The Parables of Jesus | What Are You Living For? | Mark 7:15 | Week 5

It is an honor to be part of this series of The Parables of Jesus.  Today, the parable/story that we are going to explore is found in Mark chapter 7. It’s one of those deeply memorable stories with a powerful meaning behind it and I know that after hearing it, you will quickly go out and tell your friends, family and neighbors. 

Gathering a crowd, he told this story.  Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.  (Mark 7:15)  Actually, this probably isn’t exactly the kind of parable we think about when it comes to Jesus’ storytelling, but it is an extremely important one.  Standing on its own it really doesn’t make sense. Because, really, the only way to understand this is to look at the story unfolding around Jesus at this time because this is a story within a story...