Matthew 12:3-8 ~ The Purpose of the Sabbath

Excerpt:

Man was not created to keep Sabbath day rules and regulations.  The Sabbath was created by God as a gift to man.  When God said stop working, He did not mean focus on not working.  He meant stop what you are doing and go be with God's people and receive from the Lord His mercies and compassions.  He actually has to command us to stop work and go to fellowship and receive from Him.  If He did not, we probably would not stop.  Just like we do today when God says, “I will give you the day off.  Gather with God's people.  Receive from My Spirit through My word.  Be cleansed.  Be encouraged.  Be refreshed.”  But instead, we choose to work.  We wrestle with it all the time.  We know what we should do, but we have other things to do.  And it is to our own spiritual detriment that we do not take advantage of the gifts that God has given to us.