The contention over Sabbath observance continued, but this time the conflict took place during a worship service! This shows us what happens when love for tradition and procedure exceeds love for people who have great needs. There are five ingredients to this tense scene.

I. A Worship Service (v. 1)

II. A Withered Hand (vv. 1, 3)

III. A Watching Crowd (v. 2)

IV. A Weighty Command (v. 5)

V. A Wicked Plot (v. 6)

Learn Your Bible: How does this passage help us better understand the purpose of God’s commands?

Love Your Neighbor: Ask the Lord to reveal any beliefs you hold that may hinder how He desires to use you in the lives of others.

Live in Freedom: Surrender your desire to hide your weaknesses and flaws, and rest in Jesus’ unfailing compassion.

Was Jesus a lawbreaker? Did He violate the Sabbath? What exactly was the Sabbath designed for, and how should we observe it? This will be our focus this weekend and next. The conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders is heating up. Today we make four observations about the Sabbath.

I. The Sabbath Was a Benchmark (v. 23)

II. The Sabbath Became a Burden (vv. 23-24)

III. The Sabbath Needs a Balance (vv. 25-26)

IV. The Sabbath Should Be a Blessing (v. 27)

Learn Your Bible: Read Psalm 37 and meditate on verse 7 as you intentionally choose to “rest in the Lord” this week.

Love Your Neighbor: Ask God to soften the hearts of your unbelieving friends and family members, and invite them to join you at Freedom Celebration next Saturday.

Live in Freedom: Ask the Lord to reveal areas of your life in which you’re anxious and striving rather than resting in His plan and purpose for you.

Jesus was not a religious leader. He was a righteous Leader and a relational Leader. But He was often confronted by the religious leaders of His day because of the obvious differences in both substance and style. It seems that religious people are the hardest to reach with the gospel. Let’s discover why.

I. The Religious Question (v. 18)

II. The Reasonable Explanation (vv. 19-20)

III. The Real Consideration (vv. 21-22)

Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, dive deeper into the parable of the wineskins and “the new covenant in [His] blood” (Luke 22:20).

Love Your Neighbor: Do you know someone who views Christianity as rules, rituals, or religious performance? How can you demonstrate Jesus’ loving heart to them this week?

Live in Freedom: Meditate on Galatians 5:1-6 and ask the Lord to reveal areas of your walk that have become a religious practice rather than a reflection of your relationship with Him.

Jesus loves outcasts. That’s why the first three gospel accounts record the call of Matthew. Jesus wants us to know that no one is beyond His saving grace. By inviting Matthew into His circle of friends, Jesus showed that He can take and transform anyone. Today we will discover four features in the interaction of Jesus and this tax collector.

I. His Profession (vv. 13-14a)

II. His Invitation (v. 14)

III. His Decision (v. 14b)

IV. His Celebration (vv. 15-17)

Learn Your Bible: Reflect on Romans 6:14 and Ephesians 2:8-9 as you walk in the Lord’s grace.

Love Your Neighbor: Find one practical way to love someone in your circle this week—or sign up to serve our community through Love Month at lovenm.org/serve.

Live in Freedom: Spend time in worship and thank the Lord for His calling and purpose in your life.

I. Adapt to the Situation

II. Apprehend the Scripture

III. Apply Your Story

Learn Your Bible: Spend time studying the big picture of Scripture—how the Bible points to Jesus from beginning to end—so you can be ready to share it with others.

Love Your Neighbor: Is there someone God’s placed in your life who may be spiritually curious or searching for truth?

Live in Freedom: This week, what step can you take to be available, obedient, and ready to share Jesus when God opens the door?