Rule breakers, they are everywhere. People speeding to the next appointment risking theirs and other’s lives. texting while driving, parking in handicapped spaces, taking 30 items to the 15 item grocery line, yes, we know who you are! It is almost like when we see a rule or a limit, something inside us wants to find a way around it. The exception is the person who is a rule follower like my dear Nancy. She is the reasonable voice to my rule breaker attitude, and reminds me of how to honor God when I drive. People see when we break the rules, they want us to pay the price like they would have to. People lose hope when they see rule breakers getting away with it.
Jesus was seen as a rule breaker, a trouble maker, a sabbath breaker, an immoral associator, and a lover of sinners. There was rarely a time when Jesus’ actions were not stirring up some group of people or entire cities. Jesus took the risk of being seen this way because of one overriding passion in his life- YOU! Take a look at below Jesus’ rebellious love and ask yourself if this is the kind of savior you would want to be seen in public with-
Jesus’s posse included the 12 apostles, plus another 50-70 disciples, ( men and women, thank you!), who were always around him, supposedly watching his back. In John four, the whole posse left Jesus to get a bite to eat at the local deli. Jesus sat down at the local well, as it was the place to meet people, which Jesus was all about. One of the water gatherers was a woman. No name is mentioned, because women never introduced themselves to a man. If they were reported, they could get in big trouble. Jesus reached out to her by asking her to do a simple thing, get him some water. This was difficult for the woman, as Jesus was a Jew, and a man. She came from a town of samaritans, who were viewed as half breeds in the eyes of the local Jewish culture. To be seen with this samaritan women would surely be looked down on by the Religious elite. Jesus broke every rule, and every barrier as he asked her for a drink. That’s what Jesus does. He breaks every rule, and challenges every culture that gets In the way of his love, acceptance, and offer of new life. Many times we allow our culture and what we see to get in the way of the rule breaker’s love. I know I do. When we ask Jesus to give us his eyes to see the world with, we get a new view of humanity. The challenge from Jesus here is to find one person who is an outcast, one person who doesn’t fit into your culture, one family member the rest of the family have forgotten. Break some rules, take some chances, Find that one person, and show them you have their back. Then watch them receive the love of the father, and thrive under the love of the son!
Dinner party with Matthew
Matthew was hated by his own people because he worked for the Roman government. He was paid as much as he charged beyond what the Romans asked for. His greed led many people to poverty and want. Anybody associating with Matthew was instantly judged as an enemy of the Jewish nation. In steps Jesus, right up to the tax collectors table, with an invitation to have dinner with him! Everybody gasped, and the rule breaker was judged. Matthew responded differently, in brokenness, thankfulness, a changed heart and a lighter wallet. Jesus saw the man for who he was, and he loved him in spite of his sin. Matthew knew this, and it broke him. He shamelessly committed to repaying all he had stolen from the people around him, and invited Jesus to his house to meet all his sinner friends. Jesus responded, and broke another religious rule. The result was many unloved people experienced love, and Matthew started a new life as an apostle of Jesus.
Sabbath broken by love- Jesus heals a man with withered hand
Jesus was teaching at the synagogue on a the sabbath when a man with a withered hand was brought to him. The religious leaders were looking for a public display to arrest Jesus on, and this was it. doing any work on the sabbath was forbidden, and the Sabbath police were everywhere on this day. Sabbath optics were important, and how you looked to others mattered. It always amazes me how man can take a commandment designed to move people closer to God, and turn it into a rule that removes God’s love from the entire day. Jesus is asks the Jewish leaders if it is ok to do the work of healing on the sabbath. Jesus continues with the observation that a man will sweat through hours of tugging to get his donkey out of a ditch. If a donkey is worth that work, certainly a man loved by God is worth some miracle doing. Jesus heals the man, and the leaders leave with plans to kill this rule breaker as soon as possible. This rule breaker has to be stopped, how dare he challenge our time honored ways!
Rule breaker friends- man lowered through the roof
It seems that prolonged exposure to Jesus at that time was leading to a rash of rule breakers. Enter the house wrecking crew whose friend was paralyzed. There was such a large crowd where Jesus was, that getting close to him was impossible. The DYI team went to work, not caring what they looked like, and suddenly Jesus was brushing hay and mud off his head! The sky broke through, and down came the man on his mat. Jesus must have smiled to himself, as he looked up and winked at those rule breakers. He then smiled at the man and blessed him, healed him, and brought the rest of the house down! These forever friends risked public judgement so they could bring their friend to the great physician. Where do you and I need to risk public scrutiny in order to show true love and commitment?
Nicodemus comes to see Jesus
In John three, we see a reverse role as a religious leader comes to Jesus under cover of night to understand who this new prophet really is. Jesus meets his questions with some parable language that challenges all he has believed in up to now. Jesus asks him ‘Can you see the wind Nicodemus, do you see where it comes from and where it is headed? It is the same for the spirit of God. He operates outside of the sighted world, in the spiritual plane. This is where you need to look.’ Nicodemus leaves a changed man, and becomes a rule breaker. In John seven, Nicodemus speaks up in defense of Jesus as the Jewish leaders plan his demise. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” At this point Nick can kiss any hope for future promotions goodbye. He is rebuked by the leaders, and threatened with excommunication. Later, when Jesus has been crucified, it is Nick who asks to handle the burial details. This looks bad to the religious leaders, and all but seals his fate with the Sanhedrin. But now Nick is past all that, and waiting for the son of life to once again break the rules and change them forever…..
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