Sermon on May 20 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture: Mark 2:23-27

We can either boast about how little we rest, or how little we work. The Pharisees turned the Sabbath into a burden.
Who is ruling your ‘sabbath’?

Since Jesus rules the Sabbath:
1. BEWARE THE HANDCUFFS OF MAN-MADE RULES!

• The disciples were taking one step too far
  Handcuff one – if you stepped one step over 1 999 paces, you were travelling too far!
• The disciples were crossing one line too much
  Handcuff two – if you plucked some wheat from a field and ate it, better to go hungry than break the rule
  Religion says : ‘You have to be good, so live by rules so you know what buttons to push!’
  Gospel says : ‘You cannot be good enough. Jesus is and has fulfilled every commandment in your place’

‘Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality however (ie the substance) is found in Christ.’ (Col. 2:16-17)

2. BE FREE IN JESUS, OUR TRUE SABBATH!

• The King is always greater than the law
  When David and his men ate the showbread at the Tabernacle they were technically breaking the law (1 Sam 1:21)
  Who you are determines what you can get away with – the laws are subject to Jesus, not ruling over Him.
  Without Jesus we will never understand the spirit of the commandments.
• Jesus is always better than any one day
  If keeping a one day Sabbath was good enough, Jesus was not have come.
  Are you resting in Him, knowing that that the only work that really matters is finished?

‘Come unto Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest….rest for your souls’.
(Mat 11:28)

• In Jesus each day is a day for blessing, not for burden
  • If Jesus is our sabbath, don’t lose Him in the worship
    Are you coming on Sunday to compare or to commune with Jesus?

We belittle God when we go through the outward motions of worship and take no pleasure in His person
(John Piper)

• • If Jesus is our Sabbath, find your pleasure in serving Jesus – with pleasure

Are you enjoying God more through serving Him with others – blessing them, not just on the Lord’s Day but every day?

 

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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. What rules do you find yourself using to judge the spirituality of yourself and others?
2. In what ways does Jesus ‘fulfill’ the Sabbath? Does that mean we ignore the principle of Sabbath rest?
3. Is the Sabbath the same as the Lord’s Day? Why, or why not? Read Hebrews 2:8-10. What should be distinctive about the Lord’s Day?
4. Think about how you can best honor Jesus on a Sunday without being legalistic. How can you delight Him and delight yourself in Him?

 

 

Photo credit FreeImages.com/Karolina Przybysz