Sabbath Miracles

The Bible records seven miracles that Jesus performs on the Sabbath.  Luke gives an account of five of those and this message explores three.  The Jewish leaders were none to happy with Jesus when He healed on the Sabbath, even though the Law did not specifically forbid it.  But these same leaders were just fine feeding and watering their livestock on this sacred day and wouldn't hesitate rescuing their animals from any Sabbath day predicament. Jesus was undeterred by their fury, refuted their misapplications of the Law, and more than once left them seething in silence.  And then Jesus rose from the dead on the third day which happened on the first day of the week-Sunday.  We now call Sunday, The Lord's Day.  Since the earliest days of the church, Christians have gathered on The Lord's Day to worship and fellowship together, share the Lord's Supper, and hear the Word of God.  What became of the Sabbath?  While some now consider Sunday the Christian Sabbath, ultimately Jesus Christ fulfilled all that the Sabbath foreshadowed.  Jesus' finished work on the Cross brought our feeble works towards earning salvation to an end.  Jesus became our Sabbath Rest and we enter into that Rest by faith in what He has accomplished.  Therefore His invitation is all the more powerful and personal: "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)