"And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, 'Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!...Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?'-- that they might accuse Him.'" (Matthew 12:2 & 8)
What came to me today as I read through my Gospel reading in Matthew 12 is that the Jews had taken that which is good and turned it to bad.
I regret and have repented for times in my life, especially when I was younger, when I did the same as the Jews in our text. Instead of rebuke and correction, sometimes it was more condemnation, even though I thought it not so. I was too much a "fruit inspector." I pray you always know that my intent for us is to do what I can to aid in the process of the Living Triune God, as 1 Peter 5:10 says, "....the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you," in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Jews thought they were, "do[ing] God service." Over the 3+ years of Jesus' teaching, healing the sick, delivering the oppressed, some of them heard, some did not. If I can say with all respect, Jesus' life did not manifest, Neither to I condemn you. Go and keep living anyway you wish. This is too much in modern, "seeker friendly," theology. Jesus says to humanity, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." Too many religionists, however, have held to the life style of the Jews in Matthew 12, "I condemn you," period. It is as though they were looking for the sin in others to help sure up their own attempt to "save themselves," or, "the worse the other appears, the better I appear."
I can tell you that I was that, "one sheep," which fell, "into a pit on the Sabbath." It did not matter to Our Lord Jesus what "day" it was. Jesus "la[id] hold of [me] and lift[ed] me out". If you want a good principle by which to interpret and live out all of the, "God-Breathed," Words, aka, the Bible, always remember these most powerful Words of Jesus, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."
Father, in Jesus' Name, what I see of you in the Matthew 12 narrative just brings more and more thanksgiving, worship, "lost in wonder, love and praise." Amen.
*********************
* Israel: April 17-24
* FHMP Briefing, including briefing on Israel trip: June 2. Let me know if you will be there so we can make the necessary reservations.
* Read what the FBI is really up to at: jhs58.blogspot.com
What came to me today as I read through my Gospel reading in Matthew 12 is that the Jews had taken that which is good and turned it to bad.
I regret and have repented for times in my life, especially when I was younger, when I did the same as the Jews in our text. Instead of rebuke and correction, sometimes it was more condemnation, even though I thought it not so. I was too much a "fruit inspector." I pray you always know that my intent for us is to do what I can to aid in the process of the Living Triune God, as 1 Peter 5:10 says, "....the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you," in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Jews thought they were, "do[ing] God service." Over the 3+ years of Jesus' teaching, healing the sick, delivering the oppressed, some of them heard, some did not. If I can say with all respect, Jesus' life did not manifest, Neither to I condemn you. Go and keep living anyway you wish. This is too much in modern, "seeker friendly," theology. Jesus says to humanity, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." Too many religionists, however, have held to the life style of the Jews in Matthew 12, "I condemn you," period. It is as though they were looking for the sin in others to help sure up their own attempt to "save themselves," or, "the worse the other appears, the better I appear."
I can tell you that I was that, "one sheep," which fell, "into a pit on the Sabbath." It did not matter to Our Lord Jesus what "day" it was. Jesus "la[id] hold of [me] and lift[ed] me out". If you want a good principle by which to interpret and live out all of the, "God-Breathed," Words, aka, the Bible, always remember these most powerful Words of Jesus, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."
Father, in Jesus' Name, what I see of you in the Matthew 12 narrative just brings more and more thanksgiving, worship, "lost in wonder, love and praise." Amen.
*********************
* Israel: April 17-24
* FHMP Briefing, including briefing on Israel trip: June 2. Let me know if you will be there so we can make the necessary reservations.
* Read what the FBI is really up to at: jhs58.blogspot.com
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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
