Necessary Distinctions

The point: Do not be the cause of others working unnecessarily on the Sabbath.

Nehemiah's actions in Nehemiah 13, preventing the treading of wine presses, transporting goods, and selling merchandise on the Sabbath, illustrate specific forbidden commercial activities and the zeal required to uphold Sabbath sanctity.

They are the kinds of work that are to be laid aside on the Sabbath. Nehemiah 13 shows that treading wine presses and transporting goods for sale and also the labor involved in buying and selling ordinary merchandise is considered a violation of the Sabbath. Let's just turn over there, because this is one of those passages I think people forget about or miss. Ezekiel chapter Nehemiah 30, 13, Nehemiah, the great reformer who led the rebuilding of bringing back of Israel from Persia.

12:27 - 13:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We have to remember again the purpose of the Sabbath, the purposes of the Sabbath ceasing from work is not an end. In itself, it is a means to the end of enjoying rest, worship and ministry.

The prohibition in Exodus 35 and the man punished in Numbers 15 for gathering firewood are discussed, clarifying that this was not an absolute ban on fire but likely related to time-consuming employment or work that could be done on other days.

And this is the one one that everyone wants to run to and says, well, what are you going to do with that? We have the man in numbers 15 who was punished for gathering firewood on the Sabbath. Now, a lot has been been made of that, but we're not to understand that as an absolute prohibition against the use of fire on the Sabbath or building a fire, as some have thought. We tend to think of the climate of Israel as hot and Sahara like and that fires were unnecessary, but apparently that was not the case in Bible times.

16:48 - 17:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines works of necessity as activities essential for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society that cannot be limited to other days, providing…

Jesus' defense of his disciples picking grain, and his teaching on rescuing a person or animal on the Sabbath, illustrate that certain works (like preparing meals or acts of mercy) are always permissible as works of necessity.

It's an activity that is necessary for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society and cannot be limited to the other six days of the week. Now, the Bible does recognize such works that this category that has been designated by us works of necessity. You remember when we were considering Jesus and his teaching on the Sabbath and his dealings with the Pharisees that he reckoned he recognized and underscored this when he was defending his disciples for picking some grain and eating it as they followed him through. The Phil's eating and whatever is involved in getting a meal tog...

27:46 - 29:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines works of necessity as activities essential for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society that cannot be limited to other days, providing…

The example of milking cows on Sunday is given as a work of necessity and mercy, contrasting with general farming activities like sowing and reaping which are forbidden.

But milking the cows on Sunday is a work of necessity. And some of you've never been on a farm. You may not realize that it's also a work of mercy toward the cows. And if if a cow falls in the river or in a ditch, you've got to get him out on the Lord's Day, remember, Jesus pointed that very thing out.

29:02 - 29:26 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines works of necessity as activities essential for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society that cannot be limited to other days, providing…

The work of doctors and nurses is presented as a work of mercy and necessity, as caring for people's health cannot be postponed until Monday.

Likewise, caring for people's health, for the necessities of human life or things that should be done on the Lord's Day, this would include the work of doctors and nurses, which is a work of mercy as well as a work of necessity. Someone's having a heart attack. The doctor can't say, well, come back on Monday and we'll see what we can do about it. No doctors need to work on Sunday.

29:40 - 30:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines works of necessity as activities essential for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society that cannot be limited to other days, providing…

Joshua 6:15 (Israel's campaign against Jericho) and the ongoing need for law enforcement are cited as examples of military and law enforcement being works of necessity on the Lord's Day.

They need to care for the sick and the needy. A work of mercy. It's also a work of necessity. Military and law enforcement are works of necessity.

30:04 - 30:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines works of necessity as activities essential for the maintenance of normal and merciful human life and society that cannot be limited to other days, providing…

The work of utility workers (electric, water, telephone) is given as an example of works of necessity, as essential services for society and even church worship depend on them.

According to Joshua 615, the Israelites conducted their military campaign against Jericho on the Sabbath. And certainly law enforcement is not to give a free pass to criminals and thereby endanger people's property. It's a work of necessity in life because it's the Lord's Day. Other works of necessity would include utility workers such as those at electric facilities and water plants and telephone facilities, hospitals and law enforcement and nursing homes and even church worship services are dependent upon utility functions on the Lord's Day.

30:14 - 30:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The Q&A session explores the complexities of defining 'works of necessity' in a modern, non-theocratic society, acknowledging gray areas and the need for charitable judgment…

A congregant's experience in manufacturing highlights how the lack of a Sabbath-keeping culture can turn certain tasks (like transporting goods or maintaining machinery) into 'necessities' that would otherwise be avoidable.

Yeah, OK. I work in manufacturing and I deal with that. And it may be a necessity. It may be a necessity in the sense of the reality where we currently live.

36:33 - 36:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So if it's too burdensome. Right. That's the thing we have to always remember is that the command not to work is not an end in itself.

The example of a giant roller in a factory, costly to shut down and restart, illustrates a complex 'gray area' where the economic burden might classify continuous operation as a work of necessity in a modern context.

Maybe it's the exact same thing. What about giant factories that produce non-essential goods, candy, clothes or could be even something more important? Clothes are not essential. Well, I mean, so so I was I know I heard of an example where you had these like just this giant roller that was involved in the manufacturing process and to turn it off, it was there was a significant cost to turn it off at midnight on Saturday or and then turn it back on.

38:54 - 39:23 Read in full sermon