The Sabbath: Abiding Authority; Lawful Works

In this part of the sermon: Using a visual aid, Martin traces the history of the Sabbath from creation (Genesis 2) through Mosaic legislation (Sinai), rabbinic tradition, Christ's dismantling of tradition…

Martin uses a visual aid (a board with circles and blocks) to illustrate the historical development and changes of the Sabbath from creation, through Mosaic law, rabbinic tradition, Christ's ministry, and its new covenant reality as the Lord's Day.

of God that is here in seminal form in verses 27 and 28 with reference to the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest and worship. And what I'm going to do is I'm just going to pin this on top of the board and use a pointer. I hope to move the board forward so more of you can see it. And if you don't get everything, I hope you'll at least catch something of the overall thrust of what I'm attempting to do.

11:32 - 12:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin refutes attempts to use Calvin and John Bunyan to dismiss the Christian Sabbath's moral obligation, quoting Bunyan's catechism and personal testimony to show his conviction…

Martin quotes Bunyan's 'Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners' to show how Bunyan's first conviction of sin came from a sermon on the Fourth Commandment, specifically regarding Sabbath-breaking, illustrating the moral force of the commandment.

Now, let's go further. Bunyan says in his own treatment of this subject, I doubt not but some unto whom this book may come, have had sealed from God that the first day of the week is to be sanctified by the church to Jesus Christ. Not only from his testimony, which is and should be the ground of our practice, but also, now listen, for that the first conviction that the Holy Ghost made upon their consciences to make them know they were sinners began with them for the breaking this law. Which day by that same spirit was told them, was that now called the first day and not the day before, and the...

27:15 - 28:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And our Lord Jesus Christ has forever enshrined the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest and worship when he says in Mark chapter 2, The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

Martin recounts Bunyan's experience playing 'game of cat' on the Sabbath when a voice from heaven confronted him about his sins, further illustrating the Holy Spirit's use of the Fourth Commandment to bring conviction.

as I was in the midst of a game of cat, and I went to work, asking my English friends, what's a game of cat? And I found out. A game of cat is a game in which you have a little stick that's pointed, and then with something that would be like a shillelagh, like a baseball bat, you hit that stick, and it tips and flips up in the air, and while it's in the air, you try to hit it again. Now listen to what Bunyan says.

30:30 - 30:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And our Lord Jesus Christ has forever enshrined the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest and worship when he says in Mark chapter 2, The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

Martin quotes Alexander White, who attributed Paul's conviction to the Tenth Commandment, Augustine's to the Seventh, and Bunyan's to the Fourth, emphasizing the moral law's role in bringing sinners to Christ.

How did Bunyan come to faith? Old Alexander White said, We owe Paul to a sermon preached to him by the Holy Ghost on the Tenth Commandment. Romans 7, I had not known sin except the law said, Thou shalt not covet. He said, We owe Augustine to a sermon on the Seventh Commandment.

31:43 - 32:01 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that moderate involvement in cooking, changing diapers, personal hygiene, and essential services (hospitals, utilities, farming) are lawful works of necessity.

Martin uses the analogy of cows needing to be milked daily, and not having a 'two-day button,' to illustrate that some works are a necessity because God made the world and its creatures to function in certain ways, justifying works of necessity on the Sabbath.

But even if more work were needed in order to meet basic physical necessities, our Lord says that works of necessity are proper on God's appointed day of rest. Therefore, moderate involvement in the cooking of meals, the changing of diapers, taking showers and other matters of personal cleanliness and hygiene, perfectly appropriate. Those who are involved in such institutions as hospitals and the maintenance of power companies, communication systems, the milking of cows, the feeding of livestock and animals, all of this comes under that heading, works of necessity. So the day of rest was made ...

40:12 - 41:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that moderate involvement in cooking, changing diapers, personal hygiene, and essential services (hospitals, utilities, farming) are lawful works of necessity.

He references the manna falling in double portion before the Sabbath and not breeding worms, contrasting it with other days, to show God's provision for Sabbath rest while acknowledging natural necessities.

God didn't make cows that way. Now he could have. He made the manna fall in double portion the day before the Sabbath. Didn't he?

41:11 - 41:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your conscience regarding activities like professional sports or leisure on the Lord's Day, asking if they are truly works of necessity.

Martin provides examples of activities like professional sports (baseball, football) and lying on beaches listening to 'jungle music' to highlight what are clearly not works of necessity, challenging the conscience of listeners.

Now fully realizing that people can rationalize I'm fully conscious but surely dear people is there anyone prepared to say that 18 grown men out on a ball field in front of 35,000 hitting a little white ball on the Lord's day is a work of necessity? Anyone prepared to say when 22 overgrown bullies butt one another's heads for three hours on Sunday afternoon 11 months out of the year that that's a work of necessity? Anyone prepared to say that people lying by the thousands and millions on our beaches today half naked listening to their jungle music is a work of necessity? I leave it to your con...

42:36 - 43:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in social interaction with the needy, minister comfort, care for the hospitalized, and respond to emergency needs as works of mercy.

Jesus' illustration of pulling an animal out of a ditch on the Sabbath is used to show that even the Pharisees understood the principle of mercy, which should extend even more to humans made in God's image.

To save a life or to kill? Here is a man with a shriveled up withered hand all the life has gone out of it I ask you Pharisees what can there be in the nature of this day made for man's well-being abiding the radical intrusion of sin surrounded with specific Mosaic legislation even now being stripped of Pharisaic and Rabbinic tradition even now its types and shadows being fulfilled in my own saving work on behalf of sinners I ask you Pharisees can it be a violation of the whole spirit and intention of that day that I should take a man's shriveled hand and make it whole that in this very synago...

43:56 - 45:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Use the Sabbath time for reading God's word, quality family time, catechizing children, and walks in creation, thinking biblically about God's world.

Martin humorously notes how some people can easily nap on Sunday afternoons, suggesting it's a 'secondary proof' that God made humans to live in seven-day cycles, reinforcing the natural need for Sabbath rest.

under the framework of divine mandate that I shall begin to keep it in a way that is pleasing to God I sought to establish the abiding authority for God's appointed day and I sought to describe from scripture the lawful works to be performed on God's day works of piety works of necessity works of mercy nothing pleases God more than when his day is looked upon not as a day to come to church and then sleep the rest of the afternoon and stagger half awake to the evening service yes we may need that nap and isn't it amazing how some of us who can't sleep too well on any other afternoon it's like t...

52:38 - 54:07 Read in full sermon