Playing Games With God
Notes
Transcript
Preliminary:
Preliminary:
Introduction:
Introduction:
People sometimes play games, while the idea of games causes us to think about sports, electronic games, or board games.
But some actually play games with relationships...
relationship Games are something insincere people play.
By insincere I don’t mean they are always intentionally leading people on they may just be too scared to say how they really feel.
Maybe they don’t really know how they feel
Perhaps they’ve never been taught how to communicate properly (that is becoming a lost art)
Sometimes they are however, just being manipulative - or using the other individual to get what they want
Sometimes its a control issue
You could go on an on with reasons people play games...
The problem is people don’t just play games with other people and their hearts - they play games with God.
Jesus talks about this in a conversation with the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 15)
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
The Scribes and Pharisees had a strict adherence to external and observable religious actions and rites. In this question they reproach Jesus because he allows the disciples to disregard their teaching about ceremonial defilement especially in regard to hands.
John Nolland gives a brief general introduction to Jewish ritual purity that I believe will be helpful to see this situation a little clearer:
The whole ritual system is ultimately concerned with marking out the holiness of God over against the lack of holiness which constantly threatens to contaminate humans
Ritual impurity occurs in various grades of reduced seriousness
The system both identifies states of ritual uncleanness and make provision for their purification.
Ritual impurity is ‘catching’, but on a less-and-les serious scale; typically the transferred ritual uncleanness is one step less serious than its source. This means that, as seriously as it is taken, ritual contamination is always readily containable and able to be eradicated.
What is so interesting is that the scribes and Pharisees had replaced what the law actually said - with something that made them look more holy.
Now I am not at all saying we shouldn’t have standards of dress and behavior that identify us as Conservative Holiness People - but I am saying that using those external and observable things simply to appear more spiritual or holy is a dangerous game.
There are only two instances of hand washing for ritual purity recorded in the law - Lev 15:11 and Dt 21:6 neither of these had to do with what was going on here.
They were reproving Jesus because his disciples did not wash their hands before they ate.
Mark gives a little more insight (Mark 7:1-23) The Pharisees, and all the Jews wash their hands:
before they eat
when they come from the market
many other things such as the washing of cups, pots, brasen vessels, and tables.
Now please wash you hands before you eat, when you come in from the store, and wash and clean your dishes - but these are not items that make you more holy - they make you less likely to catch some sicknesses but not anymore holy.
Soap & Water story???
These were handed down traditions of the elders - which doesn’t make them wrong in and of themselves - but they were causing the scribes and Pharisees to actually break God’s given laws.
Western culture has somewhat changed things - but part of honoring and respecting your parents was to assist them financially - but if you gave that money as a gift to the temple- you were free from that responsibility
They made the word of God of none effect through their traditions.
They were playing games with God.
Not taking their relationship with Him seriously and giving it the proper emphasis it deserved.
It was so bad that Mark in agreement with Matthew 7:9 tells us
Mark 7:7 “7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Their worship was in vain -
Jesus said that Isaiah 29:13 was talking to them when he said:
Matthew 15:7-8 “7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
Washing hands and ceremonial cleansing seemed so religious and spiritual but in reality it was only a sham a cover for what was really going on
Their actions looked close to God but their hearts were far from him.
Later in the passage Matthew 15:10-20 Jesus gives a little more information and sums it up like this
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
We can wash our hands ever so much with the strongest and most powerful of soaps - but it will never take care of the real defilement - that of the heart - unregenerate man vomits up their defilement - it doesn’t come from the outside
Jesus listed things like
evil thoughts - immoral thinking
murders - hating someone is considered murder by Jesus
adulteries - having improper relationships with someone other than your spouse - Jesus says even fantasizing about it is considered adultery in your heart.
fornications - sexual immorality (The Greek word here is the same word we get pornography from )
thefts - taking something from someone unlawfully
false witness - making untrue or slanderous statements about someone
blasphemies - profanity - language or words that express disrespect for God or for something sacred.
When defiled hearts produce a work of art: music, movie, pictures, etc that defilement will often work its way out in some way
Either by a faulty philosophy, language, inaccurate interpretation of the scriptures, immorality etc
Unfortunately the scribes and the Pharisees aren’t the only ones who play games with God:
Games that pretend - Charades, Balderdash
Pretense - pretending to be something you are not -
This is the game the scribes and Pharisees were playing - they felt secure in their hand washings and ritualistic cleansing of the outside
That is what is so dangerous about this game -we deceive ourselves into thinking we are ok when the most dangerous defilements are growing in our hearts.
Games that presume - chance - Sorry, Aggravation
I want you to know we have a God of mercy and grace
We also have the ability to live in victory
If we are having consistent patterns of sinning during the week and then coming to church on Sunday and leaving feeling better we are in trouble
If we live loose and then expect to pull up during revival or camp meeting - we are presuming upon God and his mercy
Just assuming that forgiveness is automatic and always available is to presume upon God
The popular and false teaching today is that everyone sins in word thought or deed every day - but if you ever accepted Christ you will be ok - no matter what you do.
I’m afraid Jesus would say very similar words to them today - “You hypocrites”
I understand the possibility of a person slipping up or falling into sin - but if you are having daily issues you need to have a check up.
We aren’t forgiven theologically or biblically until God forgives us and removes the sin and penalty.
In our economy we use the reciept to prove we have made a transaction.
The Dollar Store gives you a huge reciept - sometimes I don’t think its ever going to stop printing. Sometimes you just buy one thing and you get a nearly foot long reciept.
I like some of the apps like Chic-fil-a or McDonalds where you can pay right on the app and you get notice that you have paid and don’t even have to waste paper - but you still have proof of purchase.
Now God doesn’t print out a reciept - but He lets you know - in Wesleyan Theology we call it The Witness of the Spirit - We as Bible Holiness People teach we cannot call ourselves saved or sanctified without it.
I realize it is by faith- but if we are presuming upon God - we are playing games
Can I just say when you play games with God you never win!!!
Games of practice - contrivance or strategy -
Some people are always looking for loopholes
How can I get around this???
I want to go to that place that God says not to go - but surely I can make a reason to go there
Balaam played this game -
One of the scariest thing that can happen to humanity is for God to give us what we want.
Jesus says if you are just washing your hands you are playing games
You have to take care of the heart - and only God can take care of the heart - but you have to allow Him you have to ask Him you have to let him have access to it.
Have you ever done that?
Are you still playing games with God -
I would ask God for mercy and help in changing your attitude and heart
Ask Him for forgiveness - repent of your ways
We are going to sing page 193 Cleanse Me
Sing this prayer with me -
This altar is open if you need a place to come and pray as well.