Deut 5:12-15 Ps 81:1-10 2 Cor 4:5-12 Mark 2:23-3:6
Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy as the Lord your God commanded you…
I’m often mistaken for being a bit of a rebel – someone who breaks rules, wilfully and on purpose. I don’t know where this reputation came from but it’s not true. The student who won ‘geek of the year’ in my last year at high school is still very present within me and, if I know what the rules are, I am pretty diligent at keeping them. And while there are definitely times I am more keen to ask for forgiveness than permission I just can’t seem to willingly break rules. (In fact, it’s one of the many reasons I am so grateful to be part of this community, because it’s knocking some of my good girl corners off, and I like it!)
Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy as the Lord your God commanded you…
So, I wonder why this particular rule isn’t one I have been so quick to follow. And I wonder if it is because I have misunderstood it all these years. I have thought of it as doing nothing – the shops being shut, the television being off, that sort of thing. But the Jesus in this morning’s gospel reading from Mark seems to be saying something else entirely.
Then he said to them, ‘is It lawful to do good or to do harm in the sabbath, to save a life or to kill’…and he was angry at their hardness of heart.
I like this Jesus! I like him because he breaks the rules, yes, but I like him not just because of that. I like him because he chooses sense over sanctimony. He chooses kindness above what is perceived to be right. He chooses compassion and he follows that through into action, regardless of the consequences.
He and his disciples were hungry, so he fed them.
The man had a withered hand, so he healed him.
He did what was needed, when it was needed and isn’t that common sense and kindness? And he was vilified for it. The pharisees moaned about him behind his back; ‘look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath’. They watched him to catch him out, in order that they might accuse him of wrongdoing and then they ‘went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him’.
He was accused of not keeping the sabbath, except what he was doing was holy work. Feeding the hungry, healing the sick. Some things are worth breaking the rules for.
Well… was he actually breaking what was the true essence of the rule, or was he challenging the legalistic letter of it??
Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy, God commanded. Feeding the hungry, healing the sick, challenging those who say it can’t or shouldn’t be done – that is keeping things holy, for sure.
Jesus knew what he was doing. He wasn’t stupid – he was a Jew who knew his scriptures, he knew what was good and right and he was committed to doing those things. And he knew his call and his purpose. And that came first, above all things.
Remember those beautiful verses in Luke 4 where he announced his mission; the spirit of the Lord is upon me and has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
Jesus knew what he was here to do. He knew what his holy purpose was. And he was determined to fulfil it wherever he saw the opportunity.
Jesus chooses not to stick to rules that take him away from his true purpose. Instead he fulfils the greater rule of being engaged in holy work of loving God and loving others as fully as possible.
And what about us?
What is our true purpose?
What will we put before all things, so that we might love God and love others as fully as possible?
Jesus’ sabbath days weren’t full of silent space. They were full of grace and compassion and kindness. Imagine if even just for one day each week our time was spent fully engaged in grace and compassion and kindness. Fully engaged in loving God and loving others. What change could we bring about – especially if we did it together!
Rules that keep us away from doing that are not rules to keep – anything that takes us away from our primary purpose – the work God has for us to do – are rules to be looked at, weighed up and discarded.
But discarding rules and living this life of grace, compassion and kindness comes at a cost. For Jesus it was another nail in his hands and feet, literally – the pharisees went and conspired how to destroy him. For some people, radical kindness, outrageous love will always feel like a threat and will be judged harshly, maybe even to the point of death. But it is the way of Christ – it is our primary purpose.
Jesus broke the rules to feed the hungry and heal the sick. I want to be known for that too. I want that to be my legacy. I recognise that might be costly and some might not like it, but doing good, being kind, showing compassion, extending grace, all this is so much more important. These are the ways we observe the sabbath and keep it holy – by engaging always in holy work and making each day a day of worship to God and service to others.
What is your true purpose?
What will you discard the rules for, so that your purpose can be fulfilled?
And if the cost of that is death, will you do it anyway? Amen.
Holy Adventures 