No Rules, Just Right - Gen. 41-42 & Matt. 12:1-23

No Rules, Just Right - that's the slogan for Outback Steakhouse, but it might make a better slogan for Jesus' teaching in the New Testament. Throughout Jesus' life people misunderstood Him. That was primarily because they were Jewish and knew the Old Testament (the law) very well. But Jesus came and turned their worlds upside down because they had become more focused on the rules than the heart behind those laws.

We see this fleshed out often in Jesus' ministry and often it is with the rule-focused sect called the Pharisees. In Matthew chapter 12 we are given one such incident. As Jesus and His disciples walked through the fields on the Sabbath, His disciples began to pluck the heads of wheat and eat them (which the Pharisees saw as working on the Sabbath). So the Pharisees speak up to Jesus saying, "Look your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting wheat on the Sabbath." First off, Jesus responds by quoting Scripture to these know-it-alls proving that He knew the law very well thank you. Then He takes the conversation to a whole new (and outrageous) level by saying, "I tell you, there is one here who is greater than the Temple!"

Not only does Jesus use Scripture to defend His disciples, but He proclaims His authority as Lord of the Sabbath and throws that in their faces. And He goes on to teach them saying, "But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices."

God wants us to have pure hearts. Hearts after Jesus' heart. That is the point of Scripture, that is the point of church, and that is the point of spiritual disciplines. God wants to develop character within us so that we may become like Him. Whatever God has given you in your life - your job, your classes, your family, your friends, your personality - He wants you to live in that world (your world) and use those things to develop yourself into His image. He is ready and willing to help us, but we must decide to begin that journey. That is what it means to follow Christ.

I hope you will seek this path for your life and talk with me about it as we travel the road together.