Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent

 

“And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him.’” (Mark 7:20)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The topic of food can get complicated these days with all of the diets out there: keto, carnivore, Mediterranean, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. In Jesus’ day, food was a controversial topic. Lines were drawn in the sand. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. There was a food fight going on, so to speak. Certain foods were deemed “clean” and therefore okay to consume, while other foods were considered defiled and dirtied, leaving a person ritually unclean and unable to worship at the Temple. Jesus stops the food fight when He says, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:14b-15) The disciples have a tough time with this. It’s not what their Jewish mothers taught them. They would’ve been well aware of the clean/unclean categories. Jesus rocks their world when He tells them that food can’t defile anyone. Every bite passes the heart and is expelled. Jesus declares all foods clean! So then what makes a person defiled and dirty?

Food isn’t the real problem since the heart of the problem is the human heart! And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23) No one gets away guilt-free from that list! Ouch! Leaves us all realizing that we have had thoughts, words, and actions that defile and dirty us. We’re all in the same boat. We confess together, “I, a poor, miserable sinner!” Dirty and defiled, we deserve damnation! 

Thanks be to God, we get what we don’t deserve! Grace upon grace! Jesus is the One who defiles and dirties Himself! He touches the unclean leper, lifts up the unclean dead, eats and drinks with unclean sinners and tax collectors. He takes upon Himself the dirt and defilement that damns! He bears our sins to die our death! Yes, He cries out those words of abandonment that we’ll never have to speak: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). The Temple curtain is torn from top to bottom. The way to the Father is open to all through that godforsaken death on Good Friday. His blood cleanses us from all sin. “Take, drink, this is My blood shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” There is food that sprinkles our hearts clean. Take, drink!       

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness; Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood; Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace: Thy blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord my God. (LSB 631:5)