Mark 2:27-28

Mark 2:27-28

Thoughts from Josh Talbot

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Be Still - Swipe
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“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.”

Be Still - BTS
Slide

In this passage we are jumping into a controversy between what the Sabbath is really about. As Jesus and his disciples were going through the roads, the disciples were picking heads of grain off the sides of the road which was a common practice for travelers. Travelers who did not take enough food for their journey were permitted by the Mosaic law to pick enough grain to satisfy their hunger (Dt 23:24,25).

Slide

The Pharisees who were known as the keepers of the Mosaic law and prided themselves on having all the knowledge of the Mosaic Law. When the Pharisees saw how the disciples were plucking grain, they immediately jumped up and started accusing them of rubbing grain as a form of threshing which was forbidden by Rabbinical tradition because it was a form of profit (Ex 34:21).

Slide

This was obviously not the situation here and Jesus responds back to the Pharisees and tells them since you pride yourselves in knowing the law perfectly, “have you not read the story of David and how they were feeling for their lives from Saul, and they arrived at a Tabernacle and asked for food because they were hungry and they ate?” (you can find that story in 1 Sam. 21:1-6). It's also important to note that David and his companions were never condemned for eating the consecrated bread because of their hunger.

Slide

Jesus uses this whole situation to tell us what the Sabbath was really made for. It’s not about keeping laws so tightly (like the Pharisees) that it actually becomes a burden to us. On the contrary, God gave us the Sabbath to benefit and bless us! Jesus the creator of our bodies, knows what we need, for our health, refocus time, and our walk with God, and that is a day of rest. Jesus is greater than any tradition or law that anyone creates, Jesus makes this point when he says that “He’s the Lord over the Sabbath.”

Be Still - MIR
Slide

We can have great intentions on a project, work or tradition and before we know it, we can lose focus of what it’s all about. This reminds me of Michael W. Smith who shared his story of how when he was writing Christian music with great intentions. However, eventually he felt like he lost his way for various reasons and lost touch with what Christian music was really all about. He was wrestling with God because he wanted to keep writing his pop songs, but he so strongly felt the Lord drawing him back to write a worship album (Jesus Music Documentary). This was when Michael W. Smith wrote the song “Heart of Worship” that cuts to the core, declaring that above everything else, I’m coming back to the heart of worship and my relationship with you.

Slide

Our hearts and minds are so easily taken by rules and regulations and it's so easy to lose our way. Jesus gave us the Law and the Sabbath for us as a blessing and for flourishing in life and not to weigh us down.

Slide

Let me share this truth from my own life, I am not any different than these Pharisees at times- a Christian from a young age, growing up in church, knowing the Bible and theology very well. I have put my own traditions and preferences before loving people and setting an example of God’s love to the world through Jesus. This lesson really hit’s home for me. God’s laws including the Sabbath as a day of rest was given to be a blessing for me and my relationship with God. It was not given to be a heavy burden to bear or a point of judgement on my dear friends who I hurt when I was acting just like the pharisees. Now looking back, I am so sorry.

Slide

It is my prayer that Lord will guide my heart both now and, in the future, to love God, his word and people and never let religion blind my eyes to what God want’s, namely, to love God and love others. How about you?

Slide

Did you grow up in a religious home that kept the Sabbath very strictly?

How is God calling you to honor the Sabbath, so the Sabbath that God gave you can be a blessing and not a burden to bear?

Have you held on to your religion and tradition so tightly that you have lost sight of what it is all about and hurt people in the process? Is there anyone you need to apologize to?

Slide

“I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about You

It's all about You, Jesus

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

When it's all about You

It's all about You, Jesus”

The Heart of Worship by Michael W. Smith

Be Still - EIP
Slide

Jesus, our hearts and minds are so easily taken away by the traditions that we setup in addition to your word. Please give us the wisdom to use your word to guide us in how we honor you by obeying and following your word and taking the time to honor the Sabbath. Thank you for giving us the Sabbath for our blessing and for us to thrive in our relationship with you. Guide our hearts to love people and to always remember that it all comes back to our relationship with you. May we Glorify you with everything that we say and do. Amen

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“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.”  

Mark 2:27-28

Behind the Scenes

In this passage we are jumping into a controversy between what the Sabbath is really about. As Jesus and his disciples were going through the roads, the disciples were picking heads of grain off the sides of the road which was a common practice for travelers. Travelers who did not take enough food for their journey were permitted by the Mosaic law to pick enough grain to satisfy their hunger (Dt 23:24,25).  

The Pharisees who were known as the keepers of the Mosaic law and prided themselves on having all the knowledge of the Mosaic Law. When the Pharisees saw how the disciples were plucking grain, they immediately jumped up and started accusing them of rubbing grain as a form of threshing which was forbidden by Rabbinical tradition because it was a form of profit (Ex 34:21).  

This was obviously not the situation here and Jesus responds back to the Pharisees and tells them since you pride yourselves in knowing the law perfectly, “have you not read the story of David and how they were feeling for their lives from Saul, and they arrived at a Tabernacle and asked for food because they were hungry and they ate?” (you can find that story in 1 Sam. 21:1-6). It’s also important to note that David and his companions were never condemned for eating the consecrated bread because of their hunger.  

Jesus uses this whole situation to tell us what the Sabbath was really made for. It’s not about keeping laws so tightly (like the Pharisees) that it actually becomes a burden to us. On the contrary, God gave us the Sabbath to benefit and bless us! Jesus the creator of our bodies, knows what we need, for our health, refocus time, and our walk with God, and that is a day of rest. Jesus is greater than any tradition or law that anyone creates, Jesus makes this point when he says that “He’s the Lord over the Sabbath.”  

Make It Real

We can have great intentions on a project, work or tradition and before we know it, we can lose focus of what it’s all about. This reminds me of Michael W. Smith who shared his story of how when he was writing Christian music with great intentions. However, eventually he felt like he lost his way for various reasons and lost touch with what Christian music was really all about. He was wrestling with God because he wanted to keep writing his pop songs, but he so strongly felt the Lord drawing him back to write a worship album (Jesus Music Documentary). This was when Michael W. Smith wrote the song “Heart of Worship” that cuts to the core, declaring that above everything else, I’m coming back to the heart of worship and my relationship with you. 

Our hearts and minds are so easily taken by rules and regulations and it’s so easy to lose our way. Jesus gave us the Law and the Sabbath for us as a blessing and for flourishing in life and not to weigh us down.  

Let me share this truth from my own life, I am not any different than these Pharisees at times- a Christian from a young age, growing up in church, knowing the Bible and theology very well. I have put my own traditions and preferences before loving people and setting an example of God’s love to the world through Jesus. This lesson really hit’s home for me. God’s laws including the Sabbath as a day of rest was given to be a blessing for me and my relationship with God. It was not given to be a heavy burden to bear or a point of judgement on my dear friends who I hurt when I was acting just like the pharisees. Now looking back, I am so sorry.  

It is my prayer that Lord will guide my heart both now and, in the future, to love God, his word and people and never let religion blind my eyes to what God want’s, namely, to love God and love others. How about you?  

  1. Did you grow up in a religious home that kept the Sabbath very strictly?
  2. How is God calling you to honor the Sabbath, so the Sabbath that God gave you can be a blessing and not a burden to bear?
  3. Have you held on to your religion and tradition so tightly that you have lost sight of what it is all about and hurt people in the process? Is there anyone you need to apologize to? 

 

“I’m coming back to the heart of worship 

And it’s all about You 

It’s all about You, Jesus 

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it 

When it’s all about You 

It’s all about You, Jesus” 

The heart of Worship by Michael W. Smith 

Justin Fravel

Justin Fravel

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Jesus, our hearts and minds are so easily taken away by the traditions that we setup in addition to your word. Please give us the wisdom to use your word to guide us in how we honor you by obeying and following your word and taking the time to honor the Sabbath. Thank you for giving us the Sabbath for our blessing and for us to thrive in our relationship with you. Guide our hearts to love people and to always remember that it all comes back to our relationship with you. May we Glorify you with everything that we say and do. Amen  

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