Luke 6: 1 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. 2 But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”
Jesus had to constantly remind those following Him, especially the religious leaders, that He is Lord! In our sinful condition, we fall prey to traditions and use them as a comforter to make sense in life. The conditions of "being" in the Old Testament were wrapped around "doing" and the doing part always fell very short of what God intended because of the sinful nature of man. Paul wrote this to the church in Rome and his understanding of the Law of Moses was extensive, so consider his past as he writes about his present condition with God. Romans 7:5 When we were controlled by our old nature,[b] sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. The Law of Moses brought death and Jesus fixed that problem on the cross. As we look forward to celebrating Easter we can easily see what the cross meant for each of us, and old traditions only limit what Jesus accomplished by His death. Paul goes on in verse 6 with the real truth of what happened. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. We should also be dead to the old traditions that formed from the law because the Law brought death and the Spirit brought life.
The Pharisees were trying their best to hold Jesus to the Law when Jesus was the Law. Jesus answers them with a history lesson about their King, King David. The following verse speaks to what David and his companions did. 3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.”
Jesus goes on in the next to say exactly who He is and His answer was an answer with authority. 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.” In other words, don't talk to the one who is Lord over everything what to do on the Sabbath that is supposed to be honored for Him. As you can see, the Pharisees could not get beyond their way of living and thinking and it even caused them to miss the Messiah. Hopefully, our desire for traditions doesn't interfere with our desire to live in the Spirit, because Jesus is the Spirit. Jesus is present throughout the Word of God, Old Testament, and New because JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD. Talk about getting the core of everything. When we see Jesus for who He is we realize the freedom He offers us and the close, intimate relationship that is possible because of what He did on the cross.
His resurrection also gives us resurrection power and Paul continued to deal with Jewish Christians who doubted the resurrection and thus, the resurrection power it gives to all believers. Satan wants to limit God's work in us by leading us back to human-based worthless traditions. Jesus has to be Lord of All to His followers so we can experience the power of death, burial, and resurrection. Therein is where we find our power source for living the Spirit-filled life. NEVER COMPROMISE who Jesus is. He is Lord of All!!
The Pilgrimage Continues,
David Warren