Matthew 15:1-14 KJV
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
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.
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 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.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Do you ever wonder why the woman at the well in John 4 was not condemned for sleeping with a man not her husband? Ever wonder why Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery, but let her go with the words sin no more. Ever wonder why the disciple picked corn in the field and were not obeying the traditions of the elders. Nor did they wash hands before eating bread, as properly taught by the elders. Elders meaning really the laws of Moses. The laws that were given part of social customs and such. There were even stricter rules it seems for the Priesthood and yet not everyone observed them. A contrast of believers not all obeying traditions. Did these traditions effect faith?

I got on this subject in my head yesterday about traditions, and in truth I forgot to read ahead, okay seldom read ahead. Yet in reality this subject plagued me awhile in regards to traditions. Are we free from traditions or are we tied to traditions that really have little value beyond keeping peace, keeping safety, keeping things clean and so forth. When I was going to church, the kids help clean on Saturday and on Sunday we went to church, and if there was company on Sunday you did not have to worry about it because the house was clean or least that was what was thought by me being the reason we did it that way. Does it matter what day you clean house, no, in fact most clean some during the week too. However this is not about me, this is about scripture what the discussion with Jesus is really about. Does tradition of man effect us and our faith, do we have to obey the traditions in order to be saved.

Israel was in the wilderness(open desert) when the laws were given. What purpose did cleanliness laws have to protect from germs to prevent disease with people living closely together. What if you in an open field away from the crowd, more in a private setting and conversing maybe with whoever else is around, after all it was the Sabbath, a time of meditation, listening to the law of faith and so forth. Was there water present to wash their hands, was the need of food greater then their need to obey the law. What has the world learned about cleanliness since cov? What traditions are still being broke with no thoughts of cov, but it does not change whether cov exist, but perhaps keeps it from being spread.

Germ control and prevention CDC guidelines. We have to ask is the health board part of tradition or necessarity with so many criss cross of cultures today? If in a boat with a fishing rod and worms, do you wash your hand beyond the simple dipping of hands in the pond to get particles of worms off your hands? If at a hotdog stand, do you worry about if your hands are clean before the ordering of food and sitting in the park? Do you worry about being in amusement park and riding any of the rides and then hitting the nearest place to eat, without headed to the public restroom? Depends on who you ask. The religious leaders is making observation about the disciples that might not of been part of their culture in regards to what they were eating. I almost guarantee if you tell someone it time to wash hands they might do it, out of knowledge of ettiquettes. But do they do it traditionally in their surroundings. Ask a farmer going in his tomato crop if he worried about washing off the tomato, or cleaning his hands before taking that first bite, beyond whether this is a bee or ant on it? The answer is no, he only thinking about how that juicy tomato on his vine is going to taste and why don't I carry that salt shaker with me.

There are cultures where cursing seems not to be wrong like not washing one's hands. Yet when a culture criss cross no one thinks much about it but the political, and religiously right. Then the question does it matter to God? I have to wonder in the wilderness the laws were long and lengthy, and then you see Jesus walking around not condemning some acts that would of been condemned by the law of faith. Did the disciples believe yet that Jesus was the Messiah? Yet the woman at the well did, and yet she was not condemned, but became evanglist to her community. Is it one tradition after the other the blindness, or is the traditions good, but not without the ability to be broken. Was tradition of speaking with the Samaritan woman not breaking of religious law?

Is faith in God about traditions or about believing in who God is, and who his Son is and who his Spirit is? Is tradition about protection against the things of this earth. The other day I was in the grocery store, and I thought I seen something on sale that I liked, but it was like someone said go back and look, because I was determind to get to the check out line instead of checking out the bargain. Then I got to another section same thing happened, and I thought what is the importants of looking, and so I did, and found two things I had been looking for on sale. I thought how strange. Perhaps I will know later why I had to pick these items up, two were discontinued items. No big deal, sooner or later they be back on the shelf probably, maybe a different company. What is more important taking God shopping in your heart and mind, so he lets you see the sale, or taking the rushing hubby with you so you spend not a penny more. Some would say sure it was God. Why would he care what you bought. That is a good question, and no response from me, I have no clue this morning. Other then the fact that God knows our need, our wants and our desires.

I go a step further was it by tradition those items would of normally been purchased, the answer is no. Yet the question now even greater would those items been important to faith, the answer is no. Would it been important to desire, the answer would of been yes. Yet God wants to give the desire of our heart. Now what were the items, you are now wondering. Lemon cake and celery seed and salt. Both things I can do without, but I am not going without, not by my desire, but God stopping me in the store on those things. Perhaps because I stopped looking for them, God was now able to show me they did exist on the shelf. Sometimes we are so caught up in religiousity, we fail to see the desire of our faith is not in religiousity or traditions but in belief in God. We only need to pick up our faith, hope, and love to know this. Traditions of men had nothing to do with belief in God. What Jesus was being asked about was about traditions of culture not religious duties of faith. If we abandon tradition do we abandon faith. Do we have faith beyond our tradition. If we leave rituals behind is the celery seed and salt still in on the shelf along with the lemon cake, or is it discontinued in our life. Faith once discontinued has no value to individual, but if belief continues then one has what hope beyond human traditions or the consequence of sin.

Jesus is talking about a time of destruction a time when tradition would be no more, but faith would still be of value to individual, the desire of faith still needed on the shelf in hopes to grab hold for future generations. Jesus was teaching about faith, not sin, only repentance and turning away from what you know was wrong. Jesus was not teaching about the tradition of elders, but holding to the faith in God. Yet tradition only reminds one of faith in God. Just like the need for certain items on a shelf that is necessary for certain recipes, but not necessary for living. People live without faith all the time, but what they seldom realize is faith is already there with the first belief of God. It begins as a mustard seed, and grows into faith, love and hope. If it is on the shelf it there for the buying. We can not buy faith, we can only believe in our heart, but God can purchase us by giving of his Son which we receive him in our heart. Purchase us from what sin, and place his laws in our heart. The laws of obedience in our heart. To do the right thing despite traditon, laws and so forth that might prevent faith, love and hope. Exile did not mean one could have freedom of faith, nor did it mean that it would prevented faith in God, because who can prevent a person thought, idea from being within a person's heart. Who can stop a person from believing in Jesus, because faith begins with a tiny seed of hope and love.

Why follow CDC guideline it is for healthy living, but not spiritual living. Why follow the laws of our land? It suppose to help people get along with others in a free society. It like the issue of rights of others that differ from ourselves. Guidelines by government might not be as strict as some groups of faith. I am more liberal then some churches when it comes to do and don'ts but I am fundmental in my beliefs in regards to the importance of faith, even when I fail in my walk of trusting God. Most will never admit they fail at times. Yet I will, because we are human, we all struggle and I have to work not at faith, but in obedience to God. Celery seed seems unimportant. Yet when you look a little deeper it has to do with searching for those items for building faith. For three years I had check those shelves for that spice and one time I almost pass by and not look, it is there. Sometimes we look for our faith and it just on the shelf, and needs to be taken down and used. We can hide our faith, but our faith maybe still there. Our faith may still exist. Our faith never left. We may even be blind to our need of faith that it there, we just can not see it because of the traditions we break. We think the traditions keep us in faith in God it is not what keeps us in faith. Faith is deeper still. God keeps us believing. He is faithful not to let go, he is faithful to bring us to a point we bow to him in our need of him, and he allows the world of sin to breaks us to the point we realize his way is best.

What did the cross teach the disciples about rebellion of government and faith? There was a price to be paid in society of the breaking of laws but not a price to obeying God. If the constitution of our land why then would someone not support our laws, only because they see not the law being either not good or not being keep by our government leaders and only being broken by them. Faith on the rise, it always has been from generation to generation, why because each generation must decide to believe within their hearts that the need of God is important in their lives. God's laws will always be superior because it the law of faith, love and hope to and for our afterlife. Without that hope what is there in life but to wait for our day of destuction/death, the punishment for sin. God bigger then our sin, he loves us, and desires to know us. Let him into your life today.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to live by faith and not by sight of religiousity and traditions that are of man or for living in our world for our protection. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Colossians 2:20-23; 3:1-17 KJV
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.