Tradition!

River Church Sermons

The Gospel of Mark 1-8

Part 7: Tradition!

By Louie Marsh, 5-19-2024

Last Slide – defining tradition.

1) Jesus didn’t CARE for mindless tradition.

“1Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4and 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.)” (Mark 7:1–4, ESV)

· This was done to be RITUALLY clean, no germaphobes!

· Washing is just one of Jewish 1st Century traditions.

2) Traditions aren’t necessarily GOOD OR BAD.

“8You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11But 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)— 12then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”” (Mark 7:8–13, ESV)

· Only God’s Word can be my AUTHORITY not tradition!

· Never use tradition as an EXCUSE to disobey God.

· The traditions I keep expose the true state of my HEART.

3) What comes out not what goes into me that DEFILES.

“17And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18And 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, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”” (Mark 7:17–23, ESV)

· This means my heart is INCLINED to evil without God.

· The natural state of the human heart is SELFISH.

4) There are COMMANDS from God, that are also called traditions.

“15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15, ESV)

· These “traditions” aren’t COMPARABLE to pot lucks.

5) I must dare to BREAK traditions & follow Jesus.

“26Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.”” (Mark 7:26–29, ESV)

· A Gentile woman asks Jesus to deliver her daughter - non-traditional.

· Jesus speaks to her – non-traditional, calls her a dog which is traditional.

· She accepts her Gentile status – and still asks for deliverance – non-traditional.

· Jesus sees her faith and says the demon is gone.