The Sabbath #1

Introduction: Christ's Superiority and the Warning Against Unbelief

0:00 Open your Bibles, please, to Hebrews chapter 3, the book of Hebrews chapter 3, and as we read I hope you will give close attention to the scripture, for we'll be commenting on it in this earlier part of this morning's lesson, and probably not reading it so much as commenting on it. But beginning with verse 6 of Hebrews 3, you follow as I read through verse 11 of chapter 4.

0:44 There has been a comparison made, actually the first four chapters of Hebrews show Jesus Christ to be the greatest prophet that has ever come and has delivered the supreme message of God, greater than which nothing and no message is to be expected. And here in the beginning verses of chapter 3, Christ is being compared with Moses the prophet. The first chapter he was compared with angels who were messengers of God. Here in the third chapter he is compared with Moses, the great prophet of the Old Testament, the greatest prophet to ever live besides Christ.

1:21 And in the comparison, beginning at verse 6, we read that Christ is the sun over his own house, whose house are we if we hold the fast, the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith...

1:41 And here we have... Here we have a quote from the book of Psalms.

1:48 Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore, I was grieved with that generation and said, they do all they err in their heart and they have not known my ways. So I swear in my wrath...

2:14 They shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

2:40 While it is said, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness. For some, when they heard, did provoke, howbeit not all that came of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? For someone of them had sinned, and his carcase fell thus into the wilderness.

2:48 For whosoever has sinned did not enter into his rest, and whosoever swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but unto him that believe not. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with him that had sinned, and whose carcase fell into the wilderness? And to whom with him penalty was given the last but to them that believe not.

3:03 And with whom was he grieved forty years? For they were sinning forty years? Maybe just then they were somehow some sides of unbelief. But when the power of our hearts took предлаг that they should entender the other.

3:13 So we see that they could not enter into their separateness because of unbelief lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it for unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it for we which have believed do enter into rest as he said as I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world for he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise and God did rest the seventh day from all his works

3:55 and in this place again if they shall enter into my rest seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief again he limiteth a certain day saying in David today today today today After so long a time as it is said today if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts for if Jesus that is Joshua Jesus is the Greek form of the same Hebrew word Joshua and this is evidently a reference to Joshua of the Old Testament not to Jesus the Son of God if Joshua had given them rest

4:40 then would he not afterward have spoken of another day they remember that it had been finished this is after a brief expression of the river he spoke what was God about an hour and a half ago what happened behind him without saying anything I see now for what He has said but to both did He not lift the hour up США as do you see quite right ール you

The Sabbath Controversy and the Shift to the First Day

5:20 good to know, if you study the subject of the Sabbath, that no matter what conclusions you reach on almost any point regarding the Sabbath, you'll find many godly students of the Scripture disagreeing with you, and many Calvinists disagreeing with you, and some of the finest of Reformed men who have disagreed on this matter of the Sabbath. Though there be many godly and able scholars and many men who generally agree, we still have to follow God's word and our convictions according to it. But when you see such a phenomenon as God allowing those who seem to agree on so much else to disagree about a subject, it ought to make you rather cautious and charitable.

6:05 Another argument that will be brought forward if you try to hold the position that there is a Sabbath, an obligation to observe a Sabbath for all men today, will be something like this. People will come to you and say, you're Christian. Christians don't really believe that the Fourth Commandment is in force today in our generation, because you worship on the first day of the week, not the seventh. So we've got you there because you Christians don't observe the day that's mentioned in the Fourth Commandment.

6:40 Exodus says the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. If you really thought that that Fourth Commandment was binding, you'd be like the Seventh-day Baptists who worship on Saturday instead of Sunday.

6:57 Now, first of all, before we look here in the book of Hebrews, allow me to say concerning the 20th chapter of Exodus that it does command that a man work for six days, and only after that it says the seventh is to be observed as the Sabbath. And it's not necessarily saying that the last day of the seventh must be observed. It's not necessarily saying that the last day of the seventh must be observed with the other six, although this is not the main point of reason that I'd like to bring before you. The main thing in the book of Exodus, in chapter 20, is to see that the particular day to be observed is incidental to the imitation of God.

7:40 If God in his creation had rested the third day, then his creatures would have to worship on the third day. For we are invited into God's rest. It is his rest. It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and we are to imitate him on the day that he has rested.

8:01 If a new heaven and a new earth were to be created, and God were to finish his new order on a different day and enter into rest from his new creation on that day, and if we were to live as creatures of this new order, then we would be obliged to imitate him on his day of rest. And that's exactly what the Bible says. The New Testament tells us has happened. There's been a change of the day because there has been a change of the order in which we are living.

8:33 We live in a totally different world from that which was originally created, in one sense of the term. Because of Adam and his sin, the whole of creation, we read in Romans, groaned under the consequences of the fall. But now it has been redeemed by Jesus Christ. The grip of Satan over the earth has been decisively broken by Christ's work on the cross.

9:02 Our Lord made a show of evil powers, conquering them when he was on the cross, triumphing over them, as Colossians tells us. Because of his death and resurrection, he is now the master of the world. That's why he died and rose again. We read in Romans 14 and verse 9, to this end Christ both died and rose again and revived.

9:27 That he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living. He is now the master of a new order in the world. When our Lord Jesus cried, it is finished, this had implications for every man. All had been done that was necessary to secure a new world free from sin.

9:48 The setting up of a new heaven and a new earth with redeemed elect of God is absolutely certain because Jesus died and rose. This world belongs to them, and the rebels who still fight Jesus the Lord shall be cast out and into the pit of hell. On the first day of the week he rose from the dead and entered into his rest from the redemptive work. All labors of establishing the new order were finished.

10:16 It is finished. And when he rose from the dead, he entered into his rest. Now Christ, seated at God's right hand, still carries out the implications of his atoning work. But then, since God finished his creation, he has carried out the providential implications of his first work.

10:36 It was finished at creation, but he continues to work to the present, as we read in John chapter 5 and verse 17. And so the Lord Jesus Christ works, but in effect it's all been finished. All are living under a new order. There is a new Lord who's been crowned by God, and we are obliged to imitate his rest since we live in his.

New Testament Evidence for the Lord's Day

10:59 The first day of rest, the resurrection day of rest. Well, some people will object, this is rather lofty stuff. It's very clever reasoning. Well, why doesn't the New Testament tell us if there's been such a change in the day?

11:15 And this question perplexes Christians who have not searched the New Testament for an answer. Many Christians do think that the other nine commandments are more clear in the New Testament, but that the Sabbath day observance is more obscure. Last night we looked briefly at Matthew 12, 5-8. You needn't turn there now, but let me just remind you that Jesus declared there that he is Lord of the Sabbath, that there is a Sabbath under his Lordship in this new order which he now rules, which he has now established.

11:47 The one who is now to hold the center of attention in the day of rest is Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. Being greater than the temple, men are to serve him on the holy day. The focus of attention. The focus of attention is shifted from the creative work of God to the new creation in Jesus Christ and to his redeeming of the whole creation.

12:08 These things we looked at in Matthew chapter 12 last evening. But our main attention is going to be given to Hebrews chapter 4, verses 9 and 10. Again, we looked at verse 9 last evening. There remaineth a keeping of the Sabbath or an observance of the Sabbath for the people of God.

12:28 There is to be. There is to be a day observed by the people of God. And then verse 10 goes on and makes it most plain as to why this is true. For he that is entered into his rest, he hath ceased from his own works as God did from his.

12:47 Verse 9 tells us that Christians are still to observe a time of rest. And verse 10 tells us which day is the day of rest. It doesn't set us free to select any convenient day. But verse 10 sounds very much like Exodus 20 and verse 11.

13:05 And no doubt it called that verse to the minds of the Jews who were reading this book. It is clearly joined to verse 9 by the word for. It's giving the reason why there is still an observing of the Sabbath for the people of God. Because he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works as God did from his.

13:28 The imitation of God is essential to Sabbath. And we are to imitate God the Son who has entered into his rest from the new creation work just as the Father ceased from his works at the first creation. But it was the first, not the seventh day on which Christ entered into his rest. There should be no difficulty in verse 10 for it refers to an individual.

Identifying Christ as the 'He' in Hebrews 4:10

13:55 He who has entered into his rest has ceased from his works as God back at the beginning of the world also ceased from his works. An individual who has entered into rest as God did. The individual in view must be Christ Jesus. It can't be anyone else in the context.

14:14 Throughout chapters 3 and 4, Christians are uniformly referred to in the plural, not in the singular. They are treated never individually but corporately as a group. We and us and the people of God in the plural. But here suddenly.

14:33 An individual is introduced. He that has entered into his rest. And then in verse 11 immediately it returns again to the plural of us. Let us labor to enter into that rest that the individual has entered into, that he has entered into.

14:51 The entire exhortation from 3.7 to 4.11 is given as an application to a comparison between Moses and Christ. So the glory of Christ is uppermost in the mind of anyone.

15:05 Who is reading carefully this section of Hebrews. There's no need to mention his name. The hymn must refer to Christ. And just notice down at verse 13 that it begins to speak of Christ again by simply the mention of the pronoun.

15:21 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. In whose sight? Why in Christ's sight. For he is the great prophet who is being discussed in this place.

15:32 Everyone is manifest in his sight. And since everyone is thinking of Christ. Christ who is superior to Moses. It's evident that the hymn is Christ.

15:41 All along he is uppermost in the minds of the people and the center of attention. And so in verse 10 it would be very natural to see that he who has entered into his rest refers to Christ who is the subject of the whole passage. It could refer to no one else. It could not refer to Joshua because the emphasis is on one who came after Joshua.

16:02 It could not refer to Moses or to David who were mentioned in this passage. But to one who came after them all. Even Jesus Christ. There remains the keeping of a Sabbath.

16:15 And it must be identified with the finished work of him, of Christ.

Navigating the Complicated Context of Hebrews 3-4

16:21 There is a Sabbath. There is a Sabbath because he has ceased from his work as God did from his. The only cloud it seems to me which hangs over this interpretation of verses 9 and 10 is the complicated context. The complicated context.

16:39 In these chapters. How can you be so sure that verses 9 and 10 are as simple as I've just explained them? Because many wrestle with the context of these chapters. Follow through it with me if you will please.

16:52 And try to think through these chapters. In the beginning of Hebrews 3 as we've already mentioned. The apostle has established that Christ is superior to Moses. Moses was the servant in the house of God.

17:06 Jesus Christ is the son and builder. Who is. Over the house of God. At the end of verse 6.

17:14 The apostle breaks into an exhortation founded upon this truth. He urges believers to persevere. And mentions that we are the house of Christ only if. We hold steadfast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.

17:33 Then in verses 7 to 11. He quotes Psalm 95 verses 7 to 11. To enforce. His warning.

17:43 Verses 3 from chapter 12. Excuse me. Chapter 3 verse 12. Through chapter 4 verse 2.

17:50 The exhortation is continued then.

17:54 The Jews in the Old Testament received a gospel message. God gave them a promise. His promise was. You're going to come into my land of rest.

18:02 The promise came in.

18:05 It was promised to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob. And you are also heirs of the promise. And they professed to be the people of God. But there was no faith in their heart mixed with the hearing of the promise and the profession of faith.

18:20 There was no real faith within the heart. Thus they fell short of the promise. They never entered into that place of rest. The promise came in.

18:29 The conclusion is that we too have a promise. There has been a promise left to us. The gospel was preached to us as well as unto them says verse 2 of chapter 4. But our promise in Christ is far superior.

18:45 To theirs. We have been promised not a land of Canaan. But the bosom of God is an eternal position of rest. The promise is far more glorious.

18:56 And we profess to even more certainly be the people of God. Who have believed on his name. But the exhortation is beware. That you have faith in your heart.

19:07 Lest you come short of the position of rest as a child of God. Lest you come short of the fellowship with God. And that heavenly rest. This is the essence of verse 7 in chapter 3 through chapter 4 the beginning of verse 3.

19:23 The same warning is taken up again in verse 11 where the apostle says let us labor to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The Parenthetical Argument: Distinguishing God's Rest

19:38 But verses 3 the last part of verse 3 through the end of verse 10 beginning in verse 3 where it says. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world from that point to the end of verse 10 is a parenthesis in the apostles argument in writing to the Jews it was necessary to answer some objections that would be peculiar to their thoughts. The idea of entering into rest was woven into the idea of a day for the Jews. So in verse 3 he begins to write about their day of rest the seventh day Sabbath and he introduces the idea of a day of rest in his parenthesis.

20:24 The apostle looks at the seventh day rest and then he looks at Psalm 95 11 again in its historic position. It was spoken long after the Jews had enjoyed the creation institution of the seventh day rest. And the emphasis in verse 5 is the word again.

20:44 And in this place again it is said if they shall enter into my rest. Again. Again. Again.

20:50 Again. Again. Again. Again.

20:51 Again. Again. The book of a rest distinct from that seventh day rest. The mere Sabbath observance does not fit the promise of Psalm 95 verse 11.

21:01 They'd already had that Sabbath rest for centuries but in Psalm 95 11 it speaks of another day.

21:10 Again the Jews might think but Joshua led us into the land the place of rest. As the heirs of Joshua we have the rest that God promised to his people. We've dwelt in Palestine for years. But in verse 7.

21:23 verses 7 and 8, the apostle tells us, again he limits a certain day. After so long a time, David lived in the land, and he lived long after Joshua, and after so long a time, God was speaking of another day, not the day when Joshua entered into the land. If Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day. So the rest spoken of in Psalm 95, 11 is not to be identified with the seventh day rest that takes them back to creation, nor is it to be identified with the rest of Joshua that brought them into the land.

21:59 The Jews must see that the rest of this particular psalm is joined to Jesus Christ, the Jesus who is far greater than Moses, and the position of rest in Christ is far higher than the rest of Canaan. So another day is in view than the day of Joshua, or the seventh day rest. While he mentions a day, a question might arise, well, if the seventh day rest is not the rest spoken of in Psalm 95, 11, do we scrap the Sabbath day? No, he says in verse 9. There remaineth a keeping of the Sabbath for the

22:39 people of God, because Jesus has entered into his rest as God had entered into his. And it is a first day rest. We imitate Christ in resting the first day. We cannot choose any convenient day, but we observe a day.

22:56 The rest that we are entering into and have entered into, the rest that he has guaranteed and completed with the finishing of his work, let us labor to enter into that rest which is identified with Christ. You may be observing a seventh day rest. You may have entered into Canaan, but labor to enter into that rest. And remember that for God's people there is a keeping of the Sabbath, because Christ finished his works as God finished his.

New Testament Pattern of First-Day Worship

23:27 Well, as a matter of fact, then, this is the pattern of New Testament worship. Since the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath, and he is the one to be served on that day, Matthew 12, John speaks of the Lord's day in Revelation 1.10. The disciples first met the resurrected Christ on the first day of the week when they were gathered together. They first received

23:52 the Spirit of Christ on the first day of the week, Acts chapter 2. And from that point on, they continued to meet the Lord. They continued to meet on the first day of the week. That seems to be the New Testament pattern. Paul expected the church to be met and to take up their offerings on that day,

24:07 1 Corinthians 16.2. When he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, he waited a whole week at Troas so that he could preach to the people, and they gathered together on the first day of the week. There's no question that New Testament saints worship on the first day of the week since the resurrection. Well, then, so much for which day is to be observed.

The Principle of Sabbath Observance: A Holy and Blessed Day

24:32 Most people would like to forget that God has said in Exodus chapter 20, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Let me urge you to turn to Exodus 20 at this time. We have a student in our church who put it in a very convenient way. He said, I was brought up to be a very moral person. I kept all nine of the Ten Commandments. He'd never heard

25:01 of the Fourth Commandment. At least it was never emphasized in his church, and he never thought anything of breaking the Ten Commandments. He'd never heard of the Fourth Commandment. Many Christians would like to blot out this particular verse and ignore Hebrews 4.9, the

25:16 remaineth the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God. Some do it in sincerity. Some do it deceitfully. We've tried to see last night that every man, woman, and child stands under the moral obligation to observe the Sabbath, to see that the first day of the week, because Christ has finished his work, is the day that we are to observe. And we

25:37 started last night to look at the principle of the Sabbath. We've tried to look at the principle of keeping the Sabbath. Remember, we're not trying to clog up your mind with a long list of do's and don'ts. The surest way to guarantee that the next generation will not keep the Sabbath is to tell them what they can do and what they can't do, and never lead them into the spirit of the law, which is to rejoice in God on that day. But

26:01 if you apply the principle, you'll find for yourself a glorious liberty in the fellowship of God. And so this morning we're going to look at the Sabbath. And we're going to look at some more principles to guide you in keeping the day. Keeping in mind the spirit of the law, we want some practical hints. We've seen that the Sabbath is a holy

26:22 day, that is, it's separated from common and normal use and consecrated to God. And we want to keep in mind that the Sabbath is a blessed day. For the Christian, it's the cream of all time. Six days are spent gathering the straw of this world, and God says, I'll give you one day in seven to mind the Sabbath. And we want to keep in mind that the Sabbath

26:42 is a blessed day, and we want to keep in mind that the Sabbath is a blessed day, and we want to keep in mind that the Sabbath is a blessed day. We want to keep in mind that the Sabbath is a blessed day. We want to keep in mind that the Sabbath is a blessed day. We are to have a day of worship in the gold of heaven, a day to file off the rust of the wheels of Christian graces, a day of Jubilee in which to converse with our Redeemer, a day in which our affection should run out to God. God has anointed it above its fellows,

26:55 and we should esteem it above rubies. Isaiah 58, you needn't turn there, but we're told that if you do keep the Sabbath, there is a promise connected with it, and listen to the promise. Isaiah 58, 16. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Sabbath, and in the Sabbath thou shalt be Thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Practical Hints: Remembering and Preparing for the Sabbath

27:26 It would be a great means of reviving the church of Christ if his people would take the day seriously, and he has promised great blessings to his church when they do so. Many have jettisoned the most sacred day, the most blessed day, and sapped the energy of the church. Well, some other hints from Exodus chapter 20, verses 8 to 11, where we have the commandment of keeping the Sabbath, that will help you to keep it yourself. First, in verse 8, you'll see that it's a commandment that ought to be kept in mind.

28:01 Remember the Sabbath day. Remember it. Keep it in your mind. Imprint it in your thoughts.

28:09 Weave the idea of a Sabbath day into the patterns of your thinking. Reckon on the Sabbath day when you make plans for your life. You get used to taking the Sabbath into consideration, and you'll lay out the course of your life accordingly. When you arrange your business schedule, don't forget the Sabbath day.

28:30 You remember other things. You remember your recreation when you make your plans. Oh, I can't come to that conference next week. I have a golf date with so-and-so.

28:41 You remember other things that you want to remember. Remember. God said, Remember. Remember the Sabbath day when you're making your plans and writing notes down on your calendar.

28:49 This is a holy day, and it's not the week's wastebasket to pick up all the loose ends of housework and homework and office paperwork. When you look for a job, keep in mind that one day in seven is to be given to the Lord. It touches little things. Remember to prepare your household, your wardrobe, your car, to provide your needs during the week so that you'll be ready for the Lord's day and able to give it to the Lord.

29:15 Sometimes you teenagers leave your schoolwork go to the very last minute when it's due on a Monday. Remember the Sabbath day. And when you get an assignment three months in advance, get it finished before the Lord's day. America has been conditioned to thinking that weekends are times when you pack in as much fun as you possibly can.

29:40 And the Christians are used to thinking, that's right, so I've got to have all of my fun on Saturday. Because I'm not supposed to have fun on Sunday. That's right. I'm supposed to have fun on Sunday.

29:48 And so you have all of your recreation on Saturday, and then on Sunday you can do your homework and the odd chores that you couldn't do on Saturday because you were busy having fun. But the Scripture says, remember the Sabbath day and prepare for its coming. Keep it in view. If you wake up on Sunday morning and say, oh, this is Sunday, and it's the first time you've thought about it.

30:12 Mom has to iron a dress for her daughter, Pop has to run out and get gas, and maybe you'd better remember a loaf of bread. The bread on the way back. And the son has invited friends to come over in the afternoon, and the daughter has forgot to do her homework. It's too late to rescue the day then.

30:28 You've got to remember the day to make it holy. And if you try not to do those things at the time that you need them, you'll not be able to keep the day holy anyway, because you're thinking about the other things that you've forgotten to do. When you plan vacation trips, remember, have it imprinted on your mind that Sunday isn't just another day to travel and sightsee and play. It's God's day.

30:49 In other words, reckon on the principle that there's one day in seven belonging to the Lord. It's interesting in talking to some of our Sunday school teachers that they mention that when they've fallen into the pattern of preparing for their class on Saturday night, spending Saturday evening in praying and reading the Scriptures and studying God's Word, they say that the Sabbath becomes a greater delight to them because their heart is prepared for that day. They've been looking forward to the day. And sometimes in talking to preachers, they mention that when you try to preach on Sunday morning, it's like banging up against a thick wall, and you have to try to break down the wall in the morning worship service.

31:32 But after people have spent a day in thinking about the Lord, it's much easier to preach in the evening. Prepare for the day. Keep it in mind. It's a day of rest.

Practical Hints: Rest, Inclusivity, and Guarding the Day

31:41 There ought to be an area of latitude as to what rest is. Rest for you may not be the same as rest is for another person. But at least be prepared. At least it is to be a day in which you do not carry on the common work of the other six days.

31:58 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. The seventh day is to be different and a day of rest. The slightest pressure should not move you from resting on this holy day. There are exceptions to rest in doing the works of piety and mercy and necessity, as we noticed in Matthew 12 last night.

32:19 But still it's to be a day of rest. A day to be kept in mind. A day of rest. And then we notice that it's a day for everyone.

32:28 Not only does it say, in it thou shalt not do any work, but it says neither shall your son or your daughter or your servants or the strangers that are within your gates or the cattle. I remember a missionary who was in Nigeria who came home and told us that when he tried to teach the principle of the Sabbath from the Ten Commandments, he was approached by some of the Nigerian students with the response, well, I can't rest on this Sabbath. I can't rest on this Sabbath. I'm working for the missionaries that day.

33:01 I can't take the Lord's day to worship. That's the day I clean the house of the other missionaries. If you have a household servant, then it's a day in which they are not to rest. It's not only your Sabbath, but it's the Sabbath of the paper boy.

33:16 It's the Sabbath of the gas station owner. It's the Sabbath of the grocery clerk. It's the Sabbath of others in the world as well. What temptations do you place before others on the day?

33:30 When you're forbidden to sin, you're forbidden to urge others into sin or tempt them into sin. Thou shalt not steal involves not purchasing stolen merchandise. Honoring your father means that you want aid and help. who dishonor their fathers.

33:47 So you are somewhat responsible for others keeping the commandment as well. You must not think that it's just for yourself. It's especially clear in this tenth verse. The emphasis here also is for employers.

34:01 Do all within your power to see that those under your employ have the Sabbath day to worship the Lord. And even strangers in the home should have it clearly explained what your habits are on the Lord's day and why and be invited to worship with you. Some good Christians I know that when they have visitors and family come on the Lord's day they invariably miss worshiping with the people of God.

34:28 On the other hand, don't try to shoulder the weight of the world. Though you are somewhat responsible for other men and though you should not tempt others into the matter of sin.

34:42 I've seen some who've wondered whether they ought to plug the coffee pot in on Sunday morning because you're not going to be able to do that. Because you're not going to be able to do that. Someone has to be at work at the power station on that day. It's not your job.

34:53 God hasn't laid it as your responsibility to change the whole order of our society.

35:00 And it's difficult at times to decide what is of necessity and what is not of necessity and give your brother some latitude in this area. What are the works of necessity? What are they not?

35:13 Children are a special problem. But notice that the scripture says your son should be taught and your daughters should be taught as well as your servants to keep the Sabbath day holy. And you must command your children after you as Abraham was expected to do.

35:31 Try to make that day a delight to them. And it requires ingenuity. You who have little children. But if you fight the battle with little children you'll have many years of joy with them when they're older.

35:44 Days of family delight in the things of the Lord. You have to recognize that we little children can't read for two hours. In the afternoon there's some of them who can't read at all yet. So you can't just hand them a book and say now this is the Sabbath.

35:57 Sit down and read.

35:59 You've got to have a variety of activities that are consistent with the day but a pleasure for them. And I'll tell you the greatest pleasure for them will be your attention to them on the Sabbath day. And you're entering into the joy of the day with them. You can color with them.

36:15 Talk to them about Bible stories as you color books that have to do with Bible stories. Play games with Bible memory and catechism and Bible facts. Read Pilgrim's Progress or Scroop Tape's letters. Listen to the Bible stories on records or perhaps to the Holy War on record.

36:34 Take a walk with them and talk about the Lord. Gather at the piano as a family and sing praises to God. As a matter of fact there are many things that you can find to do. And if you spend a day as a family it can be filled with many joys.

36:49 The problem is that many don't know how to spend any day as a family. But if you spend a day as a family you can find a lot of joy. But if you spend a day as a family you can find a lot of joy. If you go to church in the morning and in the evening in Sunday school and you try to catechize your children and you spend a little time resting and you read to them a little bit and you sing some hymns together it's amazing how fast the day does go.

37:07 Attitude is really the biggest problem. You know parents sometimes send their children off to school and they say well my child never sits down at home. I don't understand how he can sit still in school for so many hours. Did you ever think that it was because a teacher was finally paying attention to them?

37:24 And parents who are willing to spend time with their children and give them intention as well as instruction will find that their children will respond very readily. But if you make it a different day for them a delightful day you're going to do them a great favor. Build into them the attitude of reverencing and enjoying the day by spending it with them and guiding them along.

37:49 If you have the attitude that you don't want your children to miss a blessing they'll catch that and they'll know that it's for their good. But if you begin with the idea well it's hard enough for me to spend the whole day how in the world am I going to get my little child to do it? They'll sense that as well and you've lost the whole battle. They'll loathe the day as you loathe it.

38:11 If you wait until they're older it'll be a desperate battle. Now it's true that children can't be expected to act beyond their years. You don't grab all the toys away from children that are two years old and say no no this is the Sabbath.

38:27 But the Sabbath was made for your sons and daughters as well and God wants to do it for you. He wants them to learn of his word and to enjoy the blessings of the day. It's a holy day, a blessed day, a day to be kept in mind, a day of rest. It's a day for everyone.

38:44 And then it's a day to be guarded. A day to be guarded.

38:50 Avoid the circumstances that lead you to break the commandment. I think that's why the Lord says that the cattle should not labor on the Sabbath day. At least one of the reasons. The cattle have no souls.

39:03 What's wrong with their laboring on that day? Well if you see the cattle out there grinding and at work if you put your ox in harness and have them grinding at the millstone then your mind will begin to grind as well. You'll find that your mind will run after the things of this world. Nehemiah recognized that principle.

39:24 After he got the Jews to obey the Sabbath day in Nehemiah 13 he saw that the heathens still came around the gates of Jerusalem and so he threatened them with violence personally if they wouldn't leave with their wares. Why? He didn't want the Jews tempted to go out and to work on that holy day. And so you have to clean up the gates of your Sabbath.

39:49 If you turn on the radio or television for a news broadcast do you allow your mind to wander on then to the ball game or to a TV special and spend the whole afternoon at it or on to a political debate? If so then you may have to lay your hands on the table and lay your hands on the cause of it and say to it that the gates of your Sabbath are cleared up by not turning that TV on or that radio on. I didn't say it was wrong to turn it on. And the thing that you've got to learn as a Christian is to make rules for yourself and not for all the church when you're cleaning up the gates of the Sabbath day.

40:26 When you visit someone on the Lord's day are you likely to get so far from the Sabbath and spend so much time in trite things that the whole day is spoiled? If so, and remember I'm saying if so, then don't make that visit on the Lord's day. There are other circumstances in which it may be a great blessing to visit on the Lord's day among God's people or a great time to go and to witness to your friend because he's off on that day as well.

40:56 It's a great thing to remember when you're setting rules for yourself and guarding the day for yourself is not to set the rules for other people as well. The Christian spirit is to be strict on yourself and charitable to your brethren. Esteem others better than yourselves. When you see someone that does something that you couldn't possibly do on the Sabbath you ought to say well you know that brother may in his heart just keep the Sabbath day more perfectly than I possibly can.

41:25 It's a struggle for me to keep my mind on the Lord. I find my mind wandering off to the business of the world. Well maybe he can walk through his fields on the Lord's day and be worshipping the Lord. Maybe he can spend all afternoon riding a bicycle and meditate on God.

41:41 Maybe he can. You ought to be charitable to others while you make strict rules for yourselves. The principles that are laid down in Exodus 20 were not meant to be restrictive and oppressive. They were not meant to smother life in an outward formality of rules.

41:59 They were given to guide your life in practical details. To set your spirit free on this day to soar heavenward. They were given to establish your soul's attitude to find a blessing in God. They were given to an end to enable you to delight yourself in the best things of earth.

The Spirit of the Sabbath and a Foretaste of Heaven

42:17 A whole day for private devotions and family worship and worship with the saints of God. If you haven't the spirit of the Sabbath then outward formality won't please God.

42:33 Amos 8 and verse 5 condemns those who say oh when will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn. When will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat. But if you have the root of the matter in your soul the application of the principles in outward circumstances will be wings to inward devotion and merely a guard to keep you in worshiping God and lifting up your heart to them.

43:02 To those who look forward to unbroken fellowship with God in heaven the Sabbath is a blessed day. The saints confess a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.

43:16 I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. And it's a mark of grace for people to want to spend a day with God's people. What's one of the signs of being a true believer? Love of the brethren.

43:32 It's a great sign of grace that you hunger and thirst after righteousness. And where do you find it? You find it in God's word. You find it in your closet of prayer.

43:42 It's a sign then that you want to spend time with the Lord. A sign that you have received the grace of Almighty God.

43:51 But in a gathering this large I'm sure there's some people that don't hunger and thirst after righteousness. I'm sure there's some who don't love the brethren for the right reasons because they are the children of God. I'm sure there's some that wouldn't really fit into heaven.

44:08 You just cannot abide spending a whole day in religious activities.

44:14 How can you expect to enjoy heaven which is an eternity of praise to God? You don't read anywhere in the Bible that there are any golf courses in heaven. There might be but it doesn't say so in the Bible. The only thing that's said in the Bible of heaven to attract you to heaven is that the Lord is there.

44:33 That you'll be ever with the Lord. That you'll be in the presence of the saints. That you'll be in an atmosphere of worship and reverence and praise.

44:45 That's how heaven is described in the scriptures. To attract you. To make you long for it. And if you desire these things then surely you'll desire a foretaste of them in this world.

45:00 Surely you'll desire oh the spirit when it's willing still finds the flesh weak. And when Christ asks us to watch with him for an hour we'll fall asleep. As some dear saints do at times fall asleep in church. Their spirit is willing their flesh is weak.

45:19 But at least your heart will be longing to keep the commandment. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. A day devoted unto God. If you can't devote a day and seven unto God it's a question worth asking yourself.

45:34 Have you devoted anything to God? Have you consecrated yourself to the Lord? Have you bowed before the throne of the one who is seated at God's right hand?

Prayer for Grace and Application

45:47 If so then you should labor to enter into his rest on this day. For he has ceased from his works as God did from his. Let us bow in prayer. Our Father we thank thee for the brethren who are with us in the conference who have consented to spend the morning hours in teaching our children.

46:11 We thank thee that there is an hour for them even now to open thy holy word. We thank thee O God that they have their attention turned to the things of eternity. And we pray that thy Holy Ghost would be with those who minister to them even now. O how we pray that you would open their hearts and make this day a delight to them.

46:33 But more than that make the Savior a delight to them. And grant that there may be a heart response to thee in the hearing of thy word. We pray for ourselves O Lord as we look at the principles of thy word. Teach us to be men of principle.

46:52 We acknowledge in many of thy commandments that we scarce know how to apply the principles to particular conditions. In the matter of the rules that thou hast given to divorce when we see some complicated situations in this world we scarce know how to apply the principles that thou hast left us. And surely this is true with regard to the Sabbath.

47:16 We don't have all of the answers Father we are but children. But we delight in the day in which as children we can come to our Heavenly Father and seek the answers that we long to know. O Lord help us to become a holy people a charitable people to others a people O Lord who fence ourselves in to that which is most holy on thy sacred day. A people who esteem others better than ourselves and do not judge their spirit when they do differently from ourselves.

47:48 But help us O Lord to remember this day. Help us to keep it in mind through the week and look forward to it. Help us O Lord to keep it sacred unto thee. Grant that it may be a delight unto us O Lord.

48:03 Grant we pray that we may remember that others must observe it as well as ourselves. Help us O Lord to fence ourselves in to a day of blessing to thee even while we are assembled here in this place. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.