From the desk of Pastor Ben

The Source of Truth About Jesus – Part 2

“Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
                                (Matthew 16:17b)

Perhaps the greatest source of truth as to Jesus’ identity was His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). Not only the Jews’ week but their entire calendar rested on the concept of sabbath, which means rest or stopping. The 7th day of the week (Exodus 20:11) and every other sabbath observance was a time of rest and worship (see Leviticus 23 and 25).

All 9 sabbath-based events picture the eternal rest of the saints of God, when Messiah comes to earth, frees His people, and establishes His kingdom. So, for Jesus to claim fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2, as he did in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:18-21), was clearly to assert messiah-ship. To present Himself the source of rest (Matthew 11:28) meant He was the source of holiness, and to claim lordship of the Sabbath meant He was Lord over everything.

The order to keep the Sabbath day is the only one of the Ten Commandments not binding on Christians today (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 4:3, 9-10). The Lord graciously gives every believer a jubilee liberation, which entails a perfect, final, and eternal rest.

Jesus well summarizes His perfect lordship over all things, including those who know Him and ultimately enjoy His Sabbath rest forever: “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matthew 11:27).

Ask Yourself:
How do you experience God’s eternal rest already in your relationship with Him? In what areas are you inviting turmoil, stress, and chaos even though His rest is available to you? How could you better demonstrate through your lifestyle the rest that God offers His people?