Matthew 12:1–21 < The Lord of the Sabbath, the King of Mercy >

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📖 Matthew 12:1–21 < The Lord of the Sabbath, the King of Mercy >

18 Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

✨ The True Meaning of the Sabbath — The Lord Who Gives Life

Jesus defends His disciples who picked heads of grain on the Sabbath and reveals the true purpose of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is not a rule meant to bind people, but a gift from God intended to give life.
The Pharisees were bound to the form of the Law, but Jesus reveals that the heart of the Law is mercy.
“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:8).
Before Jesus—God Himself who gave the Law—we must choose life, not mere formality.

✨ Christ Who Does Not Break a Bruised Reed

On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand.
This reveals God’s heart toward one suffering person.
Matthew interprets this event as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Matt. 12:20).
Christ is not a King who casts aside the weak, but One who draws near and restores.
This is God’s way: restoration before judgment.

✨ The One Who Stands Above the Law and Fulfills the Gospel

Matthew 12 shows the tension between the Law and the gospel, but its conclusion is clear.
The Law cannot give us life; only Christ, who fulfills the Law, can.
We are justified not by works, but by grace.
In Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, true rest and restoration begin.

🙏 Prayer

Merciful God,
Open our eyes where we have been bound by rules and forms and failed to see life.
As we look to Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, keep us not in the Law but in grace.
Touch our wounded hearts and weary souls with Your mercy,
and let us experience true rest in the gospel today.

🔍 Application

  • Examine whether you are judging others through religious formality.

  • Today, draw near to one person who needs mercy and practice a small act of service.

  • Even in busyness, make space to enjoy true rest in Christ.

💡 Meditation Point

Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it with life.
In Christ, who upholds the bruised reed and rekindles the fading wick,
we encounter restoration rather than condemnation.
Today again, come to the Lord of the Sabbath and choose a life that breathes by grace.

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ヨシュア記 24:25–33 〈 契約として残された信仰、次の世代への証し 〉

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Joshua 24:14–24 < The Truth of the Covenant Revealed at the Moment of Choice >

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