Rest As A Gift And The Lord Of The Sabbath
Rest As A Gift And The Lord Of The Sabbath Pastor Shane December 29, 2024 Sabbath “And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. The Pharisees were saying to 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 he and his companions became hungry; how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”” Mark 2:23-28 NASB It’s our final week in this series on Sabbath! I’m wondering, are you all as sad as me that this is the final week of our Sabbath blog or are you tired of me telling you to rest? All jokes aside, I pray that you’ve found time over this month to experience rest in its entirety. Today, we’re experiencing Sabbath collectively as a body. Rest creates space for us to hear from the Lord and time for us to delight in Him. For our last post, I want to focus on the culmination of the Sabbath. You see the Sabbath wasn’t intended to be the ‘be all/end all’ in regards to the rest we receive but actually a pointing to the one we find true rest in. In my opinion, I’ve saved the best for last – an invitation to experience rest, not just once a week, but in our daily lives. Picture this: Jesus and His disciples are walking through a field on the Sabbath. The disciples pick some heads of grain to eat, and the Pharisees lose it. To them, this was a clear violation of their strict Sabbath rules—no work allowed, not even picking a snack. Jesus’ response is both simple and profound. He reminds them of how David broke religious protocol to meet a practical need, then delivers this one liner: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Translation? The Sabbath wasn’t meant to be a burden. It was created to meet a deep human need. And as the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus reclaims it for what it was always meant to be—a gift, not a burden. Let’s break this down in 2 parts – Rest as a gift and Lord of the Sabbath. Rest as a gift: Let’s remember the blog from week 2, where we talked about the difference between the Sabbath commandment in Exodus and the Sabbath commandment in Deuteronomy. In Exodus, we saw Sabbath as a command and invitation to participate in the rest we see in creation – to join God in Sabbath rest. In Deuteronomy, we saw the same thing, with a little bit of a twist. Not only was the Sabbath a command and invitation to participate in the rest, but it was also a reminder that the people of Israel were no longer slaves. It was a weekly reminder that they are free. This twofold purpose—rest and freedom—gets to the heart of the Sabbath. It’s not just a break from work; it’s a declaration of trust in God and a reminder that our worth isn’t tied to what we produce. So what happened? By the time Jesus showed up, the Sabbath had become a rulebook. The Pharisees had added layer upon layer of restrictions, turning it into a burden instead of a blessing. Jesus cuts through all of that: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath wasn’t meant to be a weight on people’s shoulders. It was meant to lift them up. But the Pharisees missed the point, and if we are all honest with ourselves, I think we can often miss it too. How often do we trade God’s invitation to rest for the endless hustle of work, productivity, and achievement? How often do we let busyness define us instead of God’s grace? The Sabbath is a gift from God, a rhythm literally built into the fabric of creation and a commandment to the Isrealites. Ultimately, it points to the One we find our rest in. Lord of the Sabbath: Jesus wasn’t joking when he said “So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath”. What He’s saying here is that the Sabbath belongs to Him – not only that it belongs to Him, but the rest that Sabbath gives is found in Him. Jesus offers us true rest, not just one day a week, but every single day. Practicing the Sabbath weekly is an important spiritual practice that we should all participate in, yet, because of Jesus, we are not under the commandment to practice it. So, what does that mean? We’ve spent the last 3 weeks looking at the Sabbath and now you’re saying we don’t need to practice it? No, not at all. What I am saying here is that the Sabbath is a gift from God, an invitation to experience rest from our constant hustle for 24 hours a week. It’s a spiritual discipline that we should all practice weekly and get into the rhythm of practicing, but, the invitation of rest is no longer just limited to one day of the week, it’s available to us each and every day in the person and presence of Jesus. In Matthew 11:28, when Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” – He wasn’t talking about a day of the week. He was inviting us into a whole new way of
How Sabbath Rest Transforms Our Relationship to Time
How Sabbath Rest Transforms Our Relationship to Time Pastor Shane December 22, 2024 Sabbath “When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He stayed by the seashore. And one of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came, and upon seeing Him, fell at His feet and pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that power from Him had gone out, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman, fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be cured of your disease.”” Mark 5:21-34 NASB In week 3, I want us to jump from Old Testament law to New Testament teaching. But, before we do that, let’s take a look back at this past week. How did we do at practicing Sabbath for ourselves? How did we do at practicing Sabbath communally? Remember the Sabbath isn’t just about a brief escape from work but about aligning to God’s vision for the world, allowing everyone to experience the rest He provides. One of the biggest roadblocks we always experience when referring to the Sabbath is time. How did time become something we manage and measure rather than a gift for us to enjoy? In our current culture, we often view time as a resource to be spent or controlled. We pride ourselves on being busy and getting things done. But Sabbath invites us to see time differently—as a precious gift from God, meant to be enjoyed and delighted in. If you didn’t already know, our culture has an obsession with productivity. Think about the last time you met someone, did you ask them “what do you do for a living?” We’ve become enamored by what someone does rather than who they are. With that, we often judge the quality of our days based on how much we accomplish. A day filled with completed tasks is a good day, meanwhile a day where things don’t get done feels like a waste. This mindset can be exhausting and ultimately unsatisfying. We start to believe that our worth comes from our ability to produce, and we feel guilty when we’re not constantly doing something. Our lives are riddled with productivity fatigue and plagued with productivity guilt. We are doing too much, while not doing enough at the same time. How messed up does that sound? Sabbath offers an alternative relationship to time. Instead of seeing time as something to be maximized, it teaches us to experience time for what it is, a gift. The practice of Sabbath challenges us to stop striving and simply be present. It’s a day set apart for delight and reflection. It’s a time to gaze at the stars instead of the ground, to replace our obsession with productivity with a sense of wonder. One of the most profound lessons of the Gospel is that Jesus often embraced interruptions. Take a look at our main text in Mark – we find Jesus on his way to raise Jairus’ daughter from death, but He was interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus didn’t scoff or push it off because he was on task and had somewhere to be, but He welcomed the interruption. Jesus saw interruptions not as inconveniences, but as opportunities to show God’s love and power. Let’s be honest and self reflecting here – how often do we welcome interruptions in our lives? More often than not, we see them as setbacks that keep us from our goals. Sabbath reminds us to slow down and open our hearts to what God might be doing in those unforeseen moments. Are you feeling overwhelmed by your schedule today? Transparently, I know I am. As a Husband, father of 3, Pastor, employee, friend, brother, son – need I say more? Most days, I can find myself saying “there’s not enough time in a day.” Let’s contemplate what a weekly Sabbath could do for our souls – it doesn’t mean neglecting responsibilities or pretending that work doesn’t matter. It means taking one day to rest and realign with God’s purposes, to trust Him enough to stop striving. Let’s go against the grain and remember that our value doesn’t come from what we do but from who we are in God’s eyes. Past Messages All Posts Past Messages Leap January 7, 2024/No Comments Leap Pastor Jason Cooper Sunday, January 07, 2024 Sunday Morning In this episode of “Leap” Pastor Jason encouraged us that… Read More You Are Loved January 14, 2024/No Comments You Are Loved Pastor Jason Cooper Sunday, January 14, 2024 Sunday Morning In this episode of “You are Loved”, Pastor… Read More Misinformed January 21, 2024/No Comments Misinformed Pastor Danielle Cooper Sunday, January 21, 2024 Sunday Morning In this
Sabbath Rest: A Justice Plan, Not a Wellness Plan
The Rhythm of Creation and The Beginning of the Sabbath Pastor Shane December 15, 2024 Sabbath “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your resident who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11 NASB “Keep the Sabbath day to treat it as holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. For six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; you shall not do any work that day, you or your son or your daughter, or your male slave or your female slave, or your ox, your donkey, or any of your cattle, or your resident who stays with you, so that your male slave and your female slave may rest as well as you. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to celebrate the Sabbath day.” Deuteronomy 5:12-15 NASB Before we jump into week 2, let’s contemplate on this past week. How did we do with putting the Sabbath into practice? Did we find time, even if just a few moments – to stop and rest? I pray that each of us experienced it in some way. Have you noticed lately, in our current culture, the idea of self-care and wellness is everywhere? We’re encouraged to take breaks and indulge in things that make us feel good. The “mindfulness movement” is spreading rapidly in our society. But Sabbath is something much deeper and more transformative than any wellness plan. It’s a command from God that carries profound implications, not only for our personal well-being, but for society as a whole. Let’s start with some Bible knowledge. The first 5 books of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—are called the Torah. That word means “law,” but a better way to think of it is “teaching”. These books aren’t just rules; they tell the story of God forming a people and showing them how to live in His freedom. Here’s what’s cool: there’s a 40 year gap between Exodus and Deuteronomy, and they were written to two very different groups. Exodus was for the generation that had just come out of slavery in Egypt. Deuteronomy was written for their kids—people who hadn’t been slaves but were about to step into the Promised Land. In a sense, Deuteronomy is a second telling of the law, but with a different emphasis because this generation needed a different reminder. In Exodus, the Sabbath command is rooted in creation just like we focused on last week. It recalls how God worked for 6 days, creating the heavens, the earth, and everything in them, and rested on the 7th day. The commandment is clear: we, too, are invited to join in this rhythm of work and rest, reflecting God’s own rhythm in creation. The focus here is on delight—enjoying God’s creation and pausing to marvel at its beauty. Deuteronomy, however, introduces a different motivation. The command to “observe the Sabbath” is tied, not to creation, but to liberation: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” Here, the Sabbath is about freedom. It’s a weekly reminder that Israel is no longer bound in slavery. It’s not just a spiritual practice, but an act of justice. It’s a way of ensuring that no one, not even the lowest servant, is deprived of rest. Think about that for a moment. Sabbath is not just a wellness plan for the privileged; it’s a justice plan for all. It’s a way to ensure that even the most marginalized members of society can experience rest and dignity. On the Sabbath, everyone stands equal before God. The wealthy landowner and the poor laborer, the investment banker and the night-shift janitor—on this day, all have the right to rest. It’s a radical and countercultural concept, especially in a world that so often values people based on their productivity. In our current culture, this means that observing the Sabbath can be a form of resistance. It pushes back against a culture that glorifies busyness and devalues people who can’t keep up. Sabbath challenges the notion that our worth is tied to our work. It reminds us that our identity comes from God, not from our accomplishments. The Sabbath goes against the grain of our current society and it’s one of the things I love so much about it. In a culture of hustle harder and push yourself beyond your limits, God invites us to pause and rest. Reviewing our own practices, are we living in a way that supports rest for everyone? Are we contributing to a culture that values people over productivity? Sabbath is communal and invites us to reconsider these questions – to make choices that reflect God’s heart for justice and equality. As we think about how to incorporate Sabbath into our lives, remember that it’s not about achieving perfect balance or escaping from work temporarily – it’s about aligning with God’s vision for the world, where everyone has the right to rest and be valued simply for being human. A beautiful and challenging call, but one worth pursuing. Past Messages All Posts Past Messages Leap January 7, 2024/No Comments Leap Pastor Jason Cooper Sunday, January 07, 2024
The Rhythm of Creation and The Beginning of the Sabbath
The Rhythm of Creation and The Beginning of the Sabbath Pastor Shane December 8, 2024 Sabbath “And so the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their heavenly lights. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3 NASB We’re kicking off 4 weeks of blogs, leading up to a church wide Sabbath Sunday and I believe the best place to begin is literally at the beginning. My prayer for this time is for us to all get a deeper understanding of the Sabbath, rest, and why it’s an important part of the rhythms of our church. When teaching on the Sabbath, starting in Genesis is almost a necessity. For us to understand the Sabbath we must first understand its role in creation. Have you ever asked or wondered why rest is so deeply woven into the fabric of creation? In the opening chapters of Genesis, we find a beautiful, poetic narrative of God’s creation. For 6 days God worked, shaping the world, forming the land, separating the waters, and filling the earth with life. And then, on the 7th day, something extraordinary happened: God rested. He didn’t rest because He was tired, He rested to show us something fundamental about the universe and about ourselves. Genesis, Chapters 1 and 2, are more than a simple recounting of events. It’s a piece of Hebrew poetry that is rhythmic in nature and full of repetition. The first 6 days of creation follow a clear, steady cadence: “There was evening, and there was morning.” Day after day, the pattern continues, until everything builds to a crescendo—the 7th day. On that day, God blessed His creation, set the day apart as holy, and rested. It was as if the entire rhythm of the universe pointed to this day, the day of rest, the Sabbath. This idea of Sabbath rest is not just an afterthought. It’s the culmination of creation, a reminder that rest is a part of divine order. God didn’t bless any of the other days, but He blessed this one. Why? Because the 7th day is a day of delight, a day set apart for enjoying what has been created and recognizing God’s presence in it all. In fact, some scholars argue that the entire creation account is a setup for this grand finale, the Sabbath. It’s a rhythm that invites us to rest, to be present, and to enjoy the world as God intended. But what does this mean for us today? In our culture, rest is often seen as a luxury or even a sign of laziness. We live in a world where productivity is king, where our worth is often measured by how much we get done. Yet God sees rest differently. He calls it holy. He invites us into His rest, not because we’ve earned it, but because it’s part of the life He designed for us. So, how do we start embracing this gift of Sabbath? It begins with a shift in perspective. Instead of seeing rest as wasted time, we can start to see it as sacred time. We can create space in our week to pause, turn off our screens, step away from our work, and simply just be. Maybe it’s a quiet walk in nature, a slow meal with loved ones, or time spent in reflective prayer. The objective is to stop striving and start savoring. Imagine setting aside one day each week to rest and reconnect with God. It’s not about rules or restrictions; it’s about delighting in the rhythm of creation and experiencing the joy and peace that come from being in God’s presence. Sabbath is an invitation for us to join in God’s finished work and to remember that life is more than what we accomplish. It’s about being, not just doing. So this week, let’s consider how we might make room for Sabbath in our life. Could we carve out time to disconnect from work and reconnect with God? It doesn’t have to be perfect or elaborate. It just needs to be intentional. Rest is not a reward for surviving another week, it’s a gift that God offers to us and sits waiting for us to receive. 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