"God's Sabbath"

Introduction:
God has had a lot of good ideas. Marriage, life, salvation, heaven, life beyond the grave – these were all God’s ideas. The Sabbath was God’s idea also.

Do you think it is His happiest day?

What was God’s original intention in giving mankind this gift in time?

Why did God give the Sabbath?

If you worship on Saturday, why do you? If you worship on Sunday, why do you?

If your neighbor asked you about the Sabbath, how would you respond? Could you give your answer from the Bible? Would you send them to your pastor? Would you just laugh it off?

Is the Sabbath still important to God?

Caution: One of the most difficult challenges in the world is the unplug your preconceived ideas, your cultural and family ties, your own wants – and come honestly, nakedly before God and His Word and seek His will. If you do this, the Bible will take on a whole new power in your life. It will truly become the Sword of the Spirit.

My job is NOT to tell you what to think, or do. My job is to raise the questions and challenge you to think biblically. I believe you are wanting to be all God wants you to be. Is the Sabbath truth God’s next step for you?

The Sabbath through the Bible…

1. At Creation…Genesis 2..1-3…given to Adam and Eve – before sin. Why? In the Sabbath God provided for them an opportunity to rest in Him.

That God blessed the seventh-day means that He set it apart for holy use – to enrich the divine-human relationship. God blessed and sanctified the seventh-day Sabbath because He rested on this day from all His work. He blessed and sanctified it for humanity, nor for Himself. It is His personal presence that brings to the Sabbath God’s blessing and sanctification.

2. At Sinai…Exodus 20.8-11… This act is picked up in the Ten Commandments, where God commanded His people to Remember it. Why would God want the Israelites to “remember” the Sabbath? It is the only one of the Ten that identifies the true God by giving His name: the Lord your God; His title: the One Who made – the Creator; and His territory – the heavens and earth. God made the Sabbath as a reminder or sign of His power and authority.

3. The second giving of the Law…Deuteronomy 5.12-15…God connects it to His redemptive work. Thus God associates the Sabbath to His creative and redemptive work. “Remember Me as your Creator AND Redeemer.

4. A sign of God’s Covenant…Ezekiel 20.12,20…and this “Old” covenant was a sign of His love (Deuteronomy 7.7) for this people.

5. During Christ’s ministry He claimed to be “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2.28). Remember that Scripture reveals Jesus to be the active Creator (1 Corinthians 8.6; Hebrews 1.1-2; John 1.3 Colossians 1.16). In time Christ associated the Sabbath with His redemptive as well as His creative work.  Christ’s two-fold role as Creator and Redeemer makes it obvious why He claimed that He was Lord of this day. His healing miracles and teachings on the Sabbath never did away with it, but He did try to straighten out the confused, legalistic Jewish traditions (Mark 7.8,13) that had taken the place of God’s principles. In fact, their traditions were hiding the character of God from the people. Throughout His earthly ministry Christ exemplified for us faithful Sabbath-keeping. It was “His custom” to worship on the Sabbath (Luke 4.16). Even in His death, He rested on His Sabbath (Luke 23.54).

6. The Sabbath and the Apostles…they greatly respected the Sabbath (Luke 23.56-24.1). Just like Jesus, they worshiped on the seventh-day Sabbath. It was Paul’s habit also (Acts 13.14; 17.1-2; 18.4). In Acts 13.42-44 even the Gentiles invited him to preach the Word of God to them on the Sabbath.

Summary…

Nowhere in the Bible are we commanded to observe any weekly day other than the seventh-day Sabbath. It declares no other weekly day “blessed” or “holy.” Nor does the New Testament indicate that God has changed the Sabbath to any other day of the week.

On the contrary, Scripture reveals that God intended that His people should observe the Sabbath throughout eternity (See Isaiah 66.22-23).

The Meaning of the Sabbath…

1.      A perpetual memorial of Creation

2.      A symbol of Redemption – Deut 5.15 connects the Sabbath not only as a memorial of creation, but also of Israel’s deliverance out of Egyptian bondage.
The Sabbath rest, reminding us of Christ’s rest in the tomb, the rest of victory over sin, offers to the Christian a tangible opportunity to accept and experience Christ’s forgiveness, peace, and rest.

3.      A sign of sanctification – it is a sign of God’s transforming power, a sign of holiness – or sanctification. (Exodus 31.13; Ezekiel 20.20). It is also a sign of God as Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that re-creates the soul in His likeness. True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character.

4.      A sign of loyalty – as Adam and Eve’s loyalty was tested by the tree of knowledge of good and evil, so every human being’s loyalty will be tested. The Sabbath command, placed in the midst of the Ten Commandments reveals our loyalty to God, or man. There will be a group of people just before Jesus comes back who will be obedient to ALL of God’s commandments.

5.      A time of fellowship – the Sabbath provides time to commune with God through worship, prayer, song, the study of His Word, through sharing the gospel with others, and fellowship with people and nature. It provides opportunity to experience God’s presence through companionship in a special way. We were made for companionship with God.

6.      A time of spiritual enrichment – it was given to mankind as God’s instrument of spiritual enrichment. It was designed by God to prevent spiritual discouragement. Week by week the seventh day comforts our conscience, assuring us that despite our unfinished characters we stand complete in Christ. His accomplishment at Calvary counts as our atonement.

Is your Sabbath worship experience a legitimate response to your Creator/Redeemer God? Why/why not?

Appeal: Ask God prayerfully, “What is Your will?” People say all kinds of things, but what does the Bible tell us. Is the Bible clear on the subject of the Sabbath? Am I really willing to do whatever pleases my heavenly Father?

What are you going to DO about God’s Sabbath? Think carefully, study God’s Word, and ask yourself, “What would my Father want me to do?”

If you are interested, we have another Study Guide on the Change of the Sabbath. If the Bible is clear on the Sabbath, then when and how did the Sabbath get changed from Saturday to Sunday? Did you know that the Bible predicted that there would be an attempted change?