Jesus Is Our Sabbath Rest

Jesus is our Sabbath rest, which means Christians no longer look to one day, one land, or one law for the rest God provides. The Sabbath was good, but it pointed beyond itself to something greater. Under the New Covenant, believers find true rest in Christ—rest from striving to earn salvation, rest from the crushing burden of law-keeping, and rest in the finished work of our Savior. That does not mean Christians become lazy, careless, or indifferent to worship. Far from it. The grace of God trains us “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” and to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:11–12). The rest Christ gives is not a license to sin; it is grace that frees us from the burden of trying to be saved by our works so that we can joyfully labor for Him. Table of contentsThe Sabbath Was the Seventh DayThe Old Covenant and the New Covenant Are DistinctJesus Raised the StandardA Change in Priesthood Means a Change in LawMelchizedek Points to a Better PriesthoodThe Sabbath Was a Shadow Fulfilled in ChristHebrews 4 Teaches the True Sabbath RestWe Enter Rest Under Joshua, Not MosesJesus Gives Better Rest Than the Old Covenant SabbathResting in Christ Does Not Mean We Stop WorkingChristians Worship on the Lord’s DayMen Should Lead Their Homes to Prioritize WorshipConclusion The Sabbath Was the Seventh Day When we think about the Sabbath, we should first associate it with the seventh day. The Sabbath has never been the first day of the week. This distinction matters because Christians sometimes speak as though Sunday became the Sabbath. But biblically, the Sabbath was the seventh day. The Sabbath was also connected to the Mosaic Covenant. It belonged to the Old Covenant given to Israel through Moses. That covenant had its own mediator, its own priesthood, and its own law. Moses was the mediator of the Mosaic Covenant. The law associated with that covenant is often called the Mosaic Law. Jesus, however, is the mediator of the New Covenant, and the law associated with Him is the Law of Christ. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant Are Distinct The Old Covenant was instituted through blood sacrifices. Those sacrifices pointed forward to the blood of Christ. At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood, showing Himself to be the true and greater Passover Lamb. This means we should not treat the New Covenant as merely the Old Covenant slightly improved. The New Covenant is not the Old Covenant maturing into something better. It is a new covenant, instituted by a better Mediator, founded on better promises, and connected to a better priesthood. Jesus Himself showed the distinction when He spoke of new wine and old wineskins. The point is not that the old and the new should be mixed, but that they do not belong together. Law and grace cannot be blended as though sinners are justified partly by Moses and partly by Christ. Jesus Raised the Standard Some people wrongly think grace lowers the standard. But Jesus did not lower the standard. He raised it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly said, “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you.” He contrasted the external requirements of the Mosaic Law with the deeper heart righteousness demanded by His kingdom. The Mosaic Law said, “You shall not murder.” Jesus said that sinful anger in the heart is also serious before God. The Mosaic Law said, “You shall not commit adultery.” Jesus said lust in the heart is adultery already. This shows us that the New Covenant is not a license to sin. Grace is not permission to live carelessly. Grace trains us not to sin. The Law of Christ reaches the heart, not merely the hands. A Change in Priesthood Means a Change in Law Hebrews 7:12 says, “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” That verse is crucial. If the priesthood changes, the law changes too. Under the Old Covenant, the priesthood was Levitical or Aaronic. It came through the tribe of Levi, and more specifically through Aaron and his descendants. But Jesus did not come from Levi. He came from the tribe of Judah. That creates a problem if we expect Him to be a priest under the Levitical system. But Jesus is not a priest according to Aaron. He is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. This is why Hebrews spends so much time showing that the priesthood of Melchizedek is legitimate and superior. Melchizedek Points to a Better Priesthood In Genesis 14, Abraham met Melchizedek after rescuing Lot. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, and Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Both details are important. First, Abraham’s tithe recognized Melchizedek’s priesthood. Abraham was not an insignificant man. He was the father of the Jewish nation. If Abraham honored Melchizedek in this way, then the Melchizedekian priesthood could not be dismissed. Second, Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Hebrews explains that the lesser is bl