Your Own Traditions

Job 22; Mark 7-8 

“…’You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’…Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.’”

Mark 7:9, 10, 13

In what ways do our church traditions or practices set aside the commands of God?

We have elevated the teaching ministry of the Word and commoditized it through podcasts and web access so that the ministry of the Body of Christ has been replaced by a single voice. Our covenant- community has been replaced by a privatized religious consumer. Church can be reduced to a sermon. Even Jesus’ example of family is relevant in an age where we ‘warehouse’ the elderly in lonely and forgotten homes. Jesus invites us, as the Church, to listen to the Word and obey. As the Body of Christ, we all function together, using our gifts on his mission, responding to his authority. When we together listen and obey, worship and serve, we will grow into spiritual maturity and represent Christ‘s kingdom on earth.

“Lord Jesus, your living Word is our authority; we desperately need you, for your glory.”