What Jesus Did! 'Making Up the Rules' — Matthew 15:3-6

We cannot live in fellowship or have community worship without some traditions. Traditions help us make life more predictable and manageable. They give worship assemblies a sense of purpose and recognizability. The problem comes when we let our traditions force out the things and will of God or begin to see our traditions as God’s requirements.

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus confronted the interpretation of the law that added human traditions, rituals, and restrictions that were superficial and even directly contrary to God's will. Jesus, as Immanuel ("God is with us," Matthew 1:23), used both words and actions to show what God intended in his law. He challenged many of the accepted traditional practices and interpretations. He moved directly back to God's heart and will behind the law.

For us to be true disciples, we must learn from Jesus what God's will is. He reminded us in this passage that NOTHING, no teaching or tradition, should be allowed to replace the clearly stated will of God. Otherwise, those who are hungering to find God get left out and those who know all the little rules and traditions can feel smug and self-righteous. Jesus came so the last could be first and the first, last. When tradition crowds out the will of God, the truth is lost, from first to last!