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• Keeping Sabbath is a challenging concept and command for me.

• I thrive with people more than solo.
• I’m ambitious and seek challenges/competition.
• I’m optimistic – believing there’s always a solution, and forever there is hope.
• I’m challenged by stillness; body moves on auto.

But Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt 11:28-29)

Later when Jesus hears of John the Baptizer’s death, he says, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” (Mk 6:31)

The principle is that if we don’t take time to come away with Jesus, we will come apart on our own. God made and modeled Sabbath for humanity to understand the source of our strength, peace, and sanity comes through intentional rest and focused faith in Jesus.

The principle is that if we don’t take time to come away with Jesus, we will come apart on our own.

EXAMINE        Matthew 11[1] / Matthew 12:1-21

Last week’s chapter examined Jesus sending the disciples out to proclaim accessibility to the kingdom of God. Regrettably, there are only brief reports about the 12’s mission trips.
One little verse says:
“On their return the apostles told him all that they had done.” (Lk 9:10). We also read that Jesus later sent out 72 others with the 12 disciples (7 groups of 12). Their report is brief too saying, “They returned with joy that even the demons are subject to us in Jesus’ name;” while Jesus replied, “do not rejoice in fighting demons, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk 10:17-20).

• In other words, don’t let success go to your head, but neither allow failure to overwhelm your heart.

Now, we have Jesus walking with the hungry disciples through grainfields on the Sabbath.  

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.

Side note: I love reading the Gospels (& Scripture) with these ordinary details. Hungry boys murmuring “Are we there yet?” “Can we stop somewhere to eat?” Jesus says, “Grab a snack. We’re not eating until there’s a crowd of 5K men.”

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.”

Sabbath in Scripture

• Hebrew word “sabbath” (shabbat), means “to cease” or “desist.”^[2]
• Genesis 2:2 “on the seventh day God finished his work, and he rested on the 7th day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the 7^th day and made it holy.”
• Exodus 20:8-10 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 6 days you shall labor and do all your work, but the 7^th day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your children, your servants, or your livestock, or the sojourner within your gates.” (cf Ex 31:12-17; 35:2-3 Dt 5:12-15; Lev 23:3; or condemnations of profaning sabbath Isa 56:2; Ez 20:12-20; Neh 13:15-22; Jer 17:21-27).
• During the intertestamental years, laws were expanded for remembering the Sabbath. The Mishnah states 39 categories of laws prohibiting various types of work, along with additional rabbinical interpretations that added to the regulations for maintaining Sabbath.[3] The minutiae included and is maintained today for things like writing more than two letters, tuning an instrument, tying/untying shoes, boiling water, or even tearing TP![4] Yet, there are exceptions if another’s life is in danger.
• But the Pharisees did not emphasize exceptions. They focused on following the laws –performance – religion – human tradition over God’s commands.
• Jesus’ words have more context when He said,
  “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mt 11:30)
• This is also a good place to interject and remind everyone about a biblical interpretation principle. Not every OT law is applicable for the NT & today. There were different types of laws:
  • Ceremonial laws for worship of God. Today, every believer is a priest, our sacrifice is praise of the cross and our means for spiritual cleanliness. Our worship is not limited to a physical location or a specific people but through grace in Christ. Our ceremonies are the ordinances of corporate worship in baptism & communion.
  • Civil laws for functioning as a nation. Today, the church deals with sin through discipleship formatively & correctively/separation. But Christians submit to governing authorities.
  • Moral laws for life and relationships. Today, many of these laws are restated in the NT and not just for external behaviors but internal motivations (murder vs anger; lying & coveting vs contented trust in Heavenly Father; adultery vs lust; etc.).  

So, if an OT law is not restated in the NT then Christians are not under law but grace. The original purposes of the law were to 1) reflect God’s holiness, 2) restrain wrongdoing, 3) reveal our guilt and need for the Savior.[5] Christians are free from the curse of the law which brought death; and now God’s laws are life-giving – God’s boundaries have fallen in pleasant places (Ps 16:6).     

³ He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

One thing about Jesus – He always drove people to the Scriptures. The phrase “Have you not read” is both inspiring and insulting. Jesus inspires us that God’s guidance is available for every area of our life. Likewise, Jesus wields the sword to separate fact from deception and pinpoint the heart of issues.   

⁴ how David 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?

Jesus refers to an OT story in 1 Samuel 21. David is on the run from King Saul’s murderous threats. He goes to Ahimelech the priest to request food provisions. Ahimelech instructs the only food available is the consecrated bread, reserved for the holy priests (Lev 24:5-9); and they could have it if the men were pure.   

In essence, the Pharisees viewed David’s actions as life-saving due to Saul’s threats, and thus permissible. Yet, Jesus and the disciples’ actions were viewed improper since their lives were not threatened. BUT, Jesus was expressing He was the greater and purer David.

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.

Next, Jesus refers to the priests who work on the Sabbath. But priests were not bound by Sabbath laws since they were serving the LORD. And again – Jesus was equating His work with priests to mediate between God and people.

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’ last response recalled the admonition to learn the prophet Hosea’s quote of God desiring mercy > sacrifice.[6] Jesus is saying the Pharisees do not understand God’s character or commands. Further, Jesus identifies Himself as Lord of the Sabbath; whereas the Sabbath was instituted by God at creation – before Moses. Therefore, Jesus is claiming to be Creator and maker of mandates for Sabbath-keeping. Jesus is showing us the ultimate Sabbath is community service, joyful friendship, meal-eating, and life in God.  

Jesus is showing us the ultimate Sabbath is community service, joyful friendship, meal-eating, and life in God.  

⁹ Jesus 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.

Jesus isn’t one to give up. He continues testing the Pharisees, though they think they’re testing Him. From their vantage point, a man with a withered hand could wait for a different day to be healed. Thankfully, Jesus thought otherwise. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, knowing they have Sabbath stipulations for helping animals, so how much more to help a human. We might be reminded of passages:

• Prov 3:27 “When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from one it belongs.”
• James 2:16-17 “If one is in need, and you say, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what they need, what good is it? In the same way, faith without works is dead.”

¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

The Pharisees sounded like a delightful church family to belong. I’m sure all their internal debating, political divisiveness, and moral hypocrisy attracted people in droves.  {sarcasm alert}

¹⁵ Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all ¹⁶ and ordered them not to make him known. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ¹⁸ “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; ²⁰ a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; ²¹ and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Undoubtedly, Matthew is hyperlinking Isaiah 42:1-4 prophecies to Jesus – as the Servant of the Lord giving healing, peace, justice, and hope to the nations. Further, Matthew eloquently describes Jesus’ ministry to not discard the feeble or insignificant; a reed or wax wick was available by the hundreds and most would not be troubled by a bruised reed or smoldering wick. But, Jesus has eyes and heart for those that others overlook or reject.

APPLY/THINK

What does it mean for us that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, and how can we practice the discipline of sabbath.

Sabbath symbolizes our salvation. From creation, the model for us is that God works while we rest. The Hebrew day begins in the evening. So, we start our time with rest and recharging sleep before we enter the business of the day.

Ps 127:2 “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for the LORD gives sleep to His beloved.”

This principle is true not just physically but spiritually. Religion trains us to perform rituals and good works to earn a good standing with the divine. However, Christianity claims the necessary work is complete in Jesus.

Titus 3:6 “God saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us rightly through Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

So, the first step to sabbath is to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. Otherwise, your work and investments will all be in vain (cf Heb 3).

Sabbath is balanced in God’s design. Sabbath is also understood in light of the work week. At creation, God models work for 6-days with a 7^th day of rest. Further, God designed humanity with strength, smarts, and opportunities for personal productivity and cultural flourishing (Gen 1:28; 2:15).[7]

Jesus entered our world and spent the overwhelming time of human existence as a worker (builder) before beginning a public ministry. Jesus spoke frequently about “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (Jn 5:17). His parables included working or marketplace context: farming, baking, fishing, shepherding, investors, vineyards, and real estate.

Later, the most prominent missionary of the NT was a tentmaker. And Paul instructed the early church on work regulations for employees and their bosses to work hard, as if serving the Lord; and unwillingness to work or idleness should not be rewarded (Eph 4:28; 6:5-9; Col 3:22-4:1; 1Thes 2:9; 4:11; 2 Thes 3:10-12; 1Tim 5:8, 18; 2 Tim 2:3-6).

Further, the NT speaks about the kingdom of God as a city with meaningful and eternal work for us to do.
Side note: Jobs such as pastors &  missionaries will no longer be necessary; likewise medical personnel… politicians (1 king)… but artists, builders, craftsman, chefs, musicians and many other jobs will still be useful. You get the idea!

Yet today, 7.2 million men in their prime working ages, between 25-54, have dropped out of USA workforce. This is not a matter of unemployment, as it seems every store/company around is hiring. Instead, this phenomenon is an identity crisis. Bureau of Labor statistics state these men have replaced labor with leisure for 7-hrs/day.  

• Work is not inconsequential to your purpose of serving God, and your faith witness.  

• Parents teach the value of work at home with age-appropriate chores. And do not enable adult children to live at home rent-free and responsibility-light. There may be exceptional or crisis circumstances, but boomerang children should not be normalized.   

• Similarly, older adults are well within the rights and privileges to retire. But be careful that the leisure mindset doesn’t negate God’s mandate to live for God’s glory (1Cor 10:31).

Sabbath requires intentionality. Since the beginning, humanity has sought to accomplish success with the strength of its work. Gen 11 Tower of Babel shows humanity counterfeiting God’s design for work to bring Him glory. The people were obsessed with their own pride, and God dissolved their investments to make them realize their need for Him.

Sadly, humanity has not learned. We toil and innovate; we find ways to rationalize rest and our work efforts only bring more stress and strain mentally, emotionally, and physically. And work is defined not just by our jobs, but the ongoing list of obligatory tasks and voluntary activities that consume our waking moments.

So, if we are to take God’s pattern and principle seriously, then we must be intentional. Some ways to more deliberate about the discipline of sabbath are following.

Side note: And as I share about these disciplines, I confess personal struggle as stated in the introduction. Ignoring the discipline of sabbath has caused personal stress, tension and conflict in my family, and unhealthy expectations in ministry. So, these are disciplines I’m attempting to implement…

*Divert Daily

This starts with the night’s sleep. Going to bed at a decent time to get at least 7-hrs of sleep; more for children.[8]

Onward, time with God should be planned and prioritized. I think many rush to begin the day without taking a few moments pray with gratitude and requesting strength and wisdom to guide the full day’s tasks. Others may find their best time to focus on God later in the morning – after coffee – or whenever. The Jews offered prayer times 3x day, which I think is helpful practice. We should feed our soul as much as we feed our stomach.

Ps 1:2-3 “Blessed is the one who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates day and night. You are like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in season and its leaf does not wither; all you do will prosper.”

• What is your plan to divert daily?

*Withdraw Weekly

Our society views success with demanding work schedules and accumulated activities to fill the calendar. It’s a recipe for breakdown and collapse. The practice of sabbath is resistance to a world that attempts to find identity and strength in alternate sources.

We resist culture’s values for success by prioritizing the Lord’s Day. As Christians, we are not bound by strict Sabbath laws. We affirm Paul’s words:

• Romans 14:5 “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”
• Colossians 2:16-17 “Let no one pass judgment on you in question of food and drink, or with regard to festivals or Sabbath. These are a shadow of things to come but the substance belongs to Christ.”

Yet, we do see the pattern of Christians to prioritize gathering with believers on Sunday.

• Acts 2:42-47 describes followers of Jesus devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship of one another.
• 1 Cor 16 describes churches gathering to worship and collect offerings on the first day of the week.
• Rev 1:10 describes John praying in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.
• Heb 10:25, ff warns us not to neglect meeting together for mutual encouragement and ministry equipping; otherwise we will drift into sin and throw away our confidence before a holy God.  

When we see Sundays as a strain to our schedule and something to fit around our other activities, we have pushed God to the peripheral. It’s as if a child is looking at a table full of food, and he pushes it all aside to lick pistachio shells. You would say, “But child, you’re wasting your time on crumbs and missing solid food.”

Jesus said, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (Jn 6:27)

*Respite regularly.

There are certain seasons of life that are more difficult and draining than others. Whether it’s long hours or lingering trials, we need to respite physically and refuel spiritually.

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” (Mk 6:31)

Closing…

• Sabbath is confessing our limits…
• At end of life, few will wish we worked more. Most will regret not investing in meaningful relationships and nurturing deep roots in faith. Start today.

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[1] See past messages: https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2014/05/12/stuck-by-discontentment-matthew-1128-30/; https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2020/05/18/expectations-meet-reality/; https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2022/01/09/gentle-jesus-friend-of-sinners-matthew-1116-30/

^[2] Barbara J. Bruce, “Sabbath,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 1426.

[3] https://www.exploringjudaism.org/holidays/shabbat/observing-shabbat/the-shabbat-prohibitions/

[4] https://www.ou.org/holidays/the_thirty_nine_categories_of_sabbath_work_prohibited_by_law/

[5] See https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/the-third-and-principal-use/

[6] See Matthew 9:13; https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2024/02/04/jesus-reclined-matthew-99-13/

[7] I speak about this idea frequently. https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2015/03/30/life-in-proverbs-my-work-before-god/, https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2016/09/05/work-and-labor/

[8] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898