Friday First - Give Strength to the Broken

Over the summer we have spent our time talking about receiving the heart of Jesus. What does it mean to love in the way He loved? I hope that you have seen the progression as we talked about the need to allow the Spirit to uproot our selfish priorities, doubts, and misgivings. As He does that, I hope we’re committed to allowing Him to plant our hearts with mercy, compassion, justice, and holiness. We need to understand the need to see others the way Jesus saw them and feel the way Jesus did. That is, we view others, not through the eyes of condemnation and judgment, but with a spirit of grace that desires to help and serve.

Now as we move into August, our intention is to try to capture the heart of the Savior so we can do what He did. Jesus is someone who relieved suffering, pursued lost sheep, received little children, and embraced the downtrodden.

Sunday’s lesson will come from Matthew 12.1-14 where Jesus and the disciples get into a confrontation over the keeping of manmade sabbath day rules … which had been elevated above God’s law. I don’t think it’s an accident that this story is placed right after the section where Matthew has just recorded Jesus’s words come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. The Pharisees had made it more work to rest than the work required to work. As a result, they completely forgot God’s purpose behind the Sabbath.

On Sunday we will examine Matthew 12.1-14 and learn about:

• The Sabbath observance of Jesus’ day
• How Jesus demonstrated the need to give strength to the broken
• Two important applications for our day

As you prepare for worship on Sunday, please give consideration to these questions:

• Read Exodus 20.8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:13-15. What was the purpose behind the Sabbath?
• What were the Pharisees upset about in Matthew 12.1-2? What exactly had the disciples violated?
• Who were the real violators of the Sabbath? How? 
• What was the condition of the man’s hand after Jesus healed him?
• What is your impression of all of the additional rules the Jews included to the Sabbath observance? What can we learn from this today?

OPENING / WELCOME
Cain Atkinson

SONG LEADER
Russ Robins

PRAYER OF PRAISE
Dave Pennington

LORD'S SUPPER
Paul Braden

SCRIPTURE READING
Dan Dekoski
Matthew 12.1-14

PREACHING
Matthew Allen

CLOSING COMMENTS & PRAYER
George Wacks

WELCOME CENTER
Pat Reeder / Donna Allen / Emily McDonald

USHERS (arrive @ 9)
Rich Jacobs / Randy Mullins

Closing the Building
Dru McLaughlin