I am using St. John’s Luke Lent Reading Plan for these devotions.
Luke 6:1-16
On a Sabbath, while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 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, and also gave it to those with him?”5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.”And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Several years ago we learned a beautiful hymn, Meekness and Majesty. I’ve included YouTube link of it below. IN this passage we see both – if in the opposite order – Jesus’ majesty and his meekness.
Jesus’ majesty shows up so very clearly when he says to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”He will not be cornered by the Pharisees as they questioned the Sabbath-breaking of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus doesn’t say, “Are you serious?!? You’re worried about my guys plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath!” I might be inclined to respond in that manner. Jesus, however, says that he is the lord of the Sabbath. I can’t say that. He, alone is Lord of the Sabbath and of all of life. Am I living as though that is true? Most often I do, but I need a Savior who is Lord of all of life.
When Jesus heals the man with the withered hand the Pharisees criticize him again. It’s on the Sabbath after all. And those Pharisees! They hike up their majesty pants. They’re going to make the disciples see what’s really proper and what’s not. They appeal to the law. They can’t prevail by means of their own being or by the truth of what they say.
But Jesus will confound them by means of truth itself. And by action. He calls the man with the withered hand up in front of them all and heals him. Majesty on display. Sadly, however, it serves only to incite the Pharisees even more.
But Jesus is not only God. He is God in the flesh. Note “in the flesh.” Jesus shows his meekness as he withdraws and spends the night in prayer. It’s the night before he will call from his disciples a group of 12 as apostles, the sent ones.
God’s people are glorious beings. We are made in his image. But we’re also broken. Sinful. This calls for meekness. Humility. And if we take Jesus’ example most fully we will show our majesty by a life of humble service to others. Did you catch that? Jesus shows his majesty by defending his disciples and healing the man with the withered hand.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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