Luke 6  In chapter 5 Luke recorded how Jesus revealed His power, authority, willingness, purpose and mission.  He also gave us examples of those who followed Jesus, leaving everything else and going "all in".   Jesus testified that He had come to call "sinners to repentance".  This was His primary mission.  In this chapter, Luke gives us a detailed account of Jesus' teaching.   It begins with a lesson about the Sabbath.

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When the Pharisees saw the disciples picking some grain, rubbing it in their hands, and eating it, they criticized them for breaking the Law.   Jesus did not defend their actions, but instead reminded them that David had actually eaten sacred bread from the house of God when he was hungry. Then He makes a startling  proclamation.. " The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath"!   Mark added this statement... "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath."  In Exodus 23:12 God established the Law about the Sabbath day.. " Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from your labor in order that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as the stranger, may refresh themselves. "   The Sabbath was made for man.. for rest.  Colossians 2:16-17 says, "Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or  a new moon or a Sabbath day - things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ."  The Pharisees  were judging the disciples by their own philosophy about the Sabbath, not by the Truth.  Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.. is the Lord of all.. including the Law.

On the next Sabbath, Jesus entered a tabernacle and was being watched closely to see what He would do.  Was the man with a withered hand planted in that audience?  Maybe..  But, Jesus knew what they were thinking and He knew that the man was in need.  So, He called him to stand up and come to Him.  "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?"   What a question!  They had no answer.  Mark tells us that Jesus was angry and "grieved at their hardness of heart."  Jesus commanded the man to stretch out his hand and as he did so, it was restored.  This is such an amazing miracle!  How could anyone witness such a thing and not be astounded?  Yet, the Pharisees "were filled with rage and discussed together what they might do to Jesus." 

The Lord of the Sabbath declared and proved that doing good on the Sabbath was lawful and right.
The Pharisees were filled with rage.  They were being proved wrong in all of their personal  beliefs and they were unwilling to surrender to the Truth.

Father, once again we are reminded that You alone are God.  You established the heavens and the earth.  You proclaimed the Word and the Law.  You have established what is right and what is wrong. You have declared what is good and what is evil.   Keep us walking in the Light of Your Word, filling us with Your Spirit so that we may do only that which pleases You.  Deliver us from evil and from hardened hearts. Transform us by the renewing of our minds.  Our world has been filled with darkness Lord, and we pray that Your Kingdom will come and that Jesus will call many more sinners to repentance. We pray that Your good and perfect will be done in us today. Amen.