Daily Readings - Fri Jul 16 2021
Exodus
10Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.
1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,2"This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.3Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.4And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,6and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.7"Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.8They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.9Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.10And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.11In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.13The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.14"This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.
Matthew
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."3He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:4how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?5Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.7And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in scripture that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, freedom, and mercy. The first reading from Exodus recounts the Passover, a defining event for the Israelites as they prepared to escape slavery in Egypt. The detailed instructions for marking their doorposts with lamb's blood underscore the profound trust required in God's plan for their salvation. This act of obedience was not merely a ritual but a life-saving gesture that distinguished them from their oppressors, setting the stage for their liberation.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who challenges the Pharisees' strict interpretation of the Sabbath. When His disciples pick grain to satisfy their hunger, Jesus defends their actions by referencing David and the priests, emphasizing that human needs and mercy take precedence over rigid rules. He declares Himself the Lord of the Sabbath, asserting that the spirit of the law—compassion and care for others—should guide our actions rather than mere observance.
These readings connect through their emphasis on mercy and the spirit of the law. The Passover in Exodus is a merciful act of salvation, while Jesus in Matthew teaches that true faith involves understanding and compassion. Together, they remind us that our actions should be guided by love and flexibility, rather than strict adherence to rules. As we navigate our daily lives, let us embrace this lesson, allowing mercy and kindness to shape our decisions and interactions, just as Jesus exemplified. In doing so, we honor the spirit of God's law and live as true followers of Christ.