Lord of the Sabbath
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Luke 6:1-5 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
A PLEASANT SABBATH
It might be difficult to think of a better way to spend your time.
walking with Jesus, listening to him, with his people, enjoying the time with one another.
App: but today we’re too far apart. Cars and highways have spread us out a great deal. The neighborhood is just for sleeping, the office is where people actually spend time together.
But in Jesus’ time God’s people were closer to one another. It was easier for them to spend time together, Even not too long ago you could open your front door and see who else was outside. Teh regional church, it’s not ideal. We’re working to get more back to this type of life, but it will take time.
App: And with our modern advancements we’ve cut the work week down from 6 days to four, or three. We are eating cake all the time. The sabbath isn’t special anymore, it’s just another of many days of not working.
But in Jesus’ day the sabbath was looked forward to, people couldn’t wait to have a day of no harvest. They were wore out. Spent by the end of the week. Good, that’s where we want to get to.
App: but - what if I need to keep working to put food on the table??? Well, that’s not where food comes from. It comes from God. And God gives you the day off.
App - Slaves don’t get a day off. BUT sons do. And we are sons.
So enjoy it. Take advantage of it. Rest well from your work and kingdom build every other day of the week.
And the dsiciples were doing just that.
Imagine - living in the time of jesus’ miracles. Hope and excitement were everhwere. What a time.
and here they were, walking through the fields, enjoying one another, and snacking on some grain as they went.
NOW! When we read that some of us think “wait, stealing?”
I’ve heard stories of crawfish farmers setting up police stings to catch crawfish thieves stealing from their ponds.
Our world is different. no tresspassing signs, fences everywhere, how would Jesus allow this?
Because it’s Bible. Deut 23 allows for this. You can’t bring a tool or harvest a bunch to bring home, but you could snack.
APP: While the Bible is supportive of private property (the commandment do not steal carries all those implications) It is also clear that there are limits to our ownership.
we are stewards. It is ultimately God’s. (Note: NOT ultimately the states)
this is part of what is behind the tithe. When we obey the tithe law, we are signalling - this is all God’s.
APP: God’s law thought of as harsh - but here is God caring for the poor via his law.
APP - you can also see that God’s law cared for all of society.
it creates a society that cares for one another. a society in which no one will starve, everyone will be helped.
our current system of laws creates a soceity of “I’m gonna get mine” and “when I die I want my last check to bounce”
BUT THERE WERE OTHERS THERE WATCHING
Disciples were enjoying their sabbath, and the pharisees were there … watching/waiting/fuming. And nit-picking everything Jesus did.
Why? Because they were the authority - and Jesus was a clear threat.
APP: Why were they threatened? Because their ‘laws’ were disregarded and Jesus shows up preaching and living God’s laws.
this is why the church proclaims and obeys the law of God, rather than the law of man. Why? Because who has all authority?
BUT ROMANS 13?!
do you think Jesus knew about Romans 13? And yet....
We live in a hierarchy and God is at the top. Our lives should reflect that through and through.
APP: And we can see this as people who live in a nation that wars against the authroity of God in genetics, in sexuality, and in gender. They want to throw off the obvious “design” and make themselves in their own image.
Jesus triggers the “establishment” of the day because he’s there to usher in the kingdom. The “new wine” that bursts the old wine skins.
It’s warfare on a kingdom level, and the devil will always rage against it. It’s ok. Those are death throws, and he knows it too.
AND JESUS WINS.
“The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
THE SON OF MAN
Jesus Identifying himself as the promised messiah foretold from the book of daniel.
this is the scene in the bar in those old west movies where the hoodlums are causing a ruckus and the hero makes his presence known quietly from a dark corner of the pub. “You leave them ladies alone, says who? says me...”
In other words Jesus says to them, “you have no idea who you’re critiquing”
LORD OF THE SABBATH
In the response to the critiques… he lets them know that they can’t nitpick him. He made the sabbath.
It didn’t just start with the tenC - goes back to beginning - was given by God.
in other words, the God who is our ultimate sabbath.
This reminds me of the Narnia books - Lion/Witch - where the white witch quotes the law to Aslan, and Aslan responds “don’t you quote the deep magic to me witch… I was there when it was written.”
In other words, Jesus knows what the Sabbath really is.... and he knows that ultimately it’s his AND it is him. HE IS OUR SABBATH.
And just as the passover was converted soon to the communion table, the Lrods Supper, The Sabbath was about to change.
rather than a Saturday day of rest to remember creation, it becomes a Sunday - day of celebration - to remember the Lord’s day - the resurrection.
On the lords day we celebrate christs accomplishment of the second creation. He died and rose again. It is finished. But, now as we embark on a new week together with christ (the new adam and the new eve his bride) we go out into the world to be fruitful, multiply, fill, subdue, exercise dominion in his power to his glory. Each week marking further advance until the mission is complete.