus our Great Physician, change our hearts and minds and send Your Spirit so we might reflect your character, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "
17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")
20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
Jesus again redefines “true spirituality”. In the legalism of the Pharisees, strict adherence to the rules gave one a clean heart. But Jesus reminds them that it is an “inside job”. Although we are made in God’s image when we are born and have a heart that is restless until it rests in God, we also inherit a sinful nature from birth.
Many who come into the Christian faith think if they will just try hard enough or deny themselves of any thing that might be deemed sinful, that they can clean up their act.
The Pharisees thought through religious rituals that a person could be made clean. But Jesus shows how these rituals are only symbolic of the inner cleansing that only God can bring.
Jesus came to bring this true healing of the inner person. Jesus healed many people of physical maladies, but the ultimate healing he brought was from the spiritual disease we all suffer from called “sin”. That is why Jesus is often called the “Great Physician”.
Today we spent tons of time and money in making sure we are physically fit and healthy, but it wouldn’t it make sense to put the same kind of energy into our spiritual condition. For out of our heart will flows all that we do.
Prayer: God we know that our hearts, like our bodies, need continual healing and renewal. Jesus our Great Physician, change our hearts and minds and send Your Spirit so we might reflect your character, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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