Sermon Number 2

What Ever Happened to the Sabbath Day?

Exodus 20: 8-11:

            “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy. Six days shall thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shall not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and he rested on the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed in it.”  What can we do to keep the Sabbath Day, Holy?  Well, the answer is simple, we can go to church every Sunday morning and pray, and then God will take care of the rest.  Unfortunately, a lot of us work for businesses that no longer understand what the Sabbath day is. So, it’s up to us as Christians, to bring the meaning of God, and the Sabbath day back to the workplace, because the sooner we do that, the better off we’ll all be. Know what I mean? Our lives will be a lot easier if we just speak up about God, and the Sabbath day and how incredibly important to us it really is. God doesn’t want us to have to work on the Sabbath day, instead, he wants us to do Godly things on this specific day, and since it’s always up to him, he wants us to do more of those things all throughout the week and also on the Sabbath day (the day of rest). This is because all of this means so much to him. What are you waiting for? Go out and do it, start right now. You’ll be amazed at what happens next, trust him, and go do it. That’s what I did, if I can do it, then so can you. Don’t be afraid.  Can I get an amen? Amen!

            In addition to the above verses, I have to say that I couldn’t agree more with what they’re saying.  The above verses are really speaking to me lately because I have been stuck working an awful lot of Sundays recently, and I absolutely hate it.  I’d so much rather be in church, worshiping  and praising God, rather  than being stuck at work, and having to deal with disgruntled customers and associates and whatnot.  It’s not that I dislike them, it’s just the fact that they don’t know what the true meaning of the Sabbath day is, because unfortunately, a whole lot of them don’t know and understand God, like we, as Christians do, and it’s just really sad to me, because they don’t exactly know how to live their lives in a happy, healthy, positive way, like we do.  They haven’t truly lived until they really know and understand what life with God is all about, like we all do.

        In agreement to the above paragraph,   John 9:14-16 says this: “And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He had said unto them, he put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.  Therefore said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God, because he kept not the Sabbath day. Others said, how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”  In other words, it is telling us this: “The Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, was the weekly holy day of rest.  The Pharisees had made a long list of certain do’s and don’ts regarding the Sabbath.  Kneading the clay and healing the man were considered work and therefore were forbidden.  Jesus may have made the clay in order to emphasize his teaching about the Sabbath-which it is right to care for other’s needs even if it involves working on a day of rest.   In my own words, I think that what this is trying to tell us is that although , it is the Sabbath day (day of rest), you should still help others with their own needs, even if it means that you have to give up your Sunday, for someone or something more important than your own needs on that certain day.  Also, Mark 2:8-11 says this: “And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, why reason ye these things in your hearts?  Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise! Take up thy bed and walk?  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise, arise and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.  And immediately he arose, and took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, we never saw it on this fashion.”  In other words, it is telling us this: “Before saying to the palsied man, “Arise,” Jesus said, “thy sins are forgiven thee.”  To the Jewish leaders this was blasphemy-claiming to do something only God could do. According to the Law, the punishment for this sin was death.  The religious leaders understood correctly that Jesus was claiming divine prerogatives, but their judgment was wrong.  Jesus was not blaspheming; his claim was true.  Jesus is God, and he proved his point by healing the man with palsy.  This is the first time in Mark that Jesus calls himself the “Son of man,” a title emphasizing that Jesus is fully human. The title, Son of God, emphasizes that he is fully God.  As God’s Son, Jesus has the authority to forgive sin.  As a man, he can identify with our deepest needs and sufferings and he is the only one who can help us overcome our sins.” Agreed? I think so!