May 7, 2004

THE LORD OF THE SABBATH

"So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28, NIV).

As Lord of all creation, Jesus is also Lord of the Sabbath. As co-creator, He spoke our planet into existence. By His creative might, He created the firmament and light, land and waters. He blanketed the earth with vegetation and decorated it with flowers. He hung the sun and moon and stars in space and filled the world with living things. With consummate creative skill, He made man in His own image. Pleased with His vast creation, He declared it to be "very good" (Genesis 1:31, NIV). In His divine wisdom, the Creator added to this "very good" creation something that would memorialize it. Hence the precious gift of the holy Sabbath.

In His confrontation with the religious leaders of His day, Christ asserted His authority on matters of His holy Sabbath. He declared that the Sabbath was to be a blessing and not a burden (see Mark 2:27). It was given for spiritual, physical, and emotional enrichment.

Jesus reminded His critics that the Sabbath was God's gift of love to humanity, designed by a loving Creator for the welfare and happiness of humanity. God did not create man because He had a Sabbath and needed someone to keep it. On the contrary, an all-wise God made the Sabbath an opportunity for moral and spiritual growth. It was made to be a day of rest and gladness, of worship and fellowship, and a day for doing good (see Matthew 12:12).

As Lord of the Sabbath, Christ taught that "the object of God's work in this world is the redemption of man; therefore that which is necessary to be done on the Sabbath in the accomplishment of this work is in accord with the Sabbath law."--The Desire of Ages, p. 285.

My Prayer Today: Lord, thank You for the Sabbath. In it may I always see Your creative and redemptive acts. Amen.