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Saturday is the Christian Sabbath
October 13, 2018

Recently we have been looking at how the ten commandments apply in our life, most recently considering what it means to be using God's name in vain. Today we will revisit the fourth commandment, the Sabbath. An extended look at the Sabbath is at the welcome page to this website. For this week's study we will review some of the same verses and then consider the Sabbath when children are part of the family. First and foremmost, the Sabbath is a weekly holy day, made holy by God when God rested on the final day of the creation week. It is during the first six days we are to do all of our work, and according to the verses we are to be working on these first six days. What work looks like might vary from day to day. For instance, I am semi-retired, with some days of paid employment, some days of volunteer work, and some days of household chores that need to get done. Work is the use of energy; mental, physical, or spiritual; to accomplish a task. Work is so much more than paid employment. On the Sabbath, we are not to work nor have any person or even an animal do work. It is a day of rest.

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Sometimes we can overthink work and in our mind develop severe restrictions which could instead of making the Sabbath a day of rest, make it a day of burden. That was the problem Jesus had with the Pharisees. The Pharisees were offended when the disciples picked ears of corn as they walked through a cornfield, because they were hungry. Jesus correctly reminded the Pharisees that priests profane the Sabbath and are blameless because they do the work of God, and reminded them that God knows mercy and gives mercy to those who are deserving and in need of mercy. He then called his disciples guiltless. The disciples took care of a physical need, hunger. I'm sure they could have fasted for the remainder of the day and instead they wanted to eat and take care of their hunger. Taking care of physical needs is part of life and part of life on the Sabbath as the verses from Matthew 12 show.

Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

When children are part of the family, please consider the physical needs of the children. The Sabbath is never a day to ignore the needs of another, especially your own children. Children are typically more energetic and for many young ones, doing something can be a physical need. For me it took middle age for me to enjoy doing nothing and for many of my younger years the Sabbath felt like a burden. Just like the disciples walked through a corn field picking ears of corn and were found guiltless, there must be some light physical activity you can enjoy with your children on the Sabbath. Perhaps there is a park nearby you could walk to and casually explore, using what you see while at the park to teach about the creation week and establishment of the Sabbath. Like priests, parents also profane the Sabbath as a parent's work is never done and continues on the Sabbath. We should use the Sabbath as a weekly opportunity to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. The Bible suggests that it is fathers who need this type of reminder. Virtually all mothers need no reminding. It is when parents love their children that children will respond with love to their parents.

Malachi 4:5-6
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Without this circle of love between parents and children, a curse smiting the entire earth is promised. I would rather avoid this worldwide curse as it sounds like it would hurt. I do know the Sabbath is a weekly holy day, and a day of rest. It is also a weekly opportunity to renew this circle of love between parents and children. Enjoy the Christian Sabbath each Saturday.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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