Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” [Mark 2.27-28]
The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Church in Colosse, made a statement about the Sabbath that cannot be overlooked:
So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]
Paul indicates that Jesus is the reality of the Sabbath. What is that reality?
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20.28]
With this established, we can look at God's 4th Commandment and understand it in its fullness!
“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. [Exodus 20.8-11]
The 4th Commandment is perhaps one of the most compelling prophecies of Jesus in the Bible! Is it any wonder that the 4th Commandment takes more Bible "real estate" than any of the other Commandments?
Jesus said:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. [Matthew 11.28]
Jesus also said:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]
Our rest is found in giving up our own effort to save ourselves - to self-preserve - to serve ourselves. Effort to serve ourselves is idolatry (ref. Matthew 20.28 above).
The Cross was Jesus' only reason to come to earth. On His Cross He fulfilled every facet of His earth-purpose - His selfless mission to serve, and not be served. Our cross then, that Jesus demands we take up, fulfills every facet of our earth-purpose - to selflessly serve, and not be served.
Sadly, many today focus on the Sabbath exactly like the religious people in Jesus' day focused on the Sabbath: they completely fail to see Jesus as the Sabbath. We must observe the Sabbath because the Sabbath is Jesus. If we disallow Jesus' rest for us, then we are 'taking care of ourselves' in our own way - we are committing idolatry.
Father, thank You for this reminder today that Jesus is indeed our Sabbath Rest. Help us meditate on this Biblical Truth understanding that our failure to rest entirely in Jesus is idolatry in its basest form. May our meditation on this Truth lead to our freedom from idolatry - our giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.
