And he (Jesus) said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath.” Mark 2:27
Why do we go to church? Why do we encourage other people to go to
church? What’s the point? Most certainly there are multiple correct answers
to these questions but I would like to highlight one aspect that may be
overlooked sometimes. Rest. From the beginning, God set forth a template for
us when He rested on the seventh day from all that He had done. Take note,
this was before the fall into sin, before man knew death and decay, before it
And He saw that it was good.
After the fall, God saw fit to reiterate His point on Mt. Sinai. He wrote in stone (literally), “Remember the
Sabbath day and keep it holy.” Like all commandments given by God it was meant for our benefit. How much
more do we need rest now that life is hard and filled with trouble? With all the work and responsibilities that are
demanded of us it is very easy to fall into a never-ending cycle of stress and burnout. So, our Lord in His mercy
commands us to stop. Take a breather. Refocus.
For the rest of the Sabbath is not just a ceasing of job or task or movement. That is how the pharisees understood
it. In those times, the number of steps you could take on the Sabbath were even limited to a certain number. But
that wasn’t the point. The Sabbath, being made for man, is meant for us to rest in the Lord. We go to church to
receive the gifts the Lord promises us and to find rest in Him. Most certainly, we should relax once a week and
recharge from all the hard work we have done. However, physical rest ought to be paired with rest for your soul
that is only found in Christ. Think about it. At church, the Lord forgives your sins, teaches you by His word, feeds
you with His very body and blood, and surrounds you with a community of believers that care for you. It is a rest
and peace the world cannot possibly give. So come to church. Encourage others to come to church. The Lord
gives His gifts freely. The Sabbath was made for you.
Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Tommy