I love a really good sharp kitchen knife, and I keep mine sharp because using a dull knife is exhausting, and useless. The sharp words of Jesus in today’s passage cut to the heart of the matter quickly, but the disciples were confused and Jesus asked, “Are you so dull?” (Mark 7:18).

Last fall at the Foundry Church we learned, and hopefully, became people who were all about living in Coram Deo. Living in Coram Deo means living every moment of your life in the presence of God, under submission to God, and for the glory of God.

There is nothing more off-putting than a self-righteous snob. Today and tomorrow, we will see how Jesus took on the self-righteous as they looked down from their castle of greatness and let everyone below them know that they, themselves, were better than the rest.

Have you ever been exhausted? I mean really totally spent? Maybe you are right now. I think the disciples were exhausted. What was supposed to be a quiet retreat with Jesus turned into a full ministry day. At the end, once the crowd was miraculously fed, Jesus sent the disciples on their way. He was going to send everyone home, and then catch up to them. While Jesus prayed, the disciples strained.

How are you at identifying a problem? Jesus and His disciples both encountered the same problem, but their responses were very different. Jesus wanted to rest with His disciples, but upon landing in what they thought was a solitary place, Jesus was confronted with the crowds. Jesus saw them, and saw that they were in need of guidance, so He taught them.