The Sabbath was made for man, what are we doing with it?

The Sabbath was made for man, what are we doing with it?

²⁴ And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”…²⁷ And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”  Mark 2:24,27-28

Did you realize that the Sabbath is the only day of the week that God declared as “holy”, Gen 2:3?  In fact in Jewish traditions, all days are spoken of in relation to the coming Sabbath.  Hence, the first day of the week is the first day looking forward to the Sabbath which is sun down on Friday until the first 3 stars appear on Saturday totaling about 25 hours.

The Pharisees had made many other traditions to carry out the letter of the law concerning the Fourth of the 10 commandments.  They were looking for Jesus to break this commandment thereby losing his integrity and authority.  They had created elaborate laws so that one could feel justified by observing every one of the traditions.

The fourth commandment of keeping the Sabbath has the longest explanation of the Ten.  ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

“Remember” the Sabbath.  Not observing the Sabbath on a regular basis has more to do with Remembering than the definition of what day of the week or the definition of the Sabbath.  Why should we “remember”?  This is not thinking about a past event as if you were to remember a vacation.  This is present tense.  Like waking up and remembering the date that is coming later that day.  It includes anticipation and expectation about a good event. 

Remembering also has a specific focus.  It is not just a day for your mind to flow into neutral.  This is a day to remember the God who created the Universe.  There is great joy and thankfulness that arises as we admire all that God has done in creation.  We order our days and nights by the sun and the moon.  We breathe fresh air after the rain.  We copy the brilliance of colors that are arrayed in the splendor of all of creation.  How many shades of green are found in just trees alone?  God is so awesome to create all the diversity of life forms, yet they coexist in a beautiful interdependence.  We appreciate God the creator as we remember this day.

The Sabbath is also a principle of rest, that is we desist from our labors.  God included all of creation for this day of rest.  Every single person regardless of their social status was to observe this day of rest.  God knew that a day of rest is similar to a night of sleep.  He did not create us to be in perpetual motion.  When we slow down, our body, mind, and emotions have an opportunity to regain strength.  Violating the Sabbath of rest will take its toll on our lives. Observing rest has a wonderful impact for us.

Finally, this day was blessed and set a part, meaning holy.  It should not be like every other day.  The six days of work was sufficient to bring that week to a close.  The day of rest was not a day to strategize how to be more efficient in the next six days.  We should not use it as a free day to worry. Neither is it a day for housework.  Yes, you can do housework but how are you differentiating this day as holy? This is a day to grow deeper in your relationship with God and with one another.  Laughter, play time, good coffee, meaningful conversation, letter writing, phone calls to parents or children are all examples of focusing on important relationships.

For the early Jews Sunday was not the Sabbath.  It was the first day of the week.  They met as a church as a first fruit offering of their week.  They would meet before their work day to encourage one another and remember God at the first of their week and day.  If we are busy all day on Sunday, how is that day like the Sabbath? 

Let’s close by asking three questions.

1.    Are you consistently “remembering” one day of the week for a Sabbath rest?  Could you write down what that day would be for you and how it is going to reflect the principle of rest?

2.   What is the biggest struggle to implementing a day of rest in your life?  Calendar too busy?  Unsure how to start?  God created this day to allow you to rejuvenate your life.

3.   Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.  Ask him to reveal the importance of establishing this day of rest.  Ask for his help.  There is a reward that He gives for remembering this day found in Isaiah 58:13-14

“Keep the Sabbath day holy.
    Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
    and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.
Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
    and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
¹⁴ Then the Lord will be your delight.
    I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

The Sabbath is a day for joy.  Praise the Lord for His wisdom.