Transcript Say What? - Layman Church

Counter
Christmas, Part 1:
Traditions
Traditions
Christmas Traditions…?
When they had crossed over, they
came to land at Gennesaret
and moored to the shore.
And when they got out of the boat,
the people immediately recognized
him and ran about the whole region
and began to bring the sick people on
their beds to wherever
they heard he was.
And wherever he came, in villages,
cities, or countryside, they laid the sick
in the marketplaces and implored him
that they might touch even the fringe
of his garment.
And as many as touched it
were made well
- Mark 6:53-56
Eyes of Faith: Looking for a reason
to Believe
Jesus is a Rock Star
Not Everyone Loves Rock Stars…
Now when the Pharisees
gathered to him, with some of the
scribes who had come
from Jerusalem…
Eyes of pessimism: Looking for a
reason to be offended
Freebie:
We tend to find what
We're looking for
…they saw that some of his disciples
ate with hands that were defiled, that
is, unwashed.
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do
not eat unless they wash their hands,
holding to the tradition of the elders,
and when they come from the
marketplace, they do not eat unless
they wash.
And there are many other traditions
that they observe, such as the
washing of cups and pots and copper
vessels and dining couches).
"Helping God" gives way to
Meaningless Ritual
"What if we were around
unclean people or animals?"
PossessedLindaBlairSaysWhat?
And the Pharisees and the scribes
asked him,
"Why do your disciples not walk
according to the
tradition of the elders,
but eat with defiled hands?"
"We're offended that your disciples
Aren't following our traditions--You must not be a very good Rabbi"
"Well, guys, the reason is…"?
And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah
prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is
written…
"Jesus Christ had no tenderness
whatsoever toward anything
that was ultimately going to
ruin a person
in his service to God"
-Oswald Chambers
And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah
prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is
written…
"'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.'
You leave the commandment of God
and hold to the tradition of men"
"'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
The Ritual of Tradition produces:
Actions without Heart
…in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.'
Teaching Tradition as Commandment
produces worship God calls
meaningless
You leave the commandment of God
and hold to the tradition of men"
When human tradition becomes God's
Command, God's Word ceases to be
the Authority
Even with the best of Intentions…
Human Traditions
Can cause God's people
To lose sight of God
When they become Authoritative
When they nullify God's Word
We can get so caught up in the
"What"
That we lose the
"Why"
Word of God:
- Not subject to change
- Carries authority and power
- Isn't a suggestion
Traditions of Men:
- Transient and changeable
- Have no authority- ever
- Are open to individual freedom
Basic Truth:
Traditions often come from good
intention, but…
A tradition becomes sin
When it displaces the Word of God
"You have to wash your hands…"
And he said to them, "You have a fine
way of rejecting the commandment of
God in order to establish your
tradition!
For Moses said, 'Honor your father
and your mother'; and, 'Whoever
reviles father or mother
must surely die.'
"Corban"
But you say, 'If a man tells his father or
his mother, "Whatever you would
have gained from me is Corban"' (that
is, given to God)-
…then you no longer permit him to do
anything for his father or mother, thus
making void the word of God
by your tradition that you have
handed down.
And many such things you do."
If a custom causes God's people
To cease to follow God in any
arena of life
That tradition is sin
And he called the people to him again
and said to them,
"Hear me, all of you, and understand:
There is nothing outside a person that
by going into him can defile him, but
the things that come out of a person
are what defile him."
And when he had entered the house
and left the people, his disciples asked
him about the parable.
And he said to them,
"Then are you also without
understanding?
Do you not see that whatever goes
into a person from outside cannot
defile him,
since it enters not his heart but his
stomach, and is expelled?"
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
And he said…
"What comes out of a person is what
defiles him.
The truth is not outside of you, but
inside
Jesus caps rationalization
for Poor Behavior…
For from within, out of the heart of
man, come evil thoughts, sexual
immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit,
sensuality, envy, slander, pride,
foolishness.
All these evil things come from within,
and they defile a person."
Sin is not a result of external
circumstances
But of internal nature
According to Jesus…
What's in us
Is what defiles us
Jesus shows up
during the Holiday Season…
"Uh…Jesus?"
- Why aren't the disciples
shopping for gifts?
- I noticed you don't have a tree
"Uh…Jesus?"
- Your family said you're not coming to
the annual Christmas Dinner???
- Of course you have to celebrate
Christmas…it's Christmas, for crying
out loud!!!
Jesus isn't Gentle
And he says, "Well did Isaiah prophesy
of you hypocrites, as it is written
"'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
"'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
You're insisting people say "Merry
Christmas" at the stores
"'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
You're insisting people say "Merry
Christmas" at the stores
But you're thinking about
- How many gifts to buy
- The dinner you have to cook
- The relatives you'd rather not see
…in vain do you worship me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.'
"I never commanded that you
celebrate my Birthday…
But that you honor my sacrifice"
…in vain do you worship me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.'
"I never commanded that you
put a tree in your house
But that you remember the tree on
which I bled and died"
…in vain do you worship me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.'
"I never commanded that you give
gifts to people you love,
But that love your enemies"
…in vain do you worship me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.'
"I never commanded that you buy
gifts to put under a tree,
But that you freely share the gift of
life"
You leave the commandment of God
and hold to the tradition of men"
"You charge what you can't afford"
"You eat so much you can't move"
"Your kids love Santa but don't know
Me…"
Your tradition had a Great Start
with Good Intentions
But it's become a stumbling block
For unbelievers
And an excuse for sin
But Jesus…they're defiling our holiday
by writing "Merry X-mas!"
They make me so mad
That I yell at them
And write angry emails
If they'd stop,
I'd be OK…
"What comes out of a person is what
defiles him.
No one defiles Christmas
Except Christians
The Rebel Jesus
No one defiles Christmas
Except Christians
For from within, out of the heart of
man, come evil thoughts, sexual
immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit,
sensuality, envy, slander, pride,
foolishness.
All these evil things come from within,
and they defile a person."
Sin is not a result of external
circumstances
But of internal nature
The Cure is…Christmas!
The issue is not
Whether or not you Celebrate
The issue is not
Whether or not you Celebrate
But whether or not
You judge and enforce
What God has not commanded
The issue is not
Whether or not you Celebrate
But whether or not
You judge and enforce
What God has not commanded
And break the scriptures
to honor it's God
Jesus disciples didn't wash their hands
Because…
Jesus sets us free
from the traditions of men
What traditions
am I following
That I:
Hate?
Dread?
Stressed out over?
What if…I'm free?
When it comes to Traditions
All that I have to do
is what God says:
"Love God, Love People"
(the rest is up to me!)
Homework…