The Sabbath: Positive Duties/Privileges, Part 1

Introduction and Review of Abiding Authority

0:03 This sermon was preached on Sunday morning, July 29th, 1984, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey.

0:16 Now may I urge you to turn in your own Bibles with me to the second chapter of Mark's Gospel, as I shall read again this morning as I did last Lord's Day morning. In these last two incidents in this section of Mark's Gospel that we might entitle, Growing Controversy with the Scribes and Pharisees, Mark chapter 2, beginning with verse 23, and then on into chapter 3, concluding the reading with verse 6.

0:54 Referring to our Lord Jesus, Mark writes, And it came to pass that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grave. And his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Did you never read what David did, when he had need and was hungry, he and David were with him?

1:25 How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the showbread which it is not lawful to eat, save for the priests, and gave also to them that were with him. And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, so that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was there a man who had his hand with it. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath.

2:03 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man that had his hand withered, Stand forth. And he said unto them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

2:25 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth. And he stretched it forth, and his hand was restored. And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. Now let us again unite our hearts in prayer, asking God by the Spirit to minister to us through his own holy and infallible word.

3:03 Our Father, we have sung together this hymn. Enter the deepest longings of our hearts. May we feel thy presence near. O come to us in the ministry of the word.

3:24 Stand amongst us, Lord Jesus, as our great prophet, instructing our minds, as our great king, ruling our hearts, and above all as our great priest, washing us from our sins of death. Disobedience to your law, and succoring us with grace, that we may run in the way of your commandments. Hear our prayer, and answer this very request of our hearts, as together we come to the study of your word. Amen.

4:02 In our consecutive expositions of the Gospel of Mark, we have concluded our study of this section, which ends with chapter 3. In verse 6, this initial collation of incidents in which opposition to the Lord Jesus is in a very real sense a preview of that final opposition, which would result in his rejection by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders, and result in his crucifixion. And since these last two incidents, again read in your hearing this morning, focused on our Lord's controversies with the scribes and Pharisees over the issue of the Sabbath day, I judged it to be the part of wisdom, having expounded these two paragraphs, having sought to underscore the emphasis of them in their immediate context, to go back to the passages and seek to glean from them and from parallel passages some of the broader principles with respect to the sanctity of the Lord's day. Last week we considered two

5:26 principles with respect to God's appointed day of rest. First of all, we contemplated together the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest. The abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest. And the pivotal words of our Lord from this passage are of course chapter 2 verses 27 and 28 in which our Lord affirms that the very nature of the Sabbath is that it was made for man. And by use of a chart I sought to show the organic relationship between the appointed day of rest instituted at creation, Genesis 2, and the appointed day of rest instituted at creation, Genesis 2, and the appointed day of rest instituted at creation, Genesis 2, and the appointed day of rest instituted at creation, Genesis 2, 1 to 3, all the way through to the glory of God's now appointed day of rest, the Lord's day Sabbath, shining forth with all the dynamics and the realities of new covenant, redemptive privilege and provision. And as we considered the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest, I made the comment after establishing it from the word of God and in this broad biblical theological overview that two names in church history are often

6:50 brought forward as those who did not believe in the sanctity, the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest, namely John Bunyan and John Calvin. And I gave you irrefutable evidence from the writings of Bunyan himself that he regarded the Lord's day as a day of divine authority. And though Bunyan's reasoning to support that is not the traditional reasoning of the historic evangelical and reformed church, it is nonetheless clearly established that Bunyan believed in ten commandments, not nine, that he traced his own conversion to a sermon on Sabbath breaking, a sermon on the fourth commandment. And I only used Bunyan not as of equal authority with the word of God, but to clear away the mists and the cobwebs with reference to his testimony. And then I said the same was true of John Calvin. And some of you who are more perceptive listeners went out and said, ah, but what did you bring forth from Calvin to buttress and to give amen to that position? Well, time did not permit Calvin's

8:11 testimony, but I added, to Bunyan's by way of review, this testimony of John Calvin commenting on Genesis chapter 2 and verse 3. God therefore sanctifies the seventh day when he renders it illustrious that by a special law it may be distinguished from the rest. Whence it also appears that God always had respect to the welfare of men. I have said above that six days were employed in the formation of the world. Not that God, to whom one moment is as a thousand years, had need of this succession of time, but that he might engage us in the consideration of his works. He had the same end in view in the appointment of his own rest, for he set apart a day selected out of the remainder for this special use. Wherefore, that benefit of this special use, is nothing else than a solemn consecration by which God claims for himself the meditations and employments of men on the seventh day. This is indeed the proper business of the whole life

9:30 in which men should daily exercise themselves to consider the infinite goodness, justice, power, and wisdom of God in this magnificent theater of heaven and earth. But, lest men prove less sedulously attentive to it than they ought, every seventh day has been especially selected for the purpose of supplying what was wanting in daily meditation. First, therefore, God rested, then he blessed this rest that in all ages it might be held sacred among men. Or, he dedicated, every seventh day to rest, that his own example might be a perpetual rule. The design of the institution must always be kept in memory. For God did not command men simply to keep holiday every seventh day, as if he delighted in their indolence, but rather that they, being released from all other business, might the more readily apply their minds to the

10:42 Creator of the world. Lastly, that is a sacred rest which withdraws men from the impediments of the world that it may dedicate them entirely to God. But now, since men are so backward to celebrate the justice, wisdom, and power of God and to consider his benefits, that even when they are most faithfully admonished, they still remain torpid. No slight stimulus is given by God's own example. And the very precept itself is thereby rendered amiable. For God cannot either more gently allure or more effectively incite us to obedience than by inviting and exhorting us to the imitation of himself. Besides, we must know that this is to be the common employment not of one age or people only, but of the whole human race. Afterward, in the law, a new precept concerning the Sabbath was given because this should

11:56 be peculiar to the Jews, and but for a season. It was a legal ceremony shadowing forth a spiritual rest, the truth of which was manifested in Christ. Therefore the Lord the more frequently testifies that it ought to take place not at all. So the Sabbath was absolutely not a priest's tradition. But it was a precept to the main.

12:12 That he had given in the Sabbath a symbol of sanctification to his ancient people. Therefore when we hear that the Sabbath was abrogated by the coming of Christ. We must distinguish between what belongs to the perpetual government of human life. And what properly belongs to ancient figures.

12:36 The use of which was abolished when the truth was fulfilled. Remember my line called types and shadows. That entered into the cross in the tomb and were buried there. That's precisely what Calvin is saying.

12:50 Spiritual rest is mortification of the flesh. So that the sons of God should no longer live to themselves or indulge their own inclination. So far as the Sabbath was a figure of this rest I say. It was but for a season.

13:08 But in as much as it was. It was commanded to men from the beginning. That they might employ themselves in the worship of God. It is right that it should continue to the end of the world.

13:24 So much for Calvin's anti-sabotarianism. It is a juggling of the witness of Calvin. To say that he did not believe what I preached to you last Lord's day. Namely.

13:40 The abominations. And the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest. And that almost unanimous consent of the evangelical and reformed churches. Is beautifully summarized in our own confession of faith.

13:57 Chapter 22 and paragraph 7. As it is the law of nature that a general proportion of time by God's appointment. Be set apart for the worship of God. So by his word.

14:11 In a positive moral and perpetual commandment. Binding all men in all ages. He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath. That is a day of rest to be kept holy unto him.

14:27 Which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ. Was the last day of the week. And from the resurrection of Christ was changed to the first day of the week. Which is called the Lord's day.

14:41 Is to be continued to the end of the world. As the Christian Sabbath. The observation of the last day of the week. Being abolished.

14:52 Well that's a rather lengthy review. But I believe it was essential to bring in the additional testimony. To buttress the assertion made in the exposition. Then we considered very briefly.

15:05 Having looked at the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest. The lawful works. To be performed on God's appointed day of rest. And by looking at Matthew 12.5.

15:18 And then these two incidents. We underscored in the language that is traditional. In our heritage. That works of piety.

15:28 Works of necessity. And works of mercy. Are not only legitimate on God's appointed day of rest. They are works in which God is abundantly glorified.

The Conscious Marking Out of the Day

15:42 When performed by men. Now having considered the abiding authority of God's appointed day of rest. The lawful works to be performed on God's appointed day of rest. We come this morning.

15:57 Thirdly. To the positive duties and privileges. Of God's appointed day of rest. The positive duties and privileges.

16:08 Of God's appointed day of rest. And I have a sneaking suspicion. We'll only get to two of the three. That I had proposed originally.

16:18 To cover three with you. And I'm prepared to do so. We'll just see how we do with the time. First of all.

16:24 Under the positive duties and privileges. Of God's appointed day of rest. Is what I am calling. The conscious marking out.

16:35 Of the day. The conscious marking out. Of the day. The abiding changeless moral obligation.

16:45 Of God's appointed day of rest. Is bound up in the language of the Decalogue. As found in Exodus 20. And in Deuteronomy chapter 5.

16:57 Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5. Now notice what God says. In these two passages. And different wording is found.

17:09 And in that. Different wording. There is a wonderful composite. Of perspective.

17:17 Exodus 20 and verse 8. Remember the Sabbath day. To keep it. Holy.

17:26 The first duty with respect. To God's appointed day of rest. And this initial statement. Is pure.

17:36 Moral law. It doesn't say. Remember the seventh day. Or the first day.

17:42 It says remember. The appointed day of rest. Whichever day God shall appoint. As his day of rest.

17:52 Remember it. To keep it. As sanctified. God has sanctified it.

17:58 He has set it apart as holy. You are to remember it. To keep it inviolate. God has made it holy.

18:07 You keep it such. And he says that keeping. Will begin with this activity. Remember.

18:14 Remember. And the word for remember here. Means what it does. In our general usage.

18:21 To call something to mind. To call it to mind. To the level of present consciousness. Let me just illustrate.

18:31 A couple of usages. Of this word. In the book of Genesis itself. In Genesis chapter 40.

18:38 And you children remember the story of Joseph. How he was unjust. Justly accused. And thrown into prison.

18:45 And after some time. Some of his fellow prisoners had dreams. And he interpreted their dreams. And one of the men was released.

18:53 And he should have said something about Joseph. So that Joseph might have been shown favor. But he forgot to do so. And we read in Genesis chapter 40.

19:02 And verse 23. These words. Yet did not the chief butler. Remember.

19:10 Remember Joseph. But forgot him. When he got out of prison. He did not call Joseph to mind.

19:18 Now he didn't forget all about Joseph. So if someone had come up to him. While he was back in the palace. And said hey by the way.

19:25 Did you ever meet a guy named Joseph. Joseph. Joseph. Joseph.

19:28 What did he look like. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

19:31 I remember. In other words. The thoughts of Joseph. Had not been scrubbed.

19:37 From the walls of the chambers of his mind. Or to change the imagery. The files in which all that he knew about Joseph. Had not been burned.

19:46 Or taken out of his mind. And thrown to the four winds. But in his circumstance of release. He did not call to present consciousness.

19:58 Anything about Joseph. Yet did not the chief butler. Remember Joseph. Now go to chapter 41.

20:05 In verse 9. Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh. Saying. I do remember my faults this day.

20:17 He called his faults to mind. His thoughts with reference to these things. Were brought to the level of consciousness. Now that's the basic meaning of the Hebrew word.

20:33 As it's found throughout the Old Testament. Now here's what God says. With reference to my appointed day. Your.

20:41 Your positive duty begins. With an activity of the mind. You are to call to present consciousness. My appointed day of rest.

20:53 You are to remember. The Sabbath day. The appointed day of rest. To keep it holy.

21:00 Now turn to Deuteronomy chapter 5.

21:04 And here in the parallel record. Of the Decalogue. Deuteronomy chapter 5. We have a.

21:12 A different word that is used. Deuteronomy chapter 5. And with respect to the fourth commandment. The old author I says.

21:23 Keep the Sabbath day. To sanctify it. But our rendering in the 1901. Is a bit more accurate.

21:32 Observe. The Sabbath day. To keep it holy. Now this word observe.

21:38 Comes from a root word. Which means to hedge about. To. Guard.

21:44 Or to mark out. So you see the progression. Remember. Call to mind.

21:51 Call to present. Intelligent. Mental. Activity.

21:56 God's appointed day of rest. With a reference to keeping it. What God has already made it. A day set apart.

22:04 Now he says. Having remembered. Do something about it. Actually mark it out.

22:10 Guard it. Hedge it about. In the way that. God has hedged it about.

22:15 He has already hedged it. By his sanction. You hedge it. By your conscious determination.

22:22 To observe it. As a day. Unto the Lord. And so the positive duties.

22:29 And privileges. Of God's appointed day of rest. Begin. With the conscious.

22:36 Marking. Out. Of the day. And this is precisely.

22:40 Why Isaiah. Can use this kind of language. With reference to the Sabbath. And very interestingly.

22:48 Even John Bunyan says. This must be a reference. To the Lord's day Sabbath. In new covenant time.

22:55 So spiritual. Is Isaiah's perspective. On the Sabbath. In this passage.

23:00 Very interesting. Isaiah 58. And verse 13.

23:07 If thou turn away thy foot. From the Sabbath. The appointed day of rest. From doing thy.

23:16 Pleasure. Now notice the language. On my. Holy.

23:21 Or sanctified. Day. And call the Sabbath. A delight.

23:27 And. The holy. Or the sanctified. Of Jehovah.

23:33 Honorable. And shall honor it. Not doing thine own ways. Nor finding thine own pleasure.

23:39 Nor speaking thine own words. Then. Shalt thou delight thyself. In Jehovah.

23:45 You see. There's a development. In the very language. By which the day is described.

23:52 Remember the Sabbath day. To keep it. What God has made it. And now in this passage.

23:58 God progresses from remembrance. To guarding. Hedging it about. To calling it.

24:05 His own very special day. My holy. Or sanctified day. The sanctified.

24:13 Of Jehovah. And it is. This very language. That forms as it were.

24:18 The seed bed. Out of which. The full blown description. Of the Lord's day.

24:24 Sabbath. Comes to us. In Revelation chapter one. And verse ten.

24:30 Revelation chapter one. And verse ten.

24:37 John writing to the seven churches. In Asia Minor writes. I was in the spirit. Now notice.

24:45 On. The Lord's. Day. And as John writes.

24:52 It's evident that he expects. That the members of the seven churches. In Asia Minor will know. That he is.

25:00 Of a specific day. And that that day. Had a specific designation. It was the Lord's day.

25:08 Now let me ask you a question. You children can answer. How many days of the week. Does God own?

25:14 One. Two. Three. Four.

25:16 Five. Six. Or seven. How many does God own?

25:20 One. One or two. How many do you think belong to God? How many of God's seven days belong to God?

25:28 How many? Seven of them. That's right. Because he's the creator.

25:33 He's the Lord of his world. Romans 14 says that our exalted Christ is presently Lord over all things. And yet. Though every day is his day.

25:46 God the Holy Spirit has given a designation to one day. As uniquely. His day. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day.

25:58 Now that does not mean. That we have the right to ignore his Lordship on six days. And recognize it only on one. But it does mean this.

26:09 The recognition of his Lordship on six days. Is at best very defective. If we do not acknowledge. The dimensions of that.

26:22 Lordship on that seventh day in every seven cycles or cycle of seven days. Which to us is the first day of the week in a cycle of seven. To say I honor my Lord on the six ordinary days. While not honoring his Lordship as exercised with peculiar authority.

26:46 And with special designation of his day. Is to talk double talk.

26:53 And isn't it interesting. That it's in the very passage in Romans 14. That some try to negate any sense of moral and ethical obligation. To keep the Lord's day.

27:05 And say well every day is lived unto the Lord. Therefore I don't need to descend to this level of having a special day. Well my friend you don't set the terms on which his Lordship is exercised. He does.

27:18 And he says remember. Bring to mind. That there is an appointed day. A day of rest.

27:25 Guard it. Hedge it about. And recognize that in a peculiar way. He claims the day as his own.

27:33 And therefore the first and fundamental duty. Is to call this to remembrance. By marking out the day as his. Uniquely.

The Tangible Nature of the Fourth Commandment

27:46 Specially. And specifically. His day. Now let me say some things by way of application under this heading.

27:54 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.

28:10 More difficult than with any other commandment.

28:14 Take the first commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. When we read that covetousness is idolatry.

28:22 And that idolatry can be a thing of the heart. Not just bowing. Down to something made of wood or stone. You see.

28:28 You could be sitting here today. Blatantly. Breaking the first commandment. And only you and God would know it.

28:37 You take the fifth commandment. And honor thy father and thy mother. You might externally be polite to mom and dad. While inwardly cursing them in your heart.

28:45 And only you and God would know it. Take the seventh commandment. Thou shalt not commit adultery. According to the word of God.

28:51 Looking with an intent to lust. You could be sitting in this very assembly. With your eyes roving. To and fro.

28:58 Upon other men or other women. And committing adultery in your mind and heart. And only you and God would know it. But now take the fourth commandment.

29:05 Now you may only be keeping it externally. Granted. But if you break it externally. As well as internally.

29:13 Everyone will know it. You see there is an element of the tangible. Because it has to do with seconds. And minutes.

29:20 And hours. In every recurring cycle of seven days.

29:26 And I'm personally. I'm personally convinced. That because of this particular element. In the fourth commandment.

29:34 That the pattern of a man's life. Will demonstrate. More quickly than with any other commandment. Whether or not.

29:43 From the heart. He loves God. And shows his love. By desiring to keep his commandments.

29:51 For instance. Here's the man that his pattern every morning is. To stagger out of bed. Head by way of the bathroom.

29:57 To the kitchen table. To take his first cup of coffee. Grab the paper. To look at the headlines.

30:03 Turn on the news. To catch the weather. To get himself awake. And after his cup of coffee.

30:08 To go off and snatch a few minutes with the word. And in prayer. Well isn't it amazing. How his pattern.

30:14 If he is remembering. Marking out. Recognizing this day. As the Lord's day.

30:21 Will be radically altered. From the time his feet hit the floor. On the Lord's day morning. And about the only activity.

30:28 Will be the same. Is the little pit stop. By the restroom. But then he doesn't go to the table.

30:35 To take a paper. And fill his mind with secular news. He doesn't flip on the radio. To catch the ball scores.

30:41 No no. This is the Lord's day. And from morning to night. I mark it out.

30:51 As his day. No snatching a little five or ten minute devotions. Before I catch the 727. But Lord's day morning.

31:00 I have a good feast in the world. I have a good season. To wait upon my God. And to pray for the outpouring.

31:08 Of the spirit. Upon his church. And upon his servants. And upon his people.

31:14 And above all. Upon my own needy. And spiritually parched heart. And then you watch him throughout the day.

31:22 Unlike his Saturday. When he may putter around in the garden. And take an hour or two. To go to the local pool.

31:28 His whole pattern of activity. Is evidently marked. By this great reality. He is remembering.

31:36 He is guarding. He is hedging about. God's day. And recognizing the blessed lordship.

31:44 Of his exalted savior. And his claims. Over that day. And if you do not begin.

31:54 By marking out the day. By calling it. To remembrance. You will not be in a position.

32:02 To resist. All of the unwarranted intrusions. That from your own heart. From your family.

32:09 And from society. Would press in upon you. You see the emphasis in Isaiah 58. Falls precisely at that point.

32:18 God says. If you will remember. That it is my day. What will the result be?

32:26 He said the result will be. You will turn away your foot. From doing your pleasure. Not that what you are doing.

32:33 Won't be pleasurable. But it is pleasurable. In a totally different realm. From the realm of your normal.

32:41 Pleasurable recreations. You will turn away. That is exclusion. And he says you will not do your own ways.

32:50 That is exclusion. Nor find your own pleasure. That is exclusion. Nor speak your own words.

32:56 That is exclusion. Then he says. You will delight yourself in the Lord. In other words.

33:02 If you do not so mark out the day. As to exclude from the day. That which erodes the blessing of the day. You will not find the delight in God.

33:14 That he intends you to have. On that day. That is the clear teaching. Of this passage.

33:24 Furthermore. I am convinced. That it is the fourth commandment. Which perhaps.

33:29 More than any other. Is the index. Of the level. Of special and common grace.

33:36 In any society. At any given time. You see the worldlings attitude is. Who is Jehovah.

33:45 That we should obey him. Who is God to tell me. If I do my own thing. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

33:53 I can't do my own thing on Sunday also. And isn't it interesting. And here I'd like to throw this. Into the teeth of every single person.

34:03 Who dares to say. That a return to a strict careful. Marking out of the Lord's day. Is a return to weak and beggarly elements.

34:13 You have to fight the whole history of revivals. Whenever the spirit of God. Has been poured out with power. Upon any community.

34:22 In any land. In any age. That I have read about. One of the most tangible.

34:28 And immediate fruits. Of the outpouring of the spirit. Is precisely here. Man begin to keep with joy.

34:38 A strict Sabbath. Unto the Lord. Now is that the spirit of bondage. That comes in revival.

34:47 Dragging people back. Into mosaic legalism.

34:52 Or is it the spirit of liberty. In the new covenant. Bringing them. Into their promised inheritance in Christ.

35:00 I leave the question with every thinking man.

35:08 And dear people of God at Trinity.

35:11 One of the things. That should mark us. Is not only how we love one another. Not only how we seek to be scrupulously.

35:21 Honest in our places of business. Right down to a paper clip. But that in our neighborhoods. And with our relatives.

35:31 And with all who have any contacts with us. We should be. Marked as a people. Who remember.

35:39 Who mark out. And who guard. And who joyfully acknowledge. The rights of Jesus Christ.

35:48 To have a day. Especially. For himself.

The Deliberate Preparation for the Day: Physical and Mental

35:55 And I say in terms of practical duties. They begin. With the conscious. Marking out of the day.

36:03 But then secondly. And now I know we're only going to get the two points. The third one will have to wait. Until next week.

36:08 And since I'll be preaching so much throughout the week. That's a kind. Providence. Most of my preparation is done.

36:16 Here is the second positive duty and privilege. From the conscious marking out of the day. There must be. The deliberate preparation.

36:28 For the day.

36:31 The deliberate preparation. For the day. As the children of Israel prepared. For their appointed.

36:39 Temporary Jewish. Sabbath day. God's appointed day of rest. By gathering double manna.

36:49 On the preceding day. As the priests prepared. For their additional functions. By making sure.

36:57 There was. Meal enough. To make the show bread. And sacrifices enough.

37:04 For double sacrifices. So by way of analogy. We too. As new covenant priests.

37:11 Unto God. And as the Israel of God. We must prepare. For the Lord's day.

37:19 If we do not. Then no matter how carefully. We mark out the day. It's full blessing will be hindered.

37:28 By two things. Unnecessary intrusions. And distractions.

37:35 Upon that day. Deliberate preparation. Must be made for the day. Furthermore.

37:42 If we do not make necessary. Preparations for the day. We may encourage others. To violate its sanctity.

37:50 And we may rob them. Of entering into its privileges. Now to be specific. Let me suggest deliberate preparation.

37:58 For the day in three very obvious areas. Number one. Physical and mental preparation. The rest of the Lord's day.

38:09 Is not. The rest of inactivity. Or passivity. Rather.

38:14 It is rest from one kind of labor. In order to engage. In other activities. When God rested.

38:23 On the seventh day. He did not go into. A state of inactivity. That's why Jesus could say.

38:31 To those who accused him of. Breaking the Sabbath. By healing on the Sabbath. My father is working hitherto.

38:38 And I work. It was a different kind of work. From that of creating. To that of providentially overseeing.

38:47 And guiding. That which had come forth. From his creative word and hand. And likewise.

38:54 We must never look upon God's. Appointed day of rest. As a rest of inactivity. For Adam.

39:02 In his innocence. It was to be a rest. From the labor of subduing the earth. Of replenishing the earth.

39:10 To a different kind of activity. The contemplation. Of that which God had done. The drinking in of the wonder.

39:20 Of God's rest. That is his completed. Original creation. And so it was to be an activity.

39:27 That would take in the most intense. Engagement of Adam's mind. And since that mind. Did not float about disembodied.

39:35 But was housed in a body. It would mean the engagement. Of his body as well. And how much more since the fall.

39:44 When man's labor. Is not only now. Responsible intelligent labor. But labor marked by the sweat of his brow.

39:52 In the face of an unyielding earth. It is not to be a day. Of inactivity. But it is to be a day.

40:00 Of a special kind. Of activity. And for many of you. It is the day.

40:07 Of your most concentrated. Mental activity. Throughout the whole week. And therefore the issue of a profitable.

40:15 Lord's day is won or lost. On Saturday evening.

40:20 If you do not prepare. For the day. By allowing adequate physical. And mental rest.

40:28 In that preparation. Then for many of you. You lose the blessing of the Lord's day. By the inordinate.

40:36 Hours that you keep. On Saturday evening. Now let me ask a question. Occasionally.

40:44 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.

40:54 His special ones for a long time. And he makes all kinds of preparations. And never once have I been in the presence. Of a serious fisherman.

41:02 Who thinking of the fact. That he wanted to be out there. Early in the morning. When the lake was at a certain condition.

41:09 When he knew the fish would generally. Be feeding. I never saw anyone call a fisherman. Who planned all of his activities.

41:16 The night before. In terms of laying out his equipment. Having everything ready. The whole host of lures.

41:23 That he was prepared to use. Getting everything all ready. And going to bed at a ridiculously early hour. That he might be up at four in the morning.

41:30 I never heard anyone call him a legalist.

41:36 I just said he's a serious fisherman.

41:40 So determined to catch fish. That he makes the necessary. Physical preparations. The night before.

41:47 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.

41:55 Come nine thirty. And everybody's just beginning to get loosened up. And talk freely. And say well you know folks.

42:00 I think I better excuse myself. You know tomorrow's the Lord's day. And I want to be fresh. And what will happen?

42:09 Sabbatarian. You know what that is? That's the mouthing of a guilty conscience. Because you know.

42:17 You ought to be doing the same thing. Now shut your mouth.

42:27 And confess your own carelessness. And follow the pattern of your brother or sister. Who's determined to profit from the Lord's day. And gets to bed at a decent hour.

42:39 On Saturday evening. You don't really think they're a legalist. That's just smoke to cover your own smitten conscience.

42:49 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.

42:55 And they're not going to be able to do that. And they're not going to be able to do that. And they're not going to be able to do that. And it makes me want to weep.

42:58 You say you can't say anything from the Bible. It says I shouldn't go to a movie on Saturday night. No I can't. But I know one thing.

43:05 When I look out sometimes. When I'm pouring my whole soul into the preaching. After hours of arduous labor. To make the word of God plain and simple and accurate.

43:16 And I'm pouring my very life into it. And I see people sitting there. I wonder where were they last night. At eleven o'clock.

43:30 I don't care if it was a G movie. I don't care if it was the Muppets. I don't care what it was.

43:38 If it robs you of the mental and physical alertness. To give yourself to the peculiar activities of the Lord's day. The devil's not particular who the thief is.

43:50 Oh may God help you as his people. To see the necessity. Of not only marking out the day. But preparing for the day.

44:00 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.

44:12 Has been a blessing. Through the years. One of the few decent programs. That we've been able to watch as a family.

44:17 Would be Wide World of Sports. That generally ends at 5.30. It doesn't mean we watch everything that's on there.

44:23 But there have been many good things. Ends at 6.30. I'm sorry.

44:27 Well that was the end of television for the day. No television after 6.30 on Saturday. We've got a dating parlor in our house.

44:34 One of our rooms is designated a dating parlor. I don't care that the people that are in it. Are of age legally. Saturday night 10 o'clock is curfew time.

44:45 Dating parlor is empty.

44:48 You say that's ridiculous. You call it what you want.

44:54 I think I know what I call it as a father. Seeking to implement biblical principles.

45:00 You who are heads of the household. Do you have the manly Christian grace to say. As for me and my house. We will serve the Lord.

45:10 And we'll serve him in terms of the sanctity of his day. And have enough fortitude to rear back on your hind legs. And set some rules and make sure that they're kept.

The Deliberate Preparation for the Day: Spiritual and Material

45:20 But then there's not only preparation physical and mental. But there's spiritual preparation. As we anticipate gathering with the people of God. We need to rise on the Lord's day morning.

45:33 And take time to prepare our hearts. You remember the words of the psalmist. I was glad when they said unto me. Let us go into the.

45:42 The house of the Lord. Reflect and make sure. That as you come to gather with God's people. Matthew 5.23.

45:51 Is not going to be a barb to your conscience. If therefore you're offering your gift at the altar. And there remember your brother has ought against you. Leave your gift before the altar.

46:02 Go your way. First be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. We need the spiritual preparation of not only.

46:11 Trying to God. That we should see his face and know his presence. But searching our hearts to make sure that our horizontal relationships are what they ought to be. Can I meet with my brethren and in the language of Romans with one mouth and one heart glorified God and his beloved son or is it hypocrisy.

46:33 Can I shake the hands of my elders at the door and look them in the eye knowing that there is no backlog of disaffection. And some of these other. Are horrible sins that have been unearthed in recent days. Oh how we need spiritual preparation.

46:50 To make sure is best we know our hearts in the presence of him whose eyes are as a flame of fire and before whom all things are naked and open. That we come not as perfect people but as those who come fresh from the fountain open for sin and uncleanness. We do not come with a grieved spirit. Dwelling within us because of unconfessed sin because of unwillingness to deal with areas of barriers between ourselves and our brethren.

47:24 How we need to prepare our hearts how we need to prepare by crying to God for his servants by pleading that the word if preached to all others in vain would not be in vain to us how we need to pray that his. How we come as his presence would be our stock life fully experience as we meet on the Lord state I got burst leaking suspicion. That there are precious you Christians in the best trick or two.

47:57 Who spend being ten minutes and prayers Lord.

48:02 Are you one of them.

48:06 Spiritual preparation. That then there needs to be and I'm thinking to be intensely practical material preparation.

48:16 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 indifference that discovers halfway to church you're going to run out of gas is just one more encouragement for filling stations to be open.

49:12 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 snack. How much forethought does it take to plan ahead on Saturday and make sure you've got your Twinkies or your Keebler's cookies or whatever else and say, brothers and sisters, come to my home. Some of you have found in recent days diners can be sinks of iniquity. I hope you avoid that.

50:17 I hope you avoid them like the plague. For many of you, your enclave at the diner has undone all the blessing of the Lord's day. It's about time you quit. No wonder you could indulge in violations of the ninth commandment when you were violating in principle the fourth commandment by being there. It wasn't a matter of necessity. Someone who has no home to go to. I am not legalistically arbitrarily saying no one should ever buy a meal in a diner on the Lord's day.

50:48 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?

51:19 My wife takes the turkey out of the freezer, puts it in a big pan of water down in the scrub sink. And therefore? For a day and a half or two days, it thaws out slowly, submerged in water. Now, if you came in the house and saw that turkey, you'd say, what in the world are you trying to do? Float a turkey? Drown a turkey? What are you trying to do?

51:37 Say, no, we're just thawing out a turkey. Well, why are you thawing out a turkey? Well, we're going to have turkey on Thanksgiving. Well, Mrs. Martin, you're a terrible legalist.

51:47 I mean, it shows that two days before Thanksgiving, you were thinking about Thanksgiving dinner, and you were making practical preparations. You're a legalist. I mean, if you really had your freedom in Christ, you'd just come to Thanksgiving morning and say, oh, well, let's see, what would we have? Thanksgiving dinner? Oh, yes, a little bit of it.

52:04 You see how ridiculous? I want the thing to be seen for all its ridiculousness. Don't you call me or any of my brothers and sisters a legalist who sits down on Saturday and thinks ahead and says, now, what will I need? Should we have some unexpected company on the Lord's Day?

52:20 What will I need to get to and from church in the gas tank? Is that being a legalist? No, my friends. Simply saying, God's appointed day deserves as much forethought as filling your belly on Thanksgiving.

52:34 If national holidays appointed by a president can have forethought without being legalistic, can't God's day have forethought of material preparation at the practical level without us being accused of legalism? Make sure the clothes are laid out, pressed, and ironed. The main cooking that can be done on Saturday, do it so Sunday is not a day of weariness for your wife or for you if you help with the cooking, so that the meals can be kept at a modicum in terms of time for preparation. Why all of this?

53:18 Because you've remembered, and you've marked out, and you are determined to guard the whole of the day in its sanctity. To be unto the Lord, that he may be glorified, that your own soul may be fed, and that in a world of blatant lawlessness, you will do nothing to contribute to the wholesale profanation of God's holy day. My dear people, I know you well enough to know that the vast majority of you jealously guard your lives, that in an adulterous generation, no one will question your commitment to keep the seventh commandment. May I say it this way, as a pastor, I'm proud of the modesty of the women of this church. Rarely have I ever had to be embarrassed that if a visitor came in, he'd see one of the members of our church dressed in such a way that might indicate that we don't take the seventh commandment seriously. I'm...

54:26 I'm... I'm...

54:27 I'm... It's all right for me to be proud of you as my spiritual children.

54:33 In that sense, I am proud of you. Paul could say that. I boast of you. I boast of you.

54:38 He said to the Thessalonians, every time I opened my mouth to boast, people had already said what had happened, and I had to shut up. The word of what I was going to boast about had already reached them. And I could say that with many other things. And oh, how I long for the day when with equal conviction I can say, the people at Trinity, the people at Trinity are marked as a people determined to keep the sanctity of the Lord's day.

Conclusion and Final Application

55:09 And that it will be manifested at every level. First of all, by the deliberate marking out of the day for what it is. Secondly, by conscious, deliberate preparations for the day. Spiritual...

55:27 Sorry, mental and physical preparations. Spiritual preparations. Practical preparations. Then, God willing, next week I'll give you the third sub-point.

55:38 Wholehearted engagement in appropriate activities throughout the entire day. But that'll have to wait for next week. Now I've got to close. And I want to close with this note of final application.

55:52 There may be some sitting here who say, Well, frankly, I think this is all a lot of hogwash.

56:01 I happen to... wander in this place today, and I think I've heard about all I want to hear.

56:06 It'll be the last time I ever come here. My friend, listen to me. Your controversy is not with this preacher. Romans 8, 7 says, The carnal mind is enmity against God.

56:15 It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. Almighty God claims one day in seven as peculiarly his own. And you know why you fight him on his special day? That's simply a mirror of the basic disposition of your heart on all the other days.

56:32 Your attitude is that of Pharaoh, who is Jehovah, that I should obey him. And my friend, what you need is a new heart. A heart that, instead of being symbolized by a clenched fist in the face of God, is symbolized by a bowed neck and a submissive will. You can only get such a heart from him who is mediator of the new covenant, even Jesus, who lives to make good every provision of the new covenant, and the heart of that provision is a new record.

57:05 Their sins and iniquities I'll remember no more. He kept that commandment. He died for all of the breaches of that commandment on behalf of his people. And he lives now to impute the perfect righteousness of his obedience and of his death, even with respect to the fourth commandment.

57:24 And he lives to send his spirit into your heart to write that law upon your heart, that law which has a fourth commandment. To actually give you not only a love to keep his law in every other area, but to keep his law with respect to the sanctity of his day. My friend, your rebel heart, your guilty heart needs that which only Christ can give. And dear child of God, that God has sent some arrows into your heart this morning and you see how shabby and careless you've been with reference to the fourth commandment.

58:00 What are you to do? You're to do what every Christian is always to do when he becomes aware of sin. Don't run from Christ, run to him. For if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

58:21 May we not go bowed down with guilt, but may we let our guilt drive us to him who stands ready to cleanse and forgive and pardon us. Amen. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. And it is for our good and his glory that we honor his day in his appointed way.

58:50 Let us pray. Oh our Father, we thank you for your love and kindness in marking out a day from the very beginning of time. that man might contemplate the wonder of your works and we thank you that we can contemplate something that Adam could never contemplate even that greater work of new creation in Christ Jesus and we would by faith enter into your rest as we rest in him who died for sinners and in celebration of all that he has done in triumphing over death in the grave we meet this day his day this first day of the week we thank you for the wonder and the glory of a completed redemption of an outpoured spirit and the earnest of an eternal Sabbath O Lord we pray that you will help us as a body of people to become clear and wholeheartedly committed to the great principles of your word touching the sanctity of this day for those who in their enmity against you

60:15 find themselves irritated and irked at the very mention of your demands upon them O God we pray that they may flee to the Lord Jesus to find in him what they so desperately need that which cannot be found anywhere else seal your word to our hearts and help us to see you in the next life sanctify this day to your praise and to our profit through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen