Matthew 15:1-39 – Defiled?
No pastoral visit
… coming FROM Jerusalem
“Why don’t your disciples obey our long-held traditions?”
How can a person who is ceremonially unclean be right with God?
… nullified the word of God for the sake of their human traditions.
A bigger problem.
Isaiah 29:13 “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules”
Food does not make person unclean before God.
… the things that come out of your mouth defile you
… we are all rotten to the core, defiled from the inside out.
Qu: “If we are ever going to be clean before God we need to deal with the problem of our unclean hearts.”
The side conversation.
Matthew 15:13, …the Pharisees and teachers of the Law as weeds…
… if you follow them, you will end up in the pit like they will.
Matthew 13:37-39… “He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”
A defiled person who sees clearly
… the region of Tyre and Sidon. (show map)
verse 22 … a Canaanite woman
“Lord, Son of David”
Jesus response – verse 21- 28
Gen 12 … great blessing to all the nations of the world.
… her faith in Jesus is commended by Jesus.
The kingdom is for people of all the nations – v 29ff
verse 31 … they praise the God of Israel.
For us today
1) The word of God or our traditions
What church traditions … that might nullify the word of God?
What society traditions … that might nullify the word of God?
What family traditions … that might nullify the word of God?
Article 34 …when the traditions of the church counter the word of God they must be rebuked openly.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, reaffirmed that the divine revelation of the gospel is transmitted in two forms: sacred Scripture and the teaching tradition of the church.
(also the Orthodox Church)
2) A transformed heart
What is your heart like?