Bible Study Teaching Plan for January 8, 2017, Lesson 6 Dr. Brad Williamson, FBC Lewisville Outward Piety VS Inward Purity Mark 7:1-23

Transcription

1 NOTE TO TEACHERS: Since we didn t have Bible study on Christmas Day, we have one extra lesson in our Baptistway Bible study quarterly guide. I opted to skip lesson 5. So this is from lesson 6 in our Study Guide. If you want to give a summary of what happened in Mark 6 (lesson 5), feel free to do so. As a Teacher in our church, we trust you to teach from the Bible in a way that meets the needs of those in your class, as well as honors the Lord and all of His word. Thank you for teaching! BIG Question to Explore: What man-made religious traditions are you clinging to that may get in the way of God s instruction? Aim: To evaluate my allegiance to Christ and evaluate whether any man-made religious traditions are hindering that relationship, or are becoming a stumbling block to lost people or others who are influenced by my words or actions. Create Interest Say: We are continuing our series of studies in the Gospel of Mark. As we have previously mentioned, the gospel of Mark was the first gospel recorded, Mark, the author, reports the miracles and teachings of Jesus in a very fast pace, almost like a race, thus the title of our series, On Your Mark. Each chapter is filled with the actions of Jesus in action, encountering people, either through teaching, or healing, or challenging their current thoughts and actions. Say: As we begin, let s make a list of some of the common things we do as Christfollowers and members of His church. What are things all Christ-followers do (or should do). Write on marker board: Pray Worship Study the Bible Be a witness and tell others about Jesus Give Help others Say: most of the things we do as Christ-followers are doing what the Bible says. Can you think of any things we do at church that are more tradition, rather than what the Bible says: Dress up nice to go to church Go out to eat after church Attend certain programs of the church each week (like Bible study or choir) Have coffee and donuts on Sunday mornings Sitting in the same pew each week, by or near the same group of people Say: As Christ-followers, we must make sure our traditions, including our religious actions, don t take precedence (or replace) our being in relationship with Jesus. Our Page 1 of 5

2 relationship with Jesus is first and foremost. And our relationship with Jesus should influence our words, thoughts, and actions. We try to imitate our Lord! One of the Old Testament prophets put it this way: Micah 6:8 (Message Translation) But God s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don t take yourself too seriously take God seriously. This verse is a good intro to our study today! Bible Study Traditions of the Religious Elders Say: In the first few verses we will read, the Scribes & Pharisees challenged the actions of Jesus and His disciples. Ask: What do you know, from previous study, about Scribes & Pharisees? (Allow discussion). Afterwards, include thoughts (or read) the following from the online commentary: Scribes in ancient Israel were educated men who focused on both studying and interpreting the law. Along the way, the scribes added many man-made traditions that went way beyond what God ever required. Unfortunately, this habit of adding oral tradition that moved beyond God s written word led the scribes down the wrong path. They focused more on the letter of the law and the traditions of men than the spirit of the law. Ignoring the essence and purpose of God s commands with their misplaced priorities, the scribes failed to discover the heart of God. While the scribes original aim was to preserve the word of God by copying and interpreting it, the state of affairs in Jesus day, unfortunately, allowed the oral traditions to overshadow God s real intent, the true message of Scripture. Pharisees name means the separated ones. Perhaps they found their purpose in Exodus 19:6: you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Holy means set apart from the other peoples of this world, including from their detestable ways. To maintain purity, the members of this Jewish sect voluntarily took upon themselves a strict regimen of observing laws pertaining to purity, Sabbath observance, prayer, and tithing. Together with the scribes, the Pharisees passed down oral traditions which consisted of detailed interpretations and applications of God s law, most of which were handed down from previous generations by their teachers. They considered this oral tradition as highly as they did the written laws of Moses. Pharisees were not the power brokers of first-century Judaism, as some have supposed. Unlike the Sadducees, not many of the Pharisees were from the aristocratic class. The Sadducees were the Jewish class that formed the majority of the Jewish high court (the Sanhedrin) and often found themselves serving as high priests. On the other hand, the Pharisees were laymen who were seeking to establish and maintain holiness and Page 2 of 5

3 purity in Israel by careful obedience to every law. Because the Pharisees set themselves apart by observing every written law and oral tradition, they were often admired by common folks who had compromised, living in a more convenient, less holy, fashion. Summary: Pharisees originally had good intentions: to be obedient to God and His law They would probably be seen as good church members in today s society because they attended worship; gave their offerings; prayed regularly, and lived moral lives (at least from what others could see). Pharisees felt they were superior to others because of their actions. They held to traditions, as much or more so, over God s Word. They were convinced that cleanliness came from following ritual action. Have a volunteer read Mark 7:1-5. Say: The Scribes and Pharisees thought these actions made a person unclean : If you touch another person who is unclean, then you are unclean. If you eat foods that are unclean, then you are unclean. If you fail to do the ritual cleansings, then you are unclean. If you used pots, cups, or pitchers that were not ceremonially cleansed, then you are unclean. If you fail to observe the Sabbath (as the Pharisees did), then you are unclean. If you failed to pray at certain times, or failed to give a tithe, then you are unclean. Basically, if you failed to obey their man-made religious traditions, then you are unclean! Ask: Let s look back at the list of traditions we have in the Baptist church. If someone were to ask you, Why don t you dress in your Sunday best to come to church and worship? how do you think you would respond? Discuss. Ask: If someone were sitting in your normal pew, what do you think you would do? (Discuss) Ask: If someone came into our church who looked very different from the normal church attender at FBC, how would you approach them, what would be your attitude, and how would you treat them? How would you want them to feel? (Discuss) Jesus Responds Say: Rather than explaining His disciples behavior, Jesus directs people s attention to the behavior of the Scribes and Pharisees. Have a volunteer read Mark 7:6-8 Ask: What point do you think Jesus was trying to make to these scribes and Pharisees? They are frauds (hypocrites). (V 6) Page 3 of 5

4 They honored God with words from the mouth but not from the heart. (V 6) Their worship of God was really only a show. (V 7) They followed teachings which were not from God s Words, but rather the teachings of men. (V 7) They ditched God s commands in lieu of popular teachings. (V 8) ASK: How do you think these Scribes & Pharisees took Jesus words? (Discuss) Say: DON T ANSWER out loud, but how would YOU take these words of Jesus if he said them directly to you today? Say: Jesus challenged the Scribes, Pharisees and Teachers of the Law (the religious people of the day), more than anyone; and at the same time, he offered grace to those who they considered sinners. Ask: Do you think this was fair of Jesus? Why or why not? Say: As we continue our reading, Jesus gave a specific example of what the Scribes and Pharisees did to break the commands of God. Have a volunteer read Mark 7:9-13. Teacher: Explain this word, Corban : It was one of their oral traditions: to set aside money that would supposedly one day be given to God. Grown adults often denied support for their own parents by declaring their money already designated as a gift to God. They were using God as an excuse to hang on to their own money, rather than honoring their parents by helping them financially. Ask: How do you think God wants us to use the gifts and resources He gives us? (Discuss). Afterwards, read this verse aloud from Paul s writing: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (MSG) All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. Say: There s a song on Christian radio that basically asks the question, God, why don t you do something about all the suffering and wrong in this world. And the chorus responds from God s viewpoint: I did. I created you! You/we are to do something about these needs we see. God created us to be His hands, feet and voice! APPLY TO LIFE A Matter of the Heart Have a volunteer read Mark 7:14-23 Q. What point do you think Jesus was trying to teach them (and us) in these verses? Page 4 of 5

5 Fellowship with God is not based on the cleanliness of our hands or food. (V 15) Purity is not accomplished by obeying the rules, but by obeying God. (V 20) It s not what you eat or how you look that makes you unclean, it s what is in your heart. (Vv 20-23) Spiritual cleanliness is affected by our thoughts and actions. (Vv 21-23) Say: People are like stained glass windows. You can t always see clearly what they are about until you look at them from the inside out! God knows and looks at what s on the inside! ASK: So as we close today in prayer, be thinking what s on the inside. Ask God to help you examine your heart. And to examine your attitudes towards others, especially our community, and neighbors, and guests who come to FBC. What might Jesus be saying to you? Page 5 of 5