Everybody keeps Sabbath, even God ...

Jesus has just died.  The symbolic religion of the past is now over.  The penalty of the Law has been fulfilled in fresh divine blood on that splintery cross.  And the very first thing Jesus Himself does is not to resurrect Himself from a blood stained cross, but instead to rest throughout the entire Sabbath Day.  Time enough to begin His resurrection on the first day of the week after this rest, but now on the first official day of the new religion, of Christianity, Jesus will set the example by resting, even from the work of our very salvation on the Sabbath He created before sin, and intends to honor long after sin has finally and fully been consumed.  No work for Jesus on Sabbath, even the work of saving us, today He will sleep.  Not just Jesus follows this pattern, the pattern of His entire life of example in our world, but ALL of the followers of Jesus rest on this special Sabbath Day as well.  Right there in the middle of Jerusalem, with the much loved Messiah resting in a tomb Luke will describe in this section, everyone else takes time away to rest on the Sabbath.  No one anoints His body to the full extent desired because the Sabbath sunset on Friday evening comes and interrupts that action.  For the Sabbath, Jesus takes His rest, God rests, and so does every Christian alive at the time.  Work will resume after the sunset on Saturday evening in the wee hours of Sunday morning.  The work of resurrection, of the gospel, of angels, of verifying the sacrifice that will save the world.

What happens to the bodies of crucified criminals is not done with much care.  Normally thrown into a mass grave and burned for sanitary purposes.  But before the bonfire, hungry animals, dogs, etc. come and chew on the loose flesh.  It is horrific.  And that is what is expected for those who die in such a manner.  Joseph of Arimathea begins thinking about it.  He has seen the darkness.  He has felt the earthquake.  He may have even been at the Temple when the Passover lamb was set free and the curtain tore from top to bottom.  These signs can only mean one thing.  And while Joseph had longed to see the Kingdom of God enter this world through the vehicle of the Messiah, and Joseph knew in his heart that the Messiah was Jesus, Joseph was not going to let the end of the story of Jesus be one of a mass grave, dog chews, and fire.  Joseph carried the same wrong beliefs as everyone else about the role and expectations of the Messiah.  But Joseph loved Jesus, and was not there at His trial because Joseph would have never agreed with the verdict.  And now what Joseph could do, even if was only for the body of Jesus, Joseph was bound and determined to do, no matter what it might cost him personally.

Luke reminds us of these events picking up in chapter 23 of his gospel letter to his friend about what we believe and why starting in verse 50 it begins … “And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just: [verse 51] (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. [verse 52] This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.”  It is humility that begins it all.  Joseph was an esteemed member of the Sanhedrin.  A man of rank and esteemed counsel.  Except in the matter of Jesus, for Joseph could not help loving Jesus.  The power of the love of God simply overwhelmed Joseph, and Joseph had chosen not to resist it, but to embrace it.  You could choose that too if you wanted.  Members of the Sanhedrin ruled the nation as much as Rome would allow.  They were mostly men of wealth and pride.  They never humbled themselves no matter what.  But not so for Joseph.  Joseph, an older man, prostrates himself on the marble floors before Pilate weeping and begging for the body of Jesus.  Pilate is awestruck.  He does not know how to react.  Pilate has seen many men beg before, but never one not on trial, never one who is from the Sanhedrin.  It is as if Joseph is poor.  It is as if the heart of Joseph is so broken he could care less what anyone thinks of him.  The story of Joseph in such humility before Pilate is sure to get out (Pilate will help it if he needs to).  And the whole of Jewish nation will know that even the powerful prideful Sanhedrin bows before the power and might of Rome.  What a miracle.  Jesus is dead and now this.  Who could have imagined?

Would you have done the same?  Can you do it now?  Is there someone you refuse to humiliate yourself before, in order to do for God what you alone might be able to do?  Some of us refuse to be so humbled as to wash one another’s feet during the ceremony of Communion.  Some refuse to be baptized.  Some to refuse to pray at meals.  Some refuse to ask for help, or for prayer.  All of us seem to carry some notion of pride, of a line we will not cross no matter what, no matter for who, even for God.  But Joseph obliterated all such lines on behalf of a dead Jesus who would not even know what he was doing.  Joseph sent his reputation into the shredder for a dead Lord.  He gave the wealth intended for himself to a Rabbi from Nazareth now dead on a Roman cross.  There was no reward in it.  There was no gain to be had.  There was only the sting of criticism from fellow Jews mad that he would submit himself to Rome for any reason, let alone a dead Carpenter of no account.  But that was not how Joseph loved Jesus.  Joseph loved Jesus like the Son of God He was.  Everything begins with humility.

Luke continues in verse 53 saying … “And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.”  Pilate granted Joseph’s request.  It did not cost him anything.  Joseph was covering all the costs.  What was that to Pilate?  But to Joseph this apparently meant everything, which of course did not make any sense at all.  Jesus was clearly dead.  Joseph raced to the cross now, he and the others carefully took the body of Jesus down.  They gently removed the nails and spikes from Jesus’ hands and feet.  The Roman had already removed his spear at the moment he had thrust it in, now was only the wound of it that remained.  Joseph pricks his own fingers mixing his own blood with the head of Jesus as he must remove the vicious crown of thorns.  For that crown had been driven deep into the head of Jesus by taunting guards who drove it deeper with their taunts and tortures.  But now it had to be taken out.  They were not rushing, but they were moving as carefully and swiftly as they could.  Each person taking part in this would have to keep themselves isolated from others as Jewish law was very particular about touching the dead.  Everyone knew it.  But Sabbath was coming, and even this most important work will not complete before Sabbath arrives.

Luke continues in verse 54 saying … “And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. [verse 55] And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. [verse 56] And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”  They managed to get Jesus down, get His body free of the instruments of Roman torture.  They wrapped Him in some burial linens.  And they took him to a tomb that no one had ever used before.  It was likely a tomb Joseph had prepared from himself, perhaps for his family if he had one.  But Jesus had need of something, and for Joseph only the best would do, Joseph could always have another tomb carved from the rocks later for himself.  They laid Jesus carefully in the tomb.  Meanwhile the women who had been there all along went home and started gathering and preparing spices they could anoint the body of Jesus with now that he was dead.  They had seen Jesus laid in the tomb.  And the Sabbath had arrived, so there was no time now to anoint His body.  So they went home and prepared as much as they could before the sun set.  Then like every other follower of Jesus, they rested on the Sabbath day.  Joseph would rest too.

But for those who did not follow Jesus, Sabbath rest was not to be part of the itinerary.  The priests and scribes responsible for the death of Jesus heard the stories of Joseph having obtained the body of Jesus.  They were furious.  Terror had quickly given way to anger.  Fear will never keep anyone in the kingdom nor is it a good tool to try to use to get them there.  These wicked priests would have preferred to see Jesus eaten by the dogs in a mass grave then burned.  Instead yet another prophecy was being fulfilled.  So rather than rest upon the Sabbath, they traveled to Pilate to complain and see what could be done.  Now the mind of Satan is much sharper than the human mind.  The followers of Jesus had forgotten the words of Jesus about being raised to life upon the third day.  But Satan had not forgotten, so these priests got it into their heads that they must at all costs keep the body of Jesus in that grave at least for three days.  Friday was nearly gone or gone now with sunset.  Saturday was here.  What was needed was fear at the grave site of Jesus.  An entire Roman detachment, 100 soldiers, and a centurion.  But beyond that, chains of heavy iron dragged across a huge round stone that would take many men just to move to the entrance.  And to top it off a great Roman seal that if broken represented death to any human that would dare.

And who would not keep Sabbath would be these priests and scribes who thought nothing of having someone else work for them on this holy day standing guard over Jesus.  And the Romans who had no concept of Sabbath stood watch over Jesus.  Frankly the Romans were more uncertain of the divinity of Jesus than perhaps the priests.  They had all seen the darkness, they had all been cast as dead men to the ground when the earthquake hit.  Perhaps for the first time in a long time they all knew fear.  They were all guilty.  And if guarding Jesus kept Jesus dead that would fine with them all.  And the priests were going to pay for it all, a condition Pilate was likely to require (Roman tax at its finest).  So while every member of the new religion of Jesus was quietly resting on Sabbath as their Lord was also doing.  Many leaders of the old religion who claimed to be the right one, thought nothing of committing murder, breaking the Sabbath, lying about everything, and funding anything of a criminal nature that needed to be funded.

The difference perhaps of a people who are led by Jesus and follow His example, and those who claim to be led by Jesus but do what they think is right in the name of God, just not the will of God, nor that of the example of Jesus even in these moments.  Many of us are so certain we know what we should do, and how we should do it – only to find when we examine the life of Jesus, what we are doing is far from what He did.  We worship on other days because we want to, but do not set aside the time Jesus made holy and asked us to remember, treating it like those Pharisees of old, doing what we think is needed for reasons we think are important, while Jesus rests in the tomb on the seventh day.  Many of us think nothing of employing others to do jobs we think are critical on Sabbath, and in doing thus, we deny them the blessing of Sabbath they should be enjoying with us.  Many of us watch, and fill our minds, with the same content we could consume any other day, that brings us not one inch closer to God.  We do not need to be dead to keep Sabbath holy, nor do we need to sleep from one end of it to the other.  But to love, we might want to start with humility, and ask God what He has in mind for us during His special time, and follow that leading rather than always thinking we know what is best.

I do find it interesting however, that the Christian church began with an ending of the old, and an ushering in of the new.  And the first new day, and first new action of the Christian church, was the celebration of Sabbath, which Jesus and all the followers of Jesus kept.  The work of our salvation resumed the next day on the first day of the week.  But Christianity did not begin on that day, it began on Sabbath.  That is the leading I must follow.

 

Sabbath Run Amok ...

Perhaps the most challenged Commandment of the Ten, and most challenging to keep, is the fourth one that ordained in stone what Adam and Eve were long ago familiar with.  The Sabbath is more than just a Commandment God gave to Moses on Sinai.  It is an institution established at the very creation of our world.  It is something God setup to mark the conclusion of His creation of this world, and His intent to fellowship with us His new creations.  It was setup before sin.  As was marriage and family, institutions God setup with no expiration date, or need to change them.  Sin did not alter what God setup, at least from God’s perspective.  But sin caused us to pollute what God setup and what He intended.  Both marriage and family as well as the Sabbath fellowship with God have suffered and decayed over the 6000+ years since they began.  But all of God’s institutions will be restored when we are taken home, purified from the effects of sin and evil, and restored to the plans God created that were not intended to expire in the first place.  But if you look around you today, you see the entire concept of the Sabbath as one of great controversy (not unlike what is happening with the state of marriage and family as well).  What God setup, Satan is intent on tearing down.

Between Adam and Noah institutions like the Sabbath were handed down Father to Son orally.  While this period lasted 2000 years, the generations that lived before the flood had long average ages so there were not actually that many of them between creation and the Flood.  From Noah to Abraham the same tradition of Father to Son were present, but men had even less desire to keep to a fellowship with God.  By the time Abraham arrives on the scene he is forced to ponder who God is, and because he is nearly the only one looking, he is the only one who finds our God.  Once again Father to Son is established.  But many years later Egyptian slavery nearly wipes out the traditions and Moses must establish a written tradition to commemorate the Sabbath in stone written by the very finger of God. 

When the children of Israel wander through the desert, they are given a living example of the freedom of Sabbath when manna comes in double portion on Fridays that will last through Sabbath, but on no other day does it behave so.  As the years go by the prophet Isaiah writes of celebrating the Sabbath (note the concept of celebration) in heaven for eternity.  Isaiah is given a glimpse at what God had in mind for the Sabbath as it was God’s day off with us (not the other way around).  We did nothing to make the Sabbath Holy, God did that with His particularly special presence.  We were supposed to remember that, and honor His time with our time, insuring we do not impend on anyone else’s time with our same God.  Yet instead of a celebration, the Sabbath became an institution of rules; of can’s, and cannot’s.

By the time church leadership was done with it, the Sabbath became an onerous, nearly unkeepable, fully depressing period of time, people were guilted into following each week.  The idea of time off with God was replaced with what you cannot do, a list so long it was way too hard to remember at all.  In our day Sabbath observance for those who believe the day has been changed to Sunday (though there is not a single example of this in scripture, or in the behavior and example of what Jesus did or said) consists of “going to church”.  Once church is complete, the day returns to the worshipper to do with as he sees fit.  When you ask folks who believe Sabbath is on Sunday how they celebrate it, the most common answer is “going to church”.  When you ask them what they do after that, the celebration breaks down fairly quickly to whatever routine tasks they do any other day.  But don’t jump on the criticism bandwagon too quickly just yet. 

For those folks who believe Sabbath is on Saturday as God originally created and intends for eternity; the answer to how they celebrate Sabbath is exactly the same.  Number one answer: they go to church.  When asked what they do after that, there are a few other activities that come up.  Potluck feasts, sundown worship sessions, and maybe some nature related activities when weather and location permit.  Sounds better in principle, but not that much in reality.  Most of these folks in reality spend Sabbath afternoons sleeping (cause there is not much else they are allowed to do).  In either case, you will hear a million different excuses about why Sabbath observance is not really needed anymore anyway other than to pay it the nominal attention of “going to church”.  After that it is up to the worshipper what they do on it, no matter what day they believe Sabbath is on.  A degeneration based on a rules philosophy and enforced by the enemy of God that would see the celebration of Sabbath with our God descend into something else entirely.  Namely routine.

Routines are something we humans cling to very tightly.  We use them to keep from “breaking” the Sabbath.  The Pharisees has the same concept more than 2000 years ago in the time of Christ.  But what you and I think is on the list of do’s and don’ts is not even how God thinks at all.  For Jesus the Sabbath is awesome because for at least one day in seven, we turn our eyes to Him.  He is always with us, but we so rarely turn our eyes away from what we normally do, and give Him any attention at all.  He set aside His time to be with us.  Just in doing that Jesus made Sabbath Holy.  His presence makes something Holy.  When Moses approached the burning bush, God asked him to remove his sandals because the place were he was standing was “Holy” ground.  That patch of land was not normally holy.  It was holy because God was there.  The same is true of Sabbath, it is Holy because Jesus is with us.  And in the time of Christ, this was never more true.  Jesus was there.  And when Jesus was there, the fellowship with God was really ALL that mattered.  The Pharisees (and most of us unfortunately) don’t even come close to this way of thinking.  We are looking for lists of restrictions, while God is looking to spend focused time, without the distractions of the norms of our lives.

And so conflict between the position of church leadership and our God was sure to reveal itself.  Luke recounts this conflict in the sixth chapter of his gospel letter to his friend about our beliefs and why we hold them.  Keep in mind Luke wrote his gospel long after these events occurred.  If there had ever been a change in the day from Saturday to Sunday, Luke could have easily noted that in his gospel.  He did not.  No change had occurred, nor should man presume he is able to change what God setup, and still call it Holy.  More like disaster.  But the conflict back in the days of Christ was not about which day Sabbath was on, but about what is “allowed” to do on the Sabbath at all.  Luke picks up in verse 1 saying … “And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [verse 2] And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?”

A little irony for you, the church leaders telling the author and creator of the Sabbath, what He and His people can do on His day.  But the Pharisees had taken the example of the Israelites in the time of Moses where manna was given in double portion on Fridays and lasted without spoiling all the way through Saturday as a “law” that food preparation should be done the day before the Sabbath so that no cooking was ever done “on” Sabbath.  The idea of serving others on Sabbath never entered their minds.  The idea of loving others through service freely given never entered their minds.  The Pharisees had a very self-centric viewpoint of Sabbath.  The Sabbath is about me.  What I do.  What I cannot do.  Others are only incidental to my Sabbath.  I shall not employ them.  But other than that, they are irrelevant to “my” Sabbath.  The response of Jesus did not reprimand them for their desire to minimize food preparation to make the Sabbath even more free from distraction.  Instead Jesus points them to David (one of their heroes) and recalls an incident where David ate food prepared for priests alone, and gave it to his men as well.  It was not the act of David that was Ok.  It was the Lord over the rules who loved His servant and made an exception for David, as Jesus could make an exception for His disciples valuing fellowship and trust, more than strict rules that destroy fellowship altogether.

Luke continues in verse 3 saying … “And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; [verse 4] How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? [verse 5] And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”  Jesus identifies Himself as LORD of the Sabbath.  God created the Sabbath.  Therefore Jesus is also our Creator and God.  This example of the disciples feeding themselves (gleaning in a field) is not one to endorse theft, or eating out on Sabbath, or minimizing food preparation, or making your act of love serving others food on Sabbath.  This was about keeping your eye on the ball.  Being with Jesus is more important than ANY other distraction.  “How” you honor Jesus is not up for debate.  “That” you honor Jesus is the salient point.  If your idea of honoring time with Jesus is to force or hire others to serve you in order for you to be free (you forget that your love for those others should have left them free to honor our God as well).  Making the excuse that they would have working anyway whether you are there or not, is not making any statement about them, but it does make a statement about you, about how you think, and about how you value them, or love them.  Loving others drives a different way of thinking about the celebration of Sabbath.  Not about what you can and cannot do, but about how you can share the love of God, and thereby fellowship with Jesus even when Jesus cannot be seen today.

But the Pharisees had established routines far more extreme than this.  They had lost all value for others.  The care of the sick did not outweigh the obligation to do no work on the Sabbath.  Get that, people, less than rules.  The sharing of love was fully absent in that thinking.  But it was and is not absent in the thinking of our God.   Luke continues in verse 6 saying … “And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. [verse 7] And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. [verse 8] But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. [verse 9] Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? [verse 10] And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. [verse 11] And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.”

And here is where popularity goes right out the window.  Jesus healed on Sabbath because our God does not take the concept of Him taking a day off as meaning He abandons everything He does to keep us alive and well.  If God just stopped turning planets, sending rain, reminding you to breath – we all die in an instant.  That is not His idea of making a day Holy.  It is about spending time with us.  When we see the suffering, how can we just leave them in that condition, just because it is Sabbath – then call ourselves Sabbath observers.  Love does not take a day off.  Love is constant ever present.  But then Love does not ask for anything in return either.  Jesus did not demand payment for services rendered.  So many purported Sabbath keepers pick medical careers in order to be able to “work” on Sabbath.  And so they do.  They “work” in the service of healing, but share no love because they feel no love.  They get paid for services rendered because why wouldn’t they?  They get overtime and shift differentials and actually prefer to work on Sabbaths because it pays better.  And hey it is all legal – because of this story in the gospels.  But legal is not the goal – loving is.

How Jesus healed, was why Jesus ate with His disciples.  Because He loved them and us, and wants to share with us in the joy of fellowship.  His joy is not blind to our needs, but ever trying to meet our needs.  It is a reflection of His love for us.  Love does not demand payment.  Nor does love look for distractions from a time with God.  For those who heal, or serve others in any capacity on Sabbath, because it is a reflection of their love for others – no man should judge.  Many work on Sabbath serving communities, or nations, or the sick, or in critical functions like utilities – where if they should stop working many others would suffer or die.  These professions are honorable.  And if they serve from love, they honor the Sabbath of their God.  But if they merely serve for careers, thinking not about who they serve or why, and focusing more on the money it takes to support them, their debts, their families, than they do about sharing love.  Perhaps they should find different professions, or seek the Lord, to find different hearts in the same professions.  The Sabbath is not about what we can and cannot do.  It is about who we love, how we love, and how we honor God’s time with our own.

Putting away distractions we can do any other of the six days in our week, allows us to focus on Jesus even more on His day.  I can shop anytime.  But on His day, I want to do something for Him.  I can entertain myself anytime.  But on His day, I want my entertainment to bring me closer to Him, to give me another insight into Him, and to motivate me to do something for Him.  I work because I need to,  But on His day, I want to free myself from the concerns of my career.  I want to keep as many others as I can free from theirs as well, avoiding putting them in positions where they are required to serve me.  But none of this matters, if I forget who I love, how I love, and why His love can live in me in the first place.  My Creator is also my re-Creator.  His gift of the Sabbath to me, is more precious to me than gold.  And I only hope He will continue to help me find better ways to explore the celebration of His day, in this world, and in the next one.

 

Sunset Changes Everything ...

At the Genesis of man, creation was completed in six days, and God rested on the seventh.  This institution was a memorial among other things for us to remember that Jesus the Christ, is our creator.  And if Jesus can create a thing, He can also re-create a thing.  Reclamation is not as hard as invention, at least not to the Savior of our souls.  But over time man forgot.  So on top of Mount Sinai, etched by the finger of Jesus into the rock tablets He carved, were the words … Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  We cannot make it holy, but we can remember that it “is” holy; as God has set aside His time, to be with us in a special way.  A time to hang out with our God.  But over time man twisted the meaning of “play time with Dad” into lists of do’s and don’ts.  Trust was lost that Jesus could restore in us what we could not restore, and hope was failing in redemption itself.

But then Jesus came to us in person.  He practiced what He had commanded.  He did not just attend the synagogues on Sabbath, He taught there on that day.  He honored His own edict that God would be with man on the special day of the Sabbath.  But Jesus did more than teach, He fed those in need, He healed those in pain.  He met the needs of His children in order that their time with Him would not be distracted by common needs, or the pain sin causes.  He forgave us.  He released us from the bondage to sin, whether by demons inhabiting us, or simply by our chains to sin and self-love.  He came to perform the work of our redemption.  And throughout this work, He kept His Sabbath with us.  But now, the zenith of His work for us had reached its peak.  And Friday sunset was coming.  The same sunset that greeted Adam and Eve when He walked with them in the garden, teaching them the mysteries of the universe, and of love itself so many years ago.  But on this Friday sunset, Jesus would greet the Sabbath at rest Himself.

Peter recalls the urgency of the Sabbath’s approach to John Mark in his gospel in chapter fifteen picking up in verse 42 saying … “And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,”  Sunset changes everything, or it should.  Preparations must be made before the Sabbath arrives.  Here is where the list of do’s and don’ts might better thrive.  Did you remember to prepare the food as much as possible?  We don’t want to miss time with God because we are distracted by cooking.  Did you remember to clean our home?  We don’t want to lessen our enjoyment with God, distracted by a messy home, with things out of place, or dirt piled up that we cannot see.  Did you arrange to insure the workers at our home have the Sabbath off?  We want to make sure those who serve us do not have to be occupied doing so, when they could be enjoying time with God themselves, we wish not to be that distraction from time with Him.

Manna fell in double portion for Israel on Friday’s and lasted through Sabbath for them without spoiling.  But on no other day was this possible.  The preparation or cleaning of the home was not meant to be a dictate of misery.  It was meant to be a liberation for those who normally serve in the home, to be free as well to enjoy their time with God.  The work of preparation was work of anticipation.  But on this Friday, Jesus could not engage in it Himself.  He was already at rest.  Someone else had to do it for Him.  Someone else had to do for God, what God was unable to do on this particular Sabbath.  And the time was growing short, for Sunset would change everything.

Mark continues in verse 43 saying … “Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.”  Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin.  He had not been included in the travesty of the event they had called a trial.  He was not consulted in the vote to put Him to death.  He was informed only after it was done.  Joseph was suspected of being sympathetic to Jesus.  But Joseph had not been bold either.  He and Nicodemus spoke in quiet tones, at night, away from prying eyes.  They studied scripture and the more they looked, the more it pointed to the Truth of Jesus Christ.  But where caution had ruled the day before the death of Christ, it was thrown to the wind after He died.  Joseph was overcome by a desire to do one last kindness for Jesus.  And he was driven to do it quickly, as the Sabbath approached.

Mark continues in verse 44 saying … “And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. [verse 45] And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.”  Again Pilate looked upon these events from an entirely different perspective than the Jewish one.  Pilate was amazed that Jesus was dead so quickly.  No man died this fast before, not ever.  That was the point of the cross.  It was meant to torture its victim over several days.  Otherwise one could just behead the victim and be done with it immediately.  That Jesus could be dead so soon represented a marvel in the eyes of Pilate.  Pilate was aware of the darkness, he had seen it.  Pilate was aware of the earthquake he had felt it, and heard about the rip in the Temple curtain.  Pilate needed confirmation from his centurion that Jesus was really dead, and not some trick to be performed on him.  So a spear was thrust into the side of Jesus, blood and water emerged from the wound, but no reaction.  He was dead.  The legs of the other two were broken, but not a bone of Jesus, as scripture had foretold.

Pilate grants the request of Joseph.  Mark continues in verse 46 saying … “And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.”  Joseph did not buy cheap materials to wrap a dead body in.  He bought the finest linen he could secure.  His purchase gives way to the Christian legend of the imprint of Jesus left within the material surviving the ages.  Joseph lays Jesus in his own best burial tomb, he will secure another for himself later.  Jesus has need of it now.  The tomb is carved out in solid rock, no scavengers will get in here.  Mimicking the Egyptians for preserving a body as close to Jewish tradition as possible for burial Joseph gives his all in this quest.  Joseph has no idea this is merely a hotel for short storage.

The round rock takes many Roman soldiers to move in front of the door, but before they do a few witnesses take notice.  Mark continues in verse 47 saying … “And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.”  The women who still refuse to leave their Lord are present.  They examine where Jesus will be laid, in order that they may come later and anoint their Lord with the spices and preservatives that will best keep Him in tact.  But while the women of extreme courage remain present, so too are the spies of the Temple.  You can imagine as the Sanhedrin learns of Josephs kindness revealed, they have other intentions.  They request a Roman garrison be put on guard at the tomb at least until the third day passes, in order to prevent prophecy, or theft and deception.  They too examine the body of Christ, and the place where He is laid.  They too witness the Roman guards move the heavy stone, and then seal it with a Roman seal, the breaking of which will mean death.  But they must hurry for sunset approaches.

Humanity does not realize the God they are commanded to take time away from everything else and be with, is the Jesus Christ they lay in this tomb.  They do not realize that the ultimate price for our redemption has been paid by Jesus, and that the separation from God that He endured on that cross, the separation that killed Him, is something we need not endure.  Humanity sees only a dead Rabbi, like any other before Him, but perhaps this one was more kind.  Humanity sees only a dead prophet, one closer to God than any before Him, able to perform great miracles, but now dead and entombed like any other.  Our vision does not discern the divine.  We see only what we know.  We measure time only by how we know it to pass.  But what we miss is that even in death, Jesus will rest upon this Sabbath day, from the work of our redemption, as He once rested from the work of our creation.

Divinity sees something else.  Sunset will change everything.  The Sabbath will be the longest portion of the three days spent in this tomb.  Jesus dies only hours before it on Friday the first of three days.  He will rise early Sunday morning only hours into the third day.  It will be Sabbath that is spent in full where Jesus will rest from the work of our redemption.  The Sabbath will begin with sunset on Friday, and then end with it on Saturday evening.  A full 24 hour day spent in rest from the work of keeping us away from the eternal punishment, the eternal separation from God, that we have chosen, and we have earned.  Here is where mercy will sleep.  Here is where mercy will rest.  This day is not spent in preparation of the resumption of the work of our reclamation.  Here a full day will be set aside to simply rest in the sleep we call death.  Divine eyes see that death does not end the Sabbath memorial, it re-establishes it through the very actions of the Son of God Himself.

The Sabbath began at the Genesis of man before sin in our world existed.  It was reaffirmed at the covenant of man with our creator on Mount Sinai.  It was demonstrated by our God Himself, in His life and ministry before death, and then in full when He died.  It will be continued as Isaiah predicts in our heavenly home forever and ever.  Divine eyes see Sabbath in its reaffirmation by Jesus Himself.  If you consider that the Kingdom of God was meant for little children.  And you combine this with idea of a day set aside with God where our Dad sets aside His time to be with us.  Then perhaps you come to the idea that Sabbath is not a list of the concerns of adults, but rather unscripted playtime with Dad.  We prepare for it, only because we do not want to be distracted by any other concern during it.  We honor our time with Him, but insuring no one else has to spend their time serving us, instead of joining us, with our time with Him.  Until we think in alignment with Jesus, until He transforms how we think in this regard, our ability to keep Sabbath is stunted at best.

Sunset has changed everything …

 

Sabbath Wars [part one] ...

How hard will you fight, in order to rest?  Most of us have jobs that pay us money we use to survive, to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, cars running on the road.  The “bosses” we report to set priorities they believe are extremely important, can impact the company’s success, and “need” to be done on time … or else.  So many Americans are reluctant, at best, to take the full vacation time they are allotted any given year.  We fear that our absence from work might remind them that they can get along without us.  We fear that should we take time away, another co-worker who chooses not to, will get that promotion because of their “dedication” and our “carefree” attitude towards the priorities of our jobs.  We fear the results of our decision to take time away and rest.  And if that fear exists for vacations which only happen seldom in a given year, it can apply to weekends, nights, and pretty much every other day of the year as well.

Now given the insecurities we all wrestle with, with respect to our own balance of “home” vs. “work” needs; imagine the incongruity of attempting to dictate to someone else, exactly “how” and exactly “when” they must rest.  I am not talking about telling someone they need a break.  I am talking about telling someone exactly when that break should occur, and exactly what they will do on that break, and exactly how they will do it (down to the number of breaths to take during the supposed “break”).  It makes no sense.  If I dictate to you that you “must” rest, how can you rest?  If I dictate to you “how” you should rest, am I not inherently imposing restrictions that will keep you from “resting” whether you are doing something different than you were or not? 

The Pharisees (or church leaders in the days of Christ), have a lot in common with many of my Seventh Day Adventist friends.  Convicted of the “truth” of the Sabbath doctrine, and certain of its prominence within the Law of God, they studied to insure “we” would all understand “how” to keep it holy.  There were already some guidelines within the Law itself, the prohibition of “work” for example.  There also exists in the same passages the prohibition to have others “work” for us.  So the true students of the Law began to examine - what does it mean to “work”.  If I do an activity in exchange for compensation, is that the definition of work?  But what if I am already an unpaid “employee” such as a housewife or househusband, whose work is to cook, clean, and serve the household?  Should I then refrain from any “chores” on Sabbath?  There is the example of daily manna in Israel that allowed for a double portion collection and preservation on Friday’s, in order to not have to do this chore on Sabbath, that would seem to support the idea that God cares about “household” workers on His Sabbath as well.

But if I extend this same thinking about work prohibitions for myself and my family, to all those who might be considered as serving me … what could I do that would not require someone else to do “work”.  Oh sure it’s easy to say that walking into a restaurant, or theme park on Sabbath will surely require someone else do perform services directly for me.  But when I turn on the water, or electricity, in my home, or use the Internet; I am aware that somewhere there are employees in utility companies who monitor the systems of plumbing, pipes, wires, cables, routers, and infrastructure that deliver “services” to my home.  Am I not also requiring them to work for me on Sabbath as well?  If I drive, the police, and city traffic monitors, are also sort of “required” to do their jobs to keep me safe on the road.  Even if all I do is go to church; even in that action, am I not requiring the often paid music team to perform, the paid pastor to preach, and all the household people who perform “services” for me at church to do their respective “chores”?

Depending on how we define the term “work”, and who we apply that definition to, we could easily get as proscriptive as did our spiritual forefathers about the difference between walking 1,000 steps per day (deemed as recreational) and walking 1,001 steps per day (deemed as crossing the line between re-creation and working).  Of course the problem in this entire line of thinking is that inevitably we will be “working” harder to keep Sabbath holy than any other day, and in so doing completely miss the idea of rest in the first place.  When we consider the entire point of Sabbath rest was to be able to spend time with Dad, and “remember” that Dad takes His time off, in order to be with us on this special day in a special way, it might flip our ideas and notions about Sabbath observance on their heads.  The Sabbath was supposed to be a cornerstone of our relationship with God.  It was time set aside for us to literally be with Him.  In the Garden of Eden, that meant God physically coming to our world to “hang out” with Adam and Eve.  Yes, God heard their prayers during the rest of the week, and liked walking through the garden in the evenings with them.  But on Sabbath, it was a full day to hang out with God, a day that “HE” took time off of HIS work, in order to be with us.  Time HE set aside as holy to be with us.  And how do we respond?

When the rules no longer govern the time, but the anticipation to literally be with Dad takes over, the number of steps we take, breaths we take, or venues we find ourselves in matter a whole lot less than the fact that we are literally hanging out with God.  That is what Sabbath was like for Peter and the other disciples.  They were not just “observing” a day of rest with Christ along for the ride, they were literally with GOD and HE was with them on this special day.  This was how Sabbath was intended to be honored and remembered.  Whatever you find yourself doing literally “with Jesus” on Sabbath day is more than just OK, it is awesome!  The same feeling you get when you are eating a romantic dinner with your spouse, away on a vacation from work, away from the stress of the everyday needs, and able to enjoy time alone in a special way.  Whether in Paris, or Rome, or Fiji, that feeling of getting away from your home, away from your routines, and rediscover the intimacy of the person you have loved for so many years … this is what Sabbath was intended to be like between us and our God.  And God gave us this gift of HIS time, in such a special way, but only every seven days. 

He will be there for us all the time, but on this time, it is going to be AWESOME!  Neither of us are going to allow the routine distractions we “have to do” to get in the way of what both of us know we WANT to do.  We will free our time and our minds up, so we can really get to know each other, and find pleasure in the small things, in the time away, in the intimacy we offer each other.  The reason why vacation recharges and re-energizes us when we get back to work, is the same effect the Sabbath can have on us every week.  When we allow ourselves to put away distractions, and find Christ intimately, learning to love others like He loves others, what we do changes and why we do it changes.  Anything that would get in our way of intimacy with Christ gets put aside, because intimacy with God and the specialness with which He treats this time, is just too important for us to treat it any differently.  And so it was with Peter.

The Pharisees however, did not recognize Christ as God, so the beauty of hanging out with Dad, had never entered their minds.  All they had was the Law.  So the Law governed their thinking.  Peter recalls how the war to restore Sabbath began in the gospel of John Mark in chapter two and verse 23 saying … “And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. [verse 24] And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?”  So Peter is hanging out with Christ, walking through a corn field.  In those days (and since Israel emerged as a nation), farmers would reflect the love of God to others in the form of leaving corn on the stalks for the poor to come and glean.  God had instructed the farmers NOT to be so greedy as to harvest every single ear of corn or grain of wheat from the fields they borrowed from Him.  They left some of it, so the poor, and those who did not “own” land could come and “work” to feed themselves due to the mercy of the “landowner”.  How interesting that today we would see this as irresponsible waste, yet God saw this practice for what it was, charity and love for others.

None the less, to “glean” in the fields was still considered “work”, therefore for Peter and the others to be picking corn on Sabbath was decidedly against the Law of God from the perspective of the Pharisees.  And they were quick to point this out to Jesus, a Rabbi who should know better than to allow His followers to do these unlawful acts.  Peter recounts Jesus’ response for John Mark to chronicle in verse 25 … “And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? [verse 26] How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?”  If it is a matter of Law alone, Jesus will challenge them on this basis. 

To enter the temple itself, in the holy place was a privilege reserved for the priests alone.  To eat the showbread was a part of sacred ceremonies again reserved for the priests alone.  To defy these rules, and defy God, was to risk sure, certain, and immediate death.  The high priest wore bells on the bottom of his robes and a rope tied to his ankle when entering the most holy place on the Day of Atonement.  For should he be judged unworthy by God, he would be struck dead, and no one could enter to retrieve his body, or they would be struck dead (thus the bells to let folks know he was still moving, the rope to get him back if they ceased ringing).  Messing with the rules of the temple in days past saw an immediate consequence to breaking them, handed out by God Himself.  So Jesus points out to the Pharisees that there is something beyond their understanding of the rules, there is an intimacy with God that David is acquainted with that these rulers are not.

John Mark continues in verse 27 … “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: [verse 28] Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”  The Sabbath was made for Man.  It was a gift to us.  It was our Dad setting aside His time and His work to be with us.  He makes the rules, we don’t.  He alone can make “time” itself holy, we can’t.  It is through His presence that a thing can move from what it was, to being holy.  The ground Moses was walking on near the burning bush was not inherently holy, it was holy ONLY because God was standing on it as well.  Any given day is not holy on its own, it is only made holy because God is doing something on that day, making His presence known in a special way, hanging out with us that makes Saturday into Sabbath.  Otherwise it is just another day at work.  We are NOT holy on our own, but when He dwells within us, His presence can take what was profane and make it Holy when He is in us, when we love like He loves.  It is His presence alone that makes a thing holy.

Whether you pluck corn on Sabbath or not, does nothing to make the Sabbath holy or not.  It is not the activity of plucking corn that is in question here, it is the context of the story.  Peter and the others were “with Jesus” literally.  They found themselves walking through a field with Christ, and they picked corn due to the charity of the landowner to enjoy with their Lord.  The gift of the time of the Sabbath with Christ, in combination with the gift of the charity of the landowner, where love was being shown from everyone to everyone.  Only the Pharisees missed all the love for their focus on the Law.  Only the Pharisees were so obsessed with the accuracy of their scriptural interpretations, that they missed the love of being with God on His holy day.  What a loss!!  They could have spent Sabbath with God on earth, but they were too busy reciting their ideas of the rules to God.  Are we any different?

We rationalize what we do on Sabbath to ourselves.  We make distinctions between turning on a light switch, driving to church, listening to a sermon … and causing someone else to work to feed us afterwards.  We excuse shopping on Sabbath because clerks and cashiers would be there whether we were or not.  The one key theme that emerges in our all focus on the adherence to the law, is a focus on what it means in practical terms to “me”.  I am obsessed with my own convenience and activities on MY day that I call Sabbath.  Sabbath is MY day off.  Sabbath is MINE and therefore what I do on it, is up to me.  But in this thinking I have lost the time and special intimacy that comes with hanging out with Dad, appreciating His gift of His time with me.  I ignore what is possible with Him, and instead focus on what I might do, that might bring joy to me.  Jesus did not say that “we” were the Lord of the Sabbath, He said He was.  The Sabbath is only the Sabbath because He made it that way, blessed it, and gave it to us.  It was supposed to be about spending intimate time with us.  We enjoy Sabbath, when we spend it hanging out with Dad, on vacation from our everyday lives.  If we treat Sabbath like we do every other day of the week, focusing on what makes me happy, or the concerns of my survival, we “lose” the beauty of what it was intended to be.  The punishment for this loss, is the loss of what was possible.

The lesson Christ was trying to teach us was a restoration of how we should “think about” Sabbath.  He was not abandoning the rules, but was trying to put them in context.  Time out with Dad was the most important thing.  Sharing in the joy of loving each other was the most important thing.  We will “guard” the Sabbath properly, when we visualize Sabbath properly in our own minds and priorities.  We will treat the gift of Sabbath like so much used toilet paper when we do not.  Going to church does not make Sabbath holy.  Hanging out with Christ does.  When we so long to be with Him, we would not find ourselves anywhere else but in His presence we will come to know the JOY of being with Christ.  When we treat Sabbath like a vacation from our routines, we will come to experience the joy of loving others, like He experiences that joy.  Shopping and eating out on Sabbath are hardly the point, being distracted by something other than spending real intimate time with Dad is.  I don’t have time to shop on Sabbath, my Dad is making time to be with me, and I don’t want to miss a minute of it, to do something as menial as shopping.  I am not interested in dining out on Sabbath, because I love you enough to not be the reason you are missing your time with our Dad.  If I find myself in church it is my privilege to serve you in any capacity I occupy because in this way I share the joy of loving others with Dad, I cannot consider this privilege a “chore”.  I don’t want to be paid to play music at church, or to speak, or minister … I do not want to come to think of the gift of my service as being a mere “job”. 

A different perspective on Sabbath and the gift it is to us, is what Jesus Christ was beginning to teach us in a simple corn field long ago.  But this challenge to the current ideology, and leadership of the church, could not go unanswered, lest anarchy arise.  So having been put to silence on matters of the Law, the religious leaders of the day (His, and ours) set out to look for the next “signs” that this upstart Rabbi was not “really” a member of this church.  If Jesus dared to challenge conventional ideas about the observance of the Law, then He could not be God (i.e. if Jesus disagrees with us, He is the wrong one).  Has anything changed?  Adventists are so certain that the fourth commandment will become the ultimate test of loyalty to God in the end of days.  We are so certain, we have begun to rationalize how we keep the other nine commandments.  We are so certain, we have lost sight of how to keep a thing holy, but maintain that it must be kept that way lest our salvation be lost.  We espouse the need to keep Sabbath holy, but like our spiritual forefathers, we have no clue what that really means in practical terms.  So like them, we rely on traditions, habits, and our scriptural interpretations of the Law.  We lose sight of the beauty of time out with Dad, we lose sight of what it means to share in the joy of loving others, and instead we focus on the facts, the rules, and our rigid ideas of right and wrong.  We make the papacy the enemy of our delusions.  And in so doing, we find false comfort that our real enemy is not found in the mirror, when in truth, that is only place the real enemy can be found.

To see where this line of thinking will end, we need only continue to look at what happens next …

 

Author of Sabbath Rest ...

The letter of the Ten Commandment law tells us to “remember” and to keep the Sabbath Holy.  We are forbidden to work, or to have others work for us.  Over the years between the time of Moses and the time of Christ, much study and debate had gone in to the interpretation of those scriptures.  In the intervening period, Israel had suffered more than once for discarding God’s laws and pursuing the practices of their neighbors.  So the religious leadership in the day of Christ inheriting the wealth of study from prior generations and building upon it with their own collective wisdom, had developed a strict series of rules around Sabbath observance, that essentially turned the joy of spending time with God, into a drudgery that made life difficult during this day. 

Of course, the people of Israel had never been invaded because “how” they were keeping Sabbath was not up to the “high standards” God had set.  No, the people of Israel were invaded when they had so forsaken God because of indulging the free sexual expression of neighboring tribes that sex with temple prostitutes, and orgies in the woods, had led to the inevitable unwanted offspring with foreign women.  The female offspring were destined to become a new generation of idolatrous temple prostitutes themselves, while the male offspring became living sacrifices on the altars of Moloch and Baal.  When Israel had degenerated to the point of killing its own children without conscience, it was time to be invaded once again.  But rather than build strict guidelines to govern their sexuality and confine it to the intimacy of marriage between one man and one wife, the Pharisees spent their time crafting rules about Sabbath observance.  Divorce in fact was easy, Sabbath however was difficult.

It is in this time of tradition and rules regarding “how” Sabbath must be observed that the Messiah begins His ministry for our redemption.  Imagine how dismayed our God must have been, to see us systemically turn His day, which only He could have “made” Holy, into something that resembled more of a prison sentence, than a day of greatest intimacy with Himself.  Imagine how hard it must have been for Christ, who set aside His own work, in order to spend special time with us, to find that we had made the practice of spending time with Him so onerous, no one remained interested in doing it.  Sabbath observance then, like now, degenerated into two lines of thinking.  There were the ultra conservatives, who attempted to keep every tradition and rule set down by the church, in a doomed attempt at keeping something holy, which could never be defined by their miserable attempts at self-denial.  And there were those who simply threw in the towel, and decided no precautions were required, anything goes, because God made me who I am.  How the Author of Sabbath would restore the beauty of Sabbath was about to be revealed.

Peter recalls to John Mark in his gospel chapter one and verse 21 saying … “And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.”  To begin, the traditional thinking about traveling on the Sabbath was discarded.  The Pharisees had set a limit of 1000 steps for the entire day, lest walking further might be interpreted as work.  Here, Jesus and His disciples travel to Capernaum with no thought about getting around, or limiting how far they would go on the day of Sabbath Rest.  They were not walking idly.  They were on a mission of redemption.  They were not paid couriers, or paid evangelists.  They were volunteer missionaries.  Instead of the apprehension that comes from strict observance of the “rules”, there was a sense of joy that comes from the privilege of joining with others to worship God on His day.

When they arrive at Capernaum on Sabbath, their first thought is NOT to check into a hotel.  They do not look for a restaurant to feed themselves.  Instead they head directly to the synagogue in order to worship.  Christ does NOT discard the practice of Sabbath observance, instead He intends to restore it to what it was intended to be.  He does not advocate we ignore Sabbath, but instead that we learn how to enjoy it with Himself and with like believers.  Notice too, He was uninvited.  He did not wait for a written invitation to come and speak, or for pay for doing so.  He goes because He wants to go.  He brings His disciples so they too can enjoy what is about to happen.  And He is NOT interested in being a silent wall flower that is there “feed Himself” with spiritual blessings.  He immediately begins to teach.

Mark continues in verse 22 … “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”  Christ did not discard the Laws He Himself had given to Moses, instead He honored them.  But this was not to be a debate about what it means to keep Sabbath Holy, this was a living example of what it means to truly worship God.  Through the lens of Jesus Christ, the scriptures came to life.  From the God who loves others above Himself, the written words on the page were interpreted for probably the first time, as they were intended to be understood.  His authority over the Word came from being present when it was written.  Jesus knew the stories first hand, because He was there when they occurred.  His mission of redemption became the central theme He reveals to the people present on this Sabbath day, and those listeners are blown away by His doctrines.  Christ taught with passion about the reconciliation of the people to their God.  This was not to be a simple history lesson, but a living, breathing, relationship that could impact the lives of those in attendance with the God of the Universe who loved them this much.

The people in attendance in church that day forgot all about lunch.  Ending the sermon right at 12 noon, so they could run home and fill their empty stomachs, had lost all traces of thought.  They wanted more of the word of God, they were living the admonition of Christ that men live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  They longed for more.  They were intent to hear anything He would say.  Mysteries regarding the infinite love of God were being revealed through scripture in a way like they had never heard.  It was impacting every listener.  The Holy Spirit was being poured out in Capernaum and believers were having their eyes and ears opened by the voice of God in a way they had never dreamed possible.  Oh to have been in that crowd on that day.  Oh to have heard Jesus Christ preaching on Sabbath, the only right interpretation of scriptures we would ever hear.  These people were learning from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself, an honor we must wait for.

Mark continues in verse 23 … “And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, [verse 24] Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.”  First, it is important to note, that in that crowd on this Sabbath day, was a man with an unclean spirit.  A man possessed of demons.  So why was he at church?  The devil has no interest in helping men find God.  But perhaps before Jesus entered this synagogue the devil had no fear that what was being taught there had “anything” to do with Truth.  This man was not raving mad, adorned in chains, and frothing at the mouth.  He likely was dressed nicely and known to his neighbors.  But he was no less possessed.  He was in church when he was supposed to be in church, on the right day, at the right time.  But he was no less possessed.  He may have helped take up the offering, or say a prayer, or sing a song – but he was no less possessed.

How sad that in our fellowship can walk one who appears to be a like-minded believer, yet is possessed of demons who influence his life.  How sadder still, that this person could be us.  We have no idea it is the case, because we believe “we” are in charge of our lives.  Yet we are bound in sin, enslaved to loving and pleasing ourselves, with no hope of actually glimpsing self-control, let alone living in it.  It is so easy to look at others, ferret out their sins, point the accusing finger, and then believe ourselves to be holier by comparison.  But it is a false comparison, for in so doing, we reveal our lack of love, and motives of envy and pride.  We do not even realize we are consumed by those vices whose author was Lucifer of old.  We do not even realize it is we who may well be controlled by a darker spirit who keeps us from loving and focused only on judging and condemnation.  Until out of our own mouths, comes the voice of a demon we had no idea was in us in the first place.

The demon knows the end of the story.  The demon knows he has lost the war with God, and will one day face his destruction.  Notice too, the demon makes no reference to hell.  He is not existing in some other-dimensional place where fire torments him day and night.  His question is more accurate, and pointed, being … is it time for us to be destroyed?  The “hell” that exists for fallen angels and for mankind is the same.  It is living life apart from the source of ALL love.  It is knowing that the perfect bliss of loving others does exist, but that we have chosen not to be a part of it, and remain enslaved to loving only self.  That is hell.  That is real.  That exists right now, right here, and requires no flames to inflict a torture all of its own, a torture of our own making. 

The demon is moved to cry out, because he hears the words of Love coming from the mouth of Christ.  His first cry is … “Let us alone”.  The luring words of love and redemption Christ is offering fallen mankind are too much for the demon to withstand.  The torture of knowing God’s love but powerless to embrace it again brings the demon to the breaking point.  He cries out again … “what have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth”.  The demon did not go looking to confront Christ, he was happy just making the life of this man miserable.  The demon complains that since he was not looking for a confrontation he should just be left alone.  But his selfishness blinds him to the misery he causes his host, the poor blind man, who probably did not even know he was being possessed.  So the demon decides to do what he knows will be the most destructive thing he can do to stop the ministry of Christ … he decides to identify for all the listeners that “this man” is the literal Son of God.  To “out Christ” as divinity this early is sure to stir up controversy and cause those who might listen to shut Him off, due to preconceived ideas.

Mark continues in verse 25 saying … “And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. [verse 26] And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.”  Jesus forbids the demon to say anything more, whatever damage he has caused will not be tolerated to continue.  And the demon is compelled to obey.  If Christ had been a mere mortal, created a little lower than the angels, and having no divinity within Him, the demon could have easily resisted.  Angels do not take commands from men.  They are stronger than us, wiser, and have lived for eons past our few little years.  But the demon was not talking with just a “Rabbi”, or a “prophet”, he was conversing with the Son of God.  He tore his victim, and cried out with a loud voice, but he said nothing more, and he left his host.  In a twist of irony, on the Sabbath day, in the house of God, it is a demon who once again affirms the identity of Jesus Christ.

Peter recalls the response to John Mark as he writes in verse 27 saying … “And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. [verse 28] And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.”  Those in that temple immediately assumed it was the doctrines of Christ that enabled Him to command demons to obey.  But then the realization it was also with authority that he commanded them and they did obey.  Notice too, the demon was more than one, the words “us” and “they” are used in conjunction with this event.  The fame of these events, the words of the demon, and the freedom from the bondage of possession would spread far and wide across all of Galilee.

The scene then transitions Mark writes in verse 29 … “And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.”  After this miracle, church service is over.  So Jesus goes to Peter’s house with His disciples, presumably for a lovely Sabbath afternoon lunch.  Mark continues in verse 30 … “But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. [verse 31] And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.”  Peter’s mother in law was sick that day, stricken by a severe fever that had left her bed ridden.  Jesus takes her by the hand, lifts her up, and the fever leaves her.  Jesus does not do this, because they are short help in the kitchen.  Instead He does this because He cannot pass by even one person in need.  Peter records it, because it is yet another healing performed by Christ on the Sabbath day.  Acts of love and redemption were the way the Sabbath was meant to be enjoyed, this is what the Author of the Sabbath had in mind.

Notice too, Jesus and his disciples do not go to a restaurant to find their food and sustenance.  They go instead where they are invited, and they receive the food that was offered to them.  The ministry of serving food to Jesus and his companions is accepted without a rebuke, or admonition to be careful “how” the meal is served and cleaned up.  We assume in the house of a fisherman, the diet would be a simple one of pita bread, fish, and perhaps some olive oil.  Peter was not a wealthy man, but he was honored to have His Lord in his home this fine Sabbath day.  Then he recalls that Christ spent the day in fellowship with Peter and his disciples and family.  Perhaps Jesus taught his mother in law, wife, and others in attendance what it means to love others like He loves them.  It is interesting though, the following texts would reveal that a great number of the people in the region still clung to the traditions of the Pharisees where it comes to Sabbath observance.  Note the following texts.

Mark continues in verse 32 saying … “And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. [verse 33] And all the city was gathered together at the door. [verse 34] And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.”  The people of the region wait until sunset, when the Sabbath is officially over, before they bring Jesus Christ those who were sick and possessed with devils in order to be healed.  Perhaps the people were afraid to walk too far to find relief.  Perhaps they believed it a “sin” to seek relief on the Sabbath day itself.  But Peter dispels those ideas by citing his own mother in law’s experience with Jesus before lunch.  You will also note, Jesus does not condemn these people for waiting until after Sabbath to seek healing.  There is no lecture about how they are “doing it wrong”.  It is only His own heart, that so longed to give them relief earlier, yet none would ask.

Notice too, whether they were sick or not, the entire city gathered at the door of Peter.  Many just wanted to see what Christ could or would do, and they were not disappointed.  All those who later would demand “yet another miracle” and they would believe in Jesus, would have had to have forgotten the events at Capernaum on this day.  No matter what the disease Jesus healed them all.  Jesus forbid the devils to speak, so they could not injure His ministry further, but drive them out He did.  The Author of the Sabbath was not present to condemn the people for “how” they kept that day.  He was there to liberate them from their own chains and ideas.  He was there to free them from the possession of sin they had no idea they were enslaved by.  He was there to meet their every need with acts of love that defined His life of service to others.  Jesus did not use the Sabbath as an excuse to setup a health clinic, justifying performing health works on Sabbath.  But He did not delay meeting a need when it was presented just because it was Sabbath either.

To study the behavior of the Author of Sabbath is to change how we think about what it means to keep that time Holy.  It changes what we are intended to “remember”.  It changes the nature of joy we can experience when spending time with Dad.  It can even change what it means to truly worship our God.  And the lessons of Jesus Christ had only just begun …