"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:23-28, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what words/phrases are repeated and in what context?

As I looked through the passage, Sabbath was mentioned 5 times so I decided to focus on it to see in what instances it was mentioned.

1. One Sabbath, Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.

2. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

3. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man,

4. Not man for the Sabbath.

5. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

 Interpretations:

Today I looked at the first 2 instances where Sabbath was mentioned:

Point 1:
I asked myself why Jesus would go through the grainfields?
It occurred to me whatever Jesus did He had a reason for it. Jesus already knew that the disciples were going to pick some heads of grain. Jesus took this opportunity to address the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath because He knew they were going to ask Him a question. Earlier in the chapter, I learned that Jesus knew what the Pharisees and teachers of the law were thinking in their minds even before they said it. It would be no different here. Jesus wanted to teach them a lesson regarding the actions of the disciples too.

Point 2:
I asked myself what was significant about the question the Pharisees asked Jesus?
I found it interesting that the Pharisees do not address the disciples who they perceive to be breaking the law but directly address Jesus regarding the disciples. Rather, than talking to the disciples, they go directly to the source. This made me see that the Pharisees saw Jesus as the leader of the disciples and whatever mistakes they perceived the disciples did, they wanted answers from Jesus because Jesus was in a leadership role.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. The Pharisees saw Jesus in a leadership role and when they perceived mistakes were made, they did not address the persons making the mistake but went to the source. This showed me the responsibility we have when we are in a leadership role. Those who think they are leaders take it as an opportunity to challenge other leaders when their followers mess up.

This tells me when we are in a leadership role, we need to be aware of the actions of those that follow us. We also need to be prepared for the fact  that if followers mess up, people may not question the followers for the mess up but the leader who is in charge of the followers. If the leader does not have a substantive defense, not only is the leader affected but the followers are too.

Speaking from experience, I can tell you being in a leadership role is not always easy. Being in authority over employees who I have to manage is like a leader-follower role. When the employees have messed up, the managers go to other managers to address the situation than the employees. The assumption is that the manager is supposed to manage the employees and if something went wrong then the manager is to answer. This makes a lot of sense!

Even in ministry, if you are a campus minister you have student leaders who work under you and follow you. When the student leaders mess up and do things that are unbiblical in their leadership role, the one who oversees the campus minister will address the campus minister to see why it has happened that way because the campus minister was put in authority to do the Lord’s work on campus and faithfully shepherd the student leaders.

When followers mess up, the Lord could demand an answer from you because He put you in that leadership role to shepherd them! If negative things were happening then the campus minister may not have been doing his job properly. This goes to pastors too! Though the case, the followers still are responsible for their own actions too.

People don’t have to be in authority to question someone if they perceive them to be doing wrong. I can think of the church as an example. If people perceive that a certain church overlooks deliberate and blatant sin of their congregation members and does not even address it but gives a perception of condoning it, the congregation members are not those who are questioned but the pastor of that church would be in the spotlight and in the hot seat.

Whatever Jesus did I know is right and I intend to look more closely at Jesus’ response in tomorrow’s devotional time.

I ask you now dear friend, what kind of L.E.A.D.E.R is Jesus to you?
Dear friend, your perception of Jesus will determine what kind of leader Jesus is to you. If you listen to the Pharisees or people who do not like what Jesus stands for then you will perceive Jesus as the Pharisees who did not see Jesus as a good leader but a bad leader. But if you tune into God's voice and listen to the teachings of Jesus, you will realize what an awesome leader Jesus is that we can faithfully follow without any hesitation or doubt.

The Martha Syndrome explains it better. Martha is in no way to be compared to the Pharisees because she loved Jesus and acknowledged Jesus as Lord. However, according to Luke 10:38-42, we see Martha questioning Jesus' leadership thinking 'Jesus is a leader who does not care.' This stemmed because of where her focus was on.

Martha was distracted by all the things she had to do being worried and upset about many things that she could not take time to actually sit at the feet of Jesus listening to Jesus. 

Mary her sister on the other hand, tuned into the voice of Jesus as she sat at His feet listening to Him when He was invited into their home. Mary knew Jesus was a leader whose message is worth listening to and decided to follow Him by giving Jesus her undivided attention.

Jesus addressed Martha in a loving way when He was interrupted as Mary listened to Him. The final analysis was Mary chose what is better and would not be taken away from her which was choosing Jesus first and His Word over all the other distractions.

Jesus became such a leader to Mary that Mary wanted to do things with Jesus BEING with Jesus, DOING things with Jesus, and KNOWING Jesus. Out of this experience flowed an outpouring of DOING things for Jesus.

Martha focused on 'Doing things FOR Jesus and got frustrated'
Mary focused on 'Doing things WITH Jesus and was at peace'

Again in John 12 we see what is not recorded in Luke 10:38-42 that while Martha served dinner, the dinner she was so busy preparing, Mary got up after listening at the feet of Jesus and anointed Jesus with perfume. Here Mary did something for Jesus but it was an outflow of her relationship of BEING, DOING, AND KNOWING Jesus.

If you see Jesus as Mary saw Jesus then you will want to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him. You will realize that Jesus is the Word and God's Word will become that much more powerful in your life because when you open God's Word and read it, you are actually listening to the voice of Jesus, sitting at the feet of Jesus in a figurative sense. You are allowing Jesus to lead and guide you.

You will see Jesus as a leader worth listening to and following.

For me that means taking Jesus as my leader and trying to influence lives based on Scriptural principles dealing with biblical principles, etc and leave the results into the Lord's hands.

There are only two choices when it comes to being a leader; you are either a good leader or a bad leader. It can be an honor to be a leader but there is also great responsibility that comes with it. Those that follow you will be influenced by your own actions because they see you in a leadership position. You can take that opportunity to be a righteous leader as you depend on the Lord Jesus Christ to help you and guide you to be the best leader you can be.

I know I want to be the best leader wherever the Lord has placed me. Everyone is a leader in some capacity for everyone has followers whether we acknowledge it or not. If you are a big brother or sister, you have younger brother/sister that becomes a follower, etc.  If you are a pastor, you have a congregation who follows after your teaching.

Jesus is the best example of learning how to be a good leader. Jesus loves you and me so much that while we were yet sinners Jesus took it upon Himself to pay the ransom by dying for our sins. Jesus did that so His precious cleansing blood can wash away all our filthiness and make us white as freshly fallen snow.

As a leader, Jesus took the initiative to have followers by restoring them to a relationship with Him when they turn to Him with all their sins and ask Jesus to nail them to the cross.

Friend, God in His holiness cannot allow sin to enter into His presence so Christ paid the price to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death. Now we don't come to Heaven because we feel we have done 99.9% of good things and only 00.1% of bad things. Bad is bad and a black dot on a white poster does not make that poster completely white. We need to be completely pure to enter the presence of the Lord and Christ made it possible for us when we turn our lives over to Him.

When God sees us now He does not see 99.9% of water being polluted by 00.1% of cyanide but sees Christ's cleansing blood covering over us and His judgment passes over us. We are restored to God. Let us take Jesus as our leader and make decisions as His followers based on His teachings.

May you learn from the Master Himself on how to be a good leader for His honor and glory! Amen!

Good books to read on leadership are "Transforming Leadership"  "Master Plan of Evangelism", 'Excellence in Leadership', and 'Making of a Leader'. If you want those books, I can get you a copy!

“Leading Everyday Always Deliverer Emancipates Readily!”(L.E.A.D.E.R)/”What kind of  L.E.A.D.E.R is Jesus to you?

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for letting me learn about leadership. Oh Lord thank you for being the best leader and being up to the challenge to answer those that question your leadership. You Oh Lord have set an example for us. Help us Oh Lord to know that when we are in a leadership position, we are scrutinized more and need to set a good example for those that follow us. Lord, when we are followers also, help us to follow you depending on you for wisdom. We want to follow you Jesus and be guided by you. Forgive us our sin Oh Lord and cleanse us with your precious cleansing blood. I thank you Jesus! Please come into my heart and make my heart your home. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and with you serving you the rest of the days of my life as I follow you with your help. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and Personal Savior! I surrender my life to you and ask for your help! Thank you Jesus that you have heard my prayers and answered me! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

ANALOGY OF INVITING PEOPLE TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN:

We are like an ambulance taking sick people to the hospital. People are dying and there is an emergency because of an epidemic virus. The ambulance takes the initiative to go to the place people are dying and bring them to the hospital. They are not dead yet but there is no time to wait. The ambulance needs to get to the hospital for that virus to be treated. The virus has infected the mind, body, and soul spreading rapidly. You and I cannot do anything to heal our friends of this virus except be the AMBULANCE taking them to the HOSPITAL where the GREAT PHYSICIAN waits.

Once at the hospital, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN that waits. The sick are gathered from all corners of the earth and come to this hospital.  This hospital is called CALVARY OF SALVATION and the EMERGENCY WARD is called GOLGOTHA.

The GREAT PHYSICIAN is not like other doctors who can only treat patients with  physical ailments but this GREAT PHYSICIAN is much more and knows He has to stay 72 HOURS for every dying person there to be healed.

He knows what He has to do! This GREAT PHYSICIAN knew that only His BLOOD can wipe away this epidemic VIRUS, so for you and me He went to the blood transfusion room where people were about to die. There He lay down on the bed  made of wood.

The surgeons walk into the room. They turn this GREAT PHYSICIAN on His back.  Instead of using an IV, a WHIP with sharp glass, etc is used to draw out the BLOOD from the GREAT PHYSICIAN'S back! It does not stop there but to elevate the head on the bed of wood, a CROWN OF THORNS is used which draws more BLOOD.

As the head is elevated, the GREAT PHYSICIAN's hands are stretched wide on the wooden bed. Then the feet are bound together. This is done for the BLOOD transfusion to begin. Instead of using an IV, NAILS and a HAMMER is used. The NAILS are pounded through the hands into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so the BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. The NAILS are pounded through the feet into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so more BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. As the BLOOD continues to flow from the GREAT PHYSICIAN's body, the GREAT PHYSICIAN flat lines. Then the surgeons insert a SPEAR into the heart to make sure all the BLOOD is out. All the BLOOD is out!

Now, the GREAT PHYSICIAN is moved into the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE being guarded by security.

Now the CALVARY OF SALVATION hospital has a BLOOD DONOR whose BLOOD can be used to save everyone there from this EPIDEMIC VIRUS. 

Those dying need to be taken there to receive the BLOOD transfusion that is available. However, the BLOOD will not be forced upon those dying! THE PUREST RED ANTIDOTE is only given to those that are willing to receive the BLOOD TRANSFUSION so they could LIVE.

All that accept the BLOOD are being CLEANSED of this EPIDEMIC VIRUS in their system that is infecting the mind, body, and soul.  This BLOOD goes into the dying person's mind, body, and soul and eats away at the virus cleaning them and making them pure. This VIRUS is known as SIN. The BLOOD is the PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

The WOODEN BED is the CROSS OF CHRIST where the dying need to be led too.

72 HOURS LATER, there is a commotion at the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN is not there anymore and the ANGELS that visit tell loved ones who came there, that THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS ALIVE and will save all that come to Him.

It is true even to this day, for all that come to the HOSPITAL OF CALVARY come to realize that His CLEANSING BLOOD shed on the WOODEN BED (CROSS) will never run out. Anyone infected who wants to be healed of their sickness can accept what Jesus did for them and be covered in His precious CLEANSING BLOOD.

I have done that friend and know that at the foot of the cross where Jesus died shedding His precious cleansing blood for my sin and the sins of the world, I can find forgiveness and grace.

Thanks be to God that Christ's death on the cross was temporary to remove all His precious cleansing blood for our sake but after He was buried, Jesus came back to life to save.

To this day, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved when they acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done for them and what He can do for them.

Friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only one living on earth, Jesus would have done the same for you. What I shared with you was an analogy but in real life it has happened. Jesus went to the cross for you and me and His precious cleansing blood was shed so you and I could have life. Jesus came back to life 72 hours later and is alive but His blood continues to heal people on every corner of the earth to those that accept Him.

You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.

Dear Jesus, thank you for healing the paralytic after forgiving his sins. You set him free to go home. I want to be free. I don’t know everything about you. I still have a lot of questions. What I do know is that you died on the cross for my sins. When it comes to sin, I am a paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with this deadly disease known as sin. I am not perfect but a sinner who needs your cleansing blood to clean me of my sin. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you died on the cross. I want to accept that forgiveness. Thank you for shedding your cleansing precious blood for me. You were nailed to the cross because of me. It is like I actually held the hammer and pounded the nails so I could be free. Thank you for willingly dying for me Jesus. Thank you for taking the shame and pain for me. Thank you for doing that to set me free. I come to the cross and ask you for your healing in my life. Thank you for the power of your Blood to redeem humanity. Thank you for coming back to life to save us and give us Eternal Life as we yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we are. I love you Jesus. I want you Jesus. Even with my questions, I come to you now and accept you into my heart. Please Jesus come into my heart and make my heart your home. Give me a transfusion of change. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have done for me when God looks at me, He now sees me covered in your blood and His judgment passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thank you for being with me Lord. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus I now belong to you and never need to be alone! You will always be with me and have given me Salvation.  In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

May the Lord Jesus guide you in His love leading you! Amen!