Rev. Tim Storck, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chesterfield Township, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Mark 7:1-13. The Pharisees and scribes ignore the wondrous miracles of Jesus and confront Him again for the practices of His disciples. Jesus’ disciples did not ritually wash their hands in the manner prescribed by the oral tradition that the Pharisees and Jews regarded as coming from God. Jesus’ rebuke of these religious leaders is sharp. He calls them hypocrites because the seemingly pious outward testimony of their lips and hands does not match their faithless hearts. Jesus differentiates between their traditions and the Word of God. They have elevated their traditions so high that they have replaced the Word of God. This is a constant temptation for Christians throughout history. The Word of God must always remain central; any man-made traditions must be kept in their proper place in serving the handing down of the Word of God. “The Gospel in Action” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Mark. The Evangelist hits the ground running with the very first verse of his Gospel account, and he never lets up the pace. As one deed of Jesus comes right after another, always paired with His authoritative Word, St. Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, revealed conclusively by His death on the cross.