The Importance of Sabbath-Keeping to the Future: You, Your Household, Church, & Nation
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Nehemiah was on Nehemiah’s return it had been 12 years since that remarkable 52 day rebuilding of the physical walls of Jerusalem. But remember that as a civil servant of Persia, also able to rebuild more than phyiscal walls. After dedication of walls, what is the rest of the book about? Rebuilding of a people, a community of faith. Remember how Ezra had rediscovered the TORAH - and upon reading it puc\blically set other days - privately interpret and apply.,
But he left for a while towards the end of 12 years, and upon his return remember what he found - Tobiah had moved into the temple storehouse, treasury of nation for worship. Levites no provided for,remember their job not so much in the temple Aaron’s sons, serving as priests. But Levites scattered among the eopel especially to teach - they had been forced work their fields and give up their calling. We saw that if you want to get out of backsliding, wnt to keep reforming adn walking with the LORD< a real priority not on offerings, sacraficesfor temple of the Lord, but for the gospel ministry. Earlier in the book in Chapter 9 we see theat neglect of God’s word is why the ended up in exile - broken :
“Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.
We saw last Sunday night that the book ends with PRAYER - in fact whole books form - shaped by prayer - form carries meaning ,Key Truth - that it not for us to know timeso f success or failure that we live in - not to reigster as much as faithfulness. Prayer dependence on christ for remianning faithful. place of gospel preaching, worship, Bible are essential spiritual walls for keeping. But the last two walls that must be spiritually in tact, for contniued renewal and growth in God kingdom. To prevent the falling way that resulted in teh exile. To enable those who re-settled in jerussaelm - faithful and radied for Messiah to come. And for us too who wait for Messiah to come again - what are the remaining two walls a covenant communit, the church, a congertgation must erect and have up - surrising Sabbath keeping, and gospel rooted households. HOw we do Lord’s days and how we do family - have long term ramnifications!
Before we tackel themone this week, one next, consider also where for God’ OT peopole waiting onthe messiah God embeeded this message in the Jewish cannon: Torah, Navim, Kethuvim (Tanakh). Do you see where Nehemiah is - not a propeht (calling back to covenant living), but part of the writings - why like Chronicles - not just how did we end up in exile, but what hope now after exile - focus on Messianic hope, David’s son - God embeddes this set of memooir’s of Nehemiah’s atthe end - withthese two lastwarnings to keep two vital tools for kingdom living at hand and ready and used. Sabbath-keeping and gospel centred family life.
Key Truth: Your Sabbath-keeping received as gift from the LORD, will be a testimony to the world and the next generations of God’s of gracious activity!
Let’s see how the occasion for this warning and reminder came in Nehemiah’s latter days.
In just 12 years they went from gathering on Jewish festival days and from Sabbath to Sabbath - where they really and truly engaged with the LORD, to Sabbath’s just having the externals of worship - still had a temple, but fill it with all kinds of relgious lax in what Lord commanded about worship, even have Tobiah. But what was the palce of Sabbath rest and worship now when Nehemiah returned?
Common labour of the week now brought into their God’s day of rest. Not just domestic work aroundthe house. But look at
In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.
What do you do with excess wine, grapes, figs - where in ancient city would you sell - gates market place - hitch up the oxen, load up the donkeys and let’s make the trip to downtown. But its not just the work but the trading, the buying and the selling, in this OT Jewish capital city.
But look at
Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!
Now remember Jerusalem was to be acity on a hill, light tot he world, it’s way of life, it’s worship, model to the World what happens when God lives among a people. And although boundaries from other nations and their way of life, that was never to be ethnically impermanable. So have Egyptians at the birth of the nation, have Rahab as it got the land, have Ruth, even naaman inanother land, Shunamite - and what happens when a soujourner is within your gates? What happens when like naaman’s Jewish slave girl servant, or like Elijah in the widow of Zeraphaths gattes, you are spending time withthem. They senee and pick up and are enven able to enojy the way you rest -
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.
Exodus 20:
Nor the soujourner within your gates. But here the exact opposite is happening the traders for Tyre come live with us, set up your wares on the day of rest. need delicacies of your fish.
Nor the soujourner within your gates. But here the exact opposite is happening the traders for Tyre come live with us, set up your wares on the day of rest. need delicacies of your fish
Now why is this all a problem according to Nehemiah?
A. The Sabbath is a Perpetual Sign From God of His Covenant & Blessing to Us
First of all notice that he makes a big deal about working on the Sabbath, of course in the commandment - literally to cease, take a breather. It is interesting the he warns them at that point, make a change, but he doesn’t write them off or threaten them. Always works of necessity, and those in a sense enslaved in a system that doesn’t make allowances like the Jews in Egypt, ought to seek to be free, as opporunity is sought. Why because for all time, from the begining of human history to its end, the pattern of six days to labour and recreate in beautioful creation, but then to take a seventh day to remember and celebrate God’s work - taht was botha gift and consecration. IT would mark them just like tithing tothe Lord acknoweldge that all my money is from the LORD, and give a representiaive portion, from the first to you, all of it is yours . So tooo all the time God gives in the week is his, and taking one day off a reminder that its not all mine to do as a I please. it shows that I arrange my time adccording to God’s calendar not mine.
Someone onece said, show me someone who can’t get their work done in 6 days, and I’ll show you you someone who can’t get it done in 7 too! Just undiciplined, use up andtake as much as you can - not planned, not regulated, won’t stop. But a blieiever is one who kows - their work issn’t ultiamte, nor is their play. Every day stop and rest. God regulates not only day andnight. But specialorder to weeek - very concretely says: once a week I want you to honour my work - first of all in creation, but then also in Deuternonomy 5 reasons for Sabbath day - remember slaves, and once a week remember my saving work in setting you free from bondage. So rest and delight in my creation, in the felowship of my poeole, rest and delightin my work in you! Enjoy this day!
Now when they read the coveant law in 12 years ago they agreed to this - bound themselves in covenant wrote their name down we will do this. Started with the attitdue that this will be my delight. And God had promised in the prophet Isaiah - that not only find rest, and dleight in such a Sbbath well kept and enjoyed, but that God will bless a people who are Sabbath-keepers from the heart! says:
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Do you get that, Sabbath is an old and acient path; God who is teh same yesterday daoy and foerver, if you’ve gotten lost go back and ask for ancient paths, way life’s supposed to work..
“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Is 58:131-4They experienced that , and I darte say many of you experienced that in your homes, wand even in our church community, and even in our nation growing up. But then what happens?
They experienced that , and I darte say many of you experienced that in your homes, wand even in our church community, and even in our nation growing up. But then what happened how did they end up with making their Sabbath just like anyother day with a little of worship to appease their mind thrown in?
Well how did happpen here in our land, here among us. Have you ever heard of the priciple” Sometimes the enmy of great, is the good.” YOu got to say no to the good in order topuruse the great. Trade and work and influence with outsiders all good things - but the Lord’s Day is to make room for the greatest - not $$, not sweat of my brow, not my work - but God’s work. and delight in God.
But increasingly they just purusued what on the other six says would be good, and they didn’t care in their heart for the great. They came to see rules that protected the Sababath and there are few God given ones, and then theree are some that are helpful for partiuclar times and places - each household has to apply the pirnciples, but they came to seee all such rules as a burden that kept them from their work and leisre. They sought to evade Sabbath rest - and they moaned - like bored kid forced not to do stuff, but doesn’t know how to dleightin the day, make it a worship and feast day!
Warning for us, if the negatives and the rules make this day a bore and burden, looking for ways to evade it - maybe it is because you’re not focused on the great - the delight the fellowship the rememebrance and concentrated time to grow in the Lrd and hear his word, to have intimate fellowship with God, with each other, time to participatein his work of mercy.
Before I compared the Sabbatht to a prized precious park in the middle of the city, but Pharisees say so important put up fence, but never enter in. And then people resent all the rules and they don’t enter in - Sabbath just a musuem no lnoger enjouyed delightwed, and in a real raised up as sign , acovenat sign to the world!
But before we proceed, some of you are not convivned that this even applies to us.
B. The Sabbath Day is Not Just a Jewish Ceremonial Shadow That No Longer Applies.
You need to hear tonight that the Sabbath Day is still part of the spiritual wall - that a community of God’s people need for order structure, energy, for being city of God on earth today .
You are right in saying, Christ fulfilled the Sabbbath, he is our rest. You are rightin saying, that Paul says holy festival days are of no Chrsitain value - cermoeonial ritual part ofthem compeltely fulfilled and as shadows that pointed to Christ passed away. But likethis morningNew Moons and Sabbaths, not referring to weekly Sabbath day that God instituted before the ceremonial laws of Israel. Sure those ceremonies sacrfices and attached to - but those titles new Moon and sabbaths - extra Sabbath days attached to jewish festivals. Some two Sabbath days in a row, regular and ritual. Some, while we can argue about what ceremnial partsof the Sbatth are gone and whether Sunday has become a holy dayin itself or just convient day to set aside to remember resurrection, and gather as the church(not all Christains agree on this), you should here two verses from the NT and one from the OT ment about the Sabbath keeeping God instituted froalll people back in Genesis:
Jesus says that prior to his return the Sabbath will still be in effect:
Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
In keep ing with OT prophesy Isaiah said that just like new moons month after month wil conitinue so will Sabbath keeping:
“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord.
Why the NT while describing how all the OT ritual and ceremonies have been abolished as Christ fulfilles them, still goes on to say in regard to the sabbath rest that we are to entere into week by week - fulfilled in Christ but until he returns and suhers in the eternal Sabbath - the orignail six and one, notw commerating not only Creation and Exouds work of God, but the True Exodus, the Dath and resurrection of jesus on teh first day, that kind of Sabbath keeping remains forthe people of God. The writer of Hebrews says: literally a sabbath-keeping
So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,
For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Clear that the earliest congregations gathered in Jewish ways in the period before kicked out of synagoes and then temple destoyed, but as apostles planted churhes, even among the Jewish believers it becmae clear that it was the first day of the week in Acts theat we read them gathering, for worship, collection, gather for Lords’ Supper. The Sabbath day celebratedon the Lord’s Day, as we see in John. Hebrews the command in 13th chapter, don’t negelct meeting together!
Interesting to hear my Dad who not raised by Christain faither though a Christina mother, who has now had to take oncooking chores as my mother health fails. Oatmeal six ssayd a eek from scratch but Sunday mornign break from that and eats rasin bran. You know that house rule that freed family from all sorts of elaborate food prep. Work of necessity wouldn’t begrudge, how one aplies, but i think in the last twenty years same thing happend, same, way. Stupid rules inthe way of my fun, my work,my plans, … throw thoseout, then convienence of putting my chorse and work into this day, Then becomiong in our hearts just like the world without covenant and without God - so enterprise with them. ionsteadof rest, ceelebration worship - SUndays has become not about super delight and growth and rest inthe Lrod but about my frantic activity or just a down day for me.
IE John Tesh radio \program. 30% meet on line, but what day reposnd to social media dating ad - Sunday - work 5 days, Saturday for social events, and Sunday down day for me to reorganize respond to emails. Well Sunday is a astaemetn that we fit into God’s timetable and pan and work in this world, not that he fitsinto ours. A Jesus staetment taht Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath -is saying - the good God intednds to wrok in Saabbath keeping is a gift from him to us. Yes not about rules randomly given \as a burden. But also is a gift from God!
And thatis the saddest part of how the Sabbath slides into be ing descerated, and why it is o imopprtan to our witness to God inthis world. it represeents what we aree most about - ie Colardao - kayakers State Champion - don’t do it - what’s most important to us enables us to do everything else we do - never hear d of that. Most visible thing neighbours notivce - Sunday set that day apart. Do different stuff on that day.
b
“You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Why so important that the prophets say:
Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
Nehemiah recognized, that this was one of the main ways taht God’s name was profaned among the nations and one of the main reasons for exile:
Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
Now I wonder if you agree with God that keeping Sabbath restis really important to him and is supposed to be to us? I wonder if you believe it is so imporatnt that God would punish his own people when they fial to honour him by obedience, but instead profane what is preciuos to him?
It is very interesting to note that the decline in our dneomination is linked to a decision by Synod, no longer to require two Sunday service, at the beginign and end of the Lrod’s day - not a biblical requirement time, though mornign and evening sacrafices of jewish worshp, morninga nd evneni a rpeceent. But it wass really the watershed for our doemiation - to say give God an hour or so of worship a week - don’t need a whole day of rest, become like tose without God and gospel in useof Sunday - and the decline hasn’t stopped, iNTERESTING THAT NOW THIS PAST sYNOD TOOK IT RIGHT OF THE cHURCH oRDER.
Nehemiah said direct connection between keeping Lrod’s Day and the health and stae of God’s oeple, don’tyou think so today? No rule is going to fix, no slight changes in trivial routines of Sunday observance, only postiive comitment to have the sing of the Sabbath as a vtial opsotive spritiualopporutnity
But it one thing to come t a thoelgoical understanding its another thign to actually do something different becauseo f it. Doers and not heraer’s only. What does Nehemiah do.how does he set up Sabbathkeeping as spiritual wall - to protect from backsliding, and structure and ready people forChrist’s Kingdom?
C. Implement Practical Sunday Practices for Home, Church, and State
But its the order that Nehemiah takes that is really interesting isn’t it? Who does he begin with:
Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
The nobles, the movers and shakers, the cutting social and financial edge, the cultre pace-setters. They are the ones Nehemiah realizes he must address first if heis ever going to make a course change. Why? They were the ones not wage earner labourers, but more like the middle and uper class of today, - with lots of free time, lots of financial opportunityboth buying and selling. They were the ones rubing shoulders with the gentiles. And their neglect ofthe Sabbath showed that there life was governed more by influence acceptance, standing - among Gentiles and each other than with the LORD> And he calls onthem to use their influence to oppose Sunday trading rather than encourage it.
It is interesting to note that Nehemiah is such a noble. That he is not a churchman pirest or levite or even a prophet, but actually a stateman a polticisn. Could hardly believe that a whole society could institute a LORD’s DAy Actyet in Canada’s last century had just that. Compeletely legitiate not forcing church attendance, nor favouring a partiuclar deomination - but recongnize Sabbath rest a creation oridance for all humanity. Recognize that world will work itself to death - without reuiqre d national pause - sure works ofnecessity tought questions - but instituted rest. No other nation in Israel’s neighbourhood had weekly rest day, took a comunity saying this wiwhat it looks like.
Hard for us without that, but that’s why Nehemihiah doen’s tonly take a national approach, he also now calls in religious authroities - you Levites you elders and deacons, council
Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
I remember first time request came - not gathering at church celebrate birthday, but to have young families do kids birthday party on Sunday afternoon. Marked a change, familygatherings but to make dayof family rest and felelowship , travel all over Huron county - - That’s when it dawned on me - it takes a communityto keep Sabbath, hard in nation that won’t but next to imopssible in a church communitythat wont’ -When as y7oung adults say - no we’re not doing the go out for social diner, when you have flewooship meal but then wrap it up and sya but going to church. When a group of parents say, no not doing the travel thing on Sunday. when not just upholding particular house rules may or may not be \helpful … we are together living as the body of Christ. Takes a village to raise a child , you knwo what it takes a church family to keep Sababth well.
So interesting to har of the de-conversion of celbrity pastor Josh Harris - left gosopel of Christ for the gospel that has poltically correct view of righteousness, disillussioned, but also so interesting to hear Carl Truman many years before speak of never finding somone who kept the basics going inlife, kept communion in Christ, falling away. Drift. Do you realize that when we keep Sabbath together, as a community, as like Nehiemiah peole, we have have enteredinto coveannt pubicallly and before God, Vow - meet when churchmeets, serve together, join with eopoel of God. Do you know your Sabbath keeping becomes a gift for the health not only of your own soul, but of others . Dn’t always feel like keepeing Sabbath - this day set aide, this time set aide for worship of God, proimse to be wehere he specially makes himself known.
And lastly this does filter down into having some rules about the Sabbath for yourself for your household. Used to be in Ontario and it was such a gift to family life of truckers, that commericail vehiles could be on the road, economy need them for Monday mronign stock. But government said , not until after 5pm on SDunday . Nehemiah says, no loads at all, he saw merchangts setting up shop Firday night - said you can’t camp out here. Now degree of Chrsitain freeedom in reagrads to some of these details, wrong to raise application of houserule, to a command from God, - but i remember pastor asking - O you watch sports on sunday? Not l;egalistic but what do you do Sunday afternoon lie around watching tv? What about having coffee time and discussion, what about visiting … how about dleight of game with family nive creration preopare you better for worship. How about stroll in beauty of creation. Our forebearers understood that a well spent Lord’s Day was necessary preparation for the sixx days work that would follow!
This daynot a tirical or routine thing. Living giftflows with God’s grace, vital tool to keep from backsliding and keep growing, and one that how we eekeep it will have huge impolication s for the nex generationl How are we going to keep Sunday special? Something need to hold inpulbic empoloyers and plticiians, something need explain to our neghbour,s, something with each other and with famly got to work out - so engaged in the market-day of the soul, high point of our week!