"For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:8, NASB))
How dare a, "carpenter's son," say such a thing? How dare just an average Israeli citizen make such a claim? As the Ashkenazi Jews would say,"What chutzpah!" We must understand that to the majority of those who heard Jesus' Words for the first time, His claims were astonishing. To most, and I include myself here, they are still. When I read our text this month, it just "jumped out" at me. This happens quite frequently with "familiar" texts. You read them for years, then you hear them, or perhaps a fresh breath of the, "God-Breathed" Word.
The scene of our text was quite familiar to our Lord. He was being challenged for His deeds and words, His behavior which did not conform to others' interpretation of the Law of Moses. At one point Jesus said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? But I say to you," literally, "a greater than the temple is here. But Jesus was not yet through with His claim to Lordship, not only of the Sabbath, but of the Law and the Prophets. "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."
"....a greater than...is here." Fill in the blank with whatever and whomever you wish. Except for Father and Holy Spirit, Jesus is the, "greater than," and as Peter said to the Roman soldier's household and friends, "He is Lord of all." The claims of Jesus Christ are nothing but preposterous to the natural mind, yours and mine included. What we have in our relationship with/in Jesus is revelation, the same as Peter's in the, "regions of Caesarea Philippi." What glorious revelation. What glorious "amazing grace." What glorious invitation you and I have received, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me." Enjoy your Dinner.
Father, in Jesus' Name, You are, "Lord of all." Continually be, "Lord of," me. Amen.
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2014 Fall Mission: Washington, DC
How dare a, "carpenter's son," say such a thing? How dare just an average Israeli citizen make such a claim? As the Ashkenazi Jews would say,"What chutzpah!" We must understand that to the majority of those who heard Jesus' Words for the first time, His claims were astonishing. To most, and I include myself here, they are still. When I read our text this month, it just "jumped out" at me. This happens quite frequently with "familiar" texts. You read them for years, then you hear them, or perhaps a fresh breath of the, "God-Breathed" Word.
The scene of our text was quite familiar to our Lord. He was being challenged for His deeds and words, His behavior which did not conform to others' interpretation of the Law of Moses. At one point Jesus said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? But I say to you," literally, "a greater than the temple is here. But Jesus was not yet through with His claim to Lordship, not only of the Sabbath, but of the Law and the Prophets. "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."
"....a greater than...is here." Fill in the blank with whatever and whomever you wish. Except for Father and Holy Spirit, Jesus is the, "greater than," and as Peter said to the Roman soldier's household and friends, "He is Lord of all." The claims of Jesus Christ are nothing but preposterous to the natural mind, yours and mine included. What we have in our relationship with/in Jesus is revelation, the same as Peter's in the, "regions of Caesarea Philippi." What glorious revelation. What glorious "amazing grace." What glorious invitation you and I have received, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me." Enjoy your Dinner.
Father, in Jesus' Name, You are, "Lord of all." Continually be, "Lord of," me. Amen.
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2014 Fall Mission: Washington, DC
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
