January 20th Devotion

Matthew 15:1-9 (NIV)
1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" 3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6 he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"

What a way to answer an accusation about being unclean! “They eat with dirty hands? Well, you dishonor God when you take support away from your mother and father, in MY Name.” “Their hands are dirty, and your hearts are dirty. You are the unclean ones.”

The fourth commandment, Honor your father and mother, is the first commandment after, Honor God, Do not use His name in vain and Remember the Sabbath. It comes before "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 21 "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Deuteronomy 5:17-21 (NIV)

You may be a Christian, but you are still a son or daughter. Whether or not your parents are saved, does not change this commandment. In fact, whether or not someone else is saved, does not negate any commandment.

This truth begs the question, “Are you clean or unclean?” Heaven knows.

Love, Pastor Don