Sabbath: A Time for Community
Scripture — Luke 4:16 (NRSV)
When [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read . . . .
Focus
Regularly gathering with others on the sabbath allows us to share together the goodness of God’s presence experienced in worship and in common meals. It also helps us to be faithful in our own sabbath observance. Those of us inclined to overwork will be well served by the discipline of regularly scheduled gatherings for worshipping and eating with others. The example of Jesus reminds us that our experiences of regular rest need to include time well spent with others.
Series: Unwrapping God’s Gift of Rest
Devotion
In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, we learned that Jesus, as the Son of Man, claimed to be the Lord of the sabbath (Mark 2:28). He assumed divine authority to determine how one might appropriately observe the sabbath. As we have already seen and will see again, Jesus’ understanding of sabbath observance often got him in trouble with many Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees.
Since Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath, and since we acknowledge him as Lord over our lives, we are eager for Jesus to show us how we might faithfully keep the sabbath. In this regard, it would be helpful to know what Jesus actually did on the sabbath, in addition to the things that got him in trouble (like healing bodies). Unfortunately, the Gospels reveal relatively little about Jesus’ own sabbath observance. We can, however, discover several things about Jesus’ sabbath practice from Luke 4.
According to Luke 4:16, “When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read.” This verse shows us that it was customary for Jesus to attend synagogue services on the sabbath. No doubt, this is a practice he learned as a boy, joining his parents and neighbors in the synagogue.
We mustn’t underestimate the importance of community when it comes to keeping the sabbath. This was deeply ingrained in Jewish understanding and practice. Not only did Jews in the time of Jesus gather for synagogue services, but they also prioritized eating together. The sabbath was a day for community, a time for people to gather in a variety of settings, including local synagogues and private homes. We catch a glimpse of Jesus sharing a meal with others on the sabbath in Luke 14:1, “On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.” Though this meal turned out to be a time for disagreement between Jesus and his hosts, it nevertheless points to what was surely Jesus’ regular practice of sharing meals on the sabbath.
Today, sabbath-observant Jews share not just one but three meals together, one on Friday evening and two on Saturday. These meals include a variety of traditional foods as well as songs and prayers. They are an occasion for God’s people to gather in order to enjoy the goodness of creation, including both food and fellowship.
As we consider our own experience of sabbath, we can learn from the example of Jesus and his people. Yes, we certainly need “alone time” in our sabbath observance, time to stop working in order to sleep, pray, reflect, and be restored. Yet we also need time with people, joining with others for worship, learning, prayer, conversation, and celebration. Eating together is a wonderful way to experience the delight of sabbath. (Of course, this requires some planning so that shared meals don’t require some people to work extra hard on their day of rest.)
When I was growing up, my family enjoyed two “Lord’s Day” feasting traditions. After church, we almost always went out for lunch. Nothing fancy or expensive. My favorites were The Dog House (hot dog stand) or Sizzler (inexpensive steak house). Then, on Sunday evenings we would have a simple, celebrative meal, usually featuring popcorn (!). I have no idea whether my parents thought of these meals as some kind of sabbath observance, but they did allow my mom to be freed from the work of preparing square meals for a family of 6.
Regularly gathering with others on the sabbath allows us to share together the goodness of God’s presence experienced in worship and in common meals. It also helps us to be faithful in our own sabbath observance. Those of us inclined to overwork will be well served by the discipline of regularly scheduled gatherings for worshipping and eating with others. The example of Jesus reminds us that our experiences of regular rest need to include time well spent with others.
Reflect
In what ways have you experienced gathering with others on the sabbath (or the Lord’s Day)?
How important is it to you to gather with others for weekly worship?
Why is community such an essential element of sabbath observance?
Act
Make plans to get together with others for a meal during the time of your weekly rest.
Pray
Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us, not only through your words, but also through your actions. Often, we wish we knew more about what you did and said. But we thank you for what is revealed to us in the Gospels.
Lord of the sabbath, your actions in Luke 4 remind us how vital it is for us to gather with others on your day. We need the encouragement and instruction when people get together for worship.
We also need what happens when we gather with others for a meal, enjoying the goodness of creation and the companionship of conversation.
So teach us, Lord, through word and deed, and through the indwelling presence of your Spirit, how to experience the fullness of regular rest. Amen.
Banner image by Stefan vVadimirov on Unsplash.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: How Good Is the Good News?.
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Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...