Words from the Rock
I tell you that there is something here greater than the temple. Don’t you know what the Scriptures mean when they say, “Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others?” If you knew what this means, you would not condemn these innocent disciples of mine. So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:6–8 CEV
Jesus really was a radical. Almost everything he said and did upset the local Jewish leaders. But it was about time someone rocked their world. And Jesus was the only one who could do it. At first the pompous leaders merely tolerated Jesus as a fanatic who would eventually fade away. But as his popularity grew, they made attempts to trip him up, hoping he’d fall on his face. As a result, it was the arrogant religious leaders themselves who wound up looking silly.
And when these leaders questioned the disciples’ respect for the Sabbath, Jesus came back with a challenge straight from their Scriptures. He reminded them that God would rather have merciful hearts than sacrifices. Then he pointed out that they didn’t even understand what that meant.
Not only did Jesus understand what that Scripture meant, he lived it out right before their very eyes. He publicly displayed kindness and mercy and forgiveness by reaching out to anyone and everyone. He showed them, through his actions, how God wanted them all to live. Not with the same old stodgy focus on religion and rules, but with a fresh commitment to love each other and to show mercy. Now that was radical!
And that’s what Jesus wants from you. He wants you to imitate him by loving and forgiving others, by building relationships instead of playing at religion.
My Prayer
Dear God,
I don’t want to be religious. Help me to be like you—to love and forgive and build relationships.
Amen.
Final Word
I’d rather for you to be faithful
and to know me
than to offer sacrifices.
Hosea 6:6 CEV
Stone for the Journey
Religion ties your hands, but relationship opens them.