Seeing our Blessings

“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost – also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”—Numbers 11:5–6

The Torah portion for this week is Behaalotecha, from Numbers 8:1–12:16 and the Haftorah from Zechariah 2:14–4:7.

The manna that fell from heaven was miraculous. It fell daily, with the exception of the Sabbath, when no work was permitted. There was exactly enough, even on Friday, when two times the amount needed fell so that there would be enough for the Sabbath. The Sages teach that the manna tasted exactly like the person eating it wanted it to taste.
Pretty amazing! So how is it possible that the Israelites complained about it?

Trumping tradition

He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath…behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. Luke 13:10-11 (NKJV)

One day, as Jesus was teaching a crowd of people in the synagogue, there was a woman in the audience with a terrible affliction. We’re told that this sickness had her doubled over, and that it had been a part of her every waking moment for eighteen years! Watch how Christ responds:

He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight... Luke 13:12-13 (NKJV)

What Is a Shofar?

IFCJ September 12, 2012

A shofar is a trumpet made from the horn of a kosher animal, traditionally a ram, which is blown at certain Jewish festivals, but particularly on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. (This year Rosh Hashanah, which ushers in the High Holy Days, begins at sundown this Sunday.)

One hundred blasts are sounded on each of the two days of Rosh Hashanah (except when it falls on the Sabbath) as a reaffirmation of God’s sovereignty and kingship. The shofar is also blown at the end of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which concludes the High Holy Days.

The Lawgiver

On the chalkboard for my Sunday school class I drew a small square inside a large circle. "The circle represents life and the box stands for the laws of God. Where are you?" I placed an X inside the box and I placed another outside the box. "Which best represents you and your understanding of the laws of God?"

From there I went on to explain that committed Christians tend to take one of two positions: inside or outside the box. Those inside the box are keenly aware of God's laws and carefully obey them. Their lives revolve around staying away from the four walls of the box. Their freedom, although limited, is that they can do what they want, but within the confines of the walls.

Some in the class used the box to define their lives. The laws, rules, regulations, injunctions, commands, and statutes of God were about as far as they would travel.

Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda

Bible Study Lesson:

John 5:1-15

Q. Where did the incident take place?

• The Pool of Bethesda
• Near sheep gate. Sheep gate was the gate used to bring sheep into the city to the temple for sacrifice. (Nehemiah 3:1)
• The Bethesda pool has been discovered by archeologists in 1960s.

Q. What was the occasion?

• Feast of Jews & Sabbath
• Three feasts of Jews
  1. Feast of Passover & unleavened bread
  2. Feast of Pentecost
  3. Feast of tabernacles

The Very Thing Jesus is Against

by Pastor Colin S. Smith

“Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’" Mark 2:18 (NIV)

The Old Testament specified one day a year when God called His people to fast—the Day of Atonement. The leaders of God’s people also called other occasional fasts, but the Pharisees had made fasting part of their regular routine. It appears that they fasted twice a week and encouraged others to do the same (Luke 18:12). So, the question to Jesus is “Why are your disciples not fasting?”

Fasting at a wedding

“Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?’” Mark 2:19

Imagine fasting at a wedding! Picture the scene with me… We’ve all been to the ceremony and driven to the banqueting hall. We are seated round the tables and everyone settles as the father of the bride stands up to speak. To everyone’s surprise he looks quite miserable.

 I’m glad you are all here today on this important occasion. I expect some of you have been looking forward to a meal, but I have to tell you that we aren’t going to have any food today. We’re not going to have any music, and we’re not going to have any dancing.

Marriage is a serious business. And because it’s a serious business, we want to take it… seriously! We all fail in many in many ways, and so today I want us to spend some time in silence, examining our hearts. I want you to remember my daughter’s wedding as a day of repentance.”

We laugh because this is ridiculous! The whole point of a wedding is that it is a celebration! Jesus brings His friends into joy! This is not the time for fasting.

Turning blessings into burdens

“’Why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’… Jesus said ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” Mark 2:24, 27

Mark tells us about a time when Jesus’ disciples picked a few ears of corn while they were walking beside a field on the Sabbath. You see, in the fourth commandment, God calls us to set aside one day in the week to rest from our work and to enjoy all that He done. That is a gift and a blessing from God.

But the Pharisees had turned the blessing into a burden, with an endless list of rules about what you could and could not do. In their eyes, pulling a few ears of corn was harvesting and that is work. Religious systems turns God’s blessing into a burden.

I meet many people who have had a bad experience of religion that alienated them from God. It was about rules and traditions that seem to have no point. It felt like a means of control exercised by people who have very little joy in their own lives.

Lifting heavy burdens

Do you see that this is the very thing that Jesus is against! He came to break the power of dead religion! He leads His disciples into joy. He lifts the heavy burdens of silly rules and stuffy traditions.

A Christ-centered church will be marked by joy. It will not be a place where the burdens of human rules and traditions are imposed but rather where they are lifted. When you see that, you may have a new interest in following Jesus.


This LifeKey is based on the message “Jesus Stirs Up Conflict,” by Pastor Colin S. Smith on September 30, 2007, from the series “The Gospel According to Jesus.”

http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/unlocking-the-bible/articles/the-very-thing-jesus-is-against-13255.html