Sermon Notes
The Buy Back
LENT – Part 4
March 15, 2026
14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16]
17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Mark 7:14-23
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:6-11
Small Group Discussion Questions for the Week of March 15, 2026.
Opening
1. Look around the room and share words of encouragement with someone.
Digging Deeper into the Scriptures
Read Mark 7:14-23.
1. What does Jesus mean by stating that nothing outside a person can defile them?
2. How does this redefine the concept of holiness compared to the Pharisees' focus on religious rituals?
Read Romans 5:6-11.
3. Paul describes humanity as "powerless" and "ungodly" when Christ died for us. Why is it significant
that God did not wait for us to improve before sending Christ?
4. Paul describes humanity as "powerless" and "ungodly" when Christ died for us. Why is it significant
that God did not wait for us to improve before sending Christ?
5. What makes verse 8 such a powerful summary of the Gospel?
Applying the Scriptures
1. How and when did the message of the Gospel become real to you?
2. Share the name of someone you love and care for that needs to hear about the redeeming love of
Jesus.
3. Pray for them.