Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:3-5)

And Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?" And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (Luke 6:3-5 NASB)

In legal defense, I am told, precedent is critical. If something was deemed lawful in the past, that decision can be used to justify a present act as lawful, too. Jesus uses the principle of precedent masterfully in this passage. When the Pharisees complained that the disciples were breaking the law by picking and eating the grain, Jesus referred them back to the actions of David. 

The story is told in 1 Samuel 21. Jonathan had warned David that King Saul was determined to execute him, and David ran for his life. The men who fought with him were safely hidden, but there was no food. In desperation, David went in search of something for his men to eat. He turned to the priest at Nob, Ahimelech, and asked for prayer and for bread. (In a later passage, we learn that Ahimelech had been "inquiring of the Lord" for David for years, and was David's personal intercessor.) The only bread the priest had was the bread that had been the bread of the Presence before The Lord. This bread was replaced daily, but the bread that had been removed was still considered consecrated. It was supposed to be used for the priests' consumption. This bread, the removed but consecrated bread, was what the priest gave David to feed his men. 

Jesus established two principles that day. First, his reference to David and the bread reminded them that the things of God are not to be hoarded when there are those in need. 

Second, Jesus made it clear that HE was equal with God. He referred to Himself as the Son of Man (a subject for another day) and equated the Son of Man with God as The Lord of the Sabbath. 

Imagine the Pharisees' surprise! They thought they had caught Jesus and His disciples breaking the law and Jesus told them, "No, I made the law and I'm the boss of the Sabbath. What they did was fine with Me." Their response was not recorded, but you can be sure they were fuming!

The Pharisees thought they were the protectors of the law. In a way, they considered themselves in charge of compliance. Jesus clarified that without any confusion at all. "Nope," He was saying, "I'm in charge here."  We would do well to remember that Jesus is still in charge, and He still wants thing done a certain way. Oh that our greatest concern would be doing things His way! What a difference that would make in our lives and in our world!

Today, pray that we and our loved ones would be more concerned about pleasing Jesus than about complying with the Pharisees of the world. 

Mamie Speaks Out by Mamie Hollis, Apprentice Wonder Puppy

My name is Mamie and I am ten weeks old.  I am really just a baby, but my new mama 'dopted me a few days ago, and she asked me to be an apprentice Wonder Puppy.  I was so e'cited about being an apprentice Wonder Puppy!  I don't know what any of those words mean, but it sounds good, doesn't it? Well, I do know about puppy, because I am a puppy.  I know all about that!

Being a puppy means you have some brothers and sisters, too.  You all play together and eat together and sleep in a jumbledy pile.  It's lots of fun being a puppy!  When I got 'dopted and came to my new house, it was really e'citing because there was another big, big puppy there.  My new mama said it was not really a puppy, it's a Wonder Dog! I don't know what Wonder Dogs usually do, but this one is not as nice as I thought she would be.  She won't play chase, and she won't eat with me, and she won't feed me either (because she looks like mother did, and I thought, well, maybe... but nope.  Nothing doing there!) She won't snuggle, either!  

It is very hard being an apprentice Wonder Puppy.  I kinda wish I hadn't taken this job.  My new mama told me that God had given me to her and her to me, and we are gonna be just fine.  It sure don't look like it though.  Oh sorry.  Mama said that was s'posed to be doesn't look like it.  Anyway, no fine here.

This is what my mama told me when I was sad.  She said that people have problems with other people who don't like them for no good reason.  Sometimes, people don't like other people because their skin or hair or clothes or thoughts are different!  Can you believe that?  How dumb is that?  They should take a lesson from puppies.  We don't care about any of that silly stuff!  We just care about eating, and sleeping, and playing, and snuggling!  She said when people are not nice to her, she is supposed to pray for them and bless them.  I asked, "Does that mean you would let them play with you anyway?" and she said, "Oh, yes."  I think my mama might be part puppy.  That's what we would do, too.  

Anyway, now I have a Wonder Dog who is not nice to me, and I'm gonna do what my mama said.  I'm gonna pray for her and ask Jesus to change her heart.  (It would be really nice if you would help me pray, too.  I'm new at this, and I can use all the help I can get!) I'm gonna bless her, too.  She can even have some of my puppy food if she wants it.  

Now, my mama told me that I should help you know what to do.  Apprentice Wonder Puppies need to learn how to help with lessons.  

We should be more concerned about eating, sleeping, playing and snuggling than we are about what color someone is or their clothes, or how different they think than us.  That stuff is just dumb.  I don't think Jesus cares about what color you are, anyway.  Look at how many different colors He made. Really, the kind of thinking and doing He cares about is the kind that is like Him.  He wants us to act like Him and think like Him.  If you aren't doing that, you should get started quick.

Here's the short lesson:

Be nice to everyone.  No matter what.

Pray for Wonder Dogs.  And all the mean people, too.

We need more snuggling and more playing.  (My mama said it's okay to say that since I'm just a puppy, but it's true!)

The end.  By Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy

Rules versus Relationship (Luke 6:2)

But some of the Pharisees said, "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" (Luke 6:2 NASB)

The Pharisees were experts in the law. They not only knew the law, they interpreted the law, and they happily dispensed their interpretation of the law as law itself. In a way, it wasn't just God's Law, it was their Law, too, and they fiercely defended what they saw as their territory. 

The disciples were hungry and they grazed as they walked through the grain fields. Technically, it could be said that picking the handful or two of grain they ate was harvesting, and rubbing it between their hands to separate the wheat from the chaff was threshing, both of which were "work". How foolish it would be, though, for the Pharisees to complain about the disciples harvesting and threshing a few handfuls of grain in violation of the Sabbath when they were walking with The Lord of the Sabbath!

Jesus does not call us to a set of unbending rules but to a dynamic relationship with God Himself. That relationship (like the new wine from Luke 5) is one of change, growth, and steady maturity, not just a list of tasks to be accomplished. The disciples walked out that relationship for all the world to see. While the Pharisees were steadily checking off tasks on the "must-do" list and carefully avoiding the "do-nots", yet trying to sneak a few "do-nots" to the "can-do" list, in hopes of obtaining righteousness, the motley crew of disciples were laughing and eating with the One who WAS their Righteousness. 

It's easy to be a rule-checking Pharisee, especially when we are looking at someone else's actions! As we pray for our loved ones today, be sure to focus on their need for relationship, not on their need for another list to check and do. 

Pray first of all that we would live out our dynamic relationship with Christ in the same joyful way the disciples did, and that our loved ones would recognize the relationship as infinitely desirable. Pray that they will embrace a relationship with Jesus for themselves. 

Maggie has an eventful ride home by Maggie the Wonder Dog Hollis

Today is my second favoritest day of the week!  It's PLAY DAY!!  My favoritest day is when my mama is off work and home with me, but play day is wonderful, too. We wake up early and I get to wear my pajamas to the barn.  After everyone is fed, I get to snuggle back in my bed for an extra snooze. You have to get up early to have time for that little second nap! When my mama is ready, she takes me to my vet's office where my friends and I meet to play. He is so nice to let us play there! We have the best time. We play inside and then we go outside and we play some more. One time, we all played so hard and got so dirty that we had to have baths before we went home! 

It was really cold when we went to the barn this morning! It was 16 degrees! My mama said, "Maggie, it is too cold to ride to play day without a coat!" Sometimes I have to wear my parka, but today my mama let me wear my pink satin housecoat! Can you believe it? I just love how it feels, so shiny and so pretty! I look like a diva dog in it, too! Don't you like looking like a diva sometimes?

I had forgotten that my mama had a surprise in the car. I have a new booster seat! It was really fun to sit in the booster seat and look out. When we were coming home, I was looking out the window and saw a sign that said, "tomatoes here".  I think tomatoes are gross, but my mama likes them, so we slowed down to see those tomatoes. You are not going to believe this, but there was the grouchiest person in the whole world in a car behind us. She started honking her horn at us! I guess she does not like tomatoes! That didn't bother us a bit. When you are looking for tomatoes for your mama, you have to keep a sharp eye out and keep looking. That lady must have gotten her horn stuck, because it just kept on honking. When she went around us, she rolled down her window and yelled at my mama! My mama said, "Maggie, don't you listen to that. She is using ugly words."  My mama doesn't like using those ugly words. I did not like her hollering at my mama one bit! I am Maggie the Wonder Dog and I am a Shih Tzu. I am not putting up with someone yelling at my mama. She must have known I was about to straighten her out, because she took off, and it's a good thing she did! She was not nice! Not nice at all. 

The rest of our ride was really nice though. I had played so hard that I was so very tired. Booster seats are great for taking naps in, so I was rested and ready for my supper when I got in. I went straight to my bowl and started eating. I was hungry! I kept hearing the squeakiest noise, and that's when I remembered. The THING! Yep. It's still here and that's all I'm saying! Otherwise I have had a lovely day, as Wonder Dogs usually do! 

Here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day:

Slow down when you are looking for tomatoes. 

Do not honk. 

Do not yell ugly words at my mama! 

(My mama says don't yell ugly words at anybody, but I'm saying you better not be yelling at my mama anymore!) 

Talk nice. That's what Jesus likes you to do. Be nice. He likes that, too. 

The end. 

By Maggie the Wonder Dog Hollis 

Content in any circumstances (Luke 6:1)

Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. (Luke 6:1 NASB)

An interesting thing happened one Sabbath day. Jesus and His disciples were walking from here to there. Their route took them through a grain field. His disciples were hungry, so they broke some of the grain heads off and began to eat them. We don't know the conversation surrounding this quick repast, but there is no evidence that these men whined or grumbled about eating the grain. They were hungry, so they ate what Jesus had provided along the way. These were the very men who had enjoyed a sumptuous feast with Matthew and his friends just a few verses earlier. In fact, Matthew was probably in the midst of the group. They did not, apparently, require elaborate and delicious meals as part of their discipleship. Comfort was not one of their requirements for following Jesus. 

I don't know about you, but I like comfort and I especially like delicious, perfectly seasoned and well-cooked meals. I like air conditioning and central heat, silk comforters, and pillow top mattresses. I like seat warmers in my car, warm coats when it's cold, and leather gloves to keep my hands warm. I suspect you do, too, or at least have your own list of comforts that you prefer. Jesus, however, did not promise us comfort. 

It's easy to be a disciple when we are comfortable. The question we all must answer is whether or not we would follow in a difficult and uncertain situation. Discipleship that is contingent upon favorable circumstances is not discipleship at all. Serving Christ should be done because of Who He is and not what He gives. Just as important, serving Christ should include accepting what He provides without grumbling or complaining.

Are you content with what God has given you, or do you complain and continually ask for more? 

Today, pray for a heart that is content with what God provides, and grateful for whatever circumstances He allows. Pray that our loved ones would not hold back from Christ from fear of having less than they want, but would embrace the life He planned for them. 

My Friends Help Out by Maggie the Wonder Dog

Thank you to all my friends who have been so concerned about my troubles. For those who don't know, four very long days ago, my mama went to run errands and came back with a surprise. It was supposed to be jerky or a toy, but it was not. It was a supposed 'dopted sister that looks like a guinea pig. It squeaks a lot and it poohs in the floor, which is not at all nice. I do not like squeaking and my mama doesn't even allow poohing except outside. (My mama says I have to tell you that the THING is doing much better and that she goes potty on command much faster than me, but you can believe that if you want to!)

This has been an exhausting week. This THING keeps chasing me. What is up with that? It is squeaking and running and I do not know what to do. Sometimes, I go hide in mama's room. The THING can't climb stairs, so I'm safe!

Today, I had a great idea. Mama got home and announced we would all go outside for potty time. I do not think that is a good group activity at all, so I decided to take a little break and do what I wanted. I played with the cats and my friend Lou the outside dog. We ran and ran. I was really tired after all that running, but I surely felt better. When I came inside, I ate some jerky that my friend Lucky Barber sent me, and read a Facebook message from my friend Stella Hayden.  I have so many friends and they knew just what I needed!  Exercise, a healthy snack, and some encouragement!  Friends are the best, especially in a hard time! 

I hope you have some good friends, and that you are a good friend, too. It made me feel so much better to know that I am not alone in my trouble, and that my friends are there to help! Have your friends helped you when you were having a hard time? I hope you said thank you. That's what I want to say to Lou and Lucky and Stella! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the Day: 

Friends help friends! 

Be a friend! 

Send jerky when they are having troubles. Jerky always helps!

Oh, yeah. Mama said her best friend is Jesus and He's the greatest friend of all. If you need a friend, He will be glad to help!

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog. 

Part 25: Old and New Cloth (Luke 5:36)

And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. (Luke 5:36 NASB)

We skipped this verse when we started the wine series, so I'm going back to catch it's lesson, too. 

The new holds great attraction for us, doesn't it? Madison Avenue has done a wonderful job of training us to desire "new".  As I was reading this verse today, I realized that we have, to a frightening degree, lost the value of the old in our culture. 

I have a pair of wing-back chairs that were my mother's. She was so proud of those chairs when she bought them, but when she moved to my house they went into a storage building and deteriorated badly. I recently pulled them out, bought new fabric, and hired someone to recover them. I realize that I could shop around and buy new chairs for what I am going to spend, but (at least for me) the old has intrinsic value. 

Jesus taught the value of the old, as well. In this parable that precedes the parable about the old and new wine, Jesus clarified before he ever started with the wine story that, to him, OLD has value. He described an old, but perfectly serviceable garment that had a tear in it requiring a patch. The patch could be made with new (unshrunk) fabric or with old fabric. We might want to use new fabric, but in the first washing, the new fabric would shrink and both the new fabric and the old garment would be ruined. It would be a waste of time and resources. 

The way to repair a hole in an old garment is to use old fabric (already shrunken). The old fabric can go through the wash and remain intact. No tears. It restores the serviceability of the garment. 

Remember that this preceded the wine teaching. Jesus clarified before He ever began that there is value in the old, including the old wine. New wine mixed with old would ruin the old wine, but new wine, given time to mature, can be added and bring enhancement to the old. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17 NASB). He wasn't starting something new. He was expanding and completing the old. 

We, and our loved ones, have spent much of our lives in a consumer society that values the new. It influences our spending habits and the way we think about value in general. It is one of the reasons that we look for "new" rather than embrace the faith of our family. 

Pray today that our loved ones (as well as we ourselves) will recognize the value and the beauty of  this "old" faith and embrace it without reservation. Pray that our fascination with "new" will end and be replaced with a desire for truth and righteousness.