- The Sabbath is a Person to Love - Matthew 11:28-30; 12:8
Matthew 11:28-30 is Jesus’ great invitation to come and rest. Then immediately in chapter 12 comes a showdown between Jesus and the Pharisees. They tried six times to place their rabbinical yoke on Jesus and His disciples. But Jesus declared “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (12:8) Trying to tell the Lord of the Sabbath how to observe it is laughable.
The Sabbath is not just a day to observe legalistically, it is a person to love.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
And part of this is on the Sabbath Day was a “day of sacred assembly.” (Lev. 23:3) Most all the festivals were conducted on Sabbaths with sacred assemblies where the people came together to celebrate God and their faith.
Don’t you think a part of those assemblies were what Deut. 5 said, “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm...” This story of God’s redemption is the most told story of the Bible because they would tell it and remember the God who loved them.
Sabbath is about honoring the Lord through worship and obedience. We turn our eyes and focus from being a “Hockey Mom” - President of the corporation - the athlete - the student - the teacher - we turn to the Lord. We are reminded “We are not superman - God is.” There is one who holds all things together by the power of His Word - and it is not us.
The weight of the world is not on your shoulders. The provision of your family is not on your shoulders.
Disconnect from the world (turn off the tv, don’t live that day from Facebook post to FB post, come off the computer, turn your cell phone off).
The word noise comes nausea - the Latin word for sickness.
Tune out the world and tune in to God’s voice.
God didn’t just stop from His creating, He stopped and enjoyed what He had done. We need to stop and enjoy God - what He has done, who He is. And His greatest work is not creation, but the cross.
Sabbath is not just a day off, its a day up. Look up. Listen up. Build up. Make sure what you do replenishes, refreshes, renews you.
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