I have learned over the years if one can not go to church with a pure heart sometimes it best just to stay home. If I can not get what troubling me to the altar at home I probably will not take it to the public altar. The fact is Sabbath is a day of worship and rest, if neither can accomplished at the heart level, then one might as well stay home, or find away to take it to the altar of grace. Worship on the Sabbath is not about one individual but coming together in unity of worship and not striving about the religious law of faith, organization, or striving over what someone else does and whether it be lawful in the church to do good or not. Whether or not food of the food pantry is given to those in need or not. Head aches that should never be issue in church or not on Sunday services.

Jesus’ disciples were picking ears of corn on the Sabbath. Picking corn was consider work and it was sin to work on the Sabbath. Yet why did not the Priest share the shew bread that the Priest ate with Jesus disciples instead of allowing them to pick corn. After all a priest in David’s day had given David’s men the shew bread which was unlawful to do because his men were unholy because of war. Yet not unholy because of a lack of sex. The shew bread were 12 loaves of bread set out in the beginning of the week that represented the bread of life of the 12 tribes. On the Sabbath this was the meal for the priest. Jesus was a teacher in the temple. Why was not this bread shared with his disciples as custom instead of of disciples picking corn. Disciples was only reaching out grabbing an ear and eating it like one would do an apple.

There different ways to look at the eating of corn by the disciples on the Sabbath. One can consider they are breaking the law by tradition. Yet one can look at blame those in leadership of the temple and ask why did you not share what you had. The blame game here is simple, but the reality was by legal law nothing would be done. This was law of religious conviction. Jesus’ ministry was at the when the Gentiles were in power over the land. If Jesus had lived under religious rule his disciples would have been stoned by tradition. Yet the priest were equally at fought for not obeying customs of sharing the shew bread with religious teachers. Jesus won his argument and it angered the religious leaders. Yet this was not enough. Jesus went into the temple began to teach and did a miracle.

Was it more lawful to heal or to not heal on the Sabbath. Healing was an act of benevolence. It was doing good in aid to someone, yet the priest said it was unlawful to heal on the Sabbath. Yet God commanded good to be done on the Sabbath and not evil. Yet the priest began to plot evil against Jesus that day. The fact is what is your intent on the Sabbath, to worship an to praise God or only look for the evil you yourself do on the Sabbath in others. The seeking to entrap Jesus was beginning with a few simple arguments of religious law verse legal law of the land. One might also say the looseness of the interpretation of the law, verse extremism of religious law. For who would denounce such a display of healing as a wither hand becoming well. Clear sign of healing. Not imitation or one duplicated by the devil or a physician.

The miracles of God fully seen as act of God and authority of not only healing but approval of the things Jesus did. As humans we do not always do the right thing, but there are things God approves us for. If my anger is displayed it might not be of God, unless it to shun evil. Yet to be angry to only to be evil with evil intent is not of God. To go to church or to break the Sabbath in church or out of church. Will one disobey God only to protect others whose intent is to worship. What is your purpose in worship, in feasting at pizzeria or chicken place down the road or easting at a cover dish dinner where what you bring might not be receivable. These are issues one has to ask what is more correct attendance to such matters, or accepting what is offered because it given as a gift to God’s people and fellowship with God’s people.

Fellowship of worship is not about gifts or what one can provide to a group. Yet some think it is. It about the common bounds of worshipping Christ our Savior. To worship God on the Sabbath. Priest were only looking for fault and not fellowship with others. We want to see a difference in some church it must start with the concentration of fellowship around the cross, and not around what someone can give. The offering of praise to the Lord should be sufficient for worship and fellowship. The rest is choice of giving by tradition of tithe, or gifts to the Lord. Jesus said the woman at the well that the worshippers would worship in spirit and in truth. Our physical present is only a shadow of true worship.

Dear Heavenly Father may your fellowship in your house be one of praise and not criticism of what others can bring to your house. In Jesus precious name, Amen.