FBCWest 363 | Tradition verses Commandment
Recorded On: 11/24/2019
Bulletin
FBCWest
November 24, 2019
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“Jesus Draw Me Close”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 90:1 & 2
“Endless LIght”
“Forgiveness”
“Start a Fire”
“Living Hope”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Life and Ministry of Jesus The Messiah”
“Tradition verses Commandment”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Word of God Speak”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Only Jesus”
Scritpures
Jesus’ response concerning tradition and commandment
Matthew 15:1 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
Matthew 15:2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
Matthew 15:3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Matthew 15:4 "For God said, `HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, `HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'
Matthew 15:5 "But you say, `Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"
Matthew 15:6 he is not to honor his father or his mother1.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Matthew 15:7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
Matthew 15:8 `THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
Matthew 15:9 `BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"
Matthew 15:10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand.
Matthew 15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
Matthew 15:12 Then the disciples came and *said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?"
Matthew 15:13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.
Matthew 15:14 "Let them alone; they are blind guides 2of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." The Heart of Man
Matthew 15:15 Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."
Matthew 15:16 Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?
Matthew 15:17 "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
Matthew 15:18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
Matthew 15:20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." The Syrophoenician Woman
Transcript of Service
We have a national tradition called Thanksgiving Day.
It's a good day to give thanks.
Although Scripturally were told to give things.
Not only every day, but
Unceasingly.
Part of the problem is often times with our traditions is that we have those traditions, but don't ever explain to our children why.
We usually say, Well that's what we've always done.
That's a lousy excuse.
It's not a tradition it was a requirement in the scriptures, but when.
The Jews celebrated Passover.
Part of what they were required to do was to answer certain questions.
And those answers were in essence personal.
So it wasn't well. We just gather round an have a Passover meal because that's what we've always done there is explanation for tradition.
Now this was in a tradition, but it kind of gives you an idea of what I'm talking about there was a young lady, who got married.
And they're going to have Ham.
And she's going to like.
Many people on Easter have an Easter Ham and so she wanted to family to come over and she was going to cook. The Ham and she was getting ready to cut the Ham into?
Your husband owes what are you doing?
Shows what my mom always cut the Ham into and it always tasted good so there's gotta be a reason. He goes, I don't think there's a reason I mean?
You don't need to do that, so he goes why don't you call your mom and find out.
And so she called and said Mom. I know you always cut the Ham into and that was because it made him better right and a mom, said no. I didn't have a pan big enough to put the Ham in so I had to cut it.
So, sometimes, we do things because we've seen it done. But we have no understanding why you were doing it and maybe there is no longer because we have a big enough pan.
So.
Jesus is going to deal with tradition.
It is tradition is not an commandment patrician tradition versus commandment.
Which Matthew 15 chapter one says this then some of the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem. Now the heavy hitters are coming. There's a lot of Pharisees and scribes throughout Israel.
But these are the important guys 'cause they hang around Jerusalem, they have all the power, so they're hearing about Jesus and his ministry and his impact so they come from Jerusalem to the area to see Jesus.
And said
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread?
Now.
What they're talking about is not?
Sanitation they're not talking about Hygiene. They're not talking about your hands are dirty so you need to wash them before you eat?
What they're talking about is a religious ceremony that the Pharisees?
Made a tradition, but what the Scriptures said was that before the priests were to perform their services at the Tabernacle and then later the temple. They were to wash their hands and feet before performing the ceremony.
The rabbis took that made their tradition that before you ate or did anything you were to ceremonially wash your hands.
So their complaint is not hygiene is not sanitation. It is why aren't you doing the rituals?
Which is interesting because they've placed this ritual not on just the priests but on everybody everybody is supposed to ceremony wash their hands before they?
Well, they do not wash their hands when they eat bread and he answered and said to them.
Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Oh, Jesus is going to hit back and hit back hard.
Even say, Let's talk about commandment of God versus tradition.
Or God said.
Honor your father and mother and he you speak evil of father or mother is to be put to death now aren't you glad you're not living in Israel today.
As I suspect not many of us would still be around.
Especially as teenagers, we probably said some very unkind things about our parents.
So he said, God is said honor your father and your mother and he speaks evil a father or mother's be put to death, but you say?
Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God. He is not to honor his father or his mother.
By this you invalidate the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Now, with this procedure is called Corban and what it is, is that there was a tradition this, said if you.
Gave everything to God if you place it if you will and our present day like in a trust you put it in a trust for God.
But the difference is you could use it.
So the remainder person is God, but you get to use it.
But the excuses, I gave it to God so I can help you.
Now, when.
Israel's time in essence, they didn't have Social Security. They don't have 401K's didn't have retirement plans your retirement plan was your kids.
And in essence what this tradition allowed people to do is they don't take care of you.
It's just about me.
I've dedicated to God I could use it, but I can't let you use it.
And Jesus is saying, You are to honor your parents and yet through your tradition, you allow them to suffer.
You have regrets Riley did Isaiah prophesied of you this people honors me with their lips. But their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me cici his doctrine the precepts of men?
Oh, Jesus says.
Isaiah when he prophesied hundreds of years before.
Was right on with this generation?
They talk about.
God with their lips, they don't know who God is.
In vain do they worship?
Which is interesting so many people think? What will just come to church and will worship?
Just 'cause you said in a few and sing. Some songs and do whatever doesn't mean gods excepting your worship.
In vain do they worship?
Because their heart is far from me, God wants 1st and foremost your heart.
And then you worship.
So he says do not take tradition and nullify the word of God.
Even good traditions are not to invalidate the word of God. Now this is not a good tradition. This is one way to get around.
Providing for your parents.
But there are traditions that we have that, if they violate the word of God, we are to stop doing them.
The word of God is for most traditions, maybe good maybe in different.
Or maybe bad, but the word of God, 1st.
And for most.
Now I'm going to stop here and get a little bit away from what Jesus is teaching and talk about if you will commandment verses tradition, but I'm going to talk about commandment verses commandment.
The scriptures say.
The first and foremost commandment.
So love the Lord Your God with all your heart. All your mind all your strength of your soul.
And the 2nd is similar to love your neighbor, as yourself.
But there are other commandments.
One commandment like talk about is.
They were not to bear false witness.
Which means we're supposed to tell the truth?
But sometimes it's better for us just not to say something so for instance.
If there is an ugly bride, speaking the truth to say you're an ugly bride isn't all that helpful it's hurtful.
So it may be true that she's ugly.
But giving your two cents on it doesn't.
Really help.
In a matter of fact it kind of violates that second command to love your neighbor, as yourself would you want people to say to you know you're ugly, especially on the day that the bride is wanting to be her most special day.
But there are sometimes when the Commandments of God, who seemed to conflict.
How could that be?
I'm going to take the example.
That we're not to bear false witness.
Let's say you're a Christian.
And you're living in Belgium.
The late
1930s early 1940s.
And you're hiding.
A Jewish family of a husband or wife and 2 children.
Endocast Apple comes through the door and knocks on your door and you answer and they could stop will ask you.
Are there any Jews in this house?
Well, if you tell the truth and the truth is, is we're not the bear false witness. We just say. Yeah, I'm hiding a family well. Guess what happens that family.
They are taken an at this case cruelly treated and more likely murdered.
And the scripture says.
We're not to murder.
So there are sometimes when we have to take the water garden safe.
What is the foremost?
Is the love the Lord our God with all the heart all mine all string into love our neighbors as ourselves?
And while maybe we should not bear false witness. There may be a time when the bearing false witness is better than the alternative commandment.
You see the Christian life is not as easy as we pretended to be.
There are times when they're very hard choices following God.
'Cause we can save in the vacuum well, we should never lie.
Then we should say, but we need to protect.
But The funny thing is.
We tend to protect our traditions far more than we protect the Commandments of God.
It seems more churches, divide over their tradition than over the Commandments of God.
Because if they follow the Commandments of God, they would love one another.
But the traditions, they will we've always done it this way. Why do you want to change?
So just something for you to think about when it comes to tradition versus commandment commandment verses commandment.
Because if you haven't been presented with that question.
I'm pretty sure your kids will one day.
Ask you those.
So I suggest you think about it.
First, 10 after Jesus called the crowd to him.
He said to them notice he didn't call the Pharisees.
And try to convince them You just basically.
Condemn them and ripped on them.
But Jesus wants the crowd to understand so Jesus calls the crowd to him and said to them here and understand it is not what enters into the mouth of the files. The man, but what proceeds out of the mouth. This defiles the man.
He wants the people to understand that the traditions of the Pharisees is incorrect that even though they may not do all their traditions of the Pharisees by washing that is not what defiles them is not what goes in.
Is what proceeds out?
Now I think that's pretty self explanatory.
In the next paragraph, we're going to see how dense the disciples are.
Then the disciples came and said to him.
Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?
They were offended.
It kind of sounds like today's society, everybody is offended at something.
So the Pharisees are offended when they heard this statement but he answered and said to them.
All go there and say, I'm sorry. I feel so bad that you're offended I'll never say that again.
That's not army can mild Jesus right. This is what Jesus says. But he answered and said every plan, which my heavenly father did not plant shall be uprooted.
So his address and saying, You know the Pharisees.
Yeah, their religious establishment, but my father God did not plant them.
Therefore, they are going to be uprooted.
There was a parable that Jesus taught about the evil one planting tears and them being unrooted.
Jesus is saying if you're not God's plan.
You're going to be taken out.
Let them alone.
Starve arguing with them stop trying to convince them.
They are blind guides of the blind.
And if I'm not blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into the pit.
Now the sad thing about the Pharisees.
Is it not only their blind? There willfully blind their blinding holding their hands over their face because they refuse to see God.
And he's saying because they are blind and they're choosing to remain blind, there, thinking that they can lead other people. But as a blind guide, leading buying people they will fall into a pit and I believe the pit. Jesus is talking about is not a physical one button eternal one.
So the next thing in.
In this understanding.
Is if you're following somebody make sure they can see?
And Peter, said him explain the parable to us and I love this. I mean of all the parables this one seems pretty obvious.
Bring something into your mouth doesn't make you unclean order filed it's what comes out of the mouth. That does it kind of seems self explicit?
But Peter goes I don't understand.
Lots of people say there are no stupid questions and I.
An I'll say generally speaking.
The only super question I think it is. I'll give you an example. If I tell you that 2 + 2 is 4.
Immediately after I say 2 + 2 is 4 and you ask me. How much is 2 + 2 that's a stupid question 'cause I already told you the answer.
You're paying attention.
So this comes close to a stupid question.
But then again.
I asked last super questions, Unfortunately Jesus.
Isn't there answer it's huh? How come you do those things?
So this is displaying the parable to us and Jesus said. Are you still lacking in understanding also.
Are you kind of just like the Pharisees? Do not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach Ann is illuminated.
You see what you eat is now what you are. I know there are books that says that you are what you eat?
That's not what Jesus says.
Do we foster you ain't pasta.
'Cause you're going to get rid of it.
That does that is not what makes you.
But the things that proceeds out of the mouth comes from the heart and those defile the man.
For out of the heart comes evil thoughts murders adultery's fornications thefts fault witness slanders. These are the things which they follow the man.
Bite to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.
If I were on an equal footing with Jesus I would argue with him here.
But I ain't.
But I'll tell you what my.
Argument is
The reason?
That all those things come out of the mouth.
Because they are in the heart.
Which means I was the file before ever said.
Because those are my thoughts.
That's who I am without thinking about what my immediate response is these things.
And Jesus says those are the things that the file the man.
They come out of the heart in through the mouth to let you and the world know.
You ain't perfect.
You're not righteous.
An you need a transplanted heart.
You need a resurrection.
You need to change and that's Why?
We are told.
That we are given you life.
Through Jesus now we are born again.
And the problem is, is while that is happening. We still have this old heart.
It wants to keep being resurrected.
Generally.
Now, most people don't like to use this word. I'm generally a patient person by patient. That means with other people. I don't like other people, but I tend to be impatient with them.
However.
God save you if you're a screen door.
Is my family is seen me it really Hacked Off at a screen door and throw it halfway across?
The yard.
Is it doesn't have any feelings? I don't need to be patient with it? I'm just tired of it not fitting on the door.
To see, there is anger issues here.
I am perfect.
And that's
What the files me?
It's not eating chocolate.
Not even eating broccoli.
Lord knows why you'd want to, but
Even so,
I think also what Jesus is saying, is stop worrying about what is on the outside. We're always looking at each other and what we do or don't? Do do you do this? You do that? Do you do not? Do this you know you go to movies you play cards you drink? Do you know all these things that we look at and say, Oh, you should or shouldn't do?
Rather than seeing what's coming from the heart?
So the first thing does.
XI don't I'm afraid to use any example because you'll say I'm talking about you don't need chocolate again.
So you see me eating chocolate.
Are you worried about meeting chocolate or do you say?
She know pastor Joe.
Is really patient with me?
Ask all these dumb questions always whatever he's always has time for me.
It always seems to love me.
Is it better for Maine? Are you concentrating on my chocolate DD or who I am?
And Vice Versa am I more concerned about you eating chocolate or broccoli.
And who you are.
What's coming out of the heart?
It is easy to pass judgment on the external.
You say a cuss word Oh terrible things.
I won't repeat it but one of the funniest.
Incidents that happen.
Was a gentleman in our church many years ago?
After a sermon came up to Maine and gave me a compliment concerning my sermon using language. You would not expect a believer to youth.
So it was, it was an interesting juxtaposition.
But I knew what the gentleman was trying to say the appreciated that the sermon touched him.
So I could be offended at his language or I could simply do what I did thank you.
Thank you for sharing that immense something to you.
But the things that proceeds out of the mouth come from the heart.
And those the file demand.
Jesus.
Spoke.
Against the Pharisees.
Because the Pharisees were attempting to guide people.
And eventually into the pit.
So Jesus had very little compassion for them.
But for those who struggled to follow him and even Peter who seems to ask a question that seems to be a fairly obvious answer.
He is patient.
And even though he says don't you understand, he gives him the explanation.
And that's how Jesus is with you.
And with Maine.
He's precious.
He's kind even though we may not get it yet.
He still explains it to us, he still encourages us.
Because the understand we are, but dust.
So.
When use read the Scriptures.
When you hear sermons.
We should understand we should try to build so that it is relevant.
So what do we do to fill up 30 to 45 minutes during Sunday?
Should cause us to contemplate to say? How can I use this to impact my life?
And this message.
How is it? I make sure that my traditions do not counterman the Commandments of God?
And how is it?
That I become more concerned with my heart.
And other people's actions.
And that I might look at their heart.
Rather than their actions.
The last thing I want to share is example.
When I was a young boy.
I lived in.
Neighborhood.
And there was a
Head there.
And he got in a lot of trouble.
So my mother had an explanation, she goes.
If you go to somebody's house and that child is there, you were to go home.
And if you're there and he shows up here to go home.
Other parents heard that.
Instructions to me and said, Yeah, but I feel sorry for so and so.
And my mother goes I feel sorry for him too.
But I'm not going to let my child get ruined by him.
Make sure you protect your children from blind guides.
Make sure you protect yourself from blind guides.
The easy thing is to allow things to be as they are.
The hard thing is to say.
They're not ready to extend this.
And therefore they need protection.
And all too often.
We're not as strong a believers as we think we are.
We need to make sure.
Now we follow the right examples.
Now we are protected from the wrong people.
This is easier said.
Leave them alone.
They're buying guides.
Sometimes.
It's best for us to know.
Who we should not associate with?
Because we're not yet spiritually mature enough.
To do so.
Jesus could have hung around the Pharisees.
It would be a waste of time.
We have done so, but he was very concerned about the impact on the Pharisees on his disciples.
We should heed this thing.
We should always be listening for and 2, the voice of God.
To follow his instruction and his will.
I'm encouraged that the women had that Bible study.
But it's a dive low study that we all should understand.
And when God speaks.
We listen.
They were God leaves we follow.
Even when it seems.
That, it offends.
Our traditions.
And all God's people said.