Sermon Central
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9 Out Of 10 Ain't Bad
Contributed by Wade Hatfield on Jan 9, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: This message encourages those who hear it to take time to "rest" and seek God. If we don’t take time to know God, we can never love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
“Nine Out of Ten Ain’t Bad…”
By: Pastor Wade Hatfield
Today, we are going to begin by looking at the Ten Commandments.
How many think they could stand up and recite all ten? Maybe not many, but I’m sure that we all know them…listen as I go over them, and it will refresh your memory.
The Ten Commandments:
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make yourself an idol or graven image; you shall not bow down to them nor worship them.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not give false testimony.
10. You shall not covet . . . anything of your neighbor’s
There are at least nine that we try to obey. We really do. But there is one that we kind of “skim over.” Actually, in our day and age, we tend to ignore it. It is…Commandment Number 4.
Ex 20:8-11
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
Today, I am going to suggest something really “wack-o.” It might even blow your mind. Deep down, some may even want to stand up and shout, “BLASPHEMY!” (smile) Yep, you guessed it…I am going to suggest that you try to follow commandment #4 and start taking a day of rest…a Sabbath.
You might be thinking, “Now, pastor Wade…We aren’t under the Law anymore. That command is part of the old covenant. We are under the new covenant now. Isn’t this commandment obsolete?”
After all…
2 Corinthians 3:6 says:
"He [God] has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant -- not of the letter (law) but of the Spirit; for the letter (law) kills, but the Spirit gives life"
Romans 7:4 says:
“So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.”
You would be correct that we are not saved by following a list of rules, but by the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus. But if the Law is not in effect anymore, can we…
Murder
Worship other gods
Take the name of the Lord in vain
Disrespect your father and mother
Steal
Lie
Etc.
Maybe Jesus can shed some light on this subject:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it.
Commandment # 4: Remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy.
In this command, we see that the very nature of the Sabbath is different from the other six days.
The Bible tells us that at the end of the days of creation, God blessed the Sabbath and made it holy, (set apart for His use). God saw something good and worthwhile in the Sabbath. It is a day in which we imitate our Creator by resting from our work, just as He did.
Deut 5:15 connects the Sabbath to the Israelites experience in Egypt.
“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”
The Israelites were slaves for 400 years in Egypt. Generation after generation had worked without rest. They had four centuries of constant activity. God commanded them to take a day and rest and reflect on Him.
