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 Pharisees were looking to harm Jesus and hurt his growing ministry. They were looking for a political issue to damage Jesus' popularity and they were looking for a religious noose so they can hang him on some theological issue. Jesus lived all of his life under public scrutiny. In many ways, most of us do, too. So let's live our lives in a way that honors Christ's example of character that was unwavering even in the face of unjust criticism.
Prayer
O Lord Almighty, as I live my life before others in witness to your mercy and grace, forgive me when my example is not what it should be and mature me to be more like Jesus in my personal and public life. In the Lord Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
But you should keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer every person who asks you to explain about the hope you have. But answer those people in a gentle way with respect. Always be able to feel that you are doing right. When you do that, the people who say bad things about you will be made ashamed. They say these bad things about the good way you live in Christ. They will be made ashamed for the bad things they said about you. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Yes, it is better if that is what God wants.
— 1 Peter 3:15-17
But you know all about me. You know what I teach and the way I live. You know my goal in life. You know my faith, my patience, and my love. You know that I never stop trying. You know about my persecutions (troubles) and my sufferings. You know all the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. You know the persecutions I suffered in those places. But the Lord saved me from all those troubles. Every person who wants to live the way God wants, in Christ Jesus, will be persecuted.
— 2 Tim 3:10-12
— Matt. 5:11-12
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
View the full article
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 Pharisees were looking to harm Jesus and hurt his growing ministry. They were looking for a political issue to damage Jesus' popularity and they were looking for a religious noose so they can hang him on some theological issue. Jesus lived all of his life under public scrutiny. In many ways, most of us do, too. So let's live our lives in a way that honors Christ's example of character that was unwavering even in the face of unjust criticism.
Prayer
O Lord Almighty, as I live my life before others in witness to your mercy and grace, forgive me when my example is not what it should be and mature me to be more like Jesus in my personal and public life. In the Lord Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
But you should keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer every person who asks you to explain about the hope you have. But answer those people in a gentle way with respect. Always be able to feel that you are doing right. When you do that, the people who say bad things about you will be made ashamed. They say these bad things about the good way you live in Christ. They will be made ashamed for the bad things they said about you. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Yes, it is better if that is what God wants.
— 1 Peter 3:15-17
But you know all about me. You know what I teach and the way I live. You know my goal in life. You know my faith, my patience, and my love. You know that I never stop trying. You know about my persecutions (troubles) and my sufferings. You know all the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. You know the persecutions I suffered in those places. But the Lord saved me from all those troubles. Every person who wants to live the way God wants, in Christ Jesus, will be persecuted.
— 2 Tim 3:10-12
— Matt. 5:11-12
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
