Elm Street Community Church
Sermon - A Summer of Stories - What's So Bad About Yeast>
Pastor Steve starts the summer preaching series on the parables of Jesus with the parable of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadduccees..
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Elm Street Community Church
264 Elm St, Fitchburg, MA 01420, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
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https://tithe.ly/give?c=394343So who’s ready for 2020? Am I the only one who is in many ways dreading what is to come? We have two significant political parties, both of whom seem to think that they are right in all of their stances. In fact, it seems like some feel the need to be even more radical (on both sides) in order to show how different they are from the opposing party.
But this isn’t new. This has been going on for years, it is just getting more polarizing. We saw this in 2000 election. Two parties, quite far apart, trying to hold to their stances while vilifying the other.
But no matter how far a part some groups can be, when a common enemy comes in… a common threat, most groups can come together to battle this common enemy.
This happened in 2001 on 9/11. A leadership and country, very much divided, set aside their differences for a time, so that they could work to destroy the enemy.
Almost 2000 years ago, we saw something very similar, as the Pharisees and Sadducees got together against what they saw as a common enemy - Jesus.
But this isn’t new. This has been going on for years, it is just getting more polarizing. We saw this in 2000 election. Two parties, quite far apart, trying to hold to their stances while vilifying the other.
But no matter how far a part some groups can be, when a common enemy comes in… a common threat, most groups can come together to battle this common enemy.
This happened in 2001 on 9/11. A leadership and country, very much divided, set aside their differences for a time, so that they could work to destroy the enemy.
Almost 2000 years ago, we saw something very similar, as the Pharisees and Sadducees got together against what they saw as a common enemy - Jesus.
Pharisees and Sadducees were kind of like an ancient legalism vs. license battle (Legalism is following the law beyond the law, and license - resting on God. They also different religious and political views. Jesus brings one out when speaking about Heaven and the resurrection. Paul uses this in the book of Acts in order to cause conflict.
Neither party was completely right. In fact, neither had teaching that followed the Word of God. People probably thought that they had two doors to look at, but actually there was a third door to consider - Jesus.
The Pharisees had gone one way, the Sadducees the other. Neither were right. Neither had a Kingdom viewpoint. And Jesus came to bring the Truth, not to subscribe to any political party
Neither party was completely right. In fact, neither had teaching that followed the Word of God. People probably thought that they had two doors to look at, but actually there was a third door to consider - Jesus.
The Pharisees had gone one way, the Sadducees the other. Neither were right. Neither had a Kingdom viewpoint. And Jesus came to bring the Truth, not to subscribe to any political party
Jesus goes on to explain the parable to them (Matt. 16:11-12). He is not speaking about food, but teaching. And leaven, or yeast, wasn’t always bad. (Matt. 13:33).
And what do we see today? Churches dividing over the smallest political or theological difference. In fact, there are churches that split over issues such as music, food, and colors.
Robert Mounce, in his commentary on Matthew, states that “The Pharisees were bound up in a legalism that missed the entire point of God’s intention…The Sadducees were guilty of identifying the kingdom of God with material possessions and pinned their hopes on achieving it by political action. Rigid legalism and political opportunism are twin evils that permeate society and can never be sued in the pursuit of righteousness.”
It is important that we have views. Our desire should be to become mini-theologians (or studiers of God), so that we have a better understanding of what Jesus would have us understand, say, and do. But we also want to understand that there is so much that we don’t know.
ultimately, we should want to be children of the kingdom. We are not first democrats or republicans, catholic or protestant, congregationalist or baptist, or pentacostal, but we are first and foremost children of God.
Our first priority is to listen to and follow Jesus, putting His kingdom above all others. Everything else should be secondary.
As we dig into the summer series on a summer of stories, may we seek to know His word and His will better, becoming the people He has called us to be!
Robert Mounce, in his commentary on Matthew, states that “The Pharisees were bound up in a legalism that missed the entire point of God’s intention…The Sadducees were guilty of identifying the kingdom of God with material possessions and pinned their hopes on achieving it by political action. Rigid legalism and political opportunism are twin evils that permeate society and can never be sued in the pursuit of righteousness.”
It is important that we have views. Our desire should be to become mini-theologians (or studiers of God), so that we have a better understanding of what Jesus would have us understand, say, and do. But we also want to understand that there is so much that we don’t know.
ultimately, we should want to be children of the kingdom. We are not first democrats or republicans, catholic or protestant, congregationalist or baptist, or pentacostal, but we are first and foremost children of God.
Our first priority is to listen to and follow Jesus, putting His kingdom above all others. Everything else should be secondary.
As we dig into the summer series on a summer of stories, may we seek to know His word and His will better, becoming the people He has called us to be!