What is the Sabbath? How can it
be kept holy? How is it related with Sunday in our day? Jesus Christ is the
Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). People of Israel since Moses have been bound
to the Sabbath law all time and space with many other laws and statues. The
Sabbath law prohibits and limits most of human activities except the critically
essential ones. For example, it’s limited to walk up to the certain distance
and to lift up something up to the certain weight. These hundreds and thousands
of restrictions and regulations have been added in order to fulfill the laws of
the Sabbath. Our Lord Jesus was accused as an offender of the Sabbath law because
he healed the sick on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused of the disciples when
they picked some heads of grain, considering the act of picking the grains as
an offense against the law (Mark 2:23-28). Jesus defended his disciples who
were probably hungry and ate some grains and said the accusers that God didn’t
punish David and his companions even when they ate the most consecrated bread
displayed in the holy place. God is the God of mercy and compassion. God made
the Sabbath for man, not the other way around. God is the author of the Law,
undoubtedly telling that the author knows and understands the intension and
purpose of giving the Law for his people. In fact, the written law through
Moses came later, but the law written in heart did first. It goes back to the
creation, the seventh day of God’s creation of the material universe. “By the
seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day
he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
(Genesis 2:2-3) God rested on the seventh day because he had finished the work,
no further work needed to be done. It doesn’t tell that God is idle and slumber
doing nothing since the creation done. Rather, the work which is needed for the
salvation and restoration of humanity and universe has been finished. What he
has done has been done and no one can change.
“Another time Jesus went into
the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were
looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he
would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand,
‘Stand up in front of everyone.’ Then Jesus asked them, ‘Which is lawful on the
Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained
silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their
stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out,
and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to
plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.” (Mark 3:1-6)
Despite of carefully being
watched by the religious leaders, our Lord Jesus ought to continue healing the
sick. Why doesn’t Jesus choose other days to heal the sick, avoiding the
confrontation showdown with the religious power and authority? It’s because
Jesus is the Lord of all. Nothing was made that has been made without Jesus
Christ the Lord. Humanity is what it is and why it is and how it is not because
of the civilizations but because of the Lord Jesus. Without him, mankind is not
what it is and why it is. Because of him, man is. Healing the sick is like an
acting parable which reveals the secret of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus demonstrates
what ought to be done all time and space, telling the truth and doing according
to what he says. In fact, our Lord Jesus has been obeying the Father in heaven
in doing all things even before the creation of the world. He obeyed the Father
even to the point of death. Nothing could change his mind if it is to do the
will of the Father, even the death on a cross. It was going on and on not only
in his earthly time and space, but all throughout time in history. Our Lord
Jesus is still healing and restoring the sick through his disciples whom he has
sent out in the midst. There are thousands and tens of thousands of people who
are touched and healed and restored when the Father God in heaven reaches out
through the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
What does this healing of the
man with a shriveled hand tell? First of all, it tells humanity is in need like
this man who is in need of healing of his shriveled hand. He is physically
disabled and in many ways disadvantaged and handicapped in managing and
handling the routine of his lives. Many times, he might have to get help from
others. Not only physically disabled he is, but also psychologically shriveled
he must be. He cannot try something as others can. Often, just as in this
incident, he cannot but becoming a victim of disgrace and humiliation. The
Pharisees take an advantage of this poor man in order to accuse Jesus.
Probably, he is just wanting to remain in the shade and listen to the voice of
Jesus who is so kind and merciful to the poor and needy and possibly the source
of his strength. He might have been hoping for the healing of his own shriveled
hand. Physical disability has the spiritual counterpart. As his hand is
shriveled, so is his heart. He is in need of straightening up the relationship
with God as all humanity is. That’s why the Lord Jesus tells him to stand up in
front of everyone. Most likely, he is in want of remaining in the shade without
being exposed as much as he can. Humanity is lost and fallen and yet doesn’t
want to expose the wound and guilt ever. That’s the nature of sin. If possible,
we don’t want to admit our guilt and shame. Rather, we want to hide them to the
tomb. Indeed, all humanity is like this man with a shriveled hand, so is in
need of straightening up with God. As our Lord Jesus says in the Sermon on the
Mount, there is only kind of mankind, that is the poor in spirit. “Blessed are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) To God’s
eyes, all is poor and in need of healing and restoration.
Most importantly, this story
tells God is compassionate and merciful and appealing humanity to put trust in
him. God wants to save all people, all kinds of people (1 Timothy 2:4). He
doesn’t want anyone to perish and receive the judgment. He wants to save, not
to kill. He loves, gives, and loves and gives more and to the full. “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) He waits, endures,
embraces the lost ones to come in and take a feast of love he is offering. He
welcomes the prodigal son wholeheartedly and throws a lavish welcome home
party, butchering a fattened calf and wearing the robe and sandal and ring as
his beloved son who has returned home. God takes risks by allowing the son to
go far away from home, hoping that he may remember the abundance and love and
kindness of the Father. Though the son squandered and wasted money and time and
life, since he has come home as he is, the Father welcomes and delights the
return of the lost son. Our God is such a kind of God that he welcomes anyone,
whoever only if they repent and return to him, the God of glory and
righteousness.
“So he got up and went to his
father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was
filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him
and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said
to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on
his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s
have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:20-24)
There is another parable which
tells how much God wants to find the lost ones and to bring them in his safe
and secure home. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost
sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his
shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and
says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the
same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:4-7)
Jesus came into the world in the form of a servant, emptying himself and not
taking the honor, glory, power, and authority of his own, in order to find a
lost one like the man with a shriveled hand and many who accept they are lost
and fallen.
It also tells Jesus is the way
to the Father. Jesus tells this man to stand up in front of everyone, being
exposed his weaknesses in public. The Lord Jesus took up our infirmities and
trespasses, putting up all shame and guilt upon himself on our behalf. Prophet
Isaiah prophesied long before the suffering of Christ. “He was despised and
rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from
whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely
he took up our pains and bore our sufferings, yet we considered him punished by
God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on
him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each
of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of
us all.” (Isaiah 53:3-6) What we cannot do has been done by our Lord Jesus
Christ who paid all the sin of the world with his own death and blood. He
himself was hung upon the tree, taking all shame, guilt, pain, curse and
judgment on our behalf. He did not come down from the tree, paying the full
ransom price for the sin of the world. Why did he do that? Because it is the
way to the Father, the only way. God honors the Son and his blood, so anyone
who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. The man with a
shriveled hand expresses his faith in the Son Jesus by listening and obeying
the word, “Stretch out your hand.” Apostle Peter says so pertinently and
effectively to those who are crying out while listening to what he is saying on
the Day of Pentecost, “What shall we do?”
“Therefore let all Israel be
assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and
Messiah. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to
Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The
promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom
the Lord our God will call.’” (Acts 2:36-39)
Our God is listening to every
hungering and thirsty cry of “What shall we do?” even now and forevermore. He
is opening his eyes and ears wide to search for anyone who is groaningly crying
out for help. As soon as he hears, he is all in, helping and curing and healing
and restoring in the blood of Christ Jesus. It may take a while in time and space,
because God knows what is good and perfect. Rest and have peace in him. That's keeping the law of the Sabbath holy. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ! God
be the glory of all!
May
4, 2018
©
2018 David Lee Ministries – All Rights Reserved.
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