Missy & I love our church.
We’ve been going to Watermark Community Church since it started back in 1999. In fact, we had a chance to be in the first membership class as we partnered with a small group of folks to try and be the church to Dallas and beyond. Our church is not perfect…not by any means (if you need evidence of this just reference the prior statement that indicates that I’m a member. If I’m a member you can rest assured it ain’t perfect). However, one of the things our church does that I really appreciate is called Join The Journey - it’s an online Bible reading program that many of the folks in our body follow. We get a chance to navigate through the Scriptures together - this year we’re working through the New Testament. There’s comfort in knowing that as I read a passage (like Mark 7) there are literally thousands of other people in my church reading it as well.
Anyway – in a nutshell…the way Join the Journey works is that each day you read a section of the Bible and each day you get an email telling you what passage to read along with a short devotional that’s written by a member at Watermark. Well…today was the day for my devotional. I figured I’d post it up with the hope that it might encourage my friends who (1) live outside the DFW area and have never heard of Join the Journey, (2) haven’t read their Bible in a while [or ever] or (3) like me, often confuse spiritual activity with spiritual intimacy.
But…before reading my little devotional this I highly recommend you take five minutes click this little link & read Mark 7
Join the Journey Devotional
KEY VERSE
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.”’ (Mark 7:6)
CENTRAL TRUTH
It is easy to equate religious activity with spiritual intimacy. The most “religious” people of Jesus’ day were the ones whose hearts were the farthest from Him.
REFLECTIONS
Quick context: Jesus is questioned by the religious leaders about His disciples’ failure to follow the “tradition of the elders.” The specific tradition in question here related to why the disciples ate their bread with unwashed hands.
Jesus took this opportunity to ever so gently remind the religious folk that they are a wee bit off base. Okay . . . that is not exactly what happened. Actually, Jesus hammered them over their completely misaligned hearts. In eight verses Jesus revealed the true contour of their souls:
- Though they were highly regarded religious leaders, they were actually HYPOCRITES.
- Though they talked about God, their hearts were actually FAR FROM Him.
- Though they thought they were obeying, they were actually NEGLECTING the commandments of God.
- Though they thought their traditions would protect them from violating the Law, those traditions actually served to NULLIFY God’s Word.
- And, oh yeah — they did this A LOT.
Ouch. Jesus spoke with absolute clarity — religious activity does not equal spiritual intimacy. The most “religious” people of Jesus’ day were the ones whose hearts were the farthest from Him.
And the same can be true of us. We may be front and center every Sunday. We may give away some of our money each and every month. We may lead in the kids’ ministry or serve in the marriage ministry. We may attend every Sunday evening prayer meeting. But none of that means we are experiencing deep and abiding intimacy with Jesus.
If I was given more than 350 words, I would tell you how Jesus subsequently explains in verses 14-23 that the issue, the real issue, is a heart issue. I would also tell you that, while making sure your Starbucks mug is clean will make your coffee taste better, it will not move your heart closer to Jesus. Washing your hands may keep you from getting the flu, but it will not keep you from an eternity apart from God. The issue, says Jesus, is a heart issue. Get that right and the right behavior will follow.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Take a couple of minutes to reflect on your walk with Jesus. Is there any part of your heart that still believes God will love you more if you attend certain church activities or perform certain religious duties? If your answer is yes, take some time over the next couple of days to read and reflect on Romans 5:8.
2. Read Colossians 2:20-23. What do these verses have in common with Mark 7:1-13?
3. Think about the things you feel obligated to do (from a Christian perspective). Do any of these obligations smell pharisaical? How did you come to do these things? Do they lead to greater and greater intimacy with Jesus, or are they simply making you appear as though you have intimacy with Jesus?
