CARING FOR GOD'S CREATION

Jeremiah 1:4-10; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17

Introduction

God's love for humanity is perfectly demonstrated in the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ to us. So that as soon as we believe in Him, we've reached out to His saving arms (John 3:16). Jesus Christ constituted the church in Matthew 16:18 when He said, "...on this rock I will build my church, and gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18 (NIV) He keeps adding to the church day in and day out (Acts 2:41, 47).

Church Tradition here is basically the idea that the worship of God can be captured in a set of behavioural patterns which are then passed from generation to generation. One's life/worship is acceptable only when it conforms exactly to those patterns. This is what generates the most dangerous enemy of Christian worship, I mean hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is acting - putting up a show to some human audience. It is actually acting righteously when you are really not one. Today, let us take time to discuss the issue of God's love as against church tradition.

The question is, is the church today focused on their traditions, to the neglect of God's love?

Church Tradition, in today's discussion, is the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is the seventh day in a week that was set to be for God. Nowhere do we read the abomination of being healed on this day. The usual clash between Jesus and the Pharisees on the Sabbath has not been whether to observe the Sabbath but over how to observe it. The Pharisees had primarily defined the Sabbath in negative terms. They say it is prohibited to work (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15) on this day.

To them, even the casual action of the disciples in picking grain (Matt. 15:1-2) and Jesus' healing of the woman also constitutes a kind of work. It is interesting that they describe this action as “not lawful” (Mark 2:24), even though such a specific application of the fourth commandment is lacking in the Torah. The problem is that they see their interpretation of the law as authoritative and binding.

Jesus regards the Sabbath positively. The day of freedom from work is a gift for humanity’s good. “The Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Both the Sabbath and the house of God (church) are described as “holy” in Scripture. Sabbath is a sacred time, and the house of God is a sacred space.

Jesus and Religious Tradition

As usual, Jesus visits one of the synagogues and teaches the people. He encounters a woman who had been crippled by a demonic spirit for 18 years. "...She was bent over and could not straighten up at all." Luke 13:11 (NIV). Jesus then speaks to her, "“Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then He put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God." Luke 13:12-13 (NIV). 

This is the practical demonstration of God's love to the world as we read from John 3:16. In Luke 4:18, Jesus declared His purpose on earth quoting from the Prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19 (NIV). This shows that God's love for humanity is to set us free no matter the period, venue, or time.

One would have expected applause and thanksgiving to God alongside the woman, "and immediately she straightened up and praised God." Luke 13:13 (NIV) This was not the case, they were angry, furious, and indignant, saying, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” Luke 13:14 (NIV) "Oh!, after all these 18 years, I can now straighten up in joy, totally free from my infirmity and that is not important to you my church leaders..." the woman may have thought.

Jesus immediately spoke about their hypocrisy over the commandment within their own interpretation, meanwhile, they untie their animals and give them food and water on this same Sabbath. God's love for humanity is above the doctrinal patterns of the church which shifts our focus. Holding on to church tradition at the extreme would always come against God's love.

God's love is not demonstrated to us based on how we follow human traditions against His Word. The Love of God supersedes any church tradition we hold to. Isaiah, speaks about God's love before coming to the obedience of the sabbath (Isaiah 58:6-13).

Churches may have some traditional systems to enroll people into leadership as Presbyters, Catechists, Ministers, Evangelists, etc. Yet, God has a way of using everyone just as He said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV). This brings us to the point to say that, if you are disqualified in any way to the standard of your church, it is not the basis that you cannot be used by God.

God teaches us today that, "...you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly" Hebrews 12:22 (NIV) God has laid down friendly grounds to receive and speak to us compared to the Old Testament era. So must the church be.

Conclusion

God is actually giving us a more peaceful presence unlike the days of Moses in Exo. 19. The ecclesia must never be conclusive to know it all thereby becoming a big wall against God's love for humanity. So long as we see in part (1Cor. 13:12), we must always make room for God's revelations in every situation without raising the church's Regulations, Practice and Procedures (RPP) or Constitution or Manual of Order above the expression of God's love at any particular time. 

Shalom aleichem...