God Speaks
Jesus Declares and Demonstrates That He Is LORD of the Sabbath; He Calls His Disciples Together and Begins Teaching Them
Verse of the Day: [How are we to determine whom to follow?] A good man [person] brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. . . .everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice , [is like someone who built a house on a firm foundation] . . . But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice [is like someone who built a house on unreliable soil–sand.] (Luke 6:45,47, 49 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Matthew 12
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding each chapter of Matthew 12:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. Jesus Himself said, “For the Son of Man [a title Jesus frequently used for Himself] is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
2. People (like the Pharisees in this chapter) continually plot to destroy Jesus and His followers.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Matthew 12?
Thank You, LORD God, that Jesus, the Son of Man, is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus, You used King David’s experience to teach the Pharisees that meeting people’s honest needs and showing mercy are more important to You than strict adherence to the law or performing religious rituals. Again, You taught that relieving the distress of a human being is more important than relieving the distress of an animal or retrieving property even on the Sabbath. A man is more valuable than a sheep. Although the Pharisees conspired against You and plotted to destroy You, You kept serving people and fulfilling prophecy (Isaiah 42:1-3), preparing for the expansion of Your kingdom (to the Gentiles). You also taught about the importance of unity, of the Holy Spirit, and of the fruit or what is produced in our lives. You refused to do signs or miracles on demand. You explained that, since I have been delivered from evil, I need to fill my life with the good things of God to keep it (a demon or evil) from returning and getting worse. You taught that whoever does the will of Your Father in Heaven is a member of Your family and will receive the authority to do whatever You did here on earth. May we, Your followers, live our daily lives by the power of the Spirit of God. All for the glory of the Father. AMEN.
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Matthew 12?
- I will 1) look into what it means to “keep the Sabbath.” 2) ask the Lord what He wants me to do regarding Sabbath rest, and 3) then do it. [Pastor Wayne Okamoto’s sermon on this spiritual discipline can be found here]
- I will demonstrate how I value human life by 1) praying in front of an abortion clinic during a 40 Days for Life campaign (a group that gathers to pray to end abortion), 2) volunteering to help teenage moms through Kindred Life, or by 3) helping at a crisis pregnancy center.
- I will take courage and firmly but politely speak up on social media when someone is being harassed, shunned, or shamed (especially when what they are saying or doing is true and honorable).
- I will take some time alone with the Lord (perhaps half an hour to start) to examine what fruit my life is producing in my own character, in my family, in my friends, or in my community.
Mark 3
Reflection: Jesus healed a man with a withered hand while in a synagogue. The leaders were furious because He did it on the Sabbath, so they began plotting to kill Him. A great crowd from all over the area followed Jesus because He healed people and set others free from demons. Jesus chose twelve men to travel with Him, and He called them apostles. Mark lists their names. When His friends and family heard all that He was doing, they said, “He must be out of his mind.” The teachers of the Jewish religion claimed that he was controlled by Satan. That’s how he could cast out demons. Jesus countered their arguments and further explained what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. When his family came to get Him, Jesus said, “Anyone who does God’s will is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.” (Mark 3:35 TLB)
Prayer: Father God, please help me to do what is good and not evil every day (Sabbath [Sunday] or not). May people be amazed and drawn to Jesus when they see how You are working in and through me. May Your followers be united in love and obedience to You as Your family, but may evil forces (of all kinds) be divided and thus destroyed. I want to be your brother or sister or mother because I do the will of God as You did, Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will attend church (the equivalent of synagogue) every week (in person or online).
- I will watch for and write down where I see Jesus working in and through people.
- I will use biblical resources to try to understand what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit so that I can avoid doing it.
- I will ask God in prayer to show me His will and then help me to do it.
Luke 6
Reflection: Jesus taught and demonstrated that He was Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before He called twelve men to travel with Him and be His disciples. He even granted this favor to one He knew would later betray Him. Great crowds of people gathered around Jesus with many being healed of various ailments or released from the control of evil spirits. He demonstrated power from God and taught the principles of the Kingdom. These beatitudes are the opposite of the way most human beings operate. Jesus directed His followers to be happy now when (not if) they are poor/needy, hungry, sad, hated, or ill-treated now, because in the future (whether on earth or in Heaven) they will be rewarded by God with citizenship in the Kingdom, full satisfaction of their desires, and the deep joy of knowing God and His love. The hardest of these “be attitudes” is to love, bless, and pray for those who abuse, steal from, and malign us. Some well-known expressions come from Jesus’s teaching recorded here: “the blind leading the blind”; “the log in your own eye”; “a tree is known by its fruit”; “out of the heart the mouth speaks”; “a house built on a rock.”
Prayer: God in Heaven, teach me what it means for You to be Lord of my whole life, not just for one day a week. Please help me to spend concentrated time with You before making major (or even minor) decisions in my life. I never want to betray You as Judas did or defame Your name as others have done. I want to live a life that demonstrates Your power and fulfills Your principles. Please enable me to love, bless, and pray for those who abuse, steal from, and malign me. I cannot do it apart from You. Only You can equip me to really treat others (especially my “enemies”) the way I want to be treated. Help me to follow You closely so that I can see clearly and learn to be like You. Help me take the log out of my own eye so I can be free to help others. I want to produce good fruit for You. May my words reflect Your presence in my life. Thank You that putting Your instructions into practice will lay an unshakeable foundation for my life. I love You, Lord Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will investigate what it means to keep the Sabbath and try to follow what I learn as much as possible.
- I will ask the Lord to keep me so close in following Him that I repent before denying or betraying Him or any of His children.
- I will try to do something good for others every day, especially those I disagree with, who treat me badly, or who I just don’t like.
- I will pray for the salvation and blessing of those who persecute me.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.