In the days when Jesus lived in Israel the Pharisees and the
experts in the Law greatly influenced the people by their
words and actions. But the words and actions of Jesus often
contradicted them!
"One Sabbath.. Jesus …was being carefully watched." There was a man
with a pitiful disease right there in front of Him. "Jesus asked
the Pharisees and experts in the law, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath or not?' But they remained silent. So taking hold of the
man, He healed him and sent him away. " 1*.
The Pharisees and experts in the law did not agree with Jesus doing
works of mercy on the Sabbath. Perhaps this was the first time the
people had seen their religious experts
humiliated. Jesus asked them, "'If one of you has a son or
an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not
immediately pull him out?' And they had nothing to say."
2*.
At other times Jesus had warned against those who would discourage
the keeping of any of God's commands. 3*. So, Jesus was not teaching that we can ignore
God's fourth commandment that tells us to work only six days a
week; 4*. but He was
showing us that we must use our common sense!
How very sad it is when people who want to please God just blindly
trust in the words and actions of their religious leaders.
5*. To be sure
of understanding and pleasing God you must trust the words and
actions of Jesus, His Son. 6*. Teachers whose words or actions disagree with
Jesus cannot be pleasing to God; yet with their false teachings
they fill people with false hopes and false peace! 7*.
While Jesus was having a meal with a Pharisee, "He noticed how the
guests picked the places of honour at the table. He told them this
parable: ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take
the place of honour,'" for a more important person than you may
have been invited. "If so, the host .. will come and say to you,
`Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take
the least important place. But when you are invited, take the
lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you,
`Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honoured in
the presence of all your fellow guests." 8*.
Jesus taught His followers that "Everyone who exalts himself will
be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
9*. This was very
different to what other teachers taught and practised.
True servants of the Lord Jesus are not people who are out to seek
honour or power for themselves in the service of God. 10*.
I wonder have you been depending on the words and actions of
religious leaders - men who have wanted honour and power for
themselves by claiming they can make and keep you right with God?
It is humiliating for such leaders, and their followers, to change
and put their whole trust in Jesus.
You should put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your
only Saviour and Priest today?
Read of how Jesus humiliated religious experts in Luke chapter 14,
verses 1-11.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke 14:1-4.
2 Luke 14:5-6.
3 Matthew 5:19.
4 Exodus 20:8-11.
5 Matthew 7:21-23. 15:3,
8-9.
6 John 14:6. 1st John
2:23. 2nd John 1:9.
7 Jeremiah 23:16-32.
Matthew 23:5-39.
8 Luke 14:8-10.
9 Luke 14:11.
10 John 13:13-17. 2nd
Corinthians 4:5-7.