Matthew 15:1-16:12 shows us how Jesus' teaching is the exact opposite of the Pharisees' teaching. Jesus fulfills the word/law of God. The Pharisees make void the word of God because they have elevated the tradition of the elders to the same level as the word of God. Jesus seeks change from the inside out -- from the heart to the mouth. The Pharisees are concerned with outward conformity -- ceremonial washings. Jesus can interpret the signs of the times (his miracles). The Pharisees can interpret the signs of the sky for the weather. The danger is that the Pharisees' teachings if they get a foothold in the church would spread to the whole like leaven works in dough. And this is easy to fall into since we often respond to Pharisees by becoming Pharisees.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: heart, Matthew, Pharisees, signs, tradition

Matthew 15:1-16:12 shows us how Jesus' teaching is the exact opposite of the Pharisees' teaching. Jesus fulfills the word/law of God. The Pharisees make void the word of God because they have elevated the tradition of the elders to the same level as the word of God. Jesus seeks change from the inside out -- from the heart to the mouth. The Pharisees are concerned with outward conformity -- ceremonial washings. Jesus can interpret the signs of the times (his miracles). The Pharisees can interpret the signs of the sky for the weather. The danger is that the Pharisees' teachings if they get a foothold in the church would spread to the whole like leaven works in dough. And this is easy to fall into since we often respond to Pharisees by becoming Pharisees.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: heart, Matthew, Pharisees, signs, tradition

In our first of several sermons on the clash between the Pharisees and Jesus, Matthew 12 shows us the god and idol of the religious, the heart of the religious, and the attitudes and actions of the religious. Religion here means the opposite of grace -- salvation through works. The religious, from evil hearts, worship Satan as their god using the idol of rules. As a result it is no surprise that their actions (especially their words) and attitudes are evil. They look for a way to accuse Jesus, they are judgmental, compare themselves to others defensively, and defensively assert their own righteousness instead of resting in Christ's righteousness. The religious way to avoid Jesus is to attempt to avoid sin. But the only way of salvation is Jesus Christ.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: christ, grace, heart, idolatry, idols, judge, Matthew, Pharisees, sacrifices, satan, worship

In our first of several sermons on the clash between the Pharisees and Jesus, Matthew 12 shows us the god and idol of the religious, the heart of the religious, and the attitudes and actions of the religious. Religion here means the opposite of grace -- salvation through works. The religious, from evil hearts, worship Satan as their god using the idol of rules. As a result it is no surprise that their actions (especially their words) and attitudes are evil. They look for a way to accuse Jesus, they are judgmental, compare themselves to others defensively, and defensively assert their own righteousness instead of resting in Christ's righteousness. The religious way to avoid Jesus is to attempt to avoid sin. But the only way of salvation is Jesus Christ.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: christ, grace, heart, idolatry, idols, judge, Matthew, Pharisees, righteousness, salvation, satan

The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

Click here or the title to listen to this sermon.

Labels: burial, christ, death, eleazar, ephraim, heaven, inheritance, joseph, joshua, judah, new creation, resurrection, serve, spirit

The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

Click here or the title to listen to this sermon.

Labels: burial, christ, death, eleazar, ephraim, heaven, inheritance, joseph, joshua, judah, new creation, resurrection, serve, spirit

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

Click the title or here to listen.

Labels: christ, evangelism, heart, idolatry, idols, joshua, serve, soul, spirit, worship

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

Click the title or here to listen.

Labels: christ, evangelism, heart, idolatry, idols, joshua, serve, soul, spirit, worship