Most of us have hearts that drift toward legalism. Legalism comes from a positive desire to take the Lord’s rules seriously. However, problems arise when we make up our own rules, take pride in keeping them, and apply our personal standard to everybody else.

When we do this, we are not finding joy in Jesus anymore; we are trying to perform in an attempt to please the Lord. God’s rules cease to become guardrails that keep us where we’re supposed to be — instead, they turn into goalposts that cause us to believe we are scoring points with Jesus.

In Mark 2:13–3:6, Jesus encourages us to forsake legalism and follow Jesus in joyful freedom.

Follow the Friend of Sinners

In vv. 13–17, Jesus called a tax collector to come follow Him and then ate a meal at his house. In that day and culture, tax collectors were despised. The legalistic scribes wondered why Jesus chose this man, so different and so hated. But Jesus explained that He came to help those who need help. Let’s be willing to go where people are — where people need help — in order to share the Gospel with them.

Feast Joyfully with the Bridegroom

In vv. 18–22, the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast. The Pharisees had added to the Bible’s rules about fasting, communicating that anyone who was truly spiritual would fast twice a week. In Matthew 23:5, Jesus explained that their motivation for making all these rules was to be noticed by people. Do you do your good deeds to be seen by others?

Find Freedom in the Lord of the Sabbath

The Pharisees also made up many specific rules that God had not commanded concerning the Sabbath. In vv. 23–28, Jesus explained to them that the Sabbath was made for our good because we need to rest. He wanted the Pharisees to understand that people were more important than their principles.

Face Foes with Fearless, Compassionate Faith

In vv. 1–6, the Pharisees lacked compassion and became upset because Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. Jesus looked at them with anger and grief because they cared more about their rules and principles than they did about people created in His image.

Application

In our own hearts, sometimes we identify more with the Pharisees and scribes than we do with Jesus and His disciples. We puff ourselves up with a self-righteous heart that puts others down, rather than just loving Jesus and finding joy in Him.

Jesus wants us to celebrate the freedom we have in Him, without going into sinfulness — keeping in mind that His rules are good guardrails that help us flourish. The problems are the rules that we make in our own hearts. Let’s cultivate a culture of friendship toward everyone, joy and freedom in Christ, and compassion for others. Through Christ, we are free from the legalistic rules we create!