Clean vs. Unclean: Jesus’ Heart-Cleansing Truths

Thank you, Ben. It’s always a joy to share stories of how God is at work in our community, whether it’s through a multi-sport camp that unexpectedly draws in new faces or creative ways we’re reaching out during the Christmas season. These moments remind us that God’s plans often unfold in ways we don’t expect, and that He is always drawing people to Himself.

Turning to Mark 7, we encounter a group of Pharisees deeply concerned with ritual cleanliness. Their focus was on external purity—ceremonial washings and traditions layered on top of God’s commands. But Jesus challenges them, and us, to look deeper. He points out that while the Pharisees honor God with their lips, their hearts are far from Him. They have substituted human traditions for the clear commands of God, sometimes even using those traditions to sidestep the very heart of God’s law, like caring for one’s parents.

This tendency isn’t unique to the Pharisees. Throughout history, and even today, we can fall into the trap of adding layers of rules to God’s commands, turning vibrant faith into lifeless religion. The Sabbath is a prime example—meant to be a day of worship and rest, it can become a burden when reduced to a list of prohibitions. Instead, God invites us to “pray and play,” to worship and to be restored.

But Jesus goes even further. He teaches that true defilement doesn’t come from what’s outside—what we eat or touch—but from within, from our hearts. The real problem isn’t our hands or our eyes, but the sin that resides deep inside us. No amount of external effort or religious rule-keeping can cleanse us. Sin is like a fire that, if left unchecked, will consume us from the inside out.

Yet, Jesus doesn’t just diagnose the problem—He is the solution. From before the foundation of the world, God’s plan was for Jesus, the sinless Son, to take our place, to bear our sin, and to give us His righteousness. When we trust in Him, the stain of sin is removed, and we are given new, clean hearts. We are free—not to anxiously strive for God’s approval, but to live in gratitude and confidence, clothed in Christ’s righteousness. This is the freedom and assurance we are meant to carry into every day, knowing that in Christ, the stain is truly gone.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True purity begins in the heart External rituals and traditions can never reach the root of our uncleanness. Jesus teaches that what truly defiles us is not what we touch or eat, but the sin that originates from within. Only a transformed heart, not outward conformity, can make us clean before God. [39:34]
• 2. Human traditions can obscure God’s commands It’s easy to add layers of rules to God’s clear instructions, sometimes even using them to avoid the heart of what God asks. When we prioritize tradition over God’s Word, we risk missing His intent and turning faith into burdensome religion. [32:30]
• 3. The gospel offers freedom from self-justification Trying to earn God’s favor through rule-keeping leads to anxiety and insecurity, never knowing if we’ve done enough. In Christ, we are forgiven and free, able to live out of gratitude rather than striving for acceptance. This freedom is the foundation for a joyful, confident faith. [42:38]
• 4. Jesus is both the diagnosis and the cure Jesus exposes the true problem—our sinful hearts—and then offers Himself as the solution. His sacrifice was not an afterthought, but God’s plan from the beginning. In Him, the stain of sin is removed, and we are given new, clean hearts. [43:52]
• 5. Live daily in the confidence of Christ’s cleansing When doubts and accusations arise, remember that in Christ, the stain is gone forever. We are clothed in His righteousness, called to live with assurance and gratitude, not weighed down by past failures. This truth transforms our everyday lives. [48:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [22:44] - Centennial Park Multi-Sport Camp Story
• [24:34] - Christmas Art and Light Display Preview
• [24:53] - Introduction to Mark 7
• [25:13] - The Stained Jacket Story
• [27:43] - Pharisees and Ritual Cleanliness
• [29:33] - Old Testament Cleanliness Laws
• [30:08] - The Purpose of Spiritual Cleanliness
• [31:15] - Jesus Rebukes Human Traditions
• [32:30] - Human Tradition vs. God’s Word
• [34:32] - Sabbath: Pray and Play
• [36:01] - Modern Sabbath Practices
• [38:09] - Jesus Redefines Defilement
• [40:03] - The Fire of Sin
• [43:52] - Jesus: The Solution from the Beginning
• [47:17] - New Hearts and Clean Garments
• [48:28] - Living in Freedom and Confidence
• [49:50] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Mark 7:1–23 (ESV) — 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.”
...
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.” ...
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.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Revelation 19:7–8 (ESV) — 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Observation Questions

1. What specific traditions were the Pharisees upset about when they saw Jesus’ disciples eating? (Mark 7:1–5) [27:43]
2. According to Jesus, what is the real source of defilement or uncleanness in a person? (Mark 7:14–23) [38:09]
3. How did Jesus say the Pharisees were using their traditions to avoid obeying God’s commands? (Mark 7:6–13) [31:15]
4. What does 2 Corinthians 5:21 say about what Jesus did for us? [46:29]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think it was so easy for the Pharisees (and for us) to focus on external rules instead of the heart? [32:30]
2. Jesus lists a number of sins that come from within. What does this reveal about the human heart and our need for something more than just outward change? [39:34]
3. The sermon described how traditions can sometimes help us, but also how they can get in the way of what God really wants. How can we tell the difference between a helpful tradition and one that distracts us from God’s heart? [33:23]
4. The sermon said that Jesus is both the one who diagnoses our problem and the one who provides the cure. How does understanding this change the way we approach our struggles with sin? [43:52]

Application Questions

1. The Pharisees added extra rules to God’s commands, sometimes making faith feel like a burden. Are there any “extra rules” or traditions in your own life or church experience that have made following Jesus feel heavy or joyless? How could you return to the heart of God’s commands? [33:23]
2. The sermon talked about the Sabbath as a day to “pray and play”—to worship and be restored. What would it look like for you to practice Sabbath in a way that brings you joy and rest, not just a list of things you can’t do? [34:32]
3. Jesus said that what comes out of our hearts is what really defiles us. Can you think of a recent time when something from your heart (like anger, envy, or pride) showed up in your actions? What would it look like to bring that to Jesus for cleansing? [39:34]
4. The message said that trying to earn God’s approval through rule-keeping leads to anxiety and insecurity. Have you ever felt like you had to “do enough” for God to accept you? How does the gospel free you from that pressure? [42:38]
5. The sermon used the image of a stained jacket that couldn’t be cleaned by any human effort. Is there a “stain” or failure in your past that you have trouble believing Jesus can really remove? How does the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Revelation 19:7–8 speak to that? [47:17]
6. When doubts or accusations about your past come up, what practical steps can you take to remind yourself that in Christ, the stain is gone and you are clothed in his righteousness? [48:28]
7. The sermon ended by saying we are meant to live in freedom and confidence, not weighed down by past failures. What is one area of your life where you want to start living with more assurance and gratitude because of what Jesus has done? [49:21]