Mark 7: 20-23 ” He went on: ‘What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.’ “

This all started when the Pharisees saw the Disciples eating food with unwashed hands and were offended.  Jesus gave the crowd a quick Anatomy/Physiology lesson when He concluded that all food (whether clean or unclean) goes into a man’s stomach, not his heart.  He then instructed the crowd by saying, “Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him.  Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.” (Mark 7:15)    I’ve heard it said,  if you shake a man, you’ll see what’s in his heart.  For it’s deep within our heart that all wickedness abides.

Colossians 2:2-3 ” My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. “

Do you know Jesus?  No really, do you know Jesus?  For in that perfect comprehension of just who Jesus is and what He’s done for you,  comes the unveiling of hidden things.  In it we’re able to recognize and discern truth  from distorted truth.  In knowing Jesus,  comes the revelation of God’s wisdom…His divine insight and knowledge of  once concealed things.  I’ll ask you again, do you know Jesus?

Revelation 15: 14 ” I looked, an there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one ‘like a son of man’ with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.”

There is coming a great and mighty day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to judge the Nations.  He will swing His sickle, for the harvest is ripe.  The Son of Man will return on the clouds…the reaper prepared for the harvest…the sickle in His hand.

John 18: 36 ” Jesus said, ‘ My Kingdom is not of this world.’ “

This everlasting Kingdom  was setup by God and given to His Son, Christ Jesus.  And as Believers,  this Kingdom  dwells within our hearts.  And in this, comes the rub.  For like this everlasting  Kingdom,  we too are in the world, but not of it.  Our lives here on earth are transitory, but at the same time filled with the repercussions of living in a fallen, broken world.  So what are we to do?  We walk this earth as aliens and foreigners longing for home, but also recognizing we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Our citizenship may not be of this world, but while we’re here… we’re to be about our Father’s business.

Proverbs 24: 23 ” These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good…”

In Leviticus 19:15 it states, ” Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”  We tend to have our own very personal  prejudices and biases…comfortable preferences that have been ingrained in us  by our culture, family, and past experiences.  But that doesn’t mean they are fair or just.   All our decisions must be based on God’s decrees and Laws, rather than our feelings.

Matthew 8:20 ” Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. “

Yes, in a sense, Jesus was homeless.  He and the Disciples traveled unhindered by the obligation and responsibilities of traditional homes.  But Jesus pointed out in this scripture… He was to be in the world, but not of it.  And like Jesus, we too are aliens and strangers on this earth. (I Peter 2:11)  We are ever looking forward to our eternal home…our everlasting dwelling place with the Lord  in heaven.

Galatians 3:26-28 ” You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ…There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.”

We are all one in Christ.  There is not one nationality or people group above another in God’s sight.  We are all one in Christ.  There is no social or economical stigma in God’s family…for we all stand equal in His eyes…from the least to the greatest.  We are all one in Christ.  There are no gender barriers stopping any of us from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose in our lives.  We are all one in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 15: 21-22 ” For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

The first Adam sinned, and by his actions all humanity was sentenced to death and eternal separation from God.  The second Adam came to earth to make atonement for that sin.  Jesus Christ was born…walked this earth as any other man…was crucified…died and was buried…but rose three days later…taking the sins of the world upon himself.  The resurrection of Jesus – the second Adam – made a way for all mankind to again have intimate fellowship with their Heavenly Father.

Luke 7: 13 ” When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry.’ “

Jesus and His Disciples were traveling to a town called Nain, when they came upon a funeral procession of the only son of a widow.  Jesus looked on her with compassion, for  she had not only lost her only boy, but also  her sole means of income.  This tenderness towards the woman was prompted  perhaps  by Jesus remembering His own mother and what she soon would be going through.  For Jesus then  spoke  to the corpse , “Get up!” and the young man sat up and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Mark 10:32 ” They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way…”

Jesus had been predicting His death to His Disciples… and they were fearful of traveling to Jerusalem for what they saw as imminent death of their beloved Leader.  Jesus didn’t shrink back or go into hiding…rather He had set off resolutely on the road to Jerusalem knowing full well what awaited Him.  Isaiah prophesied of this in 50:7, “…therefore I have set My face like flint…”  Jesus lead the way, going before the twelve Disciples…completely in control of the situation…not controlled by it.