Today's Reading: Matthew 12: 1-14
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 12: 1-14
Bible Study
Yesterday we talked about the secret to have a restful and peaceful life. Today Jesus gives an example of how we can misunderstand what restful means.
The weekly Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, set apart by the Law of Moses as a day for ceasing from normal work and for resting and worshiping the Lord (Ex. 20:10; Dt. 5:14). Here in this passage, Jesus condemned the extreme misuse of the law by Jewish leaders (vv. 1-8; Lk. 13: 10-17;14: 1-6). He said that the day of rest was given for our spiritual and physical well-being (Mk 2:27) and not to misuse the Sabbath to block God's authority. That's why Jesus said, "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Christians in the New Testament set aside the first day of the week instead of the last of the week to worship God and to commemorate the resurrection of Christ (Ac. 20:7; 1 Co. 16:2).
N.T. Wright says:
The law of Sabbath was there to ensure that God's love for his people would not be interrupted by people being over-eager to work more than they should. But if the law, strictly applied, was getting in the way of that love, as it flowed out to reach and heal people in desperate need, then it was the law that was wrong. People matter more than things, even when the 'things' are part of the biblical law.
N.T. Wright challenges us today by saying:
What systems are currently in danger of being exalted over the needs of real human beings, in your country, your church, your family? What would it mean for the son of man to be master of them?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: People matter more than things!
What I got today from Jesus is a reminder of how He has been changing quite a number of stubbornness in me because of some biblical laws and traditions of the church.
One of the thing is that I insisted that church worship needs to be on Sunday nine years ago and I lost a chance of church planting for restaurant workers. In 2003 Richmond Emmanuel Church launched an Alpha course for 13 consecutive Thursday from 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. We had six non-believer committed their lives to Jesus. At that time, I thought that was the time to test their faith and stopped our Thursday gathering but to invite them to our Sunday worship. Five out of that six people dropped out because they all had to work in restaurants. Only one joined our church because at that time he was looking for a new job and not a restaurant worker and he is Simon Cheung, one of our leader now and his wife Rebecca is our Awana commander.
After eight years, I learned a hard lesson that people matter more than the concept of having worship on Sunday. So, now we have a good new church plant, having two Alpha courses already since last March and we have our regular worship every Wednesday from 3:30p.m. to 5pm. And, I have baptized seven adults and one child since last December in Emmanuel 330, our new church plant.
Yes, people matter more than things! Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be able to listen to your daily guidance and direction so that we can follow you but not the rules. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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Chinese praise song - 雲上太陽 The Sun above the cloud
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