Purity, Part 1 - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) recap — sacrifice, priests, purity (2) purity laws — unclean vs. clean (cf. registering to vote) (3) not necessarily to be equated with sin — dirt in the living room (4) categories — food, childbirth, skin diseases, mold/mildew, bodily discharges (5) intro food (v.46-47)

Which foods? (1-43)
1. Land animals (1-8): (1) split hoof, cud chewer — domestic livestock (2) camel, badger, hare, pig
2. Sea animals (9-12): (1) fins, scales (2) swimmers vs. crawlers (3) “detestable”
3. Air animals (13-19): (1) list of forbidden — eagle, vulture, ostrich, sea gull, owl (2) carnivore factor
4. Flying insects (20-23): (1) hopping vs. crawling — locust, grasshopper (2) “normal” movement
5. Dead animals (24-40): (1) forbidden (24-28) vs. crawling (29-38) vs. permitted (39-40) (2) contact
6. Crawling animals (41-43): (1) constantly on ground — snakes, rodents, etc. (2) particularly bad

Why these foods? (44-45): (1) God as creator — Genesis 1 categories, brokenness of relating to both food and animals (2) God as redeemer — manna and quail, need for God’s provision of rescue (3) God as sanctifier — Daniel 1, remembering that we are to reflect God and not our surroundings (4) healthy, kosher

Now what?
1. Food and God: (1) Mark 7:15-23 — far greater defilements of the human heart — communion passage (2) food still points to God — his intimacy (daily routine), his provision (Lord’s prayer), our desire for him (i.e. fasting), the joy he extends to us (i.e. flavors) (3) Phil. 4:19 warning
2. Food and others: (1) Acts 10:10-15, 28 (cf. 15:19-20) — issues around food are not to be a hindrance to the expansion of God’s kingdom (2) Romans 14:15-21 — our differences over eating and drinking are an opportunity to show deference to one another (3) apply to shep groups

Conclusion: (1) think about when/where/how you eat — ask God to help you consider ways in which you can eat that would more deeply honor him and others (2) Mt. 6:31-33