Our first reading is from Hebrews 4:1-11

May the Lord bless you as you receive his word.

God’s promise of enjoying his rest still stands. So be careful that none of you fails to receive it. The good news was announced to our people of long ago. It has also been preached to us. The message they heard didn’t have any value for them. That’s because they didn’t share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enjoy that rest. God said, “When I was angry, I made a promise. I said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them’” (Psalm 95:11).

Ever since God created the world, his works have been finished. Somewhere he spoke about the seventh day. He said, “On the seventh day God rested from all his works” (Genesis 2:2). In the part of Scripture I talked about earlier God spoke. He said, “They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them” (Psalm 95:11).

It is still true that some people will enjoy this rest. But those who had the good news announced to them earlier didn’t go in. That’s because they didn’t obey. So God again chose a certain day. He named it Today. He did this when he spoke through David a long time later. Here is what was written in the Scripture already given.

“Listen to his voice today. If you hear it, don’t be stubborn” (Psalm 95:7,8).

Suppose Joshua had given them rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later about another day. So there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people. God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God’s rest also rest from their works. So let us make every effort to enjoy that rest. Then no one will die by disobeying as they did.

Our second reading is from Matthew 15:1-9

Some Pharisees and some teachers of the law came from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked, “Why don’t your disciples obey what the elders teach? Your disciples don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied, “And why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings! God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). But suppose people have something that might be used to help their parents. You allow them to say it is instead ‘a gift set apart for God.’ So, they do not need to honour their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings. You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said,

“‘These people honour me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules’” (Isaiah 29:13).

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

As you journey on, go with his blessing:

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep rest in his peace. May Almighty God bless, preserve, and keep us, this day and forevermore. Amen.