As the disciples pass through the corn fields on the Sabbath they take some of the ears of corn and rub them for food. The Pharisees immediately find fault: "why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?" Were the Pharisees right? The reply of the Lord is astounding. The Saviour could have argued:
- They haven't broken Gods laws - only man's rules - this would be a legal argument but the Saviour does not argue for their liberty on the grounds of legality!
- David got away with something similar so why shouldn't the disciples? This would be a moral argument and it does hold some weight but the Saviour doesn't leave the mater there!
- "The Son of man is Lord over the Sabbath" - this is a Divine argument!
The Saviour does not draw back nor does He avoid asserting His absolute supremacy in these opening chapters of Luke. The Sabbath day, the day in which God rested from all of His labours and which was sanctified by the Lord for His people is the day over which Christ is Supreme! Only God Himself is Lord over such a day.
Christ is Sovereign not only over those days when He is seen to be working but He is Lord even over those places, peoples and times when His presence and movement is not openly apparent. There is no mention of the name of God in the book of Esther. His people are in captivity and Haman has hatched a plan to exterminate the people of God. Yet in this 'Sabbath' of Gods apparent inactivity He is Sovereign working out His purposes, bringing about a greater liberty for His people by the end of the book than they had at the beginning and leaving Haman hanging on His own gallows.
Christ is Supreme where He is obviously at work. Christ is Lord too where He appears to be at rest.
He is Lord also of the Sabbath.
Yours in Christ
Stewart
MP3 downloads of messages preached on many Bible subjects are freely available at:
www.newcumnock.org
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