December 4, 2016

Responding to Ministry Conflict: Debates on Doctrine, Part 2

Pastor: Pastor Marc Wragg Series: Responding to Ministry Conflict Topic: Conflict Passage: Matthew 12:1–14

After the confrontation with the Pharisees over picking grain, Jesus took the theological debate to the synagogue. There among the people was a man with a withered hand. The leaders were hoping for an opportunity to accuse Jesus of sin, and so they pressed Him about whether it was right to do a work of healing on the Sabbath. Jesus countered with a far more piercing question of His own: If one of their own sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would they not rescue it? Of course they would! Yet how much more valuable is a man than an animal? This simple and powerful rebuke unraveled their complex traditions, and exposed their lack of godly compassion. God’s commands reflect His character, and we would do well to remember this as we apply the Scriptures to life. We must humbly and carefully learn to discern between the truth of God’s Word and our own theological assumptions, holding fast to that which God clearly commands, and holding loosely our opinions on those matters in which He is silent.