THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 24. The Sabbath Showdown Part 1 The Antagonists: The Enemies of Jesus Luke 6:6-11

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1 THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 24. The Sabbath Showdown Part 1 The Antagonists: The Enemies of Jesus Luke 6:6-11 By the time we reach Luke 6 the fame of Jesus had reached beyond the boundaries of the region of Galilee. People were coming to hear Jesus and be healed by Jesus from Judea (the southernmost part of Israel) and Jerusalem (the capital and center of the religious life of Israel) from Petra (east of the Jordan in the Judean wilderness) and from the east of the Jordan which is part of the Golan heights today and beyond the borders of Israel from Tyre and Sidon. The religious leaders in Israel had gone from being threatened by Jesus to being hostile towards Jesus! They were not going to stand by and let Jesus dismantle their religious authority and unmask their religious hypocrisy. So they hatched a strategy! It was simple: Show Jesus to be a fraud a sinner to be shunned by showing that Jesus had no regard for the Sabbath. The Jews were to observe the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. It was not an option. In the 4 th commandment that God gave to Moses, He said Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. In our last study we learned that the very word Sabbath means rest. We learned that it was out of God s great love for fallen man that God required man to stop and rest. In Mark s account of this event in Luke 6 he gives us these words of Jesus Mark 2:27 And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The 4 th commandment is amazingly simple you shall not do any work on the 7 th day. The 4 th commandment was good! It was great! God said, Hey, I know that the planet is broken I know that you are broken. Take a day off. Don t be burdened use the day to be refreshed in worship and in community. Between the time Moses received the 10 commandments and the time of Jesus the religious leaders made the simple commandment really complicated. Between Moses and Jesus men came along and said, We need to put together a rule book for this. Think about it! A rule 1

2 book for a day off! They started to define what work was, and what work wasn t. Volumes of rulebooks were written defining the ways that you could violate the command to rest! You had to memorize the rules and obey the rules and if you broke those interpretive rules you broke the Sabbath and had to be punished. The Pharisees had transformed a day of blessing into a day of bondage. In Luke 6:1-5 we saw their first attempt to execute their battle strategy. Luke 6:1 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath? In response Jesus essentially gave them a Bible study. He told the Bible scholars of the day that they had read the Scriptures but never really read them at all. In order to protect the volumes of man-made rules they had made about the Sabbath they were blind to the passages in the Old Testament when God permitted the ceremonial and the worship regulations to be set aside because of human need. But there is absolutely no place in the Old Testament where God said that human need makes it okay to worship idols, take His name in vain, commit sexual sin or adultery, commit murder or theft, or covet. In other words the ceremonial, Sabbath and worship regulations were provisional. Unlike God s Moral law, they were temporary. They were pointing to something and anticipate something that was coming and would make those ceremonial and Sabbath regulations obsolete! Then Jesus dropped this bomb on them! He told them that HE is the one that the Sabbath was anticipating! Luke 6:5 And he said to them, The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. They retreated but they weren t about to give up on their Sabbath strategy. They planned a Sabbath Showdown. Think of the movie Tombstone and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral! LET S STAND AS _ READS LUKE 6:6-11 Luke 6:6-11 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand 2

3 here. And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it? 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, Stretch out your hand. And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. The showdown at the O.K. Corral involved two parties: A group of bad guys known as the Cowboys and four men: Wyatt Earp his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holiday. Luke gives us THREE parties in this Sabbath Showdown: 1. The Man with the withered hand He s the guy who needed to be saved but was powerless to save himself 2. Jesus: The Hero (always the Hero) the only true Hero because He is the only one with the heart and the power who can truly and ultimately save). This passage is so amazing in so many ways! It shows us the heart of God for this broken world how He is so compassionate; how much He desires to restore and make whole. We see Jesus FULL of GRACE and TRUTH. John1: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me. ) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the (KJV - the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.) But in this section we also see that the compassionate, gracious, redeeming plans of God are met with opposition 3. The Antagonists We can not miss the fact that the opposition to all that was in the heart of God towards this man did not come from outside of Judaism! It came from within Judaism: The Scribes and the Pharisees. They were the enemies of Jesus, the Hero. They stood against Jesus, the Hero, and his saving work which means they were indifferent (that s putting it lightly) towards the man who needed to be saved. But there s actually a FOURTH party involved They were also Antagonists from within Judaism. We find those guys in the Gospel of Mark. 3

4 I have to tell you that I thought we would cover this Sabbath Showdown in one pass. But I found my self stopped in my tracks at how the antagonists in the story are like a siren blasting into the 21 st century church. So let s pray and take a look the antagonists in this Sabbath Showdown the Scribes and the Pharisees, and that fourth party. That means getting a bit ahead of ourselves because to identify the fourth party we have to read what happened at the end of the showdown. Luke 6:11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. Mark 3:6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. The Herodians were actually the enemies of the Pharisees (we ll see why in a minute). But we find those enemies becoming friends because Jesus was their common enemy. It's important that we discover who these parties were because they are both incredibly relevant to us. Let s start with the Herodians. The Herodians were the segment within Jewish culture who saw politics as the means of achieving their own best interests. They were supporters of Herod. In light of the approaching election I think that it would be appropriate to take an off ramp here I promise I will get back on the freeway really quickly. In music there is something called a variation on the theme. A variation on a theme is taking the known melody and making slight changes to it. When you hear this variation it s familiar to you because of the original melody. You hear this all the time in movies and plays. The variation is different but it s the same. Herod was nothing more than a variation on the theme the theme of politics and power. Even the best of politicians are broken men trying to govern broken cultures. They re different but they re the same. Without exception! Because they are all broken. But every election cycle men and women are convinced that the variation on the theme is somehow a totally different melody. This person this party is going to save us. There s a reason the Bible says Cursed is the man who puts his trust in man. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Green Party, Capitalists, Socialists, none of them are going to make the world everything we know it ought to be. I read a tweet by a famous musician a couple of days ago. 4

5 Stop bleeping killing people JUST STOP Everyone There's so much to do here. Stop it. Please. Thank you Expletive aside I say, Amen! But the problem is you can take away every gun but fallen man is so broken that he will pick up stones to kill someone. The same is true of every politician. The best is still broken! Men who can't govern themselves are asking you to give them power to govern other men. Christians please remember that when you vote. We have it better than the rest of the world when it comes to the form of government. But there is no politician or government that is going to make the world everything we know it should be. Back on the freeway of Luke 6 and Mark 3. So the Herodians were Israelites. They were descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They grew up with the Old Testament Scriptures. From their youth they would have been taught that the God of Israel was the only True God. That s an important thing for us to know about these guys. That makes them totally relevant to modern church culture. So they were Israelites, but they were supporters of Herod a nasty man who married his brothers wife and then consented to the beheading of John the Baptist because he dared tell Herod that he was a sinner! Herod ruled by permission of Rome. But here s the deal. Wherever the Romans went, they brought along the culture of Greece Greek philosophy, the Greek approach to sex and the body, the Greek approach to truth. In the 1 st century the Herodians were the people who were moving with the times. They were the progressives. They were saying, We need to evolve. We need to concede that cultural change is happening and we either get on that train or we ll get left in the dust, or worse 5

6 We need to make certain moral concessions and certain social/political alliances if we re going to survive. This Jesus is a problem for us! If the nation embraces Him as the Messiah the wrath of Rome is going to down on us and we ll lose everything. The Herodians are still alive and well in church circles in the 21 st century. They are the ones saying that the church can t survive in the face of political and social stances on moral issues such as abortion and gender. They say that the church has to be progressive and give moral validation to the LGBTQ lifestyle and set aside Biblical authority to allow those practicing a homosexual lifestyle to be ordained as ministers of the Gospel. DON'T misquote me or misunderstand me on this. Metro welcomes and extends the love of Jesus to sinners all sinners because that s the heart of Jesus (remember Jesus in the house of Levi). David Robertson who is the Moderator of the Church of Scotland frames my position and the position of Metro with great clarity Homophobia is wrong and abhorrent. To fear people because of their sexuality is irrational and immoral. As regards marriage, the Bible teaches that marriage is a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman, for the purpose of mutual companionship, the good of society and the procreation and upbringing of children. This is the position that Western Society has held and on which our culture has been based on for almost 2000 years. I object to being called homophobic just because I continue to hold to that view. I have always welcomed homosexual people into my church on the same basis I welcome heterosexual people. I believe that all of us, without exception (including myself) are broken, bruised and sinful people who need the new life and forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ. I offer that freely to all without discrimination, prejudice or prejudgement. I will always argue against unjust and wrong discrimination against all people, especially those I disagree with. We believe that our society is in desperate need of good news and that the best news of all (especially for the poor) is the Good News of Jesus Christ. My aim and mission in life is to proclaim that there is forgiveness, healing, love, wholeness and identity in 6

7 Christ and his Church. And that is for all, whatever their sexuality. Please lets seek to understand and not demonise one another. THAT is a truly Gospel centered position! THAT position is facing the tidal wave of political, social and moral change that is rushing towards Authentic Christianity like a tidal wave demanding that it change or die. THAT position is nothing like the 1 st century progressive Herodians of Luke 6 nor the progressive Herodians of the 21 st century. But here s the tragedy of those who identify as Christians (just as the Herodians would have identified with Judaism) and think that they must view Scripture as out of sync with the moral values of modern cultural in order to be in sync with modern culture and embrace (or least not stand against) the moral values of modern culture: They are no longer light and salt in a dark, fallen world. The progress of the religious progressives has given the illusion of having more in this world. But there s less light. The world is actually more in the dark about the truth! The 1st century Herodians didn t bring Herod any more light concerning the God of Abraham. John the Baptist did that but it cost him his life! The 1st century Herodians had one agenda: self-preservation. So do the Herodians of the 21 st century. They are willing to replace the Glorious Gospel with a Gospel that can t save under the pretense of helping the Gospel gain acceptance. They are willing to replace the real Jesus with a Jesus who can t save under the pretense of helping Jesus gain acceptance We re more much more familiar with the other antagonists in this showdown. But we need to understand something about the Scribes and the Pharisees. They felt assaulted by the immoral, cosmopolitan, pagan values that Rome brought into their culture. They were the ones at the forefront of resisting the tide that threatened to erode and ultimately wash away their culture that was rooted in the faith of Abraham and the Law of Moses. They put all their emphasis on living by the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures and by the countless manmade regulations that had actually become more important the Hebrew Scriptures. Timothy Keller made this observation: The Herodians were moving with the times, while the Pharisees upheld traditional virtues. I hope that helps us understand why these two groups were enemies up to this moment in the life and mission of Jesus. But now these two groups who disagreed with each other found something they totally agreed upon: They had to get rid of Jesus. And it was the Pharisees who took the lead. 7

8 This showdown is so amazing and so relevant because it teaches us that Jesus is an offense to the legalist/moralist and the progressive. It teaches us that both are the enemies of Jesus enemies of the Gospel. Here s how: The Pharisees (the legalist/moralist) say The good people are in and the bad are out and of course they are the good ones. The Herodians (moral progressives) say The progressive, open-minded people are in and the moralists are out. What Jesus does in this showdown roars to us the truth about the Gospel. The Gospel doesn t say the good are in and the bad are out. The Gospel doesn't say the progressive, open-minded are in and the moralists are out. QUOTE: Timothy Keller The gospel says the humble are in and the proud are out. Jesus performed seven miracles on the Sabbath so they d get the point! The humble are those who recognize they are broken recognize they need saving recognize they have no power to save themselves and recognize that Jesus is the only Hero in their story. So here are the antagonists Enemies that could never agree on anything except this: Jesus has to die. Why? Because Jesus threatened them both. He threatened the legalistic, moralist Pharisees by touching the untouchable, and loving the unlovable going after those the Pharisees avoided. Jesus threatened them because he taught the people that the Pharisees didn't possess the righteousness that God required to get into His Kingdom. Jesus threatened the progressive Herodians because He really was the Messiah they had learned about from their youth in Synagogue. Jesus was the true King of Israel who threatened the political and moral values of Rome and an angry Rome threatened the material wealth and social status of the Herodians. The Herodians chose Rome over Jesus Here s a few more observations that tell us how legalism and moralism and the self-righteousness that drives all of that can warp the heart of man and totally distort their view of Jesus! 8

9 The Scribes and the Pharisees were in the synagogue watching Jesus not to worship or study the Scriptures they were there like the not-so Secret State Police to see to it that their traditions would not be violated! They couldn't worship or couldn't hear a word Jesus was saying. Here s why Mark 7:8-9 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. 9 And he said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! We also see Legalism and moralism sucks the compassion out of your heart. Rather than compassion we see cruel indifference to this man s suffering. They were watching to see if Jesus was going to heal this man but not because they knew about the compassionate heart of God and their hearts were knit to His heart! They had no desire to see the man healed because the man was suffering they wanted Jesus to heal him so they could accuse Jesus. By the way When I look at this seen I wonder if Jesus was teaching from from Hosea 6:6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings. DON T MISS THIS Legalism, moralism, and the self-righteousness that drives warps the way a person sees Jesus. They didn t deny that Jesus had power to heal yet they considered Jesus to be a sinner. They had witnessed first hand the power and the mercy and compassion of Jesus. In fact, they knew that if Jesus was present He would be drawn to the one with the greatest need. Instead of loving Jesus for being like that they were trying to use that very trait against Jesus. They knew about the mercy and power of Jesus yet they weren t transformed by it. DON'T MISS THIS Legalism and Moralism injure the gospel more than the most hostile atheist critic because they misrepresent the heart of God. They stress truth without grace. They put obstacles between man and God: You must do this in order to be saved You must not do this in order to be saved. Here s the deal The real Gospel gives us a God far more holy than a moralist can bear. 9

10 These guys should be a siren going off in the ears of the churchgoer who can read the Bible be taught the Bible and not absolutely adore Jesus. If that s you you are in the camp of Scribes and the Pharisees. You're a legalist and a moralist blinded to the beauty of Jesus. And when you leave here you will have no compassion for the broken lives and the broken world around you. Instead you will look at them thinking The good are in and the bad are out. So we re going to leave off here! But this Sabbath Showdown is a two part mini-series. But we can't close without a preview of the final episode in which we see JESUS, the Hero. Jesus IS the HERO! When we look at Jesus in this showdown we Him full of grace and truth. JESUS FULL OF TRUTH! In the face of the progressive antagonists we find Jesus loving the truth of Scripture. He LOVES the Word of God because He IS the God of the Word. It's His story. It s about His glory! He never for a moment was willing to compromise one letter of the Scriptures to gain inroads and acceptance with the Herodians or the Pharisees or with the Sadducees so they could help advance His redeeming mission! THAT makes Jesus so worthy of our trust. He is the unchanging one in an ever changing world. The Truth of His Word is unchanging in a world that reshapes truth constantly! It's like a solid rock that we can build our lives upon and when the storms of life rage against us our lives will stand. JESUS FULL OF GRACE! Jesus walked into that showdown. He could have said, Those Scribes and Pharisees and Herodians are in that synagogue. If they re in that synagogue, I won t be! They make me sick and after all, I deserve a rest! I ll pass on another confrontation. I ll go to another synagogue on this Sabbath. You and I might feel that way! But not Jesus! Jesus is FULL OF GRACE. He walked right in to the O.K. Corral because He really did love His enemies. He opened the Scriptures and taught everyone there including the antagonists. And He showed them the truth about the Sabbath again! He showed them how the compassionate rescuing love of God would step into an ambush in order to make a broken life whole. And this is amazing: In Luke 8 we re going to see how 10

11 one of the antagonists in this story becomes one of the humble, desperately looking to Jesus to be his hero! And Jesus didn't turn the man away. GRACE! Jesus is FULL of GRACE and TRUTH. Especially in the intensely hostile political and social environment of today we need to understand that "Truth without grace is not really truth, and grace without truth is not really grace. In Luke 6:6-11 we see the Jesus of John 1 We see Jesus "full of grace and truth." Lord willing, next Sunday: Part two of our mini-series! We will look at the man who needs to be rescued and Jesus the Hero. 11