St. John's Denver

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. We also see that Jesus is Lord over the Law as well. He did not come to abolish it, but to fulfill it. We see the interaction of Jesus and the Pharisees who cared deeply about remembering the Sabbath. Ironically, the Pharisees find themselves enslaved to the law of Sabbath, which is designed to free us from the rest of the world. Jesus is the true bread of life that we take from the altar of Presence and find rest in Him alone. His laws are not simply a "set of rules" but a way of life in which we find what it means to truly be human. Sabbath is a gift to help us live like Jesus with God and man united as one. 

We are called to live differently than the rest of the world. In this text, we see the Ten Commandments and the emphasis is on God rescuing His people out of Egypt remembering that they were brought out of Egypt and saved from slavery, where they did not have a day of rest. The world often operates like Egypt in the story of the Exodus. However, as God’s people, we will be faithful and be reminded of God's rescue from sin and death and find rest that contrasts the rest of the world.

Work out of rest. And, rest from work. We follow in the footsteps of our Creator who spoke the world into order. Part of His good creation was rest for Himself as a pattern for all to follow. Rest is a part of God's creation. Notice the word for rest is not simply "to stop" but rather to "settle" or “dwell” in (Genesis 2:15). This is different than just simply stopping to rest, because we have a God who creates, enters His creation, and enjoys it. What does that look like for us as people of God as we pattern after Him and show the world what it looks like to Sabbath?

Lust and licentiousness are focused on self and break and damage relationships. A life of faith and a life of love are a highway above a life of self. Our new self is being renewed in knowledge after the image of God.

You have been made alive with Christ. You're alive because Christ has been raised from the dead! This hope that we have today comes from a God who loves us.

Jesus desires to eat with us! He offers forgiveness to those who seek it and he provides us an audience with a loving and caring God who is here for us in every way.

As followers of Jesus, we are not a people who stay in mourning. We wave palm branches as our King heads to Mount Calvary to bleed out on a cross and we rejoice knowing that next Sunday is coming. We have a King who continues to walk along side of us into death and into new life.

In Genesis 50, the theme of triumph to the end is exemplified as Joseph forgives his brothers, reassures them of God's providence, and reflects on the overall purpose of their past trials. This echoes Jesus' ultimate triumph, as His resurrection and promise of eternal life affirm that God's redemptive plan extends beyond earthly challenges, showcasing the victory of faith over adversity in both narratives.

In Genesis 48, Jacob's blessings upon his sons reveal the theme of triumph in God's blessing, shaping their paths and establishing a legacy. This mirrors the concept of divine blessing in Jesus' life, as His life, death, and resurrection bring forth blessings that transcend generations to Christians today.