The Lord of the Sabbath | The Book of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom | Matthew 12:1-8 | Pastor J. M. Lee

The Book of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  36:43
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Good morning, and welcome to Mission Church! My name is John, and I have the privilege of serving as the lead pastor here. I’m so glad you’ve joined us on this first Sunday of 2025!
As many of you know, during Advent, we took a pause from our regular sermon series to dive into Isaiah’s Servant Songs. But today, I’m excited to say we’re jumping back into our sermon series through the Gospel of Matthew—a series I’ve titled The King and His Kingdom. Go ahead and grab your Bible and turn to Matthew 12. And as you’re doing that — let me take a moment to set the stage for where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
The Gospel of Matthew is an incredible—carefully crafted account of the life and ministry of Jesus. From the very first chapter, — Matthew’s purpose is clear—he wants us to see that Jesus is the long-awaited King, the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
But Matthew doesn’t stop at simply declaring Jesus as King. He takes us on a journey to show us how Jesus brought His kingdom to earth. How amazing is it that we get front-row seat to Jesus’ powerful teachings, His miracles, and ultimately His sacrifice and victory over death!!! And through it all — Matthew invites us to consider what it means to live as citizens of God’s kingdom — a kingdom that is unlike any other.
And here’s what’s so incredible — Matthew wasn’t just writing for the people of his day. No! His words speak just as powerfully to us today. Matthew shows us how every promise of God finds its fulfillment in Jesus, and he challenges us to live out our faith in a world that so often runs counter to the values of God’s kingdom.
So — as we continue our journey through Matthew, my prayer is that we won’t just learn about the King and His kingdom — but that we’ll grow in what it means to love Jesus, to live like Jesus, and to lead others to Jesus. Now — whether you’ve been tracking with this series from the start or you’re joining us for the first time today — I believe God has something powerful to say to each one of us through His Word this morning.
So— if you would — please stand for the reading of God’s Word.
Hear the Word of the Lord form Matthew 12:1-8.
Matthew 12:1–8 (CSB)
1 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? 5 Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
This is the Word of the Lord. Praise be to God.
Pray
I am grateful that the Lord—in His providence—has led us to today’s text on this first Sunday of the year. At the start of a new year — many of us feel a natural pull to buckle down, to set goals, and resolve to “do better.” Maybe you’ve already thought about how this year is going to be different ! In fact — your new year’s resolution is to read your Bible more, to pray more consistently, or attend church more faithfully. In other words — you have resolved to work harder to be a better Christian.
Now — don’t get me wrong—being intentional about our spiritual disciplines is extremely important. Disciplines like reading your Bible and praying more consistently are essential for us as we pursue the Lord. In fact — last week — I sent you an email with suggestions for reading plans and devotionals. But here’s the thing— and this may sound a bit controversial — but — spiritual disciplines — well — they’re not the ultimate goal. You see — spiritual disciplines are meant to draw us closer to God — but when these disciplines become our focus — we can lose sight of the main point and the bigger picture.
Understand — sometimes the greatest threat to our spiritual health isn’t a lack of discipline — or even outright rebellion — but rather — it’s religion. Legalism, pride, and an obsession with rule-keeping — can blind us to what God truly desires from us. We can get so caught up in doing things for God that we forget what it means to be with God— what it means to be free — what it looks like to live a life experiencing God’s grace, His mercy, and His rest.
But if we’re honest — many of us struggle with this — don’t we? We struggle with being free — and we often fall into the trap of thinking that following the rules or doing the “right things” are what makes us acceptable to God. And as a result — we feel the weight of always trying to measure up — only to realize that we can’t. And — when we do fail — well — we’re crushed under the weight of guilt and shame. And not only that — but — when we witness the failures of others we become prideful, judgmental, and arrogant.
Friends — in Christ — we have been set free — our burdens have been lifted. Tell me — why — after experiencing this freedom — do we choose to take on a new burden? Now — it’s no longer the burden of sin — instead — we often find ourselves weighed down by rules, expectations, and the pressure to prove ourselves.
Many of us — whether we realize it or not — are carrying the weight of legalism, self-righteousness, and pride. Instead of living in the joy and freedom that Jesus has given us — we become trapped in a legalistic mindset, burdened by rules, and blinded to the mercy and grace of God.
Why do we do this? And how do we stop? How can we truly live in the freedom of God’s grace when our hearts feel weighed down by rules and blinded by self-righteous pride? How do we let go of the burdens of religion and walk in the life that Jesus died to give us?
Well — this morning’s text is helpful — for in it —Jesus confronts our legalistic hearts and challenges our view of God’s law. He reminds us that the heart of God has always been for mercy over sacrifice. Additionally — He reveals something incredible — He points us to the truth that — because He is the Lord of the Sabbath, we are invited to leave behind the crushing weight of legalism and find true rest and freedom in Him. Let’s begin by looking back to Matthew 12:1.
Matthew 12:1 (CSB)
1 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain.
Let’s step into the story for a moment. It’s a crisp spring Saturday morning. Picture Jesus, His disciples, and a crowd of curious onlookers walking together. The disciples, familiar with the area, are walking a few steps ahead — they’re leading the way toward the synagogue for the morning service. I imagine Jesus walking with an easy stride, perhaps side by side with a group of Pharisees — who — always seemed to linger nearby — watching and waiting.
And as they pass through someones wheat field — the disciples do what was perfectly acceptable and what was completely normal to them. They reach out — they pluck a few heads of grain, and they begin to snack as they walk. There was nothing unusual about it — And you know what’s so amazing!?! They weren’t breaking any laws by eating the grain. In fact — the Old Testament — in places like Leviticus 19:9 and Deuteronomy 23:25 — makes it clear that farmers were to leave the edges of their fields unharvested so that the poor and those traveling through could eat. It’s no different than walking on a public sidewalk today—it wasn’t trespassing — and it wasn’t stealing.
But while this wasn’t a problem of theft — it quickly became a problem of Sabbath interpretation. The Pharisees — always watching — they zeroed in on what the disciples were doing — And — in typical legalistic fashion — they weren’t looking for a way to understand — they were looking for a way to accuse — look at verse 2
Matthew 12:2 (CSB)
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
You can almost feel the Pharisees’ self righteous indignation, can’t you? “Look! Did you seriously let your disciples do that? You know that’s not allowed today, right?" And these religious leaders — well — they weren’t just annoyed — they were scandalized. In their opinion and in their interpretation — Jesus’s disciples had just violated the Sabbath Law.
Now — I think it would be helpful for us to understand that the Sabbath wasn’t just a rule on a list but it was a gift. All the way back in the book of Exodus — God commanded His people to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. But why? Well — it was a day of worship and it was a day of rest — it was an opportunity to pause and to reflect on God’s goodness and grace. It was a reminder that God is the one who is in control — God is the one who provides — and that we belong to Him.
Think about it — the Sabbath was a day to stop striving — it was a day to set down the tools of work, and to say, “God, You’ve got this and I trust You.” The Sabbath day was a blessing — it was a day when the weary could find rest for their exhausted bodies and renewal for their tired souls. And not only that — but the Sabbath day — it pointed back to creation, where God Himself rested, showing us that rest isn’t just practical—it’s holy.
But somewhere along the way, the blessing of the Sabbath got twisted into a burden. The Pharisees, in their zeal to protect the Sabbath, built rule upon rule until this beautiful God-given gift was buried under a mountain of restrictions. By the time Jesus and His disciples were walking through this grainfield — the Sabbath wasn’t a day of rest anymore—it was a day of suffocating regulations.
Now — to really understand what’s happening here — we need to step into the Pharisees’ shoes for a moment. You see — these guys weren’t just random critics. They were serious students of the Scriptures — they were devoted to studying, teaching, and defending God’s law. On the surface, that sounds noble, doesn’t it? But here’s the thing: the Pharisees didn’t stop at understanding the law. No! They believed that by obeying it—down to the smallest detail—they could earn God’s favor and righteousness.
This is called legalism and legalism is all about working in our own strength to earn God’s approval. It’s this idea that if were good enough, moral enough, or religious enough — we can somehow earn God’s love and forgiveness. But — here’s the sobering truth — we’re all born with a sinful heart bent toward legalism. Think about it— legalism is the driving force behind every world religion. Whether it’s paying homage to Hindu gods at Sikh temples or bowing down to Allah in a Muslim mosque. At their core — the common thread is this: “If I do this — whatever “this” may be — then I’ll be acceptable to god.”
And — if we are not careful — this way of thinking becomes the foundation for how we live as Christians. We think, “If I read my Bible enough, if I pray enough, if I avoid certain sins, if I serve others, then I’ll be good with God.” And this way of thinking not only impacts our personal relationship with the Lord but legalism hurts our relationship with each other — it is quite possibly the main culprit for most “church hurt.”
And — this is exactly the mindset that the Pharisees were caught in. You see — they took God’s law—a good and perfect gift—and they turned it into a ladder to climb their way to righteousness and a stick by which they judged everyone else’s faithfulness. And as if that were not enough — they added all kinds of extra rules and regulations on top of the Law. For example — plucking heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath — which was a simple act of survival— but according to them — it was considered work.
So — the Sabbath day— what started as a beautiful celebration of God’s mercy and provision—had been twisted into a measuring stick for righteousness. The Pharisees? They took that measuring stick and used it to size up and judge anyone who didn’t measure up to their standards. And that’s exactly what they were doing here with Jesus and His disciples.
And so — as they call out Jesus and His disciples in verse 2 — it’s not just about the grain. It’s about their entire perspective on what the Sabbath was meant to be. And their accusation— well — it reveals just how far they’ve missed the point. And right here — in the middle of their misunderstanding — Jesus steps in. But — He doesn’t just correct them — No ! — He takes the opportunity to teach them something so much bigger. You see — Jesus takes this opportunity to reveal to them— and to us — the true heart of God’s law. Look at verse 3.
Matthew 12:3 (CSB)
3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry:
Now, don’t miss the weight of this statement. Understand — the Pharisees prided themselves on being experts in Scripture. They would have likened themselves to be “walking encyclopedias of the Law and the Prophets.” And I love Jesus — He is so full of grace but He is also the embodiment of truth and He looks these so-called experts of the Law right in the eyes and essentially says, “Have you seriously not read this?”
Understand — this would have been a rhetorical punch in the gut. This was a no-nonsense … straight forward comment that would have offended and hurt these guys feelings. You see — this was like walking up to a master chef and saying, “Hey, have you ever heard of salt?”
And then — Jesus points these so-called experts to — not just a familiar story — but an extremely famous story. Look back at verse 3
Matthew 12:3–4 (CSB)
3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?
Jesus is referencing the well-known story of David eating the consecrated bread — found in 1 Samuel 21. Let me give you the cliff notes — David was God’s anointed servant — in fact— He was chosen to be King of Israel. But — before he ever sat on the throne — David’s life was rough— and it was dangerous! And Saul — who was the reigning king at the time — He became so overwhelmed by his jealousy of David that he decided to kill him.
So — naturally — David fled for his life — and because of the circumstances he left with no food and no weapons. And — eventually — David — desperate and hungry — found himself in a small little town called Nob — where he went to the priest for help.
Now here’s the tension — the only food available was the consecrated bread — which was the bread that the law specifically reserved for the priests. You see — no one else was allowed to eat the consecrated bread— for it was against the rules. And so — the priest faced a critical decision — on one hand he knew what the Law said — the bread wasn't for David — however — on the other hand — the priest knew the purpose of the Law — which was to lead God’s people to worship and to love Him.
Also — David wasn’t just anyone — he was the Lord’s anointed king — He was chosen by God to lead Israel. And so — in that moment — the priest recognized that feeding David and his men was the right thing to do — even if it meant breaking a few rules. You see — this priest understood that meeting the needs of God’s chosen servant far outweighed the ritual regulations about bread.
Now — fast forward to Jesus and His disciples walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath. The Pharisees? They were so laser-focused on their rules that they missed what the priests in David’s story understood — that God is a God of mercy. And according to the Lord of mercy — genuine human need outweighs ritual regulations.
So here’s the question for us: Have you ever let rules, traditions, or even your own preferences overshadow what God truly values? Maybe it’s at work, in your home, or even here at church. Have you ever been so focused on doing things “the right way” that you’ve missed an opportunity to love others and show them the mercy and grace of God?
Jesus’ teaching here reminds us that God’s heart is for mercy, compassion, and care for others. Rules, traditions, and rituals have their place, but they’re never meant to replace love for God and love for our neighbor. You see — human need isn’t an interruption to God’s law—it’s often the place where His love is most clearly displayed.
But — the Pharisees — they didn’t get it. They clung to their rigid interpretations of the law and completely missed the heart behind it. More tragically — they missed the presence of the very King they claimed to serve. You see — Jesus wasn’t just referencing an obscure Old Testament story here. Rather — He was making a powerful statement — He was essentially telling the Pharisees — "If it was right to meet David’s need because he was God’s anointed king, how much more is it the right thing to do — to meet My disciples’ needs— before I am — as King — given all authority in heaven and on earth?"
Understand — the Pharisees should have seen this coming. They should have recognized who Jesus was and what He was doing. But their obsession with rules blinded them to the heart of God’s law—and to the One standing right in front of them.
So — knowing just how hard their hearts were — Jesus doesn’t let up. He comes at them from another angle — asking essentially the same question a second time—but in a way that cuts even deeper.
Take a look at verse 5.
Matthew 12:5 (CSB)
5 Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?
So Jesus presses the point even further — essentially saying, “Have you not read … THE LAW!?” You can almost hear the irritation this would have caused these self-proclaimed experts of the Law. Imagine their indignation: “Of course we’ve read it! We’ve memorized it!” But despite all their knowledge —they were blind to the deeper truth staring them right in their face!!
You see — Jesus is bringing up something pretty elementary. And it shouldn’t have taken an expert to consider why the priests were allowed to work on the Sabbath. Have you ever wondered why the priests were permitted to work on the day that God commanded everyone to rest? The truth is — their work on the Sabbath increased. They offered sacrifices — they maintained the temple — and they performed all the duties God required for the worship and for the spiritual care of His people. And yet — no one accused them of breaking the Sabbath. Why? Well — because their work wasn’t just permitted — it was ordained by God.
Do you see what Jesus is doing here? He’s flipping the Pharisees’ narrow interpretation of the Sabbath on its head. Their obsession with rules had blinded them to the bigger picture— blinded them to the heart of God’s law. You see — If the priests could break from rest on the Sabbath because they were carrying out God’s work — doesn’t it stand to reason that Jesus and His disciples — serving the purposes of the true King — were fully justified in what they were doing? Jesus is inviting them to see that something far greater than their traditions is unfolding right in front of them. You see — this whole time Jesus has been setting the stage to make an extremely controversial point. Look at what Jesus says in verses 6-8
Matthew 12:6–8 (CSB)
6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Now — let’s pause for a moment and imagine the scene. Jesus has already challenged the Pharisees’ understanding of the Law — which no doubt bruised their pride and ruffled their feathers. But here — He pushes these guys even further. You see — Jesus isn’t just critiquing their interpretation of the Law. At this point — He’s making a claim so bold, so stunning, that it would have sent shockwaves through the crowd.
What does He say? Well — He says , “I am greater than the Temple therefore I am Lord of the Sabbath!”
Now — to really grasp how explosive this statement is — we have to understand just how central the temple was in the Jewish mind. Understand —the temple wasn’t just another building. It wasn’t even the most important building. The temple represented the very presence of God amongst His people. The temple was the beating heart of their religious life — it was the place where worship, sacrifice, and connection with God all came together.
Think about it — Jesus’ claim that He is greater than the temple isn’t just bold or attention-grabbing. It’s a claim to deity. In this moment — Jesus is declaring the profound truth of who He is—that He is the Son of Man who was prophesied in the book of Daniel — that He is the long-awaited Messiah, the eternally begotten Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He’s saying, in no uncertain terms, that He is God in the flesh. And— as you can imagine — this wasn’t just provocative — it was — in the Pharisees’ minds — blasphemous.
Can you imagine the Pharisees’ reaction? You can almost hear the gasps in the crowd. You can almost see the Pharisees’ jaws hitting the floor. You can almost hear their outrage, see their clenched fists, and feel the tension in the air. This wasn’t just a challenge to their traditions or their interpretations of the Law—this was a direct confrontation of their understanding of who God is and how He works.
And understand — Jesus — He wasn’t exaggerating to prove a point — He wasn’t being provocative for the sake of argument. He was revealing the truth about Himself. He was revealing the truth that the Sabbath and the temple had always been pointing to Him—for Jesus is the One in whom the fullness of God dwells — He is the One who would make the final and perfect sacrifice for sin and — He is the One who would tear down the barriers between God and humanity. — and as a result of His life, death, and ressurection — He is the One who offers the ultimate Sabbath rest.
Remember what Jesus said in the last chapter?
Matthew 11:28–30 (CSB)
28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Brothers and sisters — we are being invited to lay down the crushing weight of trying to earn God’s favor and find true rest. And Im not talking about a rest that comes form checking all of the boxes off of your to do list — or by following every religious tradition or by obeying every religious rule — I’m talking about a rest that comes from trusting in Jesus — you see Jesus is not just pointing you the way to rest — He is was and He is the rest.
Friend — on this first Sunday of 2025 — you can stop striving. You can let go of the endless rules— the guilt — the shame— and the fear of never measuring up. In Christ Jesus you are free and those who the Son sets free are free in deed. There is no need to pick up another burden… you’re free! We are free— Let’s live like it!
But here’s the challenge: Living in this freedom isn’t just a personal decision; it’s a community calling. We are free in Christ, and that means we are free to show mercy to others. We’re free to forgive and to extend grace where there’s been judgment. We’re free to give others the same rest we’ve found in Jesus.
This year, as we start 2025, let’s be intentional about living out this freedom. Ask yourself: Where am I still carrying burdens that Jesus already bore for me? Are there areas in my life where I’m still striving to earn God’s favor or the approval of others? Let those things go and rest in the sufficiency of Jesus.
And let’s also ask ourselves: How can we show mercy to those around us? Who can we extend grace to, whether in our church family or in our workplaces? Let’s live out the rest we’ve received by offering it to others, just as Jesus offers it to us.
You see — We’re not just called to experience this freedom—we’re called to help others experience it too. So, let’s live free, let’s rest in Him, and let’s show the world what it looks like when we truly understand that in Christ, we are free indeed.
Let’s pray.
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