The Son of Man Is Lord of the Sabbath

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Matthew 12:1-8
Psalters: 290, 86, 287, 320
  1. The controversy with Pharisees.
    1. The Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples plucked, rubbed and ate grain on the Sabbath day.
      1. While God forbad work on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10; 34:21), including rubbing grain (Luke 6:1).
      2. The accusation was really at Jesus for not only permitting but even approving it.
    2. Jesus condemns the Pharisees for putting a legalistic interpretation on the spiritual institution of the Sabbath.
  2. The Lordship of Jesus.
    1. Jesus declares that the Sabbath was created and instituted to be a blessing for man.
      1. God’s rest was not inactivity (John 5:17), but He stopped the work of creating and He reflected on and enjoyed His work.
      2. Thus God sanctified and blessed the day, making the Sabbath blessed for man too.
      3. Our weekly Sabbaths are not the final Sabbath God would have with His people.
    2. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
      1. He is Lord of all as the Son of man, including His being Lord of the Sabbath.
      2. At the same time Jesus defends the Sabbath as defined in Scripture: “Have ye not read…” (3,5).
  3. Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, had the right, under the necessity to eat, to set aside the divine ceremonial law.
    1. Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, gave the Sabbath to man so man might use it in spiritual service of God.
    2. It is spiritual activity (faith) in the things of God’s kingdom – not for recreation and pleasure-seeking (rest from daily toil).
    3. Proper observance of the Sabbath (rest in Christ and living in hope of the eternal Sabbath) bears wonderful fruit.