I have a pastor friend who got an admonition concerning a supposed violation of the Sabbath. It seems he helping cutting the church's lawn on Sundays, but there's more to the story. The person helping him was a neighbor of the church who was not a member. In fact, he felt he wasn't worthy since he was dealing with certain issues, and Sunday was the best time for him to cut the grass to help the church. My friend obviously wanted to help him, not just out of gratitude for giving of his labor and time for free, but to get a chance to minister to him.
However, word got around, and an elder chastised him in an email about working on the Sabbath. Although he is a pastor, and as a result, always working on the Sabbath, his sin was for appearance's sake. Never mind the neighbor is giving his time (would the people who objected step up and offer to mow the grass in his place?). It is also sad that his authority as spiritual head of the congregation is compromised by this kind of communication.
I believe Jesus answered the question posed by the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath, stating the Sabbath was for man, and not man for the Sabbath. It is ironic when we turn away people in need who volunteer their time because of the letter of the Law, and not its Spirit (including Holy one). As Matthew 12:9-13 states:
"9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had [his] hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift [it] out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other."
It's strange how selective we are in dealing with sins. We condemn people for going into bars on the premise that weaker brethren might stumble. However, they have no problem serving rich foods full of empty calories and cholesterol inducing deserts around people susceptible to overindulging and heath issues at church dinners. Smoking and drinking is wrong because we are to treat our bodies as temples, but the gluttony of overeating and gossip is often ignored. I wonder if the same people who criticized my friend for breaking the Sabbath are the same people who cause others to work on Sundays because of their love after church buffets at restaurants?
However, word got around, and an elder chastised him in an email about working on the Sabbath. Although he is a pastor, and as a result, always working on the Sabbath, his sin was for appearance's sake. Never mind the neighbor is giving his time (would the people who objected step up and offer to mow the grass in his place?). It is also sad that his authority as spiritual head of the congregation is compromised by this kind of communication.
I believe Jesus answered the question posed by the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath, stating the Sabbath was for man, and not man for the Sabbath. It is ironic when we turn away people in need who volunteer their time because of the letter of the Law, and not its Spirit (including Holy one). As Matthew 12:9-13 states:
"9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had [his] hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift [it] out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other."
It's strange how selective we are in dealing with sins. We condemn people for going into bars on the premise that weaker brethren might stumble. However, they have no problem serving rich foods full of empty calories and cholesterol inducing deserts around people susceptible to overindulging and heath issues at church dinners. Smoking and drinking is wrong because we are to treat our bodies as temples, but the gluttony of overeating and gossip is often ignored. I wonder if the same people who criticized my friend for breaking the Sabbath are the same people who cause others to work on Sundays because of their love after church buffets at restaurants?
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