Day 6: Luke 6

Day 6: Gen 16–18 | Prov 3:1–10 | Luke 6

But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”  (CSB)

Luke 6:1-11

There is a temptation for Christians to set unrealistic and unnecessary standards upon ourselves and others. God gives  us the freedom to live according to His Word. 

 The Pharisees added to the Mosaic law by demanding limitations that God had not demanded. This went against what God Himself had said, not to add to His Word. Secondly it was legalistic in contrast to the scripture. Third it required a precedent that was opposite of OT history by account of David. Fourth, many of the Pharisaical laws were hypocritical because they were imposed and enforced on others to but the Pharisees did not keep them.

Adding unrealistic expectations is an ungodly and unhealthy practice. It places a higher value on the external appearance than the internal reality. Scripture has often been abused, taken out of context, and misrepresented or completely twisted to justify these types of behaviors. 

The question asked by the Pharisees in v2 implies “why are you doing what God’s word says not to do?” Sounds absurd, right? So how do we prevent this kind of absurdity in our own lives? 

-Know what your Bible actually says versus what you have always been told that it says. 

-Live according to the Bible and the principles found therein.

-Recognize standards when you have them as different from convictions. Standards based on biblical principles can be healthy but don’t impose your standard on someone else.

-everyone is at different milemarkers of the journey. Be gracious. Help others who are further behind and learn from others who are further ahead of you. 

-Be consistent