THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 7:1-5
“Saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.” (Mark 7:2)
Jesus does not teach His disciples to follow religious rituals or traditions.
These practices develop over time for a specific religious purpose.
Hand washing symbolized the need for forgiveness and the need for spiritual cleansing.
Not a bad message, but not a requirement of God’s Law either.
I grew up with other examples of religious practices:
** dressing up to go to church -> a sign of respect for God
** not buying food or gas on Sundays -> to honour the Sabbath rest
** not participating in school dances -> to avoid the appearance of evil
** closing eyes to pray -> to focus on God, not on things around me
** reading the 10 commandments every Sunday -> to keep God’s Law ever before us
** going to church 2x on Sunday -> to show our devotion to God
** giving thanks before every meal -> to show our gratitude for God’s provision
** reading the bible as a family after each meal -> go grow as a family together
** sending your children to Christian school -> to train up a child in the way they should go
There is nothing wrong with doing things for spiritual discipline.
I have personal traditions today that I still practice.
The problem is when we start judging others because they don’t practice them (like us).
The reasons are all good, but these practices became a second set of Laws.
People were judged for failing to live up to these practices.
I know, because my family was somewhat lax on following them.
‘Why doesn’t your family live according to the tradition of the church?’ (Mark 7:5)
So to me, it is very interesting that Jesus does NOT enforce these secondary practices.
And as we will see, He has good reason not to.
Did you grow up with any religious traditions?
Do you still look down on people who do not practice these traditions?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me not to pride myself in the traditions I do follow, nor in the traditions I do not follow. May I only boast in You!
Observations/Application
Habits.
Rituals.
Then and today.
Some people thought that physical habits/rituals could make us clean. Outwardly they do but spiritually, no. These outward habits make me no better in God’s sight than those who do not practise them. It has to be a matter of the heart.
Tradition.
I remember . . .
but do I follow them today?
No.
Because those traditions were just that. Traditions. Rituals. And that does not make me right with God. Only God can cleanse me from within. He needs to wash me, cleanse, create in me a new heart so that I am spiritually refreshed, renewed in Him to serve Him always and forever.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
Take not Thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
And renew a right spirit within me.