Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” The Hebrew root word for Sabbath literally means to take rest, to sit down, to sit still. It means to cease exerting yourself and cause to celebrate instead. And Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. In Deuteronomy 5:14 we read, “but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God.” It’s not just a Sabbath FROM work. It’s a Sabbath TO the Lord. We are not just resting from the daily grind but we are…
Category: Bible Reflections
A Word or Two from the Word - Matthew 12:7
Matthew 12:7 “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” This is the second time that Jesus has quoted Hosea 6:6 to the Pharisees. The first was in Matthew 9:13 when asked why He was eating with tax collectors and sinners. And now this second time when his disciples were picking wheat on the Sabbath because they were hungry. What’s so important about Hosea 6:6 that the Pharisees needed to understand? Hosea 6:6 “For I desire mercy, not…
A Word or Two from the Word - Matthew 11:29
Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Here Jesus gives us an invitation. He is inviting us to take His yoke. He does not force us to bear His yoke. He invites us and encourages us. Each day we are given the opportunity to take up many different yokes that the world would gladly place on our shoulders. The yoke of self-reliance. The yoke of a workaholic. The yoke of…
A Word or Two from the Word - Matthew 11:28
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This verse invites us to take a breath. In the midst of this busy world that is running in every direction, Jesus invites us to pause and come to Him. I need that! Too often I measure my worth by what I do. In the face of that, Jesus says, “Stop what you are doing and come to me and just be.” So, for a moment, just stop whatever you are doing…
A Word or Two from the Word - Matthew 11:2-5
Matthew 11:2-5 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Sometimes we just need to be reminded of the truths that we…