Woodlawn Methodist Church of West Monroe

Woodlawn Methodist Church of West Monroe Ed Hall is the pastor
Worship @ 10:30 A.M. We are a loving congregation that welcomes everyone. OUR ADDRESS:
6150 Jonesboro Rd, West Monroe, LA 71292

09/06/2026

Here is the message for September 6, 2026 - 15th Sunday after Pentecost.
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The Limits of Labor

Psalm 119: 33 – 40
Ecclesiastes 3: 9 – 13
Colossians 3: 23 – 24

PRAYER: O Lord our God, we ask that you give us the ability to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Let’s start by reading our Old Testament and New Testament lessons for today:

Psalm 119: 33 – 40
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
and I will observe it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
36 Turn my heart to your decrees
and not to selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
be gracious to me according to your word.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
which is for those who fear you.
39 Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
for your ordinances are good.
40 See, I have longed for your precepts;
in your righteousness be gracious to me.

Ecclesiastes 3: 9 – 13
9 What gain have the workers from their toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 11 He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.

Colossians 3: 23 – 24
23 Whatever task you must do, work as if your soul depends on it, as for the Lord and not for humans, 24 since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.

Friends, to help us continue our Labor Day national holiday with a Christian influence, consider the following: Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. Many in those years worked hours a day, seven days a week in sweatshop-like companies. The Labor Day holiday was intended to recognize their contributions to the American way of life while also mandating a day off for them and their families.

In addition, the US Department of Labor reports that among those with full-time jobs, the average work week is between 45-50 with some significantly longer, at 50-60 or more hours. The average day for them is 8.5 hours. Many who work part-time jobs work more than one job and spend nearly 35 hours a week working with no benefits.

1. Labor – a gift from God we want to do!

A clear, practical definition of work from Scripture is this: work is a foundational gift from God, designed to bring Him glory, provide for human needs, and benefit others. It is even more important than earning a paycheck.

An excellent biblical example of a hard worker is Ruth. She worked in the hot fields all day picking leftover grain that had fallen from the harvesters. It was menial labor but necessary so that Ruth could feed herself and her mother-in-law Naomi. Ruth’s hard, dedicated labor attracted the attention of Boaz, who owned the field. He was moved by Ruth’s work ethic and devotion to Naomi. He instructed the harvesters to leave grain along the outer rows to help Ruth’s work be easier. And, yes, eventually he married ruth and provided a safe home. Her hard work paid dividends in several ways.

The Bible reminds us in several places:

Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “Enjoy your work and find satisfaction in it, as it is a gift from God.”

Colossians 3:23 – “Work heartily, as for the Lord .”

Enjoy our labor? Maybe … maybe not.

2. The opposite end of the spectrum reminds us to labor, but not to loaf.

Proverbs 14:23 challenges us: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Think about these statistics. A Gallup Poll survey found that 62% of employees around the world feel unengaged with their work, a situation that often leads to lower productivity and subsequent feelings of laziness. In addition, it is estimated that fully 75% of college students consider themselves habitual procrastinators who underperform and underachieve. And, yes, it is true: a survey from La-Z-Boy Furniture Company reports that 87% of Americans now consider taking a lazy day to be an acceptable form of self-care. Go sit down and do nothing.

Maybe these short stories will help us understand:

(1) Our computers went down at work today, so we had to do everything manually. It took me 20 minutes to shuffle the cards for Solitaire.

(2) Or this. The owner of a small country store asked Bill, a young man who had been hired to work in a variety of capacities to come into the office for a discussion. The owner, clearly frustrated by Bill’s poor work ethic, said, “I’m giving you the rest of the day off. But, I have one request. I want you to spend the afternoon at the zoo.” Bill allowed a huge smile to burst out and said with joy, “Wow! The afternoon off to go to the zoo!” Super, Boss. Super. But, why the zoo?” The boss now replied with a clearly determined look, “I want you to go to the turtle exhibit and watch them zip past you!”

But – and this is important – the spiritual directive is to work to the best of our ability to please God, to help others, and to grow in our own self-esteem.

You may have heard this passage from 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” It is sinfully wrong to do nothing if we are able to do something.

3. Labor. Don’t loaf. But do rest.

Here are some more statistics.

Almost 77% of Americans experience job burnout.

68% of workers find it impossible to take time off without checking work messages.

84% of desk workers regularly work overtime.

66% of workers admit to having no true work-life balance.

Nearly 48% of employees call themselves workaholics. Over 50% of these individuals sacrifice sleep and hobbies to work.

When we live like this, we have yet another spiritual problem. At the root of our compulsion is the belief that we are in charge of our own lives. We turn away from God’s numerous promises to take care of us, just as He cares for the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air.

One of our beloved hymns reminds us, “God will take care of you.” And God does and will take care of us IF we will allow Him to do so.

Try this little experiment:

Take a pan or a bucket of water. Stick your finger into the water. Pull your finger out and see the size of the hole you leave behind. (There is not much of a hole, is there?) This demonstrates that we are not irreplaceable except to our loved ones and to God.

You have the godly example: six days the Lord worked to create everything, but rested on the seventh day – as an example for us to follow. Thus, in His love and grace, Jesus invites, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavily burdened and I will give you rest.” Rest for our minds, rest for our bodies. Time to quietly think of Him and His goodness.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright once told of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life.

The winter when he was 9 years old, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved, no-nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him. He pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow’s flight, and then young Frank’s tracks meandering all over the field.

“Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and back again?” his uncle said. “And see how my tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that.”

Years later the world-famous architect liked to tell how this experience had greatly contributed to his philosophy in life. He said with a twinkle in his eye, “I determined right then not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had.”

Our goal for work should be to work and to work hard as if working for the Lord. And our goal should be to rest, and to rest well in His loving care.

He has given us everything – freely, by grace; and has enabled us to honor Him through whatever it is that we do.

From now on, when we work, let’s get going. And when it’s time to stop and rest, let’s do that well, too!

08/29/2026

Here is the message for August 30, 2026 - 14th Sunday after Pentecost.
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Entering by the Right Gate, Following the True Shepherd

Psalm 26: 1 – 8
John 10: 9
Matthew 7: 13 – 23

PRAYER: Lord of all power and might and author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Let’s start by reading our Old Testament and New Testament lessons for today:

Psalm 26: 1 – 8
1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.[a]
4 I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers
and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
and the place where your glory abides.

John 10: 9
9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.

Matthew 7: 13 – 23
13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’”

Every kingdom is defined by its king. His character shapes the culture, his authority determines the boundaries, and his word decides who belongs. In Matthew 7, Jesus is not whispering gentle advice. He is revealing Himself as King. Not a life coach. Not a moral philosopher. The King.

We live in a 21st century world that loves spirituality but resists authority, that admires Jesus but hesitates to obey Him. Yet here, at the close of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws a line in the sand. He speaks of two gates, two roads, two trees, two confessions, and two destinies. And then, in John 10:9, Jesus makes it unmistakably clear: He Himself is the way in.

This is a discipleship moment. This is about following Jesus – not in name only, but in surrendered our allegiance to Him.

Matthew 7:13 – 23: “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or can you pick figs from thistles?

A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.

So, every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Yes, just as we can identify a tree by its fruit, so we can identify people by their actions.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”

“On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’

“But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”
John 10:9: “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.”

In our message today, the King is revealed in three absolute truths:

(1) The Narrow Gate – Salvation is Exclusive but Open to All
(2) The Fruit Test – True Discipleship is Evident, Not Theoretical
(3) The True Confession – Knowing Jesus, Not Just Naming Him

1. The Narrow Gate – Salvation Is Exclusive but Open to All

Jesus begins with a shocking statement, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.”

In last week’s message, you may remember that we talked about what gates meant to the Jews at Jesus’ time. In the ancient world, city gates mattered. A wide gate allowed commerce, crowds, and comfort. To get through a narrow gate required intentional preparation. It required humility. And, often, it required leaving baggage behind. Jesus says the way to life is narrow, not because God is cruel, but because truth is precise.

Jesus is speaking to Jewish listeners who assumed their lineage guaranteed the Jews that they would enter into God’s Kingdom. But Jesus destroys that image of the Jews’ inheritance and replaces that image with personal repentance and faith.

This is not accidental faith; this is deliberate surrender to Jesus.

Acts 4:12: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

In our pluralistic age that says, “All roads lead to God,” Jesus lovingly but firmly says, “No, they all do NOT lead to God. I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Imagine being lost in thick fog on a mountain. One guide calls out, “Follow me, I know the path.”

The narrow path feels risky but it’s the only safe one.

The late Presbyterian pastor Tim Keller said, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said; if He (Jesus) didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said?”

Keller’s comment cuts through the noise. Christianity does not depend on our preference. Christianity depends on resurrection. And the risen King has the authority to define what the gate is.

2. The Fruit Test – True Discipleship Is Evident

Jesus moves from entrance to evidence. Gates reveal beginnings. Fruit reveals reality.

“You can identify them by their fruit.”
The word “fruit” comes from the Greek word karpos. Karpos refers to visible and tangible outcomes. It does NOT refer to perfect outcomes. It just refers to outcomes when we head in the right direction. It refers to the transformation that produces fruit.

Galatians 5:22 – 23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Fruit does not make a tree alive. The fruit proves that the tree is alive. Works do not save us, but accepting Jesus’ salvation is what saves us.

You do not tie apples onto a dead tree and call it healthy. Life produces fruit naturally. Rebirth in Christ also produces fruit naturally.

The Baptist theologian John Piper writes, “Faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is never alone.”

That is discipleship in one sentence. Grace saves us completely. But Grace never leaves us unchanged.

Ask yourself honestly: Is Christ genuinely shaping my desires, my speech, my relationships, my obedience? Notice we’re not asking if Christ is PERFECTLY shaping us, but GENUINELY shaping us.

3. The True Confession – Knowing Jesus, Not Just Naming Him

This is the most sobering moment in the passage.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Notice: They call Him Lord. They do ministry. They use His name. Yet Jesus says, “I never knew you.”

The Greek word that is translated as “knew” is ginosko, which means a relational knowledge, intimacy, and covenant closeness. Jesus is not saying that those people are ignorant of the facts of accepting Jesus, but He is saying that they did not have a true relationship Jesus.

Matthew 16:24 says, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Jesus is not rejecting WEAK disciples. He is rejecting FALSE disciples. Jesus is rejecting people who want His power without His lordship.

R.T. Kendall – who was the pastor at the Westminster Chapel in London – said, “We can be orthodox (proper) in belief and still disobedient in life.”

That’s a warning wrapped in grace. Even if we have the right doctrine, it must lead us to surrendered devotion to Christ.

In John 10:9, the King reveals the door. Here Jesus removes all ambiguity. He says, “I am the gate.”
Not just A gate. Not one of many gates. THE gate.

John 14:6 says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Jesus lived the sinless life we could not live.
He died the death our sin deserved.
He died and was buried. On the third day, He rose again in victory.
Repentance is turning from our own self-rule.
Faith is trusting Christ alone.
Salvation is entering through the Gate.

Charles Stanley said, “Salvation is not about reforming your life; it is about receiving a new one.”

That’s the narrow gate. It’s not behavior modification, but resurrection life.

For us this week:
(1) Choose the Gate, Follow the King.
(2) Examine your fruit.
(3) Submit daily to Christ’s lordship.
(4) Walk the narrow road with joy and courage.

Religion won’t save you. Ministry won’t save you. Morality won’t save you.

It’s Jesus who saves.

My friends, repent. Believe. Enter by the Gate.

08/23/2026

Here is the message for August 23, 2026 - 13th Sunday after Pentecost.
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Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Psalm 124: (1 – 8)
Matthew 16: 13 – 20

PRAYER: O merciful God, we ask that you grant that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Let’s start by reading our Old Testament and New Testament lessons for today:

Psalm 124: (1 – 8)
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
—let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away;
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the hunters;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Matthew 16: 13 – 20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus and His disciples ventured into the District of Caesarea Philippi, an area about 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee and about 120 miles from Jerusalem. That region had had Baal worship, a shrine to the Greek god Pan, and a temple built by Herod the Great there to honor Roman emperor Augustus Caesar. It was in the midst of this pagan region that Peter confessed Jesus as the Son of God. And it was probably within sight of Caesar’s temple that Jesus announced a surprise: He would not yet establish His kingdom, but He would build His church.

He looked at His disciples and in a moment of reflection said: "Who do men say that I am?" The disciples begin sharing with Jesus what they have heard from the people who have been following Jesus: “Some say that You are Elijah; others say John the Baptist, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

It has always been this way, Jesus as seen by the masses is seen in so many different ways.

You can speak of Jesus as prophet, holy man, teacher, or spiritual leader, and very few people will object. But speak of Jesus as the Son of God, divine, of the same nature as the Father, and people will line up to express their disapproval.

A billion Muslims will say, “Prophet, yes. God, no!” Jews scattered around the world will say, “Teacher, yes. Messiah, no!”

Who do you say Jesus is?

In our pluralistic society we have been watering down the Gospels and the name of Jesus for quite some time. In an attempt to not offend other people or their religion we choose not to speak of Jesus. We accept the idea of God, and we admit that we trust God, but then we go our separate ways. We believe we can control our own destiny.

Jesus then asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” This is where the rubber meets the road friends!

If we confess who Jesus is, it is the same thing as accepting our very salvation (Romans 10:9–10; 1 John 2:18–23; 4:1–3).

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus hears Peter’s words and answers him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.”

Jesus knew that Peter had not come to this conclusion on his own. It was a revelation from God (I Corinthians 2:11-14). Just as people today cannot come to know Jesus by their own choice. It takes an act of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth.

Jesus knew it was time for deeper training of the disciples. The Lord knew that He could lead Peter and the disciples into new steps of deeper truth and service. Jesus’ entire ministry to His disciples had prepared the way for this experience. Jesus’ ministry was also turning in a new direction. For the next three years of His ministry, Jesus would be headed to the cross.

Once the Holy Spirit reveals Christ in our lives and we make the confession of faith, it is not the end of our journey, but the beginning. We are then supposed to read and study scriptures, have a daily open line of communication with God; associate with other Christians, worshiping together and we are to spread the Good News to others. We are to be the instruments that the Holy Spirit uses to reach others for Christ.

Jesus’ next statement may seem to be a mystery. The question is, “Who or what is the rock?” Part of the problem arises from the fact that the Greek words for Peter and for rock are similar, but the meanings are different. The first, petros, means a stone or loose rock; the second, petra, means rock, such as a rocky ledge. So, what Jesus really said was “ ... you are Peter (stone), and on this rock I will build My church.” He did not say He would build His church on a stone but on a rock.

If Peter is not the rock, then what IS the rock? If we stick to the context, the answer is that the rock is Peter’s confession that Christ is the Son of the living God, the truth on which the church is founded. In Ephesians 2:20, it says that the church is built on Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. Its statement that we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets refers not to them, but to the foundation laid in their teachings concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is spoken of as a rock in 1 Corinthians 10:4. Remember, He was talking to Jews. If we trace the figurative use of the word “rock” through the Old Testament Scriptures, we find that it is never used to refer to man, but always refers to God.

So here at Caesarea Philippi, it is not upon Peter that the Church is built. Jesus did not trifle with figures of speech. He took up their old Hebrew illustration “rock,” always the symbol of Deity, and said, “Upon God Himself – Christ, the Son of the living God – I will build my church.”

Here we have the first mention of the “church” in the Bible. The term “church” did not exist in the Old Testament. The church, still future when Jesus spoke these words, was formed on the Day of Pentecost and is composed of all true believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile.

Did you catch that? The church is not just Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Protestants, Catholics, or Jews. It is not just the folks that we like or get along with; it is composed of all true believers in Christ!

In the Bible, the term “gate” represents authority and power. “The gates of hades” then would symbolize the organized power of death and Satan. By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ would conquer death, so that death would not be able to hold any of His people. Christ would “storm the gates” and deliver the captives! This is verified in 1 Corinthians 15:50ff; Hebrews 2:14–15; and other Scriptures.

When Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” did not mean that Jesus was giving Peter authority to admit men to heaven. This has to do with the kingdom of heaven on earth – the group of all who profess allegiance to the Christ, all who claim to be Christians. Keys speak of access or entrance.

The keys, which open the door to the sphere of profession, are suggested in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19)—discipling, baptizing, and teaching. (Baptism is not necessary for salvation but is the initiatory rite by which men publicly profess allegiance to the Christ.) Peter first used the keys on the Day of Pentecost. They were not given to him exclusively, but as a representative of all the disciples. (See Matthew 18:18 where the same promise is given to them all.)

Binding and loosing were very familiar terms to the Jews, for their rabbis often spoke of “binding and loosing,” that is, forbidding or permitting. Our Lord’s statement in Matthew 16:19 referred to Peter. But His statement later in Matthew 18:18 included all of the disciples. As the representatives of the Lord, they would exercise authority according to His Word.

The Greek verbs in Matthew 16:19 are most important. The Expanded Translation of Matthew by Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest reads: “And whatever you bind on earth [forbid to be done], shall have been already bound... in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth [permit to be done], shall have already been loosed in heaven.” Jesus did not say that God would obey what they did on earth, but that they should do on earth whatever God had already willed.

The church does not get man’s will done in heaven; it obeys God’s will on earth.

The disciples were not to share this truth about Jesus being the Son of God with other people until after His resurrection and ascension. Then the Spirit would be given to the disciples, and the message could be proclaimed. The nation of Israel in general, and certainly their religious leaders, were not yet ready for this message.

How about you? Are you ready for this message? Who do you say Jesus is? If you died today would you be absent from the body and in the presence of the Lord? If not, I invite you to come to the alter and open your heart and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. If you know Jesus but have drifted away, I also invite you to come and recommit your life to Christ.

08/23/2026

Here is the message for August 16, 2026 - 12th Sunday after Pentecost.
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Disregarding Tradition

Psalm 133: (1 – 3)
Matthew 15: 1 – 28, 32 – 38

PRAYER: Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be a sacrifice for our sin, and also to be an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive the fruits of his redeeming work thankfully, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Let’s start by reading our Old Testament and New Testament lessons for today:

Psalm 133: (1 – 3)
1 How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.

Matthew 15: 1 – 28, 32 – 38
The Tradition of the Elders
15 Then 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 before they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say that whoever tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’ then that person need not honor the father. 6 So, for the sake of your tradition, you nullify the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ ”
Things That Defile
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”
The Canaanite Woman’s Faith
21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.
Jesus Cures Many People
29 After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the maimed, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, 31 so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Feeding the Four Thousand
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for 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 are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” 34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And all of them ate and were filled, and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38 Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.

Coming from Jerusalem, the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples did not perform the traditional ritual of washing one’s hands before eating. This ceremony had been established by the “elders” and had nothing to do with hygiene alone, but was instead an elaborate ritual that involved not only washing hands, but the arms, face, utensils, and items associated with eating a meal. An entire volume had been devoted to the topic in the book of tradition known as the Mishnah.

The Pharisees had made the ritual a show of “devotion” and “piety” much like they had with praying in public and appearing to be gaunt to show they had fasted as a sign of religious faith. It was an outward appearance of “holiness,” but in reality was nothing more than cold, impersonal, empty motions that proved to be for show, not as a sign of faith or salvation in God.

Jesus did not take kindly to their accusations. He replied with righteous indignation over their fake religious practices by using the Scriptures to accuse them of violating the Law of Moses in order to appear pious. He accused them of breaking the commandment to honor their father and mother and that anyone who cursed their parents were to be put to death (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16).

The issue centered on the tradition of “Corban.” The setting aside of money for the service of God. By setting this money aside, a Pharisee could bypass any expected care for parents by invoking this tradition of Corban. In fact, Corban could be used as a convenient excuse not to provide care for anyone – not just family members.

Jesus called them out for their wicked abuse of tradition that overrode the truth of Scripture. He used Isaiah 29:13 as evidence:

13 The Lord said:
Because these people draw near with their mouths
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me
and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote,

Jesus then turned to the crowd and warned them that it is not what goes into the body that brings about defilement, but what is within the heart and soul of an individual that makes him or her truly unclean.

The disciples told Jesus that the Pharisees had been greatly offended by what He had told them. His response was that they were blind men leading other blind men, and to leave them alone (v.14).

This is a terrifying thing to find out about the spiritual condition of the Pharisees. This severe judgment is a form of the wrath of God. It signifies abandonment by God and ‘giving them over to a reprobate mind’ as written in Romans 1:18-32.

True defilement is seen when an evil heart produces waste – such as evil thoughts, murder, false witness, and blasphemy. Just like then, today an evil heart produces the same waste.

After this encounter, Jesus retreated into the Gentile (non-Jewish) territory of Tyre and Sidon – the coastal area of what had once been the nation of Phoenicia. It was also the ancient territory of the Canaanites, a people who were so wicked and perverse that God had ordered the Israelites to wipe them out.

Canaanite worship had devolved into gross idolatry that included child sacrifice and other crimes. God did not want these people to be intermingled with the Israelites. (See Exodus 23:23-33; Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Joshua 23:1-16; Judges 1:21, 27-36).

However, not all of the Canaanites were killed off, because in this passage from Matthew, we have a descendant of the Canaanites – a woman of Syria-Phoenician origin. She approached Jesus with a desperate request that He deliver her daughter from demonic possession (vv. 21-28). In reading this passage, we might conclude that Jesus was being indifferent if not cruel towards the woman’s plea.

This is not the case if we read deeper into the text. Jesus’ response was right. His first priority was to the lost sheep of Israel. Verse 25 tells us that she worshipped Him. She did not see Jesus as a mere healer, but as someone sent from God. Her desperation demonstrated her faith in Him. As a Gentile, she would take whatever He would give, even if was just a crumb of compassion. Jesus rewarded her faith by freeing her child from the grasp of evil.

Many times, we may find ourselves in a situation similar to the Syro-Phoenician woman. Sometimes our faith needs to grow from the depths of despair of the kind like this woman must have felt.

If we move down to verse 29, we see that Jesus ministers to the populace of the Decapolis, located on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was in this region that He delivered a man from severe demonic possession (Mark 5:1-20). He spent time here healing the sick, the lame, the blind, and the mute, with the end result being that the people gave glory to “ the God of Israel” (v. 31).

Finally, chapter 15 concludes with Jesus feeding 4,000 people in the Decapolis (Mark 8:1-9) in the same manner as He did with the 5,000 near Bethsaida (See Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; and John 6:1-14).

The ministry and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ extended not only to His lost sheep of Israel, but for all flocks regardless of their nationality or condition.

Jesus calls everyone who is in search of true rest and redemption (See Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-30, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10). You, my friend, are no exception. Jesus is calling you and me today.

Will you come to Jesus this week?

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