RoparnaThe Sabbath – God’s forgotten Commandment
Purpose: Jesus created the Sabbath in Eden, commanded it at Sinai, kept it in His life and in His death, continued it through the early church and is now restoring the truth of the Sabbath after the apostasy.
Focus: Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Introduction
You might have noticed that Seventh-Day Adventists go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday. Perhaps you have wondered why that is? Today I’d like to study with you the Biblical reason behind this practice.
Let’s begin with a recap of what we studied in a previous study…
Matt 5:18 Are any of the Ten Commandments changed? Can they be changed?
IE: Written in stone. (James 2:10)
There is, however, one power that presumes to say they can change the Law…
Dan 7:25
What did the Antichrist think to change? Which commandment deals specifically with holy times?
It is the Sabbath Commandment, let’s read it.
Exod 20:8-11
Which day is the Sabbath day? What did God do to that day? Why? What are we not to do on that day? Blessing of rest.
When was the Sabbath instituted?
Gen 2:1-3
In Eden, before sin entered the world the Sabbath was created. What did God do on the first Sabbath day? IE: Woman, wife. IE: Garden of Eden, fruit is fruit?
According to the New Testament Jesus is the Creator of everything (John 1:1-4). So who was it that made the Sabbath Day holy?
Since Jesus was the Creator of the Sabbath, no wonder He is called “the Lord of the Sabbath”.
Mark 2:27-28
The Pharisees accused Jesus Sabbath breaking because He healed and picked grains on the day. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that it is wrong to do this on the Sabbath. These were manmade rules that made the Sabbath a heavy burden instead of the blessing God intended it to be. He who made the Sabbath ought to know how to keep it holy.
Let us now look at how the Lord of the Sabbath treated the Sabbath…
Luke 4:16
What was Jesus’ custom on the Sabbath? This is why SDA have their services on the Sabbath, we want to follow Jesus’ example.
But you might ask: How can we know for sure which day is the Sabbath? #1 Calendar. #2 Languages. #3 Jews.
But the most important reason is because the Bible says so. Go to…
Luke 23:52-24:3
On what day did Jesus rest in the grave? Did Jesus disciples keep the Sabbath holy after Jesus’ death? On which day of the week did He rise from the grave? Which day is then the Sabbath?
Jesus also expected His followers to keep the Sabbath after His resurrection…
Matt 24:20
Did Jesus expect His followers to still keep the Sabbath Day holy in 70 AD?
Did they actually do that?
Acts 13:14-16, 42-44
In the early church, what day of the week did the apostles go to God’s house?
Acts is full of these examples…
Acts 17:1-2
What was Paul’s custom on the Sabbath? Acts 16:13
All Christians, Jewish or Gentiles followed the same example…
Acts 18:4
Did also Greek converts go to church on Sabbath? IE: History of Sunday
In the end of time, Jesus will restore the Sabbath truth among His followers…
Rev 14:12, 12:17
How many Commandments do they keep? How does Satan feel about them?
APPEAL
Is it your desire to be one of them? I understand that this might be very new to you. But I’d like to invite you to join us this coming Sabbath service to see what it means to keep the Sabbath holy. Would anything keep you from coming?
