Sabbath in the 10 Commandments

Driving home: He said that he uttered the language of every American Christian when he said, Woe to America when it ceases to be a Sabbath respecting land.

Martin quotes Robert Baird's 1840s-1850s observations on the widespread unity among American Christians regarding Lord's Day observance and the existence of 'blue laws,' highlighting a past cultural reverence for the Sabbath.

So, without any further ado, we'll press on in our consideration of the subject of the Fourth Commandment. Robert Baird, he's a man who wrote a book. I believe this book was written in the 1840s. Originally entitled Religion in the United States of America.

2:46 - 3:04 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He said that he uttered the language of every American Christian when he said, Woe to America when it ceases to be a Sabbath respecting land.

Martin explains that 'blue laws' were so named because they were originally printed on blue paper, providing a historical detail about Sunday regulations.

Laws were passed in most, if not all, states that became known as blue laws. Governing the activities of businesses on Sundays. By the way, apparently they were called that because they were originally printed on blue paper. I don't know if you knew that.

4:06 - 4:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He said that he uttered the language of every American Christian when he said, Woe to America when it ceases to be a Sabbath respecting land.

He describes how, in the recent past, grocery stores would rope off certain aisles on Sundays, limiting sales to only items of necessity, illustrating the practical impact of 'blue laws' and the cultural shift.

A few may still be in some counties. I believe they are in some places. Some of you may remember when most businesses were closed on Sunday and the few businesses that were open were limited in what they could sell by law. For example, grocery stores would rope rope off certain aisles and they were only allowed to sell certain items of necessity and nothing more.

4:32 - 4:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And we saw that whatever God has ordained at creation applies to man as man, not merely to Israel. And generally and normally, whatever is creational is perpetual.

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his old, raggedy Bible having the 20th chapter of Exodus missing, humorously explaining why he brought a second Bible with larger print.

This Bible is, this is an old raggedy Bible that I have.

6:12 - 6:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that the Mosaic Sabbath, as a covenant sign, pointed to creation, redemption from Egyptian bondage, and the future eschatological rest, arguing these realities…

He uses the rainbow (Noahic covenant) and circumcision (Abrahamic covenant) as analogies to explain how the Sabbath functioned as a peculiar sign of God's covenant with Israel.

First of all, I don't deny that the Sabbath was a covenant sign. It was a peculiar sign of God's covenant with Israel, as we saw earlier in Exodus 31. This is also brought out in other passages. So as a sign, what does that mean?

22:14 - 22:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that the Mosaic Sabbath, as a covenant sign, pointed to creation, redemption from Egyptian bondage, and the future eschatological rest, arguing these realities…

Martin points out that the Genesis creation account never records the ending of the seventh day, suggesting it typifies the eternal, promised rest that has not yet fully been entered.

It's interesting that in the creation account, God never records the ending of the seventh day. I don't know if you've ever noticed that the first six days in Genesis all repeat this same cycle says in the evening, in the morning or the first day and the evening, in the morning or the second day and so on. But there's no record of the ending of the seventh day.

26:34 - 26:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on the 'already and not yet' nature of the Kingdom of God, explaining that Christ secured eternal rest, but believers have not fully entered it experientially, thus…

He uses Jesus' parables (sower, leaven, mustard seed) to illustrate the 'already and not yet' nature of the Kingdom of God, explaining why John the Baptist was confused about the timing of judgment.

We are living in that time of the overlapping of the ages. What Jesus taught in his parables that the kingdom of God, the kingdom he came to establish, that it comes in two stages. There's the soul. There's the sowing stage.

28:30 - 28:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Declare whose side you are on by the observance of the Lord's Day, especially when little else outwardly distinguishes you from your neighbors.

He compares wearing a wedding ring to show belonging to a spouse, illustrating how the Lord's Day observance is a sign of belonging to Christ.

That we belong to him. It's like a wife with her wedding ring. Why does she wear her wedding ring? Or why does the husband wear his wedding ring?

38:49 - 38:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Declare whose side you are on by the observance of the Lord's Day, especially when little else outwardly distinguishes you from your neighbors.

He uses the example of Olympic teams carrying their national flags to show allegiance, illustrating how the Lord's Day is a banner of allegiance to Jesus Christ.

It's to show that I belong to this man. Or I belong to this woman. It's the same thing when the Olympics. And they have the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

38:58 - 39:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Declare whose side you are on by the observance of the Lord's Day, especially when little else outwardly distinguishes you from your neighbors.

He uses the example of wearing Clemson orange as a fan to show support for a team, illustrating how the Lord's Day is a sign of being a follower of Christ.

This particular people. It's like Clemson orange. I'm a Clemson football fan. But when Clemson's playing, you wear the orange.

39:24 - 39:34 Read in full sermon