36 Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11; 8:1-3, TBC Book Two, Chapter 36
By now it seemed that everyone was talking about Jesus, the rabbi who not only healed the sick but had even raised the dead. Not everyone believed the stories they were hearing. Many of the religious leaders, the Pharisees, were skeptical. Jesus had indeed gained a great following. So they looked for ways to criticize him. Perhaps then the crowds would stop following him.

On this Sabbath, some Pharisees saw Jesus and his disciples walking through the corn fields. His disciples were hungry and began picking ears of corn. They rubbed them in their hands so they could eat the kernels.

“Look!” someone shouted. “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath.”

Working on the Sabbath was forbidden by the laws God had given to Moses. But Jesus was not troubled by their actions. Instead, said to the Pharisees, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry? . . . 

When Jesus and his disciples left the field, they walked to the synagogue and saw a man whose hand was shriveled and paralyzed.

Reasoning that healing on the Sabbath was the same as working,  the Pharisees thought, Here is our chance to expose him. . . .

(See THE BIBLE CLICKS, Book Two, Chapter 36, for the rest of the story.)​

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Today’s Takeaways
     A proverb to guide you: Mercy triumphs over judgment. So offer lovingkindness every day . . . and twice on Sunday!
     A promise to cling to: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:12-13 NIV
     A praise to fill you: Mercy Came Running  Phillips, Craig, and Dean     [Can skip ad after first 5 seconds]