Mat 12:1-14, God Came Into the World and They Handed Him a Schedule.



Class Outline:

Sunday February 2, 2025

Introduction:

 

Main Idea: The supremacy of Christ means that you must bow your entire soul to Him. 

 

Lord of the Sabbath, something Greater than … implication to all: DAN 7:14.

 

God came into the world and they handed Him a schedule. 

Main Idea: The supremacy of Christ means that you must bow your entire soul to Him.

 

Do not hand Him your schedule! [not just time, but parts of your life]

 

Response of the people: 

          Pharisees: He is a lawbreaker, worker for Satan, and self-appointed.

          Bookended by infants and family (end chapter 12). 

 

Response of Jesus: 

The kingdom will be postponed and the mystery age will come (church - return of Christ; Mat 13). 

 

MAT 12:1-14

 

Scene 1: Grainfields. 

 

David was in need of mercy. Ahimelech knew it. 

Disciples are just hungry (not on the run); same? 

 

No mercy is to be withheld on the Sabbath, even the smallest. 

 

Sabbath: a day of rest given by God’s mercy to Israel. 

 

A refreshment in the presence of God for a working people.

 

Jesus promised rest in MAT 11:28-30.

 

About God and for man. (EXO 20:8-11; GEN 2:3 [Shalom!]; EXO 34:21 [reaping and threshing]; EXO 35:2 [put to death]; MAR 2:27-28 [Sabbath made for man - gift to you like all else - see how it represents something higher]). 

 

Should the church practice the Sabbath? Official positions by various denominations differ. Generally, the consensus was that we are under no obligation but it was a fine thing to do (usually on Sundays). 

 

Did the disciples violate the Sabbath? Hard to say. Such detail is not given in Scripture. 

 

Pharisees assisted God by adding 39 things that would be considered work (fence around the Torah). Writing two letters. Walking over a certain distance. 

 

“Something” greater than the temple is here.

 

He is greater than all. 

 

Theme: Supremacy of Christ means bowing your entire soul to Him? 

          What does your Lord say about __________? 

 

My concern is that Christians know and believe in the Lordship of Christ, but it has no effect on their lives.

 

What things in your life are in competition with Him? 

 

“Lovingkindness” or “loyalty” (chesed) Jesus translates as mercy (eleos). 

 

MAT 5:7; HOS 6:6 (context: the people are not loyal to the Lord 6:4, 7; context 5:4, 7). 

 

Lord of Sabbath - Deity (GEN 2:3) and Giver.

 

He is Lord of all. Stand with Him despite going against the crowd. 

 

Scene 2: Synagogue on same Sabbath day. 

 

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Is it right to show mercy on a day of mercy? 

 

God came into the world and they gave Him a schedule.

 

Synagogue official after Jesus healed the woman bent over for 18 years: 

LUK 13:14

"There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 

 

Man is more valuable than a sheep. Show him mercy.

 

Looking into the passage: 

 

Lord of Sabbath is with them. God has come into the world (incarnation).  

 

He came into a world that was ruled by self-seeking task finishers. 

 

Seeking to be pleased with yourself and satisfying God means that you need rules to complete [check the boxes]. You want this (why?) and judge others who don’t. 

 

Virtue signalers in our society want the rules to follow rather than live in mercy with wisdom. And they judge those who do not comply. 

 

Gift of Sabbath to a fallen world - epitome of grace and mercy from the Sovereign Lord. 

 

The Deity of Christ means that all part of His desire for you must be submitted to. Have no fear and rest in Him. 

 

Application: 

 

Supremacy of Christ. “I want mercy!”

 

Submission to all His authority. You do not get to pick and choose. 

 

All in on rules, but no mercy. 

All in on grace, but not application of holiness (sanctification). 

All in on ceremony (lovely this and that) but no understanding of the Word. 

All in on intellect, but no application of love, no witness. 

 

Bowing your whole soul to Him. Not ticking boxes. 

 

Being a part of the “something greater” demands bowing the knee of every part of your life to the authority of the Son of Man (DAN 7:14). 

 

MAT 10:39

“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

 

It is a struggle - It takes time, patience, giving yourself grace along the way (so you do not get discouraged), confession / repentance / recovery, striving to be a learner, steward, living in God’s love, hope, and faith with tenacity. 

 

It takes time, but from day one you can understand that you must submit fully and that you have to (new recruit enters the military and things he is going to only submit to some?).