Text: Mark 7:14-23

Defiled Hands vs. Defiled Hearts (Mark 7:14-23)

• The Pharisees pursued an outward cleansing through their own merits.
• Jesus points out the evil actions and attitudes that come from our hearts.
• Jesus provides an inward cleansing of the heart through His mercy and grace.

Text: Mark 7:1-13

Man's Tradition vs. God's Word (1-13)

• The Pharisees twisted Scripture to fit within their sinful desires.
• The Pharisees nullified the Scriptures by exalting their traditions.
• Jesus calls us to exalt the Scriptures above man's tradition.

Text: Mark 6:45-56

The Great I Am Intercedes (Mark 6:45-46)

• Jesus dismisses His disciples and the crowd.
• Jesus departs to the mountain to be alone with His Father and pray.

The Great I Am Intervenes (Mark 6:47-52)

• Jesus walks on the water toward His disciples by displaying His deity (see Job 9:1-8; Isaiah 43:1-3).
• Jesus dispels the disciples' fears, proclaiming by His identity.
• Jesus confronts disciples' hardened hearts, by proving His Lordship over all things.

The Great I Am Interacts (Mark 6:53-56)

• Jesus personally gives Himself to those in desperate need, knowing that He alone is what they need most of all.

Text: Mark 6:30-44

The Shepherd's Care for Souls (Mark 6:30-32)

• Jesus debriefs the disciples after their mission.
• Jesus invites the disciples to rest after their mission.

The Shepherd's Compassion for Souls (Mark 6:33-34)

• Jesus saw the crowd as sheep without a shepherd (see Numbers 27:17; Isaiah 40:11)
• Jesus gave the crowd the Gospel teaching they needed to direct their hearts to God.

The Shepherd's Provision for Souls (Mark 6:35-44)

• Jesus provided the crowd with food for their stomachs; in Him, they would find satisfaction for their souls.
• Jesus provided the disciples with a lesson of dependance upon and trust in His sufficiency.

The Christ-Exalting Integrity of John the Baptist (John 1:19-29; 3:25-30)

• He was marked by self-denial and humility.
• He found contentment and joy in the role God gave him.
• He lived to see Christ and His ministry increase and see himself decrease.

The Christ-Denying Corruption of Herod the King (Mark 6:14-29)

• He was a slave to his own lusts (his wife was a slave to her own hate).
• He was a captive of his own fears.
• He had a conscience that was defiled by his own sinful choices.
• He was intrigued by Jesus, but never submitted to Him and His message (see Luke 23:6-11).

The Amazing Rejection of Jesus (6:1-6)

• The people were amazed at Jesus' claims and message.
• Jesus was amazed at the people's lack of faith.
• The people took offense at Jesus and his message.
• In the backdrop of unbelief, Jesus did not carry on His mighty work of signs and wonders.

The Simple Deployment of the Disciples (6:7-13)

• The Disciples are sent with a Christ-derived authority
• The Disciples are sent under a Christ-centered dependency
• The Disciples face a Christ-opposed hostility
• The Disciples went with a Christ-focused urgency

In this sermon, you will encounter how to live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. This is the way of true spiritual life that leads us to become fellow heirs with Christ as God's beloved children!

Text: Psalm 127

The Fruitless Toil of Life Apart From Trusting God (127:1-2)

• It is vain to build, watch, and work apart from a central trust in God.
• When we trust in God and His promises, we will find true rest for our souls.

The Fruitful Blessing of Trusting God (127:3-5)

• We must trust in the Lord to build and bless His people.
• Children are a heritage and blessing from the Lord whose purpose is to glorify God.
• Children are like arrows in the hand of a warrior who find their target in Christ.

Text: Psalm 103

A Personal Call to Praise God for His Redemptive Work (103:1-5)

• We are called to praise the Lord for His forgiveness, redemption, and healing.

A Corporate Call to Consider God's Merciful and Gracious Character (103:6-18)

• We are called to consider how God removes our sin and displays His steadfast love.

A Universal Call to Give God the Glory Due His Name (103:19-22)

• We are called to join in the all-encompassing praise of God's Name.

Text: Psalm 90

The Eternal Existence of God (90:1-2)

• God will never cease to be a refuge for His people.
• God will never cease to be God.

The Fleeting Existence of Man (90:3-11)

• Man's existence on earth is marked by brevity and fragility.
• Man's existence on earth is summed up in toil and trouble.

The Illuminating Wisdom and Satisfying Love of God (90:12-17)

• We will gain a heart of wisdom when we number our days according to God's eternal perspective and weigh them on God's eternal scales.
• In the end, our greatest need is not more time on earth, but to be satisfied alone with God's unfailing love.