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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-05-23, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019. By Pastor Brian Hymers Knox United Church, Belgrave To start, I must give a large shout- out Citizen editor Shawn Loughlin for his patience and his genuine caring for this community and the work he does for this paper. This was a short week with the holiday Monday and, with my reluctance to get this article written – I had two difficult funerals this past week, one Thursday and the second one on Saturday, not that any funeral is easy, but some take a lot more out of me and are more difficult and personal than others – I submitted my piece late this week. This caused both of us, Shawn and I, to be under the time clock. Again, a lesson on doing things when requested and not to procrastinate and set things aside until it feels right, rather than digging right in and getting it done. This week’s lesson includes John 5:1-5: “Jesus heals a lame man by a pool”. This message is like most of Jesus’ miracles: a person is left on the outside due to an illness, and is cured. No one would help this poor fellow, lame and lying on a sleeping mat beside the pool of Bethesda, a pool of healing qualities, but no one would lift him up and into the pool. Jesus simply states to stand up, roll up your mat and walk on. The problem was it was on the Sabbath. In the Jewish faith, the Law of Sabbath is sacred. A full Orthodox Jew will not even so much as turn on a light switch in this the 21st century because someone would have to work to provide this service, all meals are prepared before the Sabbath and eaten cold. The family will only walk, not be driven, and no work is to be done on the Sabbath. Jesus heals this fellow on a sacred day; the very day when no work is to be completed. The Jewish leaders in verse 10 even reprimanded the healed man. It reads “so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, ‘you can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!’” Funny that the leaders criticized the healed person, because they could not catch Jesus in the act of working on the Sabbath. So where does this lesson take us today? We have had a very wet spring the day on the calendar and the crop is yet to be in the ground. I know that God will provide for us all, but heat units in the ground and pressure of modern-day farming and the volume of planting and soil preparation caused many of the local operators to have to work the land when it is available to be worked and that may in fact be on the Sabbath. The rules of years ago and stern value of religious rule would have in the past (20 years ago) prohibited you from operating on Sunday. My father-in-law would not do anything other and essential chores on Sunday. But today, things are a little different. Jesus worked on the Sabbath in healing this fellow, as did the Disciples, picking grain in Mark 12 verses 1-8, “At about that time Jesus was walking through some grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, ‘Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.’” Jesus’ response was a scriptural lesson to the Pharisees about David entering into the temple hungry, and eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat and the law of Moses that the priests themselves work on the Sabbath, in the temple, the highest sacred place. Jesus then goes on to heal a man’s hand on the Sabbath in the synagogue. His answer comes in verse 11 “and he answered, “if you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out?” Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. Mark 3, verse 27 reads, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘the Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath, so the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.’” The Old Testament tells us of God creating the earth and all things on it in six days. He then rested on the seventh. We should as well. If you have been working for six straight days, take the seventh day off to reflect on what has been given to you from the creator of all things. My question is, when is it day one? How was it decided that Monday is the first day and Sunday the seventh? Man did, not God. If you must work on the manmade Sabbath (Sunday) for us Christians, Saturday for our Jewish brothers and sisters, so be it, as long as on the seventh day you rest and observe worship you have fulfilled the law. If you are a traditionalist and never work on Sunday, I applaud you. Your dedication to your faith is commendable, but do not criticize those around you that are forced to work on the Sabbath due to weather or work demands. They will be thankful for what has been given to them in their own time and space. Jesus, through his ministry, turned old traditions and old ways of life on their ear and upside down. Jesus’ explanation of the Beatitudes at the sermon on the mount express a complete reversal in thinking from ancient times and ways. He completely opened the THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com 519-526-1131 ~ 119 John’s Ave., Auburn Fri. May 24, 7 p.m. Youth Games Night at HC Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jr. & Sr. YOUTH (Gr. 7-12) Evangelical Missionary Church Guest Speaker EMCC Reg. Min. Claran Martin Special Music by Glister Children’s Choir 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship Sunday May 26 - OUR 41st ANNIVERSARY! Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAY, MAY 26 Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship Upcoming Events: Upcoming Event: All are welcome to come for Breakfast on Sat., May 25 from 8-11:00 am. Hosted by the youth group. Ascension Day Service: Thursday, May 30 7:30 pm Sunday June 2 - Teen Challenge participating in morning service MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, MAY 26 Nursery care available 519-887-6687 Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Worship & Sunday School - 9:30 am Coffee & Snacks following the service We invite you to join our church family in: The Regional Ministry of Hope BLYTH BRUSSELS Trinity St. John’s 9:15 am 11:15 am COME WORSHIP WITH US! Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The­Regional­Ministry­of­ Hope St. Paul’s Trinity WINGHAM 11:15 am These Anglican Churches Welcome You OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday ~ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm blythunited@tcc.on.ca Guest Speaker: David Kai Accessible Sunday, May 26 Worship Service at 11:00 am Blyth United Church Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. 650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School) Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 BRUSSELS United Church Worship and Sunday School Sunday, May 26 at 9:30 am Worship leader, David Kai All are Welcome From the Minister’s Study Respect the Sabbath in your own way: Hymers Continued on page 21