Exodus 20:8-11

Fourth Commandment

This is the only commandment that is not repeated in the New Testament.

Sabbath simply means “day of rest”

v.8: “Remember”

1. It’s not that the Israelites could forget the Sabbath, they had been keeping time in weeks ever since the first week.

Genesis 2:1-2 NKJ Genesis 2:1 ¶ Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

2. The Sabbath was referenced in the giving of the manna, prior to the giving of the law. (Exodus 16:23-29)

3. The Jews were acquainted with the Sabbath, they just needed a reminder.

A. “Keep it Holy” - This is not to be a day of laziness, but a day to rest AND worship God.

v.9-10: God set the example at the conclusion of the creation week.

1. Exodus 16:23-29

2. A day of rest is necessary

A. The Christian observance of Sunday.

1. We observe Sunday because of the Resurrection of Christ.

2. The New Testament lays the foundation for this.

Acts 20:7 7 ¶ Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:2 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

John 20:19 19 ¶ Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

3. It does not have to be Saturday

Colossians 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

V.11: The requirement of literal days of creation.

1. God Himself set the example of 6 days work and 1 day rest.

2. Our Sabbath day is to be a day of blessing and a holy day that is set aside for God.

3. God created the Sabbath for us, and therefore we are to use it to honor God.

Mark 2:27-28 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 "Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

4. Both our Spirit and our body will be blessed by a day of rest, if we dedicate it to worshiping God