+ 15th Sunday after Pentecost – September 1st, 2024 +
Series B: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; Ephesians 6:10-20; Mark 7:14-23
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Milton, WA
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There’s an old story that back in the early 1900’s the London Times sent a letter out to well-known authors asking them to write an essay answering the question: “What’s wrong with the world today?”
Christian author G.K. Chesterton famously replied to the question, “What’s wrong with the world today?” with a single sentence…
“Dear Sir, I am.”
Yours, G.K. Chesterton
Probably not the answer anyone expected. But he’s right. Sometimes we need a dose of brutal honesty. Everyone knows humanity has a problem, but few are willing to admit exactly what our problem is, much less say it out loud. We witness this ever political cycle – it’s always someone else’s fault. If we’re honest, we witness this in ourselves too. There’s always someone else to blame. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. And on it goes.
The pharisees in Jesus’ day thought that they could fix this problem – our real problem, how do sinners stand before a holy and righteous God – by doing righteous things, by following their own traditions, and this week, by following God’s laws of ritual cleanliness. By seeking to be holy by their own thoughts, words, and deeds, and measuring against the thoughts, words, and deeds of others.
So Jesus delivers a little brutal honesty of his own. The unvarnished truth. No spin or political maneuvering here. Jesus tells us like it is:
“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.”[
The word “defile” could also be translated “unclean”. It’s the language of the book of Leviticus. In the Scriptures, “Clean and unclean” aren’t about hygiene, but holiness. That’s what God wanted for and gave to his people.
God led Israel out of Egypt. Formed them into a people. Gave them a law with rules and even a peculiar diet to follow to separate them from the rest of the nations. They were God’s Israel. Holy, consecrated, set apart for one purpose and only one purpose. To bring forth the Christ in the fulness of time. Now that Christ has come, the God’s Old Testament laws of clean and unclean have served their purpose. The one who is truly clean and holy has come in human flesh for us who were unclean and unholy.
In the Old Testament, God provided Israel a way to be made clean: tabernacle, washings, sacrifice, food, and blood. It’s not all that different in the NT, only it is. God still provides the church – true Israel – with a way to be made clean. Only God doesn’t do it through a list of rules and laws; he does it himself. Christ who is holy came to take all our unholiness upon himself. Christ who is the only and truly undefiled one, takes on all the defilement of the Law. Christ who knew no sin became sin for us.
If the Pharisees were asked to answer the question, “what’s wrong with the world?” They would’ve answer something along the lines of, “Not enough of people (I’m looking at you!) are keeping God’s laws; they have to get to work and get busy keeping those commands…there are too many sinners out there who need to follow these 613 rules for righteousness and keep the whole Torah perfectly.” The problem is God doesn’t grade his Law on a curve; it’s a pass / fail. And we fail every single time. Our problem isn’t out there. It’s within.
That’s what Jesus says. 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?
It’s not what goes into our bodies that’s the problem. If that’s all it was – a change in habit, a new diet plan, a behavior adjustment – well, that’s not so bad we could do that and we certainly wouldn’t need a crucified and risen Savior to do all that. But no. Our problem goes much, much deeper. The line of good and evil, says Alexander Solzhenitsyn, isn’t out there somewhere, it passes not through states or classes, or political parties, but through every human heart.
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.”
The heart of the matter is – as Jesus says – our sinful heart. The seat of our desire, will, and ways – our wanter. Sinful thoughts, words, and actions are bad, no doubt. But those are just symptoms of capital S - Sin. Our problem isn’t found in our head, hands, mouth, or stomach, but in our sinful, unclean hearts. And that also means that the answer isn’t found in our head, hands, mouth, stomach, or heart. And unlike the Pharisees thought, our solution isn’t found in the law, but in the One to whom all those laws pointed and prepared us for. To the One who came to fulfill every last jot and tittle of the Law on our behalf. To the only One who has a pure, undefiled heart.
If out of our heart comes all manner of evil, out of the heart of Jesus pours out all of God’s grace and favor and mercy and love. From the moment Jesus was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, in her womb his undefiled heart beat for us: a heart without envy, slander, pride, or foolishness. A heart that is always good, faithful, pure, and true and is turned towards you in love. What flows from Jesus’ heart is compassion, grace, and steadfast love. Jesus’ undefiled and holy heart pumps with new life for you
Jesus’ undefiled heart pounded in his chest as he was beaten, whipped, and scourged for you Jesus’ undefiled heart strained under the weight of the cross as he bore our guilt, shame, and sorrows for you. Jesus’ undefiled heart became still and stopped to put an end to all our unrighteousness. Jesus’ undefiled heart was pierced by a spear and bled out blood and water for you – to rescue you, cleanse you, and save you from all that is unholy and unclean.
And then, three days later, the undefiled heart of Jesus began to beat again. The undefiled heart of Jesus echoed and filled the empty tomb with a thump and thud of resurrected life for you. As hard as the Roman soldiers pounded in the nails on Good Friday, Jesus’ undefiled heart pounded even harder and louder and stronger on Easter morning – to make you a new creation, to raise you from the dead, to give you a new heart. Christ crucified and risen is your great and gracious Cardiologist. He takes our old heart of stone and replaces it with a new heart of flesh. And by water and blood that flows from his side here to you at his font and his altar, in word, water, body and blood, he washes you, cleanses you, holies you, makes you alive by the Spirit, renews you, and creates in you a clean heart. Now and always.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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