. OBSTACLES TO FAITHJesus had a real knack for using everyday objects to teach us about spiritual things. Jesus often used parables to teach spiritual truth with common events.
Mark 8:14-21 (NIV)
Jesus talks about things that we are familiar with and can relate to. He talks about yeast in describing the teachings of the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Bread made with yeast (leaven) was a regular part of the diet of ancient Israel. The bread was made to rise by putting a piece of sour dough from a previous batch of dough in the flour, and this dough brought on fermentation of the new.
Jesus uses yeast in a figurative sense here. Here he says, "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." The significant thing about yeast is its power. This power can become a source of good or evil.
In the parable of the leaven in Matt. 13 Jesus used yeast to symbolize the pervasiveness of the kingdom which eventually transforms the world. (good use of yeast). Yet in our text here Jesus says "Watch out for the yeast..." because it is a bad thing.
In our text and its parallel (Matt. 16) Jesus warns us about 4 obstacles to faith. Four things He classifies as yeast, that if accepted by the Christian can destroy his/her faith. The 1st one mentioned by Jesus is the yeast of the Pharisees. The yeast of the Pharisees was:
TRADITIONALISM
The Pharisees were traditionalists.. They often held their own traditions above the law of God. They lifted up the teachings of men. They were unable to recognize Christ when He was in their midst.
Jesus says "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees." There are a couple of reasons why traditionalism is dangerous. Traditionalism says: "I'll do it the old way even if the new way is better."
In the text preceding one we're studying today Jesus fed 4,000 people with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. After performing this miracle the Pharisees came up to Jesus and asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.
What did He just do? They were so caught up in their tradition that even this sure sign of the Son of God could not convince them that the new way was better. The way of the Law & tradition was not the answer.
The way of peace is in Jesus Christ. Traditionalism says, "But we've never done it that way before." That phrase is used over & over again in churches that are dying, & can't figure out why.
Let me ask you something, "If you've always done it a particular way but never gotten any results from it, don't you think it's time to do it a way you've never done it before?" The traditionalists don't like Christ because He did a lot of things in ways they had never been done before.
Jesus wasn't concerned with tradition. Jesus was concerned with the advancement of the Kingdom of God. If we want our faith to progress; if we want our church to grow; if we want to do great things in the Kingdom -- we need not be so much concerned w/how things were done before -- but with how God wants them done now.
Does that mean that everything done in the past was bad, or should be forgotten? Certainly not! We build on past traditions that have been beneficial to the Kingdom Replace the traditions that detract from the Kingdom. There is nothing wrong with Tradition, only Traditionalism. Tradition becomes traditionalism when we let it stand in the way of God.
SECULARISM
Jesus said, "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." Jesus was speaking of the Herodians. The group we find plotted with religious leaders as to how they might kill Jesus. The Herod's were a royal family who had flourished among the Jews in the time of Christ. The Herodians were those who followed the Herod family and supported them.
The Herodians were "secularists." They believed the world could be changed by politics. They put their faith in government and not in God. Secularists believe that Government can solve all the problems. Government has all the answers. Government has all the money. Government has all the power. Government has the right to decide right and wrong.
We see this very prevalent in our society. People turn to the Government instead of turning to God. They feel that if they can only get the right political platform than all the world's problems can be solved.
Government will take care of our finances. Government will take care
of the crime problem.
Government will take care of our health care.
Government will take care of the teaching of our children. Government will
tell us what is right and what is wrong.
Illustration:
A friend said as I was confronting him with the need to give his life to
Christ. "The Navy is my God. The Navy provides all I need."
But Jesus said, "Watch out for the yeast of the Herodians." Our faith is not in secularism but in a Savior.
We can work through Government We can vote for those who uphold Godly principles. But we cannot depend on Government to save us. We can only depend on Jesus Christ. We don't need a handout from Washington; We need a hand-up from God.
SKEPTICISM
Verse 18 tells us: "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? "
In parallel passage Matt. 16:6 Matthew mentions the Sadducees. The Sadducees & Herodians often were blended in with one another. Mark mentions the Herodians and Matt. the Sadducees. The Sadducees were known for their skepticism when it came to the supernatural. In Mk. 12 we are told "The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, & that there are neither angels nor spirits."
The Sadducees were what we call "religious skeptics." They had a form of religion yet denied the power thereof. Jesus warns us against those who claim to believe in God yet at the same time deny that God is able to work in the supernatural realm.
Skepticism eats away at the core of our faith. Many who claim to be Christians but don't believe God created the world. If I can't believe that God created, neither can I believe that I was created in His image.
Many claim to be Christians but don't believe that the Bible is without error. If I don't believe that every word in the Bible is true I can't believe that any word in the Bible is true.
Many who claim to be Christians don't believe in the virgin birth of Christ, His sinless life, His resurrection from the dead. If I can't base my faith on these facts about Christ; I have no faith, I have no hope, I have no salvation.
When I cease to believe in the supernatural, I cease to have faith in a Savior. Skepticism in the church leads to a weakened church.
Illustration: I recently read a survey of seminary professors teaching in a major mainline denomination's seminaries today. Over 80% of them said they didn't believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we wonder why churches are falling apart!
Jesus said, "Beware of the teaching of the Sadducees because it will destroy your faith."
PESSIMISM
The disciples often were pessimistic. They were upset because they had forgotten to bring bread with them. Their whispering was met by the Master's frank & open reply. Jesus was telling them that concern about bread was unnecessary.
They had seen that Jesus could take a small amount of bread and feed an army. Pessimism is dangerous in the life of the Christian for it tends to tell Christ that there are things that He is unable to do. When we tell Christ there are things He can't do in our lives we're usually right. He can't do them because we won't allow Him to.
When we tell Christ that there are things He can't do in our church we're usually right. He can't do what He wants in our church if we won't allow Him to. Let's realize that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
Conclusion:
Jesus warned His disciples to stay away from four obstacles to faith.
Stay away from traditionalists who will hold you back from making progress in the kingdom of God.
Stay away from secularists who will have you focus on the wrong solutions to problems.
Stay away from skeptics who will lead you to question your faith until there is no faith left.
And stay away from pessimists who by their pessimism limit Christ's power.
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