Reading
SAA Notes
Verse 14 tells us a tragic truth. There will always be people whose hearts are ruled by jealousy, malice, envy and the other deeds of sinful flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Never be surprised when people respond to a wonderful event with anger and malice. It is also good to reflect on what Jesus said re the Sabbath.
SJA Notes
* Loving God, please teach us of Your love today through Your word.
“And I you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.'”
A second time in short order (see Matthew 9) Jesus calls out the church leadership for not understanding, not putting into practice, God’s desire for MERCY over SACRIFICE.
As with the, so with us.
We can get things so wrong!
We can be blind to the fabric of the universe, the fundamental rules that God reveals in His word.
Do we witness in mercy when we speak to people about Jesus?
In old testament book of Job, Job and his friends get into a great big old debate.
Job’s friends believe Job is being punished for some specific wrong, they believe that evil is punished in the world (always), and so therefore Job must be doing some evil – Job responds in chapter 26 with words that echo what Jesus says,
“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!”
The sacrifice of the Pharisees is the same sacrifice we make – We think we can earn ourselves good religion, credits in heaven and here on earth, and so we make rule on rule, structure on structure, reasoning piled on reasoning.
In so doing we cause mercy to fade away – mercy cannot really exist when we seek to earn by our own merit.
This is not God’s way.
Jesus calls us to MERCY.
How do we help those who don’t know Jesus? How do we speak to them?
We need mercy in our thoughts, in our words and our actions.
Mercy is when we don’t get what we actually deserve.
Mercy saw Jesus take on the full cost of our sin, the actual proper and true sacrifice, the only one that matters – Once for all time.
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
* Gracious Father in Heaven,
Thank You that Jesus is the sacrifice that matters. That He shows us Your mercy write clear and full.
Thank You that You wrote our names in the book of life, before You made this world!
Please help us to grow more toward You today.
Amen.