Happy Tuesday! It’s November 22, 2022. Do you want to be challenged a little in your view of Christianity? It doesn’t change what we believe, but it sure will expand it! Ready? Buckle up, and read on …
Today's Reading:
Matthew 11,12,13
Scripture
“Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.” (Matthew 12:22)
Observation
Sound simple? Let’s unpack it a little. Jesus exemplified a totally radical and maybe even controversial type of Christianity, and the Pharisees are about to be appalled at the breadth of His embrace. Jesus taught that the result of obeying the Law is to love God and love people deeply. It is far greater than just keeping the Law. Knowledge is not to be the end of our reach; it is to be the beginning!
However, I noticed something that disturbed everything about my traditional theology. “There was brought to Him a demon-possessed man, who was blind and mute, and He healed him.” At first pass, that sounds nice. So, why did the religious people call Jesus “a cult” or even the devil himself?” (Matt. 12:24). I didn’t notice this at first … but, He healed a demon-possessed man before even leading him to faith! It would be equivalent to helping unbelievers without expecting them to clean up first! If it were at a “mission,” they would feed before … not after preaching. Jesus fed, and the Pharisees got “fed up.” He healed, and the Pharisees got wounded.
I guess Jesus wasn’t on a “recruitment” kick. He loved, He healed, He fed … because His Father loves lost people, and He knows that love must be first because love is what seeds the soil for everything else.
Application
The Pharisees were using their knowledge of the Law to ascertain others' measure of righteousness. But, in doing so, they condemned those "less righteous." So then, when Jesus healed the man with the withered hand a little earlier in verse 10, we find these words: "But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him."
Why? Because He healed on the Sabbath? Partly — but the bottom line was they loved their ability to keep the Law more than they loved the hurting. They were smug with their own righteousness and prided themselves in not messing up. They'd rather be barren and clean, useless and right … than be fruitful and effective.
Prayer
Father, thank You for this insight. It stirs my soul and exposes former myths about how I measure faith. I am finding that the purpose of holiness is not to be known as “holy.” Instead, it is that I develop a heart to do Your work unhindered by my own flesh. So may I decrease, and You increase!
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