Mark 7/:1-13
“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
This deals with the approiate use of the law. We are not saved by our works, but the law shows us our need for Christ. It also applies in adding additional ritutals to worship that are not explictly in scripture. Reformed worship follows the Regulative Principle [See Westminster Conf, 21:1]. This means that we only do things in the worship service that have explict biblical support. We want to offer worship that is based on the scriptures. The worship is static not because of vein ritual but because we are trying to stick to biblical commands. We can not add to worship things which God has not commmands. The standard for true worship is not how we feel, but it is the scriptures. We also have sturdy worship because we are a history-based tradition, going back to the Reformation of the 1600s. We can not add to the two sacrements given to us by Christ.
Mark 7:14-37
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: there is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.”
We need to keep our bodies holy. This applies to use of pornography-we are not to give our bodies to lust. It also applies to self-injury, the body is not for our own use. “i with body and soul am not my own, but belong unto my faithful savior Jesus Christ”[1], he owns us. The Lord wants us to use our bodies for his glory. We are full of the Holy Spirit, so we are to live in such a way.
Application:
Worship must be done in obdiance to the scriptures. Our bodies belong to the Lord. We should not pattern worship based off emotion, but on scripture “the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself…he may not be worshiped according to the imagination and devicez of men.”2
Hymn of response: Worrhy of Wroship
Terry W. York
WORTHY OF WORSHIP
Worthy of worship, worthy of praise, Worthy of honor and glory;
Worthy of all the glad songs we can sing, Worthy of all the offerings we bring.
You are worthy, Father, Creator.
You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer.
You are worthy, worthy and wonderful; Worthy of worship and praise.
Worthy of reverence, worthy of fear, Worthy of love and devotion;
Worthy of bowing and bending of knees, Worthy of all this and added to these.
You are worthy, Father, Creator.
You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer.
You are worthy, worthy and wonderful; Worthy of worship and praise.
Almighty Father, Master and Lord,
King of all kings and Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor, Comforter, Friend, Savior and Source of our life without end.
You are worthy, Father, Creator.
You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer.
You are worthy, worthy and wonderful; Worthy of worship and praise.
Refersnced works:
Henry, Matthew. “Complete Commentary on Mark7”. “Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/mhm/mark.7.html. 1706.
Cited sources
1Heidelberg Catechism, Ans,1
2Westminster Confession of Faith, 21:1
A Young Christian Theologian’s Wordpress 