Lord of the Sabbath, Lord of All
Morning. Glad y'all are with us this morning. Glad you're worshipping here. We are in Mark chapter 2. Your last little bit out of Mark chapter 2 will move on and be in Mark chapter 3 starting next week before we get into it. Those of you that know and remember Carla Marie Parker their grandson Sean passed away earlier this week. He's having a memorial service like that the family moved from here to Tennessee a few years back. They're having a memorial service in Tennessee today. There will be another memorial service next Saturday here in Indiana back up here at electrical to get Austin funeral home from 11 to 2 the funeral bang it to the families asked me to I preached that funeral. So I asked you guys to be praying for the Parker family. He has a I think Maddie is 16 in at the high school. So you might want be praying for their families to that's his daughter. So he does have a daughter here Martinsville. We want to be remembering The Parkers is there. Lost a young man 35 and that's that's a thing were happy to see Kevin back. We're glad that he's on the mend. I know that we've been praying for him and so will continue to do that as well and pray for continued healing there as well. So it free dive into the word today. Let's go ahead and go to him in prayer father. We thank you so much again for this opportunity. We have to be in your house. We gather together as a family to be hearing your word father. We we ask that as we hear your words that there's nothing really to distract us that were put those things are put aside so we can focus solely on what you would have us to learn and have us to do today from your word father. I pray that as we enter into this time that those of us that are familiar know the Parker family. We ask that you would bless them right now and comfort them is is this is a time of tragic loss anytime. A young man in his thirties passes away. We know that that's tragically pray that that is a church. That we are able to comfort them. We are able to love on them. We are able to continue to show them the love of Christ through this time is as They Mourn and grieve father. We pray specifically for Kevin as well that we that you would continue to heal him. We thank you for what you've done so far and it what you will continue to do in his life as well and father for this specific time as we enter into the word. I pray that you just put me aside after this be your word and it be spoken by you through me.
3r Mark chapter 2 verses 23 and we'll go through the end of the chapter here does one Sabbath he was going through the grain Fields And as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying him look, why are they doing? What is not lawful on the Sabbath? And he said to them. Have you never read what David did when he was in need and was hungry and those who were with him how they entered into the house of God and the time of Avila Sr High priests and they ate the bread of the presence does not lawful for any but the priests to eat and also gave it to those who were with him and he said to them the Sabbath was made for man. Not man for the Sabbath. So the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath
a very interesting way for Jesus to wrap up Mark chapter 2 just out walking through the fields plucking some some of the grains are left over on the stocks that haven't been harvested or maybe even by the roadside and it really paints this beautiful picture of what's really happening in Chapter 2 the overall arching theme of chapter 2 is it Jesus has this Being here of combating legalism the throttle chapter 2. There's than these these legalistic movements from the Pharisees and Jesus is up there combating at he's just fighting it left and right and he doesn't just the most beautiful Jesus way. He cannot he just gets a question asked of him and he answers the back of another question designed to make you think and Ponder your own heart or or he he gives you this illustration of something you go by never thought of it that way before it and it's just as most beautiful way to Jesus does this but it's just combating of legalism and it's important is huge because legalism is dangerous and it's deceptive but yet it's at this beautiful attraction at the same time. We've got to be cautious of this. So legalism is dangerous because it leads us to death rather than getting us to life in Jesus Christ. We need to understand that that that keeping jots and tittles and in a list of rules and regulations that that's what Jesus actually came to free us from Did the Pharisees were trying to live this out? And they just couldn't do it. No matter how hard they tried and how big a show they made of it. Legalism is deceptive because it creates this false sense of spiritual superiority in a spiritual elitism in our lives. Well, actually leading us to type of spiritual slavery. We got to be careful of that as well. And that's where we see. The felt Pharisees are at this point that they are the spiritual Elite of Israel. And Jesus will later call them whitewashed tombs.
And legalism is attractive because it leads us to think that we can do things on her own and I put my Dollar in the plate. I showed up Sunday at 10:45 showed up a Wednesday at 6:30. I was there on on this pitching day. I've done this I've done that. I that checklist mentality is attractive because I like a list I like to get things done. It's not bad to scratch something off my list, but that's me doing something for me. The Lord doing anything through me for his sake and for his glory. Legalism causes us to look to ourselves rather than Christ Our Own spiritual status rather than just look to a holy and just God for our spiritual status before him. Legalism is is when we raised a teaching that is that is man-made to the level of a Biblical mandate or a command that God himself. Didn't give us we will take this man-made concept and will bring it up. Elevated will make it holy and it's not in God's shaking his head head of some sure. Legalism also creates prohibitions that are not from scripture but we Elevate those prohibitions to scripture. I think back my mom used to tell me stories of a of an old fundamentalist family member of hers that when they would come to their house in the 50s who would make his children sit with their backs to the TV because they couldn't view the evil of the television in the house. That was at my parents home. Now. I'm thinking Martinsville, Indiana mid 1950s black and white TV. They're going to get wttv and that's about it. Cuz I was about the only rate TV station broadcasting 70 some years ago, and it was it I I don't think that Jamie and cowboy Bob Weir that bad right but that was the kind of thing or there was a woman that I work with it it Camp one summer. I thought the poor blessed woman was going to come unglued when we said hey after we put the kids to bed all of us that were teaching in the camp. We didn't have to have a cabin Duty, which is a blessing. I love it Camp Ministry, but sometimes after teaching a full school year and it's been in 20 some kids in the cabin with you. We know why I'm bald and his so, I remember we said we're all going to get together and we're going to we're going to play Euchre. cute she couldn't 63 years old and never owned a deck of cards because in her family. She even taught the playing cards was evil and will lead to hell. These are the kind of silly prohibitions that legalism can lead us to and it's only right we can laugh at this a little bit. She had more fun that might learn how to play Euchre than anybody I've ever seen one and how to play Euchre. And she felt free. It was really kind of amazing. But this is the thing right legalism. Is this kind of I don't drink I don't smoke it out, too. I don't hang out with those who do and that makes me better than you kind of mindset. I hate it. That's what happens when we get into illegal has a thick hang up. It is the opposite of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the Gospel Jesus Christ tells us that we are not better than anyone that we are worse than all and if we need him That's the gospel the Gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that nothing. We do ever gets us closer to God. Except follow Jesus really that's only what Jesus has done for us gets us closer to God what he did on that cross that day gets us closer to God. Nothing else does and this is why combating legalism in our own Hearts personally is so important why Jesus teaches a combat of legalism Ernest we see Jesus combating the legalism of the Pharisees again and I say again because it's already happened. three other times in chapter two alone It's just chapter 2 alone and he's just continually doing this. The story that we see here is also recounted again in Matthew 12 verses 1 through 8, and it's also in Luke chapter 6 verses 1 through 5 and end this is one of those controversies between Jesus and the Pharisees is one of those moments where we're something comes up and Jesus response in very controversial Manor in the Pharisees. Don't really know what to do with it. Right the first time we see here and in Mark chapter 2 Was in versus chapter 2 verses 1 through 12 for the paralytic man comes in and then a lorinser the roof, we looked at all of that and Jesus doesn't say get up and walk. He says son your sins are forgiven. Furcis like whoa. Whoa whoa, whoa time out. Who is this guy that says only God can forgive sins Jesus like yep. You got me. You're right. Only God can forgive sins. Right? He reminds them that he is the messiah in that and they did like that answer the next time we see you another one of these controversies was was in 13 through 17. Alright, Jesus calls Levi the tax collector and Levi says man. Jesus is here. I got to throw a feast so he has his big party in the first he's like, what are you doing hanging out with Sinners and tax collectors? Well, they're sick and they need a physician. Y'all think you're well and don't.
I'm going to hang out with those who need the physician and so he stays there. the last week it was about fasting when we looked at that chunk just didn't in verses 18 through 22 and All of these themes all of these things we look at is this this controversy of controversies with the really big controversial statement. Here is Jesus claiming to be God. Every time there's an asportation hear that the Jesus is God. And it's not a controversy that there's a claim of it. The controversy is because it's the fact Jesus is. Right, Jesus is the long waited Messiah. Jesus is the son of man and here we're going to see that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath as well. So the specific controversy today is between Jesus and the Pharisees is that Jesus doesn't honor the Sabbath. The way the Pharisees believe he should honor the Sabbath.
It's just weird to me when I read this and I read through this and I read through it in the other sections and I might.
Okay, I'm going to just take a moment to think about Jewish sabbath just to just a minute here. Jewish sabbath starts on Sunset of Friday night and it ends at sunset Saturday 7th day, they Sunset to Sunset to keep it set aside as holy for the Lord and this is in the ancient world is pretty unique to have a day of the week set aside for the Lord other religions of time set aside objects. It set aside places is Holy to Judaism set aside a day of the week as a holy and in his way to Proclaim Yahweh. Is the Lord of creation and as the Lord of time and that's important. The fourth Commandment in Exodus 28 through 11 and it shows up again in Deuteronomy 5 12 through 15 addresses the Sabbath in a Nexus. It says remember the Sabbath day to keep it. Holy six days. You shall labor and do all your work. The seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord your God on it you shall do you should not do any work you your son or your daughter your male servant your female servant or your livestock or the soldier who is within your Gates were in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the sea and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord bless the Sabbath and made it. Holy.
simple don't do any work on the Sabbath day rest.
An exodus 31 12 through 17 Moses is up on the mountain with God. I was just came up. I think earlier this week as we are doing our our yearly Bible plan. We are just going to reading through this and just having to go back and do some things that says we're looking good there. He's giving some specific a little more specific instructions about what to do when somebody profanes the Sabbath and its. Takes it seriously if you profane the Sabbath according to Exodus chapter 34, x like chapter 31 You're to be cut off.
From Israel now. Just cut off from his it says and that soul will be cut off from his people. It's it's a death sentence to profane the Sabbath so we can understand why the Pharisees would take this. Seriously, it's not it's not ridiculous for them to take bull by golly. We can't do anything here. If it's the weirdest thing that that we prefer in the Sabbath and if we're doing work on the south. We're not honoring God on the Sabbath then then we should die then we need to do everything we can.
To honor the Sabbath we need everything was in our possibilities. Make sure we're honoring God on this 7th day of the week. That makes sense. When were the Pharisees arm legalistic for the sake of being legalistic? They're not making all these extra rules for the sake of making all these pictures. They're making these rules so they can be as close to God through the laws. They possibly can what they missed in this is all these rules and regulations have kept them from one who wrote the original Law. Weight of otter the wall higher than they've honored the lawgiver. That's where we're the fall part happens and legalism are honoring the law rather than the lawgiver.
So here's the other interesting thing about the commands about the Sabbath. That doesn't Define work. Now. This is going to sound like I've unfortunately this week. With some lawyers and there's there's hate dealing with lawyers practicing law, but they use language in the manner that gets complicated that it maybe shouldn't write shall versus Mets. That's the big one that came up this week a lot though two words shall and may or what how do you define that term that was another one that came up this week 6 grade math teacher by trade Tell me some slack here man, like just help me out, but no these are important things. If you're still interesting thing going back to what the Pharisees would think as the law. There's no legal definition of work and God's commands. And so the Pharisees in order to again to draw closer to God, unfortunately to not go to work for him. They start adding a definition of what work is. Or the Sabbath what defines work? And in many of the Jews kind of took this view of do no work that is not absolutely necessary right now. Then why does absolutely necessary mean right. There's this whole kind of cascading effect that happens. Anything would be absolutely necessary would be worked that if it was not completed would result in the loss of life. Okay, so if you didn't get the job done at Sunset Friday and somebody would die or one of your livestock would die because you didn't get that job done. You could continue that job, but if it wouldn't result in the loss of life stop doing it.
Weird way, but that's that's how that ancient mindset worked. Does we see what's happening here? Cuz we kind of read through this and verses 23 through 24 Jesus and disciples were already kind of creating a double whammy situation right? They were already out and about they were walking through the fields and plucking grains. Now some of us grew up on some farms are in farming areas have been through there. And if you see a little bit of weed are you see a little bit awry you go buying you pick it off and get the seeds. I remember my grandmother in particular love to carry the little Peck sized Brown grocery sacks little brown paper grocery sacks and if we saw wildflowers growing by the roadside, she would stop that bill 68 Plymouth as hard as she could stop it there weren't seatbelts us kids with bumper heads on something in the back seat and make us get those sacks out. But the fax over the wildflowers and shake the seeds off of them. Is she one of those wildflowers in her yard. That was what my mom made us to do. She also kept a paring knife. In the in the glove box and if she saw greens that she wanted to cut boy that same thing on the back seat of that Dodge already and then she's out there cutting green to go put in the pot for later that night. I'm a mall was an interesting lady that way but I remember doing these summer things that they say the Apostles doing it kind of brings back some of these childhood memories for me. I'm thinking this seems so innocent you just you just pick them and India. I'm eating them do we don't know out in the woods dual that taste like a little bit like a peanut and you can do this and then there's some fun Edibles that way I've done this it seems Innocent but the Pharisees are like no you have broken the law Shirley Jesus get your disciples under control here. So the double whammy here's our traveling. And it says they're traveling through the field. the Pharisees defined work as taking more than 2,000 steps 1999 steps on a Sabbath if you walked further than that you have worked. That was part of their definition. It says they're traveling the thing is they harvested. Plucking the seeds was harvesting now. They weren't using a side. They weren't using a sickle. They weren't cutting vast amounts. But the Pharisees were pointing out that what your what Your disciples are doing Jesus as their harvesting. And I just can't even imagine this. I know Jesus knows everything and he's right but that just came out of I want to go far and laugh in your face at this moment kind of moment. He's maybe having here.
What does harvesting is the sin that the Pharisees are focusing on? Right. And there's possibly a third violation in Matthew. It says that they rub the seeds together in their hands. They could have seen that is threshing getting the whole off the sea. I don't know but it was at this the Pharisees or looking at this see what's what's really happening here though and in all of this is it there's a small Act of getting a bite to eat and it's seen as a violation of the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 23:25 says that if you go to your neighbors standing rain and you may pluck the grains with your hands and you shall not put a sickle to your neighbors standing grain, the disciples didn't break any harvesting law. But that's the one that the Pharisees wanted to focus on their harvesting and eating food on the Sabbath.
The first Caesar telling Jesus's disciples would be better off hungry. Then breaking the rules.
You see that the people would be better off hungry than Breaking the Rules. That's tragic. That's where legalism can move in our hearts that the rules become so important that we forget about Grace we forget about Mercy we forget about love. It will be better to Hungry then breaking the rules.
Got to go back to remembering those at the Pharisees had these good intentions their goal was to honor God by living to the law as close as I possibly could but in trying to get close to God through staying close to the law again, the Pharisees elevated the law above God himself and they missing Mercy. They missing Gracie missing patience of God that is written into the law. Oh my goodness. If you lie and I are reading through the Old Testament right now, and we just over and over and over again see the patience of God with his people the mercy of God with his people the grace of God being poured out onto his people. Over and over and over again and it's in there. It's in the law. To the Old Testament law is good. It's not that it's a bad thing.
But it was designed to show us that we cannot live up to God's holy and just standards. We can't do that that we are in need of a savior because of the law and that Savior Jesus Christ Our Lord. No other questions about that that's where the savior is that the law is good, but it leads us to knowing we need that savior. not savior Jesus Christ
miss these things in verses 25 through 27 Jesus respond to the Pharisees and in just The most peculiar yet, Jesus like way to do this. I don't have another way of describing is just too intriguing to me the way Jesus response here. So Jesus brings up the story of David who was going into hiding from Saul. Hi, this is all happens back in first Samuel. I think chapter 21 and and Jonathan had just one Samuel that his dad King Saul found out about Samuel being Anointed The King and he was just at and David just waiting out of time become king, but he has to go into hiding until he gets a group of men to go into hiding and they're hungry.
And it goes to a priest to ask for bread and that's when he goes into the pre-session races. I'd like Five Loaves. If you can just give me five loaves of bread that would get us through to their next our next spot in the priests of I don't have I don't have any bread here in the house. But I've got 12 loaves of bread I can get you in the temple.
now that's
that's not bread. We're supposed to have that's the bread for the priests. There's 12 12 loaves of bread in the temple that are for the priest bread represents one of the 12 tribes of Israel and they are there for the priest as they're doing Priestly duties inside the temple. That's it. That's the bread of the presence that there's work being done in the temple and his priest. Gives David and his men that bread.
And it's for temple you solemnly and Dave and his men ate the bread of the presence which was only to be eaten by these priests while they serve in the temple. And the other day about the bread of the presence is once it was consumed. It had to be redone rebate and put right back there could never be a time and which there wasn't bread of the presents ready to go in the temple. I don't we don't see the rest of that but they're not they got out and bake some more bread and put it back in there. It's just he gave David this holy consecrated Temple Bread Dave and his men ate it.
So Jesus is making this interesting yet simple point. That that what David did was me there normal? Nor was it exactly legal according to the official law? But God didn't want David and his men to starve. God had a plan for David. And it wouldn't end and David starving here. So God allowed this moment.
Scripture doesn't condemn David for what he didn't or does it condemn the priest for what? He did God's concern was caring for his follower. David was a man after God's Own Heart and God wanted David to have the care. He needed at this moment.
David was the anointed king of Israel who was waiting to take the throne. Understand that too. Is the guy see what Jesus is doing here? It in telling this story of David. He's making a comparison of himself David.
Jesus to at this point is a waiting King waiting to take us from
So he wraps up this argument though. And in the end that there's a lot going on there. We're going to come back and unpack some of that and second but but there's a lot going on there that Jesus is wrapping up his argument. It was another point that the Pharisees had missed altogether about the Sabbath the Sabbath was for man. Not man for the Sabbath. To the principal here is that the Sabbath was given to man as a blessing? Who take this day of rest the week we spend time as followers of Jesus Christ worshipping a holy and just God we take time reflecting on him. We take time and prayer for him and it's for us. It was a blessing to us.
So that we would know our God more closely. The Sabbath was also given from man's enjoyment. Is he the first had the principal backwards? They saw that man should bless the Sabbath. And that man was for the Sabbath significance that that we made the Sabbath more significant. Jesus fulfilling the law freezer for this kind of backward process and our thought processes. Is it did it freeze us up for this Jesus frees us from these legalistic constraint to become an embalmer burden on our lives. Jesus frees us from something that is impossible to live up to
Paul writes in second collage Ernst & Colossians Colossians 2 chapter again Paul Crites in Colossians 2 verses 16 through 17. Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink or the regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come but the substance belongs to Christ.
All of this stuff leading up to this point is a shadow. We we we did our Hebrews sermon series. It felt like that weird Shadow appeared so much when I was being taught to us there that everything's a shadow compared to Christ.
Are are are honoring of the Sabbath is a shadow. Are honoring to Christ and how we should honor him Above All Else?
We think back to these things which we think think of all of us like as followers of Jesus Christ. We're under the Covenant that has been ignoring rated by the Earthly Ministry the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And then he's waiting to finally take his throne full-time. Like David was waiting. That's where the server this idea. Is it the Jesus on Earth is time spent here was an inauguration but not a not a consummation.
of his kingdom it was started but not all the way there.
So Jesus is waiting in his remaining the Pharisees who he is here in this. As followers of Christ. We're under that that New Covenant and every day we have here on Earth is a blessing everyday we have is it wasn't the Lord's day should Lift us up and not burden us We Gather to have a Sabbath that gather to celebrate in to worship. It should be an uplifting moment for us. It should be a refueling and recharging not a burden. We all are not in it because he get it. You've been you've been in that spot. We're showing up on a Sunday morning was a burden rather than a blessing. But we don't want that to ever happen. It's not what our Lord is calling us do that then we gather to worship Him. It should be. Yes, challenging. Yes convicting but a blessing not a burden. That's what God is calling us to hear to be a blessing on that. Don't We Gather on the Lord's Day When We Gather to worship it should should help us grow and Grace it should help us grow in maturity it should not keep has hindered by rules and regulations
But yet there are times that we sometimes feel that way.
Get rid of those shackles. We must remember that the Lord's day is a blessing. I love what Jesus does a man verse 28. He really drives at home here. The son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Again, Jesus is a sorting he's God. I say a sorting. I wish I had a better English word for that. That's what's happening as it's kind of the language that it takes but is what he's he's making the statement of Truth Jesus Is God is saying this.
He's using that name son of man from self again. We're going to see that name. Son of man come up over and over again and Mark that's his favorite title for himself is Marcus writing down what he's are calling it and what he's been taught and uses that sun man goes back to Daniel chapter 7 son of man. The Messiah the one who is Anointed the one who saves people this is who Jesus is.
The other neat thing that's happening here. She's leaking this title. Son of man the lord of the Sabbath. sing Jesus remind us that the son of man was also there and creation and if he was there and creation that he is also Lord of The Seventh-Day if he was there for those six days and he rested on the seventh and he's in charge of the 7th to It's a beautiful reminder to us of who Jesus really is.
He's showing this who he is. He is claiming his rightful name of God twice in one sentence, son of man lord of the Sabbath.
Any showing the Pharisees and us not just during the first and us how when we were lie on our own traditions. We will rely on our own rules and regulations no matter how religious they seem no matter how good they appear no matter how well-meaning our intentions are they will eventually lead us away from God. And become a God in our own mind. It will put them above. the Creator God
Pharisees in seeking to honor God. I'm sorry. I'm taking down our God through the law missed out that God was the lawgiver. And I missed seeing him is who he was.
Jesus Is God uses his lord of the Sabbath he is our anchor of Spiritual Authority and all things. This is a fact we don't have to argue. This don't have to this is a fact this is if you claim to follow Jesus Christ those what you know to be true those are the facts.
Our permission is not necessary for this is going to go ahead man-made rules will never get you closer to God. Only the lord of the Sabbath will get you closer to the guy and the question here is really this. Have you surrendered your life over to him. You just said Jesus. I'm done. I can't fix me. You do it. This is there's nothing I can do in my own power to draw me closer to a holy and just God you do it.
all this
if you're a follower of Jesus Christ today, we're going to enter into our time of invitation or time of call to action. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ today, and you know, there's some Hang-Ups you have some some some legalistic rules that are in your life and you know, you need to cast them off. I'll tell you this you can't really even cast them off yourself. You're going to have to go begging Jesus to cast him off free me from this burden. He will. You may need to seek some Brothers and Sisters in Christ the kind of come alongside of you and help you through it. And in that process some of us it there helping you may discover. We have burdens their legalistic or tendencies that are in our own Hearts. That's not a bad thing. If you're not a follower of Jesus Christ, you have a you feel you need this you need you need to know what's going on with Jesus. I'm talk to me only a side grab on me. So hey brother. You said some things I I don't I don't know. So, you know that I fully understand it. Can you help me out? I'm going to be up here praying. And I would encourage you to do that. If you know that you're ready. I just want to surrender It All to Jesus Christ. Today is the day that you can do that do it hears you did home, but do it. Give it all over to him spray with me. father we just come to you seeking
the freedom that you offer us knowing that you are lord of the Sabbath is Jesus Christ. The son of man is also the son of The Saboteur lord of the Sabbath by the we pray. That is we
You're the word of God and when we see it in our imprint and we can we hear it in our ears that you would continue to speak to us that you would convict us. You would challenge us that you would have us respond to you appropriately.
But it's not just about doing the right thing. But it's following. The only one who gets us to the right thing as following Jesus Christ.
All our prayers. This is as a body Believers of Calvary Heights those who know and love and follow you that that you would move us away from legalistic tendencies that you'd Ross closer to you through study of your word, but knowing your character.
Father I pray that is we would. Seek to glorify none of your kingdom that we understand. where to take that love outdoor Community to share the Gospel of Jesus feathers
Father moving us that way father for those who are persecuted about Jesus who still want to know this relationship. What what's this about? Are they continue to move in their lives? What as well speak to them as a man asks questions. That they may draw near to you. Jesus name I pray these things amen.