Well, I’m one of the many Americans in my tax bracket who now has two jobs. Things were tolerable and livable with one job, but with two I hope to have a chance to catch up and eventually get ahead financially. My second job is at a place in Temple called Pignetti’s. I’m a valet so I haven’t had a good chance to get to know anybody besides my valet manager Mike who trained me yesterday and the night before. Over time I will probably get to know more people. It will take some time though because typically my nights are spent standing outside by myself, lately in the freezing cold, reading a book and waiting for folks to finish their expensive Italian meals or beer/whiskey/apple-tinis at the Duckhorn next door.

At any rate, Mike and I did have two nights of good conversation. He opened up to me to tell me about his family and goals in life. I did the same except I talked about my girlfriend, dog, cat and goals. Mike told me that he is on some sort of spiritual journey. It started for him after taking a philosophy class at a community college. He has a wife and three kids. Mike has incorporated his understanding of the Bible and how one should live into his family life. The way he sees things and how he interprets scripture is very unique. First things first, I will say that it is a very healthy view because he knows that he needs to keep an open mind, but at the same time live his life according to the way that he interprets things right now in his spiritual journey. Where he is right now, and maybe forever (I’m not saying he needs to ‘mature’ into a more traditional view of how things should be), has led him to a very Jewish/conservative hermeneutic and worldview. He eats all kosher foods. His family doesn’t worship with a local church body. Instead they choose to worship, break bread and act exclusively as the pastors of their spiritual journey. I learned all of these great things when Mike asked me this question on my first day of work, “So, you’re a theology student. What do you think about the Sabbath?” I knew immediately that this was a loaded question. Just in the sense that Mike already had some sort of idea that he’s set on letting me know about. Which I’m glad he did! He told me that the Sabbath is something very important because Jesus, admittedly an Jew, kept the Sabbath himself. I Jesus did so, according to Mike, then we should too. Well I responded in the best way I could. Letting him know that I didn’t necessarily keep the Sabbath (one day of rest in the week). I didn’t get into it too much that night because it was the first night I met Mike. Also, honestly I didn’t have any coherent thoughts on the spot (I’m not a good thinker on the spot usually + I had been standing in the 34° weather) so I’ll express my opinion on the matter here with my friends. Thus also opens the comment forum.

Jesus did a lot of Jewish stuff. He regularly went to the synagogue Lk 4:16. He took part in the Jewish festivals Lk 2:41. As well as many other Jewish practices. However, I don’t see where he ever really kept the Sabbath like his Jewish contemporaries would have liked for him to do. Jesus never broke the Jewish law though. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Mt 12. This is why I think Mike is so unique. He mixes OT and NT views seeking for a good balance of both. I’d say that ‘balance’ is Jesus. And I hope that Mike comes to a point where he looks more to Jesus in his spiritual journey and a little less to his understanding of how should be based on the OT and NT mixed.

One last point. I think the Sabbath does have a purpose. I only realized this after talking to Mike and my good buddy Jared recently. For me, the Sabbath isn’t found in a specific day of the week. It typically can’t be for me right now because of my jobs. I know that I could set things up to be off a specific day, but I also don’t think I have to do so. The Sabbath isn’t a very American friendly idea. The Sabbath for me is lived out in events and times throughout my week. I love that the Sabbath is an idea by God which has very practical implications for us. Wouldn’t you agree that it is good to rest regularly? Let me define rest as far as how I understand the word. Rest should be spending time enriching your life with God and enriching the lives of friends/family with community. What a way to spend your time! I’m not a strict Sabbatican by any means. I think it’s ok to sit and watch the game on your couch, go to the movies with friends, do yard work or anything else you might want/need to do on your Sabbath days. However, I think there is a difference between hobbies and resting with God, friends and family. Those two things may be intertwined though. Basically, the Sabbath should be something that for followers of Christ be important to us.

Sabbath isn’t necessarily abstaining from physical exertion, but it also isn’t necessarily using your free time to hang out or get things done. The Sabbath for us should be what it was for Jesus who was Lord of the Sabbath.

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28. So we’re all theologians in one way or another…What do you think about the Sabbath?

bgh