MONDAY, TWENTY THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Col 1: 24 – 2: 3; Ps 62: 6-7, 9; Lk 6: 6-11
THE SABBATH RENEWED
The Gospel passage today, contains another example of our Lord Jesus Christ’s way of dealing with the Sabbath question. We find Him clearing the Sabbath from the rubbish of human traditions, and placing its requirements on the right foundation. We are taught in these verses, the lawfulness of doing works of mercy on the Sabbath day.
We read that before all the Scribes and Pharisees, our Lord healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. He boldly asserts the right of doing such works of mercy, even on the day when it is said, “you shall do no manner of work.” There is some risk of us committing the error of the Pharisees, and keeping the Sabbath more strictly than God intended. Let us beware of making God’s day a day for visiting, feasting, journeying, and pleasure parties.
We are taught, in the passage, the perfect knowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ possesses. But there are other plain texts in Scripture which prove that our Lord was God as well as man. How many vain thoughts, and worldly imaginations, pass through our minds every hour, which man’s eye never see! Whatever we may think of them, it is a certain fact that Jesus Christ is reading our hearts.
We are taught, lastly, in these verses, the nature of the first act of faith, when a soul is converted to God. We read that our Lord said to the man whose hand was withered, “Stretch forth your hand.” Let us see in this simple history, the best answer to those doubts, hesitations, and questions, by which anxious inquirers often perplex themselves, in the matter of coming to Christ. But we may boldly make the assertion, that in the act of striving to draw near to God, they shall find God drawing near to them, but that if they deliberately sit still, they must never expect to be saved. Dear friends let you understand that God is above all, let us find our rest in Him.
Response: In God is my salvation and glory.
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