Doing Good on the Sabbath

 Mat. 12:12b
…So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 
The Pharisee in Jesus time made many laws based on their scripture interpretation of the Torah. It was clear in the Torah that work was not to be done on the Sabbath. “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work..”(Ex 20:9,10). It was one of the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses. From this, the Pharisee broke down the daily tasks that they thought were things that should not be done and things that were allowed on the Sabbath. They were man made rules that were brought about by human interpretation. I don’t claim to know the mind of God in regards to what can and cannot be done on the Lord’s Day (Christian Sabbath), but God did set apart one day of the week and made it special. Jesus did not do away with keeping this day special, but He did correct the mis-interpretation that the Pharisee had. “And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:37,28) The Sabbath was not made to bring man into bondage, but was made to provide man a day to rest from their labors to focus on the things of God. Jesus said it was a good thing to help others and to minister acts of mercy on this day. Reaching out to help others who are hurting and are in need of God’s touch. What this looks like in today’s world and culture may not look the same for everyone. We should approach the Sabbath with the expectation of doing good. In the spirit of keeping the Sabbath holy, we avoid work that we normally do the other six days. We stay within the spirit of the law to do what is good and right. Let us enter into His house with thanksgiving on Sunday morning, let us put aside those things that distract us from worship and do what is good on the Sabbath. 

Pay It Forward

Matt. 25:40 Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

In American, there are many people who are willing to give their resources when tragedy hits. Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and a number of unfortunate events. In general, people don’t like to see people suffer, knowing that life’s circumstances could turn on them. I believe God is pleased when people are willing to reach out and help when these things happen. The teaching of Jesus, take this a step further. Willingness to give one self is more that just dropping money in the plate for the starving children in the world. The concept of “paying it forward” is based in part from the words of Christ. It is not just a one time act of giving, but a life style of sacrifice. Looking for opportunities to lift the burden, reaching out to those less fortunate. Showing acts of kindness done in the name of Jesus. We live in a selfish world, where taking care of self is promoted. Living a life pleasing to God and having JOY in life means to put Jesus first, Others second, and You last. In everything you do, do to the glory of God. 

Fellowship in Christ

Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour… For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Never go on a hike alone, never go swimming alone. Such advise is often given to those who seek out adventure or extracurricular activities. It is smart and safer to have someone else with you. Not good if you go alone and you fall on a hike trail, and are not able to get up and walk. Such is the advise given to us in this passage. Traveling this journey of life was not meant to be a solo walk. There are times that we might have to stand alone as David did in the face of the Giant, but it is God’s intention that we walk together as one. fellowshipping together as believers. Jesus, said that where 2 or 3 are gathered together…He will be there with us. In the beginning God said, it is not good for man to be alone. Such is God’s plan to fellowship one with another, encourage each other in the most holy faith. If a brother falls, to reach out in love and lift them up. 

Helping Hands

Prov. 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

We don’t own anything. We are all stewards of the things we have. God who gives us strength, life, and opportunity to be willing to give to those who are in need. God loves a cheerful giver, one that gives because giving is an extension of God’s grace. Helping hands reaching out to people that are not able to help themselves. Giving because God puts a desire in our hearts to reach out to the less fortunate. “I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”(Acts 20:35) Such is the life style of those who love God with all their heart and their neighbor as themselves. Let us open our resources, and show the love of Christ, not in word only, but also in deed.

Helping Each Other

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

The journey we travel was not meant to travel alone. There may be times that we walk the valley and it appears that we are all alone. But if we open our eyes, God has a way of bringing someone by our side to walk along with us. It is the plan of God for us to hold on together, supporting each other, and caring for the needs of those who falter. “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”… If we think we can make it on are own, we are fooling ourselves. We have a responsibility to do our share of the labour, but must realize that we can’t always do it on our own. The burden becomes lighter when two are working together. Let us labour together in the spirit of unity, holding each other up in the most holy faith.

Lay Down Our Time

1 John 3:16. Hereby we perceive the love of God: because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

The love of God is seen in those that profess His name when compassion is demonstrate by the way we give to others. If we hold back what God has given us then we have yet to perceive the love of God. If God’s love lives within us, we will show forth this love in the way we treat others and give as God blesses. Giving to help others is more than putting money in the offering plate. As needful as that is, we show our love to others by giving of our time and sacrificing things we might enjoy doing to help someone who needs our attention. Time is a valuable commodity. Our lives consist of time we spend on this earth. How we use our time reveals what is important to us. May we be willing to lay down our time to help the brethren who is in need.