Mark 2: 23-27 (NLT)
One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.
“The Sabbath was made to serve us; we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath.”(verse 28, The Message)
One of the great deceptions we fall into is placing too much emphasis on Sundays. There is nothing intrinsically holy or righteous about Sunday, even though that may be our day of collective worship. Sunday is no more, or less, relevant than any other day of the week. Sunday wasn’t even considered the original Sabbath Day. That honor would fall to Saturday. Christians began worshiping on the first day of the week, Sunday, because most of the early believers were Jewish and would loiter and worship around the synagogues on Saturday, then do the same at a Meeting Place on Sunday. History lessons aside, we get the picture.
The Sabbath Day, or day to rest and focus on worship, can be taken any day of the week. Its simply this – resting in the presence of God. Refocusing. Clearing our minds and hearts. Preparing ourselves to meet God and allow him to love on us. Dropping our burdens, which pale in comparison to his majesty.
God designed the Sabbath day not for His well being, but for ours. It’s a reminder to us of all He’s done, who He is, His love and forgiveness, and His peace and rest. Instead, these Religious Scholars (both then and now) get it unbalanced, making it about what we say and do. Not about what God says and does.
When we fall into this trap, we serve the day, not allow the day to serve us.
