Lord of the Sabbath

Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Matthew 12:1-8 KJV

1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did Jesus and His disciples do on the Sabbath day? (v.1)
2) How did the religious leaders respond to what they did? (v.2)
3) What was Jesus' response to the Pharisees? (v.3-8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) What does the statement, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice" mean to you?
5) How do you demonstrate your beliefs in the mercy of God your own life?
6) Are you "resting" in Jesus, or are you performing your way into eternal life?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord expects His people to worship Him by extending His mercy, rather than His judgment, to others.
8) Jesus is our Sabbath because He is the One whom we may "rest" in from the trials and difficulties of this life. 
9) Performance oriented religion always leads to spiritual exhaustion, fatigue and burn-out.
10) To "rest" is to cease from one's own striving to allow the Lord to be God in our lives.