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Notes: August 12, 2009

Many People Followed Jesus

Of course, not always for the best of reasons. Some came out of curiosity. Some came to see what Jesus could do for them. But they came; and none the worse for coming.

Mark 3:7-19; Matthew 12:15-21; Luke 6:12-16

  • Unclean spirits declared Jesus to be the Son of God.
  • Isaiah 42:1-4. Fulfilled. Would you have known it were it not explained here?
  • Jesus had many disciples; but he only chose 12 to be his apostles. Is this choice fair? Would anyone fault Jesus for his election?
  • Compare the lists. It appears that some men were known by more than one name.
  • Jesus empowered them to preach and to heal.

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Notes: August 11, 2009

Another sabbath opportunity to glorify God.

Is it just me, or do the Jews seem more interested in whether Jesus keeps their religious laws than they are in his many miracles? Like the crazy man who argued that he was dead… when someone stuck him with a pin, he remarked, “Well, I guess dead men do bleed.” The Jews were blinded by their own prejudices and they couldn’t see that the Son of God was in their midst.

Mark 3:1-6; Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11

  • You can hear them say, “Watch. Let’s see whether Jesus will heal that man on the sabbath day. If he does, then we’ll have something to hold against him.”
  • Jesus knew what they were thinking; and he intentionally made the healing all the more public.
  • “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?”
  • “Wouldn’t you help an animal out of the ditch on the sabbath?” (sheep, here; ox in Lk14:5).
  • Conclusion: man is worth more than an animal therefore healing is legal on the sabbath.
  • And for this, the Pharisees want to kill Jesus.

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Notes: August 10, 2009

“Why do you do this?”

Are you offended when someone asks about your religion? Are you able to give a reason for why you worship one way or another? Jesus was constantly scrutinized by those who rejected him.

Mark 2:23-28; Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5

  • Jesus was walking on the sabbath day with his disciples and certain Pharisees watched everything that happened.
  • Nobody questioned walking on the sabbath, and nobody questioned whether walking in someone’s field might be trespassing or whether taking grain from that field might be stealing. No, the Pharisees questioned the act of plucking and peeling the grain and declared that to be work forbidden on the sabbath.
  • 1 Samuel 21:3-6 . Jesus appealed to the scriptural precedent of David as proof that there can be exceptions.
  • Further, Jesus appealed to the divine obligation that priests have to work on the sabbath as proof that some things are more important than others.
  • Jesus declared himself to be greater than the temple.
  • When we become more interested in legalism than the welfare of others, we prove that we do not know God who would rather have mercy than sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6; Isaiah 1:11-17)
  • Remember that the sabbath was made for man and not the other way ’round. Man is not to be a slave to the sabbath. Jesus is Lord of both man and sabbath.

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Audio: Lord’s Day Morning, August 9, 2009

The Mission Begins

Acts 13:3-12

[audio:am-2009-08-09.mp3]

The Mission Begins

Acts 13:3-12

[audio:am-2009-08-09.mp3]