Good Morning Friends,
The last couple of weeks we have been exploring how Jesus faced the challenges of the political and religious leaders who tried to trip him up by asking challenging questions related to his behavior and what they thought to be of importance, namely their continued status in positions of power. What they did not realize even though Jesus told them was that their way of life was changing dramatically and many of the situations they were taking issue with would be mute when the Temple itself would be destroyed and all their institutional power gone. Today we continue this theme of transformational teaching and doing as we meditate on seven miracles Jesus performed on the Sabbath and the dramatically changing world as we move to a post pandemic reality. So, How Will The Way You Live Your Sabbaths and Sundays Be Changed After The Pandemic?
Scripture: He left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
Matthew 12:9-14 (NRSV)
They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28 (NRSV)
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Mark 1:29-31 (NRSV)
And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
Luke 13:10-13 (NRSV)
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath, or not?” But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away.
Luke 14:1-4 (NRSV
Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a Sabbath.
John 5:8-9 (NRSV)
Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.
John 9:14 (NRSV)
and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—
Ephesians 4:32—5:8 (NRSV)
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:12-17 (NRSV)
Message: Well, here is mud in your eye. Jesus is at it again bending the rules and shaking things up, taking some risk and being radical. In today’s scripture we see him, over a period of time, performing seven miracles on God’s holy Sabbath Day (which ran from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset). For some it was breaking the rules, but today it seems more of an affirmation of the sacredness of God expanding. So, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. Jesus heals the Man with an Unclean Spirit. Jesus heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. He heals a woman attending synagogue, who was crippled for eighteen years. At a Pharisee’s house eating a meal with the host and several lawyers, Jesus heals a man with dropsy. Jesus heals a man who is unable to walk at the pool of Bethesda. And Jesus heals a man born blind at the pool of Siloam. When word got out about what Jesus had done for these people there was no big celebration among the religious leaders that they had been healed. You would think this would be cause for great joy. Instead, they were angered that he broke the law by doing “work” on the Sabbath! Instead of being commended for healing, Jesus was instead condemned for acting outside the norm and being just a little too radical. And here in doing it this way Jesus reveals something especially important about whom he was and what his mission on earth was all about. By healing on the Sabbath Jesus shows us that faith is not about following a bunch of rules but in trusting the Son of God. All these healings were to demonstrate his role as Messiah but also the radical concept of grace that Jesus was ushering into existence through his life, death, and resurrection.
And So, today’s message is that we learn by doing new things and in the process are transformed and even healed by our actions of the insanity of our minds. It is interesting that the Bible records seven Sabbath miracles. The number “seven” denotes perfection and completeness. There are seven colors in the rainbow and seven notes in a musical scale. Of time it tells of the Sabbath, and marks off the week of seven days. The seven Sabbath miracles indicates a type of perfection and completeness. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and that makes the Sabbath the true “Lord’s Day.’ In performing these seven Sabbath miracles, Jesus is showing us how to keep the Sabbath and the essence of worship for professing Christians. Jesus emphasized the humane element of mercy, compassion, and loving-kindness by healing and “doing good” on the Sabbath. He showed us that we are not to be “hard hearted” as the Pharisees were when it comes to the Sabbath. We need to keep the Sabbath as Jesus did by worshiping God in a way that reaches the least, last and lost. Think of the actions of the Good Samaritan, think of Moses engaging a culture in new ways of worship. Think of Daniel in exile discovering a new way to glorify God. Think of the early church when the Temple had been destroyed. Realize that when we help others, especially those most vulnerable, to see a way out of their situation, to get on their feet and to overcome, we are worshiping in a way that honors God. A recent Barna poll has indicated that, 20% of all churches in the United States are likely to close as a result of the pandemic. And even more troubling was that 58% of pastors thought that their church group would not survive. Maybe part of the reason may be financial. But if it happens, we will have thousands of churches whose former parishioners would still need a way to worship. Sure, many may choose to live stream distant surviving churches, but that is not the same and we all know that. Worship is to be part of a community. And as we seek a new normal perhaps, we will find new ways of experiencing the way we set aside time for God and others, learning from the seven healings of Jesus on the Sabbath.
Pray we realize that doing is better than just thinking, but that thinking differently can help us to do more of what God has called us to do. Pray we have a religion that heals hand and foot, and eye and tongue. Pray we are following a doctrine that heals. Pray we realize that our spirituality needs Jesus. Pray our faith be radical enough to warrant God’s grace. Pray that our form of worship would honor Jesus’ radical compassion as a work of God. Pray we realize that legalistic Sabbath keeping is a deadly practice. Pray our Sabbath rest is a time of healing. Pray we be at peace in the process of change as Christ rules in our hearts. Pray we are comforted by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that instead of suffering through life we have victory in Jesus accepting the path God has laid out for each of us as children of God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 