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In this sermon titled, “Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees” from Mark 8:13-26, Pastor Robert unpacks Jesus' urgent warning to His disciples: “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15). What does this mean for us today? Jesus uses the metaphor of leaven (yeast) to describe a subtle, insidious influence that spreads quietly and corrupts over time—much like hypocrisy, unbelief, legalism, and worldly thinking that can drift believers away from true faith without dramatic rebellion.

Drawing from the Gospel of Mark, Pastor Robert explores how Jesus, fresh from confronting the Pharisees' demand for a sign from heaven (which He refused, sighing deeply in His spirit), warns His followers against the dangers of spiritual drifting. He references C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters (especially Letter XII), where Lewis illustrates how people rarely abandon truth suddenly—instead, they drift through small compromises, gentle slopes, and quiet shifts in thinking, often without noticing until it's too late.

What You'll Learn:
1. The true meaning of Jesus' warning: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15) — and why this subtle danger still threatens believers today

2. How spiritual drifting happens — not through dramatic rebellion, but through small, unnoticed compromises (illustrated powerfully by C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters)

3. Why the Pharisees' leaven represents hypocritical religion, legalism, and demanding signs instead of trusting in faith — and how the Herod's leaven reflects worldly, performance-based evaluation of Jesus

4. The danger of a hardened heart (Greek: pōroō) — How it develops gradually like yeast spreading through dough, dulling our spiritual sensitivity over time

5. Why the disciples missed Jesus' point — Distracted by physical bread while the Bread of Life was right there with them (John 6:35).

6. The power of remembering God's past provision — Jesus intentionally reminds them of the feeding of the 5,000 (12 baskets) and the 4,000 (7 baskets), showing abundant supply for Israel and the nations.

7. What the two-stage healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) reveals about the disciples — and about us: partial sight is real, but Jesus patiently brings full clarity.

If you're wrestling with subtle drifts in your faith, hardened hearts, or the pull of legalism, hypocrisy, or worldly influences, this sermon calls you to beware the leaven and cling to Christ, the true Bread of Life. Examine your heart today—don't let small compromises lead to a gentle slope away from God.

We pray that you are blessed by the message!

Check out Pastor Robert's full sermon notes here: https://cdn.sanity.io/files/l5km0p6r/production/122b077f39dfa6abe70b576e04f8d29263ba6cf9.pdf

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Calvary Chapel Tucson
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Check out other videos on the same topic as this message: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Vc6-PEPqZABqSwKhjf3aDdG1iy3M3MZ&si=X7r2yE6KgJQvARAR

CCLI Streaming License: CSPL061246

Teacher: Robert Furrow
Series: A Study in Mark