Faith Venture

Still in my study of Luke..

Luke records two stories (early in chapter 6) where Jesus confronts the Laws of the Sabboth. In the Ten Commandments, Moses records one of God’s Laws as “Remember the Sabboth Day and keep it holy.” Believers are instructed not to work on the Sabboth. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, hold on there. What is work? This thought occurred to ancient law makers just as it would today. So for hundreds of years Jewish lawyers set to work defining work. Therefore, when the followers of Jesus were walking with him on the Sabboth and picked some grains of wheat, rubbed them between their hands and then ate the kernels, they were accused of “working” that is harvesting and threshing grain.

There was a 13-week television series that aired on Public Television in the late 1960s called “The Prisoner.” It starred Patrick McGoohan, whose previous credit was a low budget spy series called “Secret Agent.” McGoohan (Number 6) found himself in a perfect little city. Trouble was, he wasn’t allowed out. For twelve weeks, we followed his exploits as he sought to break out of prison, constantly looking for Number One. He talked with Number Two, but never Number One. The last show of the series gave the “punch line.” In fact, Number Six (McGoohan) was really Number One. He had imprisoned himself!

As I study Jesus’ story in Luke for the umpteenth time, it becomes ever more clear that one of the dangers Jesus warns us about is the human tendency to make rules. When you are dieting, do you want to hear “just eat well” or do you want a list of foods to eat and a list not to eat? Similarly, when Jesus asks you to live in the Spirit, can you just do that? Or do you need a list of what to do and what not to do? There are many problems with lists. They can serve to divide the “good” from the “bad.” But later on we are admonished not to do that work of God. We’re all bad, right? Lists (rules) make it seem as if we can earn our salvation by following the letter of the law. That’s wrong. We can’t earn anything.

What did we learn from John the Baptist, and increasingly then from Jesus? First, get right with God. Then, do things for others. That’s it. Live in the Spirit, then always be aware when a brother or sister need a little help and give it. I guess that’s too simple for some people. Either that, or it’s too hard!

Gary Mintchell