{"id":196,"date":"2018-11-07T11:24:38","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T19:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/migrate.bettersermons.org\/?p=196"},"modified":"2020-06-01T11:40:41","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T18:40:41","slug":"sacred-cows-or-holy-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/sacred-cows-or-holy-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacred Cows or Holy Lives?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sacred Cows or Holy Lives?<\/span><\/div>\n

\".\"
\nScripture:<\/strong>\u00a0Mark 7:1-23<\/p>\n

Main Idea:<\/strong>\u00a0We, like the Pharisees, have been content to focus on sacred cows rather than the harder path of holy lives. Jesus insists that holy lives is what really counts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n
I.<\/strong><\/td>\nLuke 7:1-23<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nIn this passage, we see Jesus in conflict with one of his greatest nemeses….<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nThe Pharisees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nSometimes the Pharisees get a bad rap and we think of them as legalists who thought they could work their way to \u201cheaven\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nWhile there are some parallels, this issue of \u201cworking our way to heaven\u201d is really more our issue than theirs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n4.<\/td>\nThe focus of the Pharisees is purity and holiness \u2013 not bad, right?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nBut what we encounter in this text is Jesus challenging his listeners to a radically new way of structuring their lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
II.<\/strong><\/td>\nThe Context for this Argument<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nFeeding the multitudes (Mark 6:30-44; and again in Mark 8:1-10)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nJesus\u2019 remarkable power over nature (Mark 6:45-52)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nSweeping summary of Jesus\u2019 ministry (Mark 6:54-56)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nD.<\/td>\nOur text today is then followed by\u2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nStory of Syrophoenician woman \u2013 a Gentile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nHealing of a deaf man in the Gentile region of Decapolis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nE.<\/td>\nOn the one hand, Jesus\u2019 broader work in this region of the Sea of Galilee is so remarkable as to make the Pharisees\u2019 questions seems petty.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nJesus:\u00a0\u201cAre you serious about the handwashing thing? Haven\u2019t you been paying attention?\u201d<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nF.<\/td>\nOn the other hand, Jesus seems to immediately put his new way into practice (\u201cThus he declared all food \u2013 people? \u2013 clean\u201d) in the healing of these non-Jewish people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nThe story of the Syrophoenician woman makes so much more sense in this light.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
III.<\/strong><\/td>\nWhat was this issue Jesus was attacking?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nTo really understand this passage we need to understand what Jesus was attacking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nWas it just \u201cwashing your hands before dinner?\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nI teach my girls to do this!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nThis is just good hygiene, right?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nc.<\/td>\nSo what\u2019s the big deal?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nThese washing laws were part of the ritual purity \u2013 which was about Jewish identity in a pluralistic, polytheistic world<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nThe question posed by the Pharisees, then, is deeply sincere, which makes Jesus\u2019 rebuke seem even sharper.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nJesus is a religious teacher<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nSo\u2026why don\u2019t his disciples follow the teachings of the elders?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nIt\u2019s as if someone from the conference were to say to me, you\u2019re a SDA pastor, why don\u2019t your members maintain the \u201cstandards of the church?\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
IV.<\/strong><\/td>\nJesus’ Answer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nJesus answers by saying, in essence, you are using the teachings of the elders to avoid the clear commandments of God.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nThe standards \u2013 the tradition \u2013 has grown so large in your view that it has completely obscured the larger issue.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nThese teachings, which were originally meant as a hedge around the law, to protect the law, to honor the law and uphold it, are now actually barriers to the law, which have blocked the law from view.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nD.<\/td>\nNotice again what Jesus says (v. 6-7) \u2013 He replied,\u00a0“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;\u00a0their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nE.<\/td>\nThis is a quote from Isaiah 29:13
\nThe example of Corban<\/u><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nF.<\/td>\nThe example he uses is about honoring your father and mother, which is the clear and unambiguous commandment, right?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nCorban was a teaching about property dedicated to God which barred a person from gaining profit from it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nSome were apparently using this teaching of the elders as a loophole to get around taking care of ones parents.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nJesus says,\u00a0You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!<\/em>\u00a0(9).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nG.<\/td>\nWe can see this at work in our own lives when we make void a major issue by focusing instead on something minor.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
V.<\/strong><\/td>\nJesus goes further<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nYou want to talk about unclean hands?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nLet me take this one step further and talk about unclean foods.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nIn one precise statement Jesus undermines the whole notion of holiness and ritual purity based on food laws.
\nAgain Jesus called the crowd to him and said,\u00a0“Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nWhat matters is \u201cthe heart\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nThis is not to say that the religion of Jesus is all about internal piety and has nothing to do with external behavior or that a person\u2019s private spirituality is more important that their physical life in the world.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nNot at all!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nWhat comes out of a person, that defiles him, is clearly some pretty external stuff.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nWhat Jesus IS saying is that seeking holiness happens from the inside out.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n4.<\/td>\nA lack of holiness is seen, not by the failure to comply with the boundary markers of a group of people but rather evil acts that spring from a heart that is unconverted.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
VI.<\/strong><\/td>\nWhat issue does this address in our community?<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nSo, what is really at stake here and what are the implications for our community?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nIt seems that the question at issue here is\u00a0holiness.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nWhat is holiness? How do we achieve holiness?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nBy eating with defiled hands, Jesus\u2019 disciples were disregarding the rules of holiness and threatening the whole system.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nJesus goes deeper and says these rules you\u2019re citing are actually obstacles to real holiness.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nPharisees are saying, these rules are the way.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nJesus is saying, these rules are the obstacles to the way.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n4.<\/td>\nThe deep irony here is in this paradox.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nThe Pharisees were sincerely following these rules in order to please God and be holy \u2013 all good things.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nThese rules were originally created by the elders to give extra honor to the law, which is the specific declaration of God\u2019s will.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nc.<\/td>\nHow can that be a bad thing?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nWhen it grows so large that it blocks out the sun.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nD.<\/td>\nJesus says, you\u2019re missing the bigger issue!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nHe\u2019s been traveling all over Galilee feeding thousands of people with a few loaves and fish, healing people, calming storms, and restoring life to people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nThe signs and demonstrations of the long awaited reign of God are all around them.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nAnd they\u2019re talking about washing hands, and pots and cups and saying, this is the pathway to holiness.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n4.<\/td>\nIt\u2019s like, three steps removed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nThe law was pointing to Messiah and the teachings of the elders was pointing to the law \u2013 all good stuff, right.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nBut when the fulfillment of the law is standing in your midst, it does seem a bit trivial to focus on the things that\u00a0are pointing to the law which is pointing to Messiah!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n5.<\/td>\nJesus is practically screaming, \u201cUmmm\u2026guys, I\u2019m right here!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n6.<\/td>\nThe Pharisees\u2019 desire for purity and holiness is good and admirable, but they had lost their way in the minutia and missed the big picture standing right in front of them.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nE.<\/td>\nIt\u2019s always a little surprising to me how little some things change.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nFor the Pharisees, these ritual laws were social and cultural boundary markers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nThey identified who was in and who was out.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nThis is why they are so concerned about Jesus\u2019 disciples who don\u2019t seem to be in the \u201cin group\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nThe problem with the Pharisees\u2019 traditions is that they drew the circle so narrowly that it excluded 99% of the human race.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nExclusiveness!!!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nIn groups and out groups \u2013 used to bar \u201cthose people\u201d from fellowship.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nFighting over doctrines and discouraging people<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nF.<\/td>\nChristians today also have social boundary markers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nBehaviors, rules, prohibitions, customs and traditions, which, while not wrong in themselves (indeed, they came about by good motives) hopelessly distract people from the real issue.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nWe also use these boundary markers to identify ourselves in a pluralistic world<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nAnd that\u2019s not all bad \u2013 we do need to be a distinct people in the face of so much that tries to squeeze us into it\u2019s mold.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nBut the danger is that we become exclusive, like the Pharisees, and in the process miss the whole point.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nG.<\/td>\nWe love to talk about how right we are and wrong everyone else is.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nThis kind of talk is supposed to make us feel better \u2013 safer \u2013 in a\u00a0hostile world that is out to get us.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nBut this is not the way of Jesus.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nJesus models his new way of life by immediately healing the daughter of a non-Jewish woman.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nH.<\/td>\nHoliness is not something that can be applied from the outside \u2013 it requires a total overhaul of the human person, from the inside out.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nDoes not mean that all that matters is internal and has nothing to do with external things.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nAfterall, the list of vices are quite external, aren\u2019t they?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nI.<\/td>\nBut it does mean that the work that the gospel must do on us is a thorough work – a deep and healing work.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nWe cannot put the way of Jesus on over the top of our old self.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nJesus wants to create entirely new people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nPaul would later say, \u201cIn Christ you are a totally new creation: the old is gone, the new has come.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\nQuote by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
\nIf only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
VII.<\/strong><\/td>\nDealing in Sacred Cows<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nThe Pharisees were experts at dealing in sacred cows.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nThey had long lists of external deeds of rightousness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nBut Jesus says, anything that comes out of a corrupt heart is corrupt, no matter how good it looks on the outside.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nC.<\/td>\nBut lest we are too hard on the Pharisees, I wonder if we can think of some examples of how we have been content with sacred cows when God was calling us higher\u2026to holy lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nWe have preferred to emphasize nearly the same things the Pharisees did:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\na.<\/td>\nDon\u2019t eat unclean food<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nb.<\/td>\nDon\u2019t drink alcoholic beverages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nc.<\/td>\nDon\u2019t dance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nd.<\/td>\nDon\u2019t go to the movies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ne.<\/td>\nDon\u2019t drink coffee and tea<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nf.<\/td>\nNo short skirts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ng.<\/td>\nNo jewelry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\nh.<\/td>\nKeep the Sabbath a certain way<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\ni.<\/td>\nAnd so many more\u2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nAs I hear that list again I realize that there are good reasons why these things became issues.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nYou may even find a way to explain why these issues are important today.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n4.<\/td>\nBut in the church today, these things are like \u201csacred cows\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n5.<\/td>\nIf you don\u2019t follow all the rules someone is likely to come to your pastors and say, \u201cWhy don\u2019t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders?\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nD.<\/td>\nBut often those who say these things are unfortunately honoring God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nE.<\/td>\nTheir teachings are simply rules taught by humans.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nF.<\/td>\nWhat God wants for us is holy lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nG.<\/td>\nWhen we settle for sacred cows, we miss out on holy lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nH.<\/td>\nAnd here\u2019s the kicker.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nWhat the world is watching for is holy lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nFor Christians to place the emphasis on the right things.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n3.<\/td>\nTo focus less on sacred cows and more on real goodness.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
VIII.<\/strong><\/td>\nConclusion<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nA.<\/td>\nThe Pharisees had opted for sacred cows rather than holy lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nB.<\/td>\nMy prayer is that in your life and in our community life here in Hollywood, we can grow up to maturity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1.<\/td>\nThat the emphasis, for us, will be on holy lives rather that on sacred cows.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n2.<\/td>\nFocusing on real goodness, justice and mercy rather than measuring up to a checklist of cultural boundary markers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Submitted by Ryan J. Bell. Better Sermons \u00a9 2005-2007. Click here for\u00a0usage guidelines<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sacred Cows or Holy Lives? Scripture:\u00a0Mark 7:1-23 Main Idea:\u00a0We, like the Pharisees, have been content to focus on sacred cows rather than the harder path of holy lives. Jesus insists …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":197,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196\/revisions\/197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bettersermons.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}