Tradition, Freedom and Jesus

Introduction

If I asked the average punter to describe Victory Church, most people would probably come up with words like relevant, contemporary, modern etc.

Not many would describe this church as traditional, perhaps based on the lack of stained glass windows and organs.

Some may go as far as to say that we are NON traditional and that we don’t believe in traditions, only the word of God!

On closer inspection we actually find that there are many things that we do that are based solely on tradition:

  • Christmas
  • Easter
  • Mothers day and Fathers day, birthdays
  • Saying Grace at meal times
  • Baby dedications
  • Mocking Port Power (this pleases God)

Having said that there are certain traditions that we don’t observe

  • Using the title Pastor

Generally, the church is famous for creating traditions and keeping them going (traditions, customs, practices)

The real question then is where does Jesus fit into all of these things and why is it even important?

I believe it’s important for 2 reasons:

1. Jesus taught specifically about it
2. The key issue is freedom in Christ – it’s always under attack

Tonight we’re looking at TRADITION, FREEDOM AND JESUS

Read Mark 7:1-5

  • ‘Cleanness’ was a big deal to the Jews from the time of Moses
  • Many OT laws about washing, handling the dead, going to the toilet.
  • Kept them healthier and safer than a lot of other groups
  • But by the time of Jesus this had evolved into something more…Tradition.
  • Their biggest mistake was that they challenged Jesus about it…

Note – while the example may have been about the washing of hands, the real issue was about the expectation to live according to the tradition - a matter of freedom

I suspect that if Jesus hadn’t been there the disciples (and many of us) would have ‘washed our hands’ (use it as a metaphor from now on)

‘Tradition’ has a noble and intimidatory quality about it – it doesn’t like to be questioned!

Many times in our lives we just ‘wash’ in a false belief that it is helping.

  • Family tradition
  • Workplace expectation
  • Cultural trends

This is why we need Jesus in our lives, speaking up for us.

Read Mark 7:6-13

The battle is between obeying the words of Men vs the Words of God

3 Reasons why ‘hand washing’ doesn’t wash with Jesus.

1. Hypocrisy. (vs 6)

No heart connection with God (it didn’t come from the heart of God or reach to it.)

The apparent zeal of the Pharisees was all external.

  • Majored on the outward and external – hands, clothes etc
  • Loved the traditions more than God (what do we love more?)
  • It was vain worship – FUTILE!
  • Good traditions and practices involve authentic worship

The question here:
Is there a connection to Gods heart?

2. Nullified the word of God (vs 13)

Their words had become more important and weighty than Gods words

  • Traditions sound so good! (washing, Corban, etc)
  • A command always out weighs a tradition.
  • When they clash, you obey God! – the Pharisees promoted the opposite.
  • To nullify or minimize Gods word is a serious sin
  • The sin nature does it illegally, but tradition ‘enshrines’ it.
  • “…And you do many things like that”.

Now we have to really think about where WE do that!

They exchange good things with God things

The question here:
Is there submission to God's word?

3. Heresy

What they were enforcing was actually wrong.

They were asserting that ceremonial washing of hands would make a person clean before God, and NOT washing left them ‘dirty’.

Read Mark 7:14-23 (now Jesus answers the original question)

To clean something you need to know where the dirt is

  • The Pharisees tradition was about keeping the dirt out (the hands)
  • Jesus said that the dirt (sin) is already in (the heart)

Jesus words exposed the worthlessness of the tradition

The question here:
Is there correlation to God’s ways?

Conclusion

In a word, the real issue here is FREEDOM.

Traditions don’t bring freedom

  • They may celebrate it or commemorate it, but they don’t provide it
  • They usually end up depriving people of freedom - “why didn’t you……”

Don’t let the awesome freedom that Christ bought for you with his own life be minimised by the futile and temporal words of men.

When ever the words of men bring this pressure, ask yourself:

Is my heart touching Gods?
Is His word being honoured?
Is my life reflecting His?

Gal 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

  • Observing traditions doesn’t bring us near to God