Jesus Is Warring For Your Heart (Mark 7:1-23)

1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 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.) 5 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?”

You have Pharisees and scribes in this story — people who immersed themselves in Scripture but then made their interpretations of Scripture more important than Scripture (1, 3-5). They saw that some of Jesus’ disciples ate with defiled or unwashed hands (2). Mark helps us understand this wasn’t lousy hygiene on the disciples’ part. Instead, they were not complying with all the ceremonial washings the Pharisees practiced. These religionists washed hands, cups, pots, copper vessels, and dining couches in a religious way, especially when they came back from the marketplace, lest any Gentile uncleanness come upon them (4). On the inside, these religious leaders were unclean, but they made a bunch of rules to make their outside look good. And when they saw Jesus’ disciples walking in freedom, and not according to the tradition of the elders, they were compelled to confront Jesus (5).

After reading this opening paragraph, you’d be forgiven for thinking this has nothing to do with our modern time, nothing to do with a men’s conference, nothing to do with you. I can almost feel you tuning out, tempted to drift because here we have another religious debate between Jesus and the legalists of his day.

Being Clean: Mankind’s Utmost Issue

But, I assure you, this passage has much to do with life today. Whether people know it or not, whether they look to God or not, they strive for cleanness. There is a universal sense we are unclean. Shame. Guilt. A feeling that we do not measure up.

In one way or another, a gnawing understanding exists. We are not clean, and we need to be clean. Some will claim that sin (and the resultant guilt) are merely human constructs loaded onto us by others — this is an attempt to say, “I am clean!” Some will pursue radical or dangerous ideologies in quite public ways — this is an attempt to say, “I am clean!” Others will pursue good works, perhaps even privately — this is an attempt to say, “I am clean!”

Some will turn to religious ceremonies so they can say, “I am clean!” Others will turn to self-love and self-acceptance so they can say, “I am clean!” Some will deny they’ve done anything wrong at all, so they can say, “I am clean!” And some will turn to confessions and statements and buzzwords and hashtags to prove to their camp and themselves, “I am clean!”

But, still, the gnawing desire for cleanness remains. Could it be that our collective desire to be clean — and all the contradictory avenues we pursue in our attempts to become clean — stem from our brokenness before God? Could it be that much of the upheaval in our world today is because of this sense of uncleanness?

Romans 3:23 (ESV) — 23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Could the fact we “fall short of the glory of God” be part of the universal human struggle? You see, the need for cleanness is mankind’s biggest issue. We are unrighteous before God, and even the person who says he does not exist will never find rest for their soul in counterfeit forms of cleanness.

Cleanness Does Not Come By Human Effort

Because God is holy, human cleanness cannot come by human effort. The Pharisees and scribes had thought they could keep God’s law, and improve on God’s law, which would lead to their cleanness. They produced elaborate washing ceremonies to demonstrate their cleanness. They thought something they did on the outside could make them clean on the inside.

But cleanness does not come by human effort. It comes from God. It comes to the heart. It must penetrate the heart. Only then can it be truly evidenced on the outside.

The Pharisees are a fascinating study, really, because, in their beginnings, they held a high view of God. They saw him as holy. They believed his word was being disrespected. They felt they must protect the word, so their traditions began. Over time, however, their traditions and teachings displaced God’s word. Soon, a low view of God developed. They thought they could be clean before God by ceremony.

But, as the story of Jesus shows us, cleanness costs much more than ceremony.

6 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; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

So Jesus confronted these religious leaders head-on. He quotes from the prophet Isaiah, a man who had hypocrites in his own day (6). Jesus applied Isaiah’s words to the scribes and Pharisees. They honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from God (6). They took the commandment of God and used it to make commandments and traditions of men, which caused them to leave God’s word (8).

Did Jesus have an example of their departure from God’s word in mind? Yes.

9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”‘ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

They hadn’t only voided peripheral commands in God’s word but one of the ten commandments (13). The fifth commandment was to honor father and mother (10, Exodus 20:12). To dishonor our revile your parents was worthy of death (10, Exodus 21:17). In other words, this was a serious commandment. They knew it. But, still, they tampered with it! How?

Well, they created the practice or teaching of “Corban” (11). It comes from the Hebrew word for “offering” or “gift devoted to God.” So children could dedicate their possessions to God and use it as an excuse to neglect their parents. I would love to help you, mom and dad, but my money and home are Corban, dedicated to God, and I cannot use them on you. And because God comes before family, they decided this made the child exempt from helping the parent.

Human Efforts To Cleanse Produce Hypocrisy.

This is but one example of their twisting of Scripture. This is why Jesus called them hypocrites (6). If they had truly wanted to honor God from their hearts, they would have obeyed the fifth commandment (6). Their hearts, in love and honor and worship of God, would’ve directed them to care for their parents. And when the knucklehead with the “Corban” idea came forward, he would’ve been shot down. Are you kidding? That violates the whole heart of God! We will do the hard thing and take care of our parents, thank you very much!

But human efforts for cleanness produce hypocrisy. Why? Because we can’t really change ourselves; because the problem is with the heart. So we have to lower the bar somehow, yet keep the appearance that we are righteous. They wanted to feel as if they were keeping the fifth commandment to honor parents, but didn’t have what it took to actually honor their parents, so their little rules helped them feel better about their greed.

We must be on guard against this same dangerous spirit today. Our flesh craves the loophole. How can we get out of this? How can we feel we’ve obeyed or fulfilled our obligations or have been clean, but without being clean? How can we look the part? What is the least we can do? How can we convince others we are good?

But why do we often look for the loophole? Why did the Pharisees create a cheap and counterfeit path to cleanness? Why did they invent easy ways to appear clean? Let’s read on:

14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 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. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.

Jesus’ disciples didn’t become unclean when they resisted the Pharisees’ handwashing ceremony. They weren’t unclean because of something they touched or ate. No, Jesus said, uncleanness comes from within.

The things that come out of a person are what defile him (15). This was revolutionary talk. Theirs was a culture steeped in customs and ceremonies. They constantly worried about ceremonial defilement and created a complex set of rules to protect themselves from that outward uncleanness. So Jesus’ words rattled the disciples. When they went into the house, they asked Jesus about the teaching (17).

18 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, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Because The Human Heart Is Corrupt.

By the time Mark wrote, the church was no longer exclusively Jewish. The apostles had agreed that non-Jewish Christians should not have to comply with the Old Testament dietary laws, but there was still debate and confusion on this point. So Mark inserted his own commentary into the passage when he said, “Thus he declared all foods clean” (19).

But Jesus’ point to the disciples was that nothing from the outside-in could produce uncleanness because uncleanness is a matter of the heart. The heart of man is what produces all manner of evil and wickedness (21-23). Here, Jesus shows us why human effort cannot produce cleanness.

Human effort cannot produce cleanness because the human heart is corrupt. Jesus said it produces evil thoughts, or evil devising and schemes.

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) — 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Cleanness Comes From Christ’s Effort.

Now, if this were the end of the story, mankind would be in serious trouble — a world filled with broken hearts. Those hearts then lead us to a massive list of hurtful activities.

And this helps us understand the brokenness in our world. Every nation, people group, political party, and educational system is populated by broken people. Even the best-laid plans and philosophies are tainted by the sinful hearts of humanity.

This is a major difference in the Christian’s worldview. We know mankind is not basically good, but that evil is bound up within our hearts.

But we also know there is hope. Though we cannot make ourselves clean, Jesus Christ can make us clean by his blood.

Ephesians 1:7 (ESV) — 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…

You see, the heart of man is sick, but Jesus came to die for our sinful hearts. He came to give us life. Just as he was raised from death, he came to resurrect our hearts to life.

And for those who believe in Jesus, the path forward is clear:

• We get newness of life with him (Romans 6:4).
• We become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• We gain a new self we are to live out every day (Colossians 3:10).
• And this new self has been made in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 2:24).
• God had said he would give his people new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26). In Christ, he has done the work! Believe in him!

So We Must Be Born Again And Pursue Sanctification.

Acquiring this remade heart requires a new birth. This is why Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Born again. Born anew. Born afresh. Born of the Spirit. Born a second time. Born again.

And this new birth allows you to pursue an altogether different type of human experience. No longer are you bound to abide by a heartsick with sin, but now you can follow the Spirit. He is working on your heart, and as you walk in the Spirit, you are pursuing the dynamic life of the new self. Putting on this new self is also called “sanctification.”

What happens to the believer who pursues sanctification? Well, everything Jesus said the sinful heart inevitably produces is reversed.

• He said the sinful heart produces sexual immorality (21). It is a broad word that covers premarital, extramarital, and unnatural sexual behavior. Any sexual practice outside marriage between a man and woman is implied by this phrase. But when Jesus changes your heart, he turns sexual immorality into the utmost reverence and respect for his design for a man and woman.
• He said the sinful heart produces theft (21). Before Jesus changes our hearts, we are bound to take from another what is not ours. We cut corners. We are lazy at work. We cheat on exams. We refuse to give to God. But when Jesus changes your heart, he turns theft into generosity and diligence and contentment.
• He said the sinful heart produces murder (21). It takes the life of the innocent. It kills the baby in the womb. It mimics Cain by jealously murdering our fellow man, our brother. It destroys others through hatred. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin to build up the life of others, placing them above yourself and your desires.
• He said the sinful heart produces adultery (21). Violating the marriage covenant is the breaking of the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14). Every heart is capable of causing such long-term pain in exchange for short-term pleasure. But when Jesus changes your heart, you see marriage as honorable, self-control becomes your experience, and you learn you are blessed to only enjoy the spouse of your youth (Proverbs 5:18).
• He said the sinful heart produces coveting (22). This is a desire for more at the expense or exploitation of another. It is a violation of the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17). But when Jesus changes your heart, you become content with what you have, and you rejoice for those who have more than you.
• He said the sinful heart produces wickedness (22). These are schemes and plans that are deliberately evil. These are not accidents. There’s no confusion. The intent is evil. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin to plan and plot for good. You begin designing a life that can bless others, scheming for righteousness.
• He said the sinful heart produces deceit (22). Our society is drowning in lies. The human heart is prone to deceive. All day long, even the best intentions are diluted with half-truths and less than the whole story. But when Jesus changes your heart, honesty fills your life, and you no longer need to cunningly deceive to get your way in life.
• He said the sinful heart produces sensuality (22). This is a life that casts off all restraint and follows the impulses, leading to addiction. Mindless consumption of video games. Drunkenness. Binge eating. Whatever feels good. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin to grow sensitive to spiritual things and realize sensual behavior harms your walk with God.
• He said the sinful heart produces envy (22). This has to do with the eye. You see something in another you don’t like. You hate the good or the position or the success of another. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin to celebrate what God is doing in and for those around you.
• He said the sinful heart produces slander (22). Describing slander to our culture is like trying to describe water to a fish. We swim in this stuff. It is all around us. So it’s hard for us to see how life could be any different. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin, ever increasingly, to praise others and rejoice at the image of God you see in them.
• He said the sinful heart produces pride (22). This is the evil tendency of seeing oneself as better, more able, or greater than someone else. This is a universal trait of the natural human heart. Though often disguised in false modesty, it is arrogance. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin walking with humility. Everything you have, everything you are, is seen as a gift from your benevolent Father in heaven.
• He said the sinful heart produces foolishness (22). This is a spiritual insensitivity, so the platitudes, morals, and views of the unconverted heart can not be trusted. They are built on unstable ground. But when Jesus changes your heart, you begin pressing into his word and learning the way God sees things. Soon, foolishness is replaced with the wisdom of God.

Jesus-Joshua Is Warring For Your Heart Today

And Jesus is working hard to eradicate the heart of flesh and replace it with his nature in you. We started this weekend by considering how the Spirit is reforming us into Christ’s image. The Spirit of Christ is working to deliver us from sin. He is reshaping us for his glory.

At Christmas time, we celebrate the words of the angel to Joseph about Mary (and Jesus):

Matthew 1:21 (ESV) — 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Why did the angel say that since the baby in Mary’s womb would save his people from their sins, he would be named Jesus? What is the connection between salvation and the name Jesus? Well, in Joseph’s culture, the name Jesus was a common one. This is why Jesus was often referred to as Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 26:71) — it narrowed it down: the Jesus who is from Nazareth. But the reason Jesus was a common name is that it is the Greek form of the name Joshua, the famous Old Testament leader who brought Israel triumphantly into the Promised Land. The original Joshua was given this name by Moses. He had been named Hoshea, which means “salvation,” but Moses renamed him Joshua, which means “God saves.”

I mention all this because when Jesus came — like the original Joshua — he would save. Joshua delivered Israel from enemies in Canaan, but Jesus delivers us from sin. And he does it in a way similar to Joshua.

So, as we close out our time together, I want you to envision the Old Testament Joshua in your mind’s eye. I want you to imagine him walking through the land of promise, battling and warring for God’s people, leading them into victory. Then I want you to imagine our Greater Joshua going into a new land of promise — you!. Imagine him walking through you, battling and warring with you, leading you into victory. How does he engage in this war for your heart?

Like the first Joshua, Jesus spies out the sin within. Joshua sent spies in Jericho to get a full report. Joshua had himself spied out the land many years earlier. And does not the Lord Jesus look over our lives, searching within for areas to conquer and deliver us from sin that so easily besets us? Revelation describes Jesus with eyes like a flame of fire (Revelation 1:14). Eyes like those indicate his perfect and pure vision. He sees and is searching. And, ultimately, he saw our sin and came to earth to save us from it if we would believe in him.

Like the first Joshua, Jesus brings us into salvation. The original Joshua directed the priests to step out into the waters of the Jordan River — at flood time! — and the waters were held back. The people took advantage of the miracle and crossed into the land. And our Lord is also working to miraculously bring us into the life he has for us. I’m sure all of us can look back on our lives and see the tireless efforts of Jesus to direct us into his plans for us.

Like the original Joshua, Jesus is looking for men who are committed to going into the promised land. After the Jordan River closed behind them, Joshua had all the men circumcised, a sign that they were serious about their walks with God. And Jesus is looking for men who will hold the basic commitments of church engagement, Bible meditation, and ongoing connection with other believers. He’s looking to see who wants to be consecrated. We won’t do it perfectly, but it takes a certain mentality to move forward.

Like the original Joshua, Jesus defeats the obvious sins in our lives. The first place Joshua went after was the city of Jericho. It was so obvious — it had to be the first city they attacked. There was no mystery about it. Jericho was staring them in the face! And Jesus loves to deal with our most obvious sins. The rich, young ruler’s greed, Peter’s self-confidence, the Samaritan woman’s relationships, and the Corinthian man’s sexual perversion all get addressed by the Lord. Jesus wants to do the same for us. Some addictions and relationships and behaviors are so obvious. They are the Jerichos Christ wants to war against right now — tonight!

Like the original Joshua, Jesus wills to defeat the smallest sins. After battling Jericho, Joshua led the people into war against a small city called Ai. He made a mistake in the process, thinking victory would be easy because Ai was so small in comparison to Jericho. But a secret sin in the camp removed God’s blessing, and they initially suffered defeat. Once the sin was corrected, God gave them the victory. But Jesus makes no such mistake. And he loves to get after the less obvious (dare I say, smaller) sins. Pride and impatience and laziness and gluttony and financial recklessness all come under King Jesus’ gaze. He wants to set you free!

Like the original Joshua, Jesus wills to defeat the collective sins within us. After defeating Ai, Joshua led Israel into battle against a collection of kings that had banded together in the hope they could fend off the Israelite invaders. And some sins do work together to bring us down. Paul said we must put to death what is earthly in us: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Each sin is different, but with shades of overlap with the others. They band together to bring us down, but Jesus wants to stop the snowball effect in us. He stands against the collective sins.

Like the original Joshua, Jesus believes conquest is possible even when others don’t. Remember, Joshua was one of the spies Moses had sent into the land forty years earlier. Joshua (and his friend, Caleb) believed God. Though the other spies through Israel were like grasshoppers in the sight of the land’s inhabitants, Joshua said, “If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us. Do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them” (Numbers 14:8-9).

And our Joshua, our Lord, believes conquest is possible today. He thinks victory can come. Even when we lose hope, even when we become detached from the living hope that is ours in Christ, he believes (1 Peter 1:3). He does not bend to the majority report. He knows what he can do. He knows what is possible. He knows the plans he has for us. He knows how to change us from within.

Back To The Question At Hand

Back to the question at hand: the religionists asked, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” (6).

Jesus’ answer?

• Because unwashed hands cannot defile them.
• Because the commandments of men cannot cleanse them.
• And because it is their hearts which must become clean.
• And I will make them clean by dying in their place and rising from the grave. If they believe in me, new hearts will be theirs, and then they will be clean. Truly clean. Actually clean. Really clean. By my blood.
• And I will continue — all their life long — to war for their hearts. I will conform them into my image. I will win them from within.