SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Warning against false religion (vv. 1-9)
(2). Warning against blind guides (vv. 12-14).
(3) Warning against defiled hearts (vv. 10-20).
SERMON BODY:
Question: Are you for or against tradition?
Answer:
• It’s a deliberately loaded question,
• Because it all depends on what the tradition is!
• Good traditions include…
• i.e. in favour of giving gifts on birthdays,
• i.e. in favour of having a Christmas tree and decorations.
• i.e. in favour of giving Easter eggs.
• i.e. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace,
• (have become symbols of national pride and identity)
• i.e. Remembrance Day.
• (Honouring those who gave their lives to win our freedom)
• Bad traditions include…
• i.e. foot binding of women in China.
• i.e. female genital mutilation.
• i.e. Honor Killings.
• i.e. Animal Cruelty - Bullfighting (Spain and Latin America)
• Strange UK traditions include…
• i.e. Cheese rolling at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire,
• Involves chasing a rolling Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill, a tradition dating back to the 15th century.
• i.e. Morris dancing, often performed with sticks, handkerchiefs, or swords, varies by region and celebrates historical and seasonal events.
• i.e. Pancake races on Shrove Tuesday,
• i.e. Maypole dancing during May Day festivities.
• TRANSITION: So, when I asked the question,
• “Are you for or against tradition?”
• The answer always must be, “It depends on the tradition!”
• Traditions play a crucial role in shaping our identities,
• Fostering community bonds, and preserving cultural heritage,
• Providing a sense of belonging,
• And continuity in a rapidly changing world.
Ill:
• The classic illustration regarding tradition,
• Has to be in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,”
• The lead character, Tevye, sings a great song.
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/gRdfX7ut8gw?si=nAZcgCGGkE5Ezve0
Illustration Text:
“Tradition! Tradition!” And then he explains: “Because of our traditions, we’ve kept our balance for many, many years. Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything: how to sleep, how to eat, how to work, how to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered and always wear a little prayer shawl. This shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask: How did this tradition get started? I’ll tell you: I don’t know. But it’s a tradition. And because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do.”
• TRANSITIONS:
• Traditions can always be good or bad,
• The danger of religious traditions is they can bind you,
• Tie you up in legalistic acts and vain repetitions.
(1). Warning against false religion (vv. 1-9)
“Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’
3 Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, “Honour your father and mother” and “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is “devoted to God,” 6 they are not to “honour their father or mother” with it. Thus, you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 ‘“These people honour me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain.
their teachings are merely human rules.”’”
Because of his miracles and teaching,
• Jesus is the most popular man in the whole country.
• Everywhere he goes,
• People want to see him and listen to him,
• And maybe…just maybe also experience a miracle.
• Well, the Pharisees have also heard about Jesus.
• As self-appointed guardians of the Law,
• They want to make sure that everything Jesus does,
• Is in line with their thinking.
To see if Jesus is the real deal.
• The Pharisees and teachers of the law,
• Bring in the big guns from Jerusalem.
• Remember, Jesus’ ministry was in Galilee (North),
• Not in Jerusalem (South).
• However, Jerusalem was the centre of Judaism.
• And this is where the important religious people lived!
• So, they travel up to Galilee. Remember travelling by foot!
• Which could have taken them six or even more days.
• So, this emphasises the impact Jesus was making on the nation,
• That these big shots from Jerusalem,
• Would make this long journey to check him out.
Note:
• They should be checking that was in line with the Torah,
• The Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• But in practice, they want to make sure that he is in line,
• That is, he fits with their rules and their traditions.
Note: At the time of Jesus there were two religious’ laws.
• First Law:
• The Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• This was God’s Law!
• Jesus kept and taught from this Law.
• Second Law:
• The Oral/Spoken Law or the Scribal Law.
• These were man-made laws!
• Jesus broke these again and again and again (quite deliberately).
• It is the Oral/Spoken Law,
• Or the traditions that is spoken about in these verses.
• The Oral/Spoken or the Scribal Law was introduced.
• To protect God’s Law and to stop people breaking God’s law.
• It was meant to be a safety barrier.
Ill:
• When you drive down a UK motorway,
• In the middle of the road, separating the two sides,
• Is a safety barrier.
• It has one purpose, to stop anyone crossing-over,
• e.g. if you fell asleep you would hit the barrier,
• And not the oncoming traffic on the other side.
• In theory that should cause less damage,
• Protecting other road users.
• For the last few years, a transition has been takin g place,
• All steel barriers are being replaced with concreate barriers,
• These can contain vehicles better and reduce fatalities.
• TRANSITION: In the same way,
• The religious leaders built a barrier around the Law,
• They added their own rules and regulations to protect it.
• The idea being people might break their rules.
• But those rules would stop them crossing lanes,
• And prevent them from breaking God’s Law.
• These rules were known as the Oral/Scribal law.
• The problem with the Oral/Scribal Law was:
• These started out as secondary to the Law of God.
• But overtime the scales tipped and they became not just equal.
• But often superseded the Law of God.
• e.g. To God’s one law,
• “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy",
• The religious leaders added rule upon rule upon rule…
• The Mishnah (the first written record of the Oral Law,)
• Listed 39 different categories of work,
• That was forbidden on the Sabbath,
• e.g. They taught that you should not look in a mirror on the Sabbath.
• Because you might be tempted to pluck out a grey hair,
• And that would be reaping.
• e.g. It was unlawful to wear any jewellery on the Sabbath,
• Since this might be construed as carrying a burden.
• In summary:
• To the religious leaders, ‘The Law,’
• To them was the Oral or the Scribal Law.
• This they prioritised for themselves and for the people.
• But to Jesus ‘The Law.’
• Was ‘The Law of Moses,’
• This was the Law he chose to follow, to obey and to teach.
So, when the Pharisees and the scribes from Jerusalem.
• Encounter Jesus.
• You can be sure they were going to clash!
NOTE: The question they ask Jesus (vs 2).
“‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’”
• The disciples were not unhygienic,
• This is not about washing your hands,
• But washing them in a ceremonial way.
• Devout Jewish people had a ceremony,
• A ritual way to wash their hands,
• That was much more than just soap and water.
Ill:
• YouTube: still today there is a correct way to do this.
• https://youtu.be/BDHiCQmdR8g?si=jtj3K3lWxmGJr8xj
• TRAN SITION: This hand washing,
• Was all about religious rules and appearances,
• And not about actually being clean.
• .Sometimes, the water that they were using,
• Wasn’t even that clean.
But traditions are traditions and…
• The Pharisees and teachers of the law,
• Didn’t like the fact that Jesus’ disciples,
• Did not keep their customs!
• They were breaking the tradition of the elders,
• That is, the teachers that had come before them.
Notice:
• How Jesus answered them,
• He answered them with another question.
• In fact, Jesus ignores the hand washing issue.
• And instead, he points out a bigger issue,
• The problem with false religion.
In verse 3 Jesus asked them a question:
“‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?”
Now don’t miss the impact of these words.
• For Jesus to accuse them of breaking God’s commandments,
• Is a huge deal.
• Because they are the ones,
• Who are supposed to be teaching and maintaining,
• The commandments of God.
Ill:
• It would be like you and me,
• Accusing a Police officer of breaking the law,
• When it is their job to catch others breaking the law.
• TANSITION:
• Jesus tells them straight,
• The religious leaders are breaking God’s commands,
• Because of their manmade traditions.
• Now having made an accusation, Jesus now proves his point,
• By illustrating how they break God’s commands.
Ill:
• The Pharisees and teachers of the law,
• Had created a manmade law called Corban.
• All Jewish sons were supposed to honour their parents,
• i.e. help take care of them in their old age.
• They often did this by saving some land or money,
• (we would call it, ‘a rainy day’ fund).
• Corban was a way of bending the rules,
• A way of spending the money on themselves & not their parents.
• If a Jewish man gave a certain amount of land or money,
• Towards the temple of God,
• His money was called, Corban,
• And that meant he was exempt from taking care of their parents.
• Remember, this was a manmade tradition.
• And it was not a God-given commandment,
Jesus wasn’t taking on board any of this nonsense.
• He said (vs 6), they had nullified,
• Or they had done away with, the Word of God.
• Jesus said that they were hypocrites.
• He said that the prophet Isaiah even prophesied about them!
• (verse 8-9)
• Saying that their hearts were far from God,
• And they worshiped God in vain.
• Wow! What a strong accusation!
APPLICATION:
• Now, I’m glad to say,
• That this isn’t a problem for us, is it? (pause).
• We would never require special rules that weren’t in the Bible,
• For people to join us in worship here at DRC.
• e.g. Some Churches require people to dress a certain way in church,
• e.g. Some Churches require people to use a certain Bible translation,
• e.g. Some Churches require people to sing from certain hymn books,
• e.g. When I first became a Christian in a Church like this one,
• (Non-conformist evangelical)
• I soon discovered that had lots of rules and traditions,
• They just weren’t written down.
• I learn what they were, as one by one I broke them!
• TRANSITION:
• Some traditions and some preferences matter,
• But they only matter so much.
• Our biggest priority,
• Must be dictated and directed by the Word of God!
(2). Warning against blind guides (vs 12-14).
“Then the disciples came to him and asked, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?’
He replied, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’”
Ill:
• In May of 2001, Erik Weihenmayer,
• Accomplished something that only about 150 people per year do.
• He reached the top of Mount Everest,
• (the tallest mountain in the world.)
• The thing that made Erik’s achievement unusual,
• Is that he is the first blind person to succeed in reaching the top.
• Erik was born with a disease called retinoschisis,
• And by the time he was thirteen he was completely blind.
• Rather than focus on what he could not do,
• He made the choice to focus on what he could do,
• And went much further than almost anyone expected.
• Erik Weihenmayer’s autobiography is titled.
• Touch the Top of the World:
• A Blind Man’s Journey to Climb Farther Than the Eye Can See.
• TRANSITION:
• Erik Weihenmayer only made the achievement,
• Because he had guides with him who could all see!
• Without them he would have struggled,
• To get out of the car park at the bottom of the mountain!
• No-one here would let Eric lead you up a cliff face,
• You know that would probably end in disaster!
• TRANSITION:
• Jesus calls out the Pharisees for what they are: blind guides.
• Instead of helping people they are leading them into danger.
• Now the situation is very awkward.
• Pharisees and teachers of the law came from Jerusalem,
• They are supposed be the ones with authority.
• Yet when they encounter Jesus,
• They soon realise that he has the real authority!
I love verse 13:
“Then the disciples came to him and asked, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?’”
• Unlike Jesus, the disciples are afraid of the Pharisees,
• They are aware these are the political & religious heavyweights.
• No-one messes with them and comes out a winner.
• They say to Jesus that he has offended the Pharisees.
• (As if he did not know!)
Note: Jesus reaction to that in formation!
• He doesn’t apologize for any offense caused,
• He doesn’t even soften what he says.
• Instead, he is about to possibly offend them even more.
• He says (vs 13) that they are like weeds,
• That will be pulled up and thrown away.
• Then in verse 14,
• They are like blind guides so, “Leave them alone!”
• Don’t have anything to do with these blind guides.
• They aren’t helpful.
• They are a distraction. They are dangerous.
• The Pharisees were not leading people closer to God,
• Rather, they themselves were far from God,
• And they were leading others away from God.
(3) Warning against defiled hearts (vv. 10-20).
Ill:
• You might be surprised to know that in my evangelism,
• Verses 11-12 are some of my most often quoted verses!
• Let me be a bit more specific,
• When I am Speakers Corner. Hyde Park. London.
• (Most Sunday afternoons).
• A Moslem will ask me if I eat pork,
• And when I say yes, he thinks he has the upper hand on me.
• To him pork is haram (forbidden by Islamic law.)
• But like Jesus with the Pharisees,
• It gives me a chance to explain that he has a bigger problem,
• Then the food he eats!
• The deeper problem for all people is not food you eat,
• Rather it is the problem of the human heart!
• You may well know the saying,
• “The heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart!”
• TRANSITION:
• Jesus explains this to his hearers,
• In a way that they can understand.
• It’s not what goes into your body,
• That makes your spiritually unclean,
• It’s what comes from your heart.
Jesus makes things very clear:
• The heart of the matter is not outward ceremonies or traditions,
• But the problem is inward,
• Whether or not your heart is clean.
Ill:
• Jesus gives the disciples a science lesson to explain this.
• When you eat food,
• The body undergoes a complex process of digestion,
• Absorbing the things our bodies need,
• And getting rid of the waste our bodies can’t use.
• However, what’s unhealthy for us,
• What really makes us unclean is not food (vs 18),
• But what comes from our hearts, minds, and our mouths.
Then in verse 19 Jesus lists the problem of the heart & mind.
• He mentions evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
• Sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, and slander.
• He could just as easily say many more including,
• Gossip, hate, racism, bitterness, pride, greed, and more.
• Sinful behaviour comes from a sinful heart,
• And that is what makes us unclean before God.
NOTE:
• We are suffering from only one disease in the world,
• Our problem is not a race problem.
• Our problem is not a poverty problem.
• Our problem is not a war problem.
• Our problem is a heart problem.
ill:
• Naughty kids put some smelly cheese under their grandfather's nose.
• When he woke up, he said, "This bed stinks".
• He got out and walked around the room as he breathed,
• He said, "This room stinks".
• He walked into another room and took a deep breath,
• And again said, "This room stinks".
• He went into another room, took another deep breath,
• And said, "The whole house stinks!".
• He walked outside, took a deep, deep breath,
• And said, "The whole world stinks!"
• TRANSITION:
• We can blame everything and everyone else,
• But sooner or later,
• We have to admit what the real problem is.
• “The heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart!”
• We need to get the heart changed,
• A heart transformed.
• That is why we need to be, in the words of Jesus,
• “Born again.” (John chapter 3 verse 3).
• You must have a new nature, a new heart!
Well, that is the problem.
• Jesus himself and the rest of the New Testament,
• Tell us about the solution on how we can have a heart made clean,
• And it’s through faith in Jesus Christ!
• So, let these warnings from Matthew chapter 15 verses 1-20,
• Serve as signs that point us to the cross of Jesus.
And finally…
• •And if you have yet to receive Jesus Christ as your saviour, then do so now.
• I often say it’s as easy as A.B.C.
• A = Admit – Like Adam I am a sinner by nature and by practice.
• And I know my sin is an offence to a holy God.
• B = Believe – that the last Adam Jesus bore your sins when he died on the cross.
• Put your faith and trust in him and his finished work and not your good works.
• C = Consider – am I willing to make Jesus Christ Lord of my life,
• Am I will repent, turn from living for self and start to live for him?
• D = Do – will you do that now as I lead you in a short prayer of commitment to Christ.
• Let’s pray.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://gcurley.pxwave.com/ngdbkmmb/
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/jrjeZHoj1uA
