Do Nothing or Do Good? Luke 6:6-11

On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

By this time it seems Jesus knew what was coming...the Sabbath seemed to be a real point of contention between Him and the Pharisees.

The whole issue is now is doing GOOD “WORK” on the SABBATH-specifically HEALING a person with a shriveled hand...meeting a human need and showing compassion.

Rabbis of that day held that only if a life was in danger was healing permitted…it was silly-you could treat a heart attack, but not a toothache.

The Hebrew word for Sabbath is “sabat” and it means “repose or rest.”

Jesus asks them directly…wanting them to answer…

“Which is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

The Bible speaks in several places about placing bindings & burdens on people:

"Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, is loosed in heaven.” - Matthew 18:18

“For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” - Matthew 23:4

“Why do you try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? -Peter in Acts 15:10

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. “ - Paul in Galatians 5:1

Jesus' defense in picking kernels the grain fields was based on the Old Testament Scriptures, but His defense in the synagogue for doing good and healing a man was based on the nature of God’s Sabbath law. God gave that law to HELP people, not to HURT them, to BLESS them, not to BURDEN them.

These Pharisees, these church leaders have NO CONCERN or CARE for the man…only their precious LAW. Rather than rejoice at an actual miracle, they want to argue over silly points of their man-made additions to the true word and law of God.

Jesus showed that compassion for people was more important that silly man-made rules...

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 man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Matthew 12:11-12

Jesus argued that if a farmer could care for his animals on the Sabbath, shouldn’t we care for man, made in the image of God? Jesus was frustrated (“at their stubborn hearts”) and angry(Mark 3:5)

Then...Jesus takes the offensive...he does something NEW and completely different.

Jesus calls the man front and center, for ALL the critics to see… and heals him…’ “STRETCH FORTH YOUR HAND”…and the Pharisees begin to plot against Him.

We modern-day followers of Christ need to know...

if we decide to follow the ways of Jesus, we will have religious critics.

Our Lord’s Day ought to be a time of rest…a time we set aside for God…and if we have the opportunity to DO GOOD…then let us DO GOOD!

“Anyone then knowing the good he ought to do, and doesn’t do it, sins.
James 4:17

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest (sabbatismos) for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
Hebrews 4:9-10

Are YOU giving God 1 Day out of 7…for time just with HIM?

Questions for Discussion:

1. What harmful “religious” tendencies was Jesus resisting by His actions andwords during these incidents
2. In these incidents, whose actions were really Sabbath-keeping? Why?What could you do to make next Sunday a service to God?

3. List some of the traditions that are taken for granted in your church, but are not directly mentioned in the Bible. Which seem to aid Christian mission? Which seem to impede the work of Christ?
4. Teaching that God's rules can sometimes be set aside for the sake of human need, is dangerous. How can we observe this truth without abusing it?
5. Are there any people who you are "looking for a reason to accuse"? (6:7) Why is this attitude dangerous? How can it blind you?