WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE SABBATH?

EXODUS 20:8-11: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy:  (9)  You are to labor six days and do all your work,  (10)  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates.  (11)  For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.” CSB

OBSERVATION: What ever happened to the Sabbath? My thoughts are not directed toward whether one observes the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday. There are denominations that are split over this issue. My thoughts are simply – whatever happened to the sacredness of a day to cease from our labors and focus on the Lord?

A recent Gallup Poll observed the following:

Gallup poll results released March 25 show that just three in 10 U.S. adults attend religious services regularly, 21% every week and 9% almost every week.

A reported 11% attend religious services about once a month, while 25% seldom and 31% never attend.

(The survey was based on cell and landline telephone interviews from a number of Gallup polls conducted in 2021-2023 among 32,445 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.) Gallup, March 25, 2024

Let’s break that down. Among American Christians, here is how we observe the Sabbath:

• 9 out of 100 attend almost weekly (3-4 times)

• 21 out of 100 attend almost every week (2-3 times)

• 11 out of 100 attend once a month

• 25 out of 100 seldomly attend (Christmas and/or Easter)

• 31 out of 100 never attend.

So the question I must ask myself – is the Sabbath commandment still for today or was it just a part of the Old Covenant? When asked about the Sabbath, Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, the Sabbath was meant for man’s benefit not to become a legalistic observance by which we measure our spirituality against another.

Mark 2:23-28: “On the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to make their way, picking some heads of grain.  (24)  The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”  (25)  He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry —  (26)  how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests —and also gave some to his companions?”  (27)  Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.  (28)  So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” CSB

The key to the verses above is when Jesus proclaimed – “…the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Jesus did not come to do away with God’s law but to fulfill it. He came to restore God’s original intent for all of life. There was nothing in Jesus’ ministry that would cause one to think that He did away with the Sabbath. Rather, Jesus reminded us what the Sabbath was for. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had made the Sabbath a set of rules and regulations that are not even found in the Bible. How are we to observe the Sabbath?

If we want to discover how to observe the Sabbath we need to see how Jesus observed the Sabbath.

Luke 4:16-21: “He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.  (17)  The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:  (18)  The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,  (19)  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.  (20)  He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.  (21)  He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” CSB

How did Jesus observe the Sabbath? “…As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read…” Jesus observed the Sabbath by going to church (the Synagogue). He went to the Synagogue to show His devotion to the Father and read/hear the Word of God. He came on this particular Sabbath to proclaim God’s desire for what should happen when we gather together to worship the Lord and proclaim the name of Jesus.

• We should hear the good news.

• Those who are spiritually bound should be set free from the strongholds of the enemy.

• Spiritual blindness should be healed and hearts made alive. (God is also able to heal our physical bodies!)

• The oppressed and burdened should be released, lifted up, and encouraged.

• The Lord’s grace and favor should be proclaimed over His people.

This is what the Sabbath is supposed to be! Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath when he ministered to those in dire need. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and opened the eyes of the blind. Jesus is our example. Jesus went to church (the Synagogue or the Temple) every week and showed us what observing the Sabbath should look like. Paul picked up on this theme when he wrote to the Colossians.

Colossians 3:14-17: “Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  (15)  And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.  (16)  Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  (17)  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” CSB

I think both the believer and the church need to do some serious soul-searching about their view of the Sabbath.

Believers – Let’s stop arguing about whether the Sabbath is on Saturday or Sunday. Let each be convinced in their own mind (Romans 14:15). Let’s be like Jesus and make church a weekly priority in our lives – a fulfillment of the Fourth Commandment to honor the 7th Day. Let’s keep this day holy – separated for God and His purposes. We have 6 days to work and play. Surely we can take one of these days and honor the One who has given His all so that we can be forgiven and restored to a full and right relationship with the Father.

Churches – Let’s return to the core values of why we gather together. Let’s put less emphasis on the program and more emphasis on Jesus. Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to be the Director of all we do and say. Let’s preach the good news, pray for the sick, encourage the weak, and declare freedom to the captives. In other words – let’s forget all the games and gimmicks and get back to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and Prayer! Our worship should not be the 20-30 minutes the band leads us in singing. Our worship should be the entire time we are together and should continue as we leave to spend the rest of the day with our family.

This would be a good time to read the Fourth Commandment once again.

Exodus 20:8-11: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy:  (9)  You are to labor six days and do all your work,  (10)  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates.  (11)  For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.”CSB

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit – help me to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy!

In Jesus’ Name!