Mark 2:23-28

Mark 2:23-28  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.”

In the Bible, the Sabbath is the day of rest, as described fully in the Law of Moses: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.  On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.  (Exodus 20:8-11)  On this day people set aside their work to meditate on the Creator of all things.  They yield to God all the normal activities of life that require any labor.  In the Old Testament disobedience to the rules of the Sabbath brought death to the violator.  No tolerance was given to anyone who would dare to corrupt the day of rest.  In today's text from Mark, we see Jesus defending the actions of his disciples who had picked some heads of grain on the Sabbath by pointing to David's violation of the temple of God when he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread intended only for the priests.  Not only did David violate God's commandment himself, he brazenly gave some to his companions, causing them to sin.  David, a man after God's own heart  (See 1 Samuel 13), might be considered close enough to God to get away with such desecration but surely not his companions.  Jesus points out his own authority and position with God.  David was God's man of authority, chosen over stronger men in the natural at the time of his selection.  Because of his unique position, he could allow his companions to violate the temple rules by eating the consecrated bread.  How much more could the Son of Man allow his disciples the freedom to eat grain on the Sabbath for He is Lord even of the Sabbath.  

Yet in pointing to David before going on to speak of the Sabbath itself, Jesus is setting up the idea that God is interested in people: consequently, Jesus cares for the needs of people every day, even on the Sabbath, which is an ongoing issue with the Pharisees.  When Jesus healed the paralytic, rather than rejoicing in such an amazing miracle, the teachers of the law engage in an argument because Jesus said his sins were forgiven.  Even now, they look for something to trip up Jesus and his companions, something they can use to bring judgment down upon the heads of this man who seems to have special powers and insights.  But rather than arguing with these men with evil in their hearts and minds, Jesus boldly breaks new ground by declaring: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.  In this brief statement, He explains that people matter more that rules and regulations.  If someone is hungry, let him eat.  God made the Sabbath, his holy day of rest, and He created this day for his creation.  Even more importantly, the Lord of all creation stands before you now, the Son of Man.  I am He: Lord of the Sabbath.  He did not fear the censure or the judgment of humankind; He surely did not fear the censure or the judgment of his beloved Father in heaven.  Jesus, the bread of life, stood there in human form, holding out the love of God to a fallen creation; while those present worried about a few grains of wheat.  He must have grown weary at times in carrying out his mission, for He knew the heart of the Father and the salvation plan prepared for this people.  This same Jesus said, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written in the Prophets: "They will all be taught by God." Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.  No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.  I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life.  Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.  (John 6:43-51)

Each of us must ask ourselves what we have been eating and drinking.  We have the bread of heaven.  We read in Revelation: the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  (Revelation 7:17)  Yet so often we try to satisfy ourselves with food and drink that will never satisfy: worldly refreshments that look so wonderful but lack any nourishment or refreshing for our souls.  Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven.  He says, If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  He also said, Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.  (John 7:38)  The Bible goes on to say, He was speaking of the Holy Spirit.  Yet we take a small serving of the Lord on Sunday morning, hoping our spiritual experience will last all week.  For the next six days, we eat at many tables, like a bar hopper, feeding on the things of this world, wondering why we feel so dissatisfied, so parched and hungry.  When will we realize Jesus is our Sabbath rest, our daily rest, our abiding place?  The main reason his disciples could pick those grains of wheat was that they were with Jesus, in his presence, free from the law of sin and death, free from the bondage to doubt and fear.  They were under his protection and his provision.  We live beneath our privileges when we live outside of the Sabbath rest of Jesus.  Many scriptures come to mind when we think of rest, but one of our favorites is found in Matthew.  Jesus is speaking, and we believe He is speaking to each of us today: 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.  (Matthew 11:28-30)  It's a weary life, walking the journey alone outside of the Sabbath rest of Jesus.  You carry a heavy burden when you stop walking close to Jesus, no longer casting all your cares on him.  Today is the day to call upon him, to run to him.  He is waiting close at hand.  Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  (John 4:14)  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.