His Time - John the Steadfast, Christian Bioethics, Missionary Monday, Traditions and Commandments

Rev. Joshua Scheer of Our Svior Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, WY — Rev. Joshua Scheer

1. Brothers of John the Steadfast

Rev. Joshua Scheer talks about subjects from the Brothers of John the Steadfast webpage, www.steadfastlutherans.org.

2. Christian Bioethics

Dr. Bob Weise talks about issues related to Christian bioethics.

Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy.

About Dr. Weise: Dr. Robert W. Weise is professor of practical theology. Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois (B.S. in Ed. 1967); University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois (M.S. 1970, Ph.D. 1973); Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri (M.Div. 1982); instructor, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas (1972-73); research associate, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (1973-74); assistant professor (1974-78); pastor, Zion, Bunker Hill, Illinois (1982-85); senior pastor, Our Savior’s, Springfield, Illinois (1985-92); associate professor, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri (1992-2002); professor since 2002; The Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis Chair in Pastoral Ministry and the Life Sciences since 1992. Click HERE to read more about Dr. Weise.

3. Missionary Monday

Chaplain Gregory Todd (CAPT, Chaplain Corps, USN, Chaplain of the Coast Guard) talks about his work in Washington DC.

4. Daily Lectionary

Rev. Stephen Carretto of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, FL looks at Matthew 15:1-20 “Traditions and Commandments”.

5. Sermonette

Today’s sermonette is given by Rev. Stephen Carretto of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, FL.

"The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid." - Martin Luther — “The Bible is cradle wherein Christ is laid.” – Martin Luther

Matthew 15:1-20

Traditions and Commandments

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 when they eat.” ³He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ⁵But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”^[a] ⁶he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word^[b] of God. ⁷You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

⁸“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
⁹in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

What Defiles a Person

¹⁰And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” ¹²Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides.^[c] And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?^[d] ¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”