Matt 8 — Jesus Performs Many Miracles
Matt 9 — The Harvest is Plentiful, The Laborers are Few
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'” (Matthew 9:13). This is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees who asked, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (9:11). Matthew’s account of this is the only one that includes the command to “go and learn what this means.” Hosea, one of the prophets of Israel at the time of their fall warns them to repent, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). The leaders of the law had learned the rituals, but lost the love that God wanted in the first place. He commands them to study, to learn the true meaning.
I’ve skipped over this verse, or perhaps only remembered it from Mark or Luke’s account, but today it jumped off the page and into my heart. “Learn what this means.” Learn to love as God loves. Hear the words of Christ from his perspective of great love for all mankind. This was the stumbling block for the leaders at that time, let this not be the stumbling block for us. Matthew 22:37-40 goes on to record Jesus’ words, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Jesus consistently taught this truth. Many heard and believed, many did not. I choose to hear and believe. Lord help me to love you with all that I have, you first, then my neighbor.