The Common Sense of Christ
Text: Mk. 2: 23 – Mk. 3: 6
Proposition: Jesus stopped the Pharisees on every occasion that they tried trap Him. Their striving to uphold the letter of the law caused them to miss the true intent of the law and Jesus proved it
scripturally. If we view O.T. Law only in the light of how the Pharisees abused it, we, too miss the love and practicality in it.
Objective: We need to see that common sense has a place in spirituality and human needs (at times) can supercede the law scripturally.
I. Introduction: National Geographic Illustration on Predators
A. Proverbially and prophetically, the Pharisees were truly like a pack of hungry wolves after an innocent Lamb.
1. They followed at a distance, observing and waiting for Him to err(in their eyes). Once in a while, one would dare break from the pack and attack Him. Jesus knew how to send them yelping angrily like wounded animals as He did in Matthew 22.
a. Pharisees tried to trip Him in re: paying to taxes?
b. Sadducees tried to trip Him in re: Whose wife will she be?
c. Pharisees tried to trip Him in re: greatest commandment?
d. Read Matt. 22: 41-46 Jesus stops them cold
B. The Pharisees kept themselves and others in such a religious turmoil that they were unreceptive to the simple reasoning of the gospel. They simply could not see the forest for the trees and they didn’t want
anyone else to either.
1. They were convinced that it couldn’t be that easy. Matt. 7: 14
a.Our interpretation of strait & narrow can mimic their reasoning.
b.Matt. 23: 24 They strained at gnats and swallowed camels.
c.The Pharisees had some 600+ laws attached to the original 10.
1.) A person could not move a bundle of grain on the Sabbath but if he laid his spoon on or under it and it moved it was ok because the spoon was used for feeding oneself which was permissible.
2.) A person could not gargle vinegar to relieve a toothache on the Sabbath but he could daub some on a toothbrush because it was part of hygiene. He could however gargle if he swallowed the vinegar.
3.) If a cask had a hole in it, it was unlawful to plug it on the Sabbath.
4.) If a wound was running but not life threatening, it was unlawful to wipe it.
2. This is the mindset of the people Jesus dealt with in numerous confrontations.
II. Body
A. Verses 23 – 24 Focus on the wrong things makes us forget the truth.
1.The Pharisees were intent on proving Christ a phony. Their tries to trap him clouded their ability to recall and correctly apply the law.
a.They questioned Jesus about the disciples plucking grain (work)
b.According to Deut. 23, what the disciples did was not a sin because people were allowed to feed themselves on the Sabbath.
c.Jesus addresses this again in Jo. 7: 22-24 in re: Circumcision on the Sabbath if the 8th day from birth landed on the Sabbath.
2. Would we accuse Jesus of promoting ‘situation ethics’ in today’s time? We need to be careful in our assessments of situations.
3.We have to be careful not to put our ox in the ditch, intentionally.
B. Jesus used O.T. scripture to prove that even the Old Law made allowances for human need.
1. Read vs. 25- 26
a.The priest was the only person allowed to eat the showbread and for anyone else we assume it to be a sin, but Jesus plainly says it wasn’t.
b.Once we get past the first principles of the gospel, we need to be
careful about what we believe the scriptures imply.
c.If we are going to live by ‘speaking where the bible
speaks and remaining silent where the bible is silent’ we better know the bible or we could fall into the same trap as the Pharisees.
2. Jesus taught common sense should overrule ritualistic adherence.
C. vs. 27-28
1.God didn’t rest on the Sabbath day because He was tired.
a.The Hebrew word for rest also means “to celebrate.”
b.God established the Sabbath for two purposes: rest and reflection. O.T. week ended @ rest N.T. starts @ rest.
1.) Astronaut @ 3 sec. to decide: takes 2 to think & 1 to act.
2.Man was made first and then the Sabbath was instituted.
3.Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath but that never registered with the the Pharisees; they were waiting on the real Messiah.
D. Stalking Him again.
1. Chapt. 3: 1-6
a.Jesus was not deterred by their persistence but He was perturbed. Vs. 5
b.Jesus had a knack for asking questions that shut up the wolves.
1.) They were trapped by the answer because if a person did not help someone in need and that person died they were guilty of murder. Jesus taught that we must help with a person’s suffering even if it isn’t life threatening.
2.) Remember how Jesus handled those who brought the woman taken in adultery?
c.Even though they kept their peace, Jesus knew their hearts.
2. Jesus became angry. Vs. 5 The heart is important to God!
a.The hardness of these people’s hearts grieved Him.
b.Matt. 12: 34 Read what Jesus says about them.
c.Jesus was extremely compassionate and would never shun an opportunity to heal simply to appease troublemakers.
3. Vs. 6: The wolves go yelping.
a.Under similar conditions the bible tells us that Jesus sent the rulers of the synagogue away ashamed. Luke 13: 17
b.They couldn’t condemn Christ scripturally so they tried governmentally & then He was condemned on false charges.
c.The Herodians had hated Christ since the day of His birth.
1.) Matt.2: 13 Read
2.) Mk. 12: 13 The Herodians ran with the Pharisees for they had a common cause, hating Christ.
III.Conclusion
A. We cannot judge another’s spirituality simply by their church attendance on any given day. Application for today.
1. Matt. 5: 23-24 Common Sense
2. Luke 14: 5 Who wouldn’t get his ox out of the ditch?
B. We have to be careful not to let unwarranted fear (of God) cloud out the common sense of N.T. Law. Remember the One Talent Man?
1. Jo. 4: 18 “There is no fear in perfect love…”
2. It’s ok to ask WWJD and realize sometime what He did was not approved of by even the ‘religious’ people.
3. God expects us to love others as He has loved us.
4. Sad but the Pharisees had ears but didn’t hear and had eyes but would not see because of fear.
C. Jesus was not concerned with being ‘politically’ correct.
