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The word Sabbath means "rest." In the time before Jesus the Sabbath day was the last day of the week-Saturday by our name. It had been unlawful for the Hebrew people of the Old Testament, and the Jews of the New Testament, before Jesus, to do any work on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was so that the people could rest. They were to rest from physical work so that they could attend to being in the Presence of the God Who had delivered them from bondage. Resting was far more than mere inactivity. Resting was taking time off from self so that God could have that time-"fear, love, and trust in God above all things." This was First Commandment stuff. Honoring the Sabbath, as Sabbath, that is, treating Saturday as a day when no work of any kind can be done, no longer applies to the New Israel-the Christians of the New Testament-you. Jesus is Rest. The Lord is rest incarnate. "Come to Me all ye who are wearied and heavy ladened and I will give you rest" He gives Himself. Jesus worked so that you would not have to. Jesus worked in keeping the Law because you would never be able to do so perfectly. Jesus worked in being scourged and being asphyxiated because He did not want you to suffer, bear the pain of your sins, face the heat of hell, and die on the cross. Jesus bore the heat of wrath so that you can now rest in the shade of His outstretched and pierced arms. Jesus rested when His dead, innocent, Body lay in the borrowed tomb on Holy Saturday so that you would be free from death and decay on your Saturdays, your every days, your eternity days-to-come. To believe in God is to believe that Jesus is God. That is why Jews who reject the Lord and Savior Jesus of Nazareth are among the heathen of the world-they worship a god is who is no God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Holy Writ, is found in the face, the words, the very Body and Blood of Jesus and in no one else.

Since Jesus is God, and since Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, eternal Rest personified, if He says He has fulfilled the technical details of "Saturday resting" then one in faith takes Him at His word. Jesus is good. Jesus does only good things. Jesus is Redeemer which means the One Who buys back, Who sets free. Jesus is the rescuer Who finds and saves His lambs not only on Sunday through Friday, but on Saturday as well. Jesus does all the Work so that you have freedom in His Work to Worship and be in God's presence on any day you chose, on all days you have. The Lord has made it clear that the truest form of worship is never in what you do, in what you think you're giving Him, but rather in being in His presence so that He might give to you, feed you, and nourish you.

There was no sin in the Pharisees knowing the 3rd Commandment by heart and taking it seriously. There was sin in failing to see the Nazarene as the Christ, in failing to believe His teaching, in failing to accept His fulfillment of the Torah. There is no sin in you being aware of the Law of God. There is sin in thinking you can keep it by fixating on rules, promises, resolutions, programs, methods, and things ablaze. There is sin in looking to yourself for answers and results rather than to Christ. There is sin in thinking the Son of Man is merely a coach, equipper, encourager and co-pilot. Jesus is not Moses Jr. but God and Anointed One.

Those who come to church looking for tips and practical and relevant plans in living their own lives are lost Pharisees who really want no part of the "doing, working and real" Jesus because they're too busy working their own way to hell.

Those who come to Church out of obedience don't really understand the stench of their daily and hourly sins; don't comprehend how toxic and tired they truly are. When one is the sinner Whom Jesus came to find and fetch; when one is the weak, wounded, impotent and blind beggar that Messiah came to feed and water; when one is the pathetically tired, exhausted and weary soul who can't take another step alone in the desert of this world, the one that Christ came to place upon His neck and carry home, than that one is given to believe and trust that Jesus is more than a story-teller, pal and missionizing minister of outreach. Jesus is your Sabbath. Jesus is your rest. You have your purpose fulfilled and your self "actualized" when you are in Him. You do what He wants you to do when you hear His proclamation of forgiveness. You satisfy the Father's Law when you receive Jesus' Work. You are about your Father's business when you drink the Son's Blood and eat His Body.

So, cut your grass on Saturday or Sunday afternoon if you wish. Work hard Saturday or Sunday evening cleaning the basement or canning vegetables. Do whatever you have to in your calling and vocation to be the father, mother, child, student, friend, employee or caregiver that you are. Enjoy some of your free time in hobbies, pursuits and entertaining diversions that you're lucky and privileged to have as 21st century Americans, giving thanks to the Lord for all of His over-arching good gifts to you.

How good it is for you to be here now at this oasis, this mobile hospital unit, this redoubt of respite, renewal and refreshment-REST. Come to the heavenly banquet table now and be at rest by being IN Rest; and having Rest in you.

In the Name of The Father and of The + Son and of The Holy Ghost