The Lord Of The Sabbath

INTRODUCTION

Americans are some of the most distracted and hurried people in all of the world.

We have awesome technologies that’ve given us opportunities and conveniences that are unlike any generation in Human History.

However these tools and technologies have left us with increasing levels of anxiety, depression and hopelessness.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter how many tools and conveniences you put in a person’s hand - at the end of the day - they’re still HUMAN.

As human beings, we bump up against certain limits. That’s the frustrating thing about being mortal. You’re mortal.

Sure some people may have a greater bandwidth than another person but we all have a limit and when we consistently push past that limit then we break.

Why Are We Breaking?

By “break” I mean “break.” We have more “broken people” walking around today than ever before.

This generation has greater levels of safety than any that came before. But we’re more tired, more anxious and more mentally/physically unwell. Why is that?

There’s something about modern life that is not conducive to human flourishing.

Not very many people talk about this but all of the markers are going in the wrong direction. We’re not doing well! If something doesn’t change, the whole thing is going to break.

I heard somebody the other day use the illustration of a boat. You know how boats get to going fast on the water and they start hitting the waves harder and harder. Well if you don’t stop you eventually come down so hard you boat flips over and gets wrecked.

SPEED CAN BE AN ENEMY TO DEPTH. And the speed of modern life robs it of any depth or significance.

Everybody goes 1,000 MPH never stopping, always busy. While simultaneously our lives are drying up, becoming shallow and void of any real meaning. We never stop to plumb the depths of God’s truth, goodness, beauty and love.

Is there any way to put this chaos into order? Is there an answer to this question? Thankfully we do have an answer to this question in the book of Genesis.

Read The Text

We’ve been working through the book of Genesis because in it are answers to life’s most foundational questions.

If you’ve got a question about a product, you look to the owner’s manual. Got a question about creation, look to the first chapters of Genesis.

Today’s text gives shows us how God established a “rhythm” for creation by resting on the seventh day.

We’re going to pick it up in verse 31 in the first chapter of Genesis.

Genesis 1:31–2:3 (ESV)

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Usually when we cover a passage on Sunday morning we get to the main idea of the text and make application.

This morning, however, the main idea of the text is actually a central theme of the entire Bible.

So after we get a basic understanding of what God is saying here in Genesis, I want to show you how this concept works itself out in the rest of Scripture.

It’s important because we can’t make proper application of this passage until we situate in the larger framework of the Christian Gospel.

The Sabbath Gift

So let’s start by unpacking these verses in Genesis. If you just read the passage at face value you see many things that stand out as unique.

There are at least three things unique to this seventh day that are not present in the other six days of creation.

This is the only day that is “made holy” or “set apart” by the Lord. It’s also the only day that God “blesses.” On day three (1:22) blesses animals, on day 6 (1:28) God blesses man but on day 7 (2:3) He blesses the DAY.

This is the only day wherein the number of the day is mentioned more than once. It’s actually used THREE different times. Check it out.

Gen 1:5 “... And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

Gen 1:8 “...And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.”

Gen 1:13 “...And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.”

Gen 1:19 “And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.”

Gen 1:23 “And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.”

Gen 1:31 “...And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Gen 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

This is the only day that doesn’t include the phrase “and there was evening and there was morning.”

From these three insights alone we can infer that THIS DAY - the seventh day of creation - is very special and “set apart” by the Lord. It is UNLIKE the other.

Important Verbs

What does God do on this seventh day? Nothing. He “rested.”

It’s the Hebrew Word “shabat” (יִּשְׁבֹּת֙) that means to “cease” or “stop.”

This is also the Hebrew word from which we get the English word “Sabbath.”

If you grew up going to church or you’ve ever read the Bible then you know the idea of the Sabbath is a BIG DEAL in Judaism and even still today in the practice of many Christians (and cults/sects.)

There are a handful of important verbs in this text that will help us situate this seventh day of the creation week with the other six days.

The first is the verb “God completed” or “finished.” (v 1-2)

The second is the verb “God blessed” (v 3)

The third is the verb “God declared it holy” (v 3)

The fourth is the verb “God rested.” (vv 2-3)

Each of these verbs tell us something important about the Sabbath.

These meanings get extrapolated throughout the rest of Scripture as it develops the idea of Sabbath in Old and New Testaments.

The sabbath is a (1) destination, (2) a boundary, (3) a gift , (4) and a sign.

Destination (God completed…)

The verb “completed” or “finished” (Heb Kul.lu - יְכֻלּ֛וּ) shows us that the Sabbath is God’s ultimate destination for creation.

The whole purpose of God creating the heavens and earth and animals and man was for a purpose. That purpose is revealed in the Sabbath.

On the seventh day mankind is seen glorifying God while enjoying His creation and abiding in His presence.

There’s no “evening or morning” on the seventh day because that state was supposed to “last forever.” That was paradise. That was the ultimate. Our final destination.

A Gift (God blessed...)

The verb “blessed” (Heb Ba.rek - יְבָ֤רֶךְ) shows us that the Sabbath is a gift.

God is “giving” us something in the Sabbath that we need for human flourishing.

Just like he “blessed” the animals on the third day and they were able to “be fruitful and multiply” or mankind on the sixth day so they could “be fruitful and multiply” so through the Sabbath God gives “life and productivity..”

A Sign (God sanctified...)

The verb “declared holy” (Heb qad.des - יְקַדֵּ֖שׁ) shows us that the Sabbath is set apart or sanctified.

If “blessed” is a word of giving then “holy” is a word of taking. It means to take out and “set aside” for special use.

It’s unique and unlike the other days. It shouldn’t be treated as something “common” like the other six days of the week.

A Boundary (God rested...)

Finally the word “rest” (Heb sa.bat -שָׁבַת֙) shows us that the Sabbath is boundary.

It’s a line in the sand that says “time for you to stop.”

It’s the light on your dash board that says, “better change the oil.”

It’s the necessary “margin” one beat and the next to create structure and rhythm.

The necessary “boundary line” to give art beauty and form.

So in the Sabbath God is both “giving and taking.” He provides both a “destination and a boundary.”

The seventh day was to provide the ongoing context in which God’s people were to operate.

Harmony with God, each other and the created realm. Joy and fulfillment in our work. A destination for us to enjoy and a rhythm for us to maintain.

A Tragic Fall

But we all know that state didn’t last very long. Genesis 2 is followed by Genesis 3. And what happens in Genesis 3? Mankind loses the gift of the sabbath rest.

God’s sabbath gift in creation was lost in the Fall.

You could actually breakdown the story line of the Bible as Rest Given, Rest lost, Rest Promised and Rest Restored.

What happens in Genesis 3? Adam and Eve go off and do the ONE THING God tells them not to do. They eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good & evil.

God had warned “the day you eat of that forbidden fruit, you will surely die.” (Gen 2:16-17)

But instead of listening to God’s truth they listen to the Serpent’s lie. They eat of tree, are made aware of their nakedness, and run and hide from the Lord.

As a result of their sin they suffer the consequences God had warned them about: physical and spiritual death.

Instead of eternal communion with God they suffer separation from him. Instead of living forever, they die. The become fertilizer and compost for the earth they were supposed to cultivate.

The Sabbath Reversed

Everything that they had been given in the Sabbath get’s lost in the fall.

The gift of rest is replaced with TOIL and SWEAT. (Gen 3:19)

The gift of Eden (destination of Sabbath) is replaced with the land “east of Eden.” They cast out of the garden and cut off from the tree of life. (Gen 3:24)

The holiness they enjoyed in the garden was profaned by their sin and exchanged with guilt and shame. So God made clothes to cover their nakedness.” (Gen 3:7, 21)

The “blessing” of God was corrupted by the stain of sin. The sabbath was still theirs to enjoy but it would never be the same.

Adam and Eve were called to “guard the garden” and now God is having to “guard the garden” from them.

Exiled from God’s presence. East of Eden. Death, shame, anxiety, depression, lack of rest.

But God doesn’t give up on man. Instead, he promises rest.

The Sabbath Search

We end Genesis with the realization that the rest for which we were made has been lost because of sin and unbelief.

So we’re left with the question: “When will rest be restored?”

The answer is given as we watch God call Abraham and create a special people for himself. Children of the covenant.

This people, Israel, are called out of slavery to Pharoah in Egypt and wander in the wilderness making their way to the “Promised Land.”

In all of this, the Old Testament records God’s promise of rest and man’s search for that promise.

God’s Wilderness Provision

We see an example of this in Exodus 16.

God teaches Israel about their need and his provision through a rhythm of Sabbath in their wilderness wanderings.

The Israelites went out every morning to collect “Manna” for the day, but on Saturday they were to get “TWO DAYS” worth of Mana because the seventh day was a Sabbath, a day of rest. (Exodus 16:22-24)

In this God was teaching his people “if you’ll trust me, I’ll take care of you.” If you’ll embrace your dependence you’ll experience my provision. If not, you won’t and will suffer the consequences.

In the wilderness Sabbath reminded God’s people that He is FAITHFUL to provide.

God’s Covenant Sign

A little later in Exodus God speaks with Moses about the Sabbath and calls it a “sign of the covenant.”

Exodus 31:13 (ESV)

13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.

So we see that word sanctification or “make holy” show up again.

In Deuteronomy, the 10 commandments are listed, and it it’s description of the Sabbath it links it directly with God’s redeeming them from slavery.

Deuteronomy 5:15 (ESV)

15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

So in the Decalogue the Sabbath is a sign of God’s Covenant.

Notice what God is doing. The Sabbath is a gift and a sign. It’s a gift a provision and a sign of his promise.

It’s not just a gift to establish a healthy rhythm in creation. It’s also a sign of my redeeming love for my people.

It’s a reminder of your dependance and my provision. A sign of your slavery to sin and the power of my love to free you from that bondage. It’s a gift and it’s a sign.

It’s a sign that your salvation is by grace and through faith. You don’t earn your rest, I give it to you as a gift.

Over and over again these Sabbath themes are revealed throughout the rest of the OT.

Through the times of the Judges, the Kings, the Major and Minor prophets - Israel was promised a rest that they could never maintain.

The Sabbath Revealed

Eventually, God’s gift of the sabbath got transformed into a burden.

Extra rules, regulations, laws and traditions got attached the sabbath and distracted from God’s original intent.

Until Jesus showed up and changed the discussion completely. We don’t have time to go into detail but here’s the main point.

Jesus restores through his ministry God’s original design for the sabbath.

Jesus was always getting in trouble with the religious establishment of his day and often this trouble would take place on a Sabbath.

“Son of Man Is Lord of the Sabbath”

For example in Mark 2 Jesus and his disciples are walking through a wheat field on a sabbath and they use their hands to thresh grain.

Well the Pharisees get mad because they see it as a technical violation of the rule to not harvest on the Sabbath.

Jesus rebukes them for taking God’s Word and adding a bunch of silly rules and regulations.

But then he ADDS to that, “the Son of Man is LORD even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28)

When Jesus used the title “Son of Man” it was somewhat of a double entendre.

It could be “son of man” like human being in general.

It could also be “son of man” as in Messianic title of Dan 7:13.

The latter was claiming something HUGE that would’ve been upsetting to the religious establishment.

“My Father & I Are Working”

He does the same thing, on the sabbath, one chapter later when he heals a man with a withered hand.

They say “Don’t be healing a hand on the sabbath.”

And Jesus says, “If not the sabbath then when?”

Jesus then heals the man on the sabbath and they get mad, walk off, and figure out how to destroy him. (Mark 3:6)

John’s Gospel chapter 5 Jesus sees a lame man laying next to the pool of Bethesda. It’s a sabbath.

He heals the man and tells him to pick up his mat and walk (a violation of the Sabbath).

When the religious leaders find out it was Jesus they level up their persecution and accusations against Jesus. (John 5:16)

Jesus’s response? John 5:17 “But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

WOAH! Jesus is making a HUGE statement here. So huge, in fact, that it energizes the religious leaders to find a way to kill him.

John 5:18 (ESV)

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus is claiming to be God and the Lord of the Sabbath and it is ultimately what God him arrested and killed.

Jesus’ relationship to the sabbath showed he was LORD over it and ONE with the God who originally gave it. And through His ministry utterly changes our relationship to it.

Redefining Passover

This climaxes in the Gospels with what we’re celebrating today in the Lord’s Supper. Then, it was the passover meal celebrated around the Day of Atonement.

On the day of atonement there would be a sacrifice of a goat to bear the penalty of Israel’s sin.

And during the passover meal a lamb was sacrificed to harken back to God’s deliverance of Israel to slavery in Egypt and that the blood of the passover Lamb covered God’s people so that they were protected from his wrath and the angel of death.

Well when Jesus begins to have his passover meal with his disciples he hosts a passover meal but he radically transforms it around himself.

The cup of wine symbolized the blood of the innocent that was shed to protect God’s people from his wrath for their sins.

Jesus holds up that cup and says, “this cup is MY BLOOD which is shed for you.” I’m the spotless, sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The bread of the passover meal was to symbolize the suffering of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness and God’s faithful provision of manna to meet their daily need.

Jesus holds up the bread and says this broken bread is my BODY which is BROKEN FOR YOU! I’m going to suffer in the wilderness of God’s wrath as I make atonement for the sin of the world. I’m laying down MY LIFE so YOU can live through me.

Ultimate Sabbath Uniquely In Jesus

So on the ultimate sabbath day of all sabbath days Jesus takes the passover meal and utterly redefines it!

Passover was a reenactment of God’s sabbath deliverance and Jesus takes that history and that search for rest and says - ALL of those promises, ALL of that REST, all of that DELIVERANCE, it’s located in ME!

Sabbath was meant to show you

“I”m week and only God can give me strength.”

“I’m enslaved and only God can set me free.”

“I’m guilty and someone else must pay my debt.”

“I’m unworthy and need someone innocent to take my place.”

And Jesus is saying in this passover meal we call the Lord’s Supper - yeah that ME.

I’m the Lord of the Sabbath. In this passover meal before his death Jesus reveals that God’s ULTIMATE Sabbath is found UNIQUELY in HIM.

The rest you desperately need you’ll only ever find in me.

This is why he told the weary masses, “Come to me if you’re weary and heavy laden and “‘I will give you rest.’ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mat 11:28-29)

It’s not because the burden isn’t crushing. It’s because in his Yoke HE bears the burden so we don’t have to.

Sabbath Restored

And that’s exactly what Jesus does through his death on the cross.

Jesus is arrested, tortured, beaten within an inch of his life. And as he hangs there on the cross he bears the penalty for our rebellion so we might receive forgiveness from our heavenly Father.

He bears our sins and he gifts us his righteousness.

And on the Sabbath day Jesus is buried in a tomb. And the disciples sat and waited as Jesus and the Father began working.

Then finally on the third day Jesus ROSE from the grave proving his atoning death on the cross completed all of God’s demands.

Through his death God was both just and justifier of those who believe in Jesus.

Shadow and Substance

Paul takes all of this rich theology and then applies it to the Sabbath. The best example is in Colossians 2.

Colossians 2:13–17 (ESV)

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Do you see it? Paul is saying all of that stuff about Sabbath in Genesis 2 and Exodus and Deuteronomy and the rest of the OT - it was all shadow.

Everything in the OT related to sabbath is ultimately a SHADOW of the SUBSTANCE found in Christ.

It was all a type and a sign to point you to something else. To get you ready for someone else. And that someone else is JESUS!

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and it is only IN JESUS that we receive what God designed the Sabbath to do.

In Christ is our completion. In Christ in our diving blessing. In Christ is our Sanctification. And in Christ is our REST.

So What Do We Do?

So the question for us today is “should we still keep the Sabbath?”

I’m not sure how you can read Colossians 2 and think that the RULE of the sabbath still applies for God’s people today.

Jesus Christ has fulfilled the demands of the Law and so those who insist that the sabbath is still binding on Christians today doesn’t make much sense to me.

(there are those who say the Sabbath is a creation ordinance, before the Law, but I don’t see any “command” to practice Sabbath in Gen 2 and the commands in Exodus are in preparation of what Christ completes in his death & resurrection.)

The RULE of the Sabbath as a sign of the COVENANT is over. Rest in Christ instead. In HIM is everything that God designed the Sabbath to give.

Through him we will one day be restored to that destination of Paradise where we enjoy and commune with God forever and ever.

But just because the rule is no longer binding doesn’t mean the rhythm is no longer wise.

The Wisdom of Christ Rhythms

The rhythm of Sabbath can be a great gift in Christ Jesus.

In fact, practicing Sabbath as a healthy rhythm of discipleship can increase your affection to Jesus and joy in goodness of God.

There’s something glorious and good about creating rest between our work. And we violate that rhythm at our own expense.

There is great wisdom to structuring your life so that you’re working from a place of rest instead of resting after the exhaustion of work.

That’s why we worship on Sunday. I don’t buy the argument that Sundays have become the Christian sabbath. Jewish believers in the early church might’ve still practiced the sabbath on Saturday but they got together with everybody on Sunday and threw a big party called Sunday worship because that is the day that God rose Jesus from the dead!

In a way, Jesus’ resurrection is the EIGHTH day of the week because through it God is making all things new.

Well we can receive on Sundays some of what God originally hoped to give us through the Sabbath.

His word can sanctify us. Our setting aside Sunday as something special can offer rest and renewal in our spirits/bodies. Spending time in God’s presence unleashes his blessing and provision in our life.

But we can never separate the wisdom of the rhythm from the source of it’s power. Only in Christ will our true rest be found.

I’d encourage you to embrace at least one day of your week for God to renew you in the Lord Jesus. Make it a day all about him and about God’s refreshment in your soul.