March 6, 2021

Dear Road Church Friends,

One of Jesus’ most beloved sayings is, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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.”  This set Jesus apart from his opponents, the teachers of the law. He described them as those “who tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.”  What a difference there was between Jesus and his foes. Sabbath observance was a case in point. The Pharisees saw Sabbath as a day of prohibitions. Jesus saw Sabbath as a day of permissions to do acts of kindness. The Pharisees turned a blessed day of rest, into a heavy burden. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath. When he said, come to me and I will give you rest, he meant that he is our Sabbath. All we do in Jesus’ name every day is our true rest.

The title of the Sunday message is, “Time Out!” It’s about the true meaning of Sabbath according to Jesus. The scripture reading is Mark 2:23-27.

One sabbath he was going through the grain fields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.”

TRUE REST

Rest is not quitting the busy career,

Rest is the fitting

Of self to one’s sphere.

‘Tis loving and serving,

The highest and best,

‘Tis onward unswerving,

And this is true rest.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Blessings to all,

Pastor Norm

Road Church Sunday message on YouTube for March 7, 2021: https://youtu.be/LUes1SfvH98