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Bible Pathways 10/5/2000



October 5

Matthew 12

Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, who criticized His disciples, saying: Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath Day (Matthew 12:2). Jesus responded: In this place is One greater than the Temple. . . . For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath Day (12:6-8). The Old Testament worship system foreshadowed the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and His church. Israel was commanded to keep the last day of the week, the Sabbath, as a day of rest commemorating God's work of creation in six days. Equally important, circumcision distinguished the Israelites as Gods own peculiar people.
Christians worship the Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the grave on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9), to honor Him as Lord of their lives and to put the Lord first in every week. The Sabbath Day of rest has its counterpart in the New Covenant: That in all things He (Christ) might have the preeminence. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come (Colossians 1:18; 2:16-17). The Sabbath Day, as well as all Jewish Worship days, were a shadow of things to come. The early church recognized this, and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them (Acts 20:7). Much later, Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth: Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him (I Corinthians 16:2). However, Jesus Christ is to be the center of our worship on the Lord's Day, as well as of our lives throughout the week.
Under the new covenant, circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God (Romans 2:29). In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised Him from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12).
The Passover, commemorating the Israelites' freedom from Egyptian bondage, has its new covenant counterpart in the Lords Supper. As Jesus and the apostles were eating the Passover meal, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My Body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink all of it; For this is My Blood of the New Testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:26-28).
When we refuse the assembling of ourselves together to worship our Lord Jesus Christ, we also miss honoring Him in partaking of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is not a man-made ordinance! It was instituted by our Lord Jesus Himself. The apostle Paul reminds us: As often as you eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, you do show the Lord's death till He come (I Corinthians 11:26).
Cross References:
For Matthew 12:7: See Hos. 6:6. Matt. 12:18-21: See Isa. 42:1-4. Matt. 12:40: See Jonah 1:17.

Prayer:

Government Official: Rep. Benjamin Cardin (MD) · BPM Staff: Shelley Robertson · Pray for Bible Pathway Distributors · Pray for the Bible Pathway International Radio broadcast sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Carl E. Evans · Country: Cyprus (709,000) in the Middle East · Major languages: Greek and Turkish · No open evangelism or conversions to Christ · 75% Greek Orthodox; 19% Muslim; 1% Protestant; 1% Roman Catholic · Prayer Suggestion: Give thanks for the privilege of assembling with other Christians each week (Hebrews 10:25).
Memory Verse for the Week:
Hebrews 2:1


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