Jesus vs Tradition | April 28, 2024 | Jeremy Bratcher

Mosaic Church Podcast (Maple Grove, MN)

In the sermon "Jesus vs Tradition," Pastor Jeremy Bratcher addresses the issue of tradition hindering compassion, using Jesus's encounters with the Pharisees as an example. Coming from Luke chapter six, Pastor Bratcher shares the instances where Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for truly neglecting loving acts in the name of preserving their stringent religious laws. The Pharisees, as temple leaders, had created a vast number of additional Sabbath laws, focusing more on legalism and tradition than compassion. Pastor Bratcher explains how their preference for rigid traditions over benevolence led to exclusion and stagnancy, and consequently, they failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The sermon underlines the risk of prioritizing tradition over compassion and love, arguing for a balance between firm convictions and flexibility in relationships. It calls for advocacy for marginalized groups, emphasizing that love and compassion should be considered paramount, even above strict religious protocols. It compels Christians to emulate Jesus's compassionate outlook, reject restrictive traditions, and adopt the law of love when interacting with people of differing views and backgrounds. Finally, the sermon advises Christians to remember that all commandments are fulfilled through the law of love.