Welcome to Delight in Grace. The Teaching Ministry of Rich Powell. pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Have you ever wondered why the Mosaic law had so much to say about what was clean and unclean? As Pastor Rich unpacks our text, Deuteronomy 14, we have We see the gracious heart of God in the laws that He gave the people of Israel.
His heart is for human flourishing. And in light of Jesus, who touched the unclean without becoming unclean, Who made all things new? we can see the hope and joy our God has for his people. From the Old Testament to the new. Let's listen to this message titled A People Holy to the Lord.
This is part three of a message first preached on August 4th, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Jesus appears on the scene. John has declared him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And what does Jesus do? He touches a dead person.
He touches a person with leprosy. And he lets people who are deemed unclean Touch him.
Now notice this. Did Jesus ever become a unclean in any of those occasions. No, he didn't. He is the sovereign God. He is the one who makes Clean.
He is the one who makes clean. He is the Son of righteousness with healing in his wings. Jesus came all about human flourishing.
So a distinguishing mark of God's people is how they pursue human flourishing. Jesus is the one who said, I make all things what? Yeah. He's about human flourishing. Keep your finger in Deuteronomy.
Turn over to the Gospel of Mark. Chapter seven Mark chapter 7. And begin at verse 14. And he called the people To him again and said to them, Hear me, all of you, and understand. There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him.
Did you get that? By the things that come, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked. him about the parable. And he said to them, Then are you also without understanding?
Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart, but his stomach, and is expelled? Thus he declared all false. Foods. Clean. Did you get that?
Jesus declared all foods clean. There's no food that can go into you that is going to defile you. What is Jesus dealing with here? He's dealing with the heart. And he said, What comes out of a person, what defiles him, from 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.
The unclean heart. That's what Jesus is dealing with. You see, cleanness, cleanliness before God is not just an external thing because God looks where? At the heart. He looks at the heart.
Eating doesn't make one unclean, it's what comes from the heart. Unclean. What are the unclean things that he mentions here? That whole verse there. Right.
There's also another occasion, and just a couple of them in the New Testament, Acts chapter 10. Peter is rusting. Falls asleep. He has a vision. The Lord appears to him in the vision because he has also appeared to Cornelius.
Cornelius is a Gentile. And he's been praying. He wants to hear about Jehovah And the Messiah. And the Lord appears to Peter, and this sheet comes down in his vision. This sheet comes down, and it's full of what?
unclean animals. And the Lord says to Peter what? Peter, get up and eat. And Peter says, Rich Powell translation. No way, Lord.
Not going to do it. And what does the Lord say? Here it is: what God has made clean, do not call common. This is God's declaration that walking with God is not exclusively a Jewish thing anymore. Why?
Because Messiah has come. The Son of Righteousness has risen with healing in his wings. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to All men. You see, the Old Testament foreshadows this reality.
Okay, and so let's talk about gospel transformation right now. Because the gospel deals with the heart. And we, as God's people, one of our distinguishing marks is how we pursue. and how we promote human flourishing. What is good, what is helpful for humanity.
John fifteen, verse three. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. This is Jesus speaking. This is. This is when Peter was refusing I think that should be 13.
Anyway. But it says in Isaiah, by his stripes we are healed. But Jesus says, we are clean. And then Titus, you turn over to Titus. This is the last time I'm going to have you turn, I promise.
I don't normally do this, but you need to see this. You probably know it, but. Titus Philemon and Hebrews James.
Some of you are much better at sword drills than I am. I should have had a marker in there. Titus chapter 3. Look at verses, beginning at verse 3. Titus 3, beginning at verse 3.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions, pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. What is that? That's uncleanness. In God's eyes, that is uncleanness. What's the next word?
But This is a contrast. Here's what God does. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God, our Savior, appeared, He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Isn't that beautiful?
Aren't you glad you lit you're into the New Testament? Mm-hmm. And so Gospel transformation. We are people of. the gospel.
One more verse, Hebrews 10. Verse 22, let us draw near. With a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled, clean. clean. from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
People who People who are about the gospel, people who promote human flourishing. Let me make this. Very clear here, okay? The gospel is not just about human flourishing in a physical, material sort of way. It is about human flourishing.
The way we flourish as humans is realizing what our design, what our purpose design is. And that is to know God and to enjoy him and walk with him. That is human flourishing. We are here to be helpful to humanity.
So not only are we hopeful, but we are helpful. It is a distinguishing mark of God's people. And then lastly, as we come towards the end of the chapter, the portion that was read this morning. Uh beginning at verse 22. In your Bible, it may that there might be a a title, a subtitle there called Tithes.
Let me let me pray let me uh Frame it this way: a distinguishing mark of God's people is how you understand what sustains you. How you are, how you understand what sustains you. Verses twenty two to twenty nine, and he says here. that you Maybe Learn to fear the Lord your God. Always.
Now he's talking about a tithe here. Isn't he? Take your tithe. Verse 22. You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.
And before the Lord your God in that place, that he will choose to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and your firstborn, of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. What is the point of what he is saying here?
Well, let me just say this. The tithe is a representative Amount. The tithe is a very good thing. Is it representative? amount.
of the covenant. You It is a recognition that God is your sustainer. And everything, listen. Everything that you have. is not yours.
It is his. You are a steward of what he has entrusted to you. Folks, listen to me. That's radical. That is confusing.
to unbelieving people. Everything that you have. Stop thinking about money right now. What do you have? You have time.
You have intellect. You have emotions. You have relationships. You have work. You have family.
All of it. is a stewardship. And the fact that God calls us to give a tithe, and what does He say to do with it? Take your tithe and eat it. Before me.
Don't eat your family, okay? But what is the point of this? What is he saying? Be a steward before me, rejoicing before me, recognizing that everything you have is entrusted to you by me. Therefore, use it, manage it, employ it for your good and my glory.
Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission Is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good. and your deepest satisfaction in him. the one who is infinitely good.
We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.
