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Today’s message is based on a popular modern saying that represents truth. The saying is that “You can not legislate morality.” It is not possible for any law to force true love or morale behavior to emanate from people. The real purpose of the law is not to motivate our behavior
but rather to disclose to us that deep down inside we all have a real natural tendency to be law breakers. We can not help but to be this way on our own and we need help to overcome it.
In today’s scripture, we will examine a scene where this theme is played out by experts at
In today’s scripture, we will examine a scene where this theme is played out by experts at
the law during the ministry of Jesus. The Pharisees thought that the focus on forcing everyone to keep the law was the way to be perfect like God. But the essence of God is agape love. God is grace, mercy and compassion. None of these things can ever be forced and still be
authentic. Remember that Jesus summed up all of the law by saying that we simply needed to love God with everything in us and then to love other people more than we love ourselves.
In this scene, Jesus is in God’s house when He sees an opportunity to love on and to have
In this scene, Jesus is in God’s house when He sees an opportunity to love on and to have
compassion for a man who is suffering. Blinded to the idea of love for God or for His people, the Pharisees only looked for the possible negative things that Jesus was doing. They sought ways that they could accuse Him of breaking the law. In essence, they were projecting or
accusing Jesus of doing that which they themselves were doing.
Already knowing their thoughts, the response that Jesus gave to them was masterful and caught them in their own sin. He simply asked them if on the Sabbath it was lawful to do good or to do evil… to save life or to
Already knowing their thoughts, the response that Jesus gave to them was masterful and caught them in their own sin. He simply asked them if on the Sabbath it was lawful to do good or to do evil… to save life or to
kill? Which of these things were lawful to do on the Sabbath? Blinded by their hatred, these Pharisees failed to receive or to understand the lesson and then ironically went out to begin to plot how to kill Jesus ON THAT SAME SABBATH!
Hatred for others blinds every one of us. In this case it even blinded the Pharisees so that they were incapable of seeing the miracle that Jesus performed because they were focused on the law. Simply pointing to the law is not the solution to fix this problem in our hearts.
The law only gives us a weapon or a club with which we attack and accuse others of doing the very same evil that we ourselves do. The real answer and solution is always love from our hearts. That answer will never be found in the law or anywhere else in this world. It only comes
when we recognize and follow the example that Jesus gives to us.
Now let’s read about this scene where the Lord gives us that example and the lesson that the Pharisees failed to learn about the law. It is found at the beginning of the gospel of Mark chapter 3.
Now let’s read about this scene where the Lord gives us that example and the lesson that the Pharisees failed to learn about the law. It is found at the beginning of the gospel of Mark chapter 3.
Healing on the Sabbath
1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”
1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”
4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. - Mark 3:1-6
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