The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Luke 5:29-6:11 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

³³ And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” ³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵ But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” ³⁶ And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”

6 Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ³ And Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?” ⁵ And He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. ⁸ But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. ⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

There are many people, both in the church and outside the church today that promote the idea that if Jesus were here today He would prefer the company of sinners and outcasts rather than interacting with the church. They base their claim on the scripture accounts where Jesus did in fact spend time with these people. Look what Jesus says in today’s text though:  Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”   Jesus association with sinners was not for the purpose of embracing their sin, it was to call sinners to repentance. There is no doubt that if Jesus were here today He would certainly associate with sinners. He would not though embrace or even tolorate their sin. He would call them to repentance. The notion that Jesus would, and so those who are His disciples should tolorate and embrace sin is a misunderstanding at the very least and perhaps an out right lie, a deception and a false doctrine. Jesus suffered and died to redeem people from sin. How could anyone suppose that He would embrace the very thing He died for?

The text says:  Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?” And He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”   Jesus problem was not with the religion of the Jews. He Himself observed the laws and commandments of God. Jesus problem was with the religious leaders who attempted to impose their regulations on people. Jesus called for repentance to God, while the Pharisees sought comformity to them and their regulations. In Matthew 23:15 Jesus says:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”   The church needs to ask itself are we making disciples of Christ or sons of hell? Are we honoring the Sabbath without truly knowing the Lord of the Sabbath.

The text says:  On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.  The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him.  But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward.  And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?”  After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored.  But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.   In Luke 13:14 It says:  The synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”   Is it possible that some today would be upset if Jesus came on a Sunday morning and interrupted the order of the service? Would they say that we will have an altar call at the end or a healing service tonight?  Come then and get healed. Jesus said He is Lord of the Sabbath. In truth it is enough to say that He is Lord. If He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all. The only sure way we have to know we are doing what is right regardless of the time and place, is to take His advice in Matthew 11:29-30:   “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.”   With Jesus as Lord, yoked to Him, we find rest even as we walk and work. He is not only Lord of the Sabbath, but for us He is our Sabbath; our rest is in Him.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit that You come and seek us as we are; even as sinners and outcasts from the world. But, You do not leave us as we are. You call us to repent so that we can continue to walk and work with You. May I never put religion before relationship. You are Lord of all. I rest in You.   Amen.