We recently spent time in the Gospel of Mark looking at Jesus' repsonse to the criticism of the Pharisees. They accused His disciples of doing what was not 'lawful' on the Sabbath (Mark 2:24). He responded to them by saying that the Sabbath was intended to be a gift to mankind for restoration, not a draining burden of man-made rules (Mark 2:27). He concluded His rebuttle of thier claims by declaring Himself the Lord, even of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). In other words He says, "I am the One that instituted the Sabbath rest at the beginning of time when I created all things." (Gen. 2:2-3) "I am the One who established the Sabbath when I gave you the Law on Mt. Sinai." (Exodus 20:8-11; cf. Jude 5) "You are not in a position to tell me what is lawful on the Sabbath. It is mine."

In this passage Jesus faces His original hearers, and each of us, with a choice between two completely opposing approaches to God. One is the path of self-righteous religion. The other is the path of the Gospel (Mark 1:14-15). Here are some of the key contrasts between self-righteous religion and the good news of the Gospel.