Traditions

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

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Do you have a habit of breaking any traditions… you know eat pizza for Thanksgiving, open your presents on Christmas eve instead of Christmas morning… eat dessert first… well of course I am in agreement with that tradition… how about if you are a Christmas baby celebrating your birthday in the middle of the year instead of Christmas… Scandalous… and thats where we are going today. 

 

Matthew 15:3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

 

[When asked why his disciples didn't do the ceremonial hand washing,] Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.' But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.' In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.”

 

The problem comes when we begin to see our traditions as God’s requirements or use them as excuses.

 

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus confronted the interpretation of the law that added human traditions, rituals, and restrictions that were superficial and even directly contrary to God's will. Jesus, as Immanuel ("God is with us," Matthew 1:23), used both words and actions to show what God intended in his law. He challenged many of the accepted traditional practices and interpretations. He moved directly back to God's heart and will behind the law.

Otherwise, those who are hungering to find God get left out and those who know all the little rules and traditions can feel smug and self-righteous. Jesus came so the last could be first and the first, last. When tradition crowds out the will of God, the truth is lost, from first to last!

 

The word traditions isn’t just a “well thats the way we have always done it”… but has a basis of someone who gave in to pressure and now it has just become that way.

 

Some traditions back then Jesus just simply broke, he healed on the sabbath, he touched the leper, he spoke to a gentile scandalous women, he taught women, he applauded the heart over the act in giving… 

 

Some traditions seem good…

Don’t listen to worldly music

Don’t see movies

Must be of this denomination or theology

Must speak in tongues

Must not speak in tongues

Don’t believe that healing is for today

Must have a priest pray over the sacraments

Must confess your sins to a priest

 

What about other traditions that have crept into the church…. 

Traditions… sleep with your girlfriend/boyfriend before you are married… well its a tradition, thats just the way it is.

 

Don’t really tithe…maybe a few dollars here and there… but thats just the way it is.

 

Don’t really read, pray or meditate on the word of God… I’m busy and well no one really does that anymore…

 

Don’t go to church every Sunday…

Don’t tell others about Christ…

Don’t stand up for the unborn

Dabble in pornography….

You cuss or curse or have obscene talk

You enter into gossip

 

For us to be true disciples, we must learn from Jesus and his word what God's will is. He reminded us in this passage that NOTHING, no teaching or tradition, should be allowed to replace the clearly stated will of God.

I was reprimanded by a church leader for giving out the sacraments when in fact I was not ordained by that denomination and it in fact was a sin to do just that… why? because that is their tradition…

Our goal as followers of Christ is to know what to follow… to know what his word says… to know what is worthy to be lived out and what is worthy to be thrown out. 

You have maybe heard the story of the Young mother who is making dinner and her daughter asks why she cuts the end of the ham off before cooking it. She says, well thats what my mother did… the young girl asks her grandma… why did you cut off the end of the ham before you cooked it… she said oh dear thats so it will fit in my pan…

Look at what you are doing, and why you are doing it and ask yourself, does it line up with Gods word.

Is there a possibility that you are following some rule or tradition handed down to you by your parents, or friends or society that is slowing your walk with Christ. Its at least a worthy conversation to have with yourself.