Remembering The Purpose - Life Application Study Bible Devotional
Remembering the Purpose
Luke 6:6-9, NLT
On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”
Setting the Scene
The religious leaders were continuing to scrutinize Jesus’ ministry. Here they were in the synagogue, not to worship, but to watch Jesus closely. And they wondered how he would deal with the man with the “deformed right hand.” Their interpretation of keeping the Sabbath prohibited healing except in life-threatening situations; thus, if Jesus were to heal the man, instead of rejoicing in the relief of human suffering, they could accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath.
Jesus could have avoided conflict by healing the man on another day. If he had waited, however, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees and showing that their made-up rules were equal to God’s law. But the commandment about the Sabbath was never meant to oppress people.
Jesus met needs, regardless of the day or time. Healing the man revealed Jesus’ authority over the Sabbath and showed that in the new Kingdom, every day is holy; salvation and healing can come to anyone on any day. The Sabbath, while given to God’s people as a day of rest and worship, was also a day for people to be merciful and kind to those in need. And that is exactly what Jesus intended to show the Pharisees when he asked the man to step forward.
Getting Personal
How can we glorify God by obeying the Ten Commandments?
What can you do to restore, reconcile, and rebuild relationships, even on Sunday?
Jesus clearly framed the issue with his questions to the Pharisees: “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” Honoring God’s laws should be positive and life-giving, not negative and oppressive. Yet many Christians seem to be joyless rule-keepers, afraid of God’s judgment and punishment. When we focus on the commandments instead of the Commandment Giver and on the letter of the law instead of its spirit, we lose sight of the law’s ultimate purpose—to glorify God. The emphasis should be off us and on him.
Talking to God
Praise God today that he is relational and personal. Beyond any set of religious rules and traditions, you have a relationship with God himself—how wonderful!
