Title: Traditions-Does God care? Do We Care?

Introduction: Greetings Brethren (brothers and sisters in Christ) and visitors!

Comment: Where can you find “True Religion”? That is what millions ask! Thursday I found it at a hospital gift shop. Amazed, I found 3 different boxes of “true religion” – a variety of “perfumes and creams”. In a Peoria school class recently, kids were learning how to make a distinction between fact and fiction. They seemed to understand which traditions might be fact and which might be fiction. They knew there was no reindeer with red bulbous nose - reindeer really can’t fly and no jolly man in a red suit. Why is it though, adults will insist on a green tree with brightly colored ornaments is symbolic of their Savior’s birth Candy canes represent this or that. Or what do fuzzy bunny rabbits and brightly colored eggs have to do with a Risen Savior? What is Tradition? “The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

Three Examples of Traditions: 1. Self-Crucifixion and flagellations performed in Philippines and elsewhere. Some cultures cut their heads and the heads of children to reflect their religious fervor. 2. Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand: The monkeys are the ones doing the feasting at this annual event in Thailand. Over 3,000 kilograms of fruit and vegetables are offered to the monkey population of the Lopburi province in Bangkok. (Religiously oriented?) 3. Foot Binding: A number of years ago I read a book by Pearl Buck who wrote a book called “The Good Earth”. One part I remember was a tradition in China called “Foot Binding”. For about a thousand years, young Chinese girls had to undergo the painful and debilitating process of foot binding. To ensure small, desirable feet, girls between the ages of three and fourteen had their feet broken and bound with bandages, in order to prevent their feet from growing “too big”. This custom-ritual-tradition lasted nearly a thousand years until recent times. I’m sure we all can think of some of our own family traditions. Some are quite harmless for example - at our home in NYC, it seemed we always had a huge plate of spaghetti on Thursdays and Sundays. On the first night of FOT, look at the moon and give a toast: “To the Kingdom!” Individuals, families and even nations have their traditional ways of doing things. But traditions can be good or bad. Some people and societies are so stuck in their traditions and rituals they refuse to acknowledge the possibility of doing anything different and fail to recognize their traditions can be in direct opposition to God’s will.

Sermon Title: “Traditions-Does God care? Do We Care?” 1. People Stuck in Traditions of Fathers (1688) The Apostle Paul was a man stuck in his traditions: At one point in his life the Apostle Paul recognized he was not mature in this thinking: 1 Cor 13:11 (NKJV) When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. How do we decide what is wrong or who you should please in this life? We come into society and generally adapt to certain of its customs, mores and rituals. Nothing seems to matter but what we were taught in society. All too often there is a blend of good and evil. We just can’t seem to do anything differently because of personal biases, passions and the heavy influence of the around. Also, the Apostle Peter speaks of the aimless traditions of the scattered Israelites in the surrounding Gentile nations.

1 Peter 1:1, 18 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (Ref Js 1:1 To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad) 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, Apostle Paul was likewise stuck in the traditions of his forefathers, but were those traditions good? Turn to Acts 26:4-5 4“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. Are we willing to challenge our long-held traditions to see if they would measure up to what God would have us to do? Personal Story 1968 Back in 1968 I came to realize that I needed to put away customs learned earlier in life. For a while I struggled to justify my past, but it became a fruitless battle in light of Scripture. I was forced to change comfort and symbolism for substance. At that time I had a nice elderly neighbor lady who I asked if she had ever sinned. She said, “No!” Obviously, she was unfamiliar with the definition of sin and that we all have fallen short of God’s glory. 2. The Road to Damascus Paul, initially a persecutor of Christians, who early on held to some strong religious convictions, had a dramatic change of heart on the road to Damascus. Like many of us who have had strong convictions or opinions, Paul came to see that he was not on the right path with God.

Let’s turn and read to Acts 22:1-10 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” 2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said: 3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ God dealt personally with Paul even as He deals with us. Like Paul most of us came to realize our traditions were NOT pleasing to God, nor what God would have us to do. We were stuck in the path of self and the around and we without a change in course were on a path to destruction.

3. The Apostle Paul to the Ephesians Look closer at the life of Paul. Ironically, Paul in teaching the Gospel to the Ephesians came head to head in conflict with a stubborn minded people. When the apostle Paul went before the people of Ephesus he came teaching something new, challenging their preconceived ideas! He taught salvation was only through Christ and it was based on the rule of Law - the Law of God. Some were moved to change and repentance, but others because of personal gain and vested interest fought this new belief tooth and nail. Let’s turn to and read Acts 19:22-24, 27-29 (NKJV) 22So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.23And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana (Artemis), brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 27So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” (THIS WAS A CHALLENGE TO THEIR CORE BELIEFS!) 28Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.(Let’s skip to v34) 34But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” Just IMAGINE THAT!

COMMENT: A bit of irony look back at reaction during time of Elijah preaching the word of God: This brings to mind the 450 priests of BAAL prancing and going nuts against Elijah. 1 Kings 18:28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. (Does that remind you of the cuttings, flagellations and crucifixions in the intro?) Look to right examples: But then Paul says 1 Corinthians 11:2, 19 2Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 19For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Furthermore in Philippians 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. We are reminded to follow those who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. 4. Be You Separate Elsewhere we are reminded to be you separate but not taken out of the world 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” Your traditions separate you from God! People who refuse to be separate are warned in 2 Thess 2:11-12 11And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Even the elect would wax cold.

Revelation 2:18-20 (NKJV) 18“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. Your Feast or my Feast? We are all familiar where it says in Lev 23:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. By contrast it says, pertaining to your Feast! Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. (Ref Amos 8:10, Malachi 2:3) Reference Booklet: http://www.ucg.org/booklet/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days -we-observe/does-it-matter-god/ Let’s briefly look at Matthew 15:2, 3, 6 2“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 6then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Discussion with young man Matthew 19:20 (NKJV) 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Go and sin no more; for all their traditions they and he had the wrong set of priorities. The tragedy of the drifting people: 2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. Prov 28:2 NLT When there is moral rot within a nation, the government topples easily. In seeing what and where people who have drifted into what they know not it is indeed sad and tragic. As the people go, so goes the Nation.

Conclusion: Let us bring this to a close: Remember true religion isn’t found in bottle, in a store nor in the traditions or speculations of mankind. Like the little children mentioned at the beginning we need to examine more closely our own motives, sift out the fact from fiction and stand with the truth. The times will get tougher! Remember this as we draw this to a conclusion: there will be a crisis at the close and the end of days: 2 Peter 3:3 (DNT) 3knowing this first, that there shall come at [the] close of the days mockers with mocking, walking according to their own lusts, Revelation 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Yet despite it all there is Hope for a REPENTANT mankind. Let me leave you with this quote: Ezekiel 20:34, 41 34I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 41I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.