The Day In Jesus' Life We Have All Experienced

Mark 7:24 - Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice.
NASU 

• Jesus Wanted Some Down Time 

He was tired of putting up with the pettiness of people. The Pharisees and scribes had once again been watching Jesus and His disciples. They wanted to find something wrong with the way Jesus and His disciples lived and they found it.
 
Jesus' disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate. There you go that has to be one of the biggest sins known to man, eating without washing your hands.
 
Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees and scribes and they want to know, "Why His disciples don't follow the tradition of the elders?"
 
Jesus, as is His custom, doesn't answer their question. He either quotes a scripture about them or asks them a question which if they answer gets them in trouble. Jesus quotes to them words from the prophet Isaiah:
 
Mark 7:6-8 - 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. 
7'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 
8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."  

• Some Things Never Change 

I have been in the ministry for 34 years and may I tell you the truth, nothing drains my batteries faster than having to deal with a bunch of Pharisees in the Lord's church.
 
They read their Bibles everyday, they are able to quote scripture, they use their lips to praise God but their hearts are far away from Him. 

• Jesus Wanted Down Time 

Yes, I am going to go out on a limb here and say, I believe we all have had days like Jesus when we wanted to be left alone. We are tired of people. We are tired of people's pettiness. 

• Are You The Cause Or The Cure 

The Pharisees wanted you to wash your hands before you ate and by washing your hands before you ate would mean you were holier or closer to God than those who ate without washing their hands.
 
Yet, it was exactly the opposite because the Pharisees became the hypocrites and were moved further away from God.
 
Do yourself a favor today and inspect your life.
 
Do you need downtime because you are tired of dealing with people's pettiness? Or is it your pettiness which is causing others to want some downtime?
 
Think On These:
 
Christianity doesn't fail. It is people who fail Christianity.
 
If Christianity means something to you, live so it will mean something to others.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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