THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 6:1-11
“Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil?” (Luke 6:9)
Often the focus of a law is on what you cannot do.
There are laws against being bad, but what about laws for being good?
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day only saw what God’s laws were against.
Don’t do this, don’t do that… and you will be a good person.
But stopping the bad doesn’t make us good; God wants good behaviour.
Doing good, saving life, helping the weak, standing up for justice.
The purpose of God’s law was to point us towards loving God and people.
Sabbath laws were meant to protect labourers and slaves from overwork.
They were meant to create space for personal and family well-being.
Jesus comes to show us what God-like living looks like.
It is not sombre, restrictive, full of negative rules and warnings.
It is all about doing good, blessing others, increasing love, joy, peace…
This way of life is more fulfilling than focusing on the negative.
This is “life to the full” or “eternal life” – the life we were made for!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see that You want more than just to stop negative behaviour, You demand good behaviour.
Sundays.
I remember Sundays as a child and there were a lot of things I couldn’t do – ride a bike, play football, swim at the beach. All these were a focus of keeping Sundays special, different from the rest of the week.
Keeping the Sabbath holy is to keep Christ first in all things and not in a list of dos and don’ts.
TGIF – Today God Is First as He needs to be everyday. His love needs to be shared everyday. Love God. Love your neighbour.
Celebrate Sundays by living in the love that the Father has given us to share with those around us.
Man made rules and traditions or the freedom of His love to do good?
He said freely freely
You have received
Freely freely give
Go in My name
And because you believe
Others will know that I live
Verse 1
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to
Verse 2
All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name
In earth and heav’n in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His pow’r as He told me to