Challenge One: Challenging his Association with Sinners

Jesus calls Levi the tax collector to follow him as his disciple.

Levi responds with obedience to the call of Jesus.

Jesus dines with the tax collectors and sinners.

The Pharisees question Jesus’ disciples about his association with sinners.

The Response of Jesus

The sick need a physician, I have come to call sinners.

Your Response to Challenge One

True believers in Christ must realize that it is our admission of sin that readies us for salvation

NOT our admission of righteousness.

Challenge Two: Challenging the Spiritual Disciplines of

Jesus John the Baptist’s disciples and the

Pharisees were fasting. People question Jesus and ask why

‘his’ disciples are not fasting.

The Response of Jesus

1. The wedding guests do not fast while the bridegroom is still with them.

2. The day will come when the bridegroom is taken away – that is the time to fast.

3. No one sews new cloth on old garments and no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

Your Response to Challenge Two

You cannot pour the wine of your new life in Christ into the

bottles of your old religious traditions – it won’t work!

Challenge Three: Challenging his Lordship: Sabbath or

Jesus? On the Sabbath the disciples pluck

heads of grain in order to eat. The Pharisees question the Sabbath

unlawfulness of such an act.

The Response of Jesus1. He reminds the Pharisees that

David ate the bread of presence – which was also unlawful.

2. Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for humanity; humanity was not made for the Sabbath.

3. Jesus claims Lordship over the Sabbath, which in effect, claimed Lordship over the Law.

Your Response to Challenge Three

1. We should honor the Sabbath as God has intended.

2. We need to be careful about creating man-made pharisaical laws that actually hinder the message of the Gospel.

Challenge Four: Challenging his Commitment to God: The Law or

Mercy? Jesus enters the synagogue on the

Sabbath.There is a man with a withered hand

in the synagogue. The Pharisees are watching Jesus to

see if he is going to heal the man so they can accuse him.

The Response of Jesus

1. Jesus calls the man to center stage.

2. Jesus asks the Pharisees if it is lawful to do good or harm on the Sabbath?

3. Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand and it was restored.

Your Response to Challenge Four

1. We are to be spiritually compassionate to people by challenging the uncompassionate behavior of society around all around us.

2. We must remember that the letter of the law kills but it is the Spirit of God that gives life.