Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

17 January 2025

Reading From Matthew 12:1-23

“Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”

–Matthew 12:9-14

     Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we, as born again followers of Him, are the sheep of His pasture.  Our Shepherd takes excellent care of those who belong to Him.  Jesus is God.  He is the one who created all things, including us human beings and the Sabbath to provide rest and recharge for us.  He is the Lord of the Sabbath and so He can do as He pleases, whenever He chooses to do it. 

     It would be healthy for us as disciples to observe Sabbath days of rest.  The non-stop, 24/7 culture that greed and materialism have created needs to be checked.  We can do this by intentionally unplugging, saying no to the craziness, and making room in our schedules to rest, worship, pray, meditate on the Word, and whatever spiritual discipline the Spirit leads us to participate in to commune with Him. 

     The Pharisees, Sadducees and others in the religious establishment of the time wanted to maintain their power and control.  The authority and popularity of Jesus was a real threat to them.  It is heartbreaking that their need for status, money and power was greater than their care and concern for the well-being of the people they were supposed to be leading.  Jesus says, “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” and the response of the Pharisees is to figure out a way to kill Him.

“Lord God, thank You for building into our calendars special days to rest, relax and recharge with You.  I pray that we would be intentional about not only Sabbath rest for our own benefit, but also to do good to bless others and bring glory and honor to You.  In the Name of the Lord of the Sabbath I pray these things.  Amen.”

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

–Mark 2:27-28