Text: Mark 7:14-21, Galatians 5
Theme:  Living in His terms
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Intr – Hand sanitizer dispensers have been in hospitals for a long time now, and since the coronavirus pandemic, they are everywhere. The idea seems to be that sanitizing your hands frequently will help stop the spread of germs and diseases. But let’s say you left home with your hands freshly washed, and you can’t spot any dirt on them. Still, that dispenser is there for you. Why? Because the assumption is that our hands, if not all the time, are most of the time not really clean. Invisible germs and bacteria may be hitching a ride on them wherever we go.

This reminds me of a story about a doctor who was the first to realize that hands need to be that clean in hospitals, even though they knew nothing about germs at that time, and the reaction of his peers reaction. He was a Hungarian doctor from the mid-19th century called Ignaz Semmelweis.

Dr. Semmelweis lived in a time when it was common for doctors to work in corpses, forensics, in on side of the hospital and then go straight to the maternity ward to deliver babies. Back then, they did not know nor believed that hands could carry diseases. Death rates from childbed fever for women in maternity wards were at alarming rates. Dr. Semmelweis noticed a stark difference between two maternity wards—one staffed by male doctors and medical students, and the other by female midwives. The death rate in the doctors’ ward was nearly five times higher.

What brought a crucial clue to Semmelweis was the fact that a forensic doctor, who performed autopsies, died from the same childbed fever. His hypothesis was that tiny particles from corpses, carried on the hands of doctors, were infecting the women. In response, he mandated that doctors wash their hands and instruments with a chlorine solution. This simple practice led to a dramatic decrease in deaths.[1]

You would think everyone would be thrilled by the discovery, right? But they weren’t. Some doctors, for instance, were offended at the suggestion that they should wash their hands, feeling that their social status as gentlemen was inconsistent with the idea that their hands could be unclean.[2] Semmelweis suffered all sorts of opposition and his chlorine washing was eventually banned. It was not until the germ theory was developed in the XX Century that people would definitively realize that hands can carry germs, infection and death.

Can you imagine that? Dealing with corpses and then going straight to delivering babies? Those doctors of old didn’t know that their hands were not only dirty, but death-bearing. The sad note is that even when they were told so and were given a different option to change procedures. But they did not like what they heard and carried on with their old practices.

I draw a parallel here with our daily life. Sometimes we go straight from, say, delivering babies – worship, a devotion, a Christ-like activity, helping somebody – to dig our hands deep in sin-bearing “corpses” because we think we are not defiled. We look and to see where the problem, the dirt is.  We may think everything is fine, while we continue to carry germs of death. And we don’t like to be told otherwise.

In our daily life, we are asked to sanitize our hands, even when they look clean – because dangers is always lurking in the microscopic world. But what about our hearts? Here’s an example from my daily life, so you avoid I am only pointing fingers here. This week I received a notification that I haven’t been parking my car properly in front of the house, taking up a little bit of extra common area in the condo. There were even pictures of it. What was my first feeling? I can’t deny it – a little frustration. I was wrong, clearly wrong. But still for a moment I didn’t like to be told by the strata about that.

When it comes to spiritual health, do we trust the doctor telling us the truth, calling us to listen carefully and to have it cleansed thoroughly by his purifying washing? Or do we feel offended that somebody would tell us we are wrong, even when we clearly are? If dirty hands can cause you and others a lot of trouble, think about what a dirty heart can do.

1 – From the inside

Mark 7 shows Jesus asking people to listen carefully, and He says: it is not what comes from outside that defiles a person. This is a context where the disciples are criticized for not washing their hands. Here though it’s a different matter. It is a ceremonial washing which included hands, forearms and elbows. The reason for the criticism what not physical health, but pharisaic clinging to the letter of the law, while their hearts were not as clean as their hands, arms and elbows. Jesus then demonstrates that their demand about dirty hands was wrong. Because the critical place was not being considered: to have a sanitized heart.

It is from inside. From the heart. Appearances can be faked but essence can’t. Jesus is talking about sin and how it needs to be constantly washed clean.

Now, what do people, what to we do with this information? Whereas as Christians we continually confess our sins and receive forgiveness, there are times in which we ignore the advice and think that we are the doctors of our life, and we know what we are doing. “Who is the pastor, or mom, or a friend, or whoever else, to tell me that my heart needs to be washed away from (insert here your blind spot).” We know better. Sometimes, what we want to do is to live on our own terms.

2 – “On his own terms”

I mention this remembering that a famous person died some time ago, and one of his daughters wrote about him: “He was a person who lived in his own terms”. As I understand, common sense takes this description as a quality, and it may be for certain aspects of life. But when you think about it, especially for your spiritual life, that is actually a very dangerous way of living.

We need here to hear Jesus saying, “Listen carefully.”, because our minds sometimes may be tempted to think that living on our terms is not that bad. Maybe we are all good people. “See, we are polite, we treat others well, we are not as evil as one may think. You know what? Maybe evil is just a creation of our society, or of our mind. In the end we are all innate good people.” That is, we make a quick check and declare our hands, our hearts, our lives clean. Or at least not that dirty. Perhaps not much change is needed after all.

What happens when we think like that? I’ll give just and example, which also proves the point of the defilement from inside – original sin.

A couple thought of quitting their jobs and travelling the world ‘round in their bicycle with a strong assumption and ideal, which they stated this way: “Evil is a make-believe concept we’ve invented to deal with the complexities of fellow humans.”, wrote one of the idealistic young Americans. The news from some weeks ago? “Millennial Couple Bikes Near ISIS Territory Thinking ‘Humans Are Kind’ and Gets Killed” They were killed in an Islamic State-claimed terrorist attack last month while on their cycling trip around the world. [3]

Idealistic is one way some people put it, for sure. I read also people using other words, like naive or idiot. I would say though that they were missing this one thing: reading. They’ve missed flipping through the pages of the Book that has been around quite a while showing how that is not the truth at all. Even great human beings, as far as good from human standards is, can be and do evil.

When we ignore what is inside, we will have trouble with what goes outside. We may even be led to think, “Well, I like to sin; Jesus likes to forgive. What a perfect match”. We carry on living on our terms, especially when it means we don’t have to adapt to a new routine of washing hearts, but just live following our own way of seeing and doing things.

Jesus points out that what’s inside bear sings and death. And He gives a very specific list: “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.” A long and terrible list. These are more than germs, which at their worst may claim our life on Earth. When our heart is defiled by sin permanently, it’ll claim our life forever.

3 – Living on Jesus’ terms

“Listen carefully”, Jesus says. Living only our own terms is not good nor wise. Our heart carries germs of sin and death everywhere. We need to be sanitized. We need to be constantly cleansed by forgiveness and love. We need better terms: His.

And here is what we get when we live on His terms:

_Our hearts are sanitized by Law and Gospel, to accept when we are wrong and need to change.

_Our mouths, which may not eat wisely all the time, are used by Him to speak wisely by the power of His Holy Spirit.

_Our hands are also sanitized from hurting and omitting to become helping and caring.

Jesus calls out sin, for sure. But he invites us to live on His Terms. There we find His Love and Grace. He constantly cleans our heart and leads our soul. There, we find the constant dispenser of the things we need to live on His Terms and take life to a good term.

How does living in Jesus’ terms look like? He loves us and now go and do your best? Of course not, He is the one who goes ahead of us and with us. And he mentions the armour and weapons of the Christian to fight daily life through Paul, in our Epistle today (Ephesians 6):

Truth as a belt: Truth can be understood as a synonym for the Gospel; it’s the revelation of God’s love for humanity. It can also simply mean the opposite of lying (Romans 9:1). [4]

Dress up for Justice: Christ is our justice, which we receive through faith. The righteous died for the unrighteous.

Readiness like shoes: Be equipped with the righteousness that comes from God! Prepare for the world to come—be ready to leave at any time. Put on the shoes that God is giving you, for they will lead you to your eternal home.[5]

Shield of Faith: In the face of life’s adversities, faith becomes an essential tool for moving forward.[6]

Salvation as a helmet: Imagine a soldier without his helmet! A soldier’s helmet is made of armored material, designed to withstand even a shot from an AK-47. So it is with the salvation won by Christ on the cross. Therefore, put on the helmet of salvation that Christ has won.

God’s Word as a sword: All the above is contained in the Word of God. It tells the truth, through which the Holy Spirit produces faith in our hearts. Faith, being the hand that receives it, makes Christ’s righteousness ours, preparing us to leave and be with Him. [7]

Cc –  In case you were wondering, I did change the way I park the car. I listened to the notice and changed the behaviour. No matter what the notice caused me to feel, if something is wrong, it needs to be changed.

Listen carefully. Jesus certainly calls out our sin. But more that that, he calls us to listen carefully to His Word of Grace and Love dispensed everywhere – in every place where His Word is opened, shared, read and studied. (SLIDE 13b) “When you listen to Jesus, He doesn’t just point out your flaws—He offers the grace to overcome them.” He cleans our minds and hearts so that we know we can live, and die, on His loving terms.

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[1] https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/12/375663920/the-doctor-who-championed-hand-washing-and-saved-women-s-lives

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis

[3] https://www.pluralist.com/posts/1824-millennial-couple-bikes-through-isis-territory-to-prove-humans-are-kind-and-gets-killed/partners/44197

[4] The divine truth of the first commandment stands in contrast to idolatry. It’s also a result of the new life in Christ, as the regenerated always desire to speak the truth. Peter uses truth as a synonym for the Gospel in 1 Peter 1:22 and 2 Peter 2:2. John frequently contrasts truth with lies, tying it to the first commandment and idolatry. In this sense, “Aletheia” (truth) encompasses both the first and the eighth commandments. Remember: it’s THE truth, not “a” truth. It’s not relative. Two opposite things cannot be true at the same time. Jesus is THE Truth for our lives.

[5] The word “Hetoimasia” appears only this one time in the New Testament. It can also be translated as “equipment” or “preparation.

In the sense of preparation, remember that Christians prepare for the return of Christ by proclaiming the Gospel to the people. Be ready, because you know neither the day nor the hour.

[6] Faith, which receives the righteousness of Christ, prepares us to: 1) depart and be with Christ, which is far better, and 2) resist the attacks of the Enemy. Who wouldn’t want a shield like that? I believe everyone would! Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Paul warns Christians that if they lose their shield—faith—they become prey to the enemy, who prowls around like a roaring lion. Therefore, the Word and Sacraments are essential in the walk of a Christian

[7] In Christ, salvation no longer depends on us; it is a precious gift from God. The Greek term used here is “Rhema,” which is closely related to God’s promises in the Old Testament. The New Testament writer who uses this word most frequently is Luke, and for him, the key is this: “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). God’s promises never fail.