Hungering for God’s Word (Part 4)

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for elevating their traditions above God's Word. We must take care that we do not create unbiblical traditions ourselves.

Aug 9, 2026 • Jeff Crippen

Call to Worship

Sunday School

Study in The Sermon on the Mount
by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2     Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Opening Song

I Sing the Mighty Power of God (CRC #74)

Verse 1
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

Verse 2
I sing the goodness of the Lord, that filled the earth with food.
He formed the creatures with His Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Your wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky!

Verse 3
There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Your glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Your throne;
While all that borrows life from You is ever in Your care;
And everywhere that man can be, You, God, are present there.

Prayer

Focus this week:  Milena C

Song

“Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (TH #679)

1 ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood! [Refrain]

3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace. [Refrain]

Song

Wonderful Words of Life (TH #697)

1 Sing them over again to me,
wonderful words of life;
let me more of their beauty see,
wonderful words of life.
Words of life and beauty,
teach me faith and duty:

Refrain:
beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.

2 Christ, the blessed One, gives to all,
wonderful words of life;
sinner, list to the loving call,
wonderful words of life.
All so freely given,
wooing us to heaven: [Refrain]

3 Sweetly echo the gospel call,
wonderful words of life;
offer pardon and peace to all,
wonderful words of life.
Jesus, only Savior,
sanctify for ever: [Refrain]

Scripture Reading

Matthew 15:1-20

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.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You 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;
9 in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

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

Preaching the Word

Hungering for God’s Word (Part 4)

Closing Song

O Word of God Incarnate (handout)

  1. O Word of God incarnate,
    O Wisdom from on high,
    O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
    O Light of our dark sky,
    we praise thee for the radiance
    that from the hallowed page,
    a lantern to our footsteps,
    shines on from age to age.
  2. The church from her dear Master
    received the gift divine,
    and still that light she lifteth
    o’er all the earth to shine.
    It is the golden casket,
    where gems of truth are stored;
    it is the heav’n-drawn picture
    of Christ, the living Word.
  3. It floateth like a banner
    before God’s host unfurled;
    it shineth like a beacon
    above the darkling world.
    It is the chart and compass
    that o’er life’s surging sea,
    ’mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
    still guides, O Christ, to thee.
  4. O make thy church, dear Savior,
    a lamp of purest gold,
    to bear before the nations
    thy true light, as of old.
    O teach thy wand’ring pilgrims
    by this their path to trace,
    ’til, clouds and darkness ended,
    they see thee face to face.