Matthew Chapter 12 Verses 1 – 8

• Ok, this is EXTREMELY interesting what Jesus is saying here because He says this in such a way as to totally call out the Pharisees who are doing everything in their power to hate Jesus and to cause others to turn against Him. I mean like crazy interesting! He is referring to what David did in 1 Samuel 21. By this time, King Saul greatly resented David. We read in 1 Samuel 18 that Saul had set David over the military force of Israel…this is one chapter after David and Goliath in Chapter 17. And in that capacity, David was extremely successful. To the point where the people made up a new tune. Number 1 hit in Jerusalem at the time…
• “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.” Saul hadn’t heard this catchy tune until one day when David was returning from the battle field and as he entered the cities of Israel…1 Samuel 18 says that the women in every city would meet him in the way with tambourines and joy, dancing as they sang this hit. This enraged Saul and from that day forward, Saul had it in for David…to the point that Saul tried to hire his own son, Jonathan, to kill David. But Jonathan was David’s bestie!
• So, Jonathan tipped David off and David fled. No preparation, no hesitation…he could have killed Saul but he loved the Lord even more than his own comfort and so he fled…As he fled he came to a place called Nob and there went to the House of God where he encountered Ahimelech the priest. He was starving and asked for bread…now you know the back story.
• Ok why is what Jesus said so dag on crazy interesting? Because He is making them consider a story that if they really think about it will cause them to have to change their mind about their approach on life, their approach on Him, their whole life priority!? How, why?
• Jesus says, “…he was hungry, he and those who were with him…” Here’s the thing though, and they would have known this…David was alone! Why? Because he was avoiding the ruler who wrongly hated him! Ahimelech probed David about this? Why are you alone? And what did David do? He lied! Right there in the house of God! And they know it! They’ve read the scriptures! And so Jesus is forcing them to consider…their hero, not only is he absolutely imperfect and a mess but even if he was here right now, you’d reject him too…AND…David was alone because of rulers like YOU!
• But wait, there’s more! Next thing Jesus says, “…how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat…” According to who’s law!? Theirs…not God’s! Jesus is forcing them to consider, for those that were intelligent enough to catch it and courageous enough to face it…that they have twisted the Word of God, making their own laws and now…they’re following their own laws instead of the Word of God! Man we have GOT to be careful about this!
• The table of showbread was to the right when you walked into the temple, right across from the lampstands and on it was to be 12 loaves of bread symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel. The 12 loaves were to remain there for a week and then the priests were to eat it, replacing it with fresh loaves. This was to be a continual thing and what it symbolized was God’s covenant communion with the people…breaking bread together was like becoming one in those days.

• But it was also symbolic of being welcomed and hopitablized in God’s house…being fed by God at His welcome, in His house. Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that only priests could eat of it…that word only was added by man…What Jesus said in two sentences would have reset any one of these Pharisees if they really considered it…AMAZING!

• Same thing about the working priests…You see they and many of us have lost the heart of God in our religious ways! And so what does He do…He calls them to Himself! “The Son of Man is Lord…” Fix you right on up! He’s not trying to berate them or condemn them…not you either! Luke 19:10 says that the, “Son of Man came to seek and save that which is lost!” John 3:17 says that, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved!” That’s His heart here, that is His heart right now…
• You see, we’re like seagulls! I saw this group of five seagulls arguing over a piece of inedible trash in a parking lot this week. Each one, “Can I eat it? MINE MINE!” And then when the one that actually made it to the trash discovered that it was no good…he took off. What did the other four do? Followed him! Like, “What do YOU know, where are YOU going!” And so they flew for a couple of seconds, maybe a minute…and then guess where that lead ‘gul went…RIGHT BACK TO THE TRASH and it happened all over again! HA! That’s us man, and Jesus knows it! You come to Him, that’s what He wants, and you find good food…the trash gets tossed…

Matthew Chapter 12 Verses 9 – 14

• Jesus just can’t help Himself from helping. Did you know that? Whenever Jesus is allowed in, He helps. That’s just His nature. He has no evil component. No malicious or dark compartment. He is all good, all the time. I just love that. Personally and corporately! It never changes, it’s always true…that if you submit unto the Lord and choose to trust Him, it will be ultimately for your better…why? Because He just can’t help Himself…He has to help…and they know it…so they seek to trap Him.
• Now notice, this man’s hand is withered…so the very command that God give is very impossible in the current condition. Isn’t that neat? But Jesus gives not only the command…He gives both the command and the ability! I love that!
• Luke 6:11 says that they were filled with rage when Jesus did this…one thing you see, you don’t like, it confuses you and sometimes it discourages you…that even the physical, undeniable display of God’s mercy, power and love…while that should wake folks up to the truth…some will simply hate it…don’t let that derail you…prepare for it instead and stay the course!

Matthew Chapter 12 Verses 15 – 21

• This is the very heart of God and the very nature of the message of Jesus Christ. I love this! A bruised reed He will not break. Reeds are sometimes bruised by nature, what’s happened to them. Sometimes reeds are bruised by misuse…sometimes they are bruised simply by being used too much…God sent His Son not to break you but to fix you…And a smoking flax He will not quench…the most common cause of a flax that is simply smoking is a lack of fuel…out of gas…the world sees something damaged, something seemingly lifeless, out of gusto…and it throws it away…Jesus FIXES IT…for anyone who would simply trust in His name!