Let Love Lead The Way
I sometimes wonder about Christians. Although we have been saved by grace, some of us can be very legalistic in our actions and positions towards other people. Some of the lightning rod issues dividing people in America have some Christians adamantly taking positions that don’t reflect the same love and mercy that they have been graciously given by God. In Luke 14:1-6, Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees who often added restrictions and rules on top of God’s law while neglecting His love and compassion for people and His desire for us to be whole. I pray this week that God’s love and compassion would lead all of our actions toward one another. Amen
And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. (Luke 14:1) The Pharisees “watched” Jesus. That word in the scripture signified that there was malicious intent on the part of the Pharisees toward Jesus. In fact, there is the sense that the entire invitation to Jesus to dine at this Pharisee’s house was a set up designed to entrap Jesus and accuse Him of violating the Law. Thus, they watched Jesus and waited for the opportunity to catch Him in an act of transgression that they could use against Him.
And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; (Luke 14:2-4) Dropsy is a condition that causes fluid to build up and swell/disfigure the body. Bringing this man before Jesus was part of the Pharisee’s plan to entice Jesus into violating the Sabbath by taking some action that they considered to be prohibited. The commandment God gave Israel regarding the Sabbath, was to remember/observe it by keeping it holy (see Exodus 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15). The question that Jesus posed to the Pharisees, was whether He was violating God’s law by healing someone on the Sabbath. Jesus was not so much challenging their knowledge of the Law, but exposing the motives of their hearts. Their refusal to answer Jesus said it all.
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? And they could not answer him again to these things. (Luke 14:5-6) After challenging the Pharisees by healing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath, Jesus pushed the issue by asking the Pharisees whether they would even hesitate to pull an animal that was important to them out of a pit, even on the Sabbath. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy, while also making the point that God values His children even more than they valued their ass or ox. And so, God’s utmost desire is to make us whole, and Jesus came to give us the healing that we need. Therefore it is consistent with God’s law to show forth His love and compassion to one another. Even more so on the Sabbath!
Jesus exposed the hypocrisy in the hearts of the these Pharisees by pointing out the lack of love that they employed in their actions. In healing this man afflicted with droopy, Jesus was making the point that He came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. God offers the healing that we do desperately need…. The healing of our spiritual condition. Sin has left us spiritually impaired and Jesus came to make us whole again. The purpose of the Law was not to make us try to live up to to it without error. The purpose of the law was to expose our pitiful and despicable spiritual condition so that we seek the only healing that can make us whole… Jesus. As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus and offer hope and healing to those who are afflicted. And we can only do that when we let love (not legalism) lead the way.
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
