Hitting the Mark with Jesus wk. 18

HITTING THE MARK WITH JESUS – Week 18

August 3, 2025

MAKING SENSE OF THE SABBATH

Mark 2:23-3:6

 

 

Mark 2&3 – MAKING SENSE OF THE SABBATH

INTRODUCTION:

 

 

 Article by Brian Bill titled Liberty Or Legalism, Six things we need to consider about legalism…

 

1.     We tend to think others are , but that we’re not.

 

2.     Legalism is highly .

 

3.     Legalism can take a vibrant and make it dull and lifeless.

 

4. Legalism produces and judgment.

 

5. Legalism makes us narrow and .

 

6. Legalism makes it for people to see Jesus.

 

 

 

 

TEXT:

Mark 2:23-3:6 (NIV) ²³ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.²⁴ The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

3 ¹Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

 

Background:

Sunday is not the Christian Sabbath.

 

 

 

 

 

Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV).  ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work,¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark 2:24 (NIV)The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

 

 

Mark 2:25 (NIV)²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?

 

 

 

 

Mark 2:25-28 (NIV)“Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

 

Mark 1:1 (NIV)The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God…

 

THE SABBATH MEANS THREE THINGS FOR US: 

 

1. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE

 

 

Deuteronomy 23:25 (NIV)If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.

 

 

 

The Sabbath from God was not meant to people, but to people.

 

 

 

Mark 3:1-6 (NIV)Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

 

 

 

Obeying the rules of God without a relationship with God makes a heart , not .

 

Mark 3:5 (NIV) …deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts….

 

 

Mark 2:22 (NIV) …no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. IT’S ABOUT SETTNG PEOPLE

 

 

 

 

Mark 3:5 (NIV) He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts…

 

 

 

 

 

Mark 2:27 (NIV)“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

 

 

 

God doesn’t want fear-based , He wants love-based .

 

 

 

 

Heaven is not a place for people who hell. Heaven is a place for people who God.

 

 

 

 

 

3. IT’S ABOUT IN CHRIST

 

 

 

 

Colossians 2:13-14, 16-17 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made youalive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross… Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

 

 

 

Matthew 11:28 (NIV) says“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

 

 

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

 

 

Jesus is your .

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Hebrews 4:1-3 (NIV)Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.² For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.³ Now we who have believed enter that rest…

 

 

 

Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV) ⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.¹¹ Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

 

 

 

John 19:30 (NIV)“It is Finished”

 

 

Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

 

PRAYER:

 

ALTAR:

 

COMMUNION:

 

WORSHIP:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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