Day 9 Friday Feb 26 2010

Day 9 Friday February 26, 2010

TODAY’S INTRO

Sabbath was a day dedicated to God that featured no work. Sabbath was an Old Testament priority. As 21st century people, we yearn for days off to “do what we want”. We yearn for vacations. We look forward to those times off as we should. The biblical model calls for the Sabbath as a part of regular discipline to remind us of our identity, our connection to God the provider, and to renew ourselves. It’s not about running oneself ragged. It’s about spiritual renewal. But, like any good thing if one gets too rigid in requirements, one can lose sight of a good thing.

TODAY’S TEXT- Luke 6: 1-16
The Question about the Sabbath
6 One sabbatha while Jesusb was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 2But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawfulc on the sabbath?" 3Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?" 5Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
The Man with a Withered Hand
6 On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." He got up and stood there. 9Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" 10After looking around at all of them, he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored. 11But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
12 Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, 16and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.


TODAY’S STATUS UPDATES
As a baseball player, a shortstop in my college days, one of the things you worked hard at was fielding. You practiced and practiced and practiced. Groundballs. Pop ups. Flies over your head. Double play throws. Back hands. Slow grounders. Relays. You get the point. You did that so that when game time came that you were flawless. You did not want to make an error. You did not want the big “E” to show up on the scoreboard to hurt your team. They happened from time to time, however.

One of the things I see in this passage is Jesus sending a strong message to the Pharisees- namely, that he’s going to create some intentional errs! He makes it clear that he intends to err on the side of blessing others, even if it makes some uncomfortable or if it violates a rule. Caring for another human being is Jesus’ priority and the witness he offers.

As people of faith, do we err on the side of blessing and caring or do we hold up red flags when radical care is extended? Err on the side of blessing. It’s the side of the balance that Jesus lives on.

We see that in play with the listing of the 12. Who’s there? Who’s part of the inner core? Matthew (aka Levi)- the dreaded tax collector. He’s only there because of the outreached hand of Jesus- another big “E”

Jesus, we thank you that you that you have reached out to us and you err on the side of blessing us. We may not always live up to your standards and hopes but you err on the side of caring for us, believing in us, and loving us. Help us to remember the importance of taking time for you- for pausing to rest and renew. . . . but help us to be ready to bolt into daily life to extend your radical blessings. Amen


FRIENDS ADDED
Man with withered hand
The inner core of 12(already friends


OPPONENTS
Pharisees

CAUSES
Mentoring a smaller group in an intentional way. 12
Healing
Always error on the side of caring
Including the outcasts