Sermon
Mark 2:23 – 3:6
Keeping the Sabbath
Everyone was still wondering about Jesus. He had just begun his ministry. He had been going around preaching that the Kingdom of God was at hand. He had cast out demons, healed the sick, cleansed lepers. At one point he even appeared to claim to have the power to forgive sins then he healed a man to prove his power.
People were trying to figure Jesus out so they kept a close eye on him. They asked him questions and they watched what his disciples were doing hoping to understand the ultimate end of all his teaching and miracle working. Then one Sabbath as Jesus and his disciples were walking to the synagogue, the disciples were seen breaking grain off the stalks as they walk through a field and eating them. Of course as travelers the laws of Moses gave them that right, but on the Sabbath! Was Jesus teaching his disciples not to keep the Sabbath Holy!
Some of the Pharisees confronted Jesus about this hoping to put a wedge between him and the people who followed him. But Jesus made it clear that God saw the necessity of satisfying human hunger even on the Sabbath. He even pointed out that David had acted on that basis when he as a refugee and those fleeing with him ate sacred bread. Then Jesus said, “God created the Sabbath for people not people for the Sabbath.” In other words God considered keeping people more important than keeping the Sabbath.
With these thought and words still in the people’s minds Jesus entered the Synagogue. There was a man there with a withered hand and the Pharisees wanted to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath. When Jesus saw what was happening he called the man forward and asked the Pharisees “Is it lawful to do good or bad on the Sabbath.” Of course it is always lawful to do good and not to do bad but they were silent because their hearts were hard. So Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand and he did and was healed. The people probably thought, “The Pharisees couldn’t heal the man but Jesus could! Maybe Jesus knows what he is talking about and the Pharisees are the ones in the dark.”
It seems silly to us that so much was made of the Sabbath by the Pharisees, but consider it from their point of view. God had declared that the Sabbath was holy and should be kept holy. It would be proper for them to be concerned that some new teaching might compromise that belief in the people. So they were concerned when the disciples appeared to be breaking the Sabbath. Which raises and issue for us. How do we keep the Sabbath? Well, as Christians we keep the Lord’s Day not the literal Sabbath. “Sabbath” means seventh and the seventh day of the week is Saturday. We Christians worship on Sunday because that is the day of the week that Jesus rose form the dead.
But what does it mean to keep the Sabbath holy. In the Bible the word “holy” means set apart. Holy things are set aside for divine purposes. The temple was holy because God set is apart for sacrifice and worship. Israel was holy because God set them aside for a divine purpose. So the Sabbath, whether on Saturday or Sunday, is holy because it is a day set aside for divine purpose. So even though we Christians should worship everyday and the church holds service at other times our main worship service as a congregation is held on Sundays. But how do we keep this day holy – set aside for divine purpose?
Jesus’ words help us understand the true meaning of the Sabbath for Christians. Jesus said that God created the Sabbath for humanity not humanity for the Sabbath. God did not declare that we keep one day out of seven holy just to lay an extra burden on us. God knows that we need that time. We need to be able to stop and focus on our real purpose for living. In our day to day lives we tend to love sight of that so we need to be reminded every week.
God knows that people need to eat so he provided food. God knows that people need clothes so he provided fibers from which clothing can be made. God knows that people need shelter so God provided materials and knowledge for making shelters. God also knows that we need spiritual rest and nourishment so God established that one day in seven should be set aside.
The problem is most people know Jesus said that the Sabbath was created for humanity so they decide they can do with it as they please. They decide that since God gave it to them they can use it as they see best. But Jesus didn’t say that we are lords of the Sabbath. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” “Son of Man” is a title for the Messiah. Jesus is saying that He is Lord of the Sabbath. Then he proved he was Lord of the Sabbath. He used the Sabbath to help a man with a withered hand by miraculously healing him and also thus proving his authority over the Sabbath.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. So does that mean it is wrong to work on Sunday? We can all agree that Doctors and nurses and Pharmacists and emergency workers need to be on the job on the Sabbath. People who work in nursing homes or who operate other essentials need to be on the job. But what about restaurants and grocery stores? Is it a sin to mow your yard on Sunday? Someone once asked if it was proper to go fishing on Sunday given that you have gone to church first. Someone else responded, “No, as long as you don’t catch anything. If you catch something you have to clean it and that is work.” And what about blue laws? Should Christians work on Sundays?
Well, is it lawful to pluck grain on the Sabbath or to do good or bad? The real issue is, “Is Jesus Lord of your Sabbath?” I think Christians should avoid working on the Sunday if at all possible. I place the burden not on the people who work in a factory on the Sabbath. I place the burden on those who make them work on the Sabbath. I think Christian business owners should be willing to close on the Sabbath so that their workers don’t have to come to work instead of going to church. If a Christian works on Sunday morning they should find alternatives to Sunday morning worship. Many churches have services at other times during the week. People who work on Sundays can also hold services in their work place during a break. There are many options!
What is important is that time is set aside as holy – for divine purpose. Under special circumstances I believe that God set aside times other than Sundays for people. Christians need to take those times for worship and spiritual renewal.
But all this talk of working on Sunday is skirting the real issue: “Is Jesus Lord of your Sabbath?” What do you do on Sunday? (Let congregation answer the question.) You all have come to church this Sunday. That is good. One would consider that a good thing to do to keep the Sabbath holy. But why did you come to church? Was it to worship God and become a better disciple throughout the week? Or did you come to see friends or be seen? Did you come to relax in beautiful surroundings, to hear some pretty music, and maybe an eloquent message? You remember that the Pharisees were in the Synagogue on the Sabbath just as Jesus was. But they came to accuse the Son of God. Jesus, on the other hand, came to serve God by healing a man. Do you come to church for Jesus or for yourself?
Some of us get together with family for Sunday Dinner. That can be good. In an age when the extended family is being pulled further apart it is good and a Godly thing to try to hold those relationships together. But is the purpose of that Family time to glorify God or to serve self? And does that family time prevent you from going to church or participating in congregational activities?
Is Jesus Lord of your Sabbath? Do you wake up on Sunday with the goal of focusing on him and being refreshed and nourished by his presence? Or do you see Sunday as another Saturday with an hour at church – sometimes. If you are not sure whether Jesus is Lord of your Sabbath then there is a larger issue at hand. If Jesus is not Lord of your Sundays, then who is Lord of the rest of your life?
Copyright 2008 Alex Stevenson. Used by permission.