Why You Shouldn't Rest on Sabbath

Me

When I was little, Sabbath was the worst. My siblings and I did not like Sabbath at all. We thought church was okay, but Sabbath itself was terrible. I mean it was just filled with so many rules!

We were told there were some things we could do on Sabbath and there were many things we couldn’t do on Sabbath. The things we could do were all the things we didn’t want to do and the things we couldn’t do were all the things we wanted to do. We felt like we had to be very careful with every little action we did or we might make God unhappy because we weren’t keeping the Sabbath exactly how God wanted us to keep it.

I remember being told that after church we had to be quiet in the house because mom and dad were sleeping. We could only watch videos that were about animals or about the Bible. We could play outside, but even then our activities were monitored.

We could go in the pool, but only up to our knees. We could play outside, but no sports. We could play make believe, but only if we believed we were a missionary or a bible character.

But when the sun went down we were excited! Because now we could do all the things that were deemed wrong. Because the sun was no longer visible, now we could do all the fun things we wanted to do.

And parents wonder why their children don’t like Sabbath. Or why so many young people are leaving the church.

We

So am I the only one who has experienced this before? Can you relate? Maybe you too know it all too well. Could there be more to Sabbath than a nice afternoon nap?

Waiting is hard, especially for Americans. We want everything fast and quick, right now. We shouldn’t have to wait for our food to be made. We shouldn’t have to wait for our appointments or our mail. We complain and sometimes even get nervous when we are in large lines that everyone must go through.

Maybe you too want Sabbath to be more than a restful blessing. This morning we are going to venture on a journey to discover or maybe rediscover the true meaning of Sabbath, which is not merely a day of rest.

But waiting is essential to the christian life.

God

In order to understand the Sabbath, we need to grasp one of the central truths of who God is. This central truth can help explain why God does anything at all. Most, maybe even all of God’s actions are based on this one truth.

God is relational.

At God’s core He is relational. Relationships are of the utmost importance. Relationships are more important than rules and commandments. For the rules and commandments are for God’s relationships. Relationships are more important than prophecies. Without God’s relationships their would be no need for prophecies. Relationships are at the center of who God is. If we can understand that God is relational, then we can understand any biblical truth.

God is relational.

His very existence is relational. The trinity at its core exists as a three being relationship. The trinity is our example of a perfect, loving, and selfless relationship. It is at this core value that the kingdom of God is governed. Relationship is the driving force of everything God does and is at the core of the Sabbath.

To get a full experience out of Sabbath is not to focus on a list of 100 rules, making sure we aren't going above the knee when we enter water, or making sure that we don’t “work.” Sabbath was never meant to built around actions or activities, but around a relationship.

Mark 2:27 ESV

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

We are told by Jesus that the Sabbath was made for mankind. Meaning, the Sabbath was meant to be a blessing, to serve mankind and not the other way around. But far too often it has been the other way around. The Sabbath has been the most legalistic topic in Adventism.

Could it be, that Adventists have at time misunderstood the Sabbath?

The pharisees thought they knew the Sabbath well. They too had a long list of ways to keep the Sabbath. Often when we have a Bible study on the Sabbath we take time to address how ridiculous it is that the pharisees had a long list of rules to protect them from sinning on the Sabbath, but the truth of the matter is that we often do the same thing.

In fact one of the pharisees actions on Jesus was concerning the Sabbath. details two stories about hos Jesus didn’t keep the Sabbath according to the pharisees.

Matthew 12:1–8 ESV

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:1-

Jesus and his disciples are making their way through some fields of grain and picking some of the heads of grain to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they take offense at it and claim that Jesus and his disciples are not keeping the Sabbath but are profaning it.

Why?

Because you see, the disciples weren’t merely plucking heads of grain they were harvesting the grain! And harvesting is work. And the fourth commandment clearly states that no one is allowed to do work on the Sabbath. So why did Jesus allow his disciples to act in such an abominable way!?

The simple answer is that they were hungry. Jesus justifies their actions by citing how David and the priests ate the showbread and were also guiltless. But the kicker is found in verses 6-8.

Matthew 12:6–8 ESV

6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus lets the pharisees and us as well know that Jesus is greater than the temple, in fact he is the one who created the Sabbath. The Sabbath was created not for men and women to watch every little thing they do, but the Sabbath was created to be a blessing.

So why was Jesus’ and the disciples’ actions justified? Were they not working? No. They were not working. It is plain that through the text, that they were passing through and were hungry.

So what does this teach us about the Sabbath and our relationship with God?

It teaches that we shouldn’t limit our Sabbath enjoyment to legalistic thinking but should approach Sabbath with the mindset of joy and not paying attention to a list.

After this Jesus entered into a synagogue. Its still the Sabbath. While there, Jesus meets a man who has a withered hand.

Matthew 12:9–14 ESV

9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Matthew 12:

This man is obviously brought to the synagogue by the pharisees because before Jesus even approaches the man, the pharisees ask Jesus a question. “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” In fact its a form of a question we probably ask every weekend. Is it lawful to do this or that on Sabbath? How do we determine whether we can do these things?

Jesus’ response to their question is by asking them a question of his own. If your sheep falls into a pit, will you not take him out? How much more value is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

According to Jesus it is lawful to do good on Sabbath. So how do we determine what is good and what is evil activities?

Do we have a biblical scale upon which we can measure all these things? Is there an app on our phone that can tell us? Are their any scriptures to help answer this question?

Remember what we said was the guiding force of the Sabbath? Relationship. We are told that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. In we are told that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath is all about one thing. Relationship. Primarily our relationship with God.

If you want to keep the Sabbath focus on your relationship with God. Does that mean we have to stay inside, praying and reading our bibles? Well we could do that. That would be acceptable, but probably not that enjoyable. It means whatever you do, do things that enhance your relationship with God.

You

Go walk in nature. Have an evening worship at your home, where you don’t simply read a devotional book. Get together, sing songs, share how God has done great things in your life. When you see someone who needs help, help them. Share with others why you love Jesus. Invite others to your home to share a meal.

By all means rest from your work. If you are a banker. Don’t look at your finances, don’t go to the bank. Spend time with your kids, spend time in nature, help someone out. But resting from your work doesn’t mean sleeping. Because sleeping doesn’t enhance your relationship with God.

But spending time with your family does. Being in nature does. Finally having time to read scripture does. Inviting people to your home and sharing life together does.

We

Imagine what would happen if we viewed Sabbath not as a burden, where we can do somethings and other things we can’t do at all. But what if as a people we viewed Sabbath as an opportunity to embrace our relationship with God and bring others along on that journey?

What if instead of taking naps, we spent time together. What if God doesn’t want us to focus on mere activities, but on him.