Matthew 12:9-21 Jesus presses the case for mercy against those who would pass the buck. 1. When you see need, pursue mercy. A. Mercy performs spiritual surgery. (Micah 6:8) Mercy is unhelpful without truth; truth is unhelpful without mercy. B. Truth and mercy must go together by God’s design. C. The church’s surgical tools must be sterilized with mercy. Banal: both stupid and boring 2. To be like Jesus, remember that we are sheep. Jesus ironically skewers human hypocrisy by pointing out that they are not getting their own synagogue-sheep out of the pit on the Sabbath! Jesus builds on two obvious truths: -People are more valuable than animals. -To do good on the Sabbath is a good thing. 3. Jesus makes final justice, so he will challenge temporary, unjust human justice. -Provoking the religious leaders was part of God’s providence. Jesus is willing to provoke the shepherds who mistreat the sheep because Jesus heads to the cross where he will be the mistreated sheep, and he will rise as the Good Shepherd. (Jer. 23:1-6; Rev. 5:5-6, 12) Jesus is the Lamb who was left in the pit on the Sabbath —and taken out on Sunday!

Related Topics: The Savior | More Messages from Pastor Nathan Sundt | Download Audio

From Series: "Sunday Mornings"

These sermons were given at our 11am service on Sunday Mornings.