Dear Church Hill Faith Family,
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the religious establishment of His day viewed Him as an unorthodox, renegade teacher. Jesus’ teaching regarding Sabbath observance was particularly contentious. The religious elites enforced a strict “no work” policy on the Sabbath. Anyone who performed any action which might be considered work was guilty of transgressing God’s command to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Jesus, on the other hand, did not hesitate to do good on the Sabbath and miraculously healed persons who were suffering from various diseases. If it is God’s will for God’s people to be freed from oppression (as Scripture clearly testifies to), then surely God is honored when a woman is healed of an 18-year affliction on the Sabbath day (see Luke 13:10-17).
Freeing those who were oppressed in body, mind, or spirit was central to the mission of Jesus. As followers of Jesus, freedom for the oppressed must be central to our mission as well. Jesus rebelled against the status quo regarding Sabbath observance because the status quo was causing harm to those on the margins of society. The same Spirit Who empowered Jesus’ ministry empowers ours also. This same Spirit will empower us to center the needs of the oppressed in all that we do and to resist the status quo if it harms the least of these among us.
In Christ,
Pastor Nicholas
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