Bible In A Year | Read: Matthew 12
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:1-8
The Pharisees were rule-followers. One of their favorite rules stated that people could not work on the Sabbath (Saturday). They had added rules on top of what God required just to make sure they didn’t accidentally work on the Sabbath. For example, you had a maximum number of steps allowed to be taken. Counting my steps all day sounds like work to me. Since Jesus and his followers were breaking one of these rules, the Pharisees were convinced that Jesus was God’s enemy. They explained Jesus’ miracles as having been done in Satan’s power. Jesus strongly condemns this kind of unbelief. If a person is going to reject a clear demonstration of God’s power and attribute it to Satan, there is no hope.
There are those today who are blinded by their strongly held beliefs which prevent them from seeing the power of God. Overcoming this kind of unbelief is not easy.
Do not work one day a week (God calls this the Sabbath rest). God called man to rest one day a week and made it one of the ten commandments. God is very serious about this. So why did Jesus now seem to say that it was okay to break it at times?
First, men made all kinds of funny rules. “You break this rule if you do….” Their rules were man’s way of ensuring obedience—not God’s.
Second, Jesus says that blessing others is part of the purpose of this law. If doing that takes some effort, that is okay. This law is not designed to stop us blessing others in need.
Third, Jesus is Lord over this law. Man is not in charge—God is. When God allows this rule to be set aside so people can be blessed—then it is okay.
Time to Pray
Father, You created the day of rest for us. Help us to use it as You designed. It is for our rest and recovery, it is for a time to recharge and refocus for the upcoming week, it is a time to set aside for You and it is a time to release blessing on our world. Give me the focus that I need this week so that I take my day of rest—and use it the way You want it used. In Jesus’ name I pray Amen.
Action Step
What is God showing me? What am I going to do about it?
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