3 24 19 - "Is Sunday The Sabbath?"
Please turn in your Bibles to the Book of Exodus.
Book of Exodus chapter 16 I'm going to be reading verses 22 through 30. This will be my text. I would encourage you to place a bookmark here. We will be coming back to this passage. Genesis Exodus chapter 16 verse 22 through 30 as I read it I will remind you that this is the word of God. Now on the sixth day they gather twice as much bread. to all members for each one when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses then he said to them. This is what the Lord meant. Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Big what you will baking boil what you will boil and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning. So they put it aside until morning as Moses had ordered. And it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it? Moses said either today for tomorrow is a Sabbath for the Lord. Today you will not find it in the field. Six days You Shall Gather it but on the seventh day the Sabbath. There will be none. And it came about on the 7th day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses. How long do you refuse to keep my Commandments in my instructions? See the Lord is giving you the Sabbath. Therefore he gives you bread for 2 days on the sixth day. Remain every man in this place. Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. so the people arrested on the seventh day osprey Allure there's a there's a lot of ways we could go with this passage. It certainly shows the fact that you demand obedience.
and that the human heart is slow doe Bay.
The show you you give clear instructions yet. We often ignore the instructions.
Lorna shows your provision how you cared for the people in the water nassue were totally day-by-day depended upon Manna From Heaven.
And how your graciousness of giving them their daily bread you even provided extra on one day so that they can have a day to rest.
Some more this morning. We look at the Sabbath from a Christian perspective is Sunday. The Sabbath is today the Sabbath.
Should we be marrying this this passage and today's activities and our our lives or not? What does it mean for us? What what does the Sabbath teachers?
So are we ask this morning that your Holy Spirit would take these words?
Use them. Speak into our hearts through the word opener eyes. That we might behold wondrous things out of thy law. We pray. amen should Christians should Christians observe the Sabbath? Where are we observing the Sabbath right now? the Sunday the Sabbath
Is Saturday the Sabbath? If it's in the Ten Commandments, why don't we observe the Sabbath?
Should we all be sabbatarians? What the world's sabbatarian I'll just get along.
Is Sunday the Sabbath? That's our question this morning?
talk to
taking the whole counsel of God and come to a Biblical answer is Greg with me.
1.2 start with the Sabbath means rest gay the Sabbath means rest the Hebrew word for Sabbath literally means a day of rest. I've been guilty in the past. I think of saying Sabbath automatically means seventh day that is not technically accurate the Hebrew word. That is transliterated for us into Sabbath literally means a day of of rest. So when we talked about Sabbath that the primary emphasis They will be that so look at Exodus 20:20.
verse 8 Nexus 20 course are the Ten Commandments.
Apparently that was the theme in Sunday school with our kids cuz I saw a lot of kids carrying around a copy of the Ten Commandments this morning. It's great. I did not know that but Exodus 28 says remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God in it. You shall not do any work you or your son or your daughter your mail your female servant or your cattle or the Sojourner who stays with you? For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the Earth. The sea and all that is in them and rested on the 7th Day therefore the Lord bless the Sabbath day and made it. Holy. So the essence of the Sabbath of Sabbath keeping was physical rest. the essence of Sabbath keeping was physical rest It was resting from labor that that made it holy. The house now so well because God commanded it so. He commanded the people to rest on the Sabbath and as they rested on the Sabbath then that Sanctified it that that that made it holy they were showing that they were willing to put aside their normal schedules their normal routine and then they're not the end the nessus the necessity of the work. Because God said so. And they would take a break. They would take this day of rest, and that made it home because they were willing to obey God. We seeing in the in the text that we read that. There were some who chose not to make it. Holy because they went out and tried to gather they went out and tried to do work, but they were not honoring the Sabbath day. Therefore. It was not wholly to them. So the essence of Sabbath keeping was physical rest resting from labor made it. Holy look at Exodus 31.
Exodus 31:12
the Lord spoke to Moses saying but as for you speak to the sons of Israel. say You the sons of Israel? You shall surely observe my sabbaths. For this is a sign between me and you. Throughout your Generations so that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Therefore you are to observe the Sabbath. What is Holy to you? Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death. Edward has any work on a dead person shall be cut off from among his people. For 6 days work may be done. But on the seventh day, there is a Sabbath of complete rest holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death. So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their Generations as a Perpetual Covenant.
It is a sign between me and the sons of Israel forever. For six days the Lord made heaven on Earth, but on the seventh day, he sees from labor and was refreshed. When he had finished speaking with him a guy to finish speaking with Moses upon Mount Sinai. He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony tablets of stone written by the Finger of God. Of course, we know those are the Ten Commandments what you have to notice here that this is Amber 16 a covenant a Perpetual Covenant to the nation of Israel for the for all their Generations. for all the generations so sad in his Essence was rest. I mean God clearly straight to the people don't work on this day. It's it's it's it's it's to be set aside the rest. Basic because I want you to number two. The Sabbath is a Saturday. Now in Hebrew the word from which we derive our word Sabbath again. Larry means a day of rest. Cuz we look into the New Testament as we look into the Greek. We find it that the words the Greek word for Sabbath brings in the idea of the seventh day of the week. The Greek word for Sabbath brings an idea of the seventh day of the week. Okay, so is as we move from Hebrew to Greek it it takes on a little more meaning. A little more nuanced it's the seventh day of the week in which they were the rest from their labors. Okay? The Spanish word. I don't speak Spanish, but I've been told the Spanish word for Saturday is sabado, which come to the word Sabbath? It's so their day is literally the Sabbath Saturday.
but as you read the Old Testament
You don't find that it's about gathering in the building to worship. I die challenge you search the Old Testament look up the references to the word Sabbath. There's no instructions about worship attendance.
Now there are no mentions by the way in the Old Testament of the word synagogue.
synagogue Now we know my Greek Times by New Testament times will see this Worship in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Okay, but that is not taken from the Old Testament. There are no instructions any Old Testament. They were supposed to go to church to the synagogue.
The word was in the dogs. for the joy of the Old Testament
Boscov hours thinking synagogues develop during the Babylonian captivity. They couldn't get to Jerusalem anyway to worship so they created the synagogues is this local places where they would gather not get it here in captivity in your partner's miles away from your home. You know how important Community would be. So to facilitate this this bonding between all the children of Israel. They would Albany synagogues and they would they would come to the synagogue's to me. now what are we going to do? What day were they going to do that will dogs do that would be on Saturday because they're working. Did the others the other six days, I mean, they don't have 9 to 5 jobs. Okay, they didn't get no days off and vacations like we do so there are laboring from from sunup to sundown there. They're working 6 days a week. So they're going to get together to worship if they're going to meet anywhere for any reason it would have to be on Saturday because they're not working Saturday. So they began to form these individual places that became known as as a synagogues which comes from two Greek words that mean bring together. So a synagogue needs to bring together so they would bring the community together to worship and we'll see how in the moment on Saturday because that was the only day that they could do it any other day. They think they're they're trying to survive I try to make a living.
But nothing the Old Testament tells him to go to the synagogue. Nothing else up and tells them to gather for worship on the Sabbath tells him to rest.
Anti the Jews began to assemble as a comedian on Saturday and buy new testament times. It was common for the Jews to Worship in a synagogue on on Saturday the Apostle Paul near this. This is why he was targeted synagogues if he will accept your 9 verse 20 and immediately. He began to Proclaim Jesus in the synagogue. Well because that's where they were. He wanted the Jews to know about their Messiah. So he began to Proclaim Jesus in the synagogues. And he was saying that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus is the son of God. But they were they been in the sun while on Saturday, so probably go to the synagogue on Saturday and he find people that he preach the gospel to them acts 1314. They arrived at the pisidia Antioch and on the seventh day, they went into the synagogue and sat down again on the Sabbath they went there because they knew this was where they would be gathered and they would take advantage of that and they would share Jesus. 1521 for Moses from ancient Generations has a Mississippi every city those who preach him since he has read in the synagogues every Sabbath. So what did they do in the synagogue? They heard the law where they heard the word of Moses red. And they heard the Old Testament read. They don't have a copy of the Bible. Right. They didn't have a nap. They had to go hear it. Where would they keep the Scrolls? Where would they hear? How did they find the the writing? They were at the synagogue and then Saturday we go and they would hear the word the word read the law of Moses and the prophets in the Psalms.
So as a Jew Jesus would have rested on the Sabbath. Which is Saturday, but we do find him also in a synagogue because that is what they did John 18:20. Jesus answered him. I have spoken openly and of the life spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple were all the Jews come together and I spoke nothing and secret what they do with the synagogue they got together that year of the word thought that Jesus would take advantage of that just as the missionaries did to this is Paul and his crew did they went where the people were and they proclaim the gospel Jesus Jesus love anywhere and he read from the law in Brooklyn himself.
So besides means rest the Sabbath is a Saturday the Sabbath thoroughly was for the Jews.
The Sabbath was for the Jews. Although God created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th. There is no implication that the Sabbath day was observed until the law of Moses was given that you go back to our text Exodus 16. The reason I chose this text is verse 23 is the first time we read the word Sabbath. Okay, this is in the law of Moses see codified and he put it in from God he put in the Ten Commandments to put on the tables of stone and we have in the first time a commandment to observe the Sabbath.
There's no indication that scripture that from the seventh day that God rested a creation until this verse and exodus 16:23. That the Sabbath was to be observed. So what does that mean? That means Abraham Isaac Jacob, for example, that did not observe the Sabbath.
It was unheard of. until God to Moses turn to talk to him to speak to the Israelites and say here is a covenant with you. You will rest on the seventh day.
Because I made the earth I made creation at 6 days and I rested on the seventh day. so even though the the idea principal goes back to Creation. It wasn't implemented or required until the law of Moses. so all the Patriarchs
did not observe the Sabbath.
That did not happen until her the covenant made a Perpetual covenant made between God and the nation of Israel the Sabbath for the Jews. Now this suggest something important about why there was probably about 2,500 years between those two things.
So this this this This is Jess that unlike murder. or Dollar Tree or lying the Sabbath is not grounded in God's nature and is not a moral issue. So another words that may explain even though the law wasn't given until Moses murder was still morally wrong. Right, even though the law was given to Moses. It was still wrong to cheat on your mate. Even though it wasn't giving it the most of still wrong the bear false witness. Those things were morally wrong because because it goes against the nature of God.
But I don't believe in that you can prove the scripture. That was morally wrong not to observe the Sabbath. Because that didn't come into being until Exodus 20 until 16 until God made it wholly, I gave it to gave it to the nation of Israel. So again, it would be wrong to murder before Exodus 16, but not until the law and he did he didn't Implement on a universal scale.
Did Matthew with Jewish and I still run the murder? Okay, he implemented on a national scale. This is between me and you?
So we find that nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. K9 of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. I'm so you can figure out which one is not. Keep the Sabbath. It's not grounded in the in the moral law. It's not it's not grounded in a universal truth.
So for Christians in the New Testament there, there's no command to keep the Sabbath the fact I think we'll see you in a minute might be the opposite.
But we're not under the law under the law. We're not under the law. Smithfield's 9:20 through 21 to the Jews. I became a Jew so that I might win Jews pulses to those are under the law as under the law though not being myself under the law so that I might win those who are under the law again. He speak about the Jews are under the law and even though he was jealous because now he was a Christian it was under the law. Okay. To those who are without the law as without the wall That's the rest of us were not Jewish though. Although not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ so that I might win those or without the loss of Christians are not under the law and non-jewish people are not under those parts of the law that are ceremonial.
So there's a distinction made between those who would be under the law. That would be the law of Moses that would include the Sabbath day and those who are not relations 5:18. But if you are led by the spirit. What? You're not under the law.
That's so Christopher. We're not under the law, but we're not under the law of Moses law. Precious can say all it's alright the murderer now.
If I can find just the opposite Romans 14.
one person regards one day above another another regards everyday like Each person must be convinced in his own mind. So here's the one who decides that this is how they're going to observe the sabbath. That's that's fine if that's fine. Okay. He who deserves a today observes it for the Lord. And he who eats and does so for the Lord for he gives thanks to God and he who eats not to the Lord. He does not eating and give thanks to God so that again going back to the bay to Paul was entering into about having meat from the idols and so on. He said it proper to do on this day if you don't do it don't violate your conscience.
Then I was today with the meat offered to Idols. If you think it's wrong to eat meat after I was please don't eat meat offered to idols. If you think that they're there aren't really Isles woodfall said they aren't even real and it's a good deal on meat. how to stake
So the Sabbath means rest the Sabbath is a Saturday. The Sabbath was for the Jews the Sabbath is not the Lord's Day.
The Sabbath is not the Lord's Day.
As Christians we are not obligated to observe the sabbath day.
The Sabbath was not transferred to Sunday.
now again You might know people just be with that. That's fine. It's not a first-level issue. It's not a salvation by grace issue unless they make it one with some do but that's another subject. So the Sabbath is not it's not the Lord's day. I know he use that kind of shorthand sometimes and I believe that you forgive you transferred the Sabbath to the Lord's day. I just I don't see scripture warrant for that, but I don't
Give me the term the Lord's day. Okay, and I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day John. The Apostle says John the Revelator says and I
right now you can make the assumption that by John's, you know, John was the oldest Apostle to die. He lasted longer you can make the assumption that by John's day that they had started calling Sunday the Lord's day that may be valid, but he doesn't say it Sunday.
day Well was the Lord's day Sunday or not probably but I again I'm not going to divide over that. But why would somebody be called The Lord's day or why is it sunny that we do this? Saturday well, you know the answer John 20:19. So it was the evening of the that day the first day of the week. With the doors were shot and where the disciples were for fear. The Jews Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them peace be with you. So we find right after the resurrection they begin to meet on the first day of the week. because That was the day that they recognize Christ rose from the dead acts 27. On the first day of the week when we were gathered together to break bread Paul began talking to them and tell him to leave the next day to prolong this message on the midnight. I love that first. That's a preacher. I love that first right? I should just keep you guys here till midnight.
But the point is what what where were they on the first day of the week while they were gathered together to break bread have communion and that you're a sermon a long sermon.
The first day of the week 1st Corinthians 16:2 on the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save as he may Prosper so that no collection be made when I come they were they were instructed to do when they met on the first day of the week. So Christians meet on the first day of the week does that is the day the Lord rose from the dead? Okay, so the Sabbath is not transferred to Sunday Christian me on Sunday to commemorate the resurrection to give God the first part of the week. The first words of you will end the first part of my finances as Frisco D16 to send.
So again, I don't believe it the moral evil now listen to me very carefully here.
I don't think the more we able to work on Sunday, and I don't advise it, but people have to work on Sunday if I call 911. I don't want to get a message and we'll see if Monday. right
There are people who do have to work on Sunday. Get if you can avoid it, I suggest you avoid it. That's a whole different topic.
You know, I had some people who were very strict on what they doing something and I admire that I do but I start to think about the whole point if you turn on the light switch. Somebody somewhere is working on Sunday. Do you leave the lights off that maybe you do? I'm not again. I'm not being snarky. I can be starting very good at that. But I'm not being here, but you got to follow through years ago. I used to get this thing. I don't know if you ever heard of the newspaper. They came early on Sunday morning, and I used to pass my guy up as he would throw it under my porch. Well sometimes on my porch. Sometimes it will knows where But I think myself.
Thank the Lord. He is delivering the paper on Sunday, right? What he does now cuz nobody the paper on Sunday anymore. But if you go out to eat. I respect that I do this is less people in Texas Roadhouse when I get there.
My wife by the way my wife still this morning. She has not left the house since Monday. So we thank the Lord for Peapod. Okay. I'm just being honest. We just started it by now.
So if I go out to eat
There's somebody working right? I'm just trying to be consistent. So I don't say it's a sin to work on Sunday. And then we're going to be here in a minute how it might be.
But Sunday is the day the Christians gathered for the last two thousand years to worship a risen savior. Every Sunday is Easter. Lastly the Sabbath is not just for sabbatarians, but what's a sabbatarian? Math people who think that we should be doing all this on Saturday. You probably met Seventh-day Adventist. You might work at the 7 Day Adventist a group of seventh day Baptist. They were Baptist but they worship on Saturday. They they believe that Christians should continue the practice of observing the Sabbath that wasn't served at the Old Testament. That was a new testament because clearly ran in Romans about if one man regards at then so be in if it ever got disregard that so bad right if you want to that's fine.
So we shall we can clothing that the Sabbath day adjustable sabbatarians?
What about the rest of us? What should we what should we take from this? Well we go back and get the creation week right and God chose the rest. God chose the rest. Is there significance to that I think so, I think that's the point. Why did God Rest his Austin? He likes what I do when I'm wore out.
Sometimes I surprise myself.
No, he did not rest because he was tired. He chose the rest to set an example. Okay to set an example. He established a pattern.
a flow a rhythm 6 days you work take a day off. Okay. Now we live in a western culture heavily influenced by Christianity and wicked mostly mostly two days off a week and Saturday and Sunday. Write most in the world.
It was on thought of her people think they worked it worked. You had to work we got and we got some folks here in something where they're out milking the cows early, right? That's what they all say. It's Sunday. Don't sweat it.
Where is the point already said all that to say this?
We're not called to work all the time.
So it's not a sin to work on Sunday per se but if you're a workaholic and that's why you working on Sunday. I think you need to think.
if the Lord took a break Did you take a break?
We're not it's not another word. It's not more Godly. To work all the time. I think sometimes people get that in their head. I'm off of the Puritan work ethic. Okay, I realized it was our forefathers that established the price at work ethic and it is paid off greatly for United States of America eat. Thank you very much. I'm all for that. But it's not more Godly just to work and work and work and work. I think I'm I'm pleasing God by daughters. I'm serving God by doing this. No God work 6 days and took a day off.
He may have been watching Ohio State football on Saturday. I don't know. I just love to sing.
Had to go there to get him. All right. I'll get when I first Hebrews. for 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God? What's that? What's that mean that there remains a Sabbath rest for the one who is entering his rest has himself also rested from his words as God different him. What's the context of that verse the countries that verse is the finished work of Christ? We're ask is Christ finished the job. I don't have to work myself to death to get to heaven. Christ finished the job. He finished the work and now there's a rest for the people of God I can rest I can sit down for my labor cuz it's not up to me. If I'm going to make a Jesus made it Jesus enter the holy of holies. Jesus entered into the presence of God, and he's sitting at the fires right hand making intercession for me.
That's real rest.
That's real rest. I'm not responsible for my own salvation. I'm not responsible to earn God's approval Jesus. Did it set down?
but spray
Safari we do celebrate the Sabbath we celebrate the fact that Jesus rested.
Just as father you rested after the six days of creation. Jesus rested after the work of redemption. When you rested on the seventh day you were saying it is good. It's finished. It was Jesus sat down and your presents. He says it's good. It is finished.
Father help us the rest. the rest in that
Lord help us to quit thinking that it's all up to me and I have to work it all out. I have to I have to tired effortlessly tired Leslie keep earning your approval. I cannot Jesus did. That's the real Sabbath for God's people. amen