Seize the Moment – Day 759
Lifting the Burden!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, April 15. Today is Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ gave His life as a ransom for many on the Cross of Calvary.
Much of what Jesus did in his earthly ministry was misunderstood, especially in His healing ministry on the Sabbath day. Interestingly, Jesus used a rescue story from today’s Old Testament chapter, specifically of when David and his companions were starving while fleeing from Saul’s evil efforts to murder him, and a priest gave them the consecrated bread to eat in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. Jesus used this story to explain to the religious leaders that not only were His works of deliverance lawful on the Sabbath but are God’s intent in giving rest to His people, as commemorated on the Sabbath day. Jesus explained this in Mark 2:25-28:
“Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
It’s amazing how often people will miss the biblical principle in their great efforts to be right in the keeping of their own understanding of the Bible. Don’t miss the heart of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ – the good news of rescue and deliverance by a holy and loving God. Jesus came to set His people free from sin to live for God through a relationship with Him, not to bury them under heavy burdens of religion.
Seize the moment and take on the easy yoke of Jesus and you will find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:28-30).