HOCF SERMON 2023

Matthew 12: The Law Punishes, Love Gives Grace

Matthew 12:1-12

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'[] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Isa sadto ka tion, sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway,[] nagaagi sila ni Jesus sa kaumahan sang trigo. Gutom gid ang iya mga sumulunod, gani nagpangutol[] sila sang mga uhay sang trigo kag nagkaon. 2 Pagkakita sadto sang mga Pariseo nagsiling sila kay Jesus, "Tan-awa ang imo mga sumulunod! Ginahimo nila ang ginadilian nga himuon sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway." 3 Ginsabat sila ni Jesus, "Wala bala ninyo mabasahi sa Kasulatan ang ginhimo ni David sang siya kag ang iya mga kaupod gin-gutom? 4 Nagsulod siya sa balay sang Dios kag ginkaon niya kag sang iya mga kaupod ang tinapay nga ginhalad sa Dios, bisan pa nga ginadilian sang Kasuguan ang magkaon sadto luwas lang sa mga pari. 5 Kag isa pa, wala bala ninyo mabasahi sa Kasuguan ni Moises nga ang mga pari nagaobra sa templo bisan Adlaw nga Inugpahuway? Isa ini ka pagsupak sa pagsulundan sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway, pero wala sila nakasala. 6 Ang matuod may ari diri nga mas importante pa sa templo. 7-8 Kay ako nga Anak sang Tawo may gahom sa pagsiling kon ano ang husto nga himuon sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway. Kon naintiendihan ninyo ining ginasiling sang Dios sa Kasulatan, 'Indi ang inyo mga halad ang akon luyag kundi ang inyo kaluoy sa inyo isigkatawo,'[] wala ninyo kuntani pagpakalaina ang mga tawo nga wala sing sala."

9 Naghalin si Jesus sa sadto nga lugar kag nagkadto sa simbahan sang mga Judio. 10 May tawo didto nga pingkaw[] ang kamot. Kag may mga Pariseo man didto nga nagapangita sang kabangdanan nga maakusar nila si Jesus. Gani nagpamangkot sila kay Jesus, "Tugot bala ang pag-ayo sang masakiton sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway?" 11 Nagsabat si Jesus sa ila, "Abi may karnero kamo nga nahulog sa buho sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway. Ano, pabay-an lang bala ninyo tungod kay Adlaw nga Inugpahuway? Siyempre, kuhaon ninyo! 12 Pero ang tawo mas importante pa sang sa karnero. Gani ginatugot sang Kasuguan ang pagbulig sa isigkatawo bisan pa sa Adlaw nga Inugpahuway."

SERMON:

Ou Word today tells us about a time when the Pharisees saw loopholes and error in Jesus, and they thought they could use this to trap and plot to kill him. So these Pharisees saw that the disciples of Jesus were picking some grains and ate them because they were hungry.

Now, the Pharisees, are very keen in observing the laws and they thought picking grains, or harvesting to be a sin against the Sabbath Day when people are supposed to rest. So they thought, aha! His disciples are making a mistake!

But then Jesus reminded them of what David and his men did before when they were hungry. I believe this was during a war and David and his men were trying to take cover and hid from their enemies. They entered the temple and ate consecrated bread which was supposed to be for ceremonial use only. Yet, this was not taken as a sin against them.