Matthew 15 - Jesus Talking Traditions and Commandments!

SF Stagecoach, NV

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Prodigals and Unsaved,

            I thought I'd start out with a joke my sister told me;  How can you tell your a Christian?  Once your feet touch the floor in the morning - the enemy says OH CRAP!

            Our Lessons in Matthew will always contain topics such as; Life, Healings, Miracles, Deliverance and more.  Today we'll learn; what His Word is telling us about the; Traditions versus Commandments, Where The Heart of Man Is, The Syropheonician Woman, What entailed Healing the Multitudes and How/Why Jesus Healed the 4,000+.

So hang in there, - Abba [God], does not want His children to have lack of knowledge. That's why Jesus through the Word, tells us what it's like in Heaven and will be on earth, so we can preach; live a Godly life and overcome the world [enemy].  The World, is the twerp's [satan's] playground. But if you know your authority, he can't play with you.

Verse  NOTE: ALL meanings are from Strong's Concordance, unless marked otherwise.

15:1-14    Man's Tradition Versus God's Commandments:

à      [Matthew 15:1-3 NASB] 1 "Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"
    As usual, those that think they know it all, because they want 1) Power over the people or 2) want everyone to see how smart they are [or covering their corruption].
    There's a difference between what Abba [God] wants from us, versus what the world wants.  As you read the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit [HS] to teach you:

·       [John 14:25-27 NASB] 25 "These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
    We have been given a Helper from Abba, His name is the Holy Spirit.  He has several jobs here on earth,  I almost feel sorry for Him, having to deal with many of the worlds [us] problems, BUT PTL He teaches us, guides us, reminds us of what the Word says, and convicts the world of sin.  Once we get it into our computer [brain].  Our power is in the Name of Jesus, so even with asking the Holy Spirit to help you - it must be in Jesus' Name.
    The Word tells us that Abba's PEACE surpasses ALL understanding [Philippians 4:7].  In other words, you won't understand why a situation no longer upsets you and you now have calmness in your spirit - That's His Promise to YOU!
    Did you know, IF you FEAR something, it's because you have a lack of FAITH in Abba to help you?  It's throughout the Bible - check it out.  Fear causes doubts, IF Abba is unable to  [2 Timothy 1:7]. 
    FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen [Hebrews 11:1]. We humans call that our "wish list." Abba calls it "on the way".
    One of the gals in my Bible Study said, she'd read a verse in the Bible, and she'd heard the Holy Spirit tell her to read it again.  Because she'd seen, what she had learned in her younger years, was not what the scripture was actually saying.  To her, it was a light bulb going off.  This has happened several times now.  Re-reading the Word is always good.  As parables were taught to those who had not heard about Abba, Jesus or the Holy Spirit, it would be like Africa knowing about snow.  There'd be no understanding.  That's the way it is when you 1st start reading the Bible.  You will only get the basics - which is what you need to start.  Each time you read it again, you will understand more and more - Abba does not want you overloaded to start, or many would just give up and stop reading the Word.  Abba is a VERY PATIENT God.

à      [Matthew 15:4-6 NASB] 4 "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' 5 "But you say, 'Whoever says to [his] father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given [to God,]" 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And [by this] you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition."
    The Pharisees and scribes are at it again.  They never stop trying to build a wall between you and Abba.  They don't want you to help your PARENTS, but honor RELIGION.  Our God is not a God of RELIGION!  Abba does not change His commandments to fit the people, but commands us to do what's right on earth, as it is in Heaven!
    Money and servants are given to many Religious organizations, but Abba has streets of God - do you really think He needs or wants your money?  He does want us to provide a building for His Ministers [Shepherds] to minister to you at, He does want to help the needy, provide Bibles, food, clothing, counseling, missionaries, etc., to those who need it - and that takes the mighty dollar.  That's how our system is and built.  That's what your 10% tithe goes for.  It's not to line the pocket of ANYONE!

·       [1 Timothy 5:18 NASB] "For the Scripture says, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages."
    If an Ox is working for you, and you muzzle the Ox, it can't eat.  The Ox will starve, weaken and die.
    When a congregation does not help with the costs of their "shepherd's" expenses, they must work a side job, to take care of their family, church and personal responsibilities.  They rarely complain about that - But the people forget with three jobs, he/she can hardly give 100% of their time to the congregation. 
    I'm ashamed to say, tithing wasn't our issue at church, but we forgot and we had such a good loving Pastor, we all need a break/vacation, to restore us.  Our pastor would only be gone maybe 1 week a year - in 9 1/2 years, we wore him out.  We're making sure, we don't do that again with the our new Pastor.  It's very time consuming to lead a congregation, be involved with the community - try to unite churches in your area to fellowship, make sure the church is kept updated with the needs and maintenance, etc,.  So don't stop your Shepherd from working 100% for you.
    Anyway, I think you get the idea - BLESS and PRAY for the WISDOM of your PASTOR and his family.

à      [Matthew 15:7-9 NASB] 7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'" [Isaiah 29:13]
    That's Abba, who place the words above in all CAPS - not me.
    The Joy of the Lord is OUR Strength - Abba's JOY is when we praise Him and bring Him the Glory only HE DESERVES.  He has so many gifts to give His Children, many have received, but few have acknowledged His gifts.
    How would you feel if you gave a birthday gift to someone and they totally ignored your gift?  Personally, my feelings would be hurt.  I'd think they didn't like me and their being nice to me was faked.  Saying Jesus is Lord - and doing things against His Word, does not prove or show you love Him.

à      [James 1:7-10 NASB] 7 "For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 [being] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man [is to glory] in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away."
    Are you, not receiving what you've asked for?  Do you LOVE the Lord, and IF SO, how have you shown Him?  Those are 3 questions you should ask yourself, and repent if necessary.  Would your spouse or your children ignore you - showing their love for you?  Not fun, and to me, it would be very lonely.  Do you think maybe Abba is feeling the same way about you?  I'm not judging anyone here, you must judge yourself - truthfully Re-Read: [Proverbs 3:5-7].  I know how busy we can get and ignoring Abba, even for a few days can weaken us allowing the enemy to attack.  
    I've said this before, but you'll get the idea here, how I messed up.  My 80 year old Uncle moved to NV, so he would have family near by.  I had moved here about a year before.  When he came, I spent almost 12 hours each day - finding a place for him to live, closer to a bigger town, library, stores, etc., than I have.  Then we shopped in Reno [125 miles round trip] almost every other day to find him furniture and basic needs for his new house.  All in all, I spent almost 30 days of exhaustion to get him settled and to tired at night to get with the Lord.  For those that have read my book, "God's POWER AVAILABLE To Us" you know my ant story - but here's an addition to it.  There were red [biting] ants by my sidewalk, when I moved here.  Bible says we have authority over EVERY creeping thing -

·       [Genesis 1:26 NASB] 26 "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

    I take the Word literally, so I commanded them to leave in Jesus' Name.  Usually they were gone by the next day.  Not this time, I repeated the command for two more days - and they were still there.  I finally asked the Lord, why they weren't leaving.  As clear as a bell, I heard, they are listening to you, as You've been listening to ME.  I went right in called my uncle - told him I see him every couple of days - I had other things to do.  Then I went in and studied His Word.  The next day ALL the ants were gone!  It's not that I stopped loving the Lord, I just let another's need stop me from communicating with MY LORD.  Even though He was telling me for over a month, to get back in the Word.

    This principal is basically from [Matthew 18:18 NASB] "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.  We'll talk more about this in detail, when we get to Chapter 18 of Matthew.

[Matthew 15:10-14 NASB] 10 "After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. 11 "[It is] not what enters into the mouth [that] defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." 12 Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. 14 "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
    Here's something Jesus wants us to understand so hear.  It's not what you eat that defiles you, but what comes out of your mouth.
    Defiles means: To make (Levitically) unclean, render unhallowed, profane.
    What's unclean - is what comes out of your mouth,  What's considered unhallowed - whatever you speak against Jesus or Abba.  What is profane - Those terrible curse words the enemy has taught men and women to speak.  They started out mild - damn, sh**t, etc., originally just the men said them - when women were not around.  Back then, they were respectful of women, not anymore.  Now it's the "F" word, and you've probably heard many others.  Even worse, now the women are as bad as the men.
    It's not because they're illiterate, just everyone says it.  Most don't even realize they're saying it any more.  We've become a nation, that hears it so much, that its desensitized us and the children.
      Once I heard my boss say "oh Jesus' H Cr***t.  As I walked by, I told him, Jesus had nothing to do with it.  Another time when the "F" word was used around me, I asked if they ate with that mouth?  They just ignored me.  Well - ABBA is not ignoring you.  He knows everything you say, think and do - and we'll all be accountable for every word we speak come the judgment day.
    Offended means: To put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaphor.
    These things Abba will have against you.  I suggest you Repent and ask the Holy Spirit to cleans your mouth and mind of anything that may displease the Lord.

·       [Revelation 2:14 NASB] 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of] immorality."

·       [Matthew 12:36 NASB] "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."

·       Plant means: the thing planted, a plant by God.  Did not God plant Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, when He created them?  So we humans are planted here on earth too.
    In Verse 13, when it says - if Abba didn't plant something, it would be uprooted.  The plant is anyone who rejects Jesus.  They will be removed and thrown in the pit. [Not Strong's Definition]  Jesus is truly the only way, and it's only YOU who can decide your fate.

15:15-20         The Heart Of Man:

à      [Matthew 15:15-19 NASB] 15 "Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us." 16 Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also? 17 "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man."
    I believe this was covered/explained enough above in versus 10-14 above.

à      [Matthew 15:19-20 NASB] 19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."
    Not washing your hands is not a commandment, but it is reasonable for sanitation reasons today.

15:21-28  The Syropheonician Woman

à      [Matthew 15:21-24 NASB] 21 "Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and [began] to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly [grievously] demon-possessed." 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
    Syropheonician means: Syro is someone who is part Roman and Part Syrian.  Phoenician is a fake rich person, because they wore many "purple" garments.  They had abundant purple dye in their country, whereas; other nations did not and only the rich could afford purple cloth.  [this was not from Strong's Concordance].
    Why did Jesus come first to the Jews?  Because they were promised a Messiah.  Because they new of God, from the beginning of time.  They waited for approximately 3,000 years for Him.  Now Christians have had a few 1,000 years to choose Jesus or not.  But I warn you the time is coming to an end - because Jesus is coming very soon!
    In Verse 24, We are to complete the greater works of Jesus, it's not necessarily raising the dead - although He may use you for that, but it's the amount of people on the earth today 7.7 Billion that need to hear the Word.  If they don't hear the truth - how will they know the difference, to make the right choice?  As we talked about earlier in Matthew - we've ALL been pre-ordained, in our mothers womb to serve our purpose on earth, for the Lord.

·       [Romans 2:9-10 NASB] 9 "[There will be] tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
     It was not going to stay that way, but Jesus had to tell the Jews first, then His disciples would tell the rest of the world and we Christians are to finish the work for Jesus.  Those who do good...to the Jew first then also to the Greek [World].  They would be redeemed, allowing entrance onto Heaven with Jesus.  If you're not good, you already know the answer.

à       [Matthew 15:25-28 NASB] 25 "But she came and [began] to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26 And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27 But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once."
    This lady did not give up... she believed Jesus could, it was more a matter of her not being a Jew.  Any one not considered a Jew, Jesus did not minister to.  Yet her analogy of using a dog gets scraps that fall to the floor - meaning, not meant for them - but do receive.

15-29-31  Healing he Multitudes

à      [Matthew 15:29-31 NASB] 29 "Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30 And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them [those who were] lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31 So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel."
    If you ever wondered the Word says a "multitude of People" or "large crowds" consisted of, here it is.  They simply laid them all at the feet of Jesus - what could He do but deliver them?  And He did, then the people GLORIFIED THE GOD OF ISRAEL!  As each of us should do when we receive a gift of answered prayer, lay at the feet of Jesus.

15:32-39  Four Thousand Fed

à      [Matthew 15:32-34 NASB] 32 "And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." 33 The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in [this] desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?" 34 And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
    Would you like to receive compassion from Jesus?  Like the people above, remain with Him, forsaking everything else - for a time.
    It's not the quantity you have, as we discussed already, it's that we have a GOD who can multiply anything.  Always more than enough with leftovers!  I bet they would have loved having a microwave!

à      [Matthew 15:35-39 NASB] 35 "And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; 36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the people. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full. 38 And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan."
    Just like before, Jesus had compassion and had the people sit on the ground.  Then checked to see what was available, gave thanks to Abba for the fish and loaves.  Then had His disciples hand out the food.  When everyone was full, the picked up the leftovers and from that small amount, there were seven large baskets full. 
    I wish the Word said what they did with the leftovers.  Only thing I'm sure of, is they were not wasted.
    Here is one of the times they say "besides women and children" often used in other areas of Word.  Since they married young in those days, and had no contraceptives, they had many children as well.  So IF each man had one wife and one child, Jesus fed Twelve Thousand in reality, with seven large baskets of leftovers.  WOW!  Our God is able to meet any need you have large or small, and He always gives more than enough!

    My prayer 4 U:  Father, in Jesus' Name I'm asking You to reveal, to Your Children, how to think from Heaven's perspective, so they can release Heavenly solutions in their lives and help others, help them NOT TO LEAD with their head, but with the heart of JESUS!  -  In Jesus' Name - AMEN! and AMEN!

Blessing to ALL,

Sandy - The Lord's Servant