Sabbath Overview and Christian Applications

We Start Here

Announcements:

We are still inviting you to gather at All American Chapel 1100 on Sunday. -

This Tuesday men’s group will meet at the Hospitality House 6pm

Dave and Jean Bobbey - are still moving into a new home, this turned out to be a bigger deal than we expected they only have their daughters helping this weekend.

Review and Introduction

Last week I introduced the ideas of the next series of lessons that I would like us to look at. We had very good questions raised, and awesome discussion. I think that we will be able to have a Friday to look at what the Bible teaches us on some of those areas that we brought up. The next series of lessons I wish to look practically how we live our faith out and what that may look like as it is informed from the word of God. I introduced Sabbath last week. This is an area that I have been studying and I think this week as I went back to take a fresh look at the topic that have a fresh and better understanding biblically.

Sabbath Instituted by God

Open your Bibles to Genesis 2:1-3, I get to begin our lesson tonight in Genesis.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. 2 On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.

This idea of God resting is introduced in the beginning of the second chapter. This day was special to look and remember the glory of God in his creation. This is before the fall of man in the garden.

Blessed

Holy - set it apart

Rest - not from exhausting or preparation, but from the work of creation.

Sabbath Commanded by God

We do not see any mention of rest or Sabbath until Exodus 16:26 when Moses was giving command to the Israel in regarding the harvest of manna.

(Although Abraham heard and obeyed the voice of God especially in worship)

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 16

For six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.

Of Course we see in the 10 commandments in Exodus 20:8-11

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 20

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

We see from the time of Moses on that there was law given to observation of the sabbath that accompanied with it consequences for not being followed. There were other days, and weeks and years that were to be designated for Sabbath. This was now a sign of the Covenant of Moses for the people of Israel to follow.

Then as we continue through Leviticus we see specifics on what and how to observe the Sabbath day. This was a time given to God’s people.

As a command of God there is blessing for obedince and punishment for disobedience.

Then Something Changed it all.

Jesus was accused of violating the law. He could not do this because it would have been a sin. Jesus had come to show that the law was incomplete in its ability to save men and bring them before God.

Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus - began his teaching on the sabbath right after this

God’s rest for us is faith in Christ alone! (This is an important lesson and Jeff will be teaching us next week)

The New Testament and the Sabbath-

There is no specific or alluded command to keep the Sabbath in the New Testament. The New Testament was a fulfillment of the OT and established a new covenant for us.

Saturday to Sunday

We see in the end of the Gospels and in the Book of Acts that the Apostles gathered and celebrated on the first day of the week. Why did they do this? The first day of the week was Sunday the day that Jesus, our savior, was resurrected. He appeared to the women in the garden on the Sunday Morning and the apostles that were gathered on the first day of the week. The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on pentecost, the first day of the week.

The Westminster Bible Dictionary Sabʹbath

Under the gospel the rest-day has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. This rest-day commemorates a greater deliverance than that of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, and introduces a new creation as well. The day in the seven is changed, but a day in seven has been observed from the first (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2; Rev. 1:10). Nor does the change of the day make any change in the spirit with which the day is to be kept

What did it look like?

Acts 2:42 CSB

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

The first day of the week was not the only time that they did this.

Acts 2:46 CSB

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,

The Lord’s Day

We see in

Revelation 1:10 CSB

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet

So what do we do?

Colossians 2:16 CSB

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.

There are no NT rules on sabbath keeping

Strict Sabbatarian