Sabbath: God's Amazing Gift Exodus 20: 8-11
Notes
Transcript
We come this morning to the 4th commandment about the Sabbath.
The Sabbath raises many questions.
What is the Sabbath? How do we obey the Sabbath? Was it just for the Jewish people? Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday? What if we have to work on Sunday? Does it even need to be obeyed?
Well meaning Christians have often found it a difficult command to agree upon. We love Chariots of Fire. We are inspired by E. Liddell’s choice not to run on Sunday.
But we may find ourselves frustrated because as a productive people we want every day to count… that includes Sunday. Some even resist God for this reason.
So the Sabbath can be...difficult, confusing and maybe even frustrating.
We know it is still part of God’s Law…fulfilled/completed/perfected and transformed by Christ…
So If the Sabbath is “fulfilled” in Christ what does it mean for you and me?
First some PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS about this command…Exodus 20:8-11
It is the longest of the 10…more is said about this command than all others…
Observing the Sabbath mentioned 11x in Pentateuch, (more than other commands) 100+x in O.T.
Key Word: “Remember”…is more than just bringing to mind…action based…recollect and practice.
Key Word: “Sabbath”...in Hebrew, means “to cease or rest”. It is the ceasing day…the stopping day. In an agrarian society, resting meant…“Sit down and don’t worry about the fields.”
Key Word: “Holy” ...set apart for sacred use…consecrate for the purpose of God.Key: “Labor”…God designed us to work...giving us 6 days to do our work.
Everyone is to enjoy the Sabbath…No work to be done.We obviously cannot ignore this commandment or skip over it or try to explain it away.
What does the Bible have to say about the Sabbath for you and for me today?
1. The SABBATH in the OLD Testament...
“God blessed the seventh day and made it holy… [God MADE the Sabbath]God instituted the Sabbath by resting…not because He was tired (He is God!), but because the work was finished.
Genesis 2:1-3 Reason for the Sabbath: God’s Creative Work was Finished…
Exodus 16:22-30 Before Sinai God told His people to “collect 2 days worth of manna on the sixth day, and rest on the seventh.”
Exodus 16:22-30 Reason for the Sabbath: Teaching His people to TRUST Him.
Deuteronomy 5:15 Reason for the Sabbath: Remember your Redemption…“Remember…you were a slave in Egypt.”
Leviticus 23:3 Reason for the Sabbath: Assembly for Worship of God…= a holy convocation/sacred assembly…a day to gather for worship. Rest from your work and worship the LORD. Trust Him..
Exodus 31:12-17 Reason for the Sabbath = a SIGN that God SANCTIFIES His people…a sign of God’s covenant with Moses. I.e. That the world may know God is working in and thru His people.
Isaiah 58:13-14 Reason for the Sabbath = it is a DELIGHT because we delight in the Lord.
2. The SABBATH in the NEW Testament…
In the Gospels, Jesus was in conflict with the scribes and Pharisees over the Sabbath. Over the centuries the Sabbath had been twisted and changed and added to...man made laws. Jesus did not break the Sabbath command...but He did break traditions/customs added to the Sabbath.
Mark 2:23-28 the disciples pick heads of grain, and Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man.” It’s okay to get something to eat.” Further, He will say that Mark 2:23-28 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
Mark 3:1ff Jesus heals a man with a shrivelled hand…Mark 3:1ff Jesus did good works on the Sabbath.
Luke 13:10-18 Jesus freed people on the Sabbath.
Luke 14:1-6 Jesus healed people on the Sabbath. So on the Sabbath Jesus did good works, He freed people…healed…it seems Jesus was blowing up the traditions of the Jewish Sabbath…He did not disobey it. Remember He was without sin.
Romans 14:5-6…Paul is clear…not to quarrel over opinions...teaching Jewish Christians how to live with Gentile Christians. Jewish believers syncing Mosaic law with life of faith in Christ. i.e.foods and festivals. His point being: Do not judge each other. Be fully convinced in mind. (parent essential)
Colossians 2:16-17 Paul is talking about how the old written code, the record of debt…has been nailed to the cross. The part of the law that once condemned us has been completely abolished in Jesus Christ. v.16-17 The Sabbath is a SHADOW of things to come. Points us to the eternal rest found only in Christ.
So what about “the Lord’s Day”? In the NT the first day after Sabbath became known as the Lord’s Day.
See: Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1-2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1. The Lord’s Day began because of the resurrection! From then on the Church met to worship on the first day (See: Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev.1:10
“Christ took the Sabbath into the grave with Him and brought the Lord’s Day out of the grave with Him on the resurrection morn.” B.B. Warfield
So, How do we APPLY this? Do we still need to obey this command? Jesus says Yes. Matthew 5:17
Remember what we said about the Sabbath in the OT...it is a STOP/REST...God modelled it...a matter of trust...remembering our deliverance...worship together...sign of God working in His people...delight in Him.
The Mosaic law...Sabbath was a shadow...but Jesus Christ is the substance...He fulfilled the Law.
JESUS FULFILLS THE SABBATH...Jesus showed us the fullest, deepest meaning of the Sabbath
There are certain practical principles of the Sabbath rest that remain for us:
PRINCIPLE #1 The PRIORITY of a Day to GATHER for WORSHIP …
It is an appropriate habit for one day of the week to be set aside for worship.
The Sabbath for God’s people…a day of holy assembly…prayer, instruction in the Word, fellowship.
We see this clearly in the N.T. as well as in the early church. They made it a priority.
Do you make corporate worship a priority? We are here this morning! Thankful to be here.
I hope that you know the need to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection with your brothers and sisters.
I would even say that CORPORATE WORSHIP…is even more important than that of private worship.
Hebrews 10:25 warns “…not to neglect meeting together…but encouraging one another…”
I understand how challenging it is for families with young children to get everyone ready to attend.
This many times will remove the REST element from the day.
Whatever we do…we are to be careful to make the priority for Sunday the day to worship together.
Scriptures back this up...it ought to be priority for believers.
Parents…there is great eternal value in teaching your children the eternal value of the Lord’s Day.
In a world that is constantly moving…stuff will not stop...so many things cause the soul to shrivel…
The soul needs to be fed…it is imperative we teach our children the timeless value of that one day.
Is there a more important pattern to teach our children…than gathering with God’s people for worship?
Sunday is the day that the Lord has given you to attend to your soul. He says, “Here is 1 day in 7 to attend to your soul, gather with God’s people, come, worship, grow, and be nourished.”
God understands that you have to eat. He understands you have a job to do...homework.
PRINCIPLE #2 TRUST God Enough to Rest…
The second principle is to TRUST God, in Christ, to stop one day out of seven and rest…cease work.
It was meant to be a day of gladness, not of gloom, but God’s people have not always seen it as such:
Amos 8:5 “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale…” What God meant to bless...they turned it into an onerous obligation.
5 saying, “When will the new moon be over,
that we may sell grain?
And the Sabbath,
that we may offer wheat for sale,
that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great
and deal deceitfully with false balances,
The Sabbath was meant to be a blessing…an expression of trust…something for our good.
That’s why Jesus said: “The Sabbath was made for man.” God would not give us something to harm us.
You know how busy your life is (lockdown or not), it’s overwhelmingly busy, crowded.
“Sabbath” …the ceasing/stopping/resting day… “Sit down and don’t worry about the fields.”
God knows…how hard it is for us to slow down and stop. “My people won’t rest unless I tell them to.”
God wants to bless you with this day. It is not a punishment. He wants to bless you!
He made the Sabbath for man...not man for the Sabbath.”
PRINCIPLE #3 Simply to REST in Jesus Christ…
This may be the most important... Hebrews 4:8-11,
The writer of Hebrews has been writing about how God set before His people a “rest”!
But they chose NOT to trust God’s promised rest...instead they chose their own way.
Even though God had repeatedly and graciously given His people rest...when wandering in the wilderness…came to Elim…rested by the palm trees...in the wilderness...
So Hebrews 4:9 tells us: “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” What is that rest?
It is to STOP/CEASE from our flawed, sinful works and rest solely in Christ.
Jesus invites: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
What burdens are you carrying?
Trying to prove yourself?...trying to earn other peoples acceptance? ...earn your own righteousness?...Sorrows...Cares and Heart-aches...worries/concerns in this life? Jesus Christ...our Sabbath says: STOP!Stop! Trying to find approval from others...we forget God’s grace.We are already accepted in Christ...not on our own efforts/merits...but on Christ alone!Stop! Trying to show the world that you’re worth something! That you’re valuable, loved and okay!You don’t have to prove anything! You are in Christ! You are valuable...loved and...treasured!Stop! Wearing yourself out on your foolish quest for your own righteousness...Stop! Doubting God’s promises...and trust Him.What burden are you carrying? Can you trust God with it?
v.11 We must strive to enter the rest...we have to fight the fight of faith, to trust God...this can be hard.
Resting in Christ...can be the hardest work you have.
Sabbath rest is about making Jesus Christ the centre of who we are…
True rest can only be found ...when we cease from our vain attempts and rest solely in Christ.
Can you hear Jesus say, “Come to Me and rest”?
