I DESIRE MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE

I DESIRE MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE Matthew 12:1-21 Key Verse: 12:7 "If you had known what these words mean, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." The writer of this gospel, Matthew, the former tax collector, did not deserve to be a disciple of Jesus. But Jesus, out of his mercy, called him to be one of his disciples. Through this, Matthew experienced God s mercy upon his life. Throughout Matthew s gospel he emphasizes the mercy of God in Jesus. In today s passage Jesus shows his mercy to his hungry disciples and a man with a shriveled hand. He tells us the character of the Messiah and that Jesus is the God of mercy. God does not want us to be legalistic or self-righteous. God wants us to know his mercy and practice his mercy towards others. Amen. Part I: Jesus defends his hungry disciples (1-8). Look at verse 1. "At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them." Jesus' disciples were always hungry because so many people were coming and going, they did not even have a chance to eat. (Mk 6:31) One Sabbath they were passing through the grain fields on their way to the synagogue. Suddenly the disciples' stomachs began to growl one by one. The disciples felt like fainting and something had to be done about their hungry stomachs. There were no McDonals s drive thrus in those days, and suddenly the grain looked delicious and very appealing. The hungry disciples were not fully aware of what they were doing, but soon they found themselves picking some heads of grain with their two hands, winnowing the husks by rubbing the grains and throwing them into their mouths all at once. To the hungry disciples, it was like eating Wheaties, the breakfast of champions, 100% whole grain, good source of fiber, and low in fat. Look at verse 2. "When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, 'Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.'" While the disciples were still enjoying their meals, the Pharisees appeared. They had no business to be in the grain fields on the Sabbath. But in their evil intent to 1

accuse Jesus and his disciples, the Pharisees ambushed them in the middle of the grain fields. When they saw what the disciples were doing, they popped out of the grain fields and, pointing their fingers toward the disciples, said to Jesus, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. In fact, it was lawful for the disciples to pick some heads of grain with their hands in other s grain fields (Deut 23:25). But the problem was that they did so on the Sabbath. To the Pharisees eyes, the disciples were breaking the Sabbath law by working on the Sabbath. By picking heads of grain, they reaped; by rubbing the grain, they threshed; by flinging away the husks, they winnowed. The Pharisees way of interpreting the Sabbath law was too legalistic. In fact, the Pharisees themselves were breaking the Sabbath law by ambushing Jesus and his disciples, spying on what they were doing and popping out of the grain fields like the secret police. The disciples were speechless at the Pharisees sharp criticism. They could not open their mouths to defend themselves because their mouths were full. In fact, they did not know what to say. They were helpless and felt condemned. What did Jesus do for his helpless disciples? Look at verses 3-6. "He answered, 'Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.'" Jesus defended his disciples by quoting the example shown by King David. One time David was running for his life from King Saul. On the way, he was hungry and visited the priest Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech had no food but consecrated bread from the altar that only the priest could eat. At that time, as a priest it was unlawful to give consecrated bread to David. But Ahimelech violated the traditional law of the Israelites and satisfied the hungry stomach of David. In this way Ahimelech showed mercy to David. (1Sa 21:1-6) God did not condemn David as a lawbreaker. God overlooked David s small act of eating unlawful bread. God raised him up as the greatest king in Israel s history and commended David as a man after God s own heart. (Ac 13:22) With this story Jesus defended his disciples well before the Pharisees. After hearing Jesus defense, the disciples felt relieved that they were no longer condemned criminals. 2

In verses 3, 5 Jesus asked a question to the Pharisees, saying, Have you never read? What a strange question to ask the experts of the law! By asking this question, Jesus pointed out how the Pharisees failed to understand the true meaning of the Bible. The Pharisees read the Bible but did not grasp its real point. The Bible is not just a book of laws: it is not a collection of many do s and don ts. Rather, it reveals to us God s great mercy toward sinners. God s mercy is the forgiveness of our sins through his Son Jesus. God s mercy is his one-sided hope and vision for us to grow as his chosen servants a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in verse 7, If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." Here we learn that Jesus is our defender. In a lawsuit, the defense lawyer s role is very important and crucial. Perry Mason was famous for being a good defense lawyer. Upon careful investigation and argument, he proved that his client was innocent and that someone else was guilty. But if his client was guilty, there was nothing even Perry Mason could do about it. Jesus is the best defender for all mankind. Jesus can defend us even though we are guilty. He can defend us because he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1, 2) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Ro 8:1) Jesus is our best defense lawyer and mother-like shepherd. It is easy for us to become like the Pharisees after studying the Bible. It is easy for us to become self-righteous and legalistic. Instead, we must remember God's abundant mercy toward each of us. We must repent our critical and judgmental attitude towards others, knowing that criticizing others has a boomerang effect; if you throw a boomerang, it will fly right back to you. Instead, we must learn how to defend and embrace others with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. More positively, we must learn from Jesus how to see growing young students with the hope and vision of God in spite of their faults and weaknesses. Part II: Jesus helps a man with a shriveled hand (9-14). Look at verses 9, 10a. "Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there." Let's think for a moment about a man with a shriveled hand. Hands are the symbol of hard 3

work. God gave us two hands so that we might work hard with two hands. Effective work requires the coordination of two hands. With only one hand you cannot clap. With one hand, you cannot play the drums like Steve Slattery. With one hand a person cannot play the piano beautifully like Sarah Bahn. Children use their ten fingers to learn how to add and subtract. Three plus four equals seven. But this man could not count to more than five with his fingers. There is one person who does not have a right arm. But he does not live on welfare checks. Rain or shine, he goes to work, waving his left arm like a soldier. He testified that all his family members suffered from cancer and died but God took away only his right arm and saved his life. At first he was bitter towards God. But one day he met a pastor who was missing one of his hands. Through the pastor's counseling, he accepted God s love and decided to glorify God in his physical condition. Now he works for a toy store. He invented a tool with which he could assemble all kinds of toys with one hand. He married and has children. With his one arm he takes care of all the responsibilities at home until his wife calls him, my hero. He lost his arm due to cancer but he did not lose his spirit. On the other hand, there are many who have good human conditions with two hands but whose spirits are shriveled and give burdens to others. Look at 10b. "Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?'" The Pharisees concept of the Sabbath was that it should be the day of physical rest. Therefore, nobody should engage in physical labor or work. It seems that many modern Christians are the disciples of the Pharisees because they agree with the Pharisees way of keeping the Sabbath. They don t want to do anything. Some of them refuse to go to church on Sunday, saying, I must have complete rest at home. But this was not the concept of the Sabbath Jesus taught us. Look at verse 8. "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." The Sabbath is not a day of just physical rest. The Sabbath is the day when sinners can come to God through his Son Jesus and find God's mercy. It is the day we restore our love relationship with God. It is the day we honor Jesus as the Savior and Lord by making a spiritual environment and by listening to the word of God. The Sabbath is also the day we can practice God's mercy to others by doing good. In spite of his shriveled hand, the man came to the synagogue to worship God. In spite of his physical handicap, he was a man who was created in the image of God. He was a precious child of God. But the 4

Pharisees wanted to use this man with a shriveled hand as bait in accusing Jesus. Jesus was sorry that their hearts were so merciless and evil. Look at verse 11. "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.' Suppose that a Pharisee had a dog named Nero. If Nero falls into a pit on the Sabbath and was drowning, what would he do? Would he say to Nero, "You know it is the Sabbath. I want to lift you out of the pit but I can't. The law forbids it. Sorry!" or "O Nero, don t worry, I will rescue you!"? Of course, he would take hold of Nero and pull him out right away. Even a Pharisee would not hesitate to rescue his dog, Nero, on the Sabbath, because Nero is cute and valuable. How much more valuable is a man than a dog! The Sabbath is also the day we do good unto others in the name of Jesus. It is the day we should value taking care of one needy person in the name of Jesus more than our personal comfort. Then you may ask, When can I have complete rest? We can have complete and eternal rest in the kingdom of God. Until then, we must work hard for the glory of God and for the salvation of many valuable souls. Look at verse 13. Then he said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other." Jesus could have just met him alone after the Sabbath to heal him because he was not an emergency case. But out of his messianic mercy, Jesus was ready to risk his life in order to take care of this man with the shriveled hand. It was not easy for this man with the shriveled hand to obey Jesus. In order to obey Jesus, he had to overcome the Pharisees' condemning eyes. But by faith he obeyed Jesus' command and stretched out his shriveled hand. Then it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. Now this man can build his life with two hands and live happily for the glory of God. What was the Pharisees response? Verse 14 says, "But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus." Jesus healed the man with the shriveled hand before the eyes of the Pharisees, risking his life. His shepherding is indeed beautiful and life-giving. In this way Jesus showed God's mercy toward one needy person. Part III: God's chosen servant (15-21). 5

In this part, Jesus explains in more detail how God's chosen servant should take care of the flock of God's sheep. Verses 18-21 say, "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope." Through tender care, a smoldering wick can be fanned into flame. Jesus disciples were like a smoldering wick. The Pharisees tried to snuff them out by condemning them as lawbreakers. Jesus defended and embraced them with his mercy and hope until they could be fanned into a flame and spread the fire of the gospel to all nations. The Pharisees came to quarrel with Jesus and his disciples. But Jesus did not quarrel with them. Jesus taught them the real point of the Bible, that is, God's mercy toward sinners. Bruised reeds look useless, but birds build their nests, using bruised reeds. The man with a shriveled hand was like a bruised reed. The Pharisees thought of him as useless and did not mind breaking him. But Jesus cared for him with his broken shepherd heart until he was restored. In Jesus there is no despair or defeat. In Jesus name all nations can find victory, hope and salvation. In conclusion; we were all like smoldering wicks and bruised reeds because of our sins. But by his one-sided grace and mercy God forgave all our sins through his Son Jesus and called us to be his chosen servants. We must remember God s mercy upon sinners like us. We must also remember Jesus hope and vision for each of us. As God's chosen servants we should not quarrel. (2Ti 2:24) We should not condemn anybody as hopeless. As God s chosen servant, we must be like defense lawyers, not like prosecutors. We must be as merciful as Jesus. Anybody can find God's mercy and hope in Jesus and grow to be courageous and sacrificial leaders of God's work and history. Today let us learn from Jesus how to serve God s flock and how to love one another with God's mercy and hope. May God bless us to practice Jesus mercy by serving God s flock and by loving God s coworkers. 6