THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 7:9-13
“You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.” (Mark 7:13)
Think of some of the hard teachings of Jesus.
Forgive those who hurt you, turn the other cheek, love your enemy?
These are just a few of many hard teachings that we prefer not to take literally.
‘Corban’ was an example from that time, but we have many of our own.
Ways that we slide around the plain meaning of what Jesus says.
I’ll grant you that there are many hard and tricky to apply passages in the bible.
But let’s just start with the ones that plainly tell us to love, to forgive, to serve.
How can it be that we Christians today can still find ways to ‘nullify’ them.
Our ways of escaping obedience may differ, but they are still disobedience.
Jesus is showing how the empty heart is only wants to look good, not be good.
How to love and serve God, and ourselves at the same time.
I once heard a quote by St. Augustine: ‘love God with your whole heart, and do whatever you want!’
This sounds dangerous, but his point is that sincere love for God is the key.
Those who sincerely love God will not look for loopholes, or just maintain appearances.
True love does not look for excuses or escapes.
The challenge for today is is my heart really devoted to God?
Or am I just doing enough to look good, and finding excuses for not loving Him all the way?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, show me in my heart where I am making excuses or using loopholes to justify my lack of devotion or obedience to You. Help me to strive to be good, not just look good.
Observations/Application
Why come to Jesus?
To try to trap Him and regain their own popularity? Their heart was in the wrong place. Self image. Self satisfaction. Pride. They wanted the people to follow their every rule which had replaced the Word of God. Live by their authority and not God’s.
Yet others came with the deep desire to be healed. The outward actions show the heart condition – the source of life – physically/spiritually. The woman sought Jesus. The people who brought the deaf man sought Jesus. Their heart’s desire was to be whole and only Jesus is able to do that. None other. Jesus was/is the answer.
Those who sought Him were going against the flow yet knew the Source of power, of life, of healing -physical/spiritual. Jesus is the answer. It is that simple.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be