Friday, September 30, 2016

Fri.’s Devo - Law vs. Grace

Read: John 5; Mark 2:34-3:6; Matthew 12:1-21; Luke 6:1-11
John doesn’t identify which feast this is but I would think it was Pentecost because they were at the Sheep Gate near the pool of Siloam which means “sent”. Pentecost has to do with making disciples and sending them into the world to multiply. It was also about the kingdom of miracles and wonders coming to the Church. This man was trying to get into this pool that was suppose to be a place of healing when the waters were stirred by the angels. It stood for the living water of the Spirit that moves in healing and restoration. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to get well and the man gave all the reasons why he couldn’t. So Jesus just commanded him to stand up and pick up his mat and walk. He did. When the Jewish leaders saw him carrying his mat on the Sabbath they asked him why he was “working” on the Sabbath. He told them his story. When they asked the man who healed him, he couldn’t even tell them Jesus’ name.
Later, Jesus found him and told him to stop sinning or he would end up worse than he was. Jesus knew that his sickness was rooted in sin and unless this man got rid of the root, he would never remain healed.
The religious leaders were constantly finding fault with Jesus because of their jealousy. Jesus had everything they wanted. He had authority and could do miracles. He had the respect of the people and their affection and he was not afraid of them. This made him a terrific threat to the religious system since they lead out of manipulation and fear. Jesus lead out of love and submission to God.
Jesus told them that they would be judged by the very person they admired the most which was Moses since he gave the law and they were all about the law. They used the law to lord over the people and control them. Jesus told them that Moses would one day accuse them because they didn’t believe what he wrote. This had to make them super mad! He went on to say that if they had have believed what Moses wrote then they would believe what He said…since Jesus is the law!
Jesus came to bring grace and mercy to the law that brought death. He came to usher in a new and better covenant and to explain the spiritual meaning of the law. The written law taken literally brings death, but the spiritual meaning of the law brings life. Jesus came to make the law become flesh and life-giving!
Lord, help us to embrace your grace and mercy and life that your Word offers.

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