Title: When We Depend On Rabbinical Regulations To Determine How To Observe The Sabbath We Will Never Keep It Holy Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Ex. 20:8) O Day Of Rest And Gladness - https://youtube/watch?v=uPMNOkVbZKc It is so interesting that after reading about the life of Christ and how He addressed the Pharisees regarding Sabbath observance that we would learn that God is Lord of the Sabbath. I guess we would learn that God’s commandments are the only commandments that we should follow. Unfortunately, even today we find leaders of our church doing the same things that the Pharisee did. Instead of helping members to develop a closer relationship with God, they create rules to try to get members to keep the Sabbath Holy. This morning, the Lord is reminding us that the Sabbath was made for mankind to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The writer of the lesson reminded us that although it was not right for anyone apart from the priest to eat the showbread in the Sanctuary, David and his men were not destroyed because of their actions. The Lord of the Sabbath recognized that they were fleeing Saul’s persecution and desperately needed food to eat. The writer also reminded us to the situation where the disciples picked corn on the Sabbath and how Jesus responded to the questions of the church leaders. My friend, when as church leaders and church members we stop allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our actions, we will never seek His guidance on how to keep the Sabbath Holy. God is reminding us this morning that He must increase in our lives and self must decrease in our lives before we are able to do the will of God. I pray that we will learn from this situation and continue to consult God on how to keep the Sabbath Holy. My friend, we cannot have any confidence in our intellect or our interpretation of the word of God. We cannot trust ourselves to do what is right. Only God can lead us into the path of righteousness. Let us continue to lead on the everlasting arms of God so that He can continue to lead us into the path of righteousness. The grain was ready for the sickle when Jesus and his disciples passed through the corn fields on the Sabbath. The disciples were hungry, for their Master had extended his work of teaching and healing to a late hour, and they had been without food for a long time. They accordingly began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat, rubbing them in their hands, in accordance with the law of Moses, which provides that: When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbors standing corn. But spies were continually upon the track of Jesus, watching for some occasion to accuse and condemn him. When they saw this act of the disciples, they immediately complained to him, saying, Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. In this they expressed their own narrow views of the law. But Jesus defended his followers thus: Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was a hungered, he, and they that were with him? 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? And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. If excessive hunger excused David for violating even the holiness of the sanctuary, and made his act guiltless, how much more excusable was the simple act of the disciples in plucking the grain and eating it upon the Sabbath day. Jesus would teach his disciples and his enemies that the service of God was first of all; and, if fatigue and hunger attended the work, it was right to satisfy the wants of humanity, even upon the Sabbath day. That holy institution was not given to interfere with the needs of our being, bringing pain and discomfort, instead of blessing. The Sabbath was made for man, to give him rest and peace, and remind him of the work of his Creator, not to be a grievous burden. The work done in the temple upon the Sabbath was in harmony with the law; yet the same labor, if employed in ordinary business, would be a violation of it. The act of plucking and eating the grain to sustain the bodily strength, to be used in the service of God, was right and lawful. Jesus then crowned his argument by declaring himself the Lord of the Sabbath,--One above all question and above all law. This Infinite Judge acquits the disciples from blame, appealing to the very statutes they are accused of violating. But Jesus did not let the matter drop without administering a rebuke to his enemies. He declared that in their blindness they had mistaken the object of the Sabbath. Said he: But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. He then contrasted their many heartless rites with the truthful integrity, and tender love that should characterize the true worshipers of God: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against me. (Signs of the Times, November 30, 1876 – Ellen G. White)
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 13:28:32 +0000
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