Reconnecting

RECONNECTING Luke 6:1-11 February 28, 2021 Do you have to come to church on Sunday to be a good Christian? If so, do you have to come every Sunday? Or, is there a lesser number that still qualifies? Is 3 Sundays a month enough, what about 2? Or, does it even matter? Can you be saved; washed in the blood and saved for all eternity; and never, ever darken the door of a church? Or what about this? How important is community to your faith? Is it important to be part of a group of believers who encourage and support one another? Or, is that just for people who don't have enough faith, so they need other people to boost their failing and fragile beliefs? Church is for the weak. And, if that's the case, does it matter what you do on Sunday? If you're not here, does it matter where you are and what you're doing? I promise there is a point to these questions. Let's back up just a little bit. A few weeks ago Jesus was teaching a group of Pharisees in Peter's home. He was explaining to them that God loves everyone. God loves the poor, and the widows, and the orphans, and those who are sick and broken, and suffering. God loves everyone. A paralyzed man is lowered into the house, and Jesus heals his paralysis. But, first he tells the man his sins are forgiven. Jesus does something only God can do. He forgives sin. And, that makes the Pharisees furious. How dare you. That is blasphemy. And, they would have stoned him right then and there, except the man's paralysis was cured. Kind of have to take that into consideration. This starts a hostile relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees.1 They make Jesus the target of their attention. They begin stalking him. From this point on, wherever Jesus goes, a Pharisee or a member of the Holy Temple staff, will be there watching and taking notes. They are looking for any chargeable offense. In fact, in our text today (v7), Luke writes the Pharisees are 'watching Jesus closely'. The word Luke uses is paretērounto it literally means spying, and is intended to be sinister.2 Luke says the Pharisees are watching, and spying, and taking notes, and all with the intent of doing harm to Jesus. This time it happens on a Sabbath day. The seventh day of the week. Jesus and the Disciples are walking through a field of grain. Maybe wheat, maybe oats, not sure. And, as they walk along they reach out and snap off the heads of grain stalks. They rub the grain between their hands to get rid of the chaff, and then they eat it. You might wonder - is this stealing? Will the Pharisees get angry because Jesus and the 12 are thieves? Nope. Levitical Law allowed hand gleaning.3 One of the ways to prove God loves poor people, are the gleaning laws. You can't go to someone's field with a scythe and harvest a bunch of grain. But, it was completely legal to pick grain by hand and eat it. Keeping people from starving is more important than who owns the food. And, the grain owner is never going to miss the tiny amount you eat. Now, you can't camp out in his field, and eat 3 meals a day for the entire summer. But, hungry people passing by, are legal to glean. So, the Pharisees aren't worried about stealing. No, the Pharisees come unglued because Jesus and the 12 are 'working' on the Sabbath. By their man-made definition Jesus is guilty of reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing.4 He's broken four different work prohibitions. This is a clear cut Sabbath violation. You see, they hate the idea God loves everyone. And, while God might say gleaning is ok, they made it impossible to glean without doing work. The Pharisees verbally attack Jesus. We've got you now. You're a Sabbath criminal. Jesus turns the tables on them, by attacking King David. David was the Pharisee's hero. They loved everything about David. They would never hear anything bad about David. We understand that, right? If you are a Democrat Obama never did anything wrong. If you are a Republican Trump never made a mistake. If you are a Pharisee David is perfect. Jesus reminds the Pharisees of a time when David completely broke the rules, and ate the bread that was only for the priests. Jesus calls this an example of feeding hungry people being more important than following the rules. Unless you are willing to condemn David for breaking the rules, you cannot condemn me. Then, Jesus says to the Pharisees, I am the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus is deliberately poking the bear. A week before he said he could forgive sin. Something only God can do. Today he tells the Pharisees, I am the Lord of the Sabbath. Basically, he says - you don't get to tell God what he can, and cannot, do on Sunday. Don't ask me why I'm not in church. Don't ask me why I'm preparing and eating food. You don't get to tell God what to do on Sunday. You can imagine how angry this made them. One week goes by, and it's the Sabbath again. This time, Jesus and the 12 are in church - where they should be. In fact, Jesus is the guest preacher. If a visiting Rabbi comes to your Synagogue, it is tradition to let him preach. So, the people of this Synagogue accept Jesus as a Rabbi. Jesus is preaching God loves everyone. Strong message that has attracted quite a crowd. Pastor's love full churches and the Rabbi of this Synagogue was probably overjoyed. In the midst of the service, a man with a bad hand comes up to Jesus. It's difficult to tell exactly what the problem is. Technically, the Greek word Luke uses means a 'dry' hand.5 What do you think that is, a dry hand? If he's just come from the restroom that's probably a good thing. But, the wording lets us know this is a bad thing. Most papers and fabrics that get wet, wither and shrink when they dry. So, the most common interpretation is a withered hand. Some kind of paralysis which pulls the hand in on itself. What we know for sure is the hand is deformed and non-functional. Jesus has the man step to the center of the Synagogue, where everyone can see him. And, yes, the Pharisees are there spying and taking notes. And, this time they have made up their minds ahead of time. If Jesus heals the hand, they will charge him with a Sabbath violation. They will arrest him, take him to Jerusalem, and put him on trial. That will be the end of his 'don't tell me what to do on Sunday'. Jesus asks the crowd - what do you think we should do about this? You notice no one says let's pray for him. It's ok to pray on the Sabbath. Let God get involved. No. This man's hand is proof God does not love him. So, we won't even consider praying for him. Everyone leans forward to see if Jesus will heal the hand. Is it illegal to heal on the Sabbath? That's a tricky question. Years before, a well-respected Rabbi had ruled it is ok to kill someone - in self defense - on the Sabbath.6 If someone is trying to kill you, don't worry about the work rules, pick up a pitchfork and save yourself. Save your life. Now, if it's ok to save your life on Sunday, is it ok to save someone else's life on Sunday? Sure. If this is a life and death situation, go ahead and heal - even though it's the Sabbath. The problem here is - this is not life and death. This is just a bad hand. This can wait.7 Isn't it interesting that our problems are significant and need immediate attention. But, other people's problems can wait. When it's my problem - hey, I have dealt with this long enough. Enough is enough. Somebody help me now! But, if it's someone else - what's the hurry. You've had that bad hand for years, you can wait until tomorrow. One more day isn't going to kill you. If it was going to kill you, we would let Jesus heal you. But, it won't kill you, so go away until tomorrow. Jesus asks the church, what is the point of the Sabbath? Why is Sunday different than any other day? Of course the Pharisees have a quick answer for that. Remembering the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. There. That's what is different about today. God says remember the Sabbath, and then he gives several examples of people who should not be going to work. So, do not work on the Sabbath. Do not glean from the fields, and do not heal people who can wait until tomorrow. God said so. Jesus says to the entire church, including the spying Pharisees, you have completely missed the point. The point of the Sabbath, is to reconnect with God. Yes, you need to physically rest your bodies. That's important. But, even more important is to reconnect with God, and restore your souls. Restore your faith. Encourage your spirit. That's the point of the Sabbath. The reason for not going to work, is because you don't reconnect at work. If you're worried about manufacturing widgets, you are not listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So, for one day a week, put all the distractions away, and listen to God. You should listen to God seven days a week. But, most people get bogged down with life, and we forget to listen. So, on Sunday, intentionally focus on your relationship with the Creator. Get reconnected to God. What should you do on Sunday? Whatever builds and reaffirms your faith the most. For many of us, that means coming to a specified location to pray, sing, and hear the word. For many of us that reconnects us. For some, serving the broken and wounded - reminding them God loves everyone - reconnects them. If working a soup kitchen on Sunday builds your faith - go for it. If going door to door on Sunday, getting people registered for Covid vaccinations, builds your faith - go for it. If delivering clothing and medicine to shut-ins on Sunday builds your faith - go for it. Do what reconnects you to God. The Lord of the Sabbath says so. You will have a very difficult time convincing me watching the Cowboys builds your faith and reconnects you. You will have a very difficult time convincing me sitting in a bass boat reconnects you. You will have a very difficult time convincing me working out at the gym reconnects you. But, if you find something that serves the wounded and broken, the unwanted and forgotten, the outcast and despised - if you get the chance to heal a dry hand, go for it. Jesus says to the man, stretch out your hand - and it is healed. Just like that. A miracle. Now, technically, Jesus didn't do any work.8 The preacher in the Synagogue sat, everyone else stood. It's the reverse of what we do. Jesus doesn't stand up. He stays sitting. He doesn't touch the man. He doesn't even say be healed. All he says is, stretch out your hand. No work. And yet, Luke tells us the Pharisees went wild with rage. They want Jesus punished. They can't actually bring charges against him. And, that makes them even more angry. I want you punished. I was sure I had you in a trap. You slippery snake. I will keep my eyes on you. You'll make a mistake tomorrow. The Pharisees are furious because they see themselves as the defenders of the Sabbath. And yet, who in that church that day, was actually following the intent of the Sabbath?9 The Pharisees had an excellent opportunity to reconnect with the God they feared. And, they let anger deprive them. It is my most sincere wish that you reconnect with Jesus when you come here on Sunday. I hope you are not here from obligation. I hope you walk through the doors expecting to get closer to God. If that's not happening, let me know. I am willing to make changes if it will help more of us truly meet the purpose of the Sabbath. I want that for you. I want that for all of us. I want that for myself. And, it's what the Lord of the Sabbath wants for us as well. 1 Joel B. Green, New Interpreter's Study Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), 1863. 2 Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50 (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 528. 3 R. C. Sproul, general editor. New Geneva Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1613. 4 Bock, 522. 5 J. Duncan M. Derrett, "Christ and the Power of Choice (Mark 3:1-6)," Biblica, 65 no. 2 (1984), 168-188. 6 Bock, 528. 7 NIV Cultural Background Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016), 1754. 8 NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, 1754. 9 Cecilia Wassen, "The Jewishness of Jesus and Ritual Purity," Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis," 27 (January 1, 2016), 11-36. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2