Yesterday we explored a story about Jesus and his followers eating grain in the fields on a Saturday, a day of rest, and getting in trouble from the religious authorities.  In his response, Jesus referred to one of the great heroes of the Jewish faith, David, who ate holy bread in the temple when he was starving.  He mentions the story, and lets the religious authorities do what they do best – argue about God while God is standing right there.  He asks them why David got away with eating holy bread, since David was never condemned for eating it.

This story illustrates Jesus’ approach to two kinds of law.  There is God’s law given at creation about the Sabbath: rest on the seventh day…period.  That stands, and that’s actually what Jesus is about – giving us eternal rest, even today.  But there is also the ritual/Sabbath/ceremonial law that is built on top of the basic commandment at creation.  Think of it like scaffolding around a structure to help build it – it can be very helpful in following God’s law.  But we don’t want to let it obscure God’s original purpose and law.  This scaffolding is a reality of our sin or rebellion from God.  Our hearts don’t naturally follow God’s law anymore, and so we need these additional structures.  But, don’t forget they are provisional…until something comes along and makes them obsolete

Then Jesus comes along and says, “I am Lord of the Sabbath.”

He claims to be God, and gives an invitation to find rest in him, and to stop wrestling with sin and other sinful realities around us, to stop wrestling with ourselves, and just rest in him as he fights those battles.

Claims like this got him in trouble with the Pharisees and Scribes, and eventually their urging that he be killed.   But in doing, they made him Lord of the Sabbath…exactly what he’d said.

On the cross, he is restless for us – huge work.  He takes on the restlessness of our sin and because of that, we can rest, not on our work overcoming sin and brokenness in our lives, but on his work.

We see him showing that the day of rest, the Sabbath, isn’t the point, just as the temple bread wasn’t the point.  God is the point.  Resting in God is the point.  We’ll see how tomorrow.

Question: Why do you think Jesus’ claims were so offensive to the religious legalists?

Ryan Sim - June 5, 2014

Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Preaching

Yesterday we studied Peter’s speech after healing a man. At the end, he said people shouldn’t look to him, or to the healed man, for answers. Where should they have looked? He wanted them to look at Jesus. That’s where the man, and the crowd will find healing, power, and hope. Us, too! We’ll find the one we’ve been waiting for, even though humans killed him, he rose again and undid that and every other wrong. Yes, he was speaking to local Jews at the time he made these accusations, but by its presence in scripture, and all our participation in sin, he was also speaking to every human being on earth. With an opportunity to speak to thousands, Peter made a direct accusation. This may make us uncomfortable, and it probably made his first hearers even more so. But thankfully he doesn’t stop there, but gives them some comfort, that this was all possible due to their ignorance. As Jesus died, he said, “Forgive them, they know not what they do” and Peter reminds them of that. They didn’t know that Jesus whom they killed was actually their Messiah, but he was. Peter lets them know this is the one they’d been waiting for, who would bring together all the best of their history in one Messiah. He says Jesus was the: Suffering servant Moses-like Prophet Davidic king Seed of Abraham The people in Jerusalem at that time put him to death, but we all made it necessary. Through our own sin or rebellion against God, our sin, we’ve all had our part in Jesus’ death. But that also means we can all share in his resurrection. His resurrection led to the forgiveness of sins for all people, freely offered. If we call on his name, where true power is to be found, we’ll find our ultimate healing just like that man. His takeaway message? Repent and turn to God. The physical healing this crippled man experienced is just like the spiritual healing you can experience. He describes three blessings: Sins will be wiped or blotted out. Times of refreshing, we can see it in this leaping man who previously couldn’t walk. The promised Christ, Jesus will be back to bring his kingdom fully to earth as it is in heaven. Challenge: Find one way today to point to Jesus, instead of yourself. i.e. Don’t take the credit for something important today, but tell someone you thank God for it instead.

Related Topics: Evangelism, Pioneer, Preaching | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Pioneer Story"

We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.

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