1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:03,200 Would you gladly meet me in the Book of Mark in chapter 7? 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:16,400 Please Mark chapter 7 together. Mark 7. 3 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:19,600 And let's meet together in verse 1. 4 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,300 Now, when the Pharisees gathered to him with some of the scribes 5 00:00:26,300 --> 00:00:29,900 who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that, some of his 6 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:32,500 disciples ate with hands. That were defiled. 7 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:36,400 That is unwashed for the Pharisees and all the Jews, do 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,000 not eat, unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,300 tradition of the elders, and when they come from the 10 00:00:45,308 --> 00:00:48,700 marketplace, they do not eat. Unless they wash. 11 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,200 And there are many other Traditions that they observe 12 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,800 such as The washing of Cups and pots and copper vessels and 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,100 dining couches, and the Pharisees and the scribes asked 14 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:03,500 him. Why do your disciples not walk, 15 00:01:03,500 --> 00:01:09,500 according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled 16 00:01:09,500 --> 00:01:15,100 hands and he said to them, well, did Isaiah prophesy of you 17 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:19,700 Hypocrites, as it is written. This people honors me with their 18 00:01:19,700 --> 00:01:22,700 lips, but their heart is far from me. 19 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,500 In vain. Do they worship me teaching as 20 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:30,200 doctrines the Commandments of men? 21 00:01:31,700 --> 00:01:33,500 Lord. Bless this time, in your word, 22 00:01:34,900 --> 00:01:37,100 may be accurate. May be faithful, may you be 23 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:41,200 pleased and made your people be changed in Jesus name. 24 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:45,200 Amen. I love how Jesus in verse 6, 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:50,200 says while did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites? 26 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:56,800 When Isaiah spoke this he spoke it 700 years before this time 27 00:01:57,700 --> 00:02:02,400 and he had Jesus faithfully and honorably relates this ancient 28 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,500 text to his immediate audience and points towards the 29 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:08,699 Pharisees. He says, Isaiah was actually 30 00:02:08,699 --> 00:02:13,200 speaking about you. And I find that very encouraging 31 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,500 because it shows me how Jesus viewed the scriptures. 32 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:18,900 The scriptures are never out of date. 33 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:22,200 The scriptures are always applicable. 34 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:27,500 The scriptures are continually relevant if they are hundred 35 00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:28,800 years old. If there are thousands of years 36 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,100 old God, designed the word of God. 37 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,100 Yes, for an immediate context, for an immediate audience, but 38 00:02:34,100 --> 00:02:37,500 more than that, for all people of all time of all generations, 39 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:40,800 And why bring that up to you is because as we examine Mark, 40 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,100 chapter 7, we're not just looking at Jesus discourse and 41 00:02:44,100 --> 00:02:46,100 conversation with a group of religious leaders. 42 00:02:46,100 --> 00:02:49,500 We are looking at Jesus thoughts, his ideas, his 43 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:56,300 desires, his will for us today. He speaking to you and to me 44 00:02:56,500 --> 00:02:59,500 this word is for you. And for me, yes and 2023. 45 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:05,400 And with that being said, today I want to speak to you about 46 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,700 something specific, my desire. And speaking to you, is to take 47 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:15,500 this moment and to address the idolatry of religious 48 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:20,500 Traditions, the idolatry of religious Traditions. 49 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,200 Now in our culture, today, there are many shapes and forms of 50 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,800 idolatry, but I am persuaded that. 51 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,700 One of the most suffocating strongholds that keeps people 52 00:03:30,700 --> 00:03:35,200 back from experiencing, True freedom is when they are tied to 53 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:40,300 some expression of Faith or worship even though such a 54 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:43,500 custom clearly violates the will of God. 55 00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:49,500 And there are many of these kind of rituals and ceremonies and 56 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:54,400 various kind of philosophies that are exercised and various 57 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,300 circles today. But the erroneous elevation to 58 00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:01,800 and devotion of man-made, Traditions were common during 59 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,400 the ministry of the Lord, Jesus Christ as well. 60 00:04:05,100 --> 00:04:10,800 Religious Traditions, the masses find false comfort in them. 61 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,700 Some Global institutions promote them and unfortunately, many 62 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:20,800 people cannot fully commit to Christ because of them. 63 00:04:21,899 --> 00:04:26,600 And this is a conflict that Jesus faced, and that is proven 64 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,600 by what we see before us today. Here is Christ confronting a 65 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:38,700 system of ideas that were so elevated and esteemed by certain 66 00:04:38,700 --> 00:04:42,600 group of people, in the name of God though, it had absolutely no 67 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,800 backing from God. And from this tax, we're not 68 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,900 only going to look at what exactly Jesus Took issue with. 69 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:52,400 We're going to see the heart of Christ concerning tradition 70 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:57,200 across the board. And this message is essentially 71 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,600 just to prepare you. As an introduction, all we're 72 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,500 going to do today is lay a foundation to prepare us to 73 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:08,700 actually address some widely-held philosophies and 74 00:05:08,700 --> 00:05:11,000 practices and traditions of our day. 75 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,700 And the reason because he is their idea surrounding our 76 00:05:15,700 --> 00:05:20,300 faith, that true Christians are either unaware of or unconcerned 77 00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:22,200 about and that's concerning to me. 78 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:26,500 The reason why we're going to do this is because if we are not 79 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:30,800 informed, what can happen is, you can have genuine, Believers, 80 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:35,400 confused, and Beyond confusion. What you can have is 81 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:40,600 illegitimate collaboration. And from a little illegitimate 82 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,000 collaboration, you can even have conversion. 83 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:50,700 Conversion to false Notions and false beliefs, and misguided 84 00:05:50,700 --> 00:05:54,400 Concepts. And that's what we want to avoid 85 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,200 in a day of growing deception. Do we not before we move on? 86 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,700 Let me clarify something from the start, I'm going to be using 87 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:04,000 the word tradition throughout this message, but I don't want 88 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,700 it to be misinterpreted in any way. 89 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:09,600 The general definition of tradition is any long-held 90 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,300 belief that has been passed down from generation to generation. 91 00:06:13,300 --> 00:06:19,800 It's a transmission of ideas or some kind of custom or ideology 92 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:25,600 that is given over from one person to another or one 93 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,900 institution down to a group of people. 94 00:06:27,900 --> 00:06:30,100 But that is not what I'm referring to know is it nor is 95 00:06:30,100 --> 00:06:32,400 it what the Lord is necessarily concerned about? 96 00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:36,100 The tradition that we are speaking of is any concept or 97 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:42,200 practice that is revered or recognized as Divine Authority 98 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,400 though? It is absolutely not validated 99 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,900 by the scriptures at all. In simple terms what I want to 100 00:06:48,900 --> 00:06:53,300 speak to you about is any idea that originated with man? 101 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:58,800 And finds no basis in the complete word of God, but is 102 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:05,200 treated as Doctrine. And anything that fits in that 103 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,000 category is not only dangerous for us. 104 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,400 It's something that the Lord Jesus Christ. 105 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:16,500 Denounces severely tradition itself is not evil. 106 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:18,300 It's actually a neutral conviction. 107 00:07:19,500 --> 00:07:21,300 There are some traditions that are harmless. 108 00:07:21,700 --> 00:07:25,100 There are some traditions that are even good but the factor 109 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:28,300 that makes all the difference is whether or not such a tradition 110 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,900 cooperates with the word of God or challenges it. 111 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,500 That's what makes the difference. 112 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:40,400 And what Jesus is facing here is a catalog of teachings that 113 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:45,700 challenged the supreme authority of the written word of God look 114 00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:48,700 here at verse 5 with me again, it says you're at the end of 115 00:07:48,700 --> 00:07:53,900 verse 5 In the questioning and the fault-finding from the 116 00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:58,500 Pharisees they wondered. Why didn't you hold to the 117 00:07:58,500 --> 00:08:04,200 tradition of the elders? This was a set of extra biblical 118 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,900 teachings, that the Pharisees promoted and regulated by are 119 00:08:06,900 --> 00:08:08,900 also observed by a majority of Jews. 120 00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:11,400 How do I know that? Look at verse 34, the Pharisees 121 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,800 and all the Jews, do not eat, unless they wash their hands 122 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,200 properly, holding to the tradition of the elders. 123 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:23,700 And so, this is not only proposed by the Pharisees, it 124 00:08:23,700 --> 00:08:28,900 was popular in Jesus day, but I think it's worth asking the 125 00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:30,600 question. Well, where did the tradition of 126 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,700 the elders begin with? It's clear that it was prominent 127 00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:36,000 but what was the Genesis of this? 128 00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:41,400 What was the conception of this? And some believe that the 129 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,900 tradition of the elders and I need you to lean and because 130 00:08:43,900 --> 00:08:45,800 this is going to be more teaching and preaching but it's 131 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,800 absolutely essential The tradition of the elders is 132 00:08:49,900 --> 00:08:55,700 widely believed to be the oral law among the Jews and two 133 00:08:55,700 --> 00:08:58,400 centuries later, right? This oral law. 134 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,700 This is the something that was verbally transmitted was 135 00:09:00,700 --> 00:09:04,700 officially recorded and compiled and what is known today as the 136 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:07,900 mishnah, right? A collections of commentaries 137 00:09:07,900 --> 00:09:12,900 and even commands about and around the word of God and often 138 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:16,300 beyond the word of God, but at this time in Jesus, day, Mark 139 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:20,900 chapter 7, the Tradition of the elders was still verbal. 140 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:23,900 It was not concrete, it was not inscribed anywhere. 141 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,000 Again, there was transmitted word by word and we see here 142 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:33,100 that these kind of traditions, actually, in their own tradition 143 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,300 explains where they came from, in the talmud, you can look this 144 00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:42,200 up yourself It is recorded that these Jews believe that this 145 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:48,200 oral law was given by God at Mount Sinai and downloaded to 146 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,400 Moses. And from Moses, he entrusted, 147 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:56,200 Surah Men by teaching these kind of laws and then the cycle 148 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,800 started, these men, Faithful Men would then transmitted to the 149 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,500 Next Generation and that would happen from generation to 150 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:05,700 generation. And as time went on, this oral 151 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:11,000 law would be expounded upon and X expanded as well. 152 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,100 And what's interesting? Is that the oral law, not the 153 00:10:14,100 --> 00:10:15,900 same as the written law. Is what you see in the Hebrew 154 00:10:15,900 --> 00:10:18,500 scriptures. The oral law was heavily 155 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:22,400 enforced after the Babylonian captivity, so the Jews were 156 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,800 taken from their land and brought into Babylon. 157 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,300 You remember that? That's in our Bibles when they 158 00:10:27,300 --> 00:10:29,900 returned there was such a fear of experiencing God's 159 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:33,500 discipline. Again that the Jews of that 160 00:10:33,500 --> 00:10:37,700 time, decided to really implement the oral law and why 161 00:10:37,700 --> 00:10:41,400 was that because they wanted Oral law to function as a fence 162 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,000 around the Hebrew scriptures, the clear commands of God, given 163 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,500 in the word of God, they wanted the cushion to make it that much 164 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:53,600 more difficult for the people to actually violate the word of 165 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,600 God. And so, it provided parameters 166 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,200 that before you come to the central idea of the word of God 167 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,500 and either disobeying it or fulfilling it, you would have to 168 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:08,900 go through all these other hoops and all these other kind of 169 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,700 ideas before doing that. And so it seems intelligent, it 170 00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:16,600 seems like there's good intentions there, but you can 171 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,100 imagine the problems with this and what was the problem with 172 00:11:19,100 --> 00:11:22,400 this? That eventually the line between 173 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:28,300 the oral law and the written law of God was blurred It was 174 00:11:28,300 --> 00:11:31,600 blurred to the point where the oral not laws, now seen as equal 175 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,500 and in some cases, even superseding the written law of 176 00:11:35,500 --> 00:11:38,300 God. And now you have people even in 177 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:42,700 Jesus day that are measuring their godliness up to the 178 00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:45,300 standard of the tradition of the elders. 179 00:11:45,300 --> 00:11:51,400 Instead of the clear revealed will of the Lord. and so, now, 180 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,500 everything about their supposed sanctification is about rituals, 181 00:11:55,900 --> 00:12:00,200 it's about ceremonies, it's about external formalities, 182 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:06,800 instead of True Heart Devotion to the Lord, The way he designed 183 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,600 it to be. And so this is what Jesus was 184 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,800 dealing with this kind of a practice. 185 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:17,500 And again, it might have originated with good intentions 186 00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:20,900 but it became extremely problematic. 187 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,000 You know, you asked some people today, why it is that they do 188 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,600 certain things in the name of God or in the name of religion 189 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,000 and you've probably heard it. I've heard it many times. 190 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:33,700 Well, this is just what our family has done for Generations. 191 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,000 This is what our great-grandfather's have done on 192 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,500 both sides of my family. So this is why we attend the 193 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:43,000 church that we attend or this is what our culture is all about. 194 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,500 And so our culture has done this for centuries. 195 00:12:45,500 --> 00:12:48,000 So why would we break that lineage? 196 00:12:48,500 --> 00:12:50,800 We're going to uphold that because this is something that 197 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,300 we've known. Since we could even remember. 198 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:59,200 And here's the point that I want to make whenever the word of God 199 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:04,900 is not recognized as sufficient pay attention, I didn't say 200 00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:10,200 divinely inspired Note that I say without error, you have 201 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,800 people who hold to Traditions that view the word of God as 202 00:13:12,808 --> 00:13:14,700 divinely inspired and without error. 203 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,500 The problem is, whether or not it is sufficient. 204 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,200 And if you do not see the word of God as sufficient, you open 205 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,600 yourself up to what you might believe to be compatible 206 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,800 authorities. In other words, other ideas or 207 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:36,000 beliefs, or instructions, or teachings, that seemed to work 208 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,800 with, in your understanding, the will of God is revealed in the 209 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,900 scriptures but what often happens is, whatever you think 210 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:46,400 to be compatible ends, up, conflicting and even 211 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,800 contradicting the word of God is saying really. 212 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,900 Is that really the case? Yes, it is the case, one of the 213 00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:56,200 strongest examples of that is Roman Catholicism. 214 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:58,300 All. Look at all the heads. 215 00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:03,100 I just came up. Roman Catholicism doesn't see 216 00:14:03,100 --> 00:14:06,400 the scripture as the sole authority of their teaching in 217 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,600 faith and practice. They actually have three streams 218 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,200 of authority. The first stream is what you and 219 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,900 I hold to but we hold to completely and sufficiently 220 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:19,100 that's the Sacred Scriptures but they go beyond that to say that. 221 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:21,700 No no it's not just Sacred Scriptures, you need sacred 222 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:25,900 tradition and what a sacred tradition, sacred tradition is 223 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:28,900 what the Pharisees viewed, as their tradition, the oral law. 224 00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:31,200 In other words, what the Catholics would believe the 225 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,500 Roman Catholics? Is that what the apostles have 226 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:35,200 taught not necessarily in the word of God? 227 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,600 But through their own mouths, that has been transmitted over 228 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,400 time to the true church which they believe is their Church. 229 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:43,800 Church. And only the church holds those 230 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,500 understandings and are able to present those teachings to the 231 00:14:46,500 --> 00:14:49,800 Common People, sacred tradition, you're saying there's more to 232 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:51,100 that. Yes, there's more than that, 233 00:14:51,100 --> 00:14:53,400 it's not just sacred scripture is not just sacred tradition. 234 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,900 It's the magisterium What's the magisterium? 235 00:14:56,900 --> 00:14:59,700 Well, it's their church. And what they believe about the 236 00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:04,200 magisterium is that their church and their leadership alone is 237 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,200 able to give the proper interpretation of scripture and 238 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,300 Beyond, the proper interpretation of scripture. 239 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,400 They even have the authority given supposedly by God, to 240 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,900 determine what is actually Doctrine, and what is not 241 00:15:15,900 --> 00:15:19,100 Doctrine, whether it's found in sacred scripture or not. 242 00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:22,700 Singh. Is that real or prepare yourself 243 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:25,500 for the coming weeks? It is very real and one of the 244 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:28,100 recent examples of that you can already feel how that is an 245 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:30,900 issue with one of the recent examples of that is the idea of 246 00:15:30,900 --> 00:15:33,800 the Assumption of Mary. What is the belief of the 247 00:15:33,808 --> 00:15:39,200 Assumption of Mary that bodily? Mary at the end of her life Rose 248 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:43,500 in to heaven and there's debate, whether she died first or she 249 00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:46,200 didn't die first. But what's more important is 250 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,400 that this is a teaching that has been established by the Roman 251 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:54,000 Catholic Church as Dogma. What's dogma mean, Dogma means 252 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,600 that it is something that was given by God and is binding. 253 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,300 It's not optional, it's not secondary. 254 00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:04,100 If you claim to be a Christian, you have to believe that 255 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:08,600 Doctrine. You're saying well, okay. 256 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:11,200 But isn't that an ancient thing? No, it was actually established 257 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:16,100 in 1950. So you understand why I'm 258 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:18,700 bringing this up. And I'm going to bring up 259 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:21,700 different examples in the coming weeks, but it's crucially 260 00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:26,700 important and Jesus. Shows in this text how this 261 00:16:26,700 --> 00:16:29,300 happens. Not just in one kind of 262 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:33,300 Institutions but in many kind of Institutions and it can bleed 263 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:36,800 into what we know as legalism even in an Evangelical churches. 264 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,400 But look here with me quickly in verse 8 of Mark chapter 7, you 265 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,200 read the first six seven verses, look at verse eight, he 266 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:49,600 addresses the Pharisees and he says, you leave the Commandment 267 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:54,600 of God and hold to the tradition of men. 268 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:58,700 When the nasb uses the word neglect. 269 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:00,900 Instead of the word, leave you neglect. 270 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:04,200 The Commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. 271 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:08,099 See the danger of valuing tradition is that it can easily 272 00:17:08,099 --> 00:17:12,200 lead you on the path of ignoring the word of God as your supreme 273 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,099 authority because of how much you cherish another ancient or 274 00:17:16,099 --> 00:17:20,599 familiar idea. Do that long enough and what 275 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:25,200 tends to happen is that the word no longer becomes the standard 276 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:29,700 by, which you scrutinize any idea or belief concerning faith 277 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:33,300 and practice and for the for some what happens is the 278 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:35,900 scriptures eventually become something, that's totally 279 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:38,900 ignored altogether and not consulted at all concerning 280 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:42,700 certain issues. What happens is, people say well 281 00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:45,400 whatever is passed down is more important than whatever is 282 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,800 written. And you see what the Pharisees 283 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,800 that that's what they do right here. 284 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:53,900 I mean, they approached the disciples and what's their issue 285 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:55,300 with the disciples. At this point. 286 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,000 You didn't wash your hands before you ate. 287 00:17:58,300 --> 00:18:00,900 This is not a hygiene problem. I advise you to wash your hands 288 00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:02,800 before you eat. That's not tradition. 289 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,000 That's just good hygiene. Yeah. 290 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,400 No. But there's a ritualistic idea 291 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,400 behind this that I don't have to break down to you. 292 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,300 It's clear enough here. This is more about piety than it 293 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:17,500 is about personal hygiene. And let me put this as a side 294 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:19,200 note. If you're a disciple of Jesus 295 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,000 Christ and the only criticism that the enemies of the Gospel 296 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,500 have against you, it is concerning futile. 297 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:28,000 Empty spiritual ideas, you're in a really good place. 298 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:33,000 You're in a really good place. Points something in my life that 299 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,400 harms or violates the word of God. 300 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,800 I'm in trouble pointing to anything else. 301 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:39,600 That doesn't concern God's will. I'm in a good place in my walk 302 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,100 with the Lord. So this is what they're doing, 303 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:44,500 is it surprising? It shouldn't be surprising to us 304 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:49,200 and they come and they and they question the disciples, why do 305 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,300 your disciples not walk, according to the tradition of 306 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:54,500 the elders and, you know, this perhaps in your walk that you've 307 00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:56,700 had similar questions asked of you. 308 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,300 Why don't you view again? Mary, the way we view Mary per 309 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:07,000 se or why don't you baptized the way we baptized or? 310 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,500 Why don't you seek the intercession of the Saints? 311 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:14,200 And why do you why do you deprive yourself of such a 312 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,900 Wonder in such a Grace. And when those questions usually 313 00:19:18,900 --> 00:19:22,100 come to me that initial response and I hope it's yours as well as 314 00:19:22,100 --> 00:19:28,600 well, because the Bible says Because the Bible says, but what 315 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:33,700 happens is when tradition is so upheld, it begins to outshine 316 00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:36,100 scripture and takes primary place. 317 00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:43,500 Look at verse 13 Jesus says, thus making void the word of God 318 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:49,600 by your tradition that you have handed down and many such things 319 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,200 you. Do you know what making void 320 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:54,100 means to deprive of its force and Authority? 321 00:19:55,500 --> 00:20:00,200 Tradition can do that. It can seek to empty the power 322 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,500 of God's word in their life or in a Facebook, faith-based 323 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:06,800 institution and how many of us in this place have addressed 324 00:20:06,900 --> 00:20:09,700 these issues within within our own families or friends and 325 00:20:09,700 --> 00:20:12,600 we've sat with people with with Open Hearts and genuine hearts 326 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,700 and trying to convey the truth of the gospel. 327 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:18,000 And when you bring out certain things from the word of God and 328 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,600 you confront certain practices that they might hold to, it has 329 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,700 no effect on them. In fact, what you learn is that 330 00:20:24,700 --> 00:20:29,300 they are More willing to break the word of God, for their 331 00:20:29,300 --> 00:20:31,800 tradition and to break their tradition for the word of God. 332 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,100 How does that happen? The same way it's happening 333 00:20:35,100 --> 00:20:39,500 here? And Paul was like this before 334 00:20:39,500 --> 00:20:45,700 his conversion in Galatians 114, he declares, and I was advancing 335 00:20:45,700 --> 00:20:49,800 in Judaism Beyond many of my own age among my people. 336 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:55,800 So, extremely zealous. Was I for the traditions of my 337 00:20:55,800 --> 00:21:02,700 father's So, extremely zealous, people get very passionate about 338 00:21:02,700 --> 00:21:06,300 tradition. To the point where it's more 339 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:08,700 important than anything else, including the word of God? 340 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:10,500 You know what that tells me about Paul. 341 00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:13,500 Here's what it tells me, then, when you truly come to Christ, 342 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,900 you give up everything including your tradition, no matter how 343 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:20,500 binding it is on you. No matter how binding it is on 344 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:23,000 your family, no matter how binding it is on your culture. 345 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,300 When you truly come to Christ, you turn away, not just from 346 00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:27,900 your sin. Not just from your belly and not 347 00:21:27,900 --> 00:21:31,900 just your sexual morality but even Concepts and beliefs that 348 00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:36,000 challenge the word of God. Unfortunately, many people today 349 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,200 are like Paul who are like Paul before when he came to Christ. 350 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,000 Think that they are honoring Christ at the same time. 351 00:21:43,700 --> 00:21:48,800 But Jesus here has a different opinion because when you had 352 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,600 that kind of a Zeal, what tends to happen is, there is some kind 353 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,000 of form of Abandonment of the word of God. 354 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,800 And that's what he shares. He says first you leave the 355 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,600 Commandment of God but that's step number one. 356 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:04,500 Step number two is what you find in verse 9. 357 00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:07,300 So in verse 8 he says you lead the Commandment of God. 358 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:11,100 And in verse 9 he said to them you have a fine way of rejecting 359 00:22:11,500 --> 00:22:15,400 the Commandment of God in order to establish your tradition. 360 00:22:16,300 --> 00:22:19,200 It always starts with neglecting, it always starts 361 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,500 with ignoring, it always starts with adding thinking that it's 362 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:26,100 compatible and over time, if you're not watchful and will you 363 00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:29,400 end up doing what the Pharisee did and that's outright defying. 364 00:22:29,700 --> 00:22:31,900 What the word of God is now? Here's what I find interesting, 365 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:35,700 I don't believe the Pharisees would admit that their 366 00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:39,500 ideologies, and their Concepts, and their theology rejected. 367 00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:43,100 The word of God, no, they praised the prophets, they 368 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:48,200 memorize and esteem the law. They would speak highly of what 369 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,000 was delivered by Moses and the psalmist, right? 370 00:22:52,100 --> 00:22:54,600 But Jesus, accuses them of rejecting it. 371 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,400 Why? Because, in theory, they did 372 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,200 that, but in practice, they didn't. 373 00:23:00,700 --> 00:23:04,500 In practice, they spurned the Lord and what they were doing 374 00:23:04,500 --> 00:23:07,900 and what God clearly laid out in his preserved truth. 375 00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:11,400 And that's what many people do today, they claim to honor the 376 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,000 Bible. They have beautiful Bibles in 377 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,200 their homes. Beautiful Bibles. 378 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,800 In their gorgeous artistic buildings. 379 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,600 But does it have authority? What's really being taught? 380 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,100 What's really being conveyed? What's really being passed down? 381 00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,500 What's really being delivered? That's the most important 382 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:34,100 question. And Jesus exposes the Pharisees 383 00:23:34,100 --> 00:23:38,300 for this by pointing out. One of their misguided practices 384 00:23:38,300 --> 00:23:41,900 that they thought and taught as God's will come here to verse 385 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:45,800 10. For Moses said, for Moses said, 386 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:51,200 honor your father, and your mother, and whoever reviles 387 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,600 father, or mother must surely die. 388 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:59,400 But you say, if a man tells his father or his mother, whatever 389 00:23:59,500 --> 00:24:04,000 you would have gained from me as Corbin, I was given to God then 390 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,200 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or 391 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,800 mother. Look with me again in verse 10. 392 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,900 The first two were three words here for Moses said, hold on to 393 00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:16,900 that. Now, look at verse 11, but you 394 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,100 say that's the heartbeat of tradition. 395 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:28,300 Tradition, the way I gave you. The definition earlier will 396 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:31,800 always add or subtract from the word of God. 397 00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:36,400 Moses said when he says, Moses, he is referring to his 398 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:41,400 authorship as given by God Moses said this, but you're saying 399 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:48,000 this In Jesus quotes. The fifth commandment as 400 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,200 inscribed in Exodus 20:12 which deals with honoring your father 401 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:57,300 and your mother to remind the Pharisees That it is a lifelong 402 00:24:57,300 --> 00:25:03,400 call to care for your parents. It's a lifelong responsibility 403 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,200 for you to look out for those who have taken care of you, 404 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,000 given birth to you. And even if they didn't 405 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,100 necessarily treat, you the way you desired to be treated, there 406 00:25:12,100 --> 00:25:17,200 is still a demand to honor them. And so serious is an Eyes Of God 407 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,200 that to disobey this kind of a command is worthy of the capital 408 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:24,400 punishment. Why is the Lord bringing this 409 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:25,800 up? Because one of the traditions of 410 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,900 the elders is that they would Escape that responsibility by 411 00:25:30,900 --> 00:25:33,900 claiming that their resources were Corbin. 412 00:25:36,300 --> 00:25:39,400 Carbon which means as we just heard devoted to God, how would 413 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:40,600 this play out? It's very easy. 414 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:44,100 Let's say, aged parents needed financial assistance and 415 00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:46,300 rightfully. So they approach their son or 416 00:25:46,300 --> 00:25:48,700 their daughter to ask for that kind of an aide. 417 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:54,500 If a person wanted to, they could declare that their 418 00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:00,200 resources have been devoted to God Corbin set apart in 419 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,200 consecrated. Assuming that it is given over 420 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,100 to some charitable cause, well, that's a donation to the temple 421 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,900 or to some local synagogue. The idea here is that because of 422 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,600 Corbin, you cannot claim this from me even though you're my 423 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:18,000 father or my mother. And this is heartbreaking for 424 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,600 many reasons. And one of the reasons why this 425 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,600 is a Despicable vow is because although a person would declare 426 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:28,700 their finances as korban, there wasn't a requirement for an 427 00:26:28,700 --> 00:26:32,000 immediate pledge. You didn't have to give that 428 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,700 money up necessarily to that charitable cause right away. 429 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:38,300 You can withhold that money and you can actually do with it as 430 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:40,700 you please. The main point of it is that it 431 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:44,700 puts a restriction on you of giving up, something that you 432 00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:48,300 want to hold on for yourself. Even if that something would 433 00:26:48,300 --> 00:26:52,700 honor God's word and fulfill the fifth commandment and here's 434 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:57,400 where it gets extra nasty. Because while you would dedicate 435 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,500 this, the idea is that you were actually selfishly holding onto 436 00:27:02,500 --> 00:27:06,200 it while maintaining a form of piety. 437 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,800 I'm honoring God by doing this. I'm sorry Mom. 438 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,700 I'm sorry, Dad. I know you're in need, but I'm 439 00:27:15,700 --> 00:27:19,200 giving what you're asking for to the cause of Yahweh. 440 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:24,700 So I cannot help you. Jesus points out this hypocrisy 441 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,000 and he shows just how deadly tradition can be and that's 442 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,400 exactly right. You see what tradition does and 443 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,100 people don't even realize and this is why I'm bringing this to 444 00:27:34,100 --> 00:27:36,800 you because I want you to feel the heart of Christ here. 445 00:27:36,900 --> 00:27:38,900 This is not my idea. If you're upset your don't get 446 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:40,700 upset with me, get upset with Christ. 447 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:47,800 Jesus here, realizes that man. Can so pervert the idea of 448 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:53,200 tradition that it literally sucks away, the power of God 449 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,200 through the word of God, unto salvation and untrue, true, 450 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,100 sanctification and transformation, that's what 451 00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:03,000 tradition does. This is why he comes at it with 452 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:07,500 such aggression and sternness and Clarity because ultimately 453 00:28:07,500 --> 00:28:11,900 what it's trying to do is usurp what God had given to us as the 454 00:28:11,900 --> 00:28:18,000 source of our true godliness. So he deals with it head-on. 455 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,300 And when you look at the Lord here, you know I realized 456 00:28:22,300 --> 00:28:26,400 something. So inspiring Do you get any 457 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:31,700 impression that Jesus here? Promotes another kind of 458 00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:33,100 authority apart from the scriptures. 459 00:28:34,300 --> 00:28:38,200 Do you have any kind of in cleaning, any kind of leaning 460 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,200 that the Lord is open to the concept that besides scripture, 461 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,000 you can have a b or c know you don't? 462 00:28:46,100 --> 00:28:48,400 He keeps eluding to the Commandment of God, he keeps 463 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:49,700 pointing back to the word of God. 464 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:53,300 And even when they come to their, with their initial 465 00:28:53,300 --> 00:28:56,300 accusation, Jesus quotes, the word of God when the Sadducees 466 00:28:56,300 --> 00:28:58,800 approached Jesus about their ideas of the Resurrection. 467 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:02,700 And they try to trap Jesus because the Sadducees did not 468 00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:04,900 hold to an afterlife. You know what Jesus says you 469 00:29:04,900 --> 00:29:07,400 neither know the scriptures or the power of God. 470 00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:10,300 It's always the scriptures with Jesus. 471 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,900 It's always the word of God with the Lord. 472 00:29:14,900 --> 00:29:17,400 And as a side note may I say this I think it's worth it. 473 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,700 It may not tie into the theme but it's worth mentioning. 474 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,700 There's a principle here with the Corbin idea, right? 475 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:26,200 We may not use that word korban, but it is a very real Temptation 476 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:31,000 for us to dodge our duties to our spouses and to our children. 477 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,700 In the name of serving, God be careful. 478 00:29:34,300 --> 00:29:36,700 Be watchful the way that you honor. 479 00:29:36,700 --> 00:29:40,000 God, one of the strongest ways that you honor, God Is by loving 480 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,800 your family. Well, loving them very well. 481 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:44,500 A lot of people are committing korban. 482 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,600 Without using the word and their families are starving for love 483 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,900 and affection and time. And it's all done in the name of 484 00:29:51,900 --> 00:29:55,700 serving him. But again this is why I'm 485 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:58,900 bringing this to you as form of introduction because I want you 486 00:29:58,900 --> 00:30:03,000 to realize how crucial this is. And you just amended, it's 487 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:07,300 clear, right? Jesus, obviously upholds. 488 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:10,000 And esteems the scriptures Above All Else, everything else is 489 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,300 subservient. Everything else surrenders to 490 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:15,400 what has been written? That's not how many people feel 491 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:19,300 And even in this day the reason why I'm doing this and I and 492 00:30:19,300 --> 00:30:21,300 that reason why I think it's crucial importance because even 493 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:25,900 in our day today there is a great enamel ring with tradition 494 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:28,900 these days. You have some people who've come 495 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:31,000 from and some of you have come back from a traditional 496 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,000 background and the Lord, open your eyes to that and you've 497 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,000 turned away from that. And for some, it's still has a 498 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,800 clutch on them. And for others especially young 499 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:45,100 people today because I believe they're uninformed and they are 500 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:50,900 they are lured by a veneer, they are drawn to this concept of 501 00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:56,400 tradition and what begins to take authority is historicity 502 00:30:56,700 --> 00:31:00,400 how long something has been going on for and then. 503 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,700 So you have people turning away from Clear scripture and now 504 00:31:03,700 --> 00:31:08,500 willing to flirt with Concepts that they think is compatible 505 00:31:08,700 --> 00:31:11,400 that they think is Is harmless, when in fact is leading you 506 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,300 down, a path of danger. Great danger. 507 00:31:14,300 --> 00:31:18,300 And your Doctrine Now, you might not like the direction that 508 00:31:18,300 --> 00:31:20,100 we're heading into for the next few weeks. 509 00:31:21,900 --> 00:31:23,100 You might be thinking yourself, brother? 510 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:26,300 Why don't you just stick to preaching what we believe why 511 00:31:26,300 --> 00:31:28,000 touch on what other people believe? 512 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,700 And I get what you're saying to some degree. 513 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,800 But can I remind you of the words of Jude? 514 00:31:35,300 --> 00:31:37,000 Let's turn that before we break bread together. 515 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:43,300 Go to Jude chapter Well, there's no chapter Jude 3. 516 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:58,100 Jude 3. So pastoral of him, in the first 517 00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:02,800 word of verse 3, beloved, although I was very eager to 518 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:05,100 write to you about our common salvation. 519 00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:07,400 What does he mean by that? I was, I was looking to 520 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,800 actually, initially write to you about the elements of the faith 521 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,700 that you and I share our common salvation. 522 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:16,800 What you and I as a Community of Faith whole to as the essentials 523 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,900 of our faith, I was actually planning to write these things 524 00:32:19,900 --> 00:32:22,300 to you. And then he goes on to say, I 525 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:28,400 found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for 526 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,600 the faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints. 527 00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:38,500 As a leader Jude felt it necessary to lean into actually 528 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:43,500 addressing issues that were challenging the truth. 529 00:32:43,500 --> 00:32:47,500 And he wanted to train the people to know how to contend 530 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:52,600 meaning to defend to fight for. It's a very strong word. 531 00:32:52,900 --> 00:32:56,300 I want you to know how to contend for the faith and this 532 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:59,800 is the part that blessed, blesses me that was once for all 533 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:04,100 delivered to the Saints. Once for all it's settled, it's 534 00:33:04,100 --> 00:33:05,400 done. We're not waiting for extra 535 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,700 Revelation, we're waiting for God to add to the word of God. 536 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:12,800 We're not waiting for God to subtract from, no, no, it's been 537 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,400 settled and the foundation that concrete is dry. 538 00:33:17,500 --> 00:33:19,300 Right? The foundation of the Apostles 539 00:33:19,300 --> 00:33:22,800 and the prophets, according to Ephesians true to, that has been 540 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,900 determined its once and for all settled. 541 00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:28,400 But some people don't feel that way. 542 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,300 They don't feel that way and that's why I'm calling you as 543 00:33:32,300 --> 00:33:37,700 the Saints of Christchurch to know how to contend and that's 544 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:40,200 my intention. I don't know how long we'll stay 545 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:41,800 in. This will trust that. 546 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,100 As God has brought us to Mark chapter 7, he will give us 547 00:33:45,100 --> 00:33:48,200 exactly what we need for us to be equipped. 548 00:33:49,500 --> 00:33:55,000 And so as we close, It was very hard for me to give you just a 549 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,100 brief introduction. You know what a struggle is in 550 00:33:58,100 --> 00:34:00,300 preaching, at least for me, it's not all. 551 00:34:00,300 --> 00:34:03,200 How am I going to say this and fill up the time? 552 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:04,400 It's how am I going to say this with? 553 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,300 So little time every week? Pray for me. 554 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:13,600 I know maybe there are some questions you have or you feel 555 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:15,000 like some things were not complete. 556 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,100 I'm fully aware of that all I'm doing and all I did it by 557 00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:20,400 presenting this is to prepare you for where we're headed 558 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,100 together. Where we're headed together. 559 00:34:23,100 --> 00:34:25,600 But for now, we turn our attention to the Lord's Supper. 560 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:31,300 Not a tradition of man. An ordinance that Jesus Christ 561 00:34:31,300 --> 00:34:34,300 has given us. That he wants his church to 562 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:36,100 honor and honor in a specific way. 563 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:38,800 Here's what we're going to do things a little differently. 564 00:34:39,500 --> 00:34:43,100 Usually we stand we sing. We have you approached the 565 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:45,100 table, take the elements, you're seated. 566 00:34:45,100 --> 00:34:47,500 And then Pastor Daniel Bennett, will provide some meditation 567 00:34:47,500 --> 00:34:49,800 before we partake, but listen to this order. 568 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,400 Now we're going to stand, we're going to sing, but then right 569 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,000 away you're going to be seated, we will have our time of 570 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,300 meditation and then we will call you for to partake. 571 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,900 Will give thanks and then we'll eat. 572 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:03,900 All right. Let me remind you. 573 00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:05,400 I'm sure, Daniel. Remind you, that this is an 574 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:07,400 ordinance. For the Church of Jesus Christ. 575 00:35:07,700 --> 00:35:11,000 Those who have given their hearts to the Lord, by faith in 576 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,700 him. And believing that what he has 577 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:17,500 done on the cross is for your salvation, you have repented and 578 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:21,000 you have believed And you recognize that this is done in 579 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,900 remembrance of him. He recognized that it's not by 580 00:35:23,900 --> 00:35:25,700 your own works. It's not by your own efforts. 581 00:35:25,700 --> 00:35:28,000 It's not by your own striving that you enter into eternal 582 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,800 life. But what he has done alone 583 00:35:29,900 --> 00:35:33,000 through his body, through his blood, if you're a person who 584 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:34,800 can't say confidently, that's what I believe in. 585 00:35:34,808 --> 00:35:37,400 Then we ask you kindly to refrain from participating 586 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,200 because this is reserved for the children of God, you're more 587 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:43,200 than welcome to observe. And as you're observing, I love 588 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,800 to say this, when you see Christians coming forward to eat 589 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:48,500 of this and to partake of this, what you're seeing is people 590 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:51,600 walking up up to a revelation and that Revelation is. 591 00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:55,200 I cannot save myself. What Jesus Christ has done has 592 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,400 saved me and delivered me. And I am saved based on his 593 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,900 Merit, not my own and maybe you can come to that realization 594 00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:05,200 yourself and maybe one day you too can partake of this table 595 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,600 and so I can invite the pricing to come up at this moment. 596 00:36:09,900 --> 00:36:12,000 As we prepared to sing, I would like to address the person in 597 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:16,000 here who might even in this introduction, who might be 598 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:21,400 holding two traditions. Time did not allow me to address 599 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:23,900 one of the more popular Traditions that are clearly 600 00:36:23,900 --> 00:36:27,400 concerning. But what I want to call to you 601 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:31,100 to do is ask yourself, what is the authority in my faith? 602 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:35,200 What is the authority? Is it the word of God or is it 603 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:38,200 the word of God and it can I ask you something? 604 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,600 Even you Evangelical Believers? Can I ask you something? 605 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:42,100 Why is it that you do? What you do? 606 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,500 Why is it that you believe what you believe? 607 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,900 Is it because of the word of God is too because it is written. 608 00:36:49,700 --> 00:36:51,100 Really? What this boils down to is an 609 00:36:51,100 --> 00:36:55,100 authority issue, and if you think that this is legalistic, 610 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:59,200 or if you think that this is nitpicking, or let me give you a 611 00:36:59,207 --> 00:37:02,800 popular one, if you think that this is divisive, then you think 612 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:07,300 Jesus is divisive? Because Jesus cares about the 613 00:37:07,300 --> 00:37:12,000 truth. And Jesus cares about What 614 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:14,700 agrees with the truth and what disagrees with the truth? 615 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,600 I know it's not popular but I want to please him. 616 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,700 That's my desire. And if you want to be in the 617 00:37:23,700 --> 00:37:27,900 truth, if you want to be in the totality of the truth, then 618 00:37:27,900 --> 00:37:30,000 you'll be concerned about one thing, as you're driving 619 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:35,600 motivation. Does this, please my God, Even 620 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,300 at the expense of offending people that I know even at the 621 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:42,500 expense of may be disturbing people that I care about and who 622 00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:45,700 care about me. You have to determine something. 623 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:51,500 Do I want Christ to be, please Above All Else. and if you can 624 00:37:51,500 --> 00:37:55,500 say yes to this, then you can rejoice in a chapter like, Mark, 625 00:37:55,600 --> 00:38:01,200 chapter 7, but if you feel offense, they want to ask you to 626 00:38:01,207 --> 00:38:04,600 step back and wonder why and ask yourself. 627 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:10,400 Does my emotional disturbance makes sense according to what 628 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:15,200 Christ has said? As we come forward today, as I 629 00:38:15,207 --> 00:38:19,600 said, it's no mere tradition. It's got inspired. 630 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:22,000 Can we stand and sing to the Lord together?