|
Out
of the Fast Lane, Observing the
Lord's Day the Lord's Way
by Stanley K. Inouye
An
Invitation
When I look back over the years my family and I have been
trying to faithfully observe the Sabbath, frustration arises
over our inability to fully apply all the principles we know.
It is difficult not to regret what we missed by not having
that quality time with each other and our God. However, I
am immensely thankful for the degree to which we did succeed
in setting boundaries so time was available to rest and relate
as the Lord intended. As much as we floundered in how we spent
our Sabbaths, I believe we would not have survived without
them. Under the continuous demands of founding a small, faith-supported
ministry and caring for a daughter with a degenerative neuromuscular
disease, we might have collapsed under the immense and constant
pressure. But we did more than survive. We thrived. Janie
and I are very excited about how both our daughters have grown
in their faith and walk with the Lord. They are a constant
encouragement to us, to keep going and continue growing in
our relationship to God. Joelle recently passed away and is
now experiencing a continual Sabbath with her Lord. However,
Janie, Heather and I look forward to richer Sabbath experiences
as we continue to learn what it means to “keep”
the Sabbath holy.
Whenever
we discover something deeply meaningful and life-changing,
we automatically want to share it with others. So it is with
Sabbath. This is the very reason behind this booklet. We long
for the time when we will be able to observe the Sabbath together
with more and more people. When I think of friends, families
and churches celebrating Sabbath for an entire day, sharing
in portions of the Sabbath together, I cannot imagine anything
more enriching, unifying or worshipful this side of heaven.
And, I cannot imagine any more powerful evidence of a risen
Lord for those who are so relationally and group-oriented
as the 97% of Japanese Americans, and other Asian Americans,
who do not yet know Christ than being invited to participate
in Sabbath with a group of Christians, unified and empowered
by the Spirit of Christ.
I
invite you, your friends, family and church to join my family
and me as we seek to fulfill all Ten Commandments—including
the Fourth—by remembering to keep the Sabbath holy. Wholeness
and the Lord’s holiness awaits you. Get ready for rest,
peace and joy!
For
the Lord’s Sake and Yours,
Stan
Introducing
Sabbath
Is the Big Ten really Nine?
The
Ten Commandments is probably the one portion of the Bible
that most people would think applies to all people and cultures
in the same way and at any time. But, while The Ten Commandments
may be timeless and transcultural in principle, they may not
be in practice. For example, the Commandment telling us not
to steal would be practiced one way in individualistic cultures,
like American culture, where squabbles over personal possessions
often occur between members of the same family, and in another
way in group-oriented cultures where everything is owned and
shared by the entire family. Although every culture has a
concept of ownership, and therefore, of stealing, what would
be “stealing” in one culture may not be “stealing”
in another.
However,
can we agree that the following Ten Commandments as summarized
are timeless and transcultural in principle, if not in practice?
You
shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol. . . .
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. . . .
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. . . .
Honor your father and your mother. . . .
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
You shall not covet. . . anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Most of us would readily agree that nine of the Ten Commandments
are timeless and transcultural principles. However, one of
the Ten often seems to raise questions. That Commandment is
the Fourth regarding the Sabbath. Let us take a closer look
at the Fourth Commandment, which in its entirety reads as
follows:
Remember
the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor,
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. Exodus 20:8-11
So,
is this Commandment timeless and transcultural in principle?
Should it be applied today? Is it equally as important to
God as the other nine? To address these questions, perhaps
the first place to go would be to the Scriptures for God’s
own answers to them.
Biblical
Roots of Sabbath
Is it important to God that we observe the Sabbath?
Moses
and Sabbath
God gave the Ten Commandments on stone tablets to Moses high
on Mount Sinai. Before sending Moses down from the mountainside
with them, he gave Moses additional instructions regarding
one of them––the Sabbath Commandment. God said that
whoever did any work on the Sabbath should be cut off from
the people and be put to death.1 In this emphatic way, God
made it absolutely clear how important the Sabbath was to
him. He further punctuated its importance by the fact that
this threat of excommunication and capital punishment for
violating the Sabbath was his last recorded statement to Moses
before sending him down to the people.
When
Moses arrived at the base of Mount Sinai, he found the Israelites
worshipping an idol––a golden calf. In anger, Moses
smashed the stone tablets. God gave him a new set of blank
tablets and sent him back up the mountainside to receive the
Ten Commandments once again. This time, God underscored the
importance of Sabbath in a new way. He told Moses that the
people must rest and observe Sabbath on the seventh day even
during the plowing season and harvest 2–– even when
there was so much work to do.
When
Moses returned the second time, God gave further instructions
through Moses about how “the whole Israelite community”
was to obey the Sabbath Commandment. They were not to light
fires in their houses.3 So, heating their homes and even cooking
on the Sabbath were considered “work” punishable
by death for violating the Sabbath.
This seemingly trivial prohibition was no idle threat. The
Bible records a situation in which a man who was gathering
wood on the Sabbath, presumably to build a fire in his home,
was brought before Moses, Aaron, and the whole assembly. They
kept him in custody, because it was “unclear”
to them as to what they should do with him. But God told Moses
that the whole assembly was to take him outside of the camp
and stone him to death. So they did as God commanded.4
But,
was it really “unclear” to them? After twice
communicating the Fourth Commandment to the Israelites, each
time with explicit instructions, God cannot be faulted for
being “unclear” as to what should be done
to those who failed to observe the Sabbath. This was the only
Commandment punctuated with the threat of excommunication
and capital punishment for its disobedience.
Taking
the offender outside the camp––excommunication—made
it plain that the Sabbath violator was no longer a member
of the faith community. The severing of relational ties can
be far worse punishment than physical death for those who
are members of highly group-oriented cultures like the Israelites.
So relational isolation and death were to precede physical
death.
Stoning
to death––capital punishment–– was not
only to be carried out in full public view, but all those
assembled were to be involved directly in carrying out the
death sentence by picking up stones and throwing them at the
offender. Such an experience would undoubtedly leave an indelible
memory etched in the minds and hearts of those who participated.
They would never forget how important God considered the Sabbath,
both for their relational health as a community and for their
relationship to him.
But,
what about us today? We don’t go around stoning people
for failing to observe the Sabbath. However, it’s not
because God is less serious about wanting us to observe the
Sabbath today. In fact, he may be even more serious.
Jesus
and Sabbath
When Jesus walked the earth, he was in conflict with Jewish
leaders over the Sabbath more than anything else. He was at
odds with they way they understood the Sabbath Commandment
as well as the other Commandments. When he asserted that he
did not come to abolish but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets5
––that is, the Scriptures—he offered two examples
that came straight from the Ten Commandments.
The
first was the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not murder.”
Jesus stated that if we are angry with our brother, it is
the same as murder and, therefore, we will be subject to judgment
and the punishment of hell.6
The
second was the Seventh Commandment, “You shall not
commit adultery.” Jesus contended that if we now
look at a person lustfully, we have already committed adultery
with that person in our hearts. As a consequence, hell was
the punishment for disobeying the Seventh Commandment in this
way as
well.7
So,
Jesus not only maintained that the Ten Commandments were still
in effect, but also extended them from being a set of behavioral
rules to stricter regulations governing mind and heart. This
makes us accountable to God for not only our actions, but
our thoughts and motivations as well. And, we face consequences
even greater than physical punishment. We face the fires of
hell. Obviously, Jesus took the Ten Commandments very seriously.
The
way Jesus taught about the Commandments reveals much more
about him and his relationship to them than first meets the
eye. He was not merely a teacher of the Law, but assumed much
more authority than that. When he was teaching about the Ten
Commandments, he introduced them by saying “You have
heard that it was said. . .” followed by “But
I tell you. . . .”8 Jesus did more than interpret
the Law. He expanded its meaning and increased punishment
for its disobedience. How did he get that right and authority?
According
to the Bible, it is because Jesus is God. He is the Word through
whom all things were made.9 In other words, Jesus is the Creator.
As the Creator, Jesus himself rested from the work of creation
on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy. As God and
Creator, Jesus is also the Author and Giver of the Commandments.
That is the very reason Jesus is the “Lord of the
Sabbath.”10 He originated it, so it is whatever he
says it is. It is his own very special day that he invites
us to enjoy with him.
Relevance
of Sabbath Today
Why don’t many Christians observe Sabbath today?
The first Christians were largely Jews. After their conversion,
they simply continued to observe the Sabbath with deeper meaning
and joy. But when they found themselves less and less welcome
to participate in the synagogue community, they participated
more and more in the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection
on the first day of the week with non-Jewish believers who
soon began to outnumber them. While many Jewish Christians
continued to observe Sabbath in their homes on the seventh-day,
Sundays increasingly became the primary day of worship for
the entire faith community together. And, early believers
transferred much of what they understood about the Sabbath
to how they spent their Sundays.
However,
Sunday as a religious observance here in the U.S. became,
over time, simply a national custom—a day off from work,
meaning businesses had to be closed. And now, even this time-honored
tradition is no longer observed. Many work, shop, and travel
on Sundays. A Sunday is for catch-up, housework, and recreation.
Few
Christians today observe anything close to what the Sabbath
was meant to be. We have received amazingly little instruction
on how to practically apply the principle of Sabbath to our
lives today. Much of what we have come to know about it is
so closely tied to biblical history and Hebrew culture that
we find it difficult to relate to. The Israelites ate special
food, performed certain rituals, wore special clothes, went
to the temple, and did not work, cook or travel on the Sabbath.
We fail to see what relevance these things have for us today.
With
all the other Commandments, we assume we know what to do.
We refrain from stealing according to what it means not to
steal in our culture. We honor our parents according to how
we revere someone in our society. We do these things automatically
according to how our culture defines them, without much thought
about how God defines them. And yet, we have difficulty remembering
the Sabbath and keeping it holy because we don’t know
intuitively how to do it—so we don’t.
Why
is it important for Christians to observe Sabbath today?
Our first and foremost reason to honor the Sabbath is because
it was and is so important to our Lord. It is the only reason
we really need. At the same time, there are many other reasons
why observing Sabbath is important.
In
this commuter and computer age, we live our lives more and
more in relative isolation from each other. Our lives are
chopped up into isolated networks of people related to different
programs, organizations or locations: people at home, work,
play, school, and church.
When
kids join a basketball team, they relate to other team members
and their families at games and practices for the duration
of the season. Once the season is over, each child and family
moves on to the next athletic season, league and team. The
end of the season usually means the end of relationships.
Relationships
are generally performance-based, shallow and temporary. If
kids are great players, they’re everybody’s favorite
friends. But hardly anyone knows anything else about them.
No one really cares as long as they show up and help win games.
When the season is over, these relationships normally fizzle.
As a result, most children lack close, deep, lasting friendships.
They don’t know how to develop them, and might not even
be aware they need them. Relationships automatically end whether
they want them to or not, or when relationships get tiresome
or tough, they can conveniently and easily move on. Sadly,
this usually becomes the pattern for the rest of their lives.
And
family relationships are not much different. They too have
become performance-based, shallow and temporary. Increasingly,
we are unable to sustain healthy relationships at home. Currently
Christian marriages equal, if not surpass, the divorce statistics
of non-Christians. Fewer children belong to families where
mom and dad model for them what stable and permanent relationships
look like and how such relationships are developed and maintained.
More marriage and family relationships are compartmentalized,
tied to certain activities, times and seasons. When family
relationships get tough, we give ourselves permission to move
on instead of facing each other and our problems. We commute
rather than commit. We travel from relationship to relationship
as tourists, never really making any set of relationships
a permanent home or community.
What
can we do to counter the compartmentalization and address
our inability to nurture healthy relationships? Honor the
Sabbath—observe the Lord’s Day the Lord’s way.
When we as individuals, families, friends and churches begin
to observe Sabbath the way the Lord of the Sabbath intended,
then the needed time and space will be created to build deep
and enduring relationships at all levels—built together
with God and “under God.” Such relationships are
what Asian Americans and other highly relational people so
desperately desire and seek. Such relationships would enable
Asian American Christians and churches to be salt and light
in the midst of a relationally starving population riddled
with hidden relational dysfunctions. Asian Americans want
close families. They want to belong to a close-knit community
to replace lost extended families. Family and community define
individual identity for group-oriented Asian Americans, giving
them meaning and purpose in life. Sabbath is a key to all
this—renewal and salvation for both the Asian American
Christian family and church, and the Asian American community
as a whole.
Sabbath
Explored
What kind of day is the Sabbath?
When God created human beings in his image,11 he created us
to work and rest as he does. It is no wonder then that the
Sabbath Commandment is among God’s “Big Ten.”
And God uses about one third of all the words needed to communicate
the entire Ten Commandments to spell out this single Commandment
about Sabbath. This seems to be yet another indication of
how important the Sabbath is to God.
From
the Commandment itself, in Exodus 20:8-11 (see p. 2), we can
get a good idea of what kind of day the Sabbath was meant
to be.
-
A day of rest: Sabbath is not an event or a ritual. It
is a day—a 24-hour period, the final in a succession
of seven. Events and rituals do occur on the Sabbath, but
they take place to make the day meaningful—to enhance
our rest, not cause us to work.
-
A day of joy: It is a day that is dedicated to the
Lord. According to the passage, God blessed this specific
day in a special way—making it “holy”
or set apart. God does not want us to allow anything to interfere
with this sacred day so we can fully enjoy it with him. It
is not only to be a holy day, but a joyful day.
-
A day to be shared: It is not a day just for personal
rest and devotion, but rather a day to be shared. Not only
are we to rest, but our families, our employees, our animals,
and even the “aliens” among us—strangers,
people of different cultures, non-believers—are to be
invited to share in our rest with the Lord. Part of the day
is to be set aside so the entire community of faith can gather
together in a special place to rejoice in God.
-
A day to remember: The Sabbath is a day for remembering
something crucially important to our health and well-being—that
God is our Creator and we are those whom he created. By maintaining
God’s rhythm of creation, we are more apt to stay in
right relationship with him and the rest of Creation. Remembering
the Sabbath is more than just recognizing that a historical
event took place. By remembering Creation’s birth, we
can renew our gratitude to the Lord for who he is and how
he has blessed us, and be inspired to live our lives in a
way that brings glory to God, our Creator. In doing so, we
fulfill God’s design to be like him and maintain the
sanctity of the Sabbath. Thus, God originated or “made”
the Sabbath holy, and by remembering the Sabbath, we “keep”
it holy.
From
other passages we can learn a few more things about the Sabbath:
-
A day God owns and observes: God told Moses to tell
the Israelites, “You must observe my Sabbaths.”12
He thus asserted that all Sabbaths, not just the first Sabbath
on the seventh day of creation, belong to him. And he seemed
to imply that, whether we observe them or not, he observes
each and every Sabbath himself. And that is why the rest of
the passage identifies the Sabbath as serving two more functions:
a sign and a covenant.
-
A day that serves as a sign: God also called the Sabbath
“a sign between me and you and generations to come.”13
He stated that the observance of his Sabbaths will be a sign
to three audiences—God, God’s people (us), and coming
generations. The words seem to indicate that observing Sabbath
is an act of communication between him and us—first,
from him to us, and then from us to him. Sabbath observance
begins with God offering us his Sabbaths before we are called
to respond by choosing whether or not to observe them. And,
if we do, we symbolize something significant for the generations
to come.
The
Sabbath is like a wedding ring—a sign between a husband
and wife. When a groom offers a wedding ring to his bride,
he allows her the choice of entering into the marriage relationship
by accepting the ring and wearing it. God offers us his Sabbaths
and we are given the prerogative whether or not to enter into
relationship with him by accepting and observing his Sabbaths.
-
A day that symbolizes a covenant: Thus we can see how
the Sabbath can be seen as a covenant. By exchanging marriage
vows a man and woman enter into a mutual covenant that will
govern their relationship for the rest of their lives. In
a similar way, that is also what Sabbath signifies. It is
a symbol of God’s covenant with us and our covenant with
him.
Continuing
to observe the Lord’s Sabbaths is like continuing to
wear a wedding ring. As long as we continue to observe Sabbath,
we continue to communicate to God and others that we want
to continue the covenant relationship we have with him. Failing
to observe the Sabbath is like taking off the wedding band.
We communicate to God and everyone that we no longer want
to be in relationship with him.
-
A day that is holy: God also told Moses to tell the
Israelites that the Sabbath is “holy to you”
and in the same breath, told him to say it is “holy
to the Lord.”14 Again, God underscored the reciprocal
nature of Sabbath. It was meant to be holy, sacred, and special,
non-negotiably set apart for both God and those of us who
desire an ongoing and permanent relationship with him.
Sabbath
can be seen as functioning like a weekly date night for a
married couple. If a couple doesn’t spend quality time
with one another and communicate on a regular basis, the intimacy
of the relationship will gradually deteriorate to the point
where they may be legally married, but are no longer relationally
bonded to one another. This can happen to us in our relationship
with God if we fail to observe Sabbath as it was meant to
be observed. When we spend quality time with God each week,
communicating with him and he with us, enjoying being with
each other, and doing it together with family, friends, our
church and acquaintances, our relationships with God and others
will grow.
God
also stated that the most essential outcome of observing Sabbath
is “so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes
you holy.”15 So if we treat the Sabbath as holy,
then we will realize and remember who he is and who we are
not—that he is the Lord of our lives and we are not,
that we cannot make ourselves holy, only God can. It is also
by getting to know the Lord more and more as we spend Sabbath
after Sabbath with him that we come to know who he is and
who he created us to be like—having created us in his
image, that we might become holy as he is holy.
-
A day for a gift exchange: Sabbath can also be seen
as a gift that God gives us that we can offer back—something
that we can then share and enjoy together with him. This idea
is reflected in Jesus’ response to Pharisees who were
angry with his disciples for unlawfully “working”
on the Sabbath by picking grain because they were hungry.
He said, “The Sabbath is made for man, not man for
the Sabbath,” and called himself “Lord even
of the Sabbath.”16 As the Creator who rested on the
seventh day of creation, Jesus had the authority to explain
that the Sabbath was intended to be a gift for us.
-
A day that is a party: God told Moses that the Sabbath
is one of his “appointed feasts” to be proclaimed
a “sacred assembly.” So it wasn’t to
be a burden, but a celebration banquet—a party full of
joy and feasting, with the Lord himself as host. Hardly a
somber occasion, Sabbath is like a family reunion, celebrated
with our heavenly Father at the head table. This does not
mean that everyone is supposed to be together all the time.
There may well be time for some personal reflection and rest.
But it is designed to be a highly relational day.
Who
should observe Sabbath with you?
The Sabbath is not a day to be spent primarily alone—for
rest, reflection and recreation—but a day to be spent
with others. It is to be an “appointed feast”
and a “sacred assembly.”17 The list of who
this would be, taken from the Sabbath Commandment itself,
included servants, children, animals, and aliens. It seems
to include everyone we are associated with on a daily basis.
In today’s terms, who might this be?
-
Co-workers and employees: “Servants”
and “slaves” today could be people who work
for and with us. They need their rest too. Others should not
have to work so we can rest. Our rest should not be at the
expense of others. When our rest and observation of the Sabbath
increases the work of others or prevents them from resting,
then we have not helped our relationship with them—our
positive influence on their lives, their productivity, or
their desire to be in relationship with the Lord of the Sabbath
and Creation. And when we not only allow them to rest, but
also invite them to enter into our Sabbath, as the Lord invites
us to enter into his, by relating to them beyond roles and
responsibilities, relationships deepen and diversify. Our
relationships with them become interpersonal and not just
functional. Not only does personal productivity increase,
but corporate productivity does also during the rest of the
week.
-
Children: The “appointed feast” is
not a banquet we enjoy while others are slaving over a hot
stove in the kitchen, waiters and waitresses are scurrying
about busing food and dishes, and our children are being watched
by babysitters. Nor does the “sacred assembly”
mean a bunch of highly religious adults sitting around singing
hymns and sharing precious passages. The “feast”
and “assembly” God desires is intergenerational.
It includes people of different socio-economic strata as well
as the entire “household.”
-
Pets and work animals: The domestic animals who are
a part of our daily lives, whether pets or work animals, are
not to be kenneled or corralled with no human companionship
on the Sabbath. They need quality time spent with people,
and rest, as we do. As a result, they will be happy pets and
productive work animals.
-
Strangers and non-believers: Our Sabbath celebrations
are also to include “aliens”—strangers
or foreigners—that is, people we don’t know very
well, people not much like us, and people we just happen to
meet. They may not even be fellow believers. They may not
know anything about Sabbath, let alone the Lord of the Sabbath.
By
including strangers in our Sabbath, we reflect another aspect
of God’s character— reaching out to those who are
not yet his. Sabbath is not only for the benefit of believers,
but non-believers as well. In this way, Sabbath may even be
seen as evangelistic—a type of evangelism that might
be effective among those who are highly family- and group-oriented
as is true of Asian Americans. By being allowed to participate
in the Sabbath of believers, highly relational non-believers
are able to “taste and see that the Lord is good”
in a way most meaningful to them.18 They are able to see and
experience the love of the Lord as a result of being included
in the Sabbath observance of believing families, friends,
and churches. They are able to see and experience the difference
the Lord makes in that which is most important to them—relationships.
When
and how long should Sabbath be observed?
-
One day in seven: For six days, God was busy creating
the universe. After he finished, he chose to take a day off
to reflect on what he accomplished, find satisfaction in what
he had created, and celebrate the work of his hands. He then
decided to consecrate the seventh day as a holy day of remembrance,19
thus establishing a cycle of work and rest for all time—a
cycle that may have been built into our biological clocks
by our Creator.
-
Evening to evening: According to the creation account
in Genesis, each day began in the evening. So when God originated
the Sabbath by resting on the seventh day, he did so by beginning
in the evening. The Sabbath traditionally has been measured
similarly—from evening to evening. Starting the Sabbath
in the evening may be important for two reasons: First, it
follows a normal day of work. It is consistent with the daily
work and rest cycle of most people on the other six days.
We are less likely to be tempted to work after putting in
a full day of work already. We are ready to rest. Secondly,
in the evening we are better able to change mindsets and prepare
ourselves for the special day of rest ahead. And what better
way to prepare for a day of rest than to enjoy an evening
of relaxing transition followed by a good night’s sleep.
-
Day and night: According to Psalm 92: 1-2, which was
sung at the time of the morning sacrifice on the Sabbath,
it is good to praise and make music to the Lord, and to proclaim
his “love in the morning” and his “faithfulness
at night.” If we read this literally, we might see
it as confining our observance of Sabbath to just morning
and night. But if we read it in a poetic way, we can see that
it is really encouraging us to participate in Sabbath all
day and night long.
-
When agreed upon by the faith community: God also designated
a particular day in which all of his people were to observe
Sabbath together. He didn’t want each of us individually
to set aside a day of the week of our own choosing. He meant
it to be a day set aside by the whole community of believers,
celebrated together. When others are working, whether in the
same family, church or workplace, it is extremely difficult
to rest. And rest is not only made easier, it is enhanced
when we rest and worship together. There was a time in America
when stores, restaurants, and businesses were closed on Sundays
to enable Christians to set aside a day to rest. But today,
Christians have little influence over what the secular world
does any day of the week. So where they can, Christians must
decide when and on what day they will join in Sabbath as families,
friends, work associates and fellow church members.
Where
should we observe Sabbath?
God told the Israelites that they were to “have reverence
for (his) sanctuary”20 when they observed
his Sabbaths. So they went to the synagogue on Sabbath. For
most of us, this would be church. God also told them that
on the Sabbath they were not to light a fire “in any
of (their) dwellings.”21 So this instruction
implied that God’s people were also to observe Sabbath
in their homes. In addition, he said that they were not to
do any work “wherever (they) live.”22
So both the home and the church located anywhere in the world
were to be sacred assemblies where God is especially revered
on the Sabbath.
What
were the Israelites not supposed to do on the Sabbath?
Other than going to the synagogue, they were supposed to stay
home, and not go out even to get food.23 Even though others
were working on Sabbath by marketing their goods, they were
not to shop or buy anything—food or merchandise—on
the Sabbath.24 They were not even to cook, but were to prepare
meals ahead of time so they neither had to go out to get food
nor spend much time and effort putting it on the table.25
And they were not to light fires or do anything to build a
fire, such as gather wood, and keep it going.26
What are we not supposed to do on Sabbath today?
Are we under the same prohibitions today as the Israelites
were? What we must remember is the overall principle behind
Sabbath. The Lord doesn’t want us to work, but to rest.
All of these prohibitions represent what was work for certain
members of the family and society in the Israelites’
day. Traveling, shopping, cooking, and making fires were all
very laborious and time-consuming activities at that time.
Each was hard work for someone and a distraction from what
God wanted his people to do and experience together on the
Sabbath.
Now
that we have cars, convenience stores, fast food restaurants,
microwave ovens, and thermostatic heaters, should we not do
any of these things today? It’s debatable. Sometimes
we will not come to any definite conclusions about any particular
category of activity like shopping. We may come to believe
it is okay to pick up a quart of milk on the way home from
church, but not make a special trip to go out and shop for
a new car or major appliance. Or, we may feel like some of
these activities are now okay and others are not. For instance,
we may decide it is not a good idea to cook, so we go to a
fast food restaurant, but as a result we have left home and
essentially shopped for something. Or, we may feel it is better
to stay home, but feel it acceptable to cook a meal in the
microwave because it takes so little time and energy. Or,
we believe it is fine with God to enhance our family time
together by adding the warm glow of a fire in the fireplace.
We
may come to the conclusion that the main thing the Lord really
didn’t want the Israelites to do on the Sabbath was any
tedious, time-consuming household chores that split the family
household apart. Today, those chores may translate to not
doing six tubs of laundry, fixing the plumbing, changing the
oil on the car, or doing yard work. And, if we are to be true
to the principle of Sabbath, we might come up with a whole
new list of time-consuming, energy-draining, family-scattering
distractions we shouldn’t do on Sabbath like being mesmerized
by computer games or the Internet, holding a church budget
meeting, cleaning and organizing the refrigerator, or paying
the monthly bills.
God
is not so concerned about preventing us from doing certain
specific things on the Sabbath as he is with protecting us
so we won’t miss what he wants us to do and experience.
In fact, God wants to take our focus off of “doing,”
so we can focus on “being.” This brings us to the
next logical question.
What
does God want us to do and experience on the Sabbath?
God wants us to experience a day full of rest, release and
relaxation; fun and freedom. He wants us to be thankful; to
bask in his presence; to appreciate all he has provided; to
realize what we have accomplished during the week and find
satisfaction. He wants us to party. The Lord loves parties—celebrations,
feasts, holidays, reunions. Just check out the Bible to find
out how much he loves a wholesome, holy time of eating, singing,
and dancing with us.
At
the same time, the Lord also desires to balance our party
times with solitude, quiet reflection, deep conversation,
and just plain kick back time. He wants us to “hang out”
with him!
He
is the owner and host of the vacation island he has invited
us to visit and enjoy. He has our entire stay planned. He
knows exactly what we need and what will bring the most joy
and pleasure, both to us and to him. We are his honored guests.
Let’s remember he is the Father in the parable who loves
having his children come home. And, every time we do, he wants
us to celebrate our renewed relationship with him.
Sabbath
is a time when we shift the paradigm from “got to”
to “get to.” Instead of being under the weight of
all we have got to do, ought to do, and are made to do by
those in authority over us, we observe Sabbath as a day when
we get to do those things that infuse all the got to’s
with purpose and meaning—work worth doing, tasks not
under the authority of humans, but under the control of the
Lord of the Universe.
Sabbath
is a day when we stop to reflect on why we are doing what
we do the rest of the week. We come to recognize that it is
the Lord for whom we are doing all we do. We quiet ourselves
so it can dawn on us who God fully is and how important we
are to him. We also discover who we really are and who is
most important to us.
Jesus
was often in conflict with the Pharisees because they had
become fixated on his don’ts . They were so obsessed
with making sure that they and everyone else avoided doing
whatever God said they were not to do, they lost sight of
his true objective— stop doing and concentrate on being.
The Sabbath became a heavy burden instead of the wonderful
gift the Lord wanted us to receive joyfully and freely.
The
last thing we want to do here is turn the Sabbath into another
day full of burdensome don’ts. The rest the Lord wants
us to experience is not achieved by our going wherever we
want to go, doing whatever we want to do, saying whatever
we want to say. We experience it by finding our “joy
in the Lord” who will cause us “to ride on
the heights”27 —that is, take us to a spiritual
“high.” It is not a day of license and laxity to
do whatever we please. It is a day of thorough enjoyment and
uninhibited worship of the God who yearns to set our spirits
free. That’s a promise and his guarantee!
Summary
of Sabbath Ingredients
So how does the Lord want us to spend our Sabbaths with him
so the outcome he promises—true and total rest—will
be fulfilled in our lives? The following is a summary of the
ingredients making up God’s recipe for rest.
-
Reflection: At the end of the sixth day of creation,
the Lord not only reflected upon what he had accomplished
on that particular day, but also took stock of what he had
done over the entire workweek. When he did, he concluded that
what he had created wasn’t too bad—in fact, “it
was very good.”28 The Lord found satisfaction and
fulfillment in his work and set a precedent he wants us to
follow so we too might find satisfaction and fulfillment in
the work he gives us to do. Reflecting as the Lord did at
the end of six days of work is the pivotal point between a
week of work and a maximum day of rest.
-
Relaxation: By reflecting upon what he had done and
being pleased with what he had accomplished, the Lord was
able to enter into the seventh day of creation with a positive
attitude.29 It would have been difficult for him to bless
the seventh day and make it holy if he had been upset over
what he had created, feeling he had done a poor or incomplete
job, or if he never looked back because he was under constant
pressure to do more or better, never being satisfied that
whatever he did was good enough. The Lord wants us to look
back on a daily and weekly basis to assess what we have accomplished
together with him, and be able to measure our transformation
as a result of his work in our lives.
-
Rejuvenation: Sabbath began in the evening, providing
a period of transition. It prepared those observing Sabbath
for the next day, as well as for the upcoming night. An especially
restful night’s sleep was as much a part of Sabbath as
anything else, and such sleep was also the best preparation
for the day ahead.30
-
Reverence: Although the Lord told the Israelites to
stay home during the Sabbath, he also told them to go to the
synagogue. They were to “have reverence for my
(the Lord’s) sanctuary,”31 This did not mean
that they were to go and worship the sanctuary itself, but
they were to go and revere the One who dwells within and calls
it “my” sanctuary. By going reverently on
Sabbath morning to the synagogue to worship the Lord, a foundation
was laid for the rest of the day, making it more focused and
reverent.
-
Remembrance: When the Lord tells us to “remember
the Sabbath and keep it holy,”32 he tells us two
things. First, he wants us to maintain the Sabbath at the
highest priority so we won’t neglect it. Secondly, he
wants us to remember what Sabbath represents. Sabbath reminds
us of creation—how we were created, for what purpose,
and by whom. Our welfare depends on remembering who we are
in relationship to our Creator. Faithful observance of the
Sabbath day regularly reminds us of this crucial foundation
for daily life.
The
Lord also told the Israelites to remember how they were slaves
in Egypt and how he delivered them, and therefore he commanded
them to observe the Sabbath.33 So Sabbath also reminds us
of how our Creator has protected and provided for us ever
since he created us. By remembering the Lord’s continual
care for us in the past, we find assurance of his care in
the future.
-
Realization: The Lord called his Sabbaths a “sign”
so that we would know that he is the Lord who makes us holy.34
The end result of remembering weekly who created us and his
continual care over the years is that we increasingly realize
who he is and how little we can do on our own, especially
when it comes to living a life acceptable to God and all he
intended it to be.
-
Rejoicing: When we remember who created us and his
continual care and realize how great he truly is, we experience
joy that inevitably erupts from deep within us.35 We cannot
help but rejoice, worship, and celebrate.
-
Relationships: The Sabbath is also to be “a
day of sacred assembly.”36 It is a day not to be
spent entirely alone, but a day also enjoyed with others and
with the Lord himself. The “sacred assembly” referred
to here is not only the formal gathering at the synagogue
or church, but includes the more informal gatherings throughout
the day—many times over a shared meal—with others
observing the Sabbath. Sabbath is a day to reaffirm, reconcile,
nurture and celebrate relationships. It is meant to be a weekly
spiritual family reunion.
-
Reaching Out: Not only are those in our households
to be included in our observance of Sabbath, strangers or
foreigners—people we don’t know very well, people
not much like us, and people we just happen to meet—are
invited to enjoy Sabbath as guests.37 It is here that we can
see how Sabbath was meant both for the spiritual renewal of
believers and the effective evangelization of nonbelievers.
-
Refreshment: The end result of Sabbath is refreshment—refreshment
for everybody, even animals.38 The Lord meant the beginning
of the week to be a new beginning—a new and “fresh”
start. If we don’t properly observe Sabbath, our experience
on the first day back to work would likely be far from fresh.
After being so busy cramming activities and chores into our
weekend, we drag ourselves back to work hoping for some rest
that never comes. Our energy spirals downward because we neglect
what our Creator knows we need to enjoy the lives he has designed
for us.
Suggested
Sabbath Rhythm
As with many a cooking recipe, the desired maximum outcome
of Sabbath can best be achieved by adding the various ingredients
in a certain sequence. This order may vary depending on a
variety of different circumstances. Your church may not worship
in the morning. Young single adults may order their Sabbath
ingredients in a different sequence than a family with young
children. The following is just one suggested sequence that
may fit a broad range of people well:
Sabbath
Evening
Reflection
Relaxation
Sabbath
Night
Rejuvenation
Sabbath
Morning
Reverence
Remembrance
Realization
Rejoicing
Sabbath
Afternoon
Relationships
Reaching Out
Result
Refreshment
Sample
Sabbath
Let’s apply the suggested Sabbath rhythm to a hypothetical
family. The scenario that follows should be seen as a simplistic
and idealized picture that will seldom be true in real life.
It will be different for each unique family, individual or
household and will vary widely from week to week depending
on changing circumstances. It is just an idea of how the Sabbath
principles we have explored might be practically applied.
Also,
how this hypothetical family spends their Sabbath is not something
that a real family would be able to do immediately after they
have decided to try observing Sabbath together. In reality,
it would take a great deal of time and many starts and stops,
ups and downs, trials and errors, frustrations and triumphs
before a Sabbath as described becomes even a somewhat normal
occurrence.
A
good start is to simply stop doing what is normal during the
rest of the week, then be open to spending the newly available
time in deliberately different ways that are explored, discussed
and decided upon by all those involved. This process in itself
is relational and appropriate for Sabbath as long as it is
not done in too cumbersome a manner. Otherwise, it will become
tedious work or easily turn into an argument. The rule of
thumb here is, “Chill out, and trust God!”
End
of the Week
Preparation
We will call our hypothetical family the Suzukis. Dad’s
name is Sean and Mom’s is Stephanie. Their daughter and
son are named Chloe and Nathan. Since life in our technological
age is not regulated so much by when the sun rises and falls
but by the tick of the clock, they have decided to start and
end their Sabbath at 6 p.m. Because their church worships
together on Sunday morning, they have set aside from Saturday
at 6 p.m. to Sunday at 6 p.m. as Sabbath.
Toward
the end of the week and particularly on Saturday morning and
afternoon, everyone is busy finishing their week’s work.
Mom and Dad are making sure the bills are paid, there are
plenty of groceries in the pantry and refrigerator, the lawn
is mowed and the dog has been bathed. Chloe and Nathan are
making sure they’ve finished their homework, their rooms
are clean, their clothes have been washed, they’ve finished
their other chores, and they have answered all their e-mail.
Typically,
around 4 p.m. on Saturday, the pace quickens. Everyone is
trying to complete whatever needs to be done before Sabbath
begins. The kitchen becomes an especially busy place as they
join in on the preparation for the evening meal.
Saturday
dinner is extra special. It’s the most elaborate meal
of the week. Everyone teams up to prepare it. The menu is
an assortment of their favorite foods. Ironically, as special
as the food is, they have decided to eat on paper plates.
They finish washing the pots and pans before dinner so all
they have to do afterwards is throw the paper and plastic
dinnerware away.Sabbath Evening
Reflection
At 6 p.m. the Suzuki family sits down at the table, holds
hands, and bows their heads. They sit in silence for a few
moments to quiet their racing minds, bodies, and emotions.
Dad thanks the Lord for the food and the evening ahead.
As
they leisurely dine, they reflect. They share their week with
one another—the fun they’ve had, the ways they’ve
struggled, how the Lord has worked in and through their lives,
and how they’ve grown. They ask each other questions.
They identify what they’ve accomplished and what they
have to be thankful for. They recognize how the Lord has revealed
himself throughout the week—through answered prayer,
a particular passage of Scripture, another person, an inspiration,
or a surprising serendipitous intervention of the Holy Spirit.
They end with dessert and Mom closes in prayer.
Relaxation
Everyone helps clear the table. They put leftovers into the
refrigerator, throw away the disposable dinnerware, and run
the trash out to the garbage can. Then they meet in the family
room to watch a video dramatizing the life of Christ, the
second in a four-part series they started the week before.
When it’s over, they share any insights about Jesus they
may have gained, and discuss the implications for how they
live their lives, and relate to others and the world around
them. This is not meant to be an intense exercise, but rather
a relaxed time to think about Jesus and enjoy being with him.
There
are many other activities they could do, including: singing
praise songs around the piano or with the guitar; having an
extended time of prayer; reading through one of the Gospels;
following a family devotional guide; sharing favorite Bible
passages; telling special stories of how the Lord provided,
protected, and guided, answered prayer, and revealed himself;
or simply going to bed extra early after a particularly rough
week.
The
family also sprinkles in times of pure fun and enjoyment.
They might watch a movie pre-selected by Mom and Dad that
reinforces or at least doesn’t contradict biblical values;
play board games, especially those that encourage personal
communication; eat pizza, smores and ice cream sundaes; sit
around the fireplace popping popcorn and quietly talking;
or perform for one another on musical instruments. The emphasis
here is not primarily on their vertical relationship with
God, but rather on their horizontal relationships with one
another.
At
the close of their evening together, they always end in conversational
prayer. Dad usually starts. Mom closes. Chloe and Nathan offer
their prayers in-between. They thank God for the specific
ways he has worked in their lives in the past week. They thank
him for blessing the evening they have just spent together.
They pray for an especially restful night of sleep and the
Sabbath day ahead.Sabbath Night
Rejuvenation
After an evening of reflection and relaxation, they embrace
one another and go to their respective bedrooms to sleep.
In the quiet of their beds, they drift off to sleep with lingering
thoughts and feelings of the evening—the sharing, praising,
playing, and praying together—all the old and new blessings
of the Lord. Their sleep is sound and deeply rejuvenating.
Sabbath
Morning
Reverence
Mom and Dad wake up later than on weekdays but still earlier
than Chloe and Nathan who have to be nudged out of their slumber.
Everything that has transpired since 6 p.m. yesterday has
prepared them for what is ahead. Each looks with anticipation
to what lies ahead. Sabbath is the highlight of their week.
They
get dressed and converge in the kitchen. Breakfast is light
and without preparation. Again they use disposable cups, plates
and dinnerware. Sometimes they eat toasted bagels with cream
cheese, cold cereal and milk, or breakfast pastry bought the
day before. After some fruit or juice, milk or coffee, they
are off to church for Sunday school and worship service.
While
on their way to church, they sometimes take advantage of the
time in the car to pray together for their upcoming time of
learning, worship, fellowship and outreach.
Remembrance
Whether through the Sunday school lesson and Bible study or
the sermon preached during the worship service, Mom, Dad,
Chloe and Nathan learn new things about what God has done
throughout biblical history or are reminded of what they already
know. They remember the ways this same God has revealed himself
and acted on their behalf in their own lives as individuals,
as a family and as a faith community at church.
Realization
As they remember the ways God has worked and revealed himself
in the Bible and in their own experience, they are struck
with the renewed realization of who God is and the truth of
his living presence right at that moment. They realize that
he is working among them and revealing himself to them even
as they think these thoughts and feel these overwhelming feelings
of joy or comfort in their sorrow.
Rejoicing
Emotion gives way to expression. They cannot help but rejoice
through praise, singing, and the lifting of hands. Each rejoices
from within, but their voices blend together as a mighty chorus,
fueling even more resounding praise. Spirits are set free
to commune totally with God, to sense the reality of oneness
with him through his Holy Spirit. As the pastor recites the
benediction, they know that it is the Lord himself who is
sending them forth into their work-a-day world, but not alone—
with him, to fulfill his purposes.
Sabbath
Afternoon
Relationships
After worship service, the family joins in on whatever fellowship
activities have been planned. It may be as simple as a coffee
hour, or as elaborate as a potluck. Sometimes entire Sundays
are devoted to a church picnic or beach outing. Just as the
worship service reinforced the vertical relationship of the
church family to the Lord, so these fellowship activities
help reinforce the horizontal relationships they have with
one another.
After
church, the Suzukis are available to respond to others in
any way the Lord leads. They may have lunch with another family.
Or, the Lord might have convicted them of the need to spend
time with certain people so they invite them home for lunch
or to come over later in the afternoon. They might visit someone
who was missing from church, perhaps due to illness, and offer
help and prayer or bring over a meal. Or, if someone new showed
up alone at church, they would be available to invite that
person to lunch, either at their home or at a local restaurant.
The Suzukis always have a well stocked pantry, refrigerator
and freezer full of a variety of fast, ready-made meals that
can be popped into the microwave or oven in quantities ample
enough to serve not only themselves but any guests they might
have invited to join them.
Reaching
out
As well as responding to new people at church, the Suzukis
also take the initiative to invite people they already know
to enter into their celebration of Sabbath. Sometimes several
church families will join together and have a swim party or
barbecue at one of their homes. Canned chili, store-bought
potato salad, hot dogs and hamburgers are often on the menu.
Having pizza delivered is also a favorite. An afternoon hike
is another great alternative for young families to do. The
expressed purpose of these get-togethers is not primarily
fellowship, but outreach. This gives the youth an opportunity
to introduce non-Christians to Christian friends and family,
allowing them to get a taste of the difference Christ can
make in their lives, and in the lives of entire families and
whole communities. When possible, they will invite not only
their friends, but their friends’ families as well.
Many
times Chloe or Nathan will invite non-Christian friends or
relatives their age to spend the entire Sabbath with them.
Mom and Dad invite friends, relatives, and work associates
together with their families to join them for Sabbath too.
Many times, they partner with Christian friends and family
members to reach out on a regular basis to certain individuals,
networks and families.
As
a rule, they introduce non-Christians to Christians, the church,
and Christianity in a gradual, non-threatening, non-confrontational
manner. They lead non-Christians through a gradual process
at whatever speed is comfortable for the non-Christians. They
begin by inviting non-Christians to activities that are informal
before inviting them to events and programs that are more
directly Christian like Bible studies and support groups,
Sunday school classes and church worship service. At the same
time, the church leadership is careful to be sensitive to
the presence of non-Christians by using language they can
understand and examples that are relevant to them. Whenever
theological or “churchy” terminology must be used,
it is defined as clearly as possible.
The
Suzukis’ church also schedules events and programs specifically
oriented towards non-Christians. A basic Christianity class,
beginning Bible study, evangelistic retreat are included among
the opportunities offered by the church to help non-Christians
feel welcome and to address their specific needs, questions
and issues. However, it must be remembered that these ministry
activities are not meant to replace what is happening interpersonally
between Christians and non-Christians. Many Christians tend
to lead with events and programs and may not follow up interpersonally.
We need to start where they live and in their language, then
invite them to join us where we live, and finally follow-up
with events and programs.
In
any case, whether the Suzukis spend the afternoon alone as
a family or with other families or individuals, Christian
or non-Christian, they always end their Sabbath with a quiet
time together, reflecting upon what they did during Sabbath
and the many ways the Lord blessed them. Finally, they close
in prayer. If non-Christians are present, it may be very short
and simple. Mom or Dad might say just a few words of thanks
directed toward God, but with eyes open. Or, alone as a family
or with other Christians, everyone may express their thanks
through conversational prayer. Just as the Sabbath began in
prayer talking with the Lord, so it ends in the same way at
6 p.m. Sunday.
While
the Suzukis’ observance of the Sabbath is over, its impact
has just begun. The way they observed Sabbath has set the
pattern and tone for the new week ahead.
First
Evening of the Week
Sunday Evening
Review
The family all pitches in to make dinner. If it is an evening
before a school week, the meal is kept very simple. But if
school is not in session they may have fun putting together
an elaborate meal. In either case, they will spend some of
their time over the dinner table reviewing what happened the
past week and over Sabbath, so they can determine what they
need to do during the upcoming week.
Redirection
As a result, they reorder their priorities and redirect their
activities in ways they feel led by God. They often refer
to the family calendar in the kitchen so that it is updated.
Dad pushes his stylus around his palm pilot to make sure he
doesn’t miss Nathan’s soccer practice, Chloe’s
piano lesson or his night out with Mom. After they have brought
their calendars and “things-to-do” lists up to date,
they recommit themselves to the Lord remembering Proverbs
16:9 which says, “In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.”
Ultimately,
they know that the upcoming week will be filled with things
they cannot predict or control, but that they are in the Lord’s
care and protection. They can look to the coming week with
optimism at how God is going to meet their needs wonderfully
and undoubtedly surprise them.
Re-entry
Once again, they pray as a family. They are now prepared to
pray specifically for the concrete tasks and events ahead
of them. They end by reciting some of their favorite verses
that give them courage to face the future, like Philippians
4:13: “I can do everything through him who gives me
strength” or Philippians 1:6: “being confident
of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it
on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
As they end their time together with a resounding “Amen!”
they are now ready for re-entry into the world.
Sunday
evening is devoted to preparation for Monday. It is the launch
of a new and full week of work. So, Dad irons the shirt he
needs tomorrow. Mom takes inventory of the refrigerator. Nathan
tries to finish a geometry assignment. And Chloe packs her
lunch for school tomorrow. A new week has begun. “Banzai!”
Customizing
Sabbath
Now that we have an idea of how one family spends their Sabbath,
we can now begin to conceptualize how each of us, together
with our own families, friends and churches might observe
our own Sabbaths. We can take the overall principle of Sabbath
and apply it in an entirely different way—going from
morning to morning, night to night, or on a different day.
And there is nothing sacred about the exact way we have structured
the suggested rhythm for Sabbath or have divided up its ingredients.
While what we have introduced has biblical basis, it is not
the only way Scripture can be interpreted or applied. Our
goal is to simply offer some practical guidelines so observing
Sabbath is not an overwhelming task. Being overwhelmed is
the exact opposite of what the Lord wants for us to experience
on this special day of our week.
How
do you decide whether a particular activity should be done
on the Sabbath?
What follows is a checklist to help you decide for yourselves
what to do during your own Sabbath with Lord. The following
questions help you to determine whether or not a specific
activity is consistent with God’s will.
Sabbath
Checklist
-
Am I tuned in and relying upon the Holy Spirit?
- Is this activity consistent or contrary to Scripture?
- Is it different from what I do during the rest of the week?
- Does it drain or rejuvenate me?
- Does it promote a spirit of thanksgiving and rejoicing?
- Does it involve and include others? Christians? Non-Christians?
- Does it forge intimacy with God? With others?
- Is it relationship- and being-based rather than activity-
and performance- based?
- Do I feel led by the Holy Spirit to do it?
With
some things, the answer will always be “yes” or
“no.” However, sometimes there is no categorical
answer to your question. It depends on the situation you are
facing on that particular day or with the specific people
involved. Sometimes the only and sufficient determinant is
the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Test
Case 1
Should we shop on the Sabbath?
One example of this kind of ambiguity involves whether we
should go to a convenience store on the Sabbath because we
happen to be out of milk. The literal interpretation of the
Bible prohibits us from shopping on the Sabbath. However,
if the main reason God didn’t want his people to shop
in the cultural setting of the time was because shopping was
such a time-consuming and tiring task, then the situation
is different today. We can jump in the car, drive a couple
of miles, purchase a quart of milk, and be back in our kitchen
in about twenty minutes. But if the reason the Lord didn’t
want us to shop is because shopping diverts our attention
away from the spiritual and relational, then we shouldn’t
shop no matter how little time it takes. At the same time,
if a family member picks the weekend to get sick, we might
have to go to the pharmacy or grocery store for medications
during Sabbath. It seems reasonable to think that the Lord
would want us to shop on the Sabbath on those occasions.
Test
Case 2
Should we watch a movie on the Sabbath?
Another example is whether we should watch a movie on Sabbath.
Our decision depends on the answers to several questions.
What movie do we want to watch? Is the movie enrichment or
escape? Do we need to drive to a theater thus consuming a
great deal of time we would want to spend otherwise, or can
we watch it conveniently at home in a relatively short period
of time? Is the movie going to be watched alone or with others?
Is the movie time competing with other more essential and
fundamental Sabbath activities? Does the movie reinforce biblical
values, and help us to get to know God and his creation better?
Does it stimulate interaction about spiritual issues, Christ,
and the Word of God? Does watching the movie with others draw
them closer to one another or tend to divide them? These are
just a few questions to ask when determining whether or not
to watch a movie on Sabbath.
Some
Simple Suggestions
The process may be as important as the outcome
Sometimes it isn’t easy to decide what to do on the Sabbath.
However, occasionally the decision-making process itself may
be what is important and worthwhile. Making right choices
might be just what the Lord wants you to focus upon at that
particular time. If so, struggle and muddle through the process.
At other times, however, the fog shrouding the issue might
be the very indicator you need to decide that the activity
isn’t worth the effort. It may not be bad or wrong, but
if it’s too difficult to decide—why bother? Do something
else that is clearly appropriate, meaningful and enjoyable.
Don’t
knit-pick
Most times, we have better things to do with our time on Sabbath
than knit-pick about what we should do. Then, we become like
the Pharisees. They were so obsessive about deciding what
should and shouldn’t be done on the Sabbath that they
compiled a seemingly endless list of Sabbath rules and regulations
tangled in semantics and buried by minutia. They lost sight
of the forest because they were so consumed with the trees,
leaves, bark and termites. The Lord wanted to free them from
burdens on the Sabbath. Yet, they enslaved themselves with
rules. The Sabbath became a self-imposed, unbearable burden
rather than a joyful gift and blessing from the Lord.
Do
what you know to do
A helpful rule of thumb is this, “Concentrate on what
we should do on the Sabbath, not on what we shouldn’t.”
There are things we should and could do on Sabbath we already
know please God— non-ambiguous things we needn’t
agonize over.
Ask
and expect an answer
Another practical guideline is “When in doubt, ask God.”
When we get mired in rationalization, we are often trying
to convince ourselves that it’s okay to do something
we know, deep down, we shouldn’t. If there is ever a
time when we are focused and sensitive to the leading of the
Holy Spirit, it is during Sabbath. So, after activating your
spiritual antenna, ask the Lord directly what his will is
regarding a certain activity. Then listen—expecting an
answer. If you have little confidence God will answer, or
that you will be able to discern what he is revealing to you,
then you have another problem you need to attend to first.
If, however, you do hear from the Lord—do what he tells
you to do.
Often
our dilemma is a result of making the issue a cerebral matter
of right and wrong, good or bad, biblical or not, rather than
a matter of the Lord’s specific will for us on that specific
Sabbath day. It might not be wrong, bad or contrary to Scripture,
but the Lord might want us to do or not do whatever it is
we’re thinking about based on the circumstances surrounding
that particular day. God may just as well want us to do whatever
it is on a different Sabbath or a day other than Sabbath.
Seek God’s specific will
We must not only seek the general will of God, but also his
specific will. Each such decision must be arrived at, not
only as a result of an intellectual process, but also a relational
one. In order to determine how God wants us to spend our Sabbath
day, we must not only study the Word, but also, pray.
There will be an endless number of situations that will arise
during Sabbath that our biblical beliefs will not automatically
dictate how we respond. A friend becomes sick. A non-Christian
neighbor invites us over for dinner. Our sewer backs up. Our
child wants to play games on the Internet. Our church holds
a budget committee meeting. We are behind in our studies and
final exams are next week. The tax deadline is coming up and
we haven’t compiled our financial records yet.
God
will often surprise us
These and a myriad of other kinds of challenges will confront
us in the future and none of them have categorical answers
as to what we should do in response on the Sabbath. Each response
must be left to the specific will of God. We have to ask him
how we should respond. And, we should never expect the same
answer to a similar situation in the future. He may say “yes.”
He may say “no.” And, he will often surprise us.
Make
the most of the astounding privilege
In any case, Sabbath is a day set aside for “hanging
out” with God and others. It is, most of all, a relational
day. It is a not day for seeking to accomplish anything, but
a day for being fully present with our Lord and realizing
he is fully present with us. What if we had the opportunity
to spend a day with Mother Theresa, Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln,
Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Plato, or Moses? Is it an opportunity
any of us would pass up? We would do just about anything to
clear our calendars so we could spend as much time as possible
with one of these famous people. Well, we have been invited
to spend an entire day each week, up close and personal, with
the most influential and famous person in all of human history—Jesus
Christ, Son of God, Creator of the Universe, and Lord of the
Sabbath. How about that? Have we been making the most of this
opportunity or squandering it? The choice is up to each of
us. Just as spending time with Mother Theresa will change
our lives, so will hanging out with Jesus. In fact, more––much
more!
Bibliography
Dawn,
Marva J. Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting,
Embracing, Feasting. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1989.
Edwards,
Tilden. Sabbath Time: Understanding and Practice for Contemporary
Christians. New York, N.Y.: The Seabury Press, 1982.
Heschel,
Abraham Joshua. The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man.
New York, N.Y.: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1951.
Jewett,
Paul K. The Lord’s Day, A Theological Guide to the
Christian Day of Worship, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1971.
Mains,
Karen Burton. Making Sunday Special: Creative Ways, New
and Old, to Make Sunday the Best Day of the Week. Nashville,
Tenn.: Star Song Publishing Group, 1987.
Muller,
Wayne. Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our
Busy Lives. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, 1999.
Robinson,
David. The Christian Family Toolbox: 52 Benedictine Activities
for the Home, New York, N.Y.: The Crossroad Publishing
Co., 2001.
Robinson,
David. The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the
Home, New York, N.Y.: The Crossroad Publishing Co., 2000.
Ruben,
Barry and Steffi. The Sabbath: Entering God’s Rest.
Baltimore, Maryland: Messianic Jewish Publishers, 1998.
Wolfson,
Ron. The Art of Jewish Living: The Shabbat Seder, Woodstock,
Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2000.
Footnotes
1 Exodus 31:14-15
2 Exodus 34:21
3 Exodus 35:1-3
4 Numbers 15:32-36
5 Matthew 5:17-20
6 Matthew 5:21-22
7 Matthew 5:27-29
8 Matthew
5:21-22,27-29
9 John 1:1-3
10 Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5
11 Genesis 1:27
12 Exodus 31:12-13
13 Ibid.
14 Exodus 31:14,15
15 Exodus 31:13
16 Mark 2:27-28
17 Leviticus 23:1-3
18 Psalm 34:8
19 Genesis 2:2-3
20 Leviticus 19:30
21 Exodus 35:3
22 Leviticus 23:3,31
23 Exodus 16:29
24 Nehemiah 10:31
25 Exodus 16:23
26 Exodus 35:3
27 Isaiah 58:13-14
28 Genesis 1:31-2:1
29 Genesis 2:2-3
30 Psalm 92
31 Leviticus 19:30
32 Exodus 20:8
33 Deuteronomy 5:15
34 Exodus 31:13
35 Isaiah 58:13-14
36 Leviticus 23:3
37 Exodus 20:8-11
38 Exodus 23:12
<
Back to Training Materials
Click
here to email Iwa
|
