October 7th, Morning
Yes.
sister's child
the meaning of the whole
me
scene lame is yes, I am. So I'm so glad we got that response and it's one of my favorite musicals. It's perhaps one of the most beautiful pictures of the the conflict in our own Hearts, perhaps in Christianity itself, perhaps around the world between law and Grace right law and mercy where to be looking today at Luke chapter 6 another encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees the the rulers of a lot. I think it could be very easy to read these accounts of the Pharisees and got to come up with this kind of caricatures of them right to kind of make them faceless being as a source. How do we personalize what's going on in the mind of the Pharisees now? I'm sure they're not all the same and some sure there's a lot of different motives going on in these various religious leaders, and we see various motives come out in different instances throughout the scriptures, but I think Javert in Les Mis captures, perhaps what's some of them might be feeling There's actually a in the the script itself in the in the book. There's a passage that describes Javert when he sees Jean Valjean that I love this is 20 times as he sat in that Carriage face-to-face with Jean Valjean. The legal tiger had word within him a score of times. You've been tempted to fling himself upon Jean Valjean the Seas him and devour him that is to say to arrest him. If you're not familiar with the story of Les Miserables. Did I say that correct? I hope I did. That's probably my most nervous moments and preparation. I actually Google how do you pronounce Les Miserables? You don't understand. Why you so Sean Paul Sean as it said in the song stole a loaf of bread because his his niece was dying was coughing a lot. Try to run as we got 19 years in prison. Is the point in the song in which is Javert when she'll love Uncle John is being released. He says you need to learn the meaning of the law. And that's the question. I want us to approach the text with today. What is the meaning of the logs were going to read from Luke chapter 6, I believe a Elaine is Elaine coming up to do it today. I just shot the Bible. So I need to open it back up for you. There we go. Are you got a awesome?
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Sabbath. Jesus was going through the cornfields and his disciples began to pick some ears of corn rub them and their hands on eat the green some of the finest he's asked. Why are you doing voice on lawful on the Sabbath? Jesus answered them having ever date with David when he and his companions were hungry. He entered the House of Good and taking the consecrated bread. He eats what is lawful only for priests to eat? And he also gave some to his companions. Then Jesus said to them the son of man is the lord of the Sabbath on another sub if he went into the synagogue and was teaching a man. Sorry. Sorry as he went into the synagogue and was teaching and a man was there. He's right-handed shoveled. The final season the teachers of the law over looking for a reason to accuse Jesus so they watched him closely to see if you would heal on the Sabbath but Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shovel time to get up and stand in front of everyone. So he goes out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them I asked you which is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it Helix joined at the mall and then said to the man stretch out your hand he did so and his hand was completely restored but the Pharisees in the teachers of the law or Furious and began to discuss with one another for the amount due to Jesus. Thank you. That was good. Thank you. Take us to the water. So we don't have a recurrence from last time I spoke.
You are here at a bit of a coughing fit part way through.
Thank you line. So looking at this text. What is the meaning of the law? I think God Jesus perhaps to steal a quote from The Princess Bride perhaps might been thinking something like this sabbath. I do not think it means what you think it means. Libby recall that from The Princess Bride that encounter the Pharisees the the religious leaders came to Jesus with an accusation that he was not following the law that he was not following the Sabbath. Look at two cases draw some principles from them and then return to the question. What is the meaning of the law? And how can we avoid being a Pharisee? Showcase one in Luke 6 1 through 5. What is the offense? Will the offense is plucking and eating Grain on the Sabbath day will we see in in Deuteronomy? 23 25 that is plucking of the grain was actually allowed there was there's a law in Israel where Travelers could to take rain from the fields they put they could not use a sickle on it. It wasn't that they were taking the train from the fields that was wrong. But in particular they were doing it on the Sabbath day. At least it was wrong according to the Pharisees. So what is what is Jesus defense? Know if you've listened to the T5i have a post that late last night so you can give it a listen after this I go into a few different interpretations are we could approach with Jesus response and how we can understand it. I'll just address one today. So she's defense is David his companions are permitted to eat the consecrated bread. And then for the priests we see the story in first Samuel 21:1 through 6. If you want to take time to read that at some point we see in Leviticus 24 5 through 9 that this consecrated bread or some translations will say the bread of presence or the showbread. It was bread set apart specifically for as a as a sacrifice as an offering to God. It was only meant to be consumed by the priests. And yet David.
Fleeing from Saul approached the priests and asked for bread Dupree said well, all I have is the the showbread thee thou the bread of presence this consecrated bread meant for the priests but rather than restricting David from from taking it from eating it yes or simple questions as well, you know, are your are your your your companions with you and you wholly because this is this is holy set apart Brad and when David responds. Yes. He he lets him. can eat I think we can bring at clarifying point of this is to parallel passages for the other first isn't in Matthew chapter 12. The second ones in Mark to look at Matthew 12:7. This is part of Jesus response that you don't see in in Luke 6. He says if you had known what these words mean and he quotes Hosea 6:6 I desire Mercy not sacrifice. If you would understand what that meant. I desire Mercy not sacrifice. You would have not condemned the innocent. So what is going on here will my my my understanding of this is that there's a moral principle to interpreting the law. You see sometimes the letters law can conflict with a higher moral duty. And in this case the priests Islamic David to protect in the bread for his own daily sustenance.
It's a principle we learn it the law or the Sabbath in this case is not meant to burden people by preventing daily sustenance. Hopefully that's a principle we can draw out of this passage and moving onto case 2.
Zoom cage 2 what? What is the offense now? This one is perhaps a little easier to interpret we could we could understand a bit easier because I mean Jesus encounters a crippled man a man with a with a shriveled hand was asking Jesus to heal him. No, Jesus knows the Pharisees did not actually accuse him at this point, but they're thinking in their mind and Jesus knows their thoughts.
That they believed he would be breaking the law to heal on the Sabbath day. And so Jesus confronts them. Has the man stand up has the man come before when he asks a thought-provoking question. Basically it is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good.
Or is it lawful to do evil? Is it lawful to help someone or to not help someone? So the fence is it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good not evil to save life not to destroy it a clarifying point. We can breathe we can bring in looking back at the Matthew parallel passage. Matthew 12. People are more valuable than sheep. Pretty profound statement right there, right people are more valuable than sheep. Jesus goes into a story says one of your own sheep falls into a pit will not any of you pull it out on the Sabbath day.
The answer seems to be yes because people are thankfully more valuable than sheep. What's the principle of the law of the Sabbath is not meant to stop one from helping someone in need? What is the undergarden principle? We see in case one in case it's the idea of of works of necessity or Works important for the well-being of yourself and your others and others are not meant to be prohibited by the law.
To understand these passages seems pretty straightforward that there's some principle going on these works of necessity works of importance that is getting at something deeper within the law. If perhaps this is how we can begin to answer the question. What is the meaning of the law? So to return to that the case of of Javert in in Jean Valjean? I'd like to make the point that the opposite of Javert is not Jean Valjean.
You know oftentimes we we we in life is like a pendulum that swings back and forth. And so when we asked a question will how do we not be Pharisees? We swing to the Other Extreme don't we might see well we'll just forget about the law. We don't need the law yet. The opposite of Javert is not Jean Valjean. It would be a lawless criminal someone who has no respect for the law at all in shantou John's case. He was he was stealing for the purpose of necessity. Right? So his his niece would not starve. That's not that's not the epitome of of not caring about the law. But it's about caring about a higher moral duty of caring for those around us. So on one side. I want you to think of the legal Tigers when you think of the Pharisees and we can make this like a sports match. So this is why you guys could be the legal type know which side do I put it on you can go to next like this so I can be the legal tigers. Can I get a roar?
pretty weak The spirit of the Pharisees is not strong in you scraps a good thing. So what can we think of to imagine the opposite of the legal tigers? And can I just say I'm proud that I found a a judge wig on a tiger you can find so much I Google I'm like this guy to be a picture somewhere. So I Googled tiger in judge wig and that came up. The opposite of something that he's calling the Hakuna Matata.
You just want to sing it. Thank you. So we have on one side the legal tigers on the other side. We have the Hakuna Matata is so what would you begin to think of you? Don't drive the phone turn this side with a suit. What would come to mind? What would be something you would hear today from a legal tiger? Put you on the spot is a dangerous thing. any thoughts
Who do you do Sports on Sundays two? Very good one. Yes. Yes.
Any Hakuna Matata phrases, these might be a little easier if he has no worries go figure go figure. Well, let's say how about this? Perhaps illegal Tigers will say what do I have to do? What must I do they want the list, right? What boxes do I need to check? Pepsi Hakuna Matata Seroquel say what can I get away with?
Capsule say or ask mi happy. That might be there guiding question. The legal Tigers might say follow the law as their guiding principle. Hakuna Matata Smite say follow your heart
the legal Tigers might say how do I measure up? The Hakuna Matata smites a is my heart in the right place.
Legal tires Messi do I have good behavior? Hakuna Matata is my say do I have good intentions?
Pretzelmaker Tigers will say religion is about rules. Hakuna Matata is will say it's simply about a relationship not rules. Legal Tigers might be prone to judge others. Will the Hakuna Matata as might be more prone to enable others and perhaps even when it might eventually harm them. Now there's many forms of of legal Tigers many forms of his job fairs many many forms of Hakuna matatas, you know, perhaps you might have a stronger will let's let's silly example, you might might see at William Ernest Henley's poem Invictus the idea of a baby at a different form of the sacramentado this follow your heart. It is probably says it matters not how Strait the gate how charged with punishments the Scrolls. I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul. So on one side the legal tiger sink, where is the list of things I must do so they're looking for an external list. Hakuna Matata Smite be looking inward. What would I like? What do I want to do? Both are are dangerous. 3 * especially approaching a text like this. It's it's clear that we don't want to be the Pharisees, right? So sometimes I think perhaps in many churches today. The issue is we leaned too far to the Hakuna Matata. We leaned too far to the mantras of just follow your heart. Well at least their hearts in the right place. You know, it's it's not about those rules. You know, it's just about my relationship with God as long as I feel I'm right with God, you know, who cares what other people think who cares what the actual rules are.
And yet elsewhere in in in the Gospel of John 14:15. Jesus said if you love me. Keep my Commandments.
In Luke 6 we see what seems to be Jesus digging out and digging down to the heart of the law and trying to uncover to dust off the extra stuff. The Pharisees had laid on top of it the ways in which they are complicated the actual meaning in hearts of the law. And yet Jesus is always remove from the law. We see in Matthew 5 21 through 28. He can piece of you know, you've heard do not murder murder. I say to you if you hate your brother. You'll face judgment.
He brings up. You said you you've heard do not commit adultery, but I say to you. If you look at a woman at to lust after her you've committed adultery in your heart already. So what is happening here that extra junk around the law in certain cases, but seems to add stuff to the law and others. What's because he's getting at the meaning of law. What is the meaning? We might say that the spirit of the law with understand that the spirit of law does not simply mean a relaxed law but to get at the true meaning it's not about how far can I get from breaking the law as a legal eagle Tigers white might say But nor is it about how close can I get to the line or what? Can I get away with? What is the meaning of the law of the meaning of the law by taking a look? At what the Pharisees got wrong? We can look at it for both the angle of the legal tigers and the angle from the Hakuna Matata. What did the Pharisees do they missed? I think three things. They forgot the heart of the law. They forgot that the law is a tool meant for a particular purpose. And if you forgot the source of the law and I think if we understand these three things we could find that middle ground. Then I called freedom in loving obedience freedom in loving obedience to what is the heart Allah will be seeing Matthew 22:37 240. It's to love God and to love others. Do you said if you love God and you love others, that's the whole of the law. In Galatians 5:14. It says for the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command. Love your neighbor as yourself.
When you're illegal tiger or if you're Hakuna Matata or this Invictus you shouldn't thing is you do the same thing when it comes to the heart of the law is you turn in. Rather than out to others you ask. Do I measure up or what? Do I want or what makes me happy as opposed to how can I love and serve God and others?
First he's also forgot that the laws of tool. The law is not meant to be in end in and of itself.
In Galatians 5 1 through 4 are we just a portion of it is for Freedom Christ has set us free stand firm. Therefore do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Jumping to the end you who would be justified by the law. You have fallen Away From Grace. Don't might seem fun or a might, you know, there might be benefits to being a legal tiger Hakuna Matata. They both ended slavery. They both end in imprisonment. There's not freedom in Christ. In love the laws not an end in itself. What does it do? There's lots of texts that point to this. I don't have time to go through mall today, but it points to send without the law. We might not know we're sinners. Civil law serves a purpose to our sin our failings before a holy perfect. God and our need for saving our need for that relationship between us and God to be restored.
The law is also meant to be a tool to revive the soul. If it says in Psalm 19:7 to keep the commands because it will revive the soul.
It's also meant to give tangible ways to demonstrate our love for God and others prep. One of the dangers the Hakuna Matata is that you might be all about love saying I get the law it's about love. I love God, I love others but one person said once it's really easy to love if you could Define love however you want. It's a profound statement right there. So how do we Safeguard ourselves against the pridefully assuming that whatever way I think is loving is loving.
Well, I think we look to the Commandments of God, which demonstrate tangible ways for us to love God and to love others laugh. So we shouldn't forget the source of the law. In Luke 6:5 Jesus said the son of man is Lord of the Sabbath I think is a pretty powerful claim her who is Lord of the Sabbath will where was the Sabbath come in and given it was given to Mount Sinai in which the Ten Commandments were given by God himself. So Jesus is making a rather strong claim here being the Lord. of the Sabbath God is the source of the law not a scrap the legal Tigers feel the indignation in themselves as though they are being betrayed when the law. Is transgressed is God's laws. We're not the ones wronged when God's laws wronged primarily. It's it's ultimately. We have no right to be prideful about La keeping. Wheels have no right to sit is Ultimate judges over another person's soul.
We should also never use the law as a weapon and that's what the Pharisees did In this passage. They said you know what Jesus we can get you we can nail you down here as a criminal. The passage ends with with them trying to decide what do we do with Jesus? They want to use the law as a weapon to hurt uses to convict him.
Do we do that in our life? Sometimes I think is illegal tiger and Hakuna Matata probably in all of us kind of battling out some of us lean one way or the other and it's a constant struggle to find that middle ground.
The big idea I want you guys to get today. It should be on the next slide if I recall right? It's God's commands are meant to serve not suffocate. This has has two meanings that the laws are two of God's commands are meant to serve you we see the Matthew text at the Sabbath was made for man. Not man for the Sabbath. The status was meant to serve a particular purpose for your own good to revive your soul.
But God's commands are also meant to serve as in to serve others hourly to serve God and to serve others. So, how can we wrestle between this this legal tiger in the Hakuna Matata is what questions can we ask ourselves? I think it begins with humility. It begins with humility saying, you know what I'm illegal tiger simply can't measure up. Set and James. You know, what if you if you failed in one ear Evil all your guilty, but all we just need to put our hands up and say I failed as a Pharisee. Hakuna Matata we need to be humble. And so you know what, you know, I trip over my shoes when I walk out the door, you know, I need to trust and other people as my guide. I can't simply trust in myself and who better to trust in the god of the universe. We need to turn to his word to learn his commandment Commandments to love his Commandments and to live them out to serve ourselves and to serve others. I'd like to close with a a picture of a of a train. I love the picture of a train when it comes to that the question of of the sort of legal tigers and Hakuna Matata is because when is a train most free?
When it's not overburdened. When it's on the tracks. The Hakuna Matata Stockton get off the tracks and they sabotage their own purpose in life because God has a purpose for each and every one of our Lives the Pharisees burden themselves with a with needless regulations and cause themselves to miss the Huddle law to love God and to love others. I'm going to close in prayer and then we'll give you some time to do pigeon hole and then we'll hopefully answer some of your questions. Dear God thanks for you are thank you for your love your mercy. I thank you for this picture in Luke 6 Lord. May we not be Pharisees? May we not be sure there is legal tires in a Heart Lord, but wait, maybe not let the pendulum swing the other way Lord where we disregard. What you would have for us, we would disregard your loving commands for rust or maybe find that middle ground. Maybe find that freedom serving others in Love by praising your name.