Jesus Christ, The Lord of the Sabbath: WHO, WHY & WHAT (Remastered, Luke 6:1-11)

 

Jesus said to the legalistic Pharisees about Himself during an argument about the Sabbath law: "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath" (Luke 6:5). Why did He say it? Who does Jesus claim Himself to be here? What was the response of the Pharisees? Watch this video as I explore Luke 6:1-11 in detail  #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheLordOfTheSabbath #GospelofLuke

[Ps: This message is actually an expanded and remastered version of a message that I shared in one of my Christian Fellowship (CF) campuses on the topic of The Lord of the Sabbath based on the Gospel of Luke]

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7 Things You Can Do During Quarantine

I always say that you either come out better or worst or the same when the quarantine or lockdown is over. Here are seven (7) things that I do myself - and probably helpful to you too ⚡ #ServeToLead #ThingsToDoDuringLockdown #QualityQuarantine #QuarantineToTheMax #1Book1Week #InvestInSelf #GrowingLeader

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Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection #4: "Blood and Water” Flowed Out of Jesus’ Side

The Passion movie. Jesus was flogged with Roman flagrum

One of the most prevalent skepticism about the Crucifixion and the Resurrection was that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross but fainted or swooned and was revived in the coolness of the tomb (as most Muslim apologetic speakers try to explained. And they also speculate that Jesus was taken into heaven just before he was about to be crucified and Allah replaced another man who “looked like Jesus” to die on his behalf). In other words, Jesus wasn’t resurrected because he didn’t really die. Modern medical science has now refuted the claim, that Jesus could have survived the cross and preceding beatings resulting in massive blood loss.

What is so significant about this account? Alexander Metherell, MD, PhD, University of California at Irvine, is a medical doctor proficient in medical diagnoses. He asserts that the flogging Jesus received with a Roman flagrum was a significant factor in his death. The Roman flagrum, an instrument of torture, was a whip that had pieces of metal or bone attached to the ends of the lashes. In some cases, a flogging with a flagrum alone was enough to cause death. The metal-studded whip dug into the skin and muscles of the victim and pulled out pieces of flesh until they were shredded and quivering. The flogging induced heavy blood loss. As was seen depicted in the Crucifixion story, Jesus was already suffering heavily as he walked to Golgotha. On the way to Calvary, he was unable to carry his cross, so the Roman guards forced a bystander to carry it for him. At this time, says, Dr. Metherell, Jesus was already in serious to critical condition medically.

One symptom of the massive loss of blood from flogging was that the victim became very thirsty, a condition of hypovolemic shock. John 19:28 tells of how Jesus cried out from the cross that he was thirsty, and the soldiers lifted up a sponge soaked in wine vinegar to his lips.

Victims of Crucifixion normally died of asphyxiation. As they were hanging, arms extended, wrists nailed, from the crossbeam, they had to strenuously push themselves up by their feel nailed to a crossbeam in order to exhale. In time, they became too fatigued to push themselves up and could no longer breathe.

Since the Sabbath began at sundown and the Jewish leaders didn’t want to leave the bodies on the cross during the Sabbath, the soldiers broke the legs of the Crucified thieves on either side of Jesus to cause them to asphyxiate quickly. But when they came to Jesus, he was already dead. The only disciple brave enough to watch the execution of Jesus was the apostle John. He gives an eyewitness account of what happened to Jesus on the cross: “One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out. This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe” (John 19:34-35, NLT).

This outflow of blood and water was most likely because Jesus died of congestive heart failure secondary to asphyxia, according to Dr, Metherell: “When the spear penetrated Jesus’ side, it probably went through the lung and into the heart. When the spear was pulled out, blood flowed out and then the clear fluid that had gathered around the heart, which would have looked like water. What John wrote in the Bible is consistent with medical fact.”

Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection #4:
“Blood and Water” flowed out of Jesus’ side.

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Reference: Gary R. Habermas, The Case for Christ’s Resurrection, DVD, David W. Balsiger, senior producer, Grizzly Adams Productions, Inc., 2007.

The 10 Commandments and You

The 10 Commandments and You

Commandment		Bible Example	Modern Example
RESPECT FOR GOD You shall love the LORD your God	1. You shall have no other Gods before me.	The Exodus Exodus 34:11-14	Put God first! Today a “god” may be anything a person allows to rule his daily life: deities of other religions, superstitions, horoscopes, bad habits or addictions, friends, heroes, desire for money, fame or power.
	2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.	Golden Calf Exodus 32:1-8	Put your faith in God only. Worshipping or serving any man-made thing that is thought to have supernatural power: statues of gods of other religions, crystals, pictures, jewellery, amulets, charms, rabbit’s foot, or objects thought to have power or “good luck.”
	3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.	Don’t use God’s name in a false oath. Leviticus 19:12	Treat God’s name with respect. Don’t use God’s name lightly in making promises or in any other way. This is the name that raised people from the dead, caused blind to see, and made the paralyzed to walk. It is a powerful name and needs to be used with the right attitude.
	4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.	God provides enough on the sixth day for the seventh. Exodus 16:23-30	In Jesus’ time, very religious people obeyed this commandment by refusing to do any kind of work – even to the point of not helping people in need. Jesus said that Sabbath was made for man’s benefit. People should rest from their normal work, but also be available to do well to others. Today Christians set aside the day to worship God and meet with other Christians.
RESPECT FOR PEOPLE Love your neighbour as yourself	5. Honour your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.	Jesus was obedient to Mary and Joseph. Luke 2:51	Treat your parents with respect no matter what. You parents have made many sacrifices to raise you. They have changed diapers, lost sleep, bought food, toys and clothes, paid doctor bills and changed their schedules to help you. Even if you don’t get along with your parents, they deserve your gratitude. If your parents ask you to do something wrong, respectfully tell them no and suggest a good alternative that they might consider.
	6. You shall not murder.	Each person is made in God’s image. Genesis 9:6	Personal revenge belongs to God. God will make things right in the end. God has set up governments and rules to deal with murders. Life and death are in God’s hands. Examples: no revenge killing, murder, suicide, abortion or euthanasia (mercy killing). Jesus said we should love our enemies and pray for them.
	7. You shall not commit adultery.	Joseph runs from temptation. Genesis 39:1-13	Stay true to your husband or wife. Marriage vows made before God should be kept in spite of difficulties. Sex only within marriage relationship. No rape or incest. Avoid sexual temptation: provocative videos, movies, television, magazines, computer games or programs, pictures and books. Jesus said that even thinking about another person lustfully is wrong.
	8. You shall not steal.	Achan steals. Joshua 6:17-19 Joshua 7:1-5	Respect other’s possessions. Don’t take things that don’t belong to you. Examples: shoplifting (taking candy, toys, or anything from a store), taking money or valuables from others, cheating on tests and taxes, photocopying music or any printed material without permission.
	9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.	Honesty toward neighbours. Leviticus 19:13	Be trustworthy. Don’t falsely accuse or blame someone else. Don’t lie about them or to them. Don’t gossip. Don’t lie to God and to yourself by believing you are perfect. Keep your promises.
	10. You shall not covet… anything that belongs to your neighbour.	Life is more than possessions. Ecclesiastes 5:9-18; 6;12	Be content with what you have. Don’t long for things that belong to others. Examples: their house, car, job, bike, toys, jewellery, clothing, or friends. Ask God to give you what you need. He promises that He will take care of your needs! Seek wisdom and good character, not riches.

Taken from: Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines (Torrance, California: Rose Publishing, Inc., 2005) pg. 57
Reproduce online for free by: Richard Angelus, blogger, Wordspeakstoday.blogspot.com

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Jesus mends Broken Lives (A Real Warrior)

A man with a deformed hand was surrounded by the Pharisees

“Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?’ (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, ‘If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then he said to the man, ‘Hold out your hand.’ So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!” (Matthew 12:9-13, NLT).

We don’t know if the man in the synagogue was born with deformed hand or had acquired it by an accident or disease. Whatever the cause, the hand was useless, and the man’s condition would have greatly affected his ability to live a normal life. Although the man didn’t ask Jesus for anything, he needed healing.

After Jesus announced that doing good on the Sabbath was lawful, he did exactly that. Jesus told the man to hold out his hand. In response and with everyone watching, the man stretched his hand in front of him. In faith, the man, submitting his will to Jesus, obeyed. The moment he did so, the hand “was restored, just like the other one!”

Think about this: Jesus sees, and he acts. Bringing the man to the front of the assembly, Jesus healed his hand. As with the leper (Matthew 8:3) and the paralyzed man (Matthew 9:6-7), Jesus gave this man his life back. The man would be able to work again and no longer have to face the embarrassment of his deformity. Yes, Jesus mends broken lives – physically, emotionally and spiritually. And he stores us. Jesus told the man to stretch out his arm. In faith, the man, submitting his will to Jesus, obeyed.

Friends, Jesus still heals. He still sees us as individuals and asks us to trust him, to give him our deformities, our sorrows. Jesus forgives our sins and restores our relationship with him. And he can heal our hands, legs, minds, and hearts. Jesus didn’t heal every lame person in Palestine, but he healed this man. Whether or not he makes whole our deformed hands right now, eventually he will – we will be made new. Amen.

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Jesus sees You as Very Important (Because He Cares)

“Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, ‘Come and stand in front of everyone.’ Then he turned to his critics and asked, ‘Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’ But they wouldn’t answer him” (Mark 3:1-4, NLT).

Mark points out that Jesus “noticed” the man with the deformity. The synagogue must have been filled, especially since this was the Sabbath and Jesus had been drawing crowds because of his healing and teaching. Add to that number the disciples and the Pharisees. Yet Jesus saw this man. Jesus “noticed” him. Perhaps the man was near Jesus and his entourage, or maybe he walked up to Jesus. Or he may have approached Jesus after Jesus looked at him. Whatever the case, Jesus “noticed” him.

The Pharisees did, too, but they did not see a man in need; they saw only an opportunity for possibly accusing Jesus of wrongdoing as a Sabbath-breaker. (Beware of seeing people to find faults instead of looking for ways to serve others).  They were more concerned about protecting their laws than freeing a person from suffering. (Sorry, another comment. This is probably why I fear that if Malaysia implementing Shariah Law in all states, the people will be living in fear as other Islamic-government-Arab-countries experiencing now, both the innocent-Muslims and non-Muslim citizens. Shariah Law is cruel and inhumane. Laws supposed to liberate and bring peace not to imprisoned people with fear and suffering). Jesus, however, knew the value of this man. “You are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31) and “How much better and more value is a man than a sheep!” (Matthew 12:12). Jesus “noticed” this man not as an object or as a discussion topic but one of God’s special creations – and Jesus acted accordingly.

Think about this: Nothing escapes Jesus’ notice. Regardless of the circumstances or surroundings, he sees us. Whether our needs are obvious, as in the case of the man and his deformed hand, or hidden, Jesus knows about them. And he sees us with compassion. Jesus sees you. He “noticed” you. How cool is that! Imagine him looking at you, smiling, and gesturing for you to come to him. How do you feel? What happens next? Remember, you are important to Jesus.

“Bring all your burdens and cares to God because he cares for you”

(1 Peter 5:7)

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Jesus showed the Critics what God's Law is for

“On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, ‘Come and stand in front of everyone.’ So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, ‘I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’”
(Luke 6:6-9, NLT).

The religious leaders were continuing to scrutinize Jesus ministry (just read the previous chapters). Here they were in the synagogue, not to worship, but to watch Jesus closely. And they wondered how he would deal with the man with the “deformed right hand.” Their interpretation of keeping the Sabbath prohibited healing except in life-threatening situations; thus, if Jesus were to heal the man, instead of rejoicing in the relief of human suffering, they could accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath.

Jesus could have avoided conflict by healing the man on another day. If he had waited, however, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees and showing that their made-up rules were equal to God’s law. But the commandment about the Sabbath was never meant to oppress people.

Jesus met needs, regardless of the day or time. Healing the man revealed Jesus’ authority over the Sabbath and showed that in the new Kingdom (God’s kingdom), every day is holy; salvation and healing can come to anyone on any day. The Sabbath, while given to God’s people as a day of rest and worship, was also a day for people to be merciful and kind to those in need. And that is exactly what Jesus intended to show the Pharisees when he asked the man to step forward.

Think about this: Jesus clearly framed the issue with his questions to the Pharisees: “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” Honouring God’s laws should be positive and life-giving, not negative and oppressive. Yet many Christians seem to be joyless rule-keepers, afraid of God’s judgment and punishment. When we focus on the commandments instead of the Commandment-Giver and on the letter of the law instead of its spirit, we lose sight of the law’s ultimate purpose – to glorify God. The emphasis should be off us and on Him.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference: Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2011)

Jesus, Lord over the Sabbath (People's Needs are More Important than Technicalities)

“One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. But some Pharisees said, ‘Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on Sabbath?’ Jesus replied, ‘Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.’ And Jesus added, ‘The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.’”
(Luke 6:1-5, NLT)

In answering these critics, Jesus pointed them to the Scriptures they professed to know so well. By comparing himself and his disciples to David and his men, Jesus was saying, in effect, ‘If you condemn me, you must also condemn David.’ Jesus was not discarding the law and advocating disobedience. Instead, he pointed to a higher law and emphasized discernment and compassion, something the self-righteous Pharisees did not comprehend. People’s needs are more important than technicalities.   

In calling himself Lord over the Sabbath, Jesus claimed the authority to overrule the Pharisees’ traditions and regulations because he had created the Sabbath. Jesus, therefore, could interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and all the laws pertaining to it. Through their confusing system of Sabbath laws, the religious leaders had made themselves lords of the Sabbath and thus lords over the people. In claiming to be Lord over the Sabbath, Jesus was stating his divinity and confronting the position of the religious leaders.

Jesus believed in the Sabbath and lived it. But he knew Sabbath observance must point to the Sabbath Maker and not focus on technical, hairsplitting definitions of ‘work’ and ‘rest.’ By remaking the Sabbath into a day of refreshment, worship, and healing, he was prying open the tightfisted control the Pharisees held on the people.

Think about this: Some people may think that because believers are no longer “under law,” we can live any way we please (referring Jesus’ comments in this passage as proof). But this story doesn’t make that point. God’s moral laws – the Ten Commandments (including the one about the Sabbath) – still apply. Jesus was highlighting the fact that even well-intentioned, religious people can add rules and restrictions to God’s laws and totally miss their meaning. Those added-on, human-made regulations are not inspired and inviolable. God wants us to study and apply His Word, but we must not project our personal applications onto others. Remember, Jesus must be Lord over everything in our lives, including the Sabbath.

What needs to change in your routine or lifestyle to honor God on the Sabbath?

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Jesus encountered with Critics (Grace-Giver and Law-Keepers Collide)

“At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, ‘Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath’” (Matthew 12:1-2, NLT).

Jesus and his disciples were “walking through some grainfields.” Because the disciples were hungry, they began to pluck heads of grain and eat them. They weren’t stealing, God had told farmers not to harvest the edges of their fields, so travellers and the poor could partake (see Leviticus 23:22). On any other day, no one would have questioned Jesus about what the disciples were doing. Because this was the Sabbath, however, the Pharisees accused them of breaking God’s law about not working on the day they were supposed to keep holy (see Exodus 20:8-11).

The Pharisees had separated themselves from anything non-Jewish and carefully followed both the Old Testament (Jewish Scriptures) laws and the oral traditions handed down through the centuries. They were exacting, detailing and scrupulous in their attempts to follow God’s law as well as hundreds of those traditional laws (sayings of the rabbis, which are not directly inspired by God as the Scriptures). And the worst thing was – they expected the Jews to do the same.

According to Exodus 34:21, harvesting grain was forbidden on the Sabbath, and picking the grain and rubbing it could have been interpreted as “harvesting”. But, as was often the case, the Pharisees were missing the spirit of the law and focusing on the letter. The disciples were picking the grain because they were hungry, not to harvest the grain for profit (I’m sure God would allow His hungry people to eat). The disciples were not breaking God’s law as recorded by Moses, just violating one of the Pharisees’ many rules. Obviously, the Pharisees must have been following Jesus to find an offense worthy of accusation. They expected to put Jesus on the defensive. Instead, he refuted their specific accusation and their interpretation of the Sabbath.

Think about this: The Pharisees saw themselves as guardians of God’s law, so they were quick to judge and condemn anyone who might break even a minor interpretation and tradition. Emphasizing laws and rules is called “legalism,” and it’s easy to slip into, especially if we’re trying to justify our own behaviour. In the process, we can miss what’s really important. The Pharisees tried to create a religious crisis over a few heads of grain. Soon, in the next chapter of the gospel story, we’ll see them argue about whether or not to heal someone on the Sabbath. Don’t be like the Pharisees. Be graceful like Jesus.

Nobody’s perfect, so we can always find something to criticize if we look hard enough. Jesus was perfect, yet the Pharisees thought they had caught him breaking one of the Ten Commandments. Jesus said that he didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17). Instead of condemning us for our lawbreaking, Jesus treats us with mercy and grace, giving us what we could never earn by our own efforts. Based on our merits, we wouldn’t have a chance for redemption and eternal life. The Pharisees focused on the law and missed the Saviour. Don’t be like the Pharisees. Be merciful and gracious like Jesus.  Focus on Jesus and don’t miss what is really important.

Examine your own spirit of criticism or judgment of others.

Ask God to fill you with His love, mercy and grace for others.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

They Made Plans to Kill Jesus (A Reflection on Mark 3:1-6)

“Then Jesus went back to the synagogue, where there was a man who had a paralyzed hand.

Some people were there who wanted to accuse Jesus of doing wrong;

so they watched him closely to see whether he would cure the man on the Sabbath”

(Mark 3:1-2, GNB)

From the Law that says “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) the religious authority had written many details of what is or is not permitted on the Sabbath. Thirty-nine classes of forbidden work had been identified. But that is just only the beginning, for there are endless subdivisions and qualifications. For example, (as in my notebook) a broken limb may not be set, you may not cut your finger-nails or search your clothes for fleas, writing more than one letter is forbidden, a bucket may be tied to a belt but not to a rope, looking at the mirror is forbidden because you may see and try to pull a grey hair out and thus, break the Law! All of these and more are considered as working on the Sabbath!

So you see Jesus was not against the Old Testament command to keep one day holy, He was against the religious authority for making the Law so complex and burdensome for people to obey. Jesus was not against the Sabbath observation but the how they observe it. They have turned God’s blessing to cursing. Jesus sets priority when He asked: “’What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone’s life or to destroy it?’ But they did not say a thing.” (Mark 3:4) Jesus asked these questions because there was a religious rule that only allows medical care on the Sabbath if, and only if, there is actual danger to life. He was “angry” because of their insensitivity “but at the same time he felt sorry for them, because they were so stubborn and wrong” (Mark 3:5).

Jesus, like always, went beyond that. He wanted to demonstrate that to heal is more important than observing the rules. To refuse to do good (‘to help’ and ‘to save someone’s life’) on the Sabbath was surely to choose to do evil (‘to harm’ and ‘to destroy someone’s life’). So, “Jesus said to the man, ‘Come up here to the front’… Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and it became well again” (Mark 3:3, 5).  Sadly, the people don’t praise the Lord for the healing that Jesus had performed. Rather, they were offended. The Pharisees especially were being humiliated in public. Jesus was adding insult to the injury and so “they made plans to kill Jesus” (Mark 3:6).

There are two significant lessons (and reminders) that I’ve learned from Mark 3:1-6; 1) People are the subject of God’s concern, so people come before rules. It was for people that the Law of God had been given, and it must be with regard to people that it is interpreted; and 2) throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was to be hated, hounded, and eventually tortured to death, and we as His followers need not hope for any better treatment. Remember: “They made plans to kill Jesus.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Puts People First, Religious-Rules Second or Third or Fourth or… (A Reflection on Mark 2:23-28)

“Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath.

As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of wheat.

So the Pharisees said to Jesus,

‘Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do that on the Sabbath!’” (Mark 2:23-24, GNB).

Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees now reached to climax. After the issue of fasting, the Pharisees now moved to the issue of Sabbath observance. Sabbath was the most sacred and highly esteemed rule in the Jewish society at that time. Why?

It’s a long history. But let me summaries it this way: Over the centuries, the Jews had established (or rather, complicated) many rules and regulations governing what a Jew could and couldn't do on the seventh day of the week. What God commands as a day of rest to observe God’s provision for mankind in creation, the legalistic leaders of that day had produced ‘religious rulebooks’ that missed the entire purpose of the Sabbath commands. It supposed to be a day for worship and rest, but they are making it a day of “No’s-and-Don’ts.” When Jesus’ disciples “pick the heat of wheat,” they charged them as breaking the Law because to do that is considered reaping, which mean, working on the day of Sabbath! Unbelievable!

So Jesus answered the Pharisees with the story of David and his men (1 Samuel 21) who were very hungry “went into the house of God and ate the bread offered to God” which was “only the priests may eat [the] bread” (see Mark 25-26). I think Jesus was simply saying that even though the Law forbid it, King David does it anyway because he obeyed the higher Law which is – human needs are more important or take priority over religious rules and regulations.

Jesus concluded: “The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27, GNB) Or may I paraphrase it this way: The Sabbath is a day to enjoy, not a law to keep! Or may I surprise some of you readers today by saying that: After Genesis 2:2, God Himself doesn't observed Sabbath anymore – God is working ever since (John 5:17). But nevertheless, Jesus with authority said that “[the] Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28).

Today, I observe that many Christians allowing themselves to be trapped into religious-rule-centered living rather than people-centered living. For examples, we decline an invitation to the unbelievers wedding party because we have this Christian rule, ‘You must not party with unbelievers’. We quietly condemn our friends for staying at their room play games because some Christian fellowship rulebooks that says, ‘You must not miss Christian Fellowship or Youth ministry every Friday night.’ No wonder, because of our religious-rule-centered living, the unbelievers soon get the impression that they are unimportant to us or to God until they are ‘obeying’ our religious rules. How many people or young people you know who are turned off from church or Christian Fellowship because they see that we’re so full of “Do’s and Don’ts” lists?

Listen to Jesus. He is saying to all of us now: “The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath.” Are we like Jesus, attracting unbelievers and transforming people lives because we concern about their relationship with God rather than obeying religious laws? Are we loving and people-centered like Jesus? Do we make it obvious that people are important to us? [Btw, the enemies don’t like all of these. That’s why they “made plans to kill Jesus” (Mark 3:6)]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

What Sunday is Good for

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8, NLT)

“The world and the church need genuinely rested Christians: Christians who are regularly refreshed by true Sabbath rest” (Gordon MacDonald, Ordering Your Private World)

Entire books have been published in the last few years on the impact of stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation on our society. But few if any books, articles or reports have connected all of this with the loss of one day in seven as a day of rest.

But the fourth commandment is clear. Our bodies and souls are made to work six days and to rest on the seventh. We cannot persistently violate that law without breaking down at some point – either physically, emotionally, or in family relationships.

D.L. Moody said, “Saturday is my day of rest, because I generally preach on Sunday, and I look forward to it as a body does to a holiday”

There are three purposes: To Rest, Reflect, and Rejoice.

It was Socrates who said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Sabbath rest is not merely a time for rest or recreation. It’s modeled after the activity of God himself, who, having worked six days, took a Sabbath. He eased from His labors, not to go off and play, but to examine what He had done. Looking over the previous six days, He declared, “It is good.”

Sabbath is designed to provide us an opportunity to pause and look at what we have done and to decide whether it was worth doing and, if so, whether it was done well. It also gives us an opportunity to prayerfully plan the week opening before us*.

What Sunday is good for?

Rest, Reflect and Rejoice

Which day is your Sabbath day (if you’re working on Sunday)?

Take time for God and self… Choose a day

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*Quote from Robert J. Morgan, Preacher’s Sourcebook of Creative Sermon Illustrations (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007), 720-221 [Except two quotations above and summary below].

My Dear Busy Friends, it's Time for Silence and Solitude

Our minds yearn to be busy. When we are with others, we tend to occupy ourselves watching, listening to, communicating with, and responding to those around us. This is good. In fact, it is normal – as long as we know when to withdraw. Jesus was a busy man, just read the Gospel stories and you know that He was the busiest person in the New Testament. Yet every morning “Jesus got up and went to an isolated place to pray” (Mark 1:35NLT). He practiced silent and solitude. After Richard Foster listed numbers of Bible verses where Jesus intentionally seek silent and solitude to pray and rest, he writes in his book Celebration of Discipline: “The seeking out of solitary places was a regular practice for Jesus. So it should be for us.”

One of the great blessings of silent and solitude is that they offer time for us to become who we really are – at least, this is what I get from my personal experiences. They take us away from the demands and obligations others lay on us and give us relief from the constant pull on directions by our employer(s), family members, friends, and many kinds of extra ‘baggage’ modern life has created. They allow us to get rest from the modern burden of multitasking (at this writing, I’m thinking about how restless are our young generation today). The constant need to meet the expectations of others draws us away from our true selves and deafens us “to hear the divine Whisper better”. I can assure you my friends that you can’t remember who you are when half the world is compete for your attention – for that, you need silent and solitude.

I hope you ask me “How?”, if yes, good. Here are some example you can do to practice silence and solitude.

Silent

“In a noise-polluted world, it is even difficult to hear ourselves think let alone try to be still and know God. Yet it seems essential for our spiritual life to seek some silence, no matter how busy we may be. Silence is not to be shunned as empty space, but to be befriended as fertile ground for intimacy with God” (Susan Muto).

Some practice includes:

§  Setting a period of time in which you don’t speak but isolate yourself from sounds (other than perhaps the sounds of nature)

§  Driving or commuting without the radio or CD prayer turned on

§  Leaving the TV off (and your internet and phone off); spending time in silence with God alone

§  Exercising without attending to noise; listening to God

§  Having personal retreats of silence

Solitude

“We are so afraid of silence that we chase ourselves from one event to the next in order not to have to spend a moment alone with ourselves, in order not to have to look at ourselves in the mirror” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

Some practice includes:

§  Giving God time and space that is not in competition with social contact, noise and stimulation

§  Taking a retreat

§  Observing Sabbath refreshment by abstaining from constant interaction with others, information and activities

§  Addressing your addiction to being seen

§  Communicating with God alone while you walk or run by yourself

§  Practicing disciplines alone: study, prayer, examen, journaling and so forth

Friends, take time for silence and solitude. It refreshed your soul, reenergized your mind and refocused your attention. You will find ‘you’ and most important of all – you can hear God’s gentle whisper more clearly. It is about who are you in God and who you are in relation with others. Thomas Merton, a Christian mystic writer once observes, “It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers. The more solitary I am the more affection I have for them… solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for what they are, not for what they say”.

Silence and solitude are not easy to come by.

It takes time and effort to seek them out and cultivate them.

But once we find a place for them in our lives,

we immediately realize how much we’ve been missing without them.

God help and be with you.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*Quotes and practice suggested for silence and solitude above are taken from Adele Ahlberg Calhoun’s Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us. Pg. 106 and 111.