Built For Rest!

Should we have a day off each week?

Last Sunday, I spoke about rest. We saw the pattern God sets up at creation: work for 6 days, then enjoy a day of rest. The 7th day is a blessed day, and a holy day! The word ‘sabbath’ just means rest. In the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to rest 1 day in 7 – on the Sabbath day. This was so important that it was given as law – the 4th commandment was “a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:10). God spoke of it as a covenant sign to remind them of their God in Exodus 31:13-18. And so, keeping the Sabbath was a sign of obedience, but also a day of celebration and fellowshipping with the LORD.

Jesus proclaimed Himself ‘Lord of the Sabbath’. He went to the synagogue; he healed on the Sabbath – he embraced the day of blessing. Yet, the Sabbath day was a shadow; Jesus is the ultimate Lord of rest.

He invites all who are weary and burdened to come to him to receive his rest (Matthew 11:28). Jesus invites us to share in eternal salvation and rest, through faith in Him.

So, do we have to take a day off each week? No, we don’t have to as we’re not under law, but under grace, and we aren’t to judge each other on this (Colossians 2:16-17). However, the Sabbath was ‘made for man’; it’s an ancient pattern, given by God. The Sabbath is all about rest, worship, praise and joy in God. Who’d want to miss out on that?!

Grace and peace,
Mark