Matthew 12:8-21

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8 ``For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'' After saying this about Himself, Jesus heads directly into the synagogue.

9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, ``Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?''-so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, ``What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 ``How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.'' 13 Then He said* to the man, ``Stretch out your hand!'' He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired, against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

He first teaches the logic of doing some work on the Sabbath if necessary, then He performs a miracle right in front of everyone! They had misapplied the Sabbath and turned it into a religious rule rather than a relational covenant with the Lord.

15 But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them not to tell who He was. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 18 ``BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. 19 ``HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. 20 ``A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. 21 ``AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.''

When you set aside a day for a Sabbath, you set up Jesus as your Lord!

What is a Sabbath? To the Jews it was an identifying mark that they ceased from all normal work for one day to focus on their God. It was to stop everything and focus on their God and their relationship with Him. Although this was in the Law of Moses and we are no longer under that Law, the Sabbath doesn't really go away! Under the Law of Moses you were in a "have-to" mode. Now, you are under the Law of Christ which supersedes and embraces the Mosaic Law and you are in a "want-to" mode. We do everything we can to keep the Sabbath, not because we have to but because we want to. It's the most wonderful day of rest-a time out that is much appreciated! Sabbath is for man to enjoy. Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath! Here are some ways to look at this Sabbath principle.

It is: 1. A SANCTUARY IN TIME! 2. A TIME TO DISCONNECT FROM THE RAT RACE OF LIFE-TO REST! 3. A TIME TO KEEP YOURSELF PLUGGED INTO GOD NO MATTER! 4. A TIME TO CULTIVATE JOY & HAPPINESS IN YOUR SOUL! 5. A TIME TO SEEK GOD'S WISDOM! 6. A TIME TO REFUEL YOUR GRATEFUL HEART! 7. A TIME TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR CORE VALUES! 8. A TIME TO GET IN SYNC WITH THE RHYTHM OF CREATION! 9. A TIME TO RECREATE! 10. A TIME TO ENJOY GOD'S SALVATION FOR YOU! 11. A TIME TO HANG OUT WITH JESUS! 12. A TIME TO MAKE JESUS YOUR LORD!

Check it out for yourself! Don't make it religious. Remember God wants your heart (compassion) and your personal relationship with Him (knowledge of Him) rather than your religiosities (sacrifices). And when you set aside a day of rest like this, you set up Jesus as your Lord. HE IS THE LORD OF THE SABBATH, so He can say what is right and wrong for that special day of rest. In fact, in a very real sense, Jesus is your Sabbath-He is your rest! Come to Me and I will give you rest! This Sabbath rest in Him is your salvation. So, stop from your normal work day for one day (we do it on the actual Sabbath of the bible-Saturday, not the "Christian" one-Sunday) and really rest!

Come apart for awhile or you'll come apart! Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (the religious) and the Lover of the sinners (the non-religious). He wants to be your Lord and Lover, too.