Hebrews 4:5

Hebrews 4:5

Stop striving

In Mark 2:27 we read that Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” He said this because His disciples had been accused of working when they walked past some fields of corn and plucked a few ears to eat as they travelled! By the time of Jesus, what was a simple God-given law about resting from labours for a day per week, had become a burdensome set of restrictions about what was allowable and what Sabbath rest really meant. Jesus questioned these practices and reminded His disciples that He was Lord of the Sabbath. He not only gave it, but He also oversees how it should be enforced. He is our rest, 24/7, every day of the week and we take our spiritual rest in Him. So much so that the Apostle Paul could write, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17. 

It is our personal decision as to whether or not we observe the Sabbath Day, certainly it does us no harm to cease from our labours and to take time out to physically and mentally rest for one day per week. But the true rest that is being described in these chapters is not about a day-off per week, it is about ceasing from our labours, our striving and attempts to earn our salvation and to do things man’s way instead of God’s way. As soon as our faith falters and we seek to create our rest by our own standards and efforts, then we have failed to enter His rest. All man-made religion is a failure to enter God’s rest and as such those who practice it will never enter. Stop striving! Stop assuming that God is impressed by our works. Stop rebelling and doing it our way instead of His way. When we do that, every day is a Sabbath. Everything we need has already been gained and secured by Yeshua at the cross. Hallelujah!