CHURCH TRADITIONS

Newsletter 280 January 29, 2012
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Matthew 15:1-9 King James Version (KJV)
Dating, at least, from the time that Moses went up the mountain to receive the ten- commandments from God, mankind has had the attitude, “We never did it this way before!” It wasn’t just the leeks and other foods of Egypt they missed. Egypt had set the example of worshipping all manner of gods. Many were represented by idols. Now, this Moses, had come back down the mountain after a long stay, with a set of laws engraved on stone and the idea of only one God. He found that they had taken the gold they had brought from Egypt, and made themselves a golden calf they could see and worship as they had seen others do in Egypt. Yes, in his anger Moses had shattered the ten-commandments, and utterly destroyed the golden calf before he went back, empty handed, to get another set of commandments from the Lord. They had to change from many gods, to one God, and a whole new concept of what is right or wrong. And they struggled, and they complained. One generation crossed the Sea, but it was a whole generation later that crossed the Jordan.
Many generations later, we are still struggling with the habit of resisting change in our worship style. When the church was young, Barnabas sold land and gave the money he received to Peter to aid the infant church in caring for the needy in Jerusalem. This was a good thing and God blessed it, but Ananias and Sapphira, when they saw and heard the people speaking well of Barnabas, did the “same.” The only difference was their motive, and that they kept part of the money and told Peter that they were giving all. They were adding lies to greed and envy. Without realizing it they were starting a new tradition; a little different, but appearing the same.

1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

(Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23, Mark 3:22, Mark 7:1, John 1:19, Acts 25:7)

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

(Luke 11:38)

In 1955, when we first moved to Kimberley, the African churches were delighted to have missionary speakers and to celebrate with a church dinner just after services. No matter how many people had thronged the place of worship, they customarily placed the speaker, and all missionaries present at the door and as every person filed past, shaking their hands and then stepping into line to also shake hands with everyone else. Then they wondered why all the American missionaries wanted to wash their hands before eating! They never bothered.
This is not the same washing meant this text. Devout Jews observed a very set way of washing the hands and it had to be done precisely. Soap and clean water had little to do with it. It was a tradition, just as the communion bread had to be literally broken off a larger piece, because we “break bread.” We have broken tradition, it seems when we placed the Lord’s table in a side room, at least when I last actually saw it. The pulpit soon followed, where I do not know, as did using the Acts 2:38 scripture as a scripture lesson on the reason we immerse, other than the meaning of the word itself. Some churches have actually done away with the use of water at all. Now our Piano and Organ are hidden behind curtains. Times are changing things. Since we are not offered evening worship, city style, we recently visited an nearby church and enjoyed a delightful evening in a crowded service where there was no piano to start with, and no “stringed or percussion instruments,” someone off in a corner started the hymns the words and music for which were projected very clearly for the rest of us.

Every church has its own traditions today, and that is why there are so many denominations. We have followed men, and not the Word.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

(Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9)

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

(Isaiah 29:13)

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
(Colossians 2:22)


IS IT OF THE WORD?

God gave the Holy Spirit to be our ever present guide and comforter, but are we replacing Him with our own traditions, rather than those of God?
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READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2012

JANUARY

29th. Sunday – Job 13, 14, 15, Matthew 21:1-22, Psalm 17:1-5
30th. Monday – Job 16, 17, 18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalm 17:6-12
31st. Tuesday - Job 19, 20, Matthew 22:1-22, Psalm 17:13-15

FEBRUARY

1st. Wednesday - Job 21, 22 Matthew 22:23-46, Proverbs 3:21-36
2nd. Thursday - Job 23, 24, 25, Matthew 23:1-22, Psalm 18:1-6
3rd. Friday – Job 26, 27, 28, 29, Matthew 23:23-39, Psalm 18:7-15
4th. Saturday - Job 30, 31, Matthew 24:1-25, Psalm 18:16-24 _______

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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” – Matthew 15:8-9
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