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SCRIPTURE Matt. 12:9-10 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?" (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
OBSERVATION This shows the coldness and death of rules-religion. These "religious" leaders were so stuck on their rules that they were daring Jesus to miraculously heal someone on the Sabbath so that they could have something against him. This shows what religion without heart, without love does, it destroys our ability to be concerned for the very people that a relationship with Jesus is supposed to lead us to serve. This man was moments away from being able to use his hand for the first time in perhaps years and their thoughts were on how they could catch Jesus violating their Sabbath rules.
APPLICATION/CONFESSION Sometimes I can get so caught up in wanting people to simply "toe the line" that I forget that I, first of all, love them and want to serve them. I forget to think about what they might be experiencing and what may be causing them to struggle. This is not Christianity, its religion and it kills.
PRAYER Lord forgive me for my religious spirit. Teach me how to connect, first, heart to heart. To sense what you are wanting to do and how you are wanting to love before I try to enforce some kind of rule.
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Chapter & Verse
from the series "The West Wing" created by Aaron Sorkin
President Bartlet (Martin Sheen): I like how you call homosexuality an abombination.
Jenna Jacobs: I don't say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President, the Bible does.
President Bartlet: Yes, it does. Leviticus.
Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.
President Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I have you here. I'm interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She's a Georgetown sophmore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here's one that's really important because we've got a lot of sports fans in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? "Think about that, will you?
Edited by Fightingfemale on 1/17/2007 at 1:24 PM
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