May 21 Rest in Jesus

Luke 14:1-6 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So, taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. 5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?”  6 And they had nothing to say.
 
JUST six days ago, we looked at the Pharisees’ criticism of Jesus’ Sabbath healing. The focus then was to see the Sabbath as God’s benediction over his creation. To honor the Sabbath, we do rest from our work. And at the same time, we are to recognize the Sabbath blessing may come in special opportunities to care for others. Loving others is certainly an appropriate response to “Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.” (Exodus 20:8), a day given for our care.
    This is the third time Luke mentions a Sabbath conflict between the Lord of the Sabbath and his creation. Why do you think the writer Luke repeatedly records this argument?
    One reason could be very practical for Luke, who was a physician. Perhaps he sought to stress Jesus’ great, practical healing powers. Jesus was doing with one word what no physician could do. There was no scope of illness or death Jesus could not conquer. Records of his life-transforming miracles were more evidence of his deity. This, remember, is the main reason Luke wrote to his Roman friend Theophilus. Luke 1:1-2 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
    Luke wrote Luke and Acts to state the things that have been fulfilled among us. These are accounts of carefully interviewed eye witnesses to the evidence of God’s kingdom come to earth. These two books are the Bible’s most complete picture of Jesus’ earthly life leading to his heavenly life.
    Another reason for the repetition is to again demonstrate Jesus’ lordship. Jesus is masterful in his teaching. Instead of immediately preaching to his accusers or defending his actions, he often asked his accusers a question to discern how he truly needed to respond. The question, too, disarmed the Pharisees’ judgmental hearts.
    Their silence indicates they had no answer for Jesus. He had quickly shown them his law was given in love to protect the Jews’ physical and spiritual health. In response, we must obey his law with grace and love for one another.
    Celebrate the Sabbath. Rest in Jesus’ love. Help others do the same.
 
Prayer: Teach me, oh Lord, how good you are. Stir in my heart a desire and will to love others as you do. Amen.