By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Monday, October 13, 2008

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SCRIPTURE:
^“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.

On Friday, 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 and their health.

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:

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! There will be times you may have to work on the Sabbath but as much as possible if it can be helped, take a 7th day off to spend with the Lord in rest.

Jesus wants to be your rest. Friend, Jesus died on the cross to save you so that you can come to Him and experience His promises and fulfillments in your own life too.

We need to come to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior before we can even fully enjoy the Sabbath as the Lord meant it to be. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and has given us His Word to tune into His voice. We can wait on the Lord and find our rest in Him.

These days are tumultuous times  and it can be tempting to work on the Sabbath especially with the way the economy is but our Lord Jesus wants us to rest in Him and draw our nourishment from Him. We can only find true rest when we give our lives to the Lord Jesus realizing what He has done for us on the cross of Calvary shedding His precious blood, being buried, and coming back to life to save us.

We in our sins cannot save ourselves and will live a restless life. That is the bad news. The Good News is that Jesus Christ intervened for our sake to give us the rest we need here and in eternity to come as we turn to Him.

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!

"Sabbath Always Brings Better Answer To Health" (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!!

ANALOGY OF INVITING PEOPLE TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN:

We are like an ambulance taking sick people to the hospital. People are dying and there is an emergency because of an epidemic virus. The ambulance takes the initiative to go to the place people are dying and bring them to the hospital. They are not dead yet but there is no time to wait. The ambulance needs to get to the hospital for that virus to be treated. The virus has infected the mind, body, and soul spreading rapidly. You and I cannot do anything to heal our friends of this virus except be the AMBULANCE taking them to the HOSPITAL where the GREAT PHYSICIAN waits.

Once at the hospital, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN that waits. The sick are gathered from all corners of the earth and come to this hospital.  This hospital is called CALVARY OF SALVATION and the EMERGENCY WARD is called GOLGOTHA.

The GREAT PHYSICIAN is not like other doctors who can only treat patients with  physical ailments but this GREAT PHYSICIAN is much more and knows He has to stay 72 HOURS for every dying person there to be healed.

He knows what He has to do! This GREAT PHYSICIAN knew that only His BLOOD can wipe away this epidemic VIRUS, so for you and me He went to the blood transfusion room where people were about to die. There He lay down on the bed  made of wood.

The surgeons walk into the room. They turn this GREAT PHYSICIAN on His back.  Instead of using an IV, a WHIP with sharp glass, etc is used to draw out the BLOOD from the GREAT PHYSICIAN'S back! It does not stop there but to elevate the head on the bed of wood, a CROWN OF THORNS is used which draws more BLOOD.

As the head is elevated, the GREAT PHYSICIAN's hands are stretched wide on the wooden bed. Then the feet are bound together. This is done for the BLOOD transfusion to begin. Instead of using an IV, NAILS and a HAMMER is used. The NAILS are pounded through the hands into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so the BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. The NAILS are pounded through the feet into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so more BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. As the BLOOD continues to flow from the GREAT PHYSICIAN's body, the GREAT PHYSICIAN flat lines. Then the surgeons insert a SPEAR into the heart to make sure all the BLOOD is out. All the BLOOD is out!

Now, the GREAT PHYSICIAN is moved into the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE being guarded by security.

Now the CALVARY OF SALVATION hospital has a BLOOD DONOR whose BLOOD can be used to save everyone there from this EPIDEMIC VIRUS. 

Those dying need to be taken there to receive the BLOOD transfusion that is available. However, the BLOOD will not be forced upon those dying! THE PUREST RED ANTIDOTE is only given to those that are willing to receive the BLOOD TRANSFUSION so they could LIVE.

All that accept the BLOOD are being CLEANSED of this EPIDEMIC VIRUS in their system that is infecting the mind, body, and soul.  This BLOOD goes into the dying person's mind, body, and soul and eats away at the virus cleaning them and making them pure. This VIRUS is known as SIN. The BLOOD is the PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

The WOODEN BED is the CROSS OF CHRIST where the dying need to be led too.

72 HOURS LATER, there is a commotion at the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN is not there anymore and the ANGELS that visit tell loved ones who came there, that THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS ALIVE and will save all that come to Him.

It is true even to this day, for all that come to the HOSPITAL OF CALVARY come to realize that His CLEANSING BLOOD shed on the WOODEN BED (CROSS) will never run out. Anyone infected who wants to be healed of their sickness can accept what Jesus did for them and be covered in His precious CLEANSING BLOOD.

I have done that friend and know that at the foot of the cross where Jesus died shedding His precious cleansing blood for my sin and the sins of the world, I can find forgiveness and grace.

Thanks be to God that Christ's death on the cross was temporary to remove all His precious cleansing blood for our sake but after He was buried, Jesus came back to life to save.

To this day, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved when they acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done for them and what He can do for them.

Friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only one living on earth, Jesus would have done the same for you. What I shared with you was an analogy but in real life it has happened. Jesus went to the cross for you and me and His precious cleansing blood was shed so you and I could have life. Jesus came back to life 72 hours later and is alive but His blood continues to heal people on every corner of the earth to those that accept Him.

You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.

Dear Jesus, thank you for healing the paralytic after forgiving his sins. You set him free to go home. I want to be free. I don’t know everything about you. I still have a lot of questions. What I do know is that you died on the cross for my sins. When it comes to sin, I am a paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with this deadly disease known as sin. I am not perfect but a sinner who needs your cleansing blood to clean me of my sin. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you died on the cross. I want to accept that forgiveness. Thank you for shedding your cleansing precious blood for me. You were nailed to the cross because of me. It is like I actually held the hammer and pounded the nails so I could be free. Thank you for willingly dying for me Jesus. Thank you for taking the shame and pain for me. Thank you for doing that to set me free. I come to the cross and ask you for your healing in my life. Thank you for the power of your Blood to redeem humanity. Thank you for coming back to life to save us and give us Eternal Life as we yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we are. I love you Jesus. I want you Jesus. Even with my questions, I come to you now and accept you into my heart. Please Jesus come into my heart and make my heart your home. Give me a transfusion of change. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have done for me when God looks at me, He now sees me covered in your blood and His judgment passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thank you for being with me Lord. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus I now belong to you and never need to be alone! You will always be with me and have given me Salvation.  In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)