What can we learn about rest and worship from Luke 23:56? Setting the Scene Jesus has just been buried. The women who followed Him loved Him deeply and wanted to honor His body with spices and perfumes. Yet, as evening approached, the Sabbath began. They faced a choice between finishing their preparations or obeying God’s command to rest. Their decision is recorded in Luke 23:56. What the Verse Says “Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” Insights About Rest • Rest is rooted in obedience: The women “rested … according to the commandment,” echoing Exodus 20:8–11, where God commands Israel to remember the Sabbath. • Rest acknowledges God’s pattern: Genesis 2:2–3 shows God Himself resting after creation. Observing Sabbath places us in step with the Creator’s rhythm. • Rest requires intentional pause: Even urgent, loving service—preparing Jesus’ body—was set aside. True Sabbath rest involves deliberate ceasing, trusting that God holds unfinished tasks. • Rest fosters dependence: By stopping, the women declared that God’s will outranks their own plans, mirroring Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” • Rest anticipates redemption: Their Sabbath wait preceded Resurrection morning. Hebrews 4:9–10 points to an ultimate “Sabbath rest” found in Christ; weekly rest foreshadows eternal rest. Insights About Worship • Worship involves rhythm: Regular Sabbath observance creates space to remember God’s works and promises, as Luke 4:16 shows in Jesus’ own synagogue attendance. • Worship flows from obedience: The women’s rest became an act of devotion, declaring God worthy of priority over their emotions and desires. • Worship prepares the heart: Ceasing from labor readied them to witness the empty tomb. Likewise, rest makes room for renewed awe and revelation. • Worship expresses trust: By honoring God’s timetable, believers confess His sovereignty—an acknowledgment central to worship. Practical Takeaways Today • Schedule sacred pause: Block weekly time when labor stops, reflecting Genesis 2 and Exodus 20. Let unfinished chores wait. • View rest as worship: Treat Sabbath time not merely as recovery but as deliberate honoring of God’s lordship. • Lay down urgent tasks: If the women could pause in the face of Jesus’ death, we can pause amid pressing deadlines, trusting Matthew 11:28—He offers rest to the weary. • Anticipate resurrection hope: Use each Sabbath to look forward to Christ’s return and our permanent rest with Him (Hebrews 4). • Let obedience guide decisions: When activities compete with Sabbath, choose what aligns with God’s Word; obedience is the deepest act of worship. |
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