Washing Our Hands, A Sermon by Dcn. Terry Hurlbut

​This morning, I’d like to reflect on something that seems so simple, yet holds a deep meaning—washing our hands.
But this isn’t just about hygiene; it’s about tradition, about the way we live our lives, and how we honor God.
In many cultures and religions, washing hands is a symbolic act, representing purity and cleanliness.
But we must ask ourselves: Is it enough to have clean hands if our hearts are not pure? This question brings us to the heart of today’s message—understanding the true meaning of honoring God with our hearts, not just our lips.
In biblical times, especially among the Pharisees and scribes, washing hands was a ritual that went beyond hygiene.
It was about maintaining ritual purity, something that was considered essential for worship and daily life.
In this morning’s gospel, of Mark, we read about a time when the Pharisees and some teachers of the law noticed that Jesus’ disciples ate food with hands that were “unclean,” meaning they hadn’t washed their hands according to the tradition of the elders.
They questioned Jesus about this, concerned that the disciples were breaking an important tradition.
For the Pharisees, these traditions were crucial. They believed that following these rules was a way of showing devotion to God. But Jesus saw something deeper that needed to be addressed.
When the Pharisees questioned Jesus, He responded by quoting the prophet Isaiah saying: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Mark 7:6-7).
This response from Jesus challenges us to think about our own lives. Are we like the Pharisees, who were so focused on the outward rituals that they missed the true meaning of worship?
Do we sometimes go through the motions, saying the right words and following the traditions, but with hearts that are not fully engaged with God?
Do we say that we need to help others, yet we really don’t, do we say everyone is welcome, yet sometimes turn our heads from them, do we say everyone should be treated fairly, yet shouldn’t get everything we’ve got?
It’s easy to honor God with our lips—saying the right things, singing songs of praise, and even praying.
But what about our hearts? Are they truly connected to God, or are we just following traditions without understanding their significance?
Jesus was not dismissing the importance of traditions; rather, He was calling attention to the need for our hearts to be aligned with our actions.
The Pharisees were meticulous about keeping traditions. They believed that by following these rituals, they were remaining close to God.
But Jesus pointed out that these rituals had become empty because they were not accompanied by a sincere heart.
This brings us to a critical point—rituals and traditions, no matter how well-intentioned, can become meaningless if they are not rooted in a genuine relationship with God.
It’s not the ritual itself that pleases God, but the heart behind it.
In our modern context, we might think of various traditions we uphold in our religious practices—attending church, participating in communion, or even the way we pray.
This very service of Morning Prayer. A tradition dating back to 1549, brings us to tradition, and ritual that can be a passive service, one without our hearts truly there. We participate in this service today with the spirit of honoring God through our common prayer, where the group of us are one voice worshiping God, asking for God’s presence in our lives, for God’s help and forgiveness following in the footsteps of those saints that have gone before us, using those same words honoring God as one, as we are.
These are all important, but they must come from a place of true devotion, not mere obligation. When we allow rituals to replace a real, heartfelt connection with God, we risk becoming like the Pharisees, who honored God with their lips but not with their hearts.
Jesus took this lesson further by explaining what truly makes a person unclean. Again, in today’s gospel, He said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
With this statement, Jesus shifted the focus from external actions to the condition of the heart. He was teaching that it’s not what we eat, drink, or touch that makes us unclean before God.
It’s what comes out of our hearts—our thoughts, words, and actions—that matters most.
Our hearts are like the wellsprings of our lives. If our hearts are filled with love, kindness, and faithfulness, then our actions will reflect that.
But if our hearts are filled with anger, bitterness, and selfishness, those things will also come out in our actions, defiling us in the eyes of God.
So, how do we keep traditions alive in a way that honors God, ensuring that our hearts are pure and fully devoted to Him?
Traditions are not inherently bad; in fact, they can be powerful ways to connect with God, our ancestors and each other. But they must be more than just empty gestures.
We must approach our traditions with a heart that seeks to understand their meaning and a desire to draw closer to God.
So I give us all a new way of washing our hands:
Starting today, when we wash our hands before a meal, it can be a moment to pause and reflect on the purity of our hearts. Are we clean on the inside as well as the outside? Are we approaching God with sincerity, or are we just going through the motions?
Remember that God desires more than just clean hands—He wants clean hearts. True worship is not just about following rules or keeping traditions; it’s about loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Let us be mindful of our traditions, but more importantly, let us examine our hearts.
Are we honoring God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him? Or are we truly living out our faith with sincerity and devotion?
As we go about our lives, let’s strive to keep our hearts pure and our worship genuine. Let us honor God not just with our words, but with our entire being, so that our lives may be a true reflection of His love and grace.