The Merciful Sabbath Rest of Christ

Main Idea: Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's mercy and our true Sabbath rest.

(Ex. 20:8-11; Col. 2:16-17; Ex. 31:13-17)

1. The Pharisees accuse Jesus' disciples of breaking their merciless standards for sabbath keeping. (vv. 1-2)

2. Jesus confronts the Pharisees' merciless distortion of the law they had certainly read. (vv. 3-6)

a. David ate the tabernacle showbread, and is still guiltless. (vv. 3-4, 1 Sam. 21)

b. The temple priests work on the sabbath, and are guiltless (v. 5)

c. Jesus, the guiltless Messiah, is greater than the temple. (v. 6)

3. Jesus alone rules and defines sabbath rest, so He mercifully calls us to Himself. (vv. 7-8)

- Where are you most tempted to look for rest apart from Christ, and how does Matthew 12:1-8 redirect us to find true rest in Him?

- Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, " I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." What does this reveal about God's heart, and how can we guard against the "inner Pharisee" that value rules and traditions over mercy?

- What does it mean that Jesus is "Lord of the Sabbath" and "greater than the temple," and how does this shape the way we live, worship, and extend mercy to others today?