Elder Berry Ross August 15, 2021

Amber Alert! Beware Of The Leaven!

Mark 8:14-21

Key Truth: Walking with Jesus will not be without challenges. Jesus loves us enough to admonish us to be on guard against hypocrites and evil doers.

The leaven of the Jews.

Yeast is used to make dough rise.

Yeast gives bread its texture.

Yeast must be handled properly.

It only takes a little yeast to damage the whole batch.

The biblical historical view of leaven.

It symbolized corruption. 1 Corinthians 5:1-8

It was just as infectious as the Delta variant.

1. Especially in the area of unbelief and hypocrisy.

Jesus warns His disciples regarding bad leaven.

Jesus knows when our faith is being challenged.

The Pharisees were a small but infectious group.

1.Their hypocrisy could seep into the hearts of the

disciples.

C. The Herodians likewise were infectious with sin.

Bad leaven can affect us in many areas.

Our heart

Our vision

Our hearing

Taking it Beyond The Walls: Unlike the Pharisees and the Herodians, who were rooted in unbelief and sin. Believers are encouraged to stay the course with Jesus, who will guide us in all of His ways.

Food For Thought

We heard this weekend how even though the disciples were traveling with Jesus they completely misunderstood the Jesus they were traveling with. In Mark 4:35-41 and Matthew 14:22-33 there are two other accounts of the disciples forgetting who Jesus was and what he could do.

Compare and contrast the disciples in Mark 4 with Peter in Matthew 14. What can you learn about faith and fear from these stories?

Read Mark 8:14-16: How did the disciples misunderstand Jesus’ warning? Why should it comfort us that even the disciples missed the point sometimes?

If Jesus had been speaking directly to us, what negative example might He have warned us from following?

What can you do to steer clear of the evil and unbelief in your workplace, community, or home life?

What is one step you can take to soften your heart toward God and trust Him this week?

How can we help each other see the truth of Jesus that is right in front of us?