God’s Commands vs. Man’s Tradition

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Imagine with me a world where no one had rules to live by. There would be no stop signs or stop lights for people driving on the road. There would be no employee manuals or policies given by employers to their employees on what days off the had or when they had to show up for work, There would be no need for police officers or jails because there would be no rules to break. That sounds like a world filled with chaos, that world that would be stressful to live in. Everyone has a set of rules to live by. Parents give their children rules: rules like curfew times, rules such as how long they can watch tv or play video games. Here we are at the beginning of a new school year and teachers give their students rules: Maybe think back in your days in the classroom and remember posters on the wall that describe rules of respect for one another, or teacher give rules that you must have your homework done by this date in order not to be penalized, teachers give rules like no talking as you are taking a test. Or even within families: there are rules - maybe not written down, but they are a certain way of doing things that is expected by other people. You have the rule or expectation in the family that you are able to eat after you pray with one another, you maybe have the rule and expectation that you all sit in the same seat around the dinner table. You have the expectation that you will not have the cell phones out as you eat your dinner together as a family. Everyone has a set of rules to live by - otherwise your live would be complete chaos.

In our text, from the Gospel of Mark we see the Pharisees and scribes of the day placing burdens on other people making people submit to their rules and traditions. In the book of Mark we see Jesus doing these powerful healings, like feeding the five thousand and healing the sick, and in chapter 7 we see the Pharisees approach Jesus not to ask about those powerful things, not to find more information about that, but they ask Jesus “why are your disciples eating with dirty hands?”The Pharisees had this tradition of cleanliness. They wanted everything to be clean, they wanted everything to pure. So before they ate the washed their hands ceremoniously, they washed themselves after they came back from the marketplace, they washed the vessels by which they used to eat, like their pots, cups, and dining couches. This tradition of purity is something that was passed down by them - and this tradition of purity was passed down as an expectation of the Jewish people. The see the disciples not carrying out this tradition and the ask Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of elders, but eat with defiled hands?”But Jesus in His response to them reveals their true hearts. He says and quotes from the prophet Isaiah about the Pharisees: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Jesus is saying your are elevating the traditions of man over the authority of the Word of God. And Jesus even gives an example of this. He says to the Pharisees that law of God is Honor your father and your mother and who everyone violates this command surely must die. But Jesus points out the Pharisees encourage the people who were responsible for taking care of their parents - if their parents go to them in need and they have already pledged things to God as an offering, that they are to turn to them away. Jesus points out that the Pharisees are valuing their own traditions over the commands of God.

The Pharisees had this way of adding burden after burden upon the people of God. They were so caught up in the Rules or traditions - that they became a barrier preventing God’s Word from being heard, they became a barrier distancing God from His people. Well, Jesus in our text, we see Him respond to the burdens placed upon the people by the Pharisees. Jesus Christ comes to this world for these burden filled people to relieve the people of the rules that the Pharisees were creating. Jesus Christ comes and tears down the barriers put up by the Pharisees that the people may hear the message of God clearly. Jesus doesn’t keep distant from the broken world like the Pharisees rules tried to do, but Jesus comes to this world to get His hands dirty. He comes to interact with the brokenness, He comes to go to the sick and the hurting, He comes to this world tearing down Pharisee made barriers that the truth of His love and His forgiveness may be made known for the world.

We see what’s going on in our text, with Pharisees speaking as voices of authority, placing burdens on people by giving them a bunch of rules regulations, and maybe we think to ourselves, that isn’t me. I’m not making a bunch of rules for everyone to follow - I’m not saying that everyone has been ceremonially clean before I can spend time with them. I think I’m good - I can move along to another text in the Bible now, because this just isn’t about me. And while it’s true that I don’t think anyone here this morning has cleanliness rules for everyone else to follow, how many moments are we like the Pharisees where we speak as the ultimate authority for ourselves and for others? Are there moments in our lives where we place our expectations on how people should look or act - and when they don’t live up to them we let them know it, by excluding them, showing anger towards them. Are there moments when we place this burden of expectation on others? Or how many times do we act on our own authority rather than the Lord’s?

I was back at my home church last weekend and I was talking with a friend of mine from back home, a mentor figure about what the quickest way to get to the airport was to avoid the Chicagoland traffic. We were going through all the different routes and we came to the conclusion follow what the GPS tells you - just leave early enough to make sure you have enough time to get through security. This conversation was happening at a lunch table with other people around, but it was more private conversation. And to my surprise another man from across the table speaks up and says don’t follow the GPS - trust me, I know better. You will never get there if you follow the GPS - trust me I know - I driven trucks my whole life. Being polite, I smiled and nodded, but on the way to the airport the next morning - we took the way the GPS told us to go and we were able to make it on time.

Based on this text and this situation, are there moments when treat God’s Word as One of the options to live by instead of the way God commands us. Are there moments in our lives when know what God’s Word says, we know that God’s Word speaks pretty clearly on it and we commit to doing that thing anyway because it just feels right. Are there moments when pick and choose what God says to make life easier or to avoid doing that thing that is challenging that God speaks about - like loving your neighbor or forgiving the person who has hurt us? Are there moments when we aside God’s authority to live by our own authority instead?

Well, Jesus has come to this world for you! He has come to this world not just as another voice - but He speaks as a voice of Authority. Jesus has come to tell of you God’s love and forgiveness for you! He has come to reveal the never ending love that God gives you freely through His work on the cross. He has come to speak as voice in this world of hope, of victory, of life. And Jesus as that voice He tells you - You are forgiven, He tells you: You are my child, He says - You are loved. And what He says is true! Jesus has come as the Word of God made flesh - to speak as the Only voice of authority to call you back to Him!

As people of God today, who continue to hear His voice - may we continue to set aside our own authority and traditions to live according to the Word - to live according the Word of God made flesh, Jesus. The voice who cries out to - You are loved!

Now may the grace of God the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, may it guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.