Sabbath 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Recap:
God created in 6 days and rested on the 7th
God then commands rest on the sabbath
If resting is good enough for God, is it good enough for us?
This week we are going to look at some NT scripture on sabbath
Matthew 12:1-14.
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.”
Matthew 12:3–4 (NIV)
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 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 12:5–7 (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? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 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.”
9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 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?”
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? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 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. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
In Mark’s version of this story, Jesus says this
Mark 2:27–28 (NIV)
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
So, as we see here, Jesus is picking grain and healing on the sabbath. This would go against the Jews ideas of the sabbath law as considered work
On one had as we consider the sabbath, we see the legalistic idea that no work, including getting food or healing
On the other hand, we see that Jesus makes the point that sabbath is for us, not the other way around!
As we continue looking at sabbath, I also want to note what Luke says in chapter 4
Luke 4:16 (NIV)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
The reason that I want to point out this scripture is two fold.
1. Worship is a Key Part of the Sabbath
1. Worship is a Key Part of the Sabbath
It was customary to worship on the sabbath
So, as we rest, we do so in a posture of worship of God
A day when all we do is remember Him and what He has done
2. Worshipping on the Sabbath was Jesus’ Custom
2. Worshipping on the Sabbath was Jesus’ Custom
He would go to church, well church before the church
TAA: why do we go to church?
“Do I have to go to church to be a christian?”
Well, if being a christian means being a follower of Jesus, meaning doing what Jesus did, then yes, because Jesus did go to church! He also observed the sabbath!
If being a christian means being saved, then no, going to church is not a requirement of salvation!
We see what Jesus did on the sabbath, what about the disciples?
There are several scriptures in Acts, but this one in particular was interesting, notice the wording
Acts 17:2 (NIV)
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Notice the language, Paul seemed to have the same custom as Jesus.
And he was there to teach them about Jesus
And in
Acts 18:4 (NIV)
4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
So far we have looked in the gospels and the book of Acts to see how Jesus and the disciples handled the sabbath.
The question we asked last week was if we as christians need to keep the sabbath
As we have talked about before, one of the ways in which we see if an old testament law is still required for the christian is to see if it is reiterated in the new testament.
Well, so far, we see not command to keep the sabbath, but we do see Jesus reframing it and likely keeping a day of rest. We see Him worshipping on on the sabbath and Paul frequenting the synagogue on the sabbath, though it was likely to preach the gospel to the jews
We have two more references to the sabbath in letters:
In Colossians 2, paul is talking about the freedom that is found in Christ.
In the new covenant implemented with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Paul writes:
Colossians 2:16–17 (NIV)
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
So, it seems pretty clear here that we are not to judge someone by whether they keep the sabbath or not.
Implying, it is no longer commanded to keep it.
However, just because something is not commanded, doesn’t mean it is not wise.
We talked about this concept when we talked about tithing awhile back.
While it is not commanded in the NT, it is a posture of the heart to give back to God!
I would say the same is true with observing the sabbath!
Let’s look at the final reference in the NT and see if there is a connection between Colossians and Hebrews
The kids read chapter 4 earlier and I want to back up to chapter 3
In chapter 3, the writer of Hebrews quotes psalm 95.
Hebrews 3:7-19.
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
We have the israelites turning from the voice of God in their rebellion
And, because of this, they could not enter God’s rest
The writer goes on to apply this to us today
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
So, we are talking about this rest that they will not be able to enter because of their rebellion and not hearing the voice of God
So, then we jump to chapter 4, how does this apply to us?
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
Notice, this is the new covenant, that there is a rest that still stands..and is obtained by faith
3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”
So, there is this connection between this rest that God promised that is still obtainable by faith!
5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 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. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
A sabbath rest is still available through Christ! He is the new sabbath rest!
So, is there a command to keep the sabbath? Well, yes and no! There is, but the sabbath rest is redefined as being in Christ!
So, not to take one day of sabbath rest, but to take every day, as long as it is called, “today” to rest in Christ!
In the OT it was observed by their works or lack there of, and in the NT, it is recognized by faith in Christ!
As with many things in the OT, the NT ups the game!
In the OT, you would rest for 1 day a week, in the NT, the rest is every day in Christ!
In the Old Testament, you would rest for 1 day a week, in the New Testament, the rest is every day in Christ!
So, should we still take a day to rest and unplug?
I say yes, and next week we will talk about about why this might be a good thing!
Not from a legalistic sense, from a relational sense with Jesus!
Maybe this morning you don’t have rest in your soul. Maybe you need to enter the rest!
Deacons/Worship Team
I love how the old hymn, “it is well says it”
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul!”
It is well with my soul!
It is well, it is well with my soul!
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live;
If dark hours about me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
It is well with my soul!
It is well, it is well with my soul!
This morning, if you want to say no matter what is going on, it is well, I encourage you to come to Christ
