Sermon Tone Analysis

Open your Bibles to Genesis 2:1-3.

•That’s where we’ll be starting today.

•This morning we begin a six-week study of the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath.

Now, before we dive in, let’s start with a definition: What is the Sabbath?

•The Sabbath is one day in seven, that God chooses, to be wholly dedicated to His worship.

•One day in seven where we set aside all ordinary labors (works of necessity and mercy excepted), and set aside all worldly recreations, IN ORDER TO devote the whole day to worshipping God. 

•One day in seven, we are to cease from our worldly thoughts, words, works, pleasures, and employments, though legitimate on other days of the week, SO THAT we can give ourselves over to worshipping God in public and private the whole day.

•That day from the beginning of creation until the resurrection of Christ was the seventh day of the week.

But from the resurrection of Christ to the end of the world has been changed to the first day of the week.

Now, that sounds like nonsense in the ears of most modern Christians.

•I know it did to me until a few years ago.

•But the more I read our forefathers in the Faith, and the more I searched the Scriptures they were commenting on, the more I realized that this doctrine was nothing to mock because it is indeed biblical.

•And I hope to show that to you in the coming weeks.

Now, a six-week study on the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath probably, to some, seems to be a bit lengthy.

•And that’s because this doctrine is one that many are unfamiliar with.

•So, allow me to give a defense for this series.

As an Elder over this congregation, my job is to shepherd the flock of God that makes up this church.

•And a huge part of that job is to TEACH the sheep.

•In fact, the Apostle Paul tells Elders that we are to “give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

(Titus 1:9)

•So, I am to teach sound doctrine.

And I am to rebuke, or refute, or convince those who contradict sound doctrine.

•That is, part of my job is to help those who are in error to come to see, understand, and gladly embrace what God has revealed in His Word.

•And that job extends to both Christians and unbelievers.

•And I mean this with all warmth and affection for each one of you: There are many in this congregation who are in error about the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath.

It’s no secret that only a little less than a quarter of the members of this church currently embrace our Confession’s teaching on the Sabbath.

•This was known by the Elders when you all voted to receive the 1689 Confession as the teaching standard of this congregation.

•And we told you that we would make it one of our goals to patiently, gently, and consistently teach and guide you all to embrace this doctrine.

•And you all agreed to be taught this doctrine and have private conversations about it with a good disposition toward your Elders.

•And now, we’ve decided that it’s appropriate to take an extended bit of time to flesh out the biblical doctrine of the Christian Sabbath.

•In keeping with the mandate given to Elders, my goal is to teach sound doctrine about the Sabbath and convince you all to embrace it and obey it.

I believe that Sabbath-keeping is one of the big areas of our church’s life that needs tending to.

•When I think of this church, I think of many, many great things.

And I’m grateful to pastor such a good body of brothers and sisters.

•But when I think of things that need changed, things that need further reformation in the life of this church, the first thing that often comes to mind is that most do not view the Fourth Commandment as binding on Christians.

•And that is evidenced in how many of you spend you the Lord’s Day after church service: Going to restaurants.

Doing business.

Watching sports.

Things like that.

•And that’s a pretty big error.

In fact, it’s sin.

Spending the day in such things is not keeping the Sabbath holy.

•And so, I plan to prove to you over the next six weeks that the Lord’s Day is to be kept as the Christian Sabbath.

Now, let me be clear: My intention isn’t to berate or belittle or do any such thing with this series.

•Rather, my intention is to educate you in the Word of God, reveal the sin of Sabbath-breaking, and graciously call you to repent and keep the Lord’s Day holy.

This doctrine has fallen on hard times.

•Most Christians have no idea that there is an entire day each week that is to be dedicated to the Lord.

•Because of Dispensationalism and other errors that have crept into the church in the last 150 years, the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath is all but gone in Evangelicalism.

•But it didn’t used to be that way.

•All major Protestant groups (Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Episcopalians, etc.) used to believe that there is a Sabbath day for Christians.

•But today, through ignorance, hardly anyone keeps the Lord’s Day holy, aside from going to church for a few hours.

•And so, I hope to remedy ignorance among this congregation, and instruct you, so that you will understand your duty to God more clearly with regard to the Lord’s Day.

But this also must be said: For some, not keeping the Lord’s Day holy is a matter of ignorance.

But for others, it is a matter of prejudice.

•Brothers and sisters, beware your own prejudices!

•Many simply won’t accept this doctrine because they understand that it has implications for how they must live.

•For many Christians, rejecting the Christian Sabbath isn’t a matter of biblical methods of interpretation or a system of doctrine.

For many it isn’t doctrinal or intellectual.

•For many, it is a heart issue.

They don’t want to accept this doctrine because they want to treat the Lord’s Day as an extra Saturday.

•Many reject this doctrine because they simply don’t want to give God a whole day, but think a few hours is more than enough for the Lord.

•I’m not saying that is everybody in this room.

But it is many Christians that I have interacted with on this issue.

•For many, it is less an issue of doctrine and more an issue of simply not wanting to keep a day holy to the Lord.

•Many people bristle at the idea that God would tell them to lay down their worldly pleasures for a whole day and give themselves over to worship, simply because they’d rather spend the day in work or recreation.

•So, again, beware your own prejudices!

But today, we will begin at the beginning.

•We will consider that God instituted the Sabbath at creation on the first Seventh Day of the week.

•We will begin at the beginning to see that the Sabbath is a Creation Ordinance.

Now, why is that important for us to do?

•Well, many claim that the Sabbath was given only to the Jews at Sinai under the Mosaic Covenant.

•And, if that is true, then the Sabbath command was tied only to the Jews and the Mosaic Covenant.

•And, if that is true, then the Sabbath Command ceased to be binding the moment that the Mosaic Covenant ceased to be binding.

That is, when Jesus instituted the New Covenant at His death.

•Therefore, if the Sabbath was given under the Mosaic Covenant, then it is no longer binding on Christians living under the New Covenant.

•BUT, if the Sabbath existed and was given PRIOR to the Mosaic Covenant, if it was given at creation, then the Sabbath is not tied to any particular covenant but is binding on all men at all times.

•If the Sabbath was given at creation, then it is for all mankind to observe, and not just for the Jews under the Mosaic Covenant.

•The principle of one day in seven, of God’s choosing, to be devoted totally to Him, is binding on all men, if it began at creation.

So then, my dear brothers and sisters, know that this sermon is very important for all of us.

•If the Sabbath began at creation, then everyone is obligated to keep the Sabbath holy.

•Now, the day change from the seventh to the first day of the week will still have to be proven.

BUT, nevertheless, the Sabbath as a principle and command will be proven to be binding on all of us.

•If the Sabbath began at creation, you must keep the Sabbath.

•And I plan to prove today from the Word of God that the Sabbath was instituted at creation.

•May God bless the preaching of His Word.

If you would, and are able, please stand with me now for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.

Genesis 2:1-3

[1] Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

[2] And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

[3] So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

(PRAY)

Our Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for your Word.

It is a treasure to your People.

We listen to it in order to hear from you.

And so, we ask now that, by your Holy Spirit, you would teach us your Word.

Make us receptive to it.

Remove our prejudices.

Make us teachable.

Help us to receive the truth.