Coeburn Presbyterian Church Sermons - Pastor James Ensley

Biblical Preaching from the Heart of the Mountains | Coeburn Presbyterian Church is in Wise County Southwest Virginia
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Sermons of James Ensley preached at Coeburn Presbyterian Church jamesensley.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    Mark 8:22-26 Blind Sinners Led by a Patient Savior

    Recap: (4,000; Pharisees demand a sign; Beware the leaven of the Pharisees & Herod, This Miracle/Sign: Taking by the hand the blind man and Healing him in two stages in the presence of the discipels Read: Mark 8:22–26 Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida [22] And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. [23] And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” [24] And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” [25] Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. [26] And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (ESV) Prayer of Illumination Three things 1) The purpose of Miracles 2) The Compassion of Christ 3) Blind, Blurry, and Clear sighted Hearts are all led by Christ. #1 What is the purpose of Miracles Again? Miracles as Signs are: 1. Done still Out of compassion for suffering 2. They are meant to reveal Jesus’ identity and Spiritual salvation 3. They are meant particularly for the apostles to record, witness to, and explain Jesus. 4. Therefore, we should freely apply there spiritual meaning to our day, it is right to say “in what ways are weblind?” In what ways does Jesus apply a two-stage restoration of sight? How does this apply to the people, the disciples, and me is intended by the original text. 1. Where did this happen? Bethsaida: John 1:44 states: “Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.” 2. The Church Father Jerome says, “Note exactly what is said. In the home village of the apostles, there is a blind man. In the very place where the apostles were born, there is blindness.” (Jerome, “Homily 79”) ...Much like in the Synagogue there is an unclean man, and this highlights Israel uncleanness, this man highlights the disciples blindness? How so? The Disciples: 3. There is a Spiritual Blindness of Heart and Understanding in the Disciples. That Jesus has repeatedly emphasized. 4. Mark 8:17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive (sensory sight but meaning understanding) or understand? Are your hearts hardened? (ESV) 5. Mark 8:18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? (ESV) a. Mark very intentionally puts this passage here. b. That is, Mark is saying that spiritually the Disciples are, in fact being lead around by the hand by Jesus as a group of blind men. c. They are spiritually blind, led by the hand for 3 years by Christ. d. Even after Peter say “You are the Christ!” they will be blurry visioned men following Christ. And so this miracle is for both the one being healed and these blurry-visioned disciples...And us today. #2 The Compassion of Christ (vv 22b-23). And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. [23] And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, 6. The people brought, begged, to touch and heal a. Bringing the helpless to Jesus. The bible consistently displays others as meaningful in bringing us to Christ. God delights to use people. 7. The man is Blind – so sight (won’t rehash our eyes are meant to behold the glory, the light, the goodness of God and represent knowledge and truth...) a. Jesus does something completely unique. There are no healings of blind people in the OT; instead as Douglas O’Donnell points out it is a distinctly messianic sign, b. Isaiah 35:5 says, “then the eyes of the blind shall be opened.” Speaking of the messianic age. 8. What are The details of the healing? a. Jesus Took him by the hand (he is blind...Jesus is gentle and lowly, willing to lead the blind by the hand to where he will heal)...away from the crowds b. Verse 23 is a tenderness from Christ. Treating this man as an individual and not a spectacle. Jesus is willing to heal publicly but also privately. To lead us by the hand, to begin his work that we may see him clearly. And not be immediately swept into public spectacle for our spiritual healing, for our forming faith. 1. “The heart of Jesus Christ now he is in heaven, is as graciously inclined to sinners as ever it was on earth.” – Thomas Goodwin’s The Heart of Christ for Sinners. c. Verse 23...and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” Do you see anything? i. Is Jesus just Struggling to heal? Like us working the breaker box and flipping switches saying, “did that work?” “did you try turning it on and off again?” Jesus isn’t unsure... ii. What is our principle? God, Jesus, who is God asks questions to draw out our hearts and to cause reflection? To get us to reflect. iii. “Questions draw out and refine FAITH” (2x) a reason for Catechisms, in fact....” iv. The man says, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking” 1. Not blind from birth... v. Now that the man has expressed what partial sight is like and the 12 disciples have observed this...the seed of the lesson has been planted. vi. Verse 25: Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. vii. Jesus demonstrates his full and complete power to heal. The physically blind and indeed the claim extends to the spiritually blind. Jesus is the Light of the World. d. Why the two-stage healing? i. The ESV study bible noes “Jesus’ focus on the disciples’ lack of understanding (8:17–21); the man’s answer may be analogous to their limited apprehension of Jesus. They see him vaguely (see v. 29), just as the blind man now sees people merely like trees, walking. Jesus’ healing of the man in two stages may have been intended to emphasize this fact. This interpretation is supported by the fact that vv. 22–26 contain no less than nine terms related to “seeing.” The disciples will soon understand that Jesus is the Messiah (vv. 27–30), but they will not yet fully grasp that he is to be a suffering Messiah(8:31–9:1).” ii. We already stated more and more of Jesus’ teaching and time is for the sake of the 12 Disciples...Jesus is about to pose the question clearly to Peter. “Who do you say that I am?” iii. Jesus is going to be transfigured before them, that is his glory, his brightness, his holiness shining before the eyes of Peter, James, and John... e. What are ways they see him unclearly even after recognizing that he is the Messiah? f. This could be to acknowledge him as the Messiah, as important 1. But not as the Son of God 2. To not yet worship him 3. To not yet see his suffering and dying on the cross as his central and truly glorious act. a. A partial seeing of Jesus by the disciples has them holding on to merely earthlymessianic work. b. TO see Jesus clearly is to see his death as a ransom for sins in Mark’s gospel. 3 Times, he says, I must go and suffer, die, and rise again after three days. c. That is clarity about Jesus. But to gain that clarity of Jesus to make sense of his person and work, what must we have clarity of? i. His incarnation: Jesus is the eternal Son of God, the Word made flesh, who has dwelt among us. ii. The disciples need clarity of His Message his preaching: the Kingdom: Repent and Believe 1. Therefore, clarity of our Sin and need. 2. Clarity that Jesus is the Ransom for our Sin 3. Last, clarity of His certain victory over death because he is truly incarnate God. And death cannot hold the Son of God. Until a person has clarity on who Jesus is, they will not acknowledge that he is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father, except through him. He is the only savior of sins...And he is a good, compassionate, and complete savior of sinners. I think the lesson of blurry vision and clear vision continues even into the Christian life, with new born Christians. We know newborn babies just enjoy looking at lights and bright colors they don’t yet have clear distan… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

  2. Oct 25

    Nehemiah 8: Reformed According to the Word - Read & Preached

    As the story goes when the West was being settled Americans very much valued literacy, reading, and education. But schools and textbooks often lagged behind the settlers, so young Mother’s turned to the two books every family would have a KJV bible and the Sears catalog to instruct their children. Families often shared a single bible...And so Family Worship, scripture reading out loud, regularly was the foundation of a shared knowledge of the bible, and formed the literacy, the references and imaginations of the people. And also if you read any early British or American work, you will find it suffused with scripture. The English language itself has been shaped by biblical language...But we must remember any generation can forget the bible...Or relegate it underneath church tradition, or secular tradition. Or simply apathy, emptiness. We can point to various times where knowledge of the scripture decreased, traditions drifted from the bible, and so people were subject to manmade rules and simply ignorant of what pleased God in life, worship, and faith...ignorance of salvation ...This was the state of the Church at the time of the protestant reformation, in 1517, with the bible locked away in the Latin Vulgate from even people who could have read the bible if it was in their native language. To solve this problem was the mission of people like John Wycliffe the 1300s and Martin Luther later in the 1500s to bring the bible into English and German. With the goal, as William Tyndale, also a bible translator quipped, that he hoped one day a farmer boy who ploughs the field would know more than the ignorant catholic priest in England of his day. But do we care about having the bible in our own language? What do we think is the importance of Scripture, and of it being read, read out loud, preached, and its impact on its hearers? I want us to retrace some of the bible’s teaching and history that motivated men like John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, and a name you probably don’t know...Johan Oecamlampadius. Men who returned to the Reading of the Word and the Preaching of the Word as God’s chosen means of saving, assuring, gathering, and feeding the people of God. And so this morning we will go to the bible, starting in Nehemiah chapter 8, but also other places to ask, What does the bible say about the Scriptures read and preached and its impact on our lives? Especially as a worshipping covenant community. Context: In Nehemiah 8, the people have been exiled to Babylon for their sins, and have now after their 70 year exile begun the process of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but now they must be spiritually renewed. Ezra the Priest is a skilled scribe, a student of the bible. And the Lord has put it on his heart to instruct Israel once again on their Covenant relationship with God. Read Nehemiah 8:1-8 [1] And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. [2] So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. [3] And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. [4] And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. [5] And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people,for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. [6] And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. [7] Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. [8] They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. Prayer of Illumination. Look in verse 1, The people are ready, Ezra is asked to bring his bible, to open and read the words of the God who cannot lie, the God-breathed word which is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness. They are a people who know who their creator is: who made them, loves them, and is able to instructthem. ...Don’t get intimidated by the names; simply remember... they are a people who have been scattered and are now being regathered, reformed by the word, and their children and grandchildren will be as excited to see their names as we would to see our ancestors as founding members of this church.... Ezra 7:6 Says, this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. · Who did a scattered, demoralized, and forgetful people who had barely returned to God need – A Bible Guy...certainly better than this bible guy with his Hebrew. Ezra was A Bible Teacher. o Ezra 7:9b-10 [Ezra] came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. [10] For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (ESV) § – Ezra was coming in to an Israel that had partially returned, been rebuilt, re-consecrated, but desperately needed to be Reformed according to the Word of God. § That is the bible carefully read, understood and applied whole-heartedly to all of life. § We are a people of the book. The word read and preached assembles God’s people. . · And when we study the bible, firmly believe, we get to Know God. Know our Sin. See the Promises of Salvation. And new marching orders for how to live holy lives as a redeemed and loved people. With Gratitude driven obedience. But back to Israel… § This is a Covenant renewal ceremony. In the bible, in Worhsip, The Covenant is renewed by the reading of the covenant documents, the word to all assembled. § Did Ezra get up and say, sorry guys it’s a long reading if he noticed it was more then 4 or 5 verses…Something, I’ve been guilty of...No From Early Morning until Midday. (The intense 70 years of Exile and an unusually historically important covenant renewal ceremony warranted it. Don’t worry we have 52 Lord’s Days a year we don’t need 3hr scripture readings. § But the points remains, Extensive READING – This is clocking in and reading until the lunch bell. § WHO NEEDED THIS? Verse 3... · To all Men & Women who could what? UNDERSTAND § AND What were the People’s Attitude? · ATTENTIVE, FOCUSED, THOUGHTFUL. · When I preach, we have the blessings of physical bibles so we can follow along and read and re-read...All can hear so we don’t need the telephone game of the Levites hear. o Modern printing, makes it easy to say look at verses 4-6....That is the blessing of the printing press and of English translators like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale... § For them...Its all by memory and for some of you that may actually be best the written text distracts from the spoken word. o Vv. 4-6 says, he was elevated on a wooden platform § The platform helped everyone see and hear, the word open assured the people that this was God’s word and not man’s thinking. THIS wasn’t a TED talk. · Reformational Church’s in the 1500s and 1600s corrected a grave error of the catholic church of the 16th century of diminishing the word read and preached and shunting the pulpit or platform to the side and centralizing what was called an alter...in the Mass. · And so intentionality with our arch… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Nehemiah 8: Reformed According to the Word - Read & Preached

  3. Oct 18

    Mark 8:1-21 A Sufficient Savior's Warnings Against Legalism and License

    [small revisions in the below manuscript in what is actually delivered] We are nearing the middle point of Mark which has been making an argument for who Jesus is, the Messiah, and what he has come to do: To announce and bring the Kingdom of God through himself the Messiah. Which brings with it: forgiveness of sin, being made clean not by the ceremonial law and external religion, but by trusting in Christ’s ability to forgive, heal, and cleanse. Recall the pharisees have set it in their hearts to kill Jesus, he has healed, exorcised demons, fed the 5,000… Read: Mark 8:1-21 Prayer of Illumination #1 Feeding the 4,000 #2 The Pharisees Demand a Sign #3 And warning of the leaven of the Pharisees & Herod All three will argue that Jesus has the power to save that has been repeatedly demonstrated, and his salvation is better than the legalism of the Pharisees and the secular licentiousness of the Herodians/Sadducees. Look in verse 1, Jesus is going to do it Again, feeding the 4,000. 1. Where? We can say probably still in the Decapolis, so a mixed crowd with gentiles in it than the feeding of the 5,000. But we are not always anchored to a linear timeline, it may be topical not chronological since “in those days,” can vary in meaning...Mark doesn’t feel like repeating where, but instead emphasizing once again: crowds gathered to Jesus. Once again a Crowd with nothing to eat. De ja vu. 2. Is this so similar it is the same event? a. Well, it’s in two places in Mark, with two different numbers, with different ways of procuring the initial food, and Jesus tells the disciples in verse 19 to remember BOTH the feedings. So these are two distinct events. b. And once again Jesus’ has something he wants the disciples in particular to take away from this miracle. 3. Not to re-preach the whole of the 5,000: But what’s the same?: Jesus is the good shepherd, Jesus feeds his people, Jesus is a prophet whose words are manna from heaven, and we live by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.... a. Our spiritual life is united to Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of Life; by the Holy Spirit our Life is abiding in Christ, who is the vine who nourishes us. What’s new in this passage? THE Number of days people stayed with Jesus. 3. b. We’ll call this “Jesus’ Magnetism”: What does it take for you to willingly stay while your food ran out....It’s like driving on a tank of gas well past where you know you won’t have enough to get home, but you are entranced by the landscape. 4. Second there is an emphasis on Jesus Teaching his disciples; a. He is teaching them his compassion for the crowds...vv. 2-3: they will faint; they have come from so far. b. William Hendrickson puts it this way, “Without compassion can a person be a true follower of Christ? The least these men could and should have done was to beg the Master to repeat what he had done before, and then to inform the crowd that help was on the way. That they failed is clear from verse 4.”(Hendrickson, 311). i. One takeaway here: our compassion is strengthened when we remember Jesus’ heart; Our compassion is strengthened when we are firmly confident that knowing Jesus is life-giving to us in our sorrows and needs; And confidentce that he is compassionate towards us will encourage our compassionate action towards others. ii. Because then it is no longer just “what can I do for them” it is “what will Christ do for them...through my faithfulness. Whether in prayer, fellowship, advice, tangible needs, etc... iii. Instead of “where will the supply come from, the prayer to Christ by the disciples, if you will, could be “we are unable, Christ, but you are able...how will you supply this time?” c. Then of course, you wonder why seven loaves, i. One answer is because there was seven loaves. Or we could say it’s a fitting number of completion, but there were 5 last time which has no meaning. Hendrickson remarks that it is to fix in the disciples’ minds the reality to remember what little they had so that no one could inflate the story into saying, “oh it was actually a story about sharing” ii. And not that he fed 5,000 + women and children with merely 5 loaves and now 4,000 with just 7 loaves. d. V. 7 “having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.” ...and the fish and all are SATISFIED. With Leftovers, 7 baskets! And he dismisses them and off he and the disciples go. On to Dalmanutha. i. For three days they sat under the teaching of Jesus. They are spiritually fed. ii. And they conclude with supper and are dismissed. Christ’s care for his sheep body and soul is full, complete, and satisfying. iii. He is not a one trick pony, he is able to repeat this miracle because obviously the disciples did not get it the first time. And he repeats it we see here in an even more isolated, more desolate season. A region we can note is more outside the people of the covenant, more gentile. 1. Two things: First, never suppose, “God had supplied and helped me in the past...but no more.” Jesus is a constant and faithful shepherd. He can repeat his mighty works in our lives, and from generation to generation. 2. Second, you may feel outside the reach of God. No, Christ is compassionate; what sin is in your life? Is it Difficulty to pray? Does Dullness of heart and ear makes you feel far from Christ, far from his name, far from the Baptism you have had? Distant...from the worship of God’s people.... 3. Remember Christ, for 3 days he spoke his words over them, drew them in, and changed their lives. a. The meal of Christ is set before you to take and eat today. Return to him, and he will return to you. And you will be fed. Renewed. And dine at the table with others who are poor sinners who likewise have simply received food from Christ, forgiveness of sins, and strength. Moving along.... The repetition of this Miracle, wherein Jesus acts in divine power to give manna from Heaven as the God-man. The miracle of testing and demonstration of God to his people is a double testimony and rebuke against what the Pharisees say next: #2 The Pharisees Demand a Sign, 11-13 [11] The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. [12] And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” [13] And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. · My quintessential Pharisee in my mind is actually from The Incredibles....Mr. Incredible, Bob Parr is working a desk job and his boss calls him in, “I’m not happy bob, not happy!” And he proceeds to chew him out...for His Compassion, His Mercy, he keeping of promises the insurance company had made. SO of course the Pharisees come, and they demand a Sign from heaven in order to test him... · Recall...they already have it in their hearts to kill him. ...They weren’t there for the three days of teaching; they weren’t there to be fed. But they do show up being “not happy” · His prior miracles they have assigned to Beelzebul, to being satanic. · They want him to perform on command. · They want him to fail. And Jesus just sighs....Not to make light of it, but he has done signs and miracles all over the land, publicly, and in fact they want to kill him for those miracles...because he healed and exorcised demons on the Sabbath...So many signs but no proof? What I thought of with this is when I sometimes open the refrigerator and say, “Honey, there is nothing to eat!” ...There of course is plenty to eat in there...It’s just not what I want this instant... But it hurts, right? Jesus’ life the last 2 years has been teaching, healing with compassion, cleansing the unclean. He does it for his father’s glory; he does it knowing that he is fulfilling all righteousness. But it still, on a human level, hurts to have all you do questioned. · When a Friend says, “you never spend time with me” ...and you just spent the last Saturday with them. · Children,… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Mark 8:1-21 A Sufficient Savior's Warnings Against Legalism and License

  4. Oct 11

    Mark 7:31-37 Just Another Healing?

    Introduction: Jesus in this passage is finishing a long, meandering loop out deeper into gentile territory, and returning to the sea of Galilee in the Decapolis region; recall that this is the region the Demoniac man was healed in; it is still gentile territory. Jesus is continuing with two goals in mind in what is called his “Retirement Ministry”: teaching and showing mercy in his miracles to the crowds, but also increasingly teaching the 12 disciples and speaking of his impending death to them. Today, though, we have an account testing the thesis Jesus has declared to the Pharisees earlier in the chapter: That salvation is a matter of taking unclean, sinful hearts, and making them clean. Last week we saw salvation come by FAITH to a gentile family, to outsiders of the covenant brought in by faith, meanwhile, those who were raised inside but had no faith were not saved by the ceremonial law. Because the Pharisees only cleaned the outside of the cup, they are white washed tombs. And so again we ask: can Jesus save, restore, and spiritually wash us clean of our sins? And what proof will he give us that that is the ministry he is able to do as the Messiah as the Kingdom of God draws near? What will it actually accomplish and be like? What does Salvation restore in us and give us? Read: Mark 7:31–37 [31] Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. [32] And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. [33] And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. [34] And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” [35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. [36] And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. [37] And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (ESV) Prayer of Illumination #1 What is the Same in this account with other Healings? #2 What is different in this particular healing? #3 Jesus is the Lord and Ruler of our Ears, tongues, and Hearts A little context as we look at what is the same... For each new passage in a gospel always ask WHERE this is, WHO Jesus is interacting with, WHAT Jesus says, and WHAT the onlookers’ reaction is.... Verse 31, WHERE: [31] Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. Jesus leaves the region of Tyre, goes north through Sidon, then down to the Sea of Galilee “in the midst of the region of the Decapolis.” The route is a long Gentile arc, not the short way home. Decapolis is the loose league of ten Greek cities east and southeast of the lake. He has been here before: the Gerasene demoniac was sent home to tell what the Lord had done (5:19–20). Many believe this is the reason a crowd now knows to bring the sick to Jesus in this passage. Now we look in verses 32-37: What is the same...How is this healing the SAME · Patterns and Repetition help us know Jesus and his ministry patterns: So embrace the Repetition... o About 10 things are the Same § First, Jesus has crowds around him (which is exhausting and forces him to perform a balancing act between making them want to Kill because his teaching and claims of who he is...And his healing and miracles like feeding the 5,000, making them want to crown King by force. § Second, others are bringing the needy to Jesus; others’ faith often drive us to see our needs and have them addressed by Jesus. § Third, Jesus often pulls people to the side to have private conversations (Jesus loved the crowds, but he also loves us individually by name), § Fourth, Jesus often looks up to heaven to remind people that all he does is in the name of his heavenly Father. All his words and actions reveal God the Father to us. § Fifth, William Hendrickson points out that Jesus sighs, that is he is not half-hearted. Jesus here and in other places “always put everything he had into his work of mercy.” Deeply feeling the affects of the fall on us. The suffering sin creates in our lives. (Hendrickson, 304). § Sixth, Jesus often speaks commands in his miracles, “rise take up your bed and walk,” And here to in his native Aramaic tongue, he says “Be opened!” And it is So! § Seventh, Physical healing is pictured as freedom from bondage in some way than just physically, as with other places equally the spiritual reality of freedom from the Fall and the miseries of the Fall is being shown. § Eight, “At once” the healing is instantaneous, complete, and publicly visible, Jesus doesn’t collapse like his power is drained. Jesus once again is the opposite of a charlatan healer. The crowds, the Pharisees, will all acknowledge that he, in Truth, worked Miracles. And he always assigned it as unified with God the Father’s will. § Ninth, Jesus gives a command of silence as the humble healing messiah. The humble servant in his first coming. · This is both the same in that Jesus commands silence all the time, but it is different from the Demoniac man who Jesus told to tell the Decapolis, which is the same region....We can say this time there is a Crowd that could take Jesus by force and make him king...Whereas the demoniac went into a region where Jesus was unknown...perhaps the crowds are even here due to the Demoniac’s preaching ministry. His testimony. · In this account The man disobeys the charge to silence, which is the same as the Leper who was healed way back in Mark 1:43... § Tenth, The crowd is astonished again, ascribing praise to...though it is stronger this time “he has done all things well.” Like the creator who made all things Good, and indeed mankind Very good. · He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.... · Now, Mark reminds us that enthusiasm for Jesus’ miracles...does not make you a follower, a disciple; that takes Faith in Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, to Fear God, and flee sin. To by faith by united to Christ by the Holy Spirit made a forgiven son and daughter clothes in Jesus’ righteousness...Not just interested in Jesus’ displays of power. Transition: When you read your Bibles, it is good to start seeing what is the same and know that is an emphasis for the overall theme of a book or the bible.... But what is different is also like a bright yellow highlight in the account...what is different or unusual in an account that otherwise is similar helps us answer “why is THIS here? What is the lesson? As soon as you go “that’s weird”...or that is different than the other time...that’s important. Three things we will first, zero in on what is DIFFERENT and And second, find the SCRIPTURAL CONNECTIONS to what is unique here, and third, throughout this what is emphasized about Jesus and our salvation in this passage #2 What is different in this particular healing? o Jesus puts his finger into the man’s ears... o Jesus spits on his finger and then touches the man’s tongue. · Jesus is interacting with a deaf man, so his motions and actions on one level act as a comfort and compassionate explanation that he is going to do something to address his hearing and his speech impediment (an impediment probably arising from being deaf)... · But that is probably only the partial explanation. The context is Jesus’ argument with the Pharisees and what we just saw with the Syrophoenician woman. o Why touching? What do the parts of the body mean? § Jesus is making a point that he is the Messiah who can touch the unclean and make it clean...whole...useful to what God created it to be. § Jesus is also healing ears and a tongue, which hold significance in the biblical expectation of the messiah and relate to our hearts, our souls. § Ears and Tongues are not clean places. Both have ceremonial clean and unclean ramifications...Because · What we hear—impact… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Mark 7:31-37 Just Another Healing?

  5. Oct 4

    Mark 7:24-30 Better Faithful Crumbs than Hypocrisy at the Table

    Introduction Jesus in this account casts out another unclean spirit, he has power over evil; he has power to save and to make clean. The kingdom of God frees us from sin, from darkness, and brings us under Christ’s good rule. Mark has well established what Jesus has the power to do; by Chapter 7 his identity is clear to us as truly God and truly Man, the Messiah; soon the Messiah aspect of his identity will be clearly confessed by Peter. This passage teaches us nothing new about those things. This passage can be an exorcism or a physical healing, and the main new point would be the same. This passage is asking from a different angle, is Jesus a savior for ME. We know Jesus will have mercy on those already in the covenant community, yes, even sinners within the covenant community, but what about the gentile, what about those who AT first glance, appear outside the Abrahamic promises, outside the scope and interest of the Messiah? Mark is pressing that home this morning. Read: Mark 7:24–30 [24] And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. [25] But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [28] But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” [29] And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” [30] And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. (ESV) · OUTSIDER Setting: Gentile, poor and lowly, 24-25 · TESTING, Jesus’ testing of the woman, 26-27 · TRUSTING, the woman’s Response of Faith, 28 · DELIVERANCE, Jesus’ deliverance of a gentile girl, vv. 29-30 · · #1 First, our Setting is Jesus meeting and Outside, in Gentile territory, who is poor and lowly in vv.24-26a [24] And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. [25] But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. · She is a Phoenician, which includes Tyre and Sidon, and is known for many things great wealth and power, but important to any Israelite, it is the source of Baal worship. It is an unclean land. · But this woman is Poor, lowly, vulnerable; and this account asks, “What is Jesus’ heart beyond his covenant sheepfold being fed, as he clearly intentionally begins here and our next passage to tour Gentile territories, turning to those unfed and outside the warmth of the covenant community.... o The Disciples’ solution in Matthew is their normal one: “Get rid of her Jesus”...Let us be glad God is the God of Mercy and love towards those who are outsiders, not like the disciples, and so often our own hearts... · She is from the same region as the widow in the days of Elijah in 1 Ki 17:8 where Elijah, o Who after the Word of the Lord came to him, arose and went to Zarephath near Sidon. And God said I have commanded a widow there to feed you. ...And God provides the miracles of the jar of flour and oil that shall not be empty until the Lord ended the drought....In that scenario, she gave Elijah, in faith, a morsel of bread that was all she had left. ...And the widows son in 1 ki. 17 was revived from death. Not identical in details but in impact the Lord gave a foretaste of salvation: his word going to the Gentiles...And here is Jesus repeating history. o Jesus uses this very account to rebuke his hometown: though they are members of the covenant community, they do not appear to know the Lord or his gracious salvation. § Luke 4:25–28 Jesus said, But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, [26] and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. [27] And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” [28] When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. (ESV) o Jesus rebuked his hard hearted townspeople by speaking of Mercy to Gentiles, and he has just earlier in Chapter 7 argued with the Pharisees about the problem of the heart and the inability of the ceremonial law to make us clean, that we have a serious heart problem. § Now Jesus comes to a woman who IS considered ceremonially unclean, outside the Mosaic covenant...And yes she too is a sinner in need of grace, her daughter is suffering the affects of a fallen world. BUT since Genesis 12 And the promises of the Covenant of grace made to Abraham gentiles sinners have always been outside the covenant people, but inside the reach of Grace in Abraham, in whom all the nations will be blessed by his Offspring....As outsiders can be made insiders by faith, through grace. § And Jesus believes what he is doing will start with a few seeds...And will go forth as a tree, the kingdom of God a mustard seed whose shade will cover the world. § Later..Jesus in Mark 13:10 will say before his second, “the gospel must first by proclaims to all nations...” · Jesus has indeed gone FIRST to his covenant people, but as prophesied in Luke, “a light to the gentiles.” He speaks to this gentile woman, even as he has spoken to the Samaritan woman whos people are in the land but are heretical, to put in pejorative terms mixed ancestry, not really Jews....But this Syrophoenician woman is fully a gentile in a Hellenistic, culturally greek region. · The context is a tension felt and played out in Acts in 1) salvation comes in what order Jew first, but yes then...Gentile and by what means: ceremonial law, by circumcision? NO... says Paul in Galatians by Faith in Christ alone who fulfills the law “spiritual inclusion in the family of God by faith alone in Christ alone.” · Mark for the next few passages is TESTING what Jesus said to the Phrisees that it is the heart Jew and Gentile that makes us unclean, but with his coming he declared all foods clean... · But really it takes us until Acts 10 for Peter to have his threefold vision of the white sheet with the unclean animals in it and to be told, “ Rise, Peter, kill and eat for Peter to go to Cornelius, a gentiles house, and to witness the Spirit fall not just in Jerusalem but upon a Gentile home for the Church to truly believe Jesus’ words. · So much so we take it for granted now...But it was not easy... · We read just a few weeks ago In Galatians Peter chickening out and breaking table fellowship with gentiles because the strict Judaizer party came to town and he feared his reputation. § Jesus in this passage clearly speaks of where redemptive history is going as the dividing wall of hostility is being removed between Jew and Gentile. And he also anchors his covenant theology and his ministry to have a sequence to it, a principle of timing to it. Jesus is going to leave a full blown missionary journey to the Gentiles to the Apostle Paul. § But what about this specific gentile pagan woman in front of him. Who has heard that Jesus can save her daughter from this evil, unclean spirit. · #2 Testing: The Problem being shown by testing vv. 26b-27 And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” · She is earnest with him to save her daughter from evil, from suffering... · Jesus answer very carefully both truthfully speaks to the current situation that Israel … This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Mark 7:24-30 Better Faithful Crumbs than Hypocrisy at the Table

  6. Sep 27

    Psalm 103:1-14 Bless the Lord O My Soul

    Introduction: Simeon Trust This psalm is a stirring call of David to his innermost heart, his soul, his whole inner man to Praise God! To Worship God! He begins with a simple declaration! He then supplies a barrage of reasons to himself both as an individual in the first five verses, then to the gathered congregation, and then finally all creation, angels, heavenly hosts, all the works and cosmos the entire domain of God is to praise God! Is to bless his holy name. It is the brackets of the whole psalm in verse 1 and 22. Bless the Lord, O my soul! We will actually be keeping our exposition to verses 1-14! Please keep your Bibles open as we will be referring back to specific words and phrases with attentive hearts and minds to all that God has for us in this passage. Open Bibles, Open hearts to Christ’s revelation to his people and all here this morning. Let us now hear from God’s holy, inerrant, and inspired word to us this morning…. READ: Psalm 103:1-14 Prayer of Illumination The two major divisions for verses 1-14 are · First, David stirring his soul to worship the Lord for so great a salvation! In verses 1-5 · Second, David’s reminder to the gathered assembly of God’s Character: His Mercy and Grace shown in Redemption to the Church in the days of Moses. in verses 6-14 SO first, Look with me again in verses 1-5… so great a salvation! · Verse 1 Is A Call to whole-hearted affection, praise, and worship of God. [1] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! o Jim Boice says, “We often are strangely unaffected, honoring God “with our lips” while our hearts are far from him.” [Jesus just last week, right...] o Why is this? How can this be? David knows why…We are forgetful and frail dust · We see in Verse 2 this Recognition that we are forgetful, o Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, o Verses 1-2 together shows us We need, as Tony Merida says, “gospel self-talk, “preaching the gospel to ourselves.” o We are frail and forgetful: In both the mundane things and crucially with the Lord’s goodness to us. § I am painfully aware of how forgetful we can be. If it’s not in my phone calendar it doesn’t exist, “heads are for having ideas not holding ideas.” § Ask any one and they will tell you I love coffee! But even in my love for coffee….every week there is abandoned and forgotten coffee left around the Church! § Well, forgotten coffee is not so bad. But that is not all we forget. We forget our miserable state apart from God, we forget our wonderful salvation. We forget The Lord and his goodness. We need to speak to ourselves. We need to Preach to ourselves, we need constant reminders of the Lord and his goodness towards our soul! To our whole being. § Already we should take note and mimic David and his refusal to live an unexamined and unintentional inner life. § We must speak to ourselves TRUTH. Every child of God must find Consistent, regular, moments and small ways to give praise to God and thus remember! § To give praise to God as you go about your day…to regularly rehearse God’s holy name and his many blessings is a good thing for forgetful hearts…Praise God regularly and consistently for his benefits, small and great. · And if you are weak and heavy laden as we are all at times, then remember God uses the ordinary means of gathered worship and Christians in conversation, Christians singing and praying together to stir up this remembrance...our own soul to REMEMBER! § ILL: Think of it this way, Have you ever gotten a catchy tune stuck in your head??? · Get the tune of God’s righteous and fatherly character, his providence, and mercy in your life stuck on repeat in your soul! · Get God’s holy name, his salvation stuck in your head – Quite literally this is what good Christian hymns are designed to do. · Singing - Takes God’s truth from your head and drives it deep into your heart, and gets the song of God and his redemption stuck there as a reminder. · I am grateful that as much as children’s songs, VBS type songs are meant for our kids, or to play in the car… They get in the grown-ups heads too, don’t they? Who is more blessed by kids songs? The kids or the adults who have them memorized? 3 Car singing favorites for me right now are o This is the day that the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it… o King of Kings and Lord of Lords glory alleluia….and you have to sing it faster each time of course. and ever popular… o I’ve Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart? Where? o Stir up your heart to bless the Lord…Bless others around you with: reminding conversations…little prayers and praise…and maybe even catchy tunes. · Forgetfulness and remembering also have a strong Covenantal and Spiritual Warfare Aspect to them….This is a theme in Exodus: God comes and rescues Israel and even then warns them of Forgetfulness! Warns Israel of not having a whole and entire giving of themselves unto God in their worship and life. o Deut. 6:10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, …and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. § Don’t miss it, it is when Israel is most blessed. It is after they have been rescued from spiritual bondage to Egyptian god’s, to physical bondage to Pharaoh, it is when they have received all the good gifts…THAT is when they might “forget the Lord who saved them.” § They can so easily forget the most central thing. So important is this warning not to forget the salvation of God two chapters later Moses repeats himself. It is when God becomes dim and the world is our focus that we must fear God, remember his majesty, and find our hearts restless with the world and satisfied and resting in him… o The Lord says, “Take care lest you forget …lest, when you have eaten and are full … then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, (ESV) o We cannot in our satisfaction, have the very blessings of God, his gifts, be what lulls us into forgetting his great benefits to us our very salvation and life, his very greatness and goodness because we are forgetful in our contentment…. o Therefore, preach the blessedness of God and his redemption to yourself… § Let us do that now, What are the benefits we are so likely to forget?… · Look In Verses 3-5. David says [3] The Lord forgives all your iniquity, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. · God Forgives Your Iniquity! As seen in both verses 3 & 10. § David knows something of sin…of his need for forgiveness, and his need of a redeemer. Of a substitute, of sin being covered over by the life of an innocent standing in the gap on his behalf. He had the temple, the day of atonement, a spotless lamb in his place, and oh yes he needed the cleansing of his heart a purging with hyssop that he might be renewed. He knew his iniquity. As we read in Psalm 51 earlier... o What is our “Iniquity” why is it such a big deal that God forgives it? § Iniquity is being downcast, immoral, lacking uprightness, lacking soundness of heart and mind, having broken, trashed, and cast aside the holiness we we were originally created with and called to as image bearers of God. § It is specifically taking and twisting, making crooked our relationship to God and others by relational transgression. Relational transgression of God and our original estate of righteous. The image of sin is missing the mark, missing how we were created to live, iniquity is a more visceral image of twisting. § Therefore, Iniquity is guilt before a hol… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Psalm 103:1-14 Bless the Lord O My Soul

  7. Sep 24

    Midweek Study Workshop: Eccl. 5:8-20 A Joyfully Occupied Heart

    Ecclesiastes 5:8–20 The Vanity of Wealth and Honor [8] If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed (Tamah) at the matter, for the high official is watched (Shamar) by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. [9] But this is gain (yitron) for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. [serves] [10] He who loves money will not be satisfied (saba) with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. [11] When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? [12] Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. [13] There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, [14] and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. [15] As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. [16] This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? [17] Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. [18] Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. [19] Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. [20] For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied [ana, humbly occupied] with joy in his heart. (ESV) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Midweek Study Workshop: Eccl. 5:8-20 A Joyfully Occupied Heart

  8. Sep 20

    Mark 6:53-7:23 The Heart of the Matter

    Introduction: Jesus has crossed the sea again, this time walking, having just fed the 5,000. Jesus is 1 year away from the cross. Even as you hear of his fame, we are also nearing his biggest rejections, starting with the Pharisees who desire to kill him. Soon the crowds themselves will polarize: many attracted by his feeding them will soon reject his most difficult teachings, the call to repentance and to find their life in Christ Alone. And there are some who will ultimately have true faith in Jesus as the Messiah, God incarnate from heaven, coming to die in the place of sinners....those who will hear Jesus’ message that must cut to the heart, because the heart is the root of the problem. Not the traditions of man, but the law of God violated from within, arising to violations by action. Read: Mark 6:53-7:23 [6:53] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. [54] And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him [55] and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. [56] And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (ESV) [7:1] Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, [2] they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. [3] (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, [4] and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) [5] And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” [6] And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [7] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ [8] You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” [9] And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! [10] For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ [11] But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)—[12] then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, [13] thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” [14] And he called the people to him again and said to them, “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.” [17] And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. [18] And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? 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?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) [20] And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. [21] 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.” (ESV) Faith looks to Christ for salvation alone, obeying the word of God alone to know how to live. Doctrine, creeds, and confessions, that is, traditions, are only as valid as they are founded in the written word of God. To deny the commands of Scripture is to love yourself and to hate God and your neighbor...which ultimately is to hate your own body and soul. #1 Faith Clings to Jesus #2 Man’s Traditions vs. God’s Commandments #3 EXTERNALISM IS HATRED OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR #4 The HEART is the HEART of the MATTER. #1 Faith clings to Jesus In verses 53- 55 Here simply note the faith of the people to believe that Jesus cares, that he is powerful, that he will help them. They see Jesus, and they recognize him. At once again they go and tell others. Their understanding is partial, But All who touched his robe were instantly and entirely made well. The good, the healing miracles, the feeding of the 5,000 are never questioned as authentic. How great a contrast these good and glad tidings are to the Hearts of the Pharisees. WHEN THE PHARISEES GATHERED TO HIM...What do they SEE? ...they do not recognize a Messiah; they SEE his disciples are violating their extra-biblical ceremonial washings. #2 Man’s Traditions and God’s Commandments (vv. 1-8) [1] Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, [2] they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. [3] (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, [4] and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) The bible does prescribe certain ceremonial cleansing rituals, washings, purification rites in the case of touching dead bodies (and other matters stated in Leviticus and Deuteronomy). But this hand washing is extra-biblical casuistry; that is from the general principles of clean and unclean laws, making illegitimately binding specific details that go beyond the actual law. The detailed hedge around the law of manmade traditions passed down by the scribes, the lawyers, and the weight is placed on the people to do these washings or else be unclean. A couple things to note... The Babylonian Talmud describes this ceremony: “Hands become unclean and are made clean as far as the wrist, How so? If he poured the water over the hands as far as the wrist and poured the second water over the hands beyond the wrist and the latter flowed back to the hands, the hands nevertheless become clean.” As a very brief aside, the word for washings here is baptisms, but the action described is clearly Pouring, or Effusion. It matches the sprinkling of blood and pouring of oil in other ceremonial ceremonies actually demanded by scripture. So Mark 7 is a place to help us on the word and language level to understand the meaning of baptism is not literally to immerse as is often claimed but to wash, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, and the washing of dining couches fit. In this case the pouring of water over the hands. But that is Mark’s little explanatory washings 101 lesson so we could understand the point...Nowhere in the bible is this particular washing, this particular purification ritual ever commanded by God:And that reveals the core of the disagreement in verse 5: is it sin to not follow a ritual custom of the elders, a tradition, that everyone is doing IF the bible does not command it? Is it further hypocrisy to dwell on the minutiae of external purification without ever addressing the purification of the heart? [5] And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” [6] And [Jesus] said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [7] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ [8] You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” #2A – What is a… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

    Mark 6:53-7:23 The Heart of the Matter
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Sermons of James Ensley preached at Coeburn Presbyterian Church jamesensley.substack.com

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