September 1, 2024 - Scriptures And Message
Summary
TLDRThe speaker reflects on the importance of inner faith over external rituals, drawing from biblical passages in Song of Songs and Mark 7. Highlighting Jesus' teachings, the message emphasizes that true defilement comes from within, such as through evil intentions and actions, rather than from breaking traditions like ritual hand washing. The sermon challenges the audience to focus on their hearts and relationship with God, rather than getting caught up in outward appearances or minor rule-following. The key takeaway is that a pure heart aligned with God leads to genuine goodness and integrity in life.
Takeaways
- 📖 The script discusses readings from the Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, highlighting Solomon's romantic words to his many lovers.
- ⛰️ The text vividly describes the arrival of the beloved, comparing him to a gazelle or young stag leaping over mountains, symbolizing vitality and love.
- 🕊️ The passage from the Song of Songs celebrates the end of winter and the arrival of spring, a time of renewal, singing, and blossoming nature.
- ✋ The Gospel of Mark chapter 7 is referenced, focusing on Jesus' teachings about traditions, particularly the Jewish practice of washing hands before eating.
- 💧 Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for being overly concerned with outward traditions, like ritual washing, while neglecting the true essence of faith.
- ❤️ Jesus emphasizes that it’s not what enters a person that defiles them, but what comes out from their heart—sins and evil intentions.
- 🙏 Traditions are valuable but should not overshadow the core purpose of connecting with God and living a life of true faith and integrity.
- 🚫 Jesus lists various sins, such as sexual immorality, theft, and pride, as examples of what truly defiles a person when they emanate from the heart.
- 💔 The script warns that if emotions are not properly addressed, they can manifest in harmful ways, like depression, violence, and anxiety.
- 🕊️ The final message encourages getting one's heart right with Jesus to avoid being defiled by evil and to live a life of kindness, faithfulness, and generosity.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the reading from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Testament?
-The main theme of the reading from the Song of Songs is the expression of love and affection between lovers, emphasizing the beauty of spring and the romantic relationship between Solomon and his beloved.
Why is the Song of Songs also referred to as the Song of Solomon?
-The Song of Songs is also referred to as the Song of Solomon because it is traditionally attributed to King Solomon, who was known for his wisdom and romantic expressions, including his many relationships.
What point does the speaker make about Jesus and the Pharisees in Mark chapter 7?
-The speaker highlights that Jesus challenges the Pharisees and scribes by emphasizing that it's not outward rituals and traditions, like washing hands, that make a person clean, but the intentions and actions that come from the heart.
How does the speaker relate the concept of tradition to modern-day practices?
-The speaker suggests that while tradition is valuable and provides a way to connect with God, it can become problematic when people focus too much on the ritual itself and forget its original purpose, which is to foster a relationship with God.
What example does the speaker use to illustrate the difference between outward appearances and inner morality?
-The speaker uses the example of people being more concerned about him saying the word 'damn' from the pulpit than the fact that 13,400 children die daily from preventable causes, illustrating that outward appearances often distract from more important moral issues.
What is the significance of the 'evil things' mentioned by Jesus in Mark 7?
-The 'evil things' mentioned by Jesus, such as sexual immorality, theft, and deceit, signify the negative intentions and actions that arise from the human heart, which truly defile a person, as opposed to external practices.
How does the speaker interpret the role of emotions in behavior according to the script?
-The speaker explains that unaddressed emotions can manifest in harmful behaviors, such as violence or anxiety, suggesting that dealing with one's emotions in a healthy way is crucial to avoiding these negative outcomes.
What advice does the speaker give regarding tradition and worship?
-The speaker advises that while tradition is important, it should not overshadow the core purpose of worship, which is to connect with God and live according to His teachings. The focus should be on the inner spiritual life rather than solely on external rituals.
What does the speaker suggest is necessary to avoid being defiled, according to Jesus' teaching?
-The speaker suggests that having a heart aligned with Jesus and God is essential to avoid being defiled. By focusing on inner righteousness, kindness, and faithfulness, one can maintain purity and goodness.
How does the speaker relate the message of the sermon to everyday life?
-The speaker relates the message to everyday life by emphasizing the importance of inner morality over outward appearances, urging people to focus on their relationship with God and how they treat others, rather than just following traditions or societal expectations.
Outlines
📜 Solomon's Love Poetry
This paragraph introduces a scripture reading from the Song of Songs, often attributed to Solomon. It highlights the romantic language and imagery used in the verses, where Solomon poetically expresses his love, comparing his beloved to nature's beauty. The passage reflects the deep emotions and the poetic style typical of Solomon's writings. It also briefly touches on the large number of wives Solomon had, providing historical context.
🔍 Confrontation with Religious Authorities
This paragraph discusses an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees, who criticize his disciples for not following traditional Jewish purification rituals, such as handwashing before eating. Jesus responds by challenging their adherence to human traditions over God's commandments. He emphasizes that what truly defiles a person comes from within, not from external factors, critiquing the Pharisees' focus on ritual purity over moral integrity.
⚖️ The Essence of Tradition vs. True Worship
In this section, the focus shifts to the balance between tradition and genuine worship. Jesus addresses the Pharisees' obsession with ritual cleanliness and contrasts it with the importance of internal purity. The speaker reflects on the value of tradition in worship, acknowledging its role in connecting people to God. However, when tradition becomes an end in itself, disconnected from its original spiritual purpose, it can lead to empty practices. Jesus emphasizes the need for a pure heart over mere outward observance.
💔 The Consequences of a Corrupt Heart
This final paragraph delves into the importance of inner purity and the dangers of harboring negative emotions. It discusses how unresolved emotions can manifest in harmful behaviors such as violence, deceit, and immorality. The speaker, drawing on their experience with domestic violence cases, underscores the need for spiritual and emotional healing. Jesus' message is clear: focusing on internal righteousness leads to peace and integrity, while ignoring the heart's condition results in moral and spiritual defilement.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Song of Songs
💡Tradition
💡Defilement
💡Pharisees
💡Heart
💡Inner Peace
💡Hypocrisy
💡Evil Intentions
💡Worship
💡Scribes
Highlights
Introduction of the Hebrew Testament reading from the Song of Songs, highlighting its poetic nature and association with Solomon's romantic expressions.
Discussion of the Song of Songs, focusing on the depiction of springtime and the love between Solomon and his beloved, as portrayed in the text.
Explanation of the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, where Jesus addresses the Pharisees and scribes about the tradition of washing hands and the purity laws.
Jesus' teaching that external rituals and traditions do not determine a person's purity, but rather the intentions and actions that come from within the heart.
The preacher emphasizes the importance of focusing on the inner spiritual life and warns against becoming overly fixated on outward religious traditions.
Reference to an old preacher's sermon illustration highlighting the disconnect between concern for language used in sermons and the greater moral issue of preventable child deaths.
Critique of religious hypocrisy, where outward adherence to tradition is emphasized over genuine inner spirituality and moral conduct.
The message that Jesus challenges traditional religious practices when they overshadow the core principles of faith and morality.
Emphasis on the need for believers to remember the original purpose of religious traditions, which is to connect with God and not merely follow rules.
The preacher's argument that rituals and traditions are valuable when they bring people closer to God, but problematic when they become the focus rather than the means.
Illustration of how misplaced priorities can lead religious communities to focus on minor issues while neglecting more significant moral and ethical concerns.
Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees for prioritizing human traditions over God's commandments, demonstrating a misalignment with true spiritual values.
The preacher encourages the congregation to reflect on the state of their hearts and spiritual lives, rather than merely conforming to external religious expectations.
Highlighting the 'grown-up list' of sins mentioned by Jesus, which includes serious moral failings that stem from the heart and impact one's relationship with God and others.
Conclusion with a call for individuals to align their hearts with God's will, suggesting that true inner peace and moral integrity come from a deep, personal connection with God.
Transcripts
great to Ho
my
something
and bless
my
anding
the my love with
the
prophets strange be
might
oh
scripture reading from the Hebrew
Testament today is from the song of
songs also sometimes called the Song of
Solomon starts at the 2 chapter and runs
through the eth through the 13th verses
now remember that the song of songs
is
Solomon's words to his
lovers and Solomon had
it is estimated
some 3,000 wives so those of you who
think your wife is tough try having
3,000 of
them but he was known to be quite the
romantic and so he wrote These down this
is um very very
interesting text and the heading which
remember headings were not in the
original text but the heading for this
one is called Springtime Rap
City the voice of my beloved look he
comes leaping upon the mountains
bounding over the hills my beloved is
like a gazelle or a young stag look
there he stands behind our wall gazing
in at the windows looking through the
lattice my beloved speaks and says to me
Arise My Love My Fair one come away for
now the winter is passed the rain is
over and gone the flowers appear on the
earth the time of singing has come and
the voice of the turtle dove is heard in
our land the Fig Tree puts forth its
figs and the vines are in Blossom they
give forth fragrance Arise My Love My
Fair one and come
away and then the chapter in Mark that
in is chapter 7 now but the lectionary
has really chopped up this text so um be
jumping around a little bit but you will
get the idea of what Jesus is trying to
say now note that Jesus has been
confronted and confronted and confronted
with the elders and the priests and the
scribes and the Pharisees and now he is
it's starting to come to a head so
chapter
7 uh of Mark starting at the first verse
and then multiples throughout hear the
word of the
Lord now when the Pharisees and some
scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around him they noticed that
some of his disciples were eating with
defiled hands that is without washing
them for the Pharisees and all the Jews
do not eat unless they wash their hands
thus observing the tradition of the
elders and they do not wash any anything
from the market they do not eat anything
from the market unless they wash it and
there are also many other Traditions
that they observe the washing of Cups
and pots and bronze kettles and beds so
the Pharisees and the scribes asked them
why do your disciples not walk according
to the tradition of the elders but eat
with defiled
hands Jesus said to
them Isaiah prophesies ly about you
Hypocrites as it is written this people
honors me with their lips but their
hearts are far from me in vain do they
worship me teaching human precepts as
doctrines you abandon the Commandment of
God and hold to human
tradition then moving on to verse 14
Jesus says then Jesus called The Crowd
again and said to them listen to me all
of you and understand there is nothing
outside a person that is going in that
by going in can
defile but the things that come out are
what
defile and then 21 and
23 for it is it from within and from the
human heart that evil intentions
come sexual immorality theft murder
adultery avarice wickedness deceit
debauchery Envy slander pride and
Folly all these evil things come from
within and they defile a
person friends this is the word of the
Lord thanks be to God
there is an old preachers
sermon
example it goes like
this there are two facts here
today one is
this before this day ends
13,400 children in our
world under the age of five will die
from pre
preventable causes
and some of you don't give a
damn that's the first fact the second
fact is as I stand here right
now some of you are more upset about the
fact that I just said damn than you are
about the fact that
13,400
children will die today
as I said the old preacher sermon
example when I first started this work
the number was 12,000 now it's
13,400 but the idea is that we you can
hear it in that example that we
as church people you know good church
people get upset about
things that Jesus might not have seen as
a
priority somebody says damn from the
pulpit and you think the walls are going
to fall
in the pastor puts a robe on at the
wrong time the choir leaves the back
door
open and you all
fuss like the whole place is going the
cave
in and in this text today Jesus has one
of those moments with the scribes and
the Pharisees where they say hey Jesus
you know full well that we good Jews
don't eat without washing our hands and
washing the cups and the plates and the
bowls and the everything else that goes
with it what are you up to here just
grabbing a grain of wheat and shove it
in your
mouth do you just think our Traditions
or
foolishness you going to disregard
everything we've done for the last
thousands of
years you're quite the upstart
Jesus and Jesus looks at them and says
look I know full well that you follow
all the rules that you've been given but
following the rules isn't what matters
to God
entirely now please don't misunderstand
what I'm saying I am not saying that we
should take all of tradition and throw
it out the
window I do not believe that I don't
want that I stand here in what I call a
spirited traditional church for a reason
I believe in Tradition I think it's
valuable ritual brings us something
important it calms us it heals us it is
a way for us to connect with
God but when that tradition becomes so
important that you can see nothing else
but it then we have a problem when your
tradition becomes so
important that you forget why you had it
in the first
place then you must be a little
concerned
the tradition of washing everything
happened
because the Israelites needed to be
cleaned and they understood that getting
water was a miraculous thing from God
and that being cleansed by God was also
miraculous but by the time Jesus came
along they had forgotten that they had
just come to understand that well we
wash our hands that's what we do we wash
our pots and our things and our then and
everything has to be separate and it's a
whole process for how we do
things but what was behind
it was a way to keep us tied to God a
way to for us to understand all that God
had done for us a way to
worship and if youve heard me say
anything from this well this Pulpit you
understand that one of the things I know
is that throughout the entire Old
Testament particularly the prophets say
remember
people if you aren't living right your
worship doesn't amount to anything at
all it's not just about
tradition it's about a way to connect to
God and Jesus goes on to say you're so
worried about all this outer
stuff that you forgotten about the inner
stuff it's not the outer stuff that
matters it's the inner stuff that
matters what comes out of your heart and
your
soul first of all be warned other people
can
see what comes out of your heart and
soul tells us the nature of your heart
and soul and when I was talking with the
kids I talked about you know saying bad
words and bad language hitting your
little sister which you boys need to
stop because pretty soon she's going to
be big enough to hit you
back things like that but when you
listen to the text it's a whole grownup
list of what the text calls evil
things coming from our
hearts telling the world who we
are sexual
immorality
theft
murder
adultery
avarice
wickedness
deceit
debauchery anybody watch any games
yesterday
okay
sorry
Envy
slander pride and
Folly it's a grownup list of evil things
that our hearts carry around with them
and then they come out in all the wrong
ways you know that I work with domestic
violence people and
um one of the things we learn from them
is if you don't appropriately deal with
your emotions they come out in all kinds
of sideways and backwards
ways if your
heart is
broken things come out and you end up
being depressed angry
violent sometimes you steal
you have
anxiety you
worry friends Jesus is very
clear in this text and others that we
must get our hearts right and get them
right with
God stop worrying about all the outside
outer
distractions and come to the place where
we know that Jesus is what's in our
heart that God lies within us and that
that will bring for us an inner peace
and
calm a Serenity beyond all
others things aren't going to come out
of us sideways that way
we'll be kind to
people faithful
people good people generous
people the things we want to be the
things we want others to know that we
are the things that God wants for
us yall get your right Hearts right with
Jesus
and nothing will defile
you amen
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