“Uncleanness of the Heart makes a Man Unclean” – Mark 7:1-23
The monastics were engaged in a radical search for authenticity.
Rationale for the rise of monasticism: When Christians started becoming
complacent and focused on self-fulfillment in the ease of living in the era of
state-sanctioned Christianity, some sought, through self-imposed hardship, to
return to the Christ-centered focus, brought by the hardship of persecution
in earlier times.
Isaiah 29:13
Mark 7:20
It’s what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.
“Gratefulness is a Polar Opposite to Envy – The Davidic Covenant” – 2 Samuel 7:1-29
“Gratefulness is the key to a happy life.”
“Marvin Olasky – “Hatred led me into the communist party. Envy leads to class warfare. I became a Christian in 1976, but many of my sinful tendencies have remained; it has been a 35 year struggle to corral them. But one instantly disappeared – class envy.”
2 Samuel 7 is the pivotal chapter of the Bible because of its revelation that the Messiah would unconditionally come through David’s line.
Psalm 89:3-4 refers to the Davidic Covenant.
The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) gave provision for a land, a seed, and a blessing.
These will not be fulfilled completely until the second coming of Jesus.
2 Samuel 7:1-3
David assumed that his plans were God’s plans, and Nathan assumed that whatever David set his mind to would be God’s plan.
2 Samuel 7:4-16
It is not enough for our motives to be right.
Psalm 89:26-29
Isaiah 9:6-7
Luke 1:30-33
2 Samuel 7:18-29 – David’s response to God’s promise was gratitude and praise for God.
David expected adversity and was overwhelmed by God’ goodness; we, however, usually expect God’s goodness and are overwhelmed by adversity.
How can we be filled with envy and covetousness if we are filled with gratitude to God for His goodness to us?
Jesus finished the Passover meal with a hymn. According to Jewish custom all or portions of Psalm 113-118 would be sung; this is called the Hallel (meaning praise).
Psalm 118:22-24
In this psalm, the phrase “this is the day that the Lord has made” does not refer to just any day, but that day when Jesus would take on Himself the sins of the world, a day of rejection, shame, and darkness. We are to rejoice in this day.
“God Budgets His Power in this Age – Feeding of 5000” – Mark 6:30-44
Background for the lesson: Ezekiel 34:1-3, 11-24
The Lord directs Ezekiel to speak against the leaders of Israel, pointing out their unwillingness to shepherd the people.
Then the Lord tells Ezekiel that He Himself will lead his sheep and lead them to rich pastures on the hills of Israel and judge those who muddy the water for His sheep.
If you were a Christian living in the second century AD, you would be accused of four things:
The last accusation is the focus of the lesson today.
2 Corinthians 6:18
The Christians of that day took to heart and openly behaved according to the idea that, regardless of biological or marital relationships, older Christians were the parents of younger Christians and, likewise, the younger were the sons and daughters of the older and those of the same age range were brothers and sisters. Christians are a family.
In chapter’s 4, 5, & 6, we see that the minority response to Jesus and His miracles is faith.
Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.
Only two people had the right response to Jesus:
In Mark 3:20, we see that His legal family believes Him to be out of His mind.
Mark 3:33-35
Jesus redefines the family for Christians.
The biological family is no longer placed above our relationship to other Christians.
Mark 10:28-30
A Christian receives multiple new family members.
“The Nature of Leadership: Aaron and the Golden Calf” – Exodus 32:1-14
Jim Collins, in his book, Good to Great, revealed that good leaders were humble and put those who were under them first.
Exodus 25 – 31 tells us in detail how God wants to be worshiped.
But the Israelites decide to represent God as a golden calf.
Moses had a similar experience to Jesus when Jesus was led out into the desert for forty days & nights, without food or water and tempted by the devil.
Moses also went without food or water for forty days & nights and was in the desert. Moses, while on a mountain top like Jesus, was tested to see if he would prefer to allow himself to be exalted in place of the Israelites, to become the founder of his own nation. In the case of Jesus, He was tempted to exalt Himself by taking all the kingdoms of the earth for Himself without the humility of the cross. Moses offered his own life to atone for his people, but God rejected his offer because he was not a suitable sacrifice; it required a totally righteous person to make that sacrifice; it remained for Jesus to do that.
“Jairus’ Daughter & a Woman with an Issue of Blood” – Mark 5:21-43
The number, 12, figures in both stories.
A woman with an issue of blood had suffered with the problem for 12 years.
Leviticus 12 & 15 – The law of Moses concerning this woman’s condition.
Jesus, rather than shunning the woman for making Him ceremonially unclean under the law, responds kindly in informing her that her faith has brought her healing.
Jesus continues to Jairus’ house where his 12-year-old daughter lies dead.
Jesus speaks of the child as only being asleep, a term used widely in the scriptures to describe a pre-resurrection state. Where there is faith in Jesus, death is merely dosing.
If you are unclean, Jesus has time for you; if you are dead, He has words for you.
