The Seventh Day is a Sabbath of Rest
Sept. 5, 2010
Introduction
A Labor Day is a national holiday set aside for the honor of American workers.
1 Unofficial end of summer
a A weekend to get in last-minute trips & take in one last BBQ or swim party before colder weather sets in.
b A weekend of rest & relaxation (what a good idea!)
2 The Bible tells us that God established 52 days of rest for us every year...the Sabbath.
a God knew that we’d get tired, run down, & need to be recharged, revitalized, & restored (by the way: rest is the foundation for restoration).
b The Sabbath was a gift from Him! Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 (NASB)
c The Sabbath is such a big deal to God, He modeled it by resting on the seventh day (if God rested, took a day off...we should strongly consider it, too).
B Let’s look at how God not only told us to remember a day of rest, but literally how He has provided a rest through His Son.
C In Scripture, the Sabbath was always observed beginning at sunset on Friday evening, because in Jewish tradition, their days begin at sunset on the previous evening (Monday would start around 6 PM this evening).
1 Saturday was the seventh day, & it’s this day that God commanded Jews to “Remember...and keep holy”. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Ex 20:8 (NASB)
a Remember God was their Creator (worked for six days on creation & rested on the Sabbath).
b Keep it holy. How? The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying,2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord's appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these:3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings. Lev 23:1-3 (NASB) “sacred assembly”
aa Jews went to the Temple/synagogue
bb Did Jesus go to church on Sundays? No! Jesus observed the Shabbat by going to Temple on Saturday. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. Luke 4:16 (NASB)
2 On each Sabbath, near sunset, two candles are lit in Jewish homes.
a One is lit to remember, and the other lit to sanctify, both lit by the woman of the house.
b Because there is no work to be done, even lighting a candle is classified as work, so the Sabbath did not begin until Momma opened her eyes.
3 What I see is John 8:12- Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12 (NASB)
D Every Shabbat in the Temple, the “bread of presence/shewbread” was replaced (12 loaves).
1 In Jewish homes, there are 2 loaves of challah bread under a linen napkin.
a The bread reminds them of the manna God gave them in the wilderness.
aa Every morning, the Hebrews would awaken to a ground covered with small balls of sweet dough (daily bread) that had to be gathered quickly, or the sun would melt it. They could only collect enough dough for that day.
bb The only day they could get more was on Friday morning-no work on the Sabbath.
b Always start your day in the bread of life because the sun will be up soon, day will heat up, and we’ll starve! We can’t live off of yesterday’s spiritual nourishment, for we need fresh daily bread-no substitutes for daily time with God.
c It also represented the Messiah.
aa The bread is always pulled by hand, no knife is used.
bb The One who is coming will do away with all weapons.
2 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Heb 4:9-10 (NASB)
a God has provided for us rest in the form of Jesus Christ, the Messiah (we’re not simply to remember, but to enter the Sabbath).
aa If God’s provided me rest, why am I so tired?
bb I’m no longer trying to gain, earn, work for my salvation-He’s done.
b Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.Heb 4:11 (NASB)
E On the same table is a cup (kiddush) of wine/grape juice that always represents the joy of God’s provision for us everyday. And wine which makes man's heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food which sustains man's heart.16 The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted...Psalms 104:15-16 (NASB)
1 At our table we have the cup of the New Covenant, in His blood.
a He’s not only provided for us in this life, but also in the life to come; not just in the life to come but also in this life.
b Through His blood we find forgiveness, healing, power.
2 In Jesus’ time, the signal for work to be finished was alerted by 3 shofar blasts at 3 PM on Friday.
a Isn’t it interested that at 3 PM Jesus said, “It is finished.”
b That’s enough blood, atonement, ransom.
c Because He suffered, I can rest...so can you.
F Shabbat is a day of “sacred assembly”, we go to church service.
1 The one activity we should engage in every Sunday is worship.
a “Service” is our service or “labor” to God.
b It’s not entertainment, a fashion show, gossip session, variety hour, talent contest, babysitting agency, a time to voice opinions, be critical or cynical, UFC-it’s church, and we’re here to worship the Groom.
2 Jonathan Edwards gave six things Christians should do on Sunday:
a Lord’s Supper
b Sing (we are to sing: if you’re not singing, you’re sinning. Eph. 5:19 & Col. 3:16 tell me to sing with you). ...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord...Eph 5:19 (NASB)
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Col 3:16 (NASB)
c Remove each other’s sandals
d Be on time (New England 1700's, especially in winter).
e Stay awake (some people take the “day of rest” way too literally)
f Pay attention (message from the King via a servant)
Conclusion
A Christian, Shabbat is more than a day of the week, it’s a day in the life of every Christian.
1 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:30 (NASB)
a He’s given us rest!
b Jews are told to remember the Sabbath, the cross tells us to enter the Sabbath.
2 As you prepare for communion, remember what Jesus did to bring you rest.
a Body
b Blood
B Pray
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