As we travel through Matthew, the controversies around sabbath rise up in Ch. 12. (see the recap here) What is lawful? What is good to do or not do on the sabbath? We have a two thousand years of distance from the Pharisees’ confronting of Jesus and blue laws are (mostly) a thing of the past. Outside of the inconvenience of Chick-Fil-A being closed, what are we to make of it? Are we to still practice and observe the Sabbath?
Two observations:
The Sabbath ultimately points to the true and forever rest that we have in Jesus. The whole law points to the one who would fulfill it. Regardless of whether or not we practice Sabbath, if we don’t see and savor Jesus, we miss the whole point.
Even though the law of Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ, it is still a helpful practice, rooted in creation. God gave us the practice of Sabbath for our good and joy in Him.
We wanted to provide additional resources to help guide you into a deeper understanding and consistent practice of this life giving rhythm given by God.
Resources:
Blog Post: Is It Still Relevant to Keep the Sabbath Today?
Podcasts:
For those who would like to do a deep dive, the wonderful folks at the Bible Project have done a 14 episode(!) series on the sabbath. Find it here.
Authors John Mark Comer and Jeff Bethke discuss the Sabbath on their podcast “Fight Hustle, End Hurry”
Sermon Series
Bridgetown church in Portland, Oregon did an 8 part series on Sabbath. Find it here.
Videos:
Anthony gave a teaching “A Case for the Sabbath” back in September 2020 as part of our Life in the Dessert series. See below. (Teaching starts at 20 minute mark)
Books:
If you have a question on Sabbath history or practice, this book by AJ Swodoba is one of the most exhaustive, yet accessible books on the theme.
With a great chapter on the Sabbath, John Mark Comer's, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, is another wonderful book written to help our fast paced hearts to slow down.