Wednesday, May 7, 2014
It’s About Life
Jesus said there is an enemy, a thief, out to kill us.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Notice that His response to the thief was life – abundant life. Jesus was saying that when it comes to war, to battle with our enemy, the thief, the enemy brings his weapons of choice – death – but God brings life. Jesus spoke about this when He spoke about the Sabbath.
Luke 13:12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Here the church leaders of their day were getting down on Jesus for doing something agianst their understanding of scripture. But Jesus pointed out how they were again being hypocrites. It happened again.
Luke 14:2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6 And they could not answer him again to these things.
Here again we see Jesus saying that they all take care of their livestock if it is injured so why not heal on the Sabbath. What may not be clear is there is actual scripture to support His position.
Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Here is the scripture, or one of them, that Jesus was building His position on. It is righteous to regard the life of a beast, but the wicked would not and what the wicked call merciful – not healing on the Sabbath – is actually cruel. This also explains what Jesus meant by man not being made for the Sabbath.
Mark 2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Jesus did not mean do what you want on the Sabbath, it doesn’t matter. What He was saying is that to elevate the Law above life is to miss the point. The Law is our teacher, not a taskmaster that the leaders of that day tried to turn it in to. It is there to teach us, not to beat us up. God loves us and just would not do that. Today, if you want to go to war with our enemy with God at your side just remember, it’s about life!
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as our King. We thank You for each day’s blessings. Please forgive us when we get things wrong, whether that be self-righteousness or complete lack of any form of righteousness. Please lead us, Your people today, Father. Send us Your healing, Your deliverance, and Your abundant provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.