Verses: Luke 14 : 1 - 6
My thoughts about the verses:
The law was very specific on what you could and could not do on the Sabbath. Yet, here is a chance for Jesus to challenge the Pharisees about the laws that they so diligently served. Jesus is at this meal eating on the Sabbath. This man comes toward him who is very ill.
Jesus asked the Pharisees are it wrong to heal on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees thinking ahead knew to be careful about answering this question. If they said no then what happened if things that they had done on the Sabbath were pointed out as things that a person should not do. They also knew they could not answer yes. This would set up a long string of changes to the law. So the Pharisees took the cowards way out and didn't say anything.
This opened the door for Jesus to answer his own question by healing the man. Now the Pharisees had the one thing that they needed to take him down. So Jesus poses a question that puts the ball back in their court. If they had a son or animal that fell into a well on the Sabbath would they not save them? You can almost see the faces on the Pharisees Jesus once again have blind-sided them. They all knew that they would not let their son or animal perish if it fell into a well on the Sabbath.
Jesus was pointing out that you cannot pick and choose what is right to do on the Sabbath. So many people do this every weekend. One might say I need to be off so that I can attend Church. As soon as they leave Church it is out to lunch with the family. With no thoughts of the workers that had to miss their service so that they could be there to serve them.
Some people say that you can only do this or that on the Sabbath because it shows your love and faith in God. It reminds me of something happened a couple of years ago here in Kentucky. Christmas fell on Sunday and several morning services were cancelled so people could spend their morning with their children and open gifts. How ironic that on one of the holiest days of the year the material things of the world were put before servicing God.
My roommate was the Chair of a Church Committee. He jokes about the two years that he scheduled the meeting on Super Bowl Sunday. Less people came to the meeting that at any other time of the year. Seems watching the game takes precedence over making a game plan for servicing the community.
What I am trying to say is that we should not look at one thing being more important to do on Sunday than other things. If we feel that it is important that people go to church why don't we allow our employees off so that they can have that option too. If we think committee meetings need to happen encourage participation and enjoy fellowship at the same time.
See I believe what Jesus was getting at is that every day that God has made is a Holy day. That we should not put on our pious hat for the Sabbath day. Then the rest of the week live differently. We should come to the understanding that people will know us by our walk. If our walk only includes God on Sunday what does that say about our life?
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for saving us even on the Sabbath. Thank you for doing your work on Earth during the Sabbath. We thank you for all that you do in our life. Help us be there for others. Help us to remember that not only is the Sabbath day a day to serve you. Help us put our priorities right so that we do not become stumbling blocks for others. In you Holy Name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Is there things that you think you should not do on the Sabbath? Is it okay to do these things the other six days of the week? Are you living a double standard? Are you becoming a stumbling block to others relationship with God? What changes do you need to make today?
My thoughts about the verses:
The law was very specific on what you could and could not do on the Sabbath. Yet, here is a chance for Jesus to challenge the Pharisees about the laws that they so diligently served. Jesus is at this meal eating on the Sabbath. This man comes toward him who is very ill.
Jesus asked the Pharisees are it wrong to heal on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees thinking ahead knew to be careful about answering this question. If they said no then what happened if things that they had done on the Sabbath were pointed out as things that a person should not do. They also knew they could not answer yes. This would set up a long string of changes to the law. So the Pharisees took the cowards way out and didn't say anything.
This opened the door for Jesus to answer his own question by healing the man. Now the Pharisees had the one thing that they needed to take him down. So Jesus poses a question that puts the ball back in their court. If they had a son or animal that fell into a well on the Sabbath would they not save them? You can almost see the faces on the Pharisees Jesus once again have blind-sided them. They all knew that they would not let their son or animal perish if it fell into a well on the Sabbath.
Jesus was pointing out that you cannot pick and choose what is right to do on the Sabbath. So many people do this every weekend. One might say I need to be off so that I can attend Church. As soon as they leave Church it is out to lunch with the family. With no thoughts of the workers that had to miss their service so that they could be there to serve them.
Some people say that you can only do this or that on the Sabbath because it shows your love and faith in God. It reminds me of something happened a couple of years ago here in Kentucky. Christmas fell on Sunday and several morning services were cancelled so people could spend their morning with their children and open gifts. How ironic that on one of the holiest days of the year the material things of the world were put before servicing God.
My roommate was the Chair of a Church Committee. He jokes about the two years that he scheduled the meeting on Super Bowl Sunday. Less people came to the meeting that at any other time of the year. Seems watching the game takes precedence over making a game plan for servicing the community.
What I am trying to say is that we should not look at one thing being more important to do on Sunday than other things. If we feel that it is important that people go to church why don't we allow our employees off so that they can have that option too. If we think committee meetings need to happen encourage participation and enjoy fellowship at the same time.
See I believe what Jesus was getting at is that every day that God has made is a Holy day. That we should not put on our pious hat for the Sabbath day. Then the rest of the week live differently. We should come to the understanding that people will know us by our walk. If our walk only includes God on Sunday what does that say about our life?
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for saving us even on the Sabbath. Thank you for doing your work on Earth during the Sabbath. We thank you for all that you do in our life. Help us be there for others. Help us to remember that not only is the Sabbath day a day to serve you. Help us put our priorities right so that we do not become stumbling blocks for others. In you Holy Name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Is there things that you think you should not do on the Sabbath? Is it okay to do these things the other six days of the week? Are you living a double standard? Are you becoming a stumbling block to others relationship with God? What changes do you need to make today?
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