People matter more than rules.

We see this with obeying speed limits. We don’t mind if someone drives five miles over the speed limit. The sign says 35 mph, but we have no problem if people go 40 mph. But if someone goes 80 mph in a 35 mph zone, we all have a problem. Why? Because one puts lives in danger. Both break the rule, but the rule isn’t the point. People are the point.

We see this principle in the Bible, too. In the book of Exodus, there is a story about Hebrew midwives who lie to the King of Egypt but are blessed by God. The king of Egypt tells Hebrew midwives to throw all Israelite newborn males into the Nile. But the Hebrew midwives didn’t do it. They lie when the king calls them to explain why they aren’t obeying. They say they can’t get to the moms fast enough before the children are born. Scripture says God was good to the midwives. He blessed them. Why? Because they protected life. The rule of “You shall not lie” was less important than “You shall not murder.” People matter more than rules.

But sometimes, we put rules before people. We care more about ensuring rules are followed than caring for those around us. For example, we see this when we play board games. Board games are intended to be fun. But we can be so worried about winning that we spend all our time arguing over the rules and forget to care for the people we’re with.

Sometimes, we do put rules before people in more serious ways. We become judgmental and critical. We lack empathy. We choose rules over people and fail to love God and love people as we’re supposed to.

In the Bible, the Pharisees were the ultimate rule-keepers. They are experts in the law. In today’s Scripture, we’ll see they put rules before people. But Jesus will show them that His way puts people before rules.

We’re in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 6. If you have a Bible, please join me there. If not, it will be on the screens. We’re walking through Luke, which tells us about the life and teachings of Jesus.

In this section, Jesus is working through several disputes with the Pharisees. They have seen Jesus and His disciples breaking the rules and don’t like it. Specifically, this encounter revolves around the Sabbath rules. The Sabbath is the holy day of the people of God, and they are commanded to rest. But Jesus and His disciples aren’t following the rules.

We will examine two encounters between Jesus and the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath. We’ll walk through them one at a time.

Here is the first encounter. Let’s listen to the Word of God for us today.

On a Sabbath, he passed through the grainfields. His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry—how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.” Then he told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:1-5

First, notice how the Pharisees question Jesus for allowing His disciples to pick grains, rub them in their hands, and eat them on the Sabbath. Those actions were breaking the rules. The Pharisees not only upheld the OT law but also had a long list of additional traditions that they added to the law. They had thirty-nine categories of activities forbidden on the Sabbath, and harvesting grain was on their list. So, they question Jesus.

Sadly, the Pharisees were turning a day of rest into a laborious duty. The Sabbath was a sacred and special day. It goes all the way back to creation. In Genesis 2:3, we read, “God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.” God designed the Sabbath to be a time of worshipful rest and delighting in God’s goodness. But, the Pharisees were sucking the life out of it with their additional rules and tedious traditions. Ironically, instead of rest, they were turning the Sabbath into more work to keep up with their list of rules.

Jesus appeals to authority to counter the Pharisees. First, he appeals to the authority and example of King David. Let’s look at verses 3-4 again.

Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry—how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.”

Luke 6:3-4

King David chose mercy over rules when he ate the bread that was supposed to be for the priests. King David is the golden boy of the Hebrew people. His authority and example are revered by Jews. So, shouldn’t the Pharisees choose mercy over rules if the great King David prioritized mercy over rules? The implied answer is yes!

Then, Jesus takes it one step further. He appeals to His own authority in verse 5.

Then he told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:5

The Son of Man is a title that comes from Daniel 7:13-14. It’s a prophecy about a person looking like a human, a son of man, but coming on the clouds and having supreme authority. The Son of Man is Jesus, who looks like a man but also has supreme authority.

Moreover, Jesus said the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. This is a claim to being God. Jesus was claiming the highest level of authority here. He was there when the heavens and the earth were formed. He was there when the Sabbath was created and first observed! Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. His authority trumps traditions and rules. His authority says it’s okay for his disciples to eat some grain and break the rules of the Pharisees.

So, in the first encounter, Jesus teaches the Pharisees mercy over rules and that his disciples should be allowed to eat food on the Sabbath, based on the authority and example of King David and the authority of the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath.

Then, we move to the second Sabbath encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees in verse 6. We see the same principle again. Jesus teaches mercy over rules.

On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The scribes and Pharisees were watching him closely, to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against him. But he knew their thoughts and told the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand here.” So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” After looking around at them all, he told him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored. They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Luke 6:6-11

In the second story, the Pharisees’ motives are revealed. The conflict is escalating because now they want to catch Jesus in the act of working on the Sabbath. They hope Jesus breaks the rules again. Their goal is to “find a charge against him.” They know that healing on the Sabbath breaks the rules. So, they see an opportunity as a man with a shriveled hand approaches. Their fear and pride are now manifesting in plotting.

Notice the Pharisees’ complete lack of compassion. They aren’t concerned with the man’s condition. They are only concerned with winning and control. They lack love for their neighbors and miss the true essence of the law.

Verse 8 tells us that Jesus knows their wicked thoughts. He knows they are plotting all around him. But, Jesus doesn’t back down. He exposes the hypocrisy and teaches the truth.

Verse 9 is the question of the day that makes everything clear.

The Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

Luke 6:9

What is the heart of the law? What’s the priority? Rules or mercy? Laws or people? Traditions or compassion? Don’t just look at the law, but look at the heart of the law.

Verse 10 plays out like a Western film in my mind. Jesus makes eye contact with all of the Pharisees. He knows their scheming. But these are the religious leaders. These are the ones who have studied the law. They should know the answer. But they are blind. They don’t answer His question. So, He does with his next actions.

Then, he heals the man’s hand. He heals on the Sabbath and breaks the rules. In this one miracle, He has answered the question. For Jesus, it’s mercy over rules. It’s people over laws. It is compassion over traditions.

What Jesus implies here through the miracle is made explicit in another Scripture. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Jesus said, you should obey the law, but don’t miss the heart of the law. Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the values undergirding the law. Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the heart of the law. Elsewhere, Jesus summed up the law in the great commandment to love the Lord and your neighbors. The Pharisees missed the heart of God’s law. They got their priorities wrong.

Verse 11 exposes the wicked hearts of these Pharisees.

They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Luke 6:11

Their pride and control are exposed. Their anger reveals that this is not about right and wrong. It’s about control and power. What’s incredibly sad is that in their pride, they miss the Messiah. They miss the healing power of Jesus. They miss salvation.

So, here is the main idea from these two stories. Jesus chose mercy over rules. He put people and lives before laws. He put compassion before traditions.

Notice, I’m not saying instead of rules. Jesus chooses mercy over rules, not instead of rules. It’s a matter of priorities and what is the heart of the law. Jesus was not anti-rules. In fact, one chapter earlier in Luke 5:13-14, we see Jesus valuing and upholding the law. He heals a man with leprosy and orders him to fulfill the law of Moses. So, Jesus wasn’t anti-law. Rather, He opposed how the Pharisees valued rules and traditions over mercy. For Jesus, the clear priority was people.

So, I want to give us three ways to follow Jesus in choosing mercy over rules.

First, confess when you choose rules over mercy. We can be just like the Pharisees. We sometimes get our priorities wrong. We do it out of pride and control. We have a critical spirit that is more judgmental than merciful. We act with the same hypocrisy that points the finger at others while ignoring our own sins.

When you’re arguing with someone and more concerned with being right and winning the argument than listening and caring for the relationship, you’re choosing rules over mercy.

When someone runs late, you get upset before asking what’s caused them to run late, you’ve chosen rules over mercy. You’ve made a judgment before caring.

When you’re harsh with your kids because you are tired and start to see them as an inconvenience, you choose rules over mercy.

When you give your spouse the cold shoulder because they don’t do things the way you like, you’re choosing rules over mercy.

When you fire off a hot text or email without first seeking to understand the context, then you’ve chosen rules over mercy.

When you judge people based on their dress and appearance, you choose rules over mercy.

When you join in posting judgmental comments online, you’ve chosen rules over mercy.

When you see non-Christians as labels based on their sins versus humans to be loved with compassion, you’ve chosen rules over mercy.

When you are more concerned about the law than having compassion for the plight of vulnerable people, you are choosing rules over mercy.

To be clear, Scripture does not say there aren’t rules. There are rules. There is right and wrong. What Scripture is saying is that we shouldn’t put rules over mercy so that we dehumanize people and fail to show them compassion.

If we lead with judgment, it shows that we don’t understand the Gospel of mercy. We don’t get our own need for grace. We are hypocrites like the Pharisees.

Reflect: Where can you see a critical spirit in your life? Are there any ways that you’re being judgmental and choosing rules over mercy?

36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:36-37

We need to confess that hypocrisy, pride, and judgmental spirit. We must come to grips with our sinfulness and need for mercy.

Second, choose mercy over rules in your relationships. Treat others with more compassion in your words and actions. Find ways to be kind and serve others.

Give grace when people fail you. Show them patience and kindness.

Stop trying to win arguments and seek to understand. Listen first.

Write an encouraging text message to the person that bothers you.

Parents, don’t be harsh with your kids, but be long-suffering and gentle.

Husbands, serve your wives and help them out.

Wives, serve your husbands and help them out.

With nonbelievers, lead with love and mercy. Listen to their story without judgment before trying to share the truth. This is what Jesus modeled for us. He moved towards sinners with mercy. He ate meals with them. He led with love. He did share the truth of the Gospel and called for repentance, but it was from a place of mercy and love.

How does God want you to be merciful in your relationships this week? How might you choose mercy over rules with your family, friends, and outsiders?

Lastly, embrace mercy over rules with God.

This might be the most important one. Because if we have a rules-based relationship with God, then we are more likely to live out a rules-based relationship with others.

Rules over mercy with God is performance religion. We think we are good people. We think we can control God by our behavior. If we go to church, don’t steal, read our Bible, and pray a bit, then God will bless us. That’s called performance religion. It’s rules over mercy.

The Pharisees missed out on a relationship with Jesus because they were too prideful to embrace His mercy. They thought they were righteous by keeping the rules, but they were lost. Let’s not make that mistake. Let’s come to Jesus like the man with the withered hand, in humility, seeking healing and receiving His mercy.

God offers us mercy over rules for our salvation. Where we fail in our sins, Jesus covers us with His mercy. Where we fail at keeping the rules, Jesus gives us grace. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

Will you embrace mercy over rules in your relationship with God?

Also, for those of us who have been following Jesus for some time, don’t revert to a rules-based religion. Sometimes, I still forget that my relationship with God is not, first and foremost, about keeping rules. When we start doing our spiritual disciplines to earn God’s favor rather than to be with God, we miss the point. Don’t revert to performance religion when God offers us so much more. He offers Himself and His love and mercy.