Mark 2:23-28

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

Mark 2:23-28New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Paraphrase

• Disciples picked grains on the Sabbath but the Pharisees said it was not lawful
• Jesus gave the example of David eating the consecrated bread because he was hungry
• Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath

Principles

• It is easy to judge when it comes to other people
• We can learn from other people in similar circumstances
• Don't make something that was for our benefit into something binding and legalistic
• Leave the judging to God and pray for the person instead

Questions

• Do I have a tendency towards legalism?  If so, in what areas?
• Am I willing to learn from Jesus example in how he treated people?