Our paragraph topic is:(The disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath) Part 1.
Christ and the disciples have moved on from their previous location and are walking through a field of grain. The disciples, being simple Jewish people, for they were all Jews, were hungry and did pluck grain from the plants that they were walking through. They knew the law about working on the Sabbath. They knew the punishment that was exacted by the Pharisees for those who broke the law. For the Pharisees were the keepers of the law handed down by Moses to the people of Israel. But they were the disciples of Christ and they were hungry and there was food to eat before them and they eat.
But the Pharisees who were, in their own eyes, the true believers, saw this act as breaking the laws of God. They saw this as an act of treason on the part of a teacher sent by God and they would not stand by and allow it to happen. So they protested to Christ. They brought it to his attention. St Matthew tells us, "But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Thy disciples are doing what it is not lawful for them to do on the Sabbath."
They told the creator of the law about what was lawful. They told the creator of the law what he should or should not do. In their arrogance they told the creator of the law that he was wrong in allowing this act to take place. They demanded that, as a teacher, he do something about this act of breaking the law of the Sabbath. They wanted to know that Christ was going to exact punish upon his disciples for breaking the law of the Sabbath. They, did not know. They only wanted their satisfaction that his teachings aligned with what they were enforcing upon the people in order to maintain their positions of power and authority.
The Pharisees followed Christ. They recognized that he had great power. They wanted to know who he was. They wanted to align themselves with his teachings so that they could continue to have their positions of authority. For they were the enforcers of the Law. They were the keepers of the Law and everyone who did not follow the Law were punished. The disciples knew the laws concerning the Sabbath. But when the Pharisees were not around to enforce the laws, the people, like the disciples, did as they pleased. They did not follow the strict interpretation of the law as laid down by the enforcers. For the Pharisees believed that through strict enforcement they were able to control the people. They believed that through harsh punishment issued to those who broke the law, they could keep the people in line and thereby keep their positions of power. So they used the law as their yoke upon the people. They used the law as their basis of authority and their means of control. It was the Jewish heritage that kept them in authority and their interpretation of the Law handed down by Moses.
We have Pharisees today in our churches. We have those who know the Bible and use it to keep the people in line. The Pharisees of today will punish you when you get out of line. They will beat you up with the scriptures when you do wrong. They will bring down fire and brimstone upon you and create guilt in your life to keep you in line with the teachings, as they see them and understand them. Many times the pharisees in our churches are aligned with the chief priest, the pastor, and together they rule the flock to keep them in line. They preach fire and brimstone and fear and guilt and doubt so that the congregation will live in awe of the teachings. And as a result the congregation live in spiritual limbo never knowing the true love of Christ. The congregation live in a continuing battle with sin never winning and never knowing the power in Christ to conquer sin. The congregation lives under the dictatorial rule of the chief priest and the pharisees.
Do you live under the rule of the chief priest and the pharisees in your church? Are you beaten into compliance by those who would use the Bible to create fear and guilt in your life? Christ did not preach fear and doubt. Christ does not seek guilt in your life. Christ seeks your love. Christ seeks your understanding. Christ wants to teach each and every one of us his principles for they are light and his yoke is easy. For he is meek and humble. Christ wants us to know him, have a relationship with him and to carry him in our heart. And when we fail, he does not condemn us. He reaches out a helping hand to lift you up that you may know the true love that he bares for you. Do not be a pharisee in your church. Be Christ like in your church, lending a helping hand to those who fall. For though we practice the principles given us by God, we are all, human and not perfect and do not live perfect lives. If Christ can forgive us for our faults, we should forgive others of their faults and failures also. Be Christ like and not a Pharisee!!
Christ and the disciples have moved on from their previous location and are walking through a field of grain. The disciples, being simple Jewish people, for they were all Jews, were hungry and did pluck grain from the plants that they were walking through. They knew the law about working on the Sabbath. They knew the punishment that was exacted by the Pharisees for those who broke the law. For the Pharisees were the keepers of the law handed down by Moses to the people of Israel. But they were the disciples of Christ and they were hungry and there was food to eat before them and they eat.
But the Pharisees who were, in their own eyes, the true believers, saw this act as breaking the laws of God. They saw this as an act of treason on the part of a teacher sent by God and they would not stand by and allow it to happen. So they protested to Christ. They brought it to his attention. St Matthew tells us, "But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Thy disciples are doing what it is not lawful for them to do on the Sabbath."
They told the creator of the law about what was lawful. They told the creator of the law what he should or should not do. In their arrogance they told the creator of the law that he was wrong in allowing this act to take place. They demanded that, as a teacher, he do something about this act of breaking the law of the Sabbath. They wanted to know that Christ was going to exact punish upon his disciples for breaking the law of the Sabbath. They, did not know. They only wanted their satisfaction that his teachings aligned with what they were enforcing upon the people in order to maintain their positions of power and authority.
The Pharisees followed Christ. They recognized that he had great power. They wanted to know who he was. They wanted to align themselves with his teachings so that they could continue to have their positions of authority. For they were the enforcers of the Law. They were the keepers of the Law and everyone who did not follow the Law were punished. The disciples knew the laws concerning the Sabbath. But when the Pharisees were not around to enforce the laws, the people, like the disciples, did as they pleased. They did not follow the strict interpretation of the law as laid down by the enforcers. For the Pharisees believed that through strict enforcement they were able to control the people. They believed that through harsh punishment issued to those who broke the law, they could keep the people in line and thereby keep their positions of power. So they used the law as their yoke upon the people. They used the law as their basis of authority and their means of control. It was the Jewish heritage that kept them in authority and their interpretation of the Law handed down by Moses.
We have Pharisees today in our churches. We have those who know the Bible and use it to keep the people in line. The Pharisees of today will punish you when you get out of line. They will beat you up with the scriptures when you do wrong. They will bring down fire and brimstone upon you and create guilt in your life to keep you in line with the teachings, as they see them and understand them. Many times the pharisees in our churches are aligned with the chief priest, the pastor, and together they rule the flock to keep them in line. They preach fire and brimstone and fear and guilt and doubt so that the congregation will live in awe of the teachings. And as a result the congregation live in spiritual limbo never knowing the true love of Christ. The congregation live in a continuing battle with sin never winning and never knowing the power in Christ to conquer sin. The congregation lives under the dictatorial rule of the chief priest and the pharisees.
Do you live under the rule of the chief priest and the pharisees in your church? Are you beaten into compliance by those who would use the Bible to create fear and guilt in your life? Christ did not preach fear and doubt. Christ does not seek guilt in your life. Christ seeks your love. Christ seeks your understanding. Christ wants to teach each and every one of us his principles for they are light and his yoke is easy. For he is meek and humble. Christ wants us to know him, have a relationship with him and to carry him in our heart. And when we fail, he does not condemn us. He reaches out a helping hand to lift you up that you may know the true love that he bares for you. Do not be a pharisee in your church. Be Christ like in your church, lending a helping hand to those who fall. For though we practice the principles given us by God, we are all, human and not perfect and do not live perfect lives. If Christ can forgive us for our faults, we should forgive others of their faults and failures also. Be Christ like and not a Pharisee!!
Good word. I wonder if we forget sometimes that the HOLY SPIRIT truly is the one who points out our sins. He leads us away from them and shows us the path of righteousness. Sometimes we try to do it for HIM. However, ministers, teachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles are accountable to GOD for how they present the gospel to the flock. If we condone the sinfulness of a wicked and perverse society and envelope ourselves in the things of the world....HE will spit us out of HIS mouth.
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