Hitting The Mark with Jesus wk. 38B

HITTING THE MARK WITH JESUS wk. 38B

March 1, 2026

THE LURE OF WORTHLESS WORSHIP Pt 2

Mark 7:1-23

 

 

Mark 7 WORTHLESS WORSHIP

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

​Leonard Ravenhill, “When there is something in the Bible that churches [or people] don’t like, they call it ‘legalism’.”

 

 

 

 

Here are two related definitions for legalism:

 

·         Jesus, plus my own good works.

 

Galatians 3:1-5 + 10 (NIV) You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?³ Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?⁴ Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?…¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.

 

·         Creating additional rules not found in Scripture.  Then giving them the same weight as Scripture.

 

Mark 7:6-7 (NIV) ⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

 

 

 

 

 

They worship me in vain...

Vain: empty, useless, pointless, lifeless, worthless.

 

 

 

 

 

These people honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) says, Above all else, guard your heart,for everything you do flows from it.

 

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (NIV)  ‘Hear, O nation, the Lord your God, He is One,”Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

 

 

 

Mark 12:29-30 (NIV)²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.This is the first commandment.’”

 

 

THREE ATTRIBUTES OF WORTHLESS WORSHIP: 

 

1.   SURPASSES SCRIPTURE

 

 

 

Mark 7:2 (NIV) The Pharisees… saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.

 

 

Mark 7:3-4 (NIV)³ The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many othertraditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.

 

 

 

Mark 7:5-8 (NIV)⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

 

 

Mark 7:13 (NIV) says, Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.

 

 

Are you encountering the heart of God!

 

 

 

 

Mark 12:29-30 (NIV)²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.This is the first commandment.’”

 

Are you encountering the Lord in worship? 

2. REPLACE OBEDIENCE

 

Mark 7:9-13 (NIV) ⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observeyour own traditions!¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’

¹¹ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)—¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother.¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

 

 

You can use , but all that do is reveal the in your heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 John 1:9 (NIV) tells us, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 

 

 

Romans 5:8 (NIV)God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

 

3. TRUMPS BEING RIGHT

 

Mark 7:14-15 (NIV) ¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremah 17:9 (NKJV)The heart is deceitful above all things,and desperately wicked;Who can know it?

 

 

 

 

 

Mark 7:17-19 (NIV) ¹⁷ After 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 person from the outside can defile them?¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

 

 

Mark 7:20-23 (NIV) ²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

 

 

 

PRAYER:

 

ALTAR:

 

WORSHIP:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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