The Commandments of Men (Matt 14:22-15:9)

“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (vs9)

If we teach men’s doctrine, instead of Christ’s commands, then we can’t be saved, and that is the DANGER of false religion. It does no good to have false religion, because you and I can’t be saved, except by what the Lord Jesus says.

False religion makes you righteous by rules that men invent; true religion makes you righteous by FAITH in the blood of Christ. We RELY upon His blood to reconcile us to God, for Him to bless us now. True religion is FAITH in Jesus’ blood unto OBEDIENCE to His will.

What He commands, we are bound by. Paul wrote, “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without the law” (I Cor 9:20-21). We have no power to live as we see fit, and we are chastened and taught with fear and trembling to seek after obedience. Now, we obey Christ, rather than men, serving God.

1. The Christ we obey, atoned and now intercedes between us and God – “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone” (Matt 14:23). He is the Great High Priest who goes to God on our behalf, so that our Father deals with us IN CHRIST, rather than in our sins.

2. The Lord Jesus has power and authority – “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea” (Matt 14:25). He conquered sin, so He’s been entrusted with all power for His obedience. He is God, so He ascends the throne to be praised, and the evil of the heart, the wrath of men, the anger of Satan, and all power MUST bow to Him and yield to His influence. Helpless He is not.

3. We are not to fear Christ as slaves, “But immediately Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” (Matt 14:27). He RANSOMED us from sin. Thus, the fear of death is taken away, and our HOPE is in God. With godly fear and trembling, we use Christ’s death to obey God, obtaining the Spirit – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, uncleanness, evil lusts, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col 3:5). He pardons every sinner and forgives every sin that is washed in the blood of the Lamb. Scripture says, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). The RESULT of faith is CLEANSING.

4. We can do all things through Christ that strengthens us – “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be you, bid me come unto you on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus” (Matt 14:28-29). If we live for God’s glory, using the gospel of His grace for power with God, then we have power. We have the Almighty’s help, if we have the Son’s blood and FAITH in His word. He enables us to do what human’s cannot, which is obey God and conquer the world, since He did.

We are imperfect sinners, and yet we follow Christ, which makes our obedience the more miraculous, because we know the evil that is here. Yesterday’s sin, though gone, will rise up even stronger throughout the day to lead me astray. Things I hate and renounce will become things I want to do in the flesh, SECONDS after REPENTANCE is given. We have miraculous power to conquer our sins by Christ Jesus, as we GO unto Him, looking to Him, and WALKING by faith in His love.

5. We may call upon the name of the Lord at any time – “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me”(Matt 14:30). We are sinners, we have REPEATED our sins, and we are EXAMPLES of Christ who should know better. Never mind. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, even the vile sin of pastors (I Tim 1:2).

We have a great burden to bear (willingly), and we bear it by the EXTRA mercy and pardon that He gives. Our consciences are wounded, sin is strong, and yet God gives REPENTANCE to the preacher, so he can preach unto the people.

6. Even though we doubt, He saves us, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt” (vs31-32). He doesn’t deny us salvation because we’re sinners; He saves by the FAITH that we have, and the peace is actually given. Take His comfort, receive His love, and you shall taste the peace you squandered, which He’s GRACIOUS to give.

7. Washing hands has nothing to do with redemption, and neither does anything else not commanded – “for they wash not their hands when they eat bread” (Matt 15:2). We are not here to make the OUTWARD clean by what man says; we cleanse the heart, worship God by faith, trust in His love, and BRING sinners to CLEANSING, rather than the rituals of men.

Man must know how Christ makes us clean, and he is to be clean, he is not meant for religious games.

8. God’s law is serious, and those who don’t adhere to His word, shall be destroyed – “For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, he that curses father or mother, let him die the death” (Matt 15:4). He didn’t write the gospel for no reason, nor the law. What the law commands MUST be satisfied, or the law will be answered with blood.

There is no pity to the law breaker by the law, and there is no license to sin in the gospel – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Eph 6:1).

9. Men’s traditions remove sinners from the glory of God – “Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition”(Matt 15:6). They teach what He won’t command, while NEGLECTING by necessity the things He does. You honor God by obedience to the word.

Man’s traditions mean nothing.

Bring Them Here to Me (Matt 14:12-21)

“And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them here to me” (vs17-18).

We are to bring the Lord Jesus all that we have, for Him to bless it by His blood and multiply it by His power. We trust Christ’s work sufficient for God to bless, even though we are SMALL in faith and love. He DOESN’T need something in you before He can bless. Faith is NOT a look at SELF and then EXPECTATION in Christ by how STRONG or weak I am; faith LOOKS to Christ to have SUFFICIENTLY satisfied and appeased God, so that GOD blesses exactly as, “It is written”.

Your smallness is no hindrance to the GREATNESS of God, and He makes us minister by COMMANDING us to give (Matt 14:18). Preach, teach, learn, love, and PRAY for God’s glory, because He hears you, sees you, and rewards YOUR faith, no matter how small. But, it is FAITH in the Son of God, that though I’m NOTHING, He is GREAT enough for God to do EXCEEDING above all that we ask or think.

1. We can tell Jesus anything, and we don’t have to be afraid that He doesn’t hear – “And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities” (Matt 14:12-13). Through His death, we can be assured that our prayers are heard. Tears soaked in blood are GOOD tears to be heard for Christ’s sake, and He MOVES at our cry.

The answer may not be what we expected, but it is the answer of a God who knows, cares, loves, and moves PERFECTLY all the time. Prayer has an OUTLET to move God, and yet prayer knows that God moves as He pleases to the BETTERMENT of my soul. I could not rule me better than Christ does. I couldn’t be more merciful to myself.

2. Christ is COMPASSIONATE upon sinners, even those that He destroys, but His compassion's upon the elect are great and strong – “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (Matt 14:14). His people will hear. We mourn because more don’t hear, but His MOURNING is the mourning that we need, for His mourning compels Him to do good to all the Father gave Him. Therefore, He STIRS us to give.

His provision is not BECAUSE sinners have NO need, but because we have need. We think of a God who must be appeased, a God who is stingy with His love, or a God who must be angry with us because we forget bread. But, the God of the bible is GRACIOUS to the maximum, as He deals with us in the Son. And, being in Christ through the blood by faith, and PUTTING on Christ before God, there’s no good that He won’t give us. He honors Christ by blessing us who use His name.
3. We are unbelieving and stingy, “And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals” (Matt 14:15). God’s people are not the representatives of God that we should be, could be, or will be in due time. But, we are STILL God’s people.

The church is FAULTY to the human eye, perfect to Christ, and yet REPROVED and changed by Him daily. At our best, we come so far short of His glory that we cannot pray apart from His blood. But, through Christ, our failures and unbelief is PARDONED, our FOOLISHNESS is reproved, and we are given strength to do better: He TEACHES us – “Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way” (Ps 25:8). Rather than destroying sinners for unbelief, He pays their penalty, and teaches them to obey.
4. We have commandment from God, “But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give you them to eat” (Matt 14:16). We don’t have the option to “not serve”. We have been told, “Give you them to eat”, and we must feed this world the gospel of God’s grace and the love that we have. We can’t be excused. We can be equipped, taught, and powered by the gospel and Spirit, but we cannot resign ourselves from service; we must obey.
5. Even though we are small, we are enough – “And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes” (Matt 14:17). We are a small church, small people, small in faith, and small in everything good and important. But, through Christ, we, as we are, are enough to ACCOMPLISH more than we can think, as we BRING it to Him. Use the preaching, praying, witnessing, serving, and loving in Jesus’ name. Look up to Him and expect the blessing for Christ’s sake.