The Word This Week
Matt 12:1…
Conflict with Jesus Christ is inevitable for merciless men.
The question is what will merciless men do with the conflict Christ presents?
Herein lies the eternal question: Will you cling to your traditions or your unbelief - or will you allow yourself to consider something entirely different than you have ever known before?
Mercy is an interesting concept because it sets itself in conflict with rules and regulations because it seems to excuse behavior which goes against whatever rules and regulations are present to govern society in a way that seems most acceptable to society.
Anyone violating the rules and regulations of society appears to be a threat to the orderliness or even the continuation of that society.
But what if the rules and regulations have been provided by God, and over hundreds of years those rules and regulations have been made by men to be almost unrecognizable?
What if men – not trusting in the grace and mercy of God to conform mankind – have taken God’s Law and added to it in such a confounding way no one can keep it? And where there is no mercy, there remains only judgment. But who is judge in this scenario?
In this case it is the Pharisees. It seems absurd for religious men to judge God, doesn’t it?
And would they judge based upon righteousness or by employing their rapidly forming prejudice against Jesus? When someone is perceived to be a threat, rules and regulations become a weapon instead of a guide. Are rules more important that hunger? Are rules more important than well-being? Is the day of the week to have dominion over man in every instance of life? What was the Sabbath established to accomplish in the hearts of men anyway? What had God meant when He said to do no work on the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy?
What had been established by God has now become so complex no man can keep what men perceive to be that which God established. Rather than even beginning to correct these men with evil in their hearts toward Himself, Jesus simply reminded them of the principle of mercy, which God had also established and which men have completely ignored in fear society would collapse without rigid adherence to man’s interpretations of God’s Law.
Pastor Bill
Conflict with Jesus Christ is inevitable for merciless men.
The question is what will merciless men do with the conflict Christ presents?
Herein lies the eternal question: Will you cling to your traditions or your unbelief - or will you allow yourself to consider something entirely different than you have ever known before?
Mercy is an interesting concept because it sets itself in conflict with rules and regulations because it seems to excuse behavior which goes against whatever rules and regulations are present to govern society in a way that seems most acceptable to society.
Anyone violating the rules and regulations of society appears to be a threat to the orderliness or even the continuation of that society.
But what if the rules and regulations have been provided by God, and over hundreds of years those rules and regulations have been made by men to be almost unrecognizable?
What if men – not trusting in the grace and mercy of God to conform mankind – have taken God’s Law and added to it in such a confounding way no one can keep it? And where there is no mercy, there remains only judgment. But who is judge in this scenario?
In this case it is the Pharisees. It seems absurd for religious men to judge God, doesn’t it?
And would they judge based upon righteousness or by employing their rapidly forming prejudice against Jesus? When someone is perceived to be a threat, rules and regulations become a weapon instead of a guide. Are rules more important that hunger? Are rules more important than well-being? Is the day of the week to have dominion over man in every instance of life? What was the Sabbath established to accomplish in the hearts of men anyway? What had God meant when He said to do no work on the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy?
What had been established by God has now become so complex no man can keep what men perceive to be that which God established. Rather than even beginning to correct these men with evil in their hearts toward Himself, Jesus simply reminded them of the principle of mercy, which God had also established and which men have completely ignored in fear society would collapse without rigid adherence to man’s interpretations of God’s Law.
Pastor Bill