The Sabbath is an important day in the week. For the Jew it is Saturday, and for us Christians it is Sunday. Its importance is derived from being a command of God , “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.” (Exodus 20:8-11). For Sabbatarians or sabbath keepers this edict of the Almighty is still in effect. In fact there are strict observers of the sabbath like those who accused our Lord Jesus, “One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along.So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-27).
The Sabbath’s purpose is “rest” (Exodus 20:8-11), and Jesus said “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath can be whatever Jesus wants it to be, because in Him is rest, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).The sabbath is now in Christ. Christ is now the Sabbath! In Him we may find our rest for our weary souls!
That being said I do see benefits in observing the Lord’s Day by gathering together, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight,” (Acts 20;7) to “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42). So while Jesus is our Sabbath, it is good for us to gather with other saints to rest in Him. Amen.
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