What Jesus Did

Key Passage
Jesus did these things to make happen what Isaiah the prophet said. Isaiah said, "Here is my servant; I (God) have chosen him. I love him, and I am pleased with him; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will judge the nations fairly."

— Matthew 12:17-18 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Jesus is clearly living out of a sense of mission or calling. He is doing the Father's will. Powerfully at his baptism and at his transfiguration, Jesus is declared by God to be his Son...

 

Key Passage
Jesus knew what the Pharisees were doing. So Jesus left that place. Many people followed Jesus, and he healed all the sick people. But Jesus warned the people not to tell other people who he was.

— Matthew 12:15-16 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
With the growing criticism and hostility toward Jesus by the religious elite, Jesus begins to withdraw more and spend more time revealing himself and his identity only to the disciples. He doesn't want to be perceived as merely...

 

Key Passage
Then Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, "Let me see your hand." The man put his hand out for Jesus, and the hand became well again, the same as the other hand. But the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.

— Matthew 12:13-14 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Isn't it amazing how one event can distill two such radically different reactions! In this event, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand but pushes the Pharisees into a murderous rage. The problem is...

 

Key Passage
Jesus answered, "If any of you has a sheep, and the sheep falls into a ditch on the Sabbath day, then you will take the sheep and help it out of the ditch. Surely a man is more important than a sheep. So the law {of Moses} allows people to do good things on the Sabbath day."

— Matthew 12:11-12 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Any day set aside to honor God and to bring rest to his people must recognize the holy worship in blessing others. To rest on the Sabbath for the...

 

Key Passage
Jesus left that place and went into their synagogue. In the synagogue there was a man with a crippled hand. Some Jews there were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong. So they asked Jesus, "Is it right to heal on the Sabbath day?"

— Matthew 12:9-10 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Isn't it amazing how distorted our perspective can become when we are motivated by hatred and opposition! Jesus goes to worship and finds a man with physical problems. This is...

 

Key Passage
"The Son of Man is Lord (ruler) over the Sabbath day."

— Matthew 12:8 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
There was no more important symbol or source of identity for the Jewish people than the Sabbath. Rules, laws, traditions, and respect grew up around the original Law and encrusted it with layers of a combination of inconsequential, restrictive, and harmful traditions. So when Jesus takes on his opponents over the issue of the Sabbath, we shouldn't be surprised by their...

 

Key Passage
"The Scripture says, 'I don't want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.' You don't really know what those words mean. If you understood those words, then you would not judge those people that have done nothing wrong."

— Matthew 12:7 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Legalism stresses rules and crushes people. Jesus' biggest battles were with those who adhered to rules and law-keeping constructs while ignoring the demands of the Law that are close to...

 

Key Passage
Jesus said to them, "You have read what David did when he and the people with him were hungry. David went into God's house. David and the people with him ate the bread that was offered to God. It was against the law for David or the people with him to eat that bread. Only the priests were allowed to eat it. And you have read in the law {of Moses} that on every Sabbath day the priests at the temple break the law about the Sabbath day. But the priests are not wrong for doing that...

 

Key Passage
About that same time, Jesus was walking through the fields of grain on a Sabbath day. Jesus' followers were with him, and they were hungry. So the followers began to pick the grain and eat it. The Pharisees saw this. They said to Jesus, "Look! Your followers are doing something that is against the {Jewish} law to do on the Sabbath day."

— Matthew 12:1-2 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Legal loop holes are one thing, but a political and legal pot hole is another. The...

 

Key Passage
"Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. Yes, the work that I ask you to accept is easy. The burden I give you to carry is not heavy."

— Matthew 11:29-30 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought
Rest! Doesn't that sound nice? In a culture gone mad on business, a culture that has exchanged recreation for rest, that sounds nice. But we must not be deceived. Jesus' way isn't necessarily easy. His call to discipleship...