Matthew 15:1-9 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat." 3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say that whoever tells father or mother, 'Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,' then that person need not honor the father. 6 So, for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: 8 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.'"
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that true worship is done from a heart that is close to God?
Note: This passage raises the question... how does one have a heart that is close to God? I think the answer is "Drink!" Jesus said:
Through the believer's heart flows the Holy Spirit who connects us to God. So drink! Drink up all that Jesus is and taught. Drink! And through open eyes and ears and understanding, you will be close to God:
Note: This passage raises the question... how does one have a heart that is close to God? I think the answer is "Drink!" Jesus said:
"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
and let the one who believes in me drink.
As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart
shall flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-39).
Through the believer's heart flows the Holy Spirit who connects us to God. So drink! Drink up all that Jesus is and taught. Drink! And through open eyes and ears and understanding, you will be close to God:
"blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see,
but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it" (Matthew 13:15-17).
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Note: This passage contains more than just one teaching. They will be divided over the next few posts.
- Following the word of God is more important than following tradition
- Honoring God with our lips and not our heart is meaningless
- Worship is meaningless when hearts are far from God
- Teaching human precepts as doctrine is wrong
- Neglecting one's parents (giving to church treasuries support they need) is not honoring to God
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