If by "Sabbath Rest" you mean an Old Testament-like observance of the Sabbath, many, like myself, think that the Sabbath is no longer to be observed. The Sabbath found its culmination in Christ. My own personal opinion is to not do any work on Sunday nor to do many things that require business transactions on Sunday. (Though the Lord knows that I fail to do even this.) My main reason for this is because, like Calvin, I think it is good for people to have one day in seven to rest even if the Sabbath need not be observed. Moreover, there is nothing so refreshing as putting my six day schedule on hold for one day. On that day, I spend time with friends, eat great meals, and, most importantly, attend to the preaching of the Word and the Sacraments. There are people at CGS who feel that the Sabbath is still binding and needs to be observed. The best thing, I think, would be to talk to them and see what they think. David Wegener is a great one to talk with on this issue. I'd be happy to talk about this with you at small group if you'd like.
Well, I often wonder about the Sabbath. I was struck last year when we did the study on Nehemiah how God spoke of His providence for His people (I am writing this without reviewing the passage), it seemed that the Sabbath and the leaving of the fields fallow on the seventh year was a trusting in the providence of God. It was established at creation and ordained in the law (the 10 commandments) and it seems like we just run a muck on this one. We have become, like the people in Nehemiah's day, like the nations.
I would appreciate further discussion on this topic.
Rachel, We have been covering this in adult Sunday School, even though studying Colossians. Jeff had us go back and read both the Deut. 5 and Exo. 20 (think those are the correct passages) portions about the commandmant to keep the sabbath holy.
Each portion had a different reason for this command. Deut. 5 says: 14but (N)the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
15'(O)You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day.
So, here we are to keep the Sabbath in remembrance because God redeems/saves His people.
Exo. 20 says: 8"Remember (K)the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9"(L)Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it (M)you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
11"(N)For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
So, this time we are keeping it holy because we are to remember that God is the creator and he created the sabbath for us.
I, like Mr. P, will break the sabbath on occasion. It is not my intent, but neither am I as careful as I might be. We do try though, to honor this by removing chores, school work, and such from that day. That being said, I still fail at times.
But, the reasons Jeff showed us were: God (Jesus) the creator made the Sabbath for man, and set it aside for us.
God (Jesus) redeems His people.
Creator and Redeemer, both reasons given by God in direct relation to his giving of the commandment.
4 comments:
Define what you mean by Sabbath rest please....
there are certain things we will not do on the Sabbath. Sorry to say, I am not 100% across the board, but....
but, what do you consider to be Sabbath rest?
Curious because it is something that was brand new to me once we became involved in CGS...
Rachel,
If by "Sabbath Rest" you mean an Old Testament-like observance of the Sabbath, many, like myself, think that the Sabbath is no longer to be observed. The Sabbath found its culmination in Christ. My own personal opinion is to not do any work on Sunday nor to do many things that require business transactions on Sunday. (Though the Lord knows that I fail to do even this.) My main reason for this is because, like Calvin, I think it is good for people to have one day in seven to rest even if the Sabbath need not be observed. Moreover, there is nothing so refreshing as putting my six day schedule on hold for one day. On that day, I spend time with friends, eat great meals, and, most importantly, attend to the preaching of the Word and the Sacraments. There are people at CGS who feel that the Sabbath is still binding and needs to be observed. The best thing, I think, would be to talk to them and see what they think. David Wegener is a great one to talk with on this issue. I'd be happy to talk about this with you at small group if you'd like.
Well, I often wonder about the Sabbath. I was struck last year when we did the study on Nehemiah how God spoke of His providence for His people (I am writing this without reviewing the passage), it seemed that the Sabbath and the leaving of the fields fallow on the seventh year was a trusting in the providence of God. It was established at creation and ordained in the law (the 10 commandments) and it seems like we just run a muck on this one. We have become, like the people in Nehemiah's day, like the nations.
I would appreciate further discussion on this topic.
Rachel
Rachel,
We have been covering this in adult Sunday School, even though studying Colossians. Jeff had us go back and read both the Deut. 5 and Exo. 20 (think those are the correct passages) portions about the commandmant to keep the sabbath holy.
Each portion had a different reason for this command.
Deut. 5 says:
14but (N)the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
15'(O)You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day.
So, here we are to keep the Sabbath in remembrance because God redeems/saves His people.
Exo. 20 says:
8"Remember (K)the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9"(L)Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it (M)you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
11"(N)For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
So, this time we are keeping it holy because we are to remember that God is the creator and he created the sabbath for us.
I, like Mr. P, will break the sabbath on occasion. It is not my intent, but neither am I as careful as I might be. We do try though, to honor this by removing chores, school work, and such from that day. That being said, I still fail at times.
But, the reasons Jeff showed us were:
God (Jesus) the creator made the Sabbath for man, and set it aside for us.
God (Jesus) redeems His people.
Creator and Redeemer, both reasons given by God in direct relation to his giving of the commandment.
Post a Comment