At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world.”
Matthew 12:1-21 NLT
I believe God wants humans to have one day per week with no work: focused on Him, filled with rest, and time with family and friends. (This is debated, and some think that there is no “sabbath” command in the New Testament. The early Christians even changed their day of worship from Saturday to Sunday to coincide with the resurrection of Jesus. However, I see nothing in the NT that says we should not be resting once a week.) God wants us to work hard and rest well—we need both. Our culture has two days off per week, and yet we still don't rest. We fill up our days off with activities, chores, bills, and more—resulting in stressful and overloaded lives. When we do rest, we often do nothing more than stare at a screen, which usually drains us even more.
Jesus gives true rest, but the rules around rest cannot be more important than serving the Lord or helping others. Our Lord observed the Sabbath, but not in a legalistic way like the Pharisees. His disciples needed food, so they took some of the grain from the edge of the field (called “gleaning,” a legal practice). The Pharisees got mad because it was on the Sabbath (you were supposed to gather extra food on Friday so you would not gather on Saturday). But Jesus could not gather on Friday because He was doing the work of the Kingdom. He was showing an example—not that we shouldn't rest, but that God's work needs to take priority in our lives, helping others and serving Christ. This is part of the “burden” of Christ that leads to deeper rest.
Do you have a true day off every week? Does it recharge your batteries? How can you make sure you are part of weekly worship and serving in your local church?
