Sabbath Keeping (Isaiah 58)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 18 viewsNotes
Transcript
God Hates Hypocrisy (58:1-2)
God Hates Hypocrisy (58:1-2)
1 “Cry aloud; do not hold back;
lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
they delight to draw near to God.
God commands Isaiah to tell the people their sin.
Israel’s sin is that they want to appear as if they are righteous, but in fact they are sinful.
This is hypocrisy. Appearing one way, but acting another.
In what ways may we be acting out a fake faith?
Ironically we probably see this most on the Sabbath
How can we avoid being hypocrite Christians?
By being authentic and genuine. We have to behave and believe what we proclaim.
Israel’s Fasting (58:3-12)
Israel’s Fasting (58:3-12)
3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 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.
3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
Verse 3 has the question of the people, along with God’s observation.
The people ask why God has not taken notice of their fasting, of their sacrifice. The problem is that is not what fasting and sacrifice are for. The motive of the people is to be noticed, not to worship.
God’s observation is while they are fasting, they are neglecting their people. Those who work for them.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
God says that the people are fasting for the purpose of fighting with one another. They fast to appear righteous. Even saying to others I fast longer or better than you, so I must be better.
Initially what God is saying is that your fast, your sacrifice has no meaning, so why do it?
Do you have any rituals or actions that have become meaningless? That do not accomplish their intended purpose?
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
The people’s fast served no purpose other than an outward display.
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
The fast that God wants has purpose.
This fast is all about freedom. Just like the Sabbath.
What connections can you find with the Sabbath and God’s fast?
Freedom. Year of Jubilee. .
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
God’s fast is also to care for others.
This ties into the church described in .
How can a fast help the:
Homeless
Hungry
Other people groups?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
How does an outward care and concern for others cause:
healing
righteousness
God’s protection
When we heal others, our soul is healed.
Spiritual perfection is loving others. Righteousness also must be linked to the wellbeing of our neighbors.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
If we do these things, God will not only hear us, but He will answer us as well.
Instead of blaming others and their faults, lets act and help others.
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
In , God doesn’t care about the knowledge of the people, but that the people act and care for those who are suffering.
Your darkest moments will be like the sun at full strength.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
This is the reward for those who obey God’s command to love others.
12 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.
What God desires on the Sabbath (58:13-14)
What God desires on the Sabbath (58:13-14)
13 “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;
14 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.”
13 “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;
13 “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;
14 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.”
God says that if you will not adhere to your own agenda on the Sabbath, but instead take delight in the Sabbath
God says that if you will not adhere to your own agenda on the Sabbath, but instead take delight in the Sabbath, you will be blessed.
What this means is to make the Sabbath a delight for all people.
To stop from doing all the things you need to get done and extend the grace and love of God to others.
All week long you are extending your boarders. You are growing your wallets and purses.
On Sabbath, God proclaims, lets focus on what truly matters. Those who are suffering. Those who have nothing.