Lords of the Sabbath - Matthew 12:1-14

Highlights:

* Jesus often had followers besides the twelve.

* Altering God's commandments in any way means that one is no longer serving God as the unique God that He is, but that somebody else has stolen some of our allegiance.

* Commandments from sources other than God divide the heart.

* No one who esteems the commandments, or doctrines, of God to be equal with the commandments of somebody has what Jesus called a "single eye". They are cross-eyes, spiritually speaking, looking to two gods instead of one. And that makes one's worship unacceptable.

* The doctrines of God are eternal, and they apply to everyone, everywhere.
Example: "You must be born again." That is a doctrine of God, and there is no time or place where that commandment does not apply.

* In the centuries between the Old and New Testaments, Israel's leaders developed what was called a "fence around the law", to make sure that Israel did not break it. They were trying to protect the law instead of obeying the law and letting it protect them.

* God wants you and all His people to be free to live a common-sense life of holiness.

* Jesus revealed that God is not as religious as men are; that He is not the stickler for rules that men are because ** GOD LOVES PEOPLE, NOT THINGS **.

* When you are walking in the Spirit, you are Lord of the Sabbath. You are the standard for those around you in this world.

* What is life in the Spirit, but a foretaste of the future? If you are waiting for the resurrection to reign with Christ, you are missing the boat.

* We are crucified with Christ right here in this life, or it will never happen.

* Don't wait until you're in the grave to be crucified with Christ. It doesn't happen in the grave.

* Paul said he died with Christ every day. Christ wants you to die today, right now, so that you can live with him now and later.

* Jesus was the standard because he was in the Father, and the Father, in him. Where are you?

In the Father, we are led by His Spirit just as Jesus was, and we have fellowship with Him, just as Jesus did, and we judge all things, just as Jesus did.

* What is "the mind of Christ", but the mind of the Father that was in Christ?

* Jesus worked his miracles by the power of God. He did nothing but what the Father told him to do, and said nothing but what the Father told him to do.

* God IS the Sabbath, and whatever He does is OK to be done, however He does it. Is God keeping the Sabbath in you? He is if He is alive in you.

Scriptures referenced in this video:

Deuteronomy 23:24​-25
Deuteronomy 4:2 (also 12:32​)
Mark 12:28​-34
Matthew 6:22​-23
Matthew 15:9
Luke 11:46​
2Timothy 2:11​-12
Romans 8:29​
Romans 8:16​-17
1Corinthians 3:21​-23
1Corinthians 2:15​-16