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Lord of the Sabbath

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath’” Luke 6:5.  Do we exist to obey laws or do laws exist to benefit us? One of the Ten Commandments for the Israelites was to keep the Sabbath.  Nibbling on a few heads of grain to satisfy hunger was allowed by the Law, but the Pharisees saw that being done on the seventh day, in a very technical sense, as doing work and called Jesus out on it.  Jesus used the feeding of David’s men with the consecrated bread when they were fleeing Saul as an example from the past and then an illustration in the present to get to the very heart of the issue: “which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”  God didn’t create laws, then, just for something for us to obey; they are to help us as individuals or as a collective to draw closer to Him.  As a society, we create laws that we deem are necessary to benefit society.  A police officer could ticket a man for driving the speed limit if the conditions are icy and he is a danger to others or himself.  It is only in grasping this concept that we can draw deeper into our relationship with the Lord of the Sabbath when we are under grace and truth.  Do you?

I.  Luke 6:1-11.  Was what Jesus’ followers were doing ‘unlawful’?  Technically, yes, but that was a strictly by the letter of the Law.  They were doing work on the Sabbath.  By the example of David eating the consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21:4-6), however, Jesus pointed out that obedience to God’s commands are also in spirit.  The Law exists to serve man rather than man existing to serve the Law.

II.  Romans 2:25-29.  Though written to Jews who were trusting in their circumcision to save them, the same could be said to Christians who only trust in an outward checklist of hearing, belief, repentance, confession, and baptism to enter heaven one day.  An inward circumcision of our hearts, a living out of a submissive obedience, is also necessary.  This is why God, not ourselves, is the Judge when someone dies.  We can know if the person ever outwardly obeyed in baptism to receive the promise of eternal life, but only God can judge how that person lived out his obedience in daily living.

III.  1 John 2:3-6.  We must live in Jesus by grace and truth (John 1:17).  This does not, however, give us a license to sin (Galatians 5:13) or go to the opposite extreme by making Christianity a list of dos and don’ts (Colossians 2:20-23).  Rather, our daily walk must be as Jesus walked, being a true worshipper, worshipping in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Though God and Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus while in flesh had to submit in every way just as we do.  He set us an example by showing us that true obedience to God is in both spirit and truth.

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This is what I ask you, Lord, to give me

Give me strength to resist the devil and take hold of victory in Christ that you have promised.

Give me wisdom to know right and timely words that will build others up and proper steps to take for the greatest blessing.

Give me courage to speak of Christ at all times, even when truth has a good chance of not being well received.

Give me your Spirit that he might produce in me the virtues of my Lord.

Give me glory to shine as a light on a hill that all may see your goodness e confess your wonderful Name.

Give me love to accept each person where he is and show him how to be accepted by you through obedience to the gospel of Christ.

Give me joy so that every day offers me your presence and the hope of receiving one of the eternal rooms that Jesus is preparing.

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Meetings that reach mind, emotions and will

Lord, make this a blessed day for edifying the saints. Put in our hearts to serve you and to seek out every opportunity for doing good. Make us see the good that can be done by being present with the family of faith.

Help us all to ask what we can do to serve and encourage one another. Put a needy brother or sister in our path.

Help us to use our time today in preparation for making our meeting informative, inspiring, and motivating. May our meetings in this way reach the mind, the emotions, and the will.

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Remove all bitterness from our hearts

Proverbs 14

Heavenly Father, keep us away from the path which seems right but leads to death. We want to follow the way which is truly good.

Enlighten us that we might not believe everything we hear. On the other hand, let us not be jaded, refusing to put our faith in truth and in forgiveness.

We fear you and want to walk in righteousness. Steer our feet away from deceitful steps.

Thank you for the Lord Jesus who took upon himself our guilt. We are grateful for the joy we share in your Spirit. Remove all bitterness from our hearts. Let our laughter not hide sadness from suffering.

Restrain our tongues and hands from acting on impulse. Free us from being irritated at small things. Save us from slyness and smugness.

You as Creator made all people and treat them equally. Close our eyes to what people possess when we deal with them.

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In Me Create This Newness of Life

You know me, Lord, and every struggle,
every weakness — all my faults —
You read my every motive and thought.
Into my heart send your Spirit,
to cleanse and wholly purify —
Before you lie my body and soul.
You seek to make a vessel of honor,
this I would be — in me create
this newness of life — in hope I wait.
Be glorified in me, eternal glory,
yours since before the world began —
In my weakness show your strength,
in me be seen the sign of mercy.

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Only from You

The gift of yet another day of life
Comes only from you, the gracious Giver
Of good. Let all creation praise your name!

Air for breathing, living water for drink,
The word of love between us our lasting link,
Your caring touch — To you be glory forever!

Tumultuous world of anguished men in need!
To Jesus Christ the Savior would you lead
Each precious soul in freedom — All power is yours!

Your servant hears, O Lord! He runs to obey
Your blessed command. Put wings upon his feet.
Let lanterns on a hill illumine your Name!

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Let Fullest Peace Be Ours

Romans 5.1-5

In Christ we’re justified.
Let fullest peace be ours —
With you — and in ourselves.
For us he suffered and died.
To us came heaven’s powers —
To me — as one who believes —
O Lord, be Savior and Guide.

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You Will Catch Men

What’s the difference between a chicken and a pig?  Well, in terms of what they each provide for breakfast, the chicken in involved while the pig is committed!  Our pews may be full of involved Christians, some who have attended for years, but, like Simon, God confronts us to be committed to Him.

I. Luke 4:14-37.  After Jesus’ baptism and time of temptation, He began His ministry and was gaining quite a reputation for Himself around Galilee.  After Andrew introduced his brother to Jesus, the Savior said that Simon would be called Peter or ‘Rock’ (John 1:42).  But, that would not become his name that day as Simon just stayed involved with Jesus through the healing of his mother-in-law and the use of his boat for Jesus to teach from while Simon washed his nets after working hard all night (but catching nothing) from his own strength (Luke 4:38 – 5:3).  Like so many of us, he was content to have his ears tickled by this great man’s teaching without recognizing that it was the Creator in his craft.

II. Luke 5:4-11.  Jesus then confronts Simon by asking him to put his nets out into deep water.  Exhausted by his own limitations, Simon does not recognize what is possible for him through Jesus but does what Jesus asks.  It is in verse 8 that this simple but involved fisherman crosses over into being committed.  Never so tall as when he’s on his knees, never so much the solid ‘rock’ as when he is weakest, Simon recognizes his sinfulness in the presence of God in the flesh and is called ‘Peter’ here first.  Verse 11 demonstrates that committment as he and his partners “left everything and followed” Jesus.

III. Romans 4:1-5.  Even though Jesus could have pointed to His power as reason enough for Peter to follow Him, He instead pointed out what Peter could do through Him.  The fisherman could become a fisher of men.  If we were Peters instead of Simons, what could we do for Jesus as Jesus can do all things through us (John 14:12-14)?  To do that, we must be committed to God (Mark 8:34-35).

Are you a chicken or a pig?  Are you involved or committed?  Are you trying to serve God by your own strength or are you serving Him through His?  Are you still Simon or have you become Peter?

 

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Quieten our hearts and free us

Quieten our hearts, O Lord, with peace that rises from your Spirit, with joy that has salvation as its source, with love that flows from Jesus’ cross.

Free us from the desire to possess the things of this life, to control the lives of others, to follow our emotions and passions to destruction.

In service bind us. In trials and sufferings train us. Surrounded by the physical and material, open our spiritual eyes to see your power. For glory prepare us.

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Made You Alive with Christ

In David LaChapelle’s painting, “Last Supper,” Jesus is surrounded by the sinners of today, yet Romans 5:6-8 tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Thus in the cross we see God’s love shown through His benevolence.

I.  Colossians 2:13-14.  We were dead in our sin, but God made us alive with Christ.  Through His work on the cross, we can see His benevolence through His forgiveness and justice.  While it is easy to see love in not counting our sins against us, it is harder to see love in Jesus dying to pay for our sin.

II. Hebrews 4:14-16.  Mercy is not getting what we do deserve, and grace is getting what we don’t deserve.  Because of God’s benevolence in the form of His Son on the cross, we don’t have to be eternally punished for our sin and will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus instead (Romans 3:21-26).

III. Ephesians 2:1-5.  We who have received God’s benevolence must, in turn, show benevolence to others.  This is illustrated well in Jesus’ parable of Matthew 18:21-35 in the story of the debtor, forgiven of his debt, who wouldn’t forgive another of the debt owed to him.

God’s love, as shown through Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, brings us to another table, one laid out for the wedding supper of the Lamb.  We are spiritual beggars, knowing we are not worthy of a scrap from the King of King’s table, yet we find ourselves in robes washed clean and seated at the table, feasting for all eternity.