Scripture to Read: Luke 14:1–6
Jesus continued His ministry to everyone willing to listen to Him, invite Him into their homes, and follow Him. According to Luke 14:1–6, Jesus was invited to the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, but the invitation came with an agenda. All the people who were there were watching Jesus closely because there was also a man with dropsy there, and of course, it was the Sabbath, and according to the Jewish religious traditions of their day, no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Dropsy is what we now call edema or hydrops, an unusual buildup of fluid in the body that causes visible swelling of the arms, legs, or abdomen. Jesus knew the hearts of the people watching Him, so, God had Luke record in Luke 14:3–5, “And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’ 4 But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. 5 And He said to them, ‘Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?’” The answer to Jesus’ question is that God’s compassion and kindness always trump religious tradition. Even the illustration Jesus used shows the compassion and kindness humans show to their family and even their animals. That is why no one answered Jesus, because they knew what was right in God’s sight. Obeying God and His Word will always trump all man-made religions and rules.
Challenge & Application
When do religious traditions become a stumbling block to walking in obedience to our Lord?
Why is knowing God’s Word first so important to obeying His Word?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!