Discover what God intended the Sabbath to accomplish.
SHOW NOTES
The Questions of life:
Where do I belong?
Am I loved? Am I valued?
The Sabbath answers all these questions
Weekly Cycle: Independent of cosmic cycles Attempts at 10 day cycle
Universal: India, China, Africa, Europe, Australia, America’s, Middle-East Where from? Why are Friday & Sunday connected?
Said good words Filled with God God’s Commitment
No commands for man God rested from work to be with man. What does this imply?
The days of Creation:
Environment 1st: Light & darkness 2nd: Water & air 3rd: Land, vegetation 7th: Inhabited by 4th: Sun, moon, stars 5th: Fish & birds
6th: Animals & Man
7th:
Environment 1st: Light & darkness 2nd: Water & air 3rd: Land, vegetation 7th: Sabbath Inhabited by 4th: Sun, moon, stars 5th: Fish & birds 6th: Animals & Man 7th: God The days of Creation:
A space-in-time is necessary for any relationship. We need sheltered time if we want the unexpected to happen. The Sabbath is yours to enjoy (Mk 2:28).
Objection 1: SABBATH WAS ONLY FOR THE JEWS
Were only Jews created? Was marriage only for Jews? Sabbath is the Lord’s: (Gen 2:1-4; Ex 20:5; 31:13; Isa 56:4, 6; 58:13; Mt 12:8; Mk 2:27, 28) Sabbath for foreigners and eunuchs (Isa 56:3) Everything given to the Jews was for all people (Marriage/Jubilee/Quarantine/Justice)
Objection 2: There is no command to keep Sabbath before Exodus 16. Sabbath only for Jews!
No command against murder before flood (Gen 9:4-6) No command to honour parents before Sinai (Ex 20:9) No command for Marriage Ceremonies in the Bible! 1 Timothy 1:9 “We know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels . . .”
Objection 2: There is no command to keep Sabbath before Exodus 16. Sabbath only for Jews!
Ten commandments only appear in Exodus 20– (3000 to 4000 years after Creation) John the Baptist was a Jew, baptizing Jews. Jesus lived and died a Jew but died for all! Sabbath command: “Remember the Sabbath” means it comes from Creation! Basing one’s life on commands is not a relational life Vase analogy.
Objection 3: The Sabbath commandment is never repeated in the NT. All the others are! (Argument from silence)
Esther and SoS do not mention God but are part of Bible No direct command for general monogamy in Bible 1st General Council’s letter in Acts 15:20 says nothing about Jesus Christ. Circumcision is a well documented change. Not even a hint about a change of the Sabbath! (Argument from silence)
“The Sabbath was an institution too central to Judaism for it to have been tampered with without provoking hostile reaction and persecution, but there’s no record of persecution on this account.”
(A.T. Lincoln, From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: a Biblical and Theological Perspective, From Sabbath to Lord’s Day, ed. Carson, p. 365.)
The naming of the days in the NT indicate a Sabbath focus. The NT was written after the crucifixion. Friday: Sixth day Gr. paraskeue – preparation (Mt 27:62; Mk 15:42; Lk 23:54; Jn 19:31) Gr. prosabbaton – before Sabbath (Mk 15:42)Sunday: First day Gr. mia Sabbaton – First after the Sabbath (Mt 28:1; Mk 16:2, 9; Lk 24:1; Jn 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2)
The Portuguese language follows the Church/Latin names for the days of the week: prima feria – Sunday – First day after “day of rest” secunda feria—Monday—Second day after . . . tertia feria— Tuesday—Third day . . . quarta feria—Wednesday—Fourth day . . . quinta feria—Thursday—Fifth day . . . sexta feria—Friday—Sixth day . . .(parasceve) Sabbatum—Sabbath (Sunday—Domingo)
Objection 4: Jesus did all sorts of miracles on the Sabbath day to indicate a change to Sunday worship was coming. Jesus argued for the Sabbath from: its origin in Eden, O.T. laws and history, the Later Prophets, Providence, Reason, Conscience and from the Lordship of the day.
Objection 4: Jesus did all sorts of miracles on the Sabbath day to indicate a change to Sunday worship was coming.
Sabbath was a confrontation point for Jesus in the gospels because of man’s restrictions and is: Mentioned more than baptism More than communion More than circumcision
Objection 5: Sunday celebrates the freedom of salvation.
The Sabbath the restrictions of law. Sunday observance borrowed from Sabbath observance. (French and Bolshevik Revolutions)
Sabbath celebrates: 1. Creation (Gen 2:1-4; Ex 20:11); 2. Redemption from sin/slavery (Ex 31:13; Dt 5:15); 3. God’s love and care (Mk 2:28)
Objection 5: Sunday celebrates the freedom of salvation.
The Sabbath the restrictions of law. The Resurrection is celebrated by baptism (Rom 6:3-5) Foot washing is baptism’s reminder (John 13:10) Jesus challenged the 616 depressing, human restrictions for the Sabbath and restored it to a CELEBRATION of JOY!
Objection 6. The Sabbath is a shadow of Christ.
Sunday is the reality. The sacrificial system and circumcision were shadows But the Sabbath is an Eternal Celebration of Christ: 1. As Creator (John 1:3; Col 1:16). Christ works, man rests on his first full day! 2. As Redeemer (Ephesians 1:3,4) Christ accomplished salvation—we rest in it! Sunday & Friday worship borrow seven without cause.
Consequences of non-Sabbath Worship:
1. The day becomes an hour. Stress of 24x7. 2. Increase in Christian violence (Sabbatarians are mostly Pacifists) 3. The Creator is diminished (Evolution accepted) 4. The Creature is exalted (Adventists only significant group for 6 day Creation.) 5. Opens oneself to Babylonian thinking!
What is the best Sabbath day you have ever experienced?
Celebrating the Sabbath
Rejoice & Rest in the LORD—Worship
Rejoice in your life
Rejoice with your family
Rejoice with your friends
The Questions of life:
Where do I belong? Part of the Royal Family Am I loved? More than you will ever know Am I valued? God gave his Son for you!
Consequences of non-Sabbath Worship:
1. The day becomes an hour. Stress of 24x7. 2. Increase in Christian violence (Sabbatarians are mostly Pacifists) 3. The Creator is diminished 4. The Creature is exalted (Adventists only significant group for 6 day Creation.) 5. Opens oneself to Babylonian
Top 19th Century Humanists Freud Darwin Marx
God claims Worship because He Created Everything Evolution challenges God’s power to create ex nihlo (Out of nothing) Evolution is seen to be winning in government, media, schools and culture! Evolution is afraid of Creationism. (Creationism not allowed in schools.)
Evolution versus Love Violence versus Vulnerability
Evolution versus Love Survival of the fittest vs Survival of the kindest Darwin’s 1859 title implies Racism and Sexism
On the ORIGIN OF SPECIES by
Means of Natural Selection,
or
the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.
“It may be quite true that some negroes are better than some white men; but no rational man, cognisant of the facts, believes that the average Negro is the equal, still less the superior, of the white man.” Thomas Huxley (1825-1895)
“The negro stock is even more ancient than the Caucasian and Mongolian. The standard of intelligence of the average negro is similar to that of the eleven- year-old youth of the species Homo sapiens.” The Evolution of the Human Races. Natural History, April, 1980.
“The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is shown by man’s attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes up, than can woman—whether requiring deep thought, reason, or imagination, or merely the use of the senses and hands . . . The average mental power in man must be above that of woman.... Man has ultimately become superior to woman.” Charles Darwin: TDM:873-874
Evolution is the opposite of Love Survival of the fittest not the kindest Darwin’s Racism Darwin’s Sexism Industrialists of Britain Modern Genocide (Hitler, Stalin . . .)
Francis Galton Pioneer in “eugenics,” a term he coined. This is the study of human- engineered evolution. Sir Francis Galton (1822 - 1911)
In the Creation story:
God dies because of love for His creatures. All morality is based on God’s love. Inspired guidance (Bible) Salvation originates in God’s love Future with your Lover
In the Evolution story:
Survival by brawn and wit and luck. No morality, no beauty only force & deception! No salvation, no personal future.
Exodus 31:13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’”
The Sabbath Sign: 7th
The Sabbath symbolizes God’s intention for us. It is a reminder of everlasting, intimate friendship. It is a weekly reminder of His heart for us. We do not keep, we enjoy the Sabbath! The Sabbath keeps us!
Isaiah 58:13 - 14
If you cease abusing the Sabbath
principle
—
justice and refrain from all kinds of
that is, if you attend to
oppression; if you make the practice of just principles your delight, not imposing your own will, or serving
your selfish interests
—
take delight in the Lord, and I will
then you shall
make you ride upon the heights of the earth.
“God makes you holy through the Sabbath:”
1. Worship/Exalt God 2. Love your Family 3. Bring Joy to Others