Matthew 12:1-8 "Keeping Laws"

     At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”
     Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

 

On the one hand, the Law (Old Testament commandments and rules) expresses God's desires.  It is not as if God changed His mind about sin.  God still hates sin because of how sin brutalizes and destroys us whom He loves.  Yet, here is a true story from the life of Jesus that shows the right relationship Kingdom minded, Spirit-filled people are to have with the Law. 

The Law, according to Scripture, was fulfilled in Jesus.  that means that the Law had run it's full course and was brought to completion.  Since the specific laws in question in this passage concerned the Sabbath, Jesus said, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”  Implied is, of course, that Jesus is Lord over the entire Law.  Now, instead of obeying written laws and rules (even laws that reflect God's desires) we obey the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Some argue that this can't actually be true because there is too much room for error and abuse.  People will claim to hear from God in order to accomplish there own agendas; fakers will manipulate; liars and cheaters will position themselves wrongly as Kingdom leaders.  Without a checklist, there is too much room for ungodliness.  Yet, it appears that this is a risk that Father is willing to take.  For the sake of Love, He risks.   

Those who hear and obey the still small voice of the Holy Spirit -those who seek to love God and obey Him are rewarded with right relationship and intimacy with God Himself.  For the sake intimacy and true relationship, He will allow fakers and manipulators and liars to do what they do, because although there is room for wrong in this new relationship, there was no room for intimacy with a checklist of laws and rules.  In God's eyes, mercy trumps sacrifice, grace trumps law, and relationship trumps religion.

Perhaps this new arrangement of listening to the inner prompting of God is risky, but the reality is that those who are learning to love God do not desire to manipulate and do evil; those who are learning to love God just want to learn to love Him more.