First Baptist Church Litchfield
August 17, 2025

      • Hebrews 4:12ESV

  • Word Of God Speak
  • Standing On The Promises

      • 2 Timothy 3:16–17ESV

  • Thy Word
  • Show Us Christ

      • Proverbs 30:5ESV

  • As The Deer

  • Sabbath is not primarily about rules to keep, but about a Savior to trust.

    God’s commands are always given for our good. When He gave Israel the Sabbath command, it was never meant to be a crushing rulebook—it was a gracious gift. The Sabbath was God’s weekly reminder that His people were more than workers and producers; they were His beloved children, created to rest in His presence. But sin has a way of taking what is good and twisting it into a burden. By the time Jesus walked the dusty roads of Galilee, the Pharisees had turned Sabbath rest into Sabbath oppression. Instead of refreshing the weary, their man-made additions exhausted the soul. In Matthew 12:1–14, we see this tragic reality on display, and we watch as Jesus restores the Sabbath to its God-given purpose.
    Our hearts are not so different from the Pharisees’. We may not count steps on Sunday or forbid picking grain, but we often turn God’s commands into measures of our worthiness. We create unspoken rules about church attendance, family devotionals, or personal holiness, and then we measure ourselves and others against them. Instead of letting God’s Word lead us into joy, we turn it into a yardstick to prove who’s “serious” about faith and who’s not. When we do this, we are guilty of the same distortion—taking the gift of God’s law and making it a burden. Thus, we neglect the Sabbath. Matthew Henry wisely warns us,
    Where sabbaths are neglected all religion sensibly goes to decay.
    Matthew Henry (Nonconformist Biblical Exegete)
    The invitation this morning is simple yet profound:

    Come to Jesus, observe the sabbath by laying down your burdens, and learn to glorify and enjoy Him forever.

    Matthew 12 isn’t ultimately about what the Pharisees did wrong—it’s about who Jesus is. He is Lord of the Sabbath. He fulfills the law perfectly. He offers the kind of rest the Sabbath was always pointing toward—soul-deep Spirit-infused God exalting rest. In this passage, Jesus shows us that Sabbath is not primarily about your self-righteous effort to keep the law, but about a Savior to glorify and enjoy.
    This morning I want you to observe the sabbath, but I want you to do it well. Well in the sense that God is glorified by your sabbath keeping, and your soul experiences the joy of knowing and trusting the Lord of the sabbath.

    There are four opportunities to glorify and enjoy your Savior as you observe the Sabbath.

    Remember the Sabbath Day (Matthew 12:1–2; Exodus 20:8–11)

    One would think this is Christianity 101: God’s people gather on the Lord’s Day to worship and rest in Him. And yet, there is an epidemic in the church today—an epidemic of neglecting the Sabbath. The debates of the past often centered on which day to observe, but that is not the crisis facing the modern church. Today, the greater problem is distraction and substitution. Screens have become pulpits, and Facebook sermons or livestreams are being treated as replacements for the gathering of the saints. Others are simply so consumed with busyness and personal pursuits that the Sabbath vanishes into the background of their week, unnoticed and unkept.
    But the command has not changed. The invitation of Christ has not changed. Every Lord’s Day is a sacred opportunity to remember and keep the Sabbath holy—to lay aside the noise, to put away the distractions, and to rest in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. To neglect this rhythm is not just to break a rule; it is to refuse a gift. The Sabbath is not a burden—it is God’s weekly mercy to remind you that you are more than a producer, more than a consumer, more than a distracted soul scrolling endlessly. You are His child, called to worship, to rest, and to rejoice in Him. Remember to Keep the sabbath.
    In our text however, the problem Jesus and his disciples are facing is they are bing accused of not keeping the sabbath holy.
    In verse 1, Matthew reveals Jesus and the disciples were walking through a field on the sabbath. Being hungry, the disciples picked some grain and began to eat. The Pharisees observed them eating the grain and became offended because in their conviction of not working on the sabbath. Jesus and his disciples were not remembering to keep the sabbath holy by picking and eating the grain. This begs a few of questions.

    What is the sabbath? What is its purpose? What is lawful to do on the sabbath?

    Sabbath is rooted in Creation

    Beloved, the very word Sabbath means “to cease,” “to stop,” “to rest.” And where does that idea begin? Not with Moses on Mount Sinai, but all the way back in Genesis 2. After six days of creation, God Himself rested on the seventh day—not because the Almighty was weary, but because He delighted in His finished work. He stopped, He looked upon all He had made, and He declared it very good. From the very beginning, God built this rhythm into creation itself: six days of labor, one day of rest. And notice—this is not just for Israel. This is for all of God’s image bearers. The Sabbath is not a burden; it is a blessing. It is God’s weekly reminder that we are more than producers, more than machines, more than the sum of our work. We are His beloved children, created to glorify Him and to enjoy Him forever.
    Think of it this way: when you hear a beautiful piece of music, it’s not just the notes that make it lovely—it’s the rests. The pauses give space for the melody to breathe. Without them, the song becomes noise, chaos, exhausting to the ear. In the same way, God gave the Sabbath as the “rest” in the music of our lives. Without it, life turns into noise and weariness. But with it, our lives become a melody of joy and worship, tuned to glorify Him.
    Later in Genesis, the Lord chose Abraham and through him established His covenant people. Yet for four hundred long years, Israel languished in bondage under Pharaoh’s cruel hand. But God, in His mercy, redeemed them with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. After their deliverance, He began to train His people to live as free men and women, not slaves—and one of His lessons was the Sabbath.

    Sabbath is Commanded in the Exodus

    In Exodus 16, before the Law was even given at Sinai, God instructed them in gathering manna: collect it for six days, but on the seventh, trust Me to provide. Then in Exodus 20, He made it explicit in the Ten Commandments:
    “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God…” (Ex. 20:8–11).
    Do you see the beauty of this command? It was not just for kings or priests, but for everyone—sons and daughters, servants and sojourners, even the animals. On that day, all of Israel was to pause, to reorient their hearts toward the Lord, and to remember His redemption.
    It’s a little like when a family sits down at the dinner table together. All day, everyone has been scattered—work, school, errands—but when the table is set, everyone gathers. The meal isn’t only about the food; it’s about remembering who you belong to. That is what the Sabbath was for Israel: God’s weekly family meal, reminding them, “You are not slaves anymore. You are Mine.”

    Sabbath is celebrated in Redemption Deut 5:12-15

    Before Israel entered the Promised Land, Moses stood before the people and preached a farewell sermon. In Deuteronomy 5, he reminded them of God’s law and again commanded Sabbath rest: “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.” But this time, Moses added a new note: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out… therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (v. 15).
    Do you hear the difference? In Exodus, Sabbath was tied to creation—God made the world, and therefore you rest. But in Deuteronomy, Sabbath was tied to redemption—God saved you, and therefore you rest.
    In creation, Sabbath said: “You are more than a worker.” In redemption, Sabbath said: “You are no longer a slave.”
    Think of it this way: imagine a man who has worked for years in a cruel factory, under a boss who never lets him stop, never lets him breathe. Then one day, he’s rescued—given a new job, a new home, a new life. Now, every week, his rescuer sets a day apart and says, “Don’t go back to the factory. Don’t live like a slave anymore. Sit down. Rest. Remember—I saved you.” That’s what Sabbath meant for Israel. It was not just about rest for the body; it was about freedom for the soul.
    And beloved, that is true for us today. On this side of the cross, Sabbath is God’s weekly reminder that in Christ we are no longer slaves to sin. The Son has set us free, and if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.

    The Sabbath Is for Mercy, Not Misery (Matthew 12:3–8; Hosea 6:6)

    “3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”” Matthew 12:3–8
    The Pharisees were offended that Jesus’ disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath. To them, it was “work,” a violation of their manmade rules. But notice how Jesus responds. He points them back to Scripture: David ate the consecrated bread when he was hungry, and the priests themselves “work” in the temple on the Sabbath. If David and the priests were not condemned, how much more innocent are the disciples—because they are with One greater than David and greater than the temple.
    What’s Jesus saying? He’s showing us that the Pharisees missed God’s heart. They turned Sabbath into misery instead of mercy. They had elevated their manmade rules above God’s merciful design. God’s Word says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hos. 6:6). The Sabbath was always meant to refresh the hungry, heal the broken, and lift the weary—not to crush them under guilt.
    Can you imagine a hospital that shuts its doors on Sunday and says, “Sorry—we don’t heal today. It’s the Sabbath.” We’d all agree—that misses the point. Mercy does not stop on the Sabbath. In fact, it shines brightest on the Sabbath. Jesus was showing the Pharisees, and us, that true Sabbath is not about how tightly we can grip our rules, but about how freely God pours out His mercy.

    Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Hebrews 4:9–10)

    Then Jesus makes a staggering claim: “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” This is no small statement. He’s declaring Himself greater than David, greater than the temple, greater even than the Sabbath law itself. The priests could “break” the Sabbath to serve in the temple, but Jesus says, “One greater than the temple is here.” He’s not simply interpreting the law—He is the fulfillment of the law.
    This a hard truth for so many of us to surrender too. We make entertainment the Lord of our Sabbath. We make recreation the Lord of our sabbath. We make our income the Lord of our sabbath. We make our health the Lord of our sabbath. We do this because we believe sabbath is found in a day, an act, an event, an experience, or a thing.
    True Sabbath is not merely a day; true Sabbath is a Person. Jesus is the rest your soul longs for. In Him, the striving ceases. In Him, the work of salvation is finished. Hebrews says, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Heb. 4:9–10).
    Frederick F. Bruce encourages us to note,
    The sabbath is not a day in which man is to do what pleases him, but rather one on which he is to do the will of God. God, not man, must determine how the sabbath is to be observed. Recognizing that the day is holy to the Lord will bring the true enjoyment of the promises.
    Frederick Fyvie Bruce (Professor)
    The true enjoyment Bruce speaks of is Christ, who is the amen of all of God’s promises.
    A traveler doesn’t need the map once he’s arrived at his destination. The map is helpful, but the destination is better. The Sabbath day was the map; Jesus is the destination. Why keep staring at the signpost when the reality stands before you? He is your Sabbath rest, just as he was for the man with the withered hand.

    The Sabbath Is a Day to Do Good (Matthew 12:9–14)

    “9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.” Matthew 12:9–14
    Jesus doesn’t stop at teaching—He shows us what Sabbath looks like. He goes into the synagogue and meets a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees, still watching for a chance to accuse Him, ask, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” Jesus answers with a question of His own: “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then, right in front of them, He restores the man’s hand.
    The Pharisees saw healing as a violation; Jesus saw it as the very heart of God’s law. The Sabbath is a day to do good, to restore what is broken, to reflect God’s compassion. The late theologian pastor John MacArthur made the point,
    Christ not only approved of doing good on the Sabbath, He went ahead and actually performed good on behalf of another. If anything, this set forth the Sabbath as the supreme day for doing good.
    John F. MacArthur
    Imagine your neighbor’s house is on fire, but you say, “I can’t help—it’s Sunday.” That would be absurd. Love doesn’t take a day off. Jesus shows us that the truest Sabbath observance is not rigid rule-keeping but radical, Christlike mercy.
    The Pharisees saw healing as a violation; Jesus saw it as the very heart of God’s law.

    Sabbath Blessing

    So what do we learn? The Sabbath was never meant to be a burden—it was meant to be a blessing. It was never meant to be misery—it was meant to show mercy. It was never meant to be an end in itself—it was always pointing us to Jesus, our Lord and true rest.

    Observe the Sabbath by:

    Resting in Christ. Stop striving to earn God’s favor; it’s finished in Jesus.

    You are not a slave to sin. Jesus has redeemed you and set you free. You are free to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home. Glorify and enjoy Him by resting in Him.

    Make Sunday a day of delight. Reorient your heart to worship, rest, and joy.

    Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.
    Joseph Addison (English Statesman)

    Use your rest to bless others. Look for opportunities to show mercy.

    Very few of you will be called to run into a neighbors house that is burning. But you may be able to extend mercy by showing hospitality or providing a meal when your neighbor is sick. Do you look for opportunities to cut your neighbors grass with they are out of town, or sit with a brother or sister to counsel them through a hard circumstance. What good are you to the sabbath? What good are you eager to do that shows mercy and compassion to your brothers and sisters, or neighbors?

    Trust God’s provision. When you stop working, He still provides.

    You are not in bondage to creation. You do not need to work seven days a week.
    Think of a shepherd carrying a weary sheep. The sheep doesn’t struggle to walk itself home—it rests entirely in the shepherd’s strength. That’s the Sabbath rest Jesus offers you. He doesn’t just lighten the load; He carries you all the way. By carrying you, Jesus gives you His Spirit, His heart and mind, to help you to show the same mercy and compassion to those around you.

      • Matthew 12:1–14ESV

      • Deuteronomy 5:12–15ESV

      • Matthew 12:9–14ESV

  • The Gospel Song
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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