"Sabbath Joy"

So…

I’m just a bit curious.

When you have a Sunday that you are not in worship, what are you usually doing? 

We’ve got some summer Sundays coming and it seems like attendance often goes down so it seems a good question.

When you have a Sunday that you are not in worship, what are you usually doing? 

Sometimes traveling, I would imagine. 

Sometimes spending times with extended family, doing stuff like birthdays and anniversaries. Maybe you are on vacation, or going fishing, or out in the powerboat flying around on the Mabel.

Or maybe you are kayaking, or running a 5K, or hosting a BBQ for friends.

It’s all wonderful.

But has it ever happened that what you were doing was helping somebody out that really needed some help?

Like watching a neighbor’s kids because your neighbor’s husband was in the emergency room, very, very sick.

Or spent time with a senior member of your family or perhaps a neighbor who is down because of the loss of a favorite pet.

Have you ever decided to take a Sunday morning and cut the lawn of a community person who just can’t get out and do it themselves and you don’t want them spending their very few dollars that way.

And while it may not be the way we always think, it’s possible that being a Jesus person in this world may result in doing on the Sabbath what Jesus did.

I’m guessing that you listened to and perhaps read the scripture passage for the morning where Jesus encountering a woman who had been bent over for 18 years, unable to stand up - crippled by arthritis perhaps - is healed by him.

But the healing took place on a Sabbath.

And the Sabbath law said that no work was to be done on the Sabbath.

Work like healing, evidently. 

Or like cooking with heat on a grill. 

Or like cutting the lawn.

Things we often do on a Sabbath, but don’t really think of as “work”.

And Jesus, a Rabbi of all things, healed on a Sabbath. In the eyes of the Synagogue’s leadership he had transgressed on the Sabbath by working.

A whole lot of us have done that, I’m sure. 

Cleaned the pool on a Sabbath. Started a load of laundry. Made the kids do the dishes, teaching the next generation to break the fourth commandment.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

But Jesus points out something interesting. 

Some things are permissible on the Sabbath. 

Like giving a thirsty animal a drink, even if that means untying them and walking them to a pool of water.

Like healing a suffering woman who will spend the rest of her days celebrating the wonderful love and blessing of God in her life!

So maybe, one way of understanding Sabbath, is to set aside what we normally do the rest of the week and intentionally take time to do what perhaps we don’t do.

Like finding someone who needs healing! Offering the healing of companionship, the healing of food for a hungry stomach, the healing of a lawn freshly cut, the joy of being with family and some friends too. 

A while back I watch a show where a family gathered to celebrate with a wonderful feast. Whenever they gathered, they intentionally invited a neighbor to join them they knew was alone.

Sometimes he would come and eat with them, and sometimes he just very gratefully accepted a plate of food. 

But no matter what, they always included him.

So, what do you do on the Sabbath that is “making a difference” in someone’s life – someone who really needs you to bring the healing presence of Jesus!

Make sabbath joy real!

Amen.