The Sabbath: Positive Duties/Privileges, Part 1

In this part of the sermon: The first positive duty and privilege of the Lord's Day is presented as the 'conscious marking out of the day.' Martin expounds 'remember' from Exodus 20 and 'observe' from…

The story of the chief butler forgetting Joseph in prison, then later remembering his faults, illustrates the meaning of 'remember' as calling something to present consciousness, not merely having it stored in memory.

A couple of usages. Of this word. In the book of Genesis itself. In Genesis chapter 40.

18:31 - 18:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: As with no other of the ten words. There is in the fourth commandment. A concrete external visible dimension. Which makes rationalization about this command. More difficult than with any other commandment.

Martin contrasts the first, fifth, and seventh commandments (which can be broken internally without external knowledge) with the fourth commandment, which has a tangible, external dimension, making its violation evident to others.

Take the first commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. When we read that covetousness is idolatry.

28:14 - 28:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Demonstrate your love for God by desiring to keep His commandments, particularly the fourth commandment, as it reveals the heart's disposition.

The example of a man whose typical weekday morning routine (coffee, paper, news) is radically altered on the Lord's Day to prioritize spiritual activities, demonstrating a conscious marking out of the day.

For instance. Here's the man that his pattern every morning is. To stagger out of bed. Head by way of the bathroom.

29:51 - 29:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that the fourth commandment has a concrete, external dimension that makes rationalization difficult, serving as an index of a person's love for God and the level of…

Contrasting a man's Saturday activities (gardening, pool) with his Lord's Day activities, showing how his whole pattern is marked by remembering and guarding God's day.

Unlike his Saturday. When he may putter around in the garden. And take an hour or two. To go to the local pool.

31:22 - 31:28 Read in full sermon

Driving home: One of the most tangible. And immediate fruits. Of the outpouring of the spirit. Is precisely here. Man begin to keep with joy. A strict Sabbath. Unto the Lord.

Martin notes that throughout church history, a tangible and immediate fruit of the outpouring of the Spirit in revivals has been a joyful, strict keeping of the Sabbath, challenging those who call it legalism.

You have to fight the whole history of revivals. Whenever the spirit of God. Has been poured out with power. Upon any community.

34:13 - 34:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Prepare for the Lord's Day by allowing adequate physical and mental rest on Saturday evening, as a profitable Lord's Day is won or lost then.

The analogy of a serious fisherman who prepares meticulously the night before a fishing trip (laying out equipment, going to bed early) without being called a 'legalist,' is used to justify similar preparation for the Lord's Day.

I've been privileged to be in the presence. Of what I would call serious fishermen. I mean serious fishermen. Now a serious fisherman thinks about his fishing trips.

40:44 - 40:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not criticize or mock those who prioritize rest on Saturday evening for the Lord's Day; instead, confess your own carelessness and follow their pattern.

A person excusing themselves from social interaction early on Saturday night to be fresh for the Lord's Day is called a 'Sabbatarian' or 'legalist,' which Martin identifies as the 'mouthing of a guilty conscience.'

And he's not called a legalist. He's just called a serious fisherman. But you let a person be in a group. Of social interaction.

41:47 - 41:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not criticize or mock those who prioritize rest on Saturday evening for the Lord's Day; instead, confess your own carelessness and follow their pattern.

Martin expresses shock and grief over church members going to movies on Saturday night, arguing that even 'G' rated movies can rob one of mental and physical alertness for the Lord's Day.

Frankly I'm shocked when I hear that certain members of Trinity Church. Go to movies on a Saturday night. And they're not going to be able to do that. And they're not going to be able to do that.

42:49 - 42:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Help your family see the necessity of not only marking out the day but preparing for the day, starting with physical and mental preparation.

Martin shares his family's practice of a rigid TV curfew on Saturday evenings and a 10 PM curfew for the 'dating parlor' to ensure adequate rest and preparation for the Lord's Day.

And that begins with physical and mental preparation. Amen. We have found through the years. That having an almost rigid and inflexible TV curfew on Saturday.

44:00 - 44:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Make material preparations on Saturday to avoid unnecessary distractions for your family and to prevent encouraging others to violate the Lord's Day's sanctity (e.g., checking gas, preparing meals).

The example of checking the gas gauge on Saturday night to avoid running out of gas on Sunday illustrates material preparation, preventing unnecessary encouragement for gas stations to be open and people to work.

What do I mean by the. preparation? Well, with reference to all of the practical material things, our goal should be no unnecessary distractions to ourselves and our families, and no unnecessary encouragement of the violation of the Lord's day on the part of others. That's the rule of thumb. No unnecessary distractions to myself and my family, no unnecessary encouragement of violating the sanctity of the Lord's day for others. How much time does it take to check the gas gauge Saturday night to make sure there's enough gas to get to and from church twice on the Lord's day? The careless indiffer...

48:16 - 49:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid unnecessary visits to diners on the Lord's Day, especially if they become 'sinks of iniquity' that undo the day's blessing; plan ahead for fellowship and snacks at home.

Planning ahead for meals and snacks on Saturday to avoid needing to go to diners on Sunday illustrates material preparation, preventing unnecessary distractions and potential spiritual harm.

Even on the Lord's day. And for people who might otherwise have that day free, at least to turn on the radio and hear the gospel. You and I can contribute to forcing them out to that pump and away from God and away from the gospel. Is that what you want to do? Not me. How long does it take to make sure that you've got enough in the house so that when the Lord's day is over and some of your friends naturally gather out in the foyer, you don't need to say, let's go to such and such a diner. You've had your three squares. What you want is a time to just gather in fellowship and have a little snac...

49:12 - 50:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid unnecessary visits to diners on the Lord's Day, especially if they become 'sinks of iniquity' that undo the day's blessing; plan ahead for fellowship and snacks at home.

The analogy of thawing a Thanksgiving turkey two days in advance without being called a 'legalist' is used to justify forethought and material preparation for the Lord's Day without being accused of legalism.

I said no such thing. I have no warrant to say it. But what I'm saying is, if you could, by a little forethought, make preparation, don't call that a work of necessity. Let me illustrate again. Anyone call it legalism when people think ahead and thaw out the Thanksgiving turkey on Tuesday before Thanksgiving Day on Thursday?

50:48 - 51:17 Read in full sermon