1. Mark chapter 2 23 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grain fields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” 25 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 26 He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

2. Chapter 3 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. 5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

3. Sabbath is made for YOU Mark chapter 2 v 23 to chapter 3 v 6 Jesus had a problem “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” How do you keep the Sabbath? How do define work? Jesus had a precedent (King) David in 1st Samuel chapter 21 Jesus had a principle The Sabbath is for people What was the original intention of the Sabbath ? Did God stop work because he was tired ?

4. It wasn’t until March 7th, 321, that Constantine I, Rome's first Christian Emperor, decreed that Sunday would be the Roman day of rest. Permitted activities on Shabbat: Spending Shabbat day & meal together with one's own immediate family Temple attendance for prayers Visiting family & friends (within walking distance) Hosting guests (showing "hospitality") Singing Shabbat songs Reading, studying and discussing Torah (the Law) and its commentary

5. According to Reform Judaism "one should avoid one's normal occupation or profession on Shabbat whenever possible and engage only in those types of activities that enhance the joy, rest, and holiness of the day.“ So how do you celebrate a Sabbath each week? Worship & thanks to God with His people Studying the Scriptures Rest from/ceasing your regular work Refreshing your souls But not letting Sabbath be an excuse for avoiding doing good to those in need

6. Abraham Heschel profoundly expresses this value of the Sabbath for our technological age. It is a day when we can celebrate “time rather than space.” Our modern technological society can boast of our conquest of space, but we have not conquered the “essential ingredient of existence”: time. Time is the realm of existence where “the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but to be in accord.” Many spend all their lives acquiring material possessions but shrink from sacred moments. Everyone needs a time to be able to lay aside the feverish pursuit of success, trying to “wring profit from the earth” or to amass more goods. In our culture we have lost this gift of a day when we can reconnect with the holy and recharge our spiritual batteries. Our daily struggles may produce economic triumphs but can make our lives a spiritual wasteland. Lily Tomlin said the trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat. We need time for honouring & uplifting our souls and must enjoy this gift.