Jesus, Our Sabbath Rest

Good and upright are you, O Lord. You instruct sinners in the way. You lead the humble in what is right, and teach the humble your way. All your paths, O Lord, are paved with steadfast love and faithfulness for those who keep your covenant and your testimonies (Psalm 25:8-10). Lord, may we taste and see that you alone are good as we find refuge in your Word today. Amen.

Scripture Reading - Mark 2:23-3:6 (ESV)

     One Sabbath he (Jesus) was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And 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 was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?”

     And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

     Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”

     And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

     And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Savior Jesus, we confess that you are our Sabbath. We find rest for our souls in you alone. Thank you for having bore our sins in your body on the cross, that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By your wounds we have been healed. We have received eternal rest for our souls!

Lord of the Sabbath, we see your white-hot anger in this passage for those who reject your provision of rest and continue to strive in their own evil self-righteousness. Oh, how stubborn hearts grieve you. Purify us from the temptation to seek our rest in anything or anyone else besides you.

Father, we confess that you alone are good. As we rest in you, may we accomplish the good works you have planned in advance for us, works done in the power of the Spirit and not by the feeble power of the flesh. May this picture of perfect rest in you be a reality for us:
But I am like a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
forever and ever.
I will thank you forever,
because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
in the presence of the godly. (Psalm 52:8-9)
Amen!

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.