What Really Defiles You? Discover the Shocking Truth About What’s Actually Holding You Back!
Click here to find out what’s really messing with your peace of mind—hint: it’s not that extra donut!

Paid Content Includes:

• Expalantion: Understanding Each Section & Learning from These Verses
• Personal Thoughts: What This Scripture Means for You & How this Scripture speak to your heart?
• Personal Commentary: Deepening Our Walk with God: See how these words draw us closer to God.
• Christian Discipleship: Following Jesus & Let this Scripture guide your steps as you follow Jesus.
• Spiritual Growth: Growing Spiritually & Discover how these verses help you grow in your faith.
• Ask yourself this question: How can you live out this Scripture in your daily life?

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Welcome

Good morning, church family! It’s always a joy to gather together as one body in Christ. Today, we come with hearts open and minds ready to receive the Word of God. We are here to grow in our faith, to be transformed, and to walk closer with Jesus. I pray that today’s message will encourage you, challenge you, and draw you nearer to the Lord. Let’s take this time to focus on Him and allow His presence to fill our hearts.

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts. Thank You for bringing us together today to worship You and to hear from Your Word. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive Your truth. Help us to understand what You are saying to us through the Scriptures, and give us the courage to apply it to our lives. We ask for Your guidance and wisdom as we seek to follow You more closely. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Introduction to Scripture

Today, we’re going to look at a passage from the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus teaches us about the importance of the heart. It’s easy to get caught up in external things—what we say, how we look, the rules we follow—but Jesus reminds us that what really matters is what’s happening inside us. Our hearts are what truly define us. Let’s dive into Mark 7:14-23 and explore what Jesus has to say about the condition of our hearts.

The Events in the NIV Bible Verse

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the crowd, and He challenges the way they think about purity and defilement. The religious leaders of the time were very focused on external rituals—what you eat, how you wash, and so on. But Jesus tells them that it’s not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out of their heart. He explains that evil thoughts, immorality, greed, and other sins all come from within. Jesus is teaching us that true purity is about having a heart that is right with God, not just following external rules.

Mark 7:14-23 (NIV)

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.
15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
16 [Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 16: “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”]
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.
18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?
19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.
21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Intercessory Prayer

Father God, we thank You for the reminder that it’s our hearts that matter most to You. We pray for the strength to guard our hearts and to keep them pure before You. Help us to root out anything that doesn’t belong—whether it’s sinful thoughts, attitudes, or behaviors. We ask for Your cleansing power to wash over us and make us whole. May our hearts reflect Your love, grace, and truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Congregational Prayer Response

Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that what comes out of our hearts can defile us. We ask You to cleanse our hearts from any evil thoughts, actions, or desires. Help us to live lives that are pure and pleasing to You. Teach us to focus on what truly matters—our relationship with You. Amen.

Sermon Title: Your Morning Coffee Isn’t the Problem?

Sermon Introduction

Have you ever wondered why some things in life seem to go wrong no matter how hard you try to do the right thing? Maybe you’ve followed all the rules, checked all the boxes, and yet, something feels off. In Mark 7:14-23, Jesus flips the script on what it means to be “clean” or “defiled.” He reveals that it’s not about the rules we follow on the outside, but what’s brewing on the inside. Today, we’re going to dive into this passage and discover how Jesus challenges our thinking and pushes us to focus on what really matters—our hearts.

Historical Context and Social Impact

During the time of Jesus, Jewish religious leaders were deeply concerned with rituals and purity laws. They believed that what you ate or how you washed could make you “unclean” in the eyes of God. These external practices were seen as markers of righteousness and devotion. However, Jesus challenged these practices by pointing out that true defilement doesn’t come from what enters our bodies, but from what comes out of our hearts. This teaching was revolutionary because it shifted the focus from external compliance to internal transformation. Today, this message continues to challenge us, especially in a world that often emphasizes appearances over substance. Socially and historically, Jesus’ teaching here breaks down barriers, reminding us that true purity comes from a heart aligned with God’s will, not just outward religious practices.

Sermon Outline:

Section 1: The Heart of the Matter (Mark 7:14-15)

• Engaging Introduction: Jesus starts by calling the crowd to pay attention. This isn’t just another sermon; it’s a wake-up call. He challenges the popular belief of His time, telling them that what goes into a person doesn’t defile them—it’s what comes out that does.
• Expository Point: Jesus is highlighting that the condition of our hearts matters more than external rituals. It’s a call to introspection—what’s really going on inside?

Section 2: Breaking Down the Barriers (Mark 7:17-19)

• Engaging Introduction: When the disciples ask Jesus to explain further, He doesn’t hold back. He tells them plainly that what goes into the body can’t defile a person because it doesn’t enter the heart. Jesus is breaking down the barriers of ritualistic thinking and declaring all foods clean.
• Expository Point: Jesus is shifting the focus from ritual purity to heart purity. The real issue isn’t what we consume but what consumes us—our thoughts, attitudes, and intentions.

Section 3: The True Source of Defilement (Mark 7:20-23)

• Engaging Introduction: Jesus drives the point home by listing the things that truly defile a person—evil thoughts, immorality, greed, and more. It’s a sobering reminder that sin starts in the heart.
• Expository Point: The real battle isn’t external; it’s internal. Jesus challenges us to examine our hearts and root out anything that doesn’t align with God’s holiness.

Section 4: Application: Heart Check

• Engaging Introduction: After hearing Jesus’ words, we’re left with one question: How’s your heart? It’s time for a heart check.
• Expository Point: This final section encourages self-examination. Are we focusing on outward appearances or truly seeking to have hearts that reflect Christ’s love and purity?

Conclusion

Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7:14-23 is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago. It calls us to stop worrying about the externals and start focusing on the internals—our hearts. True defilement comes from within, and it’s only through the transforming power of Christ that our hearts can be made pure. Let’s commit to doing the hard work of heart transformation, trusting that God will lead us into a life that honors Him from the inside out.

Paid Content Includes:

• Expalantion: Understanding Each Section & Learning from These Verses
• Personal Thoughts: What This Scripture Means for You & How this Scripture speak to your heart?
• Personal Commentary: Deepening Our Walk with God: See how these words draw us closer to God.
• Christian Discipleship: Following Jesus & Let this Scripture guide your steps as you follow Jesus.
• Spiritual Growth: Growing Spiritually & Discover how these verses help you grow in your faith.
• Ask yourself this question: How can you live out this Scripture in your daily life?

Need Help With Your Sermon?
Purchase this Complete Service: Only: $3.99

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