Daily Reading: 8-24-16
Luke 6:6-11The Voice (VOICE)
God is always trying to bring us spiritual insight, but we must be open to it. The Word brings instruction to our souls which need salvation, but many times that Word finds a hostile reception from our mind, will, and emotions. We may be resistant to change, so we seek to dismiss or even discredit the Word of God.
In our passage of Scripture today, Jesus wants to help people understand God’s heart to heal and restore them. A man with a crippled hand would be Christ’s example. Jesus also wants the religious scholars and teachers who are witnesses to gain a glimpse of their malicious intent; he knows their thoughts. They wanted to accuse Jesus of breaking the spirituals law of practicing medicine on the Sabbath, but instead the Word accused them by shining a light on the evil in their own hearts.
Luke 6:6-11 Man with a Crippled Hand
6 On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught there. In the congregation was a man who had a deformed right hand. 7 The religious scholars and Pharisees watched Jesus; they suspected that He might try to perform a healing on that day, which they would use as evidence to convict Him of Sabbath-breaking.
8 Jesus knew about their plan, and He told the man with the deformed hand to come and stand in front of everyone. The man did so. 9 Then Jesus spoke directly to the religious scholars and Pharisees.
Jesus: Here’s a question for you: On the Sabbath Day, is it lawful to do good or to do harm? Is it lawful to save life or to destroy it?
10 He turned His gaze to each of them, one at a time. Then He spoke to the man.
Jesus: Stretch your hand out.
As the man did, his deformed hand was made normal again. 11 This made the Pharisees and religious scholars furious. They began discussing together what they would do to Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, my soul needs ongoing salvation, so please continue to bring me spiritual insight and instruction. Jesus, thank you for knowing my heart and bringing light to my sin. Holy Spirit, help my mind, will, and emotions be receptive to the necessary change toward holiness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.