Restful Religion

Are you Tired? You’re not alone.

A little boy watched his dad yawn in the front seat of the car as he dropped the boy off at school one day.

It was one of those “whole body” yawns— one that makes your whole body stretch and your eyes water.

“Wow— I’m really tired today buddy”. Have a good day at school.

“You’re always tired dad”—and feeling maybe like he was a bit judgmental of his dad— he followed that with “I think it’s a grown-up thing.”

It seems like we’re tired— all the time. I saw this funny statement on Instagram recently:

“I’m still tired from yesterday, Today isn’t looking good, and I’ve already used up tomorrows tired as well”.

Owen did such a great job last week highlighting that Jesus calls us to himself— and his yoke is supposed to be easy, and his burden light— we are to find rest for our souls in Jesus— but why are we so TIRED. We are seemingly carrying such a heavy load— all the time.

Physically tired, mentally tired, emotionally tired.

Why is it like this? Well there are many possible reasons— but one is because we don’t understand rest. We don’t understand God’s plan for rest— or this concept the bible calls “Sabbath”. The word literally means “a day of rest” or “a day of stopping work”. It’s rooted in the creation story— and within the commandments given to Moses back in the book of Exodus:

Sabbath is a concept created by God.

Genesis 2:2–3 NIV

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Exodus 20:8–11 NIV

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

We will be reading in Matthew chapter 12. It’s a very unique passage in that Matthew begins to describe the opposition that Jesus is facing from the religious elite. And it begins surrounding a very important issue called “sabbath”. If you read all the text from this point forward in Matthew— you’ll see that there is quite of bit of disagreement between the Pharisee’s and Jesus on this very issue— it is a complex topic— and there were several differing understanding and explanations on the issue— there still is today!

It seems like a pretty simple command back in Exodus— but it is very difficult to define work, and even to define rest! That’s at the heart of the issue.

The Jewish rabbi’s and teachers through the history had created and added “Laws and qualifiers” to this command— there were a total of 39 very specific things that you could not do on the sabbath day— and people for generations spent all kinds of energy trying to either get compliant, or get everyone around them compliant, or they were trying to get AROUND the law, because it was something they just didn’t want to do.

Originally— this law was so unique because the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt. They were forced to work all the time! And God gave them this command — this gift--to help them understand his rhythm for their life— but also to set them apart. All the other nations would even mock them for stopping all their work every seventh day.

Matthew–Mark VI. Crowing Opposition to Jesus (12:1–50)

The Pharisees began to make plans to destroy Jesus as they felt that their system and its values were being threatened. Two radically different approaches to religion are seen here. Jesus’ interest was always strictly personal. No law, no religious practice, nothing mattered except as it related to God and to man. The Pharisees, on the contrary, made sabbath, purification rites, and the like ends in themselves.

These religious leaders basically reject Jesus’ offer to rest— and they are mistakenly creating a system that is downright exhausting.

Jesus teaches about coming to him for rest— and they we read that these Pharisee’s immediately challenge him.

“Come to me...” “Nope— we don’t agree— and we don’t particularly like the way you are doing rest either!”

Matthew 12:1–2 NIV

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees question Jesus about picking grain on the sabbath day. (v.2)

It’s quite notable here that no one seems to even think of the fact that these guys are apparently hungry! They don’t even seem to try to think of it from that angle.It wasn’t in their minds that these guys are hungry, let’s get them something to eat.

It’s also something that these Pharisee’s don’t get upset that these men are taking someone else’s Wheat— only that they are doing it on the Sabbath!

This is the ridiculous exhaustion of a restless religion. That’s it right there. Do you see it?

It’s often paired with self-righteousness and self-sufficiency. I’m right, you’re wrong, and I can do this on my own, and you need to do it the right way. Humph.

These teachers of the law have gotten caught up in comparing themselves and judging the actions of someone else— instead of understanding the life giving grace that Jesus is consistently preaching and teaching about.

I hope how Jesus corrects these men can give us some inspiration and wisdom regarding the ways we too might be like the pharisee’s here. Let’s look and see how Jesus responds.

Jesus responds with two historical examples. (v.3-5)

Matthew 12:3 NIV

3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Matthew 12:4 NIV

4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.

Matthew 12:5 NIV

5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

Matthew 12:6 NIV

6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

This was a very common technique that Rabbi’s used in Jesus’ day— He takes a matter that is being judged on a light matter— and he applies that same logic or conclusion to something much weightier. “If you are correct here— (judging my guys here in this field) Then apply your judgement to David and the Priests? He cuts right through all the traditions, or the “way we’ve always understood this”— and he takes them right back to the scriptures themselves.

King David is on a special mission. (I Sam 21:6)

It’s 1 Samuel 21:6

1 Samuel 21:3 NIV

3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”

1 Samuel 21:4 NIV

4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from women.”

1 Samuel 21:6 NIV

6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

David is on a secret mission from the King himself. He basically says— this is a holy mission, and we must eat to sustain the mission, so they eat the bread that was there.

Jesus’ comment in v. 6 is particularly cutting to the Pharisee’s— “Something much greater is happening here--” Deeper translation says “plan” instead of “person”. Jesus, while able to call himself greater than the temple— probably doesn’t say it that way. The work these men are doing— spreading the good news that the Kingdom of God has arrived— is that “work” greater than the temple.

A second example is given also— that the priests would have technical “work” to do on the sabbath to serve God in their temple duties— that’s work? Kind of like me and Matt and Owen, or any of you doing “work” today on our “sabbath” day— here… We are doing what God has called us to do, so we are not breaking the law!

Jewish priests would perform work on the sabbath.

The apparent GOOD of what these people (David and his men, and the priests in the temple)— outweighs the letter of the law

Matthew 12:7 NIV

7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Matthew 12:8 NIV

8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

He takes them back to the prophet Hosea-

Hosea 6:6 NIV

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

The tone of that section of Hosea is God rebuking his people because they missed the whole point of worshiping him and honoring him with the sacrifices!

He is basically telling them that they are missing the whole point— and regardless of how much they may want to debate about the minutia of Sabbath--- the Son of Man is the Lord of the whole thing anyway!

In essence— he is pointing out that they have taken something that was to be a commandment to bring LIFE and REST and RHYTHM to their lives— and they have made it into something that is cold- stiff— and unrelenting. AND THAT IS WHAT IS DRAINING THEM and those they are charged to lead, OF LIFE!

But Jesus doesn’t stop there— he takes it public. He goes away from them— but he heads straight to the Temple itself—on the Sabbath— and a tremendous interaction happens:

The Pharisees question Jesus about healing. (v. 10)

Matthew 12:9 NIV

9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,

Matthew 12:10 NIV

10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

They are continuing to try to set Jesus up. They think that it’s a trap.

It’s one of those question that you better be really careful asking— they think they know that answer either way:

-If Jesus says “yes” it would be unlawful— then the Pharisee’s believe they have won the argument- They are right.

-If Jesus says “no”, then they also think they have exposed him for the lawless rebel that they think he is. But as usual, there is a third option—Jesus asks them a question-- and they don’t even see that coming!

Matthew 12:11 NIV

11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?

Once again, he is using the same type of debating technique, just in reverse this time— he takes their question, something quite heavy, and reduces the same concept down to something much lighter— Leads them to a more simple conclusion, then raises the circumstances back to the big heavy level again--

Jesus concludes that it is lawful to do good on the sabbath. (v. 12)

Matthew 12:12 NIV

12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

They all knew the answer. He basically exposes them in front of their own home crowd— in the synagogue. They are at church! Which one of them wouldn’t rescue their own sheep if it was in danger, even on the sabbath? And also, do you think that people are more valuable than sheep? “I’ll wait… which one of you wants to refute what I’m laying out for you?” Which one of you wouldn’t rescue your sheep on the sabbath, letting it die, because of the law? Ok, now if you’ll indeed rescue the sheep— which one of you is willing to say that the sheep you just rescued is actually MORE valuable than a human that needs healing— on the sabbath? He brilliantly paints them into a corner, in front of the people they are supposed to be caring for— including this man with a physical challenge— the loss of the use of his hand.

It’s all still hypothetical.

But then it gets really personal:

Jesus proves his authority by healing a man on the sabbath day. (v. 13)

Matthew 12:13 NIV

13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

Matthew 12:14 NIV

14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

The irony here in Matthew’s account is tragic. They are self-righteously and probably condescendingly asking Jesus if it’s legal to heal someone on the Sabbath day— and in the back of their hearts they are plotting to KILL A PERSON, ON THE SABBATH!!!! Look at the ridiculous state of man here! They are plotting an assassination of Jesus of Nazareth— because he healed someone, and ate grain from a field.

Their eyes are so blinded by the religion of self, and their own interpretation of God’s law, that they are completely missing the spirit and REST that Jesus has offered. All on the Sabbath day— The wonderful command of God to “Stop striving”— Remember God’s blessings— and to share His faithfulness and rest.

Instead of receiving Sabbath as something that God has given to us— they twist it into something that we are obligated to do FOR God.

The heart of God says--“I WANT MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE. “

Ok— so whats the big takeaway for us here?

First off— some of us are simply saying “Dumb Pharisees”-=- How in the world could they be standing face to face with Jesus, in the synagogue, on the sabbath day— and get it SO wrong? They missed the whole point.

Well— Let me ask you again— where we started: “Are you tired”? Have you tried to get above that tired for a little while to think about it— maybe discern why you’re worn out? Some of you reported after Owen’s message last week— Yes, I need rest- that would be so great. I’m having a hard time just getting back to normal— let alone living a life of rest in Jesus… Why is that so common?

We need rest. Rest is as important to your life as the work.

Training athletes, we would teach them that we weren’t so concerned with the two hours each day or so we had to be with them at practice— it was the OTHER 22 hours of the day that we worried about. Not resting physically is a tragic negative inhibitor to your physical development. Spiritual training is exactly the same way.

Three takeaways to consider:

1. Sabbath is an instruction and an invitation.

God instituted it at creation, he commands it in Exodus, and wants you and I to follow it today. “Get over yourself, and go take a nap”. We live as if we are exempt from this ancient practice. You aren’t going to outsmart God’s plan. He actually knows you better.

Mark 2:27 NIV

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Its supposed to be the Mercy God desires, we have made it a sacrifice to be upheld— God doesn’t want your obligation. Oh, I have to read my bible, Oh, I have to pray, Oh, I have to fast, Oh, I have to go to Sunday School— Oh, I need to...

It’s like birthday cake— but then making up a bunch of rules for birthday cake— it’s CAKE— just enjoy it.

God isn’t giving us a ladder to climb… It’s a gift of His rest.

2. Sabbath should be cyclical.

This world leads you and me to believe that we need to know it all, do it all, and be it all. We need to remember that we are NOT limitless- God is limitless— he’s the Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient one! I’m not.

“None of us likes our limits, like Adam and Eve in the garden we are not content to be like God, we want to be God. The weekly habit of sabbath reminds us that God is God, and we are not”. Justin Whitmel Earley, Author of “The Common Rule”.

3. Sabbath is found in the person of Jesus.

Stop- switch it off.

Rest- respect your limits.

Delight- seek contentment in what we have.

Think- get outside of your own mess.

Give and receive mercy.

How can we do this?

Hebrews 4:9–10 NIV

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

God the Father, on the seventh day, said “It is finished”, and “it is very good”, and he rested.

God the Son, on the hill of Calvary, said “It is finished”, and he rested at the right hand of God.

God the Spirit leads us regularly to say “It is finished”— and we rest in Him, not ourselves.

Jesus let the world break him, so it doesn’t have the right to break us.

Communion is about accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for us, and coming to him for comfort and rest— let’s do that this morning.

Let’s pray.

We come to you, give us rest. We cannot earn your love— cannot lose your love. Help us to get that today.