As we continue to look at what it means to be a man who represents God well, we come to a discussion that may not seem to fit. If you are like me, you have been taught that a man is to be hard working and driven toward success. Acceptance is often based on productivity and effort. Although these characteristics are beneficial in many areas of our life, Jesus reminds us that there is also a place to spiritually rest.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” After Jesus gives us this opportunity, he goes on in the beginning of chapter 12 to explain and even model what he is talking about.
This picture is of Jesus walking with his disciples through a grain field. I want to stop there and consider this scenario. We know that everything Jesus did was purposeful. Therefore, it was not an accident that he wandered off the road and into some farmer’s field. He intended to teach his disciples, and us, a very important lesson.
As they walked, the disciples began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. Unfortunately, this was the Sabath and the Jewish leaders attacked Jesus for allowing his followers to break the command to honor the Sabath day. In rebuttal, Jesus reminds them of their hypocrisy and of his authority. He declares in verse 8, For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.
Is Jesus changing the rules? One of the top ten commandments from God is to honor the Sabbath. He is not changing or weakening the command but is returning to God’s original intent. The Jewish leaders had added so many rules to the commandments that they created a burden which they could not even carry.
To understand what Jesus is saying, we go back to his statement in chapter 11. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. The yoke was a wooden crosspiece put over the necks of two animals to allow them to pull a plow of heavy load. This is a picture of what the religious leaders had done with the Sabbath. God’s original purpose was not to add a burden, but to offer rest.
The Jewish Sabbath was from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. For the Christian, our day of worship is on Sunday because it is the day Jesus rose from the dead. Many people see this as a command to honor Sunday. The point Jesus is making is that the important thing to remember is the purpose, not the practice. God wants us to take time to rest.
Obedience to the command to honor the Sabbath has two parts. First, God calls us to set aside a time to focus our attention on worship. The church offers an opportunity to begin this process with services on Sunday morning. However, this should only be a portion of seeking Sabbath rest. The second part is for us to take a day to shut down and rest our minds and bodies. God knows our limits, he created us. He knows we cannot be on the go every moment of every day with this life’s activities and properly care for our bodies, minds, and spirits.
Unfortunately, Satan knows this as well. He does not temp us with spending our time in evil activities if he can get us overwhelmed with “good” things. Not allowing your mind and heart a day to focus on our Lord and not giving your body a day to relax is just as harmful spiritually as lust, greed, gossip, hatred, and the other sins Satan may draw us to. The difference is, we can justify ignoring the Sabbath with the list of important things we must get done.
Jesus wants to give us rest. With it comes peace and joy. Slow down for a bit and receive it from him.