Editors note: The devotionals that appear from this month on will be taken from the summer archives because I want to go over the Gospel of Mark from the beginning.. It is possible they will have updates and will be highlighted in pink.

Quiet Times: (Psalm 27,  Proverbs 27,, and Mark 2:23-28)

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger---whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1, TLB)

"Don't brag about your plans for tomorrow---wait and see what happens." (Proverbs 27:1, TLB)

^"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:23-28, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself what words/phrases were repeated?

As I looked through the passage, Sabbath was mentioned 5 times so I decided to focus on it to see in what instances it was mentioned.

1. One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.

2. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

3. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man,

4. Not man for the Sabbath.

5. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Yesterday, I looked at the first two instances Sabbath was mentioned! Today, I wanted to focus on the last three instances.

Observations/Interpretations:

I asked myself how Jesus responds to the Pharisees questioning!

Jesus answers the Pharisees questions with a question from the Old Testament and then makes a profound statement to them. 

“Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

I asked myself why Jesus would make that statement!

The Pharisees were so concerned in keeping the letter of the law that they looked past peoples need when those needs occurred on the Sabbath. Jesus was letting them know that God did not give them the Sabbath so the Sabbath can be benefited. Rather, the purpose of the Sabbath was given by God to benefit people. 

I asked myself what is significant of the statement, ‘So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath!’

Jesus made two claims for Himself in front of his disciples and the Pharisees:

1. He is the Son of Man

2. He is Lord even of the Sabbath.

 These are powerful claims that Jesus made. What stuck out to me more was the second claim that Jesus made stating, “He is Lord even of the Sabbath”

This is very significant when we think about the Pharisees addressing Jesus for the mistakes of the disciples because Jesus was their leader. Now Jesus goes a step further and lets them know He is not only their leader but is in charge of the Sabbath because He is Lord. The Pharisees and disciples would know from the Old Testament that it is the Lord that gave them the Ten Commandments. Now, Jesus claims to be Lord who has authority over the Sabbath because He is the One that gave them the Sabbath and knows exactly what purpose He gave it to them for.

Right here Jesus has openly claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath! He has control of the Sabbath and the Sabbath should be used to benefit people and not hurt them. Even before Jesus talked to them about the Sabbath, He had built up His credentials to claim to be Lord by His actions. By using the word 'even', Jesus is letting them know that His Lordship does not end with the Sabbath but He is Lord of All!

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life here. First of all, it is so exciting for me to know that Jesus claimed to be Lord of all and in charge. Since, He is Lord He was letting the Pharisees know that it was okay for His disciples to pick heads of grain to eat because Sabbath was made to benefit man and not man to benefit the Sabbath. He has the authority to decide what people can and cannot do! Whoa!

This means I need to remember too that the Sabbath was made to benefit me. This means I should take the day of rest that the Lord has provided to rejuvenate myself. The disciples spent the Sabbath with Jesus. I should use the Sabbath as a special time to spend time with the Lord in His House of Prayer but not limit my time with the Lord just on the Sabbath. Also, keeping the Sabbath does not mean I overlook someone in need of help!

I ask you now dear friend, what does the Sabbath mean to you?

Dear friend, Jesus loves you so much and gave you the Sabbath for a reason. It is so you can be well rested after six days of work. Our Lord wants us to be rested and take care of our health. The Sabbath was given to benefit you. This means you should take every opportunity to try to keep the Sabbath because it will benefit you. However, you should also keep in mind that there will be times that people may need your help and in those times our Lord wants us to help them as He has helped people on the Sabbath setting an example. Sabbath is a wonderful time to spend with the Lord with other believers in Christ and family but we should not limit our time with the Lord and family to just the Sabbath.

When it comes to doing things for yourself on the Sabbath, ask yourself if the Lord sees the action you are doing as restful and beneficial to you or hurtful, for our Lord wants the best for you!

May you know Jesus Christ is even Lord of the Sabbath and whatever He tells you has truth to it including the reason for the Sabbath! If there is a reason you have to work that is beyond your control such as a boss scheduling you to work on  a Sunday, if you can take off you should. If you cannot then as you depend on the Lord, do the work as you are doing it for the Lord.

"Sabbath’s Acceptable Because Beautiful Almighty’s Truth Helps!" (S.A.B.B.A.T.H)/”What does the Sabbath mean to you?”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus thank you so much for giving us the Sabbath. Thank you so much for the claims you have made and let the Pharisees and disciples see that you are even Lord of the Sabbath. I love you Jesus. Thank you the Sabbath was made to benefit man and not man for the Sabbath. Forgive us Oh Lord when we have been so bogged down with the things we have to do that we have not taken time to take the rest you want for us. Forgive us also when we have not been there to help those in need. Oh Lord, please be the Lord and Savior of our lives as we give ourselves to you. You are Holy and there is none like you. I could search all eternity long and find none like you. Come Lord Jesus and please fill us with your Holy Spirit. We are so sorry for our sins and ask you for forgiveness knowing that you died on the cross for the remission of our sins as you shed your precious cleansing Blood. Thank you Jesus for coming back to life to save us! I thank you Jesus for all that you have done for us and for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you that you have heard us and answered our prayer. In Your Name We Pray Jesus! Amen!

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart.

Friend, you may feel something or you may not but this you can be assured that the Lord Jesus has come into your life and will give you a new beginning! Amen!

Get yourself involved in a campus Bible study, fellowship, and most of all find a Bible believing church and be involved to grow in your Christian walk with the Lord. They all need to be supplements for your own precious time with the Lord in prayer and meditating on His Word. If you need a Bible, please let me know!

If you need anyone to talk to, pray with, or study the Bible with this Fall of October 2005, you can email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com or call me at 412-720-4579.

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

Next Devotional:
What are your N.E.E.D.S? (Oct 28, 05)

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