One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

–Parallel Verses:
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬
[Jesus speaking]
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

At times in life, a person does or says something that drastically changes the paradigm of many others who have gotten used to life under the ordinary rules. The Jewish leaders were used to being regarded as “elite” based on their ability to live life “under a microscope” and obey a massive number of rules. In order to break through to them and others who followed them, Jesus used a persistent and multiplied effort to get their attention. In this latest example, he proclaims that “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”. In this one statement he declares that the rules they followed were not absolute and as valuable as they thought they were.

Throughout the centuries, man has made up rules to compare and make themselves look better than others, or perhaps out of fear. But these rules often do more harm than good. Why? Because the focus shifts towards the rules instead of the HEART INTENT of the rule-maker — God. God’s heart is for us to love him first and to love others as ourselves. Rules are important and necessary to accomplish this. But he wants us to graduate from being rule-keepers to image-bearers. An image bearer is one who acts, speaks, and in some way looks like the one they serve.

Jesus redefines the Sabbath by saying in essence he is Lord of it and what he says goes.
What a powerful statement. (It was likely taken as an attack to the authority of the Jewish leaders). And its power lives on today. We are not bound by rules. We are to be devoted to God. Church attendance, missions trips, tithing, serving, etc., are all good activities. But out of our own strength and power, they are not valuable to God. He wants our heart and our devotion first. These Pharisees and teachers of the law could keep the Sabbath laws and rituals to a T, but they could not turn their hearts to Jesus because of their pride in the own abilities.

Our rest comes in God alone, not in keeping rituals. Disciplines are good but only if they are done from the proper motives and a heart surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Lord, teach me to trust you for your rest. Your ways are easy, and your burdens are light. This is because you guide me and carry my burdens. Thank you for a rest that remains in my heart all week long!