The Sabbath is Made for Man

The point: Study systematic theology and church history to understand recurring theological debates and avoid resurrecting old errors.

Martin explains that theological arguments, both for and against biblical doctrines like the Sabbath, recur in cycles throughout church history, making the study of systematic theology and church history vital for ministers.

read more quickly than one can peruse all of the literature that's been written on the text in the history of the church. This is one reason why young men who are entering the Christian ministry are highly advised to study systematic theology and church history. There are revolutions of human thought, that is, cycles of human thought, in both the support of biblical doctrine and the opposition to biblical doctrine. And those who are speaking against the commandments that men observe a Sabbath day weekly in our generation are resurrecting old and worn lines of reasoning that were already ancien...

4:11 - 5:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Expounding Mark 2:27, Martin argues that the Sabbath was 'made for man' at creation, not just for the Jews, citing linguistic parallels (1 Cor 11:9), the Genesis creation account…

Martin uses 1 Corinthians 11:9 ('neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man') as a linguistic and logical parallel to Mark 2:27, arguing that just as woman was made to serve man's interest, so the Sabbath was made to serve man's interest, both established at creation.

Now, of course, the making of man takes us right back to the creation account, although you know that there are some who dispute that, that any Orthodox Christian believes that it takes him back to the creation account. The formula of words that our Lord Jesus Christ uses suggests also that the making of the Sabbath occurred during the week of creation. I mean, the words themselves and the form of the statement that our Lord makes in verse 27 reminds us of the form of the statement made in 1 Corinthians 11, 9. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man, in which the A...

9:09 - 10:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid reducing Sabbath observance to rigid, external rules; understand the underlying principles of righteousness and devotion.

Martin illustrates Pharisaical tendencies by describing a hypothetical church member who, after a sermon on righteousness, asks specific, rigid questions about Sabbath activities like 'Can I run around the block on Sunday?' and 'How many times?', demonstrating a desire to reduce principles to external rules.

And after you preach this plainly, as you know how, on the principles of righteousness, someone will come up and say, but pastor, can I do this? Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. If the principle has gotten us across, certainly someone in your congregation will come up and say, but pastor, is it alright to run around the block on Sunday?

27:46 - 28:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace the Sabbath as a day that liberates you from normal responsibilities to devote yourself to the Lord in worship and service.

Martin references Jesus' chiding of the Pharisees for having compassion on a sheep that fell into a pit but not on a suffering man, illustrating God's preference for mercy over rigid adherence to rules on the Sabbath.

Micah chapter 6 to show that God has always preferred showing mercy to rigid adherence to rules of worship. And in verse 11, he chided the Pharisees for having compassion on a sheep that fell into a pit when they would not have compassion on a man who was suffering with an illness from which he could not deliver himself.

33:39 - 34:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the Sabbath is good for the church and essential for its thriving; study church history to see its benefits.

Martin urges listeners to read Philip Schaff's 'History of the Christian Church' to understand the difference in thriving between nations and churches that have remembered the Sabbath and those that have not, highlighting the practical benefits of Sabbath observance.

of hosts. Pastors surely know that it's good for the church. I do not know how any church can thrive without a day of worship and service to God. I urge you to read Philip Schaff and his history of the Christian church.

40:06 - 40:28 Read in full sermon