It is not a matter of if things will change but when and how quickly.
Traditions can help teach & ground our faith.
Traditions are useful in many ways.
Sometimes, traditions get in the way of faith.
The problem CAN, emphasis on CAN, become that tradition stops faith from growing or fails to teach the person of faith.
Jesus is calling us to more—to Himself!
Jesus is calling us to more than ritual and tradition.
Jesus broke down barriers.
This does not mean he “accepted” everyone and everything. However, the Gospel of Jesus is for everyone who wants it.
Jesus called those others wrote off.
Matthew was not like some of the other disciples. He was not like Peter, Andrew, John, James, Nathaniel and Philip. Yet Jesus still called him.
Matthew’s life was changed.
He most likely could not go back to tax collecting if things didn’t work out.
Matthew responded to Jesus’ grace.
Matthew did not let his response to Jesus go without “doing” something.
New life in Jesus does not always mean comfortable life.
This is one of our lessons.
Jesus desires mercy, compassion and grace.
He is not opposed to tradition and religious expression. What Jesus is opposed to is the expression of religion and faith which focuses on what one does instead of who one is.
Jesus asks us to go out.
Jesus wasn’t calling disciples in order to have them sit down in a “holy huddle”.
