I have been reading in Exodus as one of my quiet time passages, and recently read the part about being put to death for not honoring the Sabbath.That got my attention. I know that we are not under the old law anymore. But it still seems to be a pretty significant principle throughout both the old and new testaments. There are two clear commands for that day: to worship and to rest.
I'm not so sure we really honor the sabbath in our society today. I started thinking about all the ways that the subtleties of the world have crept into our sabbath observance.
I'd like to say that I have never shopped on a Sunday. But I can't. It's just so easy to "run by the store and grab a gallon of milk." And what about eating out, which is something we do mainly on Sundays? Aren't we causing others to work on Sunday by doing so?
Then there is the issue of sporting events. In our area, as kids get older, most of the competitive sports leagues have games on Sunday afternoon. And it is definitely true for college-level athletes.
What about professional sports? We live in an NFL city. What about attending Steeler games? NASCAR races? Golf tournaments? Marathons?
Then there is the issue of church. How many of you find yourselves so busy on Sundays with meetings, choir practices, wedding/baby showers, lesson preparation and so many church events that it ends up being a day of exhaustion rather than a day of rest?
Another issue is movies, television, music and the internet. How careless are we with what we fill our minds with? Joke about? Do we "check out" of our spiritual mode after leaving church, and then assume we can do whatever we please?
Where do we draw the line? Have we, like the Israelites, become so "comfortable" with the culture around us that we have adopted their heathen practices? Are we breaking this commandment without even realizing it?
I don't have the answers. I am still asking these questions myself.
But as I've been reading through the Old Testament, it struck me how much things have stayed the same. The children of Israel went through cycles of following God wholeheartedly, then slowly slipping into the practices of the idolatrous culture around them. Sometimes when I read about their sin, I want to ask them, "how can you forget your God so easily, when you have SEEN His faithfulness, and He has provided for you over and over again?"
Yet aren't we exactly the same? We have seen His faithfulness, and He has provided daily for us. We also have something the Israelites did not have. We have the living, active Word of God to hold in our hands and to read and study personally. So we really are without excuse.
What do you think it means to honor the Sabbath? I would like to hear your thoughts.
Isaiah 58:13-14 "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."
14 comments:
I here what you are saying -- and due to the nature of what i do -- many times i'm asked to work on sunday's - either with groups that come to the mission -- which at times is some of our groups - college students -- or speaking at churches -- which may not seem like work - but it does take me away from my local body that i'm a member of -- here's my resolution -- not saying it's right - but it's what God gave me to give me comfort in that i'm honoring in with my days -- i may not get a sunday or what some call sabbath every week -- nor do i get a true day off - like i know some of you don't -- but i do take spaces of time -- a few hours here and there where i hide away from the mission, collegiate ministry, my family -- all those pulling at me -- i turn my phones off or ignore them - stay in bed, read, go to my church or my bathroom and praise God through song - go to a park spend time with Him in His creation -- that's my sabbath -- for years we have all joked at geneva about how stern the rp's are on their sabbath stuff -- some i agree with - but to elavate a particular day over another - esp. when sunday's is not the true jewish sabbath - seem legalisic to me -- it's all about the spirit - the heart - of the law -not the letter of the law -- again - that's my take -- to me as long as i'm honoring God with all of my time - not just one day - that's what matters most.
francie
If we're so concerned about being true to the Sabbath, then we need to scrap Sunday and worship and rest on Saturday, which is the true Sabbath. Sunday is the westernized day of worship or "church" day.
i don't think that's what kiki was getting at -- i'm thinking it's more of when do we rest and truely worship if all we are doing is running and feel our lives up with busyness - even if it's a good busyness -- at one time i would have argued that one doesn't need to have church just on sunday morning nor do we need to dress up - put our pretty cloths on so to speak -- but that was just my defiant nature -- but as i allow myself to be surrendered to God more -- i'm seeing it's not about the time, day, look - but more about the heart -- i need to be willing set time aside to fellowship/worship/be taught/ and to challenge other members of the body of Christ - and for most - me included - that happens on sunday's - in the climate of their church families -- that's not the only place it should happen - but it's a good place to start -- even the scripture encourages us not to forsake the assembly of the body -- and my dress - well - for me it's not anymore about just putting my pretty cloths on but more of an outward expressing myself towards a holy God -- i desire to give and do my best - to present myself holy and acceptable -- i want to inside to match my outside -- there are sunday's when i'm tired - both phsically and emotinally - and i would not be honoring God by just going through the motions and doing the church thing -- so, i don't go - oh my - shoot my now! - but instead i may again - have my own church - either by watching a tv preacher i like - listening to music - going somewhere or staying home and doing my own reading - journally - etc. - i've allowed God to refresh me and love on me rather than putting my pretty cloths on for show - agai - but one sinner saved by wonderful Grace point of view
As has already been pointed out, Christians haven't worshipped on the Sabbath in about two millennia; instead, they worship on the first day of the week--the Lord's Day.
Col 2:16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
The learned Dr. Gill says, emphasis mine, in commentary on this verse:
Or of the sabbath days, or "sabbaths"; meaning the jubilee sabbath, which was one year in fifty; and the sabbath of the land, which was one year in seven; and the seventh day sabbath, and some copies read in the singular number, "or of the sabbath"; which were all peculiar to the Jews, were never binding on the Gentiles, and to which believers in Christ, be they who they will, are by no means obliged; nor ought they to observe them, the one any more than the other; and should they be imposed upon them, they ought to reject them; and should they be judged, censured, and condemned, for so doing, they ought not to mind it...It is the general sense of that people, that the sabbath was peculiarly given to the children of Israel; and that the Gentiles, strangers, or others, were not punishable for the neglect and breach of it; that it is a special and an additional precept, which, with some others, were given them at Marah, over and above the seven commands, which the sons of Noah were only obliged to regard...
Not to say that spending the Lord's Day worshipping the Lord isn't what we are supposed to do! Just that we shouldn't worry too much about, say, taking a job that keeps us on one Sunday in four (like some restaurant jobs), nor should we be condemning of those who work such jobs.
Dan,
I find your comment intriguing in light of a comment Joe Thorn had made to me on another blog.
He said, "For many, most in the Reformed tradition, the Sunday example is settled biblically. I would not allow my kids to play on a team on Sundays. I am not a pragmatist, so the potential good coming from something does not outweigh God's command."
You reformed guys really confuse me. Just when I think I'm starting to figure you out......
: )
Thanks for the reading recommendation. I found Dr. Gill's quote really interesting. Challenged me to think in a different direction. I had not looked at it in light of that being a command simply for the Israelites.
It was this very time last year that my wife and I attended a spiritual retreat outside of Colorado Springs, CO at a place called Sonscape (I highly recommend it to anyone in ministry.) The main emphasis was on observing the sabbath (not necessarily Sunday) and maintaining a balance to one's life and ministry. We were both "guilty" on all accounts of breaking the sabbath and not setting aside a day of rest, nor did we at the time have much of a balance to our lives. After a week up in the Rockies we finally got it into our heads that REST is very important--a change of pace from daily activities. A day set aside to direct our thoughts towards the Lord and rest in Him. We are still inconsistent in our practice of observing the sabbath, but we are much more aware of it's critical role in our lives than ever before. Good post!
You reformed guys really confuse me.
If I had to gamble, Kiki, I would give three to one odds that you would officially qualify as a four-pointer yourself--most Southern Baptists do, even if they don't know the lingo. So, considering that for the most part that would make you "reformed" in theology, are you any less confused?
Don't let it bother you. I've spent most of my life confused, and I don't think it's hurt me none.
Dan,
If I had to nail down what I am, I would probably say a 3 1/2 pointer.
And yes....you're right. Confusion doesn't hurt. Keeps it interesting. And fun. : )
So......if a tree fell in the forest, and no-one was predestined to be there and hear it, would it still land on the passing squirrel anyway?
Off topic but the comments are heading this way:
Why is there an obsession with what # -pointer you are?
(Ducking for cover)
And why should a person's identity be found in what particular view of salvation they have? Did Paul claim to be a Calvinist? Or even better was Jesus a Calvinist?
(Really ducking for cover now)
Seriously I'm just having a little tongue-in-cheek fun. The issue is the Sabbath. Jesus said it was made for man. Kiki, don't be legalistic just figure out a way to take a day of the week and enjoy it in a restful manner. WHatever that means to you.
Kiki, God fore-ordained the death of that squirrel.
I looked hard for Joe Thorn's post on the Lord's Day and the Sabbath from the last year, but I sure couldn't find it. Plus it's awkward looking through other people's archives. Anyway, I don't know where I stand on the issue, and may never. Right now, I guess I've got bigger theological issues to deal with. (Still dealing with that election thing, what can I say?)
In my opinion, the reason you find so much dust-up in the blogosphere over soteriology is that so many people develop an opinion before they really do the work. It's not so much that people find an identity through their soteriology as it is that they constantly hear the most incredible misunderstandings of their position--often stated as accusations--and feel compelled to point those things out.
I once heard someone say "The Bible teaches the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. I teach both." That seems to me to be a pretty common Baptist position, I'm fine with it--and I can't help but note that there are few, if any, Calvinists that have ever said anything different. But are they represented as having said something different? Boy howdy!
You know we really shouldn't do anything on SATURDAY that is sabbath so we can work on sunday if do don't do anything on saturday... right,
I believe we should individually choose a day and dedicate it to the LORD and then rest on that day whether it be Sunday, Monday... or Saturday.
I unfortunatly have been breaking this rule I have for me a lot with my Job requiring me to work on sundays and so on. so maybe *thoughtful expression* we could dedicate the work to the Lord on that day and give the money we make to the Lord
maybe that would work, think about it before you disagree with me
Michael
Kiki,
You're right, we are not under the law, it only points out our inept ability to ever do everything according to the law. But, that doesn't mean we should disregard the law either. The Apostle Paul talks in circles about this paradigm shift.
I like the way Solomon says it:
""There is a time for everything under the sun"."
Rather than be legalistic about it, which will always only condemn us, let's just make sure we're honoring God with our lives every day, and part of giving Him honor should be some planned time for rest - other than when we're sleeping, some time to really get away and soak in the holiness of the Lord.
Thankfully, Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
All the Sabbath represented in the Old Covenant is fulfilled in Christ.
Jesus satisfies and in His presence is rest 24/7.
Now that I've sounded like I've got it together...let me just say that my belief doesn't always get matched by my practice.
I need to trust Him and walk with Him more closely.
Thanks for posing the question.
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