Sabbath Lord vs. Religious Nitpickers, Part 2

In March 2022 Insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God Chuck Swindoll for thousands of years.

No place is been more meaning to God's children in the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone. The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world. Analysis the good news of Christ to every nation, and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll, Insight for living ministries March 6-17, 2022. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with a refreshed heart for God and a renewed vision for the world, really. I read it every time. So I want you to have the same life changing experience to learn more, go to Insight.org/events call this number 1-888-447-0444 Insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend the laws of God serve a purpose they expose our sinfulness. But in Jesus day the Pharisees took the laws of Moses to a whole new level.

They obsessed were following the rules and even created additional regulations. God never intended today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll's teaching from Matthew chapter 12 in this passage we read about a lively encounter between Jesus and the legalistic Pharisees not only exposes the folly of their pride, but have serious implications for us today as well. Chuck titled today's message Sabbath Lord versus religious back to Matthew 12 and show you sample of legalism in action. The time Jesus was walking through some green fields on the Sabbath.

Don't miss that. It's all about the Sabbath. There, walking through some green fields and the disciples were starving and hungry. His disciples were hungry so they decided our they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them so there enjoying the green until the Pharisees common. They saw it, and they protested, they said, look, your disciples were breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath is not the law there breaking it.

Your tradition is your teachings about the law. They were perfectly within their rights. Now they are Pharisees, they they're the ones who really knew the scriptures there were the conservatives among religious circles of that day. But look at Jesus questions a little insulting. He says, haven't you read in the Scriptures will haven't you even read what the Scriptures teach about David. David did when he and his companions were hungry what he went into the house of God and his companions really broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests were allowed to eat again that was allowed that was provided because mercy trumps the ridge.

The rigid requirements and in this case there's a need this grade and haven't you read in the law of Moses at the priest on duty and the judge in the temple may work on the set, but you would not have condemned my innocent disciples, if you knew the meaning of the Scripture will feel the twisting of the life. If you knew the meaning the real meaning of the Scriptures you wouldn't be questioning my innocent disciples. I want to show you mercy not offer sacrifices for the son of man is Lord even over the Sabbath will don't think they missed that.

You know what he saying I'm Lord over the Sabbath. Matter fact, if you check it out, you'll realize. Jesus offered the law is a part of the Godhead before he came to this earth is engaged in these thing and he says to them.

I will tell you I'm the Lord of the Sabbath that didn't at that point their hostility grew by leaps and bounds, but he doesn't stop what happens, then Jesus went over to their synagogue were he noticed a man with a different member. Still, the Sabbath, and he goes into the synagogue and he finds a man with a deformed hand look at this, the Pharisees, as Jesus does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath that is not a question without a hook.

It's a question designed to kneeling in fact, Matthew says they were hoping he would say yes so they could bring charges against then ever examine their own motives. Pharisees are like that. They're so busy condemning and putting people on the spot. They don't stop to realize how hypocritical their words are how deceptive in many ways how unfair the brother he didn't fall for it.

Look at this. He answered it like a good profit school. He has the answers that question with a question. I look at this if you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you work to pull it out he do that to them.

The economy was very important in their having their cheap was extremely important.

If your sheet falls into a well.

Would you attempt to pull it out of the well. If it's on the Sabbath and leaders respond course you would love that course you would, and how much more valuable is a person that is sheet I want to reject every tree hugger in the country. How much more valuable as a person, then the environment, how much more valuable is a person, then earth. A person has an eternal soul, she would you please hire a priority on a sheep's life that you are than you would on the man's hand being the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath below at the end of that statement and adverse verse 12 what you're hearing is jaws falling onto chests as they are standing without an answer.

He's got.

Then he said to the man look at this act of compassion. He said to the man hold out your hand.

The man held out his hand.

It was restored just like the other one and not the Pharisee applauded not one thought how great of God to heal that hand.

They all thought he broke a rule about the Sabbath.

How dare you do that you say well maybe go a little far will. Maybe you've not read the next verse, the man held out his hand. It was restored. Like the other, then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. What you do with a verse like that but I pause and realize the evil that can lurk in every heart when you are so determined to control others that somebody gets in your way you plan to do away with them. You got some real homework to take care of. They have a meeting and plan conspiracy first. This is a turning point in Matthew's gospel. At this point, everything changes.

Jesus goes more underground. They get more hostile and it climaxes when you get to chapter 27 and they kneeling to across but notice what Jesus response is in verse 15 Jesus knew what they were planning course indignities God he realized there was that conspiracy meeting held in in secrecy and he left the area and many people followed him. He healed all the sick, there are times when the wisest thing to be done is to walk away, he does so in this case because this time is not yet come. It will and when it does come in the garden of Gethsemane and they arrest him. He doesn't fight them. He gives himself up and allows himself to be crucified. But this is not the hour. This is not the time so he slipped away and many follow and he warns them not to reveal who we wise that's the reason let's keep it between us to ask three questions as I close this message today and they are designed to make you think and maybe because they are such, it may make you squirm. I don't know, but their honest questions that came to me when I finish studying this past three probing questions. Here's the first do you allow legalists to control you. Maybe you are thinking often how do or sometimes I've done that you may be among those who could say in all honesty never of learn better than that part of the reason is you can never please a legalist fully suck at. You have no reason to. A legalist doesn't speak for God.

He follows his own list of rules and regulation. My heart goes out to you if you were raised in a legalistic hold. Most people in my generation. I've learned in talking with them.

Maybe I should say many raised in a home filled with rules, requirements, your parents may have been legalists.

They met well I'm sure but that's the way they were raised because you control conduct by giving out rule which really is a rather immature plan. See when you are self governed.

You restrict yourself. One of the marks of maturity is knowing you're going too far or you shouldn't do this is not appropriate shouldn't go there. As you grow up in the Lord, you develop that sense of knowing what's best, without needing to be told. So my question stays. If it is true that you are still allowing a legalist to control you. You will not grow until you break that habit growing spiritually requires that you start thinking on your own. Which brings me to the second kind of helps you answer the first can you discern between God's instructions and others expectation Jesus lived his ministry doing that. We just thought asked the example of it right here on the Sabbath question again. Do you discern between can you discern between God's instructions and others expectation. You realize that in this book. There are some lists and they are important part of the word of God. Are you aware of those lists that God has given us when you bring a charge to those who are being ordained into ministry.

You lay on them the responsibilities of the ministry, drawing the principles from the word of God really give them a list but it's a list that is worth following. Because it's a part of the Scriptures. The application of such. But then there are other instructions that come from those who are not basing it on the Scriptures.

They have expectations and they give them to you.

123 at a time for the listing your your to learn them in your will follow them as you grow in the Lord, you will discern will not need to give your gift concerned that if you do, you will live under constant battle with guilt and shame the Lord did not come to piled up the guilt and shame against he came truly to set us free and free, you will know the truth and the truth of what set you free, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

And you are free them to obey Christ not free to do whatever you please.

That's not freedom that's self-serving. That's narcissism, but you're free now, but the power of Christ to follow his instructions and how great it is when you come to the place that you can live like that. There's 1/3 question, are you becoming an agent of grace your spreading grace messages as often as you can when you especially when you're around those that you see your living under the thumb of others. Here's a way to tell what you resisting the tendency to control others.

Start with your own older children still trying to control them or you release them there on their own now.

Are you releasing others off of probation, or do you hold people for a period of time until they prove themselves. You look for opportunities to affirm others. One of my questions. I'd like to ask is do you offer encouragement to at least one person every day. Are you breaking the habits of shame and blame, if so, you're an agent agrees years ago I came across a wonderful piece that I've carried with me and will sometime use it's called letting go.

Listen carefully. These are words of grace to let go, doesn't mean to stop caring. It means I cannot do it for someone else to let go is not to cut myself.

It is not to cut myself off.

It's the realization that I cannot control another to let go is not to enable but to allow learning from natural consequences to let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands is more to let go is not to try to change or blame another. I can only change myself to let go is not to care for, but to care about to let go is not to fix, but to be supportive is not to judge but to allow another to be a human being to let go is not to be in the middle of arranging all the outcome but to allow others to affect your own outcomes to let go is not to be protected, but to permit another to face reality. It is not to deny but to accept, to let go is not to nag or scold or argue, but to search out my own shortcomings and correct them to let go is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it come to let go is to fear lists and love more. If I've learned anything in these many years in the ministry of learn the value of letting things go is to not do that simply could tell when people didn't change. I thought to something I need to do what I need to say when there wasn't real healthy affirming response to my preaching. I thought I gotta fix my preaching so they'll respond positively when people didn't correct their pads. II would think I'm obviously not doing something I should be see I was the I am the fixer I I'm a professional fix.

If I don't watch and I've got to live long enough to stop sweating. All that fixing stuff, you know what when this sermon begins, you're on your own. I followed your car. I ain't looking through your keel. You know why I got too much stuff in my own life. They did takes much time to deal with. My job is to declare the truth and get out of the way.

Hi, your on your own, or you will never grow up to see if I don't believe that. I'll keep counting how many are coming to church to listen to me when it isn't about that at all. We come together to learn principles that help us grow up and become spiritually self-sustaining for the glory of Christ actually is.

You grow up you become easier to live with rather than harder to live with some of your wives have written me know I'm kidding. I haven't heard from anybody and letters like that out of give much attention to my job is not to fix you is to be a faithful teacher of the truth so that you take the truth and apply. If you need Jesus. Auto follow you around telling you that 24 hours a day. I tell you that as often as I can and then I get out of the way and let Jesus take over. He's very able to handle you. He's never met his match.

And if you get out of line. He has ways of bringing you back in line.

He doesn't need me to help Sparta being mature is part of the reason you love stone rock church.

As you can feel the freedom to fail and you will be thrown out because failure is a part of growth you really know Christ. Are you sure you know the Lord that all starts with him. You never fall in line with Christ, if you've not released yourself to him and taken his gift of salvation was there with that, let's bow together right for your sitting alone with your own thoughts. I invite you to see yourself when you step into eternity and now ask today where will that be if you wanted to be heaven with the Lord your God. You'll have to come through Christ. I am the way, the truth and the life.

No one comes to the father but through me.

But you believe that or not is your best to deal with.

I can't make you believe it, but I can tell you it's the truth you trust in Christ you will have the gift of eternal life if you don't you won't in your eternity is as dreadful as I could possibly describe.

So turn to him now trust him now. Father remind us again and again how amazing your grace is and how relieving how freeing and what a source of joy and what a sense of satisfaction to know that we before you can come to terms with things that are good for us and also acknowledge things that aren't so we won't do them.

Help us all in the journey from earth to heaven to make right choices. The best is to come to know your son be especially near to those who were right there and made that this very day. Trust him mellower, dismiss us with the relief that we have heard the truth and realizing we have the responsibility of applying for your glory and in the power of your spirit, through Christ we all pray. Everybody said amen Sabbath Lord versus religious nitpicker's that's the title Chuck Swindoll selected for today's message you're listening to Insight for living and we set aside several minutes tear some closing comments from Chuck. Please stay with us and to learn more about this ministry.

Please visit us online@insightworld.org today. I like to point you to a resource that is been helpful to thousands of readers. I'm referring to Chuck's insightful book called finding God when the world's on fire. We're living in extraordinary times of uncertainty in our lifetime. We've never witnessed this level of tension not only in regard to the culture wars but a global pandemic. That's change the course of history.

This convergence of tragedies has caused many people to live in fear, but Chuck reminds us God knows about our stress and not only that God has provided a way to conquer fear with courage and hope that's the theme of this inspirational book from our Bible teacher called finding God when the world's on fire and you can purchase a copy right now by going to Insight.org/offer or by calling us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 and I'll repeat our contact information just a moment. Now, as promised. These closing comments from our teacher Jack if you're in the business world. You likely have some idea what it means to close the books on a financial year well at Insight for living, our nonprofit organization will close the financial year on June 30. The day is coming soon. Fiscal year end. We call it yes it's an accounting term, a mile marker and annual turning point for bookkeepers and accountants and ministries like ours at Insight for living is far more than any of those business terms. We set financial goals for June 30 that need to be met. That's the business part but this is not a business you know this. It's a ministry and so what I hear the deadline on June 30 I think about people, men and women like you folks who rely on us to dispense and declare the truth of God's word day in and day out. Sure we want Insight for living like an efficient business behind-the-scenes because we know that's prudent and that's why it's we have a wonderful staff to help us do that.

But we have never lost sight of those we reach and the one we serve. So now cannot count on you to help us. Your generous donation today will not only care for the business side of this ministry, but far more important. Your donation will help us reach more people with Insight for living today's the day I'm counting on you. Thank you Chuck.

Let me explain how you can respond today. The quickest and most convenient way to give is to click on the donate tab@insight.org.

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Someone desperately searching for rest, so please call us if you listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 or give online by going to Insight.4. How do you tell the difference servant of God and a pond of Satan dear Chuck's Windows message tomorrow on Insight for living. The preceding message, Sabbath, Lord versus religious nitpicker's was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R.

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