Mark: Journeying With JesusSample

Imagine that all of your thoughts, words and actions were displayed for everyone to see.

Every thought, every motive. Nothing hidden. Nothing escapes.

All that you are. All you have thought. All you have said. All you have done.

There would be much to celebrate and give thanks for.

All of the loving relationships. All of the real achievements. All of the acts of kindness. All of the moments of generosity.

But if all of our lives were on display in this room, it would be a nightmare. There would be so much for which we’d be so ashamed that many of us wouldn’t be able to stay. When we look at the world and we see all of its problems, we want to point the finger of blame towards others. But Jesus says the problem is much closer to home.

Mark 7:20-23

“What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.”

The evils that come out of our hearts make us “unclean”. Jesus describes what’s going on inside us. He even condemns the religious leaders. He tells them they are hypocrites! The reason the world is not the way it should be is because we are not the way we should be. Each one of us has a heart problem.

PRAYER| Heavenly Father, help us to see the reality of our own hearts. Thank you for Jesus, that he is the way to purify our hearts. May we have the courage and humility to call on you. Amen.