Yes Yes && No NoYes Yes && No No

More Than Writing ChecksMore Than Writing Checks

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Matthew 23 2323"Woe to you, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, teachers of the law and Pharisees,

you hypocrites! You give a tenth of you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. your spices—mint, dill and cumin.

But you have neglected the more But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—important matters of the law—

justice, mercy and faithfulnessjustice, mercy and faithfulness. . You should have practiced the You should have practiced the

latter, without neglecting the latter, without neglecting the former. former.

2424You blind guides! You strain out You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”a gnat but swallow a camel.”

Matthew 23 2323"Woe to you, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, teachers of the law and Pharisees,

you hypocrites! You give a tenth of you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. your spices—mint, dill and cumin.

But you have neglected the more But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—important matters of the law—

justice, mercy and faithfulnessjustice, mercy and faithfulness. . You should have practiced the You should have practiced the

latter, without neglecting the latter, without neglecting the former. former.

2424You blind guides! You strain out You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”a gnat but swallow a camel.”

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Matthew 23 23-2423-24"You're "You're hopeless, you religion scholars and hopeless, you religion scholars and

Pharisees! Frauds! You keep Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, on every nickel and dime you get,

but on the meat of God's Law,but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion things like fairness and compassion

and commitment—the absolute and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or basics!—you carelessly take it or

leave it.leave it. Careful bookkeeping is Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea required. Do you have any idea

how silly you look, writing a life how silly you look, writing a life story that's wrong from start to story that's wrong from start to

finish, nitpicking over commas and finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?semicolons?

Matthew 23 23-2423-24"You're "You're hopeless, you religion scholars and hopeless, you religion scholars and

Pharisees! Frauds! You keep Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, on every nickel and dime you get,

but on the meat of God's Law,but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion things like fairness and compassion

and commitment—the absolute and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or basics!—you carelessly take it or

leave it.leave it. Careful bookkeeping is Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea required. Do you have any idea

how silly you look, writing a life how silly you look, writing a life story that's wrong from start to story that's wrong from start to

finish, nitpicking over commas and finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?semicolons?

Are we Are we

smarter smarter

than a 5th than a 5th

grader?grader?

JESUSJESUSWasn’t Against Wasn’t Against

the Lawthe Law

JESUSJESUSWasn’t Against Wasn’t Against

the Lawthe Law

Matt 5:19 19Anyone who breaks one of

the least of these commandments and teaches

others to do the same will be called least in the

kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and

teaches these commands will be called great in

the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 9:13 13But go and learn what this

means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have

not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matt 5:19 19Anyone who breaks one of

the least of these commandments and teaches

others to do the same will be called least in the

kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and

teaches these commands will be called great in

the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 9:13 13But go and learn what this

means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have

not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

SeedsSeeds More thanMore than NeedsNeeds

SeedsSeeds More thanMore than NeedsNeeds

PHARISEES DEBATED WHETHER SCRIPTURE

REQUIRED THEM TO TITHE THEIR CUMIN SEEDS

WHAT ‘SEEDS’ DO WE FUSS ABOUT?

PHARISEES DEBATED WHETHER SCRIPTURE

REQUIRED THEM TO TITHE THEIR CUMIN SEEDS

WHAT ‘SEEDS’ DO WE FUSS ABOUT?

What’s Most Important to GodWhat’s Most Important to God

Deuteronomy 10 12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you?

Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for

you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the

commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a

good life.

Micah 6 8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

Pharisees (then and now) wouldn’t disagree with this. Not how they lived.

Deuteronomy 10 12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you?

Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for

you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the

commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a

good life.

Micah 6 8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

Pharisees (then and now) wouldn’t disagree with this. Not how they lived.

Gnats, Gnats, Commas, Commas, & Trees& Trees

Gnats, Gnats, Commas, Commas, & Trees& Trees

How could the Pharisees miss what matters most to God?

Why do many of us make the same mistake?

God is good and loving; God delights in us in Christ

How could the Pharisees miss what matters most to God?

Why do many of us make the same mistake?

God is good and loving; God delights in us in Christ