Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP210036S
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00:01 Welcome to this week's study in the Sabbath School lesson.
00:05 This is 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 00:07 where we dive into God's Word. 00:10 This is lesson number 10 called Sabbath Rest. 00:13 Do you need a Bible study guide? 00:16 The quarterly you can download at ABSG.Adventist.org 00:21 Download the quarterly follow along, 00:24 and let's study God's Word together. 00:56 Hello, and welcome again to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:59 My name is John Dinzey. 01:00 It's a blessing and a privilege for me to be with you 01:03 during this hour with 3ABN's family, 01:06 part of 3ABN's family 01:08 that will be with us in this study. 01:10 We have to my left, Pastor John Lomacang. 01:13 Good to be here. 01:14 Always good to be here. 01:16 And this topic is gonna be exciting, 01:18 teaching people about the relevance of finding rest 01:20 in the Sabbath of God's Word. 01:22 Amen. 01:23 Sister Shelley Quinn? 01:25 Wonderful to be here, 01:26 we're so glad that you're joining us as well. 01:29 Also joining us is, Pastor Ryan Day. 01:31 Amen. 01:33 Always a blessing to be on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel 01:35 and today we're gonna be talking 01:36 about people honoring others on the Sabbath. 01:39 Amen. 01:40 And last but not least, Sister Jill Morikone. 01:43 Thank you, Pastor Johnny. 01:44 Today, I'm talking about the Sabbath as a sign. 01:46 Amen. 01:48 This lesson is going to be a great blessing. 01:50 So we want to invite you to follow along. 01:53 And we're going to ask Pastor John Lomacang 01:55 to lead us in prayer before we begin. 01:58 Sure. 01:59 Gracious Father, thank You. 02:00 The privilege is ours. 02:02 But the opportunity to fill us with Your Spirit 02:05 is what we ask for this morning. 02:07 We pray that You'll guide our hearts and minds 02:09 as we study Your Word. 02:10 We pray that this Sabbath message 02:13 will find fertile soil 02:15 in the hearts and lives of those 02:17 who are following You. 02:18 May it not only be clear, 02:20 but may it be followed by a desire 02:22 to serve You in the beauty of holiness, 02:25 we ask in Jesus' name. 02:27 Amen. Amen. 02:30 Well, as we begin the lesson, 02:32 you look at the Saturday portion. 02:35 And it brings to us something 02:37 that we have seen 02:38 for many, many years here at 3ABN 02:40 working in the 3ABN 02:41 pastoral ministries for many years 02:43 and even as you meet people. 02:45 You hear different reasons 02:47 why people do not want to keep the Sabbath, 02:50 or they don't know about the Sabbath. 02:51 Some people say, 02:53 "Well, it was changed. 02:55 We don't know what days of the week are 02:57 and what we lost track of which day is which." 03:00 And so many different, 03:02 you know, sometimes you call them excuses. 03:05 But people try to explain away things 03:07 that they do not understand perhaps. 03:11 And unfortunately, we also have many people 03:14 that are on their own, they're studying 03:16 or perhaps they heard something on 3ABN, 03:19 and they come to the conclusion or are believing that, 03:23 wait a minute, there is a seventh day Sabbath. 03:26 Why are we not keeping the seventh day Sabbath? 03:29 So they go to one of their church members 03:32 that they respect, 03:34 maybe the pastor, 03:35 and they say, 03:37 "Hey, I'm studying, 03:38 or I've heard that the seventh day Sabbath, 03:40 we're supposed to keep this day. 03:42 Why aren't we doing this?" 03:44 And this well respected pastor 03:46 or brother or sister will tell them, 03:47 "Well, it's because it's been done away, 03:49 it was nailed to the cross," 03:51 or different reasons they hear. 03:52 And because of their respect for this person, 03:55 they kind of say okay, 03:56 and they kind of go along with this. 03:58 Now, this is a dangerous thing to accept, 04:01 because we are supposed to go to the Bible, 04:04 and whatever you hear, go to the Bible 04:07 and tested by the scriptures, 04:08 to the law and to the testimony. 04:10 If they speak not according to this is, 04:12 it is because there is no light in them. 04:14 And we've heard many, many different stories of people 04:17 that after listening to the programs on 3ABN 04:21 or receiving a book, 04:22 such as 3ABN has the Ten Commandments 04:26 Twice Removed. 04:27 They understand that 04:29 the seventh day Sabbath is biblical, 04:31 that it is binding, and they accept the Sabbath. 04:33 They said, 04:35 "You know, I've been studying these things for years. 04:37 And when I read this book, 04:39 when I heard this message on 3ABN, 04:41 finally I said yes, yes, 04:42 I've known this all my life, 04:44 but somehow did not start keeping the Sabbath day." 04:49 So let's go to the scriptures, 04:54 because you see the Sabbath is linked to creation. 04:58 And when you go to Genesis 2:1, 05:02 you will notice that 05:05 the Bible declares to us 05:07 that after creation, God did something marvelous. 05:13 In Genesis Chapter 2, beginning in verse 1, it says, 05:16 "Thus the heavens and the earth, 05:20 and all the hosts of them were finished. 05:24 And on the seventh day, 05:25 God ended His work which He had done, 05:29 and He rested on the seventh day 05:31 from all His work, which He had done." 05:36 So here we have, 05:38 that God rested on the seventh day. 05:41 Notice now verse 3, 05:42 "Then God blessed the seventh day 05:45 and sanctified it, 05:47 because in it, He rested from all His work 05:50 which God had created and made." 05:54 And so this is the record, as we find in the scriptures, 05:58 the Sabbath is not mentioned by name, 06:02 until you get to Exodus Chapter 16. 06:06 And some people think, wait a minute, is it Exodus 20, 06:09 that the law was given, 06:11 but the Sabbath was already known 06:13 as evidenced by Exodus Chapter 16, 06:17 it's also evidenced by the scriptures. 06:19 You see in Genesis Chapter 26, 06:22 where God says of Abraham, 06:24 he kept My statues and My commandments. 06:27 So it was known. 06:29 It was lived, and followed by God's faithful people. 06:34 Since the beginning of creation, 06:36 Adam and Eve kept the Sabbath day holy. 06:41 And so the question is, 06:43 why aren't people doing it today? 06:45 You know, had people been keeping the Sabbath day 06:49 since the beginning, 06:50 we would not have so many people believing 06:53 that we came from a cesspool of nothing, 06:56 evolutionary ideas have come into the minds of people 07:00 that they think we are the accident 07:04 out of an explosion in space. 07:07 God created us. 07:09 And so let's go to the Book of Genesis 07:12 and see in Chapter 2, 07:15 the marvelous revelation. 07:17 Actually Genesis Chapter 1, notice Genesis 1:26-27, 07:21 "Then God said, 07:22 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, 07:28 let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, 07:32 over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, 07:34 over all the earth and over every creeping thing 07:38 that creeps on the earth.' 07:40 So God created man in His image, 07:42 in His own image, 07:43 in the image of God 07:46 He created him, male and female 07:48 He created them.'" 07:50 So what do we have here? 07:52 We have here God telling us, we were created in His image. 07:56 You're not the result of some accident. 08:00 It was God's design, 08:02 you were designed perfectly by God. 08:04 You see, in Genesis 1:31 it says, 08:07 that God looked at everything He had made. 08:09 And lo, it was very good. 08:11 You were created by a Master Designer. 08:16 The workings of your body perfectly designed 08:20 to take care of all the functions of the body. 08:23 Your heart beats in a sync to keep you going. 08:28 Your blood flows through your body 08:30 because a Designer, a Creator made you. 08:34 And the Sabbath is linked to the Creator. 08:39 And so, I encourage you 08:41 to consider the words of Exodus Chapter 20. 08:45 Let us go to verses 8-11. 08:47 Exodus 20:8-11. 08:49 You're going to hear some marvelous things 08:51 during this hour. 08:52 And I encourage you to follow along. 08:55 Let's go Exodus 20:8-11. 08:58 This is what is written. 09:00 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 09:04 I will stop right there for a moment 09:05 and say, wait a minute, 09:07 this verse begins with remember the Sabbath day. 09:10 This implies that it was something already known, 09:14 but God knew that men, women were prone to forgetfulness, 09:20 to forget their Creator. 09:22 And this, if you examine the Ten Commandments 09:25 is the commandment that has the most amount of words, 09:29 it also identifies the Creator. 09:33 Let's look at it as we continue in verse 9. 09:36 It says, 09:37 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 09:40 but the seventh day is the Sabbath 09:43 of the LORD your God." 09:46 And you may have noticed 09:47 as you're reading and perhaps you didn't, 09:49 that the word Lord 09:51 is capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. 09:55 This is because the translators recognize 09:58 that the name of Jehovah was there. 10:01 And they were careful not to try to, 10:05 for people not to pronounce and take God's name in vain. 10:08 The translator began to follow 10:10 what the Jewish had done to be careful with God's name. 10:13 And so the word here is Yahweh God. 10:17 And so this is our Creator, He is our Creator. 10:20 "In it, you shall do no work." 10:22 It says, 10:23 "You nor your son, nor your daughter, 10:25 nor your male servant, nor your female servant, 10:27 nor your cat, or nor your stranger 10:29 who is within your gates. 10:32 For in six days, 10:34 the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, 10:37 and all that is in them, 10:39 and rested the seventh day. 10:41 Therefore, the Lord blessed the seventh day 10:45 and hallowed it." 10:46 Again, you see here that 10:48 the commandment is linked to the time of creation. 10:53 Holy since the time of creation, 10:56 not when it is verbally and written 11:00 by God on stone was a given. 11:03 It was given at creation, 11:06 and it remains sanctified and holy. 11:10 And we are told to remember 11:12 the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 11:14 And when you enter into keeping the Sabbath day holy, 11:19 you are entering into the holy time of the Lord, 11:23 in which He promises to give you added blessing 11:28 as you remember to honor His day, 11:31 to honor Him as our Creator, 11:34 because He is our Creator, 11:36 and He wants you to be happy. 11:39 Notice that it says, you shall not do any work. 11:42 And I'm blessed to know, 11:44 you know, I've been keeping the Sabbath 11:45 for many, many years, 11:47 it's been a blessing for me, 11:48 I encourage you to taste and see that the Lord is good. 11:51 And you will taste and see 11:53 that He means the Sabbath rest to do you good. 11:59 Because everything the Lord gives us, 12:01 every commandment is intended to be a blessing to us. 12:06 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 12:10 Did you know that in over 100 languages, 12:14 the word or the seventh day is called Sabbath 12:18 in that particular language. 12:20 Even in ancient languages, 12:22 there, you can easily find this, 12:24 if you can't find it, 12:26 just write to us and we'll send you a copy, 12:28 a PDF copy, let's say, 12:30 of the work done many, many years ago 12:35 by, believe it was of the Baptist gentleman, 12:37 over 100 languages 12:39 has the word Sabbath at the end. 12:41 Even the Russian language Sabaton, 12:44 which is I think that's the way they pronounce it. 12:47 You can check, double check me on that one. 12:49 In Spanish, Sabado, 12:52 in Portuguese Sabado as well. 12:56 But notice in the Portuguese language, 12:58 they do something interesting 13:00 that is very similar to the Bible. 13:02 You know what the day is called for Monday, 13:05 Segunda-feira 13:07 because Monday is the second day of the week. 13:10 Wednesday is called Quarta-feira, 13:13 which means the fourth day of the week. 13:17 When you get to Friday, it's called Sexta-feira, 13:19 which means the sixth day of the weekend, 13:21 but when you get to Saturday, 13:24 they don't call it Sexta-feira, 13:27 they call it Sabado, which means Sabbath rest. 13:31 And in over 100 languages, you can trace this, 13:35 really the Sabbath message has gone to the whole world, 13:39 a man has forgotten. 13:41 And it is our hope that as you follow along, 13:44 you will begin to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy 13:48 and enter, begin to enter into that rest 13:51 that God has intended for us to have every seventh day. 13:56 Amen. 13:58 Pastor Dinzey, 13:59 I'm glad that you brought out 14:00 those different language interpretations on the Sabbath 14:03 and that Brazilian one was very interesting. 14:06 They don't just call it the seventh day of the week, 14:08 they call it the Sabbath. 14:09 And in Africa, 14:13 in the place call I think it's in Nigeria, 14:16 they call it Kwame's day, the day of the baby. 14:20 So it's interesting how that came out. 14:23 Now we're talking about celebrating freedom. 14:26 The Sabbath is the day also of freedom. 14:28 Let's look at Deuteronomy 5:12-15. 14:32 It brings it out clearly, 14:33 when the Sabbath was reestablished, 14:36 not established, 14:37 but reestablished on the heels of the children 14:41 that came out of Egypt. 14:44 Deuteronomy was the book written for them 14:46 now as they grew up 14:48 so they could understand what they were delivered from 14:51 a time of freedom. 14:53 Deuteronomy 5:12-15, 14:56 "Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy, 14:59 as the Lord your God commanded you. 15:03 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 15:06 but the seventh day 15:08 is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." 15:10 Once again, just like Exodus 20:10, 15:14 the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God, 15:16 once again, coming back down to it, 15:18 who is your God? 15:20 It goes on by saying, 15:21 "In it you shall do no work: 15:23 you, nor your son, nor your daughter, 15:26 your male servant, nor your female servant, 15:28 nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, 15:32 nor your stranger who is within your gates, 15:35 that your male servant and your female servant 15:39 may rest as well as you." 15:41 "And remember," verse 15, 15:43 "that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, 15:45 and the Lord your God brought you out 15:47 from there by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, 15:51 therefore the Lord your God 15:53 commanded you to keep the Sabbath holy." 15:56 So you see right away 15:58 the Sabbath is a symbol of not only rest, 16:01 but also it's a symbol of liberation, 16:03 a symbol of freedom. 16:05 And so when the Sabbath comes, 16:07 the writer of the lesson asks the question, 16:09 and I want to pose that question to you. 16:11 What are the other ways that we can find freedom 16:15 and freedom from what? 16:16 Because the Sabbath is not just intended 16:18 to find freedom from the labor of the week. 16:21 But the Sabbath principle he now builds on 16:25 has a broader application, 16:26 because Jesus didn't come just to set us free from Egypt. 16:30 In the spiritual sense, 16:32 He came to set us free from a lot of other things. 16:35 Let's go to Romans Chapter 6 16:36 and look at one of those ways 16:38 that we can find freedom in Christ. 16:40 Romans Chapter 6, 16:42 and I'm going to read verses 1 to 6. 16:44 Romans 6:1-6, 16:47 on the heels of what other forms of slavery 16:49 do we face today? 16:52 What are the forms of slavery do we face today? 16:55 Paul writes in verse 1 of Romans 6, 16:57 "What shall we say then? 16:59 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" 17:02 And he says, 17:03 "Certainly not! 17:05 How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" 17:09 Talking about freedom through death. 17:12 What kind of death? 17:13 How does he illustrate this death?" 17:15 Verse 3, 17:16 "Or do you not know that 17:18 as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus 17:20 were baptized into His death?" 17:22 Verse 4, 17:23 "Therefore we were buried with Him 17:25 through baptism into death, 17:27 that just as Christ was raised 17:28 from the dead by the glory of the Father, 17:32 even so we also should walk in newness of life. 17:36 Freedom from the old life, 17:37 a celebration and entering into the new life." 17:41 But he goes on to emphasize what we are being freed from. 17:45 Verse 5 to 7, 17:48 "For if we have been united together 17:50 in the likeness of His death, 17:52 certainly we also shall be in the likeness 17:54 of His resurrection." 17:55 "Knowing this," verse 6, 17:57 "that our old man was crucified with Him, 18:01 that the body of sin might be done away with, 18:03 that we should no longer be slaves to sin." 18:07 There is that freedom, 18:08 freedom from the bondage of sin, 18:11 freedom also from the power of sin, 18:14 one day we'll be free from the presence of sin. 18:16 That's right. 18:18 And verse 7 says, 18:19 "For he who has died has been freed from sin." 18:22 That's right. 18:23 So the Sabbath, which is the fourth commandment, 18:26 which is contained in the Ten Commandments 18:28 are indicators. 18:30 Every one of those commandments 18:31 indicates one form of freedom or the other. 18:34 And the freedom that's broadly illustrated 18:36 in all 10 of those 18:38 is freedom from sin. 18:39 So let me make the connection. 18:41 When you are delivered from sin, 18:43 the commandments of God are your delight. 18:46 When you are delivered from the bondage of sin 18:48 and the power of sin, 18:50 there is no issue with you and the commandments. 18:52 But why is there an issue 18:54 between the commandments of God 18:57 and a lot of other people? 18:59 Let's go to Romans Chapter 8. 19:01 And let's look at the mindset 19:04 of those who have an issue with the law of God. 19:07 And if you have an issue with the law of God, 19:09 surely you have an issue with the commandment 19:11 that calls us to honor the Sabbath. 19:14 Romans 8, 19:15 and the Bible talks about verse 6 and 7. 19:19 "For to be carnally minded is death, 19:23 but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." 19:27 Notice it's talking about the attitude, 19:30 the character that is being emphasized. 19:32 Where's your mind? 19:34 If your mind is that in harmony with God is at peace. 19:37 If your mind is against God, it's not at peace. 19:40 It's in fact abiding in death. 19:42 But look at verse 7. 19:44 And whenever a person has a problem with God's law, 19:47 I say the problem is not God's law, 19:49 the problem is your mind, your life. 19:52 Because verse 7, 19:54 "The carnal mind is enmity against God, 19:59 for it is not subject to the law of God 20:03 nor indeed can be." 20:05 Let's put a pin on that. 20:06 That's right. 20:07 The Bible is saying, wait a minute. 20:09 When it comes to God's law, 20:10 when you pastor said, 20:12 there's something wrong with God's law, 20:13 your pastor has a mind problem. 20:15 His mind is at enmity against God's law. 20:18 His life is abiding in a carnal relationship, 20:22 not a spiritual relationship, 20:23 because the Bible makes it very clear. 20:25 You can't be in a carnal relationship, 20:27 and at the same time 20:29 be experiencing freedom in Christ. 20:30 Why? 20:32 Because John 8:36 says, 20:33 "Therefore, if the Son makes you free, 20:35 you shall be," what? 20:36 "Free indeed." 20:37 So how could I claim freedom in Christ 20:40 and say that obedience is bondage? 20:45 How does that sound? Yeah. 20:46 I'm free in Christ, but to be obedient is bondage. 20:49 That's right. 20:50 No, the Lord 20:52 led the children of Israel back to the... 20:54 The first test was the Sabbath test 20:56 after He delivered them from bondage. 21:00 So you don't honor the Sabbath 21:03 as an indication that you are in bondage, 21:05 you honor the Sabbath as an indicator 21:07 that you are freed from bondage, 21:10 okay, because the Bible says slavery is connected to sin. 21:13 Slavery was connected to them violating the Sabbath. 21:17 That's why the first thing the Lord restored, 21:19 and by the way, He began to restore it 21:21 before they even left Egypt. 21:23 Because Moses gave them one day in seven to rest. 21:26 And when you look at the word there rest, 21:28 I believe it's in Exodus Chapter 3, 21:29 when you look at the word there rest 21:31 is the word that the Sabbath word for rest. 21:34 So Moses began to remind the Hebrews of the Sabbath rest 21:37 before they even came out of Egypt, 21:39 and it infuriated the Pharaoh. 21:41 Right. 21:42 He says, as a result of that, 21:44 you have to make brick without straw. 21:45 So we cannot come out of bondage and say, 21:48 well, the Sabbath is a bondage indicator. 21:51 No, it's a freedom indicator. 21:53 Look at three very quick points, 21:55 if I could get to them in Hebrews 12:1, 21:58 celebration from the bondage of sin. 22:00 Hebrews 12:1, 22:02 "Therefore, we also 22:04 since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 22:07 let us lay aside every weight in the sin 22:10 which so easily ensnares us," 22:12 or as the King James says, "besets us" 22:15 and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 22:18 A person that is in bondage can't run. 22:21 A person that is in bondage 22:23 cannot lay aside the weight of sin, 22:25 because the weight of sin is what holds him into bondage. 22:28 But when you are free in Christ, 22:29 if the Son therefore makes you free, 22:31 you are free indeed. 22:34 We can also celebrate freedom from the sin 22:36 that has so easily held us in its grasp. 22:39 2 Peter 2:19, another passage. 22:42 While they promise them liberty, 22:45 and this is the thing that you have to be very careful, 22:47 because it's talking about leaders 22:49 who are preaching liberty, Shelley. 22:50 Yes. 22:51 But they themselves are preaching liberty, 22:53 and violation to the commandments of God. 22:56 And notice how Peter describes this, 22:58 "While they promise them liberty, 23:01 they themselves are slaves of corruption, 23:04 for by whom a person is overcome, 23:07 by him also he is brought into bondage." 23:10 And another freedom that we can experience 23:12 is James 1:27, 23:13 we can celebrate freedom 23:15 from the corrupting influences of the world. 23:17 James 1:27, 23:19 "Pure and undefiled religion 23:21 before God and the Father is this, 23:23 to visit the orphans and the widows 23:25 in their trouble, 23:27 and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." 23:31 And finally, we can celebrate freedom 23:33 from the labors of the day. 23:35 Mark 6:31, 23:38 "And he said to them, 23:40 'Come aside by yourselves 23:42 to a deserted place and rest a while, 23:45 for there were many coming and going, 23:47 and they did not even have time to eat." 23:49 So for those of you who have such busy schedules, 23:52 you don't even time to eat, 23:53 the Lord is saying, slow down, 23:55 find rest in Me spiritually 23:57 and find rest in honoring the Sabbath. 23:59 Amen. Amen. 24:01 Amen. Thank you so much. 24:03 The blessings have not come to an end, 24:06 we will continue in a moment. 24:13 Ever wish you could watch 24:14 a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel again, 24:16 or share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? 24:19 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com 24:24 A clean design makes it easy 24:27 to find the program you're looking for. 24:29 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 24:32 so you can follow along. 24:34 Sharing is easy. 24:35 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 24:39 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 24:43 Welcome back. 24:44 We continue our study with Sister Shelley Quinn. 24:46 Oh, I am so excited about this lesson. 24:49 Tuesday, The Stranger in Your Gates. 24:53 I'd like to start us at Exodus 19. 24:58 Exodus 19 25:00 because I want to show you something, 25:03 how the Lord looks at His covenant people. 25:06 Exodus 19:4, 25:08 God is speaking to the Egyptian, 25:10 to the Hebrews. 25:12 He says, 25:13 "You've seen what I did to the Egyptians, 25:15 how I bore you on eagle's wings, 25:18 and I brought you to Myself." 25:20 Oh, this is covenant love language. 25:22 God is speaking to His covenant people. 25:26 Now listen to what He says. 25:28 "Now therefore if you will indeed obey My voice 25:32 and keep My covenant, 25:34 then you shall be," what? 25:35 "A special treasure to Me, above all the people. 25:41 If you obey, you're gonna be a special treasure." 25:43 He says, 25:45 "For all the earth is mine. 25:46 And you shall be to me the kingdom of priests 25:51 and a holy nation." 25:52 Amen. 25:53 Now, God spoke this to His old covenant people, 25:59 but He speaks it 26:00 to His new covenant people as well. 26:03 Let's look at 1 Peter 2:9. 26:09 1 Peter 2:9. 26:14 We're going to see almost duplication of this. 26:19 And he writes, 26:20 "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 26:25 a holy nation, his own special people," 26:31 for what purpose, 26:32 "that you may proclaim the praises of Him 26:37 who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 26:41 Now, let me clarify the context of 1 Peter 2:9. 26:46 This is talking about covenant loyalty 26:52 in 1 Peter 2:8, 26:53 it speaks of stumbling 26:57 in being disobedient to God's Word. 27:00 But then in verse 21 and 22, 27:02 it speaks of following in Christ's footsteps, 27:06 committing no sin. 27:07 And verse 24, 27:09 speaks of us having died to sin 27:11 and living for righteousness. 27:13 So this same thing 27:16 that applied to His covenant people 27:20 who were the special treasure, 27:22 the kingdom of priests, 27:24 and the royal holy nation, it applies to us. 27:28 If you keep My commandments, 27:31 this is who you are. 27:33 Now, those three titles 27:34 summarize divine blessings for covenant people. 27:38 Let's look at them. 27:39 A special treasure to me, above all people. 27:44 The King James says, a peculiar treasure. 27:48 ASV says, My own possession, from among all the people, 27:53 that's my favorite. 27:55 The covenant keeping people were redeemed, 28:00 they were brought out of bondage in Egypt. 28:04 Hey, we're brought out of bondage in sin, 28:07 and they belong to the Lord. 28:09 They were His. 28:11 What did He... What price did He pay for us? 28:14 With the precious blood of Jesus. 28:17 That's how much you're worth to God. 28:20 And we are to... 28:21 When He says, you're My own special people, 28:25 My possession, He bought us. 28:27 You were purchased with the blood of Jesus, 28:31 and you will receive God's special care and concern. 28:36 If you walk in obedience 28:38 just as the old covenant people did. 28:40 You, then the second title is you're a kingdom of priests. 28:45 That's what He invited the old covenant people, 28:49 they kind of failed on that. 28:50 So he put in the whole system and the priesthood and all, 28:54 but the covenant keeping people represent God. 28:59 We are, you know what? 29:01 The word holy is synonymous with the word sanctified. 29:06 You know what they both mean? 29:08 Just simply means set apart, 29:10 that you are set apart 29:12 for God's persons, or purposes. 29:16 And we're a kingdom of priests 29:18 and guess who is our high priest? 29:21 The Lord Jesus Christ, 29:22 read the Book of Hebrews, 29:24 if you want to really get a picture of that, 29:26 a holy nation, 29:28 that doesn't mean we're just perfect little Bible thumpers. 29:33 It means we're set apart for God's purposes. 29:36 We're to carry the everlasting gospel 29:40 to all of the nations. 29:42 You know, this is the special responsibilities 29:45 He gave to the Israelites and they flunk this. 29:49 You know, Israel, God calls them in Exodus 4:22, 29:54 my firstborn son, 29:56 his son to be a son, that's a covenant term. 30:00 And it means you are heir of God's promises. 30:03 When you are a covenant son, 30:06 firstborn means you are preeminent. 30:09 So they had this wonderful relationship, 30:14 and they forfeited through unbelief. 30:18 That's right. 30:19 They forfeited that at least that older generation 30:23 the privilege of entering into the Promised Land. 30:26 They had to wander in the desert for 40 years. 30:28 You know, I feel kind of like 30:29 that's what we're doing right now, 30:31 the reason Jesus hasn't come back, 30:33 if it's one more time around the mountain. 30:35 I mean, we just aren't getting it right. 30:39 Now let's look at Exodus 23:12 30:43 because we want to see 30:47 how God views people. 30:49 You may be watching and say, 30:51 "Hey, I'm not a covenant child of God." 30:54 What does God consider you? 30:56 You betcha. 30:57 Exodus 23:12, 30:59 "Six days you should do your work, 31:01 on the seventh day you shall rest 31:03 that your ox and your donkey may rest, 31:05 the son of your female servant 31:07 and the stranger may be refreshed." 31:12 Now the listing of these two animals 31:14 in two different kinds of people, 31:16 it's just illustrative. 31:18 It's not an exhaustive list. 31:20 But did you catch that, the stranger may be refreshed. 31:26 Now let's go back to Exodus 20:18, 20:8-11. 31:32 When God gives the Sabbath commandment, He says, 31:35 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, 31:37 six days you shall labor and do all your work. 31:40 But the seventh day 31:43 is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." 31:46 In Isaiah 58, God calls it My holy day. 31:52 It was His day, but it was created for man, 31:56 not man for the Sabbath. 31:58 And then He says, 31:59 "In it, you shall do no work, 32:01 not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, 32:04 nor your male servant, nor your female servant." 32:06 Now, let me stop there, you can see that, 32:09 particularly this was addressed to adults 32:13 who own slaves, had kids, the wealthier people, 32:18 he's really trying to make sure they understand. 32:22 But then he says, 32:24 nor your cattle, none of the animals, 32:27 nor your stranger, 32:29 who is within your gates 32:34 is not supposed to work. 32:36 They're all to get a refresh. 32:37 God wants the people who don't know Him 32:42 to see the blessing 32:44 and enjoy the blessing of this day of rest, 32:47 so that they can contemplate Him. 32:51 And you know, it is very clear. 32:54 You can see in Nehemiah 10:31, 32:58 Jeremiah 17:19-27. 33:01 It is clear 33:03 we're not to buy and sell on the Sabbath. 33:05 Right? That's right. 33:07 So this is the reason 33:09 we don't go out to eat on the Sabbath, 33:12 is because, first of all, you know, some people say, 33:16 well, they're not covenant people, 33:17 will go be waited on by somebody else. 33:19 Well, they're going to be open anyway, 33:21 that restaurant will be open, whether I go or not. 33:24 No, we're not to buy or sell, and we're supposed to. 33:28 The only reason they're still open 33:30 because people are still coming. 33:31 We don't want to be contributing to theirs. 33:34 And you know, the Sabbath rest 33:36 God shows it applies to everybody. 33:39 It is so amazing that 33:40 some people think it's only for the Jews. 33:44 The historical precedents 33:48 for the special observance of the Sabbath 33:52 was established during creation week. 33:55 Did you hear me? 33:58 And when people say, oh, but there's a lunar calendar. 34:02 Oh, there's been, they were on a lunar calendar. 34:04 Oh, there's been calendar changes. 34:07 I don't care how many time the calendar has changed. 34:09 The weekly cycle has never changed, 34:12 not from lunar to the current calendar, 34:14 not when the Gregorian calendar, 34:17 not the weekly cycle has never changed 34:20 since the beginning of time. 34:23 So the Sabbath is the Sabbath. 34:26 And you know what? 34:27 The Sabbath confronts the false theory 34:32 that was put forth by Darwin as evolution, 34:37 because it is so clear in the Bible, 34:42 God created heavens and earth and all that is in them 34:45 in six literal days, 34:48 from morning to evening, 34:50 and it reminds us 34:52 of who we should worship even stranger in your gate. 34:55 Amen. 34:57 Thank you so much for that, Shelley 34:58 and Pastor John and Pastor John. 34:59 Thank you guys so much 35:01 for setting the foundation very clearly. 35:03 I have less than 10, 35:04 and it's entitled 35:05 Serving Others Honors God's Sabbath. 35:08 And that is absolutely truthful. 35:10 But we have to understand that 35:12 if you read the history of the Jewish people, 35:15 the Hebrew people from, 35:17 you know, the Old Testament into the New Testament, 35:19 we see an attitude shift, a perspective shift, 35:22 and how they are honoring the Sabbath 35:24 and how they are implementing Sabbath rules. 35:27 In the Old Testament, for the most part, 35:28 you see a constant repetitive cycle 35:31 of what God calls them profaning the Sabbath. 35:33 In other words, they had become so lacks, 35:36 and just allowing 35:37 just any old thing to happen on the Sabbath 35:39 that God said, you were profaning My Sabbath. 35:41 And so that and for many other reasons, 35:44 as they were worshipping other gods and false idols, 35:46 and, you know, not honoring God's commandments at all, 35:48 it landed them in 70 years of Babylonian captivity. 35:52 Now come on the other side of that 70 years 35:54 between the time of Nehemiah and the days of Jesus, 35:58 we see that they went to the opposite extreme, 36:00 instead of becoming very lacks, 36:03 and I guess somebody might say, 36:04 very liberal approach to Sabbath keeping. 36:06 Now they go to the ultra, ultra, ultra conservative, 36:10 very, very harsh rules approach to Sabbath keeping. 36:14 And, in fact, that lesson brings this out 36:16 and had to read this 36:17 because it just really highlights it very well. 36:19 It says in the New Testament world, 36:21 the religious leaders 36:22 had Sabbath keeping down to a fine art, 36:25 okay, and let's emphasize that a little bit, a fine art. 36:28 Here it is. 36:29 There were dozens of prohibitions and rules 36:31 established to keep the Sabbath holy. 36:34 This included a prohibition 36:36 against tying or untying anything, 36:39 separating two threads, 36:42 extinguishing the fire, 36:43 hey, your house is on fire, but you can't put it out. 36:45 It's the Sabbath, right? 36:47 Here's another one 36:48 transporting an object between a private domain 36:51 and a public domain, 36:52 or transporting something 36:54 for more than a specific distance 36:56 in a public domain. 36:58 I mean, these were and the list goes 36:59 on and on and on, 37:00 you could write a book on these things. 37:02 I mean, Jesus was one day going, 37:03 walking through the cornfields with His disciples one day, 37:06 and they were hungry, and it was on the Sabbath. 37:07 And then He's picked an ear corn 37:09 and started eating it. 37:10 And then they accused Him 37:12 and the disciples of breaking the Sabbath, 37:14 you have labored on the Sabbath day, 37:16 you have defiled the Sabbath. 37:18 And this is essentially what Jesus is also being accused of 37:22 in John Chapter 5. 37:23 So let's go there to John Chapter 5, 37:25 and we're gonna read verses 7 through 16. 37:27 And this is one of my favorite stories, 37:28 because Jesus is so gracious and so loving that, 37:32 you know, people forget, 37:33 you know, these brothers and sisters, 37:34 they haven't really known at this moment, 37:36 they haven't really gotten it, 37:37 that Jesus is the Messiah, 37:39 and He is the Son of the living God, 37:42 as Jesus said, He is Lord of the Sabbath. 37:45 And so He shows up 37:47 and He heals this man on the Sabbath, 37:48 and this is what the Bible says. 37:49 So John Chapter 5, 37:51 we're going to start with verse 7. 37:52 It says, 37:54 "The sick man answered him, 37:55 'Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool 37:58 when the water is stirred up. 37:59 But while I'm coming, 38:01 another steps down before me." 38:02 So obviously, this is the crippled man there 38:05 at the pool of Bethesda. 38:06 And so Jesus has come to heal him. 38:08 And so notice Jesus' response in verse 8. 38:11 "Jesus said to him, 38:12 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' 38:14 And immediately the man was made well, 38:16 and took up his bed, and indeed walk.'" 38:19 And it goes on to say, 38:20 "And that day was the Sabbath." 38:23 The Jews therefore said to him, who was cured, they said, 38:27 "Is this the Sabbath? 38:28 Is it not lawful for you to carry your bed?" 38:31 This brother couldn't even pick up his sheets, 38:34 his pillow or whatever he was using it that moment, 38:36 they said, "You're breaking the Sabbath." 38:38 And so notice verse 11, it says, 38:40 "He answered them, 38:41 'He who made me well said to me, 38:42 take up your bed and walk.' 38:44 Then they asked him, 38:46 'Who is the man who said this to you 38:47 take up your bed and walk?' 38:49 But the one who has healed 38:50 did not know who it was, 38:52 for Jesus had withdrawn a multitude, 38:54 or He has had withdrawn 38:56 and a multitude being in that place." 38:58 Verse 14, it says, 38:59 "Afterwards, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, 39:02 'See, you have been made well. 39:04 Sin no more, 39:06 lest a worst thing come upon you.' 39:08 The man departed and told the Jews 39:09 that it was Jesus, who had made him well.'" 39:12 And then notice verse 16, and 17. 39:13 Here it says, 39:15 "For this reason, the Jews persecuted Jesus 39:17 and sought to kill Him, 39:19 because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 39:21 But Jesus answered them, 39:22 'My father has been working until now 39:25 and I have been working.'" 39:27 He's testifying again to the fact 39:28 that I am the Lord of the Sabbath 39:30 and you're telling me I can't do these good deeds 39:32 on My holy day? 39:33 They had made the Sabbath out to be something of oppression, 39:37 they had put all of these rules and regulations, 39:39 can't do this and you can't do that 39:41 and you can't do this, this long list 39:43 so much that the only thing you could do was pray, 39:46 you know, and read the Bible or being taught the Bible, 39:49 walk a short distance to the temple 39:51 or pray or worship from your tent 39:53 or from your home or wherever it was, 39:54 it was very, very restrictive. 39:57 It's also reminds me of the time 39:59 in Matthew Chapter 12, 40:01 in fact, we can go there too, Matthew 12:9-12. 40:04 Another time when Jesus again was accused 40:07 of breaking the Sabbath, 40:08 but I love this right here, it says, 40:09 "Now when he had departed from there, 40:11 he went into the synagogue and behold, 40:13 there was a man who had a withered hand." 40:15 So again, this is another healing story. 40:17 "And they asked him saying, 40:18 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, 40:21 that they might accuse Him.'" 40:22 So again, they're looking to start some trouble. 40:23 They're hoping they can find a reason to stone Jesus, 40:26 because these people aren't full of the Holy Spirit. 40:28 They're not being led by God. 40:29 They're just oppressors. 40:31 And they're being led by a wrongful spirit. 40:33 And so in verse 11, it says, 40:34 "Then He said to them, 40:35 'What man is there among you that has one sheep, 40:37 and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath 40:39 will not lay hold of it 40:41 and, and lifted out 40:43 of how much more value than is a man than a sheep," 40:48 this goes back to the point of this lesson, 40:50 that it's good to do good on the Sabbath, 40:53 because you honor God 40:54 by serving others on the Sabbath, 40:56 which is why Jesus finishes with, 40:57 therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. 41:01 And we would do well to do good on the Sabbath ourselves, 41:04 that the Sabbath is not a day of oppression 41:07 or heavy drudgery or something that 41:09 you know, a lot of people that you know, that 41:11 they'll say, I'm a Sabbath keeper, 41:12 but they don't look forward to the Sabbath. 41:14 And they don't look forward to the Sabbath 41:15 because they've made it out 41:16 to be this oppressive time 41:18 in which, you know, there's, you can't, you can't enjoy it. 41:21 There's no great spiritual pleasure 41:23 in spending time with family 41:25 and spending time with church, family 41:27 and spending time with the Lord. 41:28 Because in their mind, 41:29 there's a list of do's and don'ts. 41:31 And that list of don'ts 41:32 is much larger than the list of do's. 41:34 And we have to be careful not to fall into that pit. 41:37 In fact, that's exactly 41:38 what God is specifying in Isaiah Chapter 58. 41:43 In fact, I'm going to read verses 2 and 3 here. 41:44 This is what He was saying 41:46 after He had just declared to His Prophet, 41:49 "Cry aloud, spare not," 41:50 in verse 1 there in Isaiah 58, 41:52 "lift up your voice like a trumpet, 41:53 tell My people of the transgressions, 41:55 and the house of Jacob of their sins." 41:56 But notice verse 2 and 3, 41:58 he says, yet they speaking of his people, 42:00 "They seek me daily 42:02 and delight to know My ways as a nation that did righteous," 42:07 as if they're doing righteousness, right? 42:08 And He goes on to say, 42:10 "And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. 42:12 They ask of me the ordinance of justice. 42:15 They take delight in approaching God. 42:17 Why have we fasted? 42:19 They say, and you have not seen? 42:21 Why have we afflicted our souls, 42:23 and you take no notice. 42:24 In fact, in the day of your fast, 42:27 you find pleasure and exploit all your laborers. 42:30 What they're saying here is, 42:32 you know, what Jesus look at me, 42:33 I'm doing all the things 42:35 that supposed to make You happy, 42:36 it was a works approach to salvation. 42:39 It was a works approach 42:40 in which they had, again, 42:42 the list of do's, the list of don'ts, 42:43 and they're looking at God and saying, Oh, you know, 42:45 but we've fasted, 42:46 and we did this, and we done that, 42:48 and we kept your Sabbath holy, 42:49 and the Lord's like, come on, 42:50 you're doing, by doing that, and having that spirit, 42:52 you're still profaning My Sabbath. 42:54 And in fact, in verse 13, that famous verse in Isaiah 58, 42:58 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, 43:01 from doing your pleasure on My holy day, 43:04 and call the Sabbath, a delight," 43:06 okay, the Holy Day of the Lord, honorable, 43:09 "and shall honor him, 43:10 not doing your own ways, 43:11 nor finding your own pleasure 43:13 nor speaking your own words." 43:14 I have to just say here 43:15 in the little bit of time permitted me here, 43:18 many, even Seventh-day Adventist Christian, 43:20 Sabbath keeping Christians, I'll say that across the world, 43:22 take this verse, and they manipulate it 43:25 and take it out of context. 43:26 And they use this verse to try to put more oppression 43:29 on others and on themselves. 43:31 So that the Sabbath is not a delight, 43:33 because they go here, and they say, 43:35 oh, you know, it says that you can't do your own pleasure. 43:36 So if I go outside, and I take a beanbag, 43:39 and I toss it into a hole, and that makes me happy, 43:42 oh, I've broken the Sabbath. 43:43 Or if I, you know, walk too far down the road, 43:45 and I see something that I like, 43:47 and I'm enjoying it, 43:48 and I'm enjoying my day outside. 43:50 Well, I'm breaking the Sabbath. 43:51 The truth of the matter is, my friends, 43:52 if you read this text, 43:54 that in the original text itself, 43:56 it talks about business pleasure, 43:58 not doing your own business pleasure. 43:59 In fact, that's the context of this chapter. 44:02 And so while we should not profane the Sabbath, 44:05 and while we should not just think that 44:06 every little thing in the world is okay 44:08 to do on the Sabbath, 44:10 we also should not be so pharisaical about it 44:14 and producing all of these do's and don'ts 44:16 that we take the joy out of the Sabbath, 44:18 that because actually in the original Hebrew here, 44:21 where it talks about and call the Sabbath, 44:24 a delight, the original Hebrew word, 44:26 actually, here is the word oneg, 44:29 which means an exquisite delight. 44:31 God says, I want you to really like it. 44:33 I want you to really enjoy it. 44:35 I want you to look forward to this time. 44:37 If you look forward to the Sabbath every week, 44:38 and you're like, oh, it's the Sabbath. 44:40 I've got 24 hours to do, you know nothing. 44:43 Then you're not enjoying it. 44:44 You have made the Sabbath a heavy drudgerous experience. 44:47 We should look forward to the Sabbath with delight 44:49 and use it as a time to do good for others 44:52 and to do good with others and serving our fellow man. 44:56 Amen. 44:57 Thank you so much, pastor, and each one of you. 44:59 Amen. 45:00 I love your enthusiasm and your energy 45:03 and passion for the Word of God. 45:04 And I love that, 45:06 I think you were the first one to introduce me to that, 45:08 that was a few months ago. 45:10 With this being, it's not your business pleasure 45:12 instead of just pleasure. 45:14 So I love that. 45:15 I have Thursday, The Sign That We Belong to God. 45:19 The Sabbath, we're looking at the Sabbath as a sign. 45:22 It is an external, a visible and perpetual sign. 45:27 It's external and visible, 45:28 it clearly delineates who God's people are. 45:32 It is perpetual, 45:33 as I think probably each member of the panel 45:36 has already brought out today. 45:38 It was instituted at creation. 45:41 It was renewed to the children of Israel, 45:44 they were reminded of what they had forgotten. 45:47 We saw it as Pastor Johnny talked in the beginning, 45:49 we saw it in Exodus 16. 45:51 We saw it with Abraham, we saw it in Exodus Chapter 20. 45:55 We see it with Jesus in the New Testament, 45:58 we see it with the apostles 46:00 after Jesus' death and resurrection. 46:03 We see it with the apostles keeping, 46:05 honoring the Sabbath day. 46:07 And we know that 46:08 it will be kept in heaven from Isaiah. 46:09 So praise the Lord, it is perpetual. 46:12 We're gonna look at the Sabbath as a sign. 46:14 Turn with me to Ezekiel, Ezekiel Chapter 20. 46:17 And as you're turning there, 46:19 today I'm going to talk about five signs that the Sabbath is. 46:23 Now this is just from my own study, 46:25 there might be more I don't know, 46:27 but these are five that just jumped out at me. 46:29 The first, the Sabbath is a sign of sanctification. 46:33 Let's look at that, Ezekiel 20:12. 46:36 "Moreover, I also gave them my Sabbath to be," 46:40 what's that word? 46:41 "A sign between them and me, 46:43 that they might know that 46:45 I am the Lord who sanctifies them," 46:48 or sets them apart? 46:50 I love what Shelley mentioned with that. 46:52 Holiness, sanctification being set apart. 46:55 The Sabbath is a sign between God and His people, 46:58 that He is their God, 47:00 He is our God, and He is our sanctifier. 47:05 Let's look at Exodus 31. 47:07 We also see there, Exodus 31:13, 47:10 almost the very same thing here. 47:12 Speak also to the children of Israel saying, 47:15 "Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep, 47:17 for it is a sign between Me and you 47:19 throughout your generations 47:20 that you may know that 47:22 I am the Lord who sanctifies you." 47:25 That word sign in Hebrew means a sign, 47:28 but it's also a pledge of the covenant. 47:30 And the same word in Hebrew, 47:32 we see it's used for the rainbow 47:34 as a sign of the Noahic covenant. 47:37 We see the same word in Hebrew used for circumcision, 47:41 as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant. 47:44 We see it used here for the Sabbath, 47:47 as the sign of the perpetual covenant 47:51 that God has made with His people. 47:53 Here is the sign of sanctification. 47:55 You know what's interesting to me, 47:57 to me it's ironic, 47:58 that people say the Sabbath is the day of works 48:02 if you keep the Sabbath. 48:03 And that must mean that 48:05 you believe in salvation by works, 48:07 you're not under grace, 48:09 when actually the Sabbath is the sign 48:12 that God is the one who sanctifies us. 48:14 Amen. That's right. 48:16 It's not a sign of works. 48:17 It's a sign of God working in us and through us 48:21 to will and to do of His good pleasure. 48:23 It's a sign every Sabbath, 48:26 when you enter His rest, you say, 48:28 "Thank you, God, 48:30 that You are the one who sanctifies me, 48:32 thank You, God, 48:33 that it's not me doing the work, 48:35 but it's You doing the work in me." 48:38 Now let's look at sign number two, 48:39 it's the sign of the perpetual covenant. 48:41 We're still in Exodus 31. 48:43 Let's look at verses 16 and 17. 48:45 "Therefore the children of Israel 48:46 shall keep the Sabbath 48:48 to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations 48:50 as a perpetual covenant. 48:53 It is a sign 48:54 between me and the children of Israel forever." 48:57 The Sabbath is a sign 48:58 that we are His covenant people, 49:01 that we belong to Him 49:03 and that covenant, 49:04 it's not based on us being anything special. 49:07 It's based on God's love for His people. 49:10 Remember what He said in Deuteronomy 7, 7 and 8, 49:13 the Lord did not set His love on you or choose you 49:16 because you were more in number than any other people, 49:20 for you were the least of all the peoples, 49:23 but because the Lord loves you. 49:26 God did not choose the children of Israel 49:28 because they were more handsome or beautiful or intelligent, 49:31 or they had greater gifts 49:33 or they were stronger in might or army. 49:36 He chose them because He loved them. 49:39 I love that. 49:40 The Sabbath as a sign of that covenant 49:42 is a sign of divine love. 49:44 Now you might be saying, 49:45 well, that was the Jewish people 49:46 and they were chosen 49:48 and the Sabbath is the perpetual sign for them, 49:49 but I'm not Jewish, 49:50 and I do not, you know, I'm not part of that. 49:54 Let's look at Galatians. 49:55 Galatians 3:26-29. 49:59 "For you are all sons of God 50:01 through faith in Christ Jesus. 50:04 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ 50:06 have put on Christ. 50:08 There is neither Jew nor Greek, 50:10 there is neither slave nor free, 50:11 there is neither male nor female, 50:13 for you are all one in Christ Jesus." 50:15 And here's the key verse. 50:17 "And if you are Christ's, 50:19 then you are Abraham's seed 50:21 and heirs according to the promise." 50:24 That means if you have accepted the Lord Jesus 50:27 as your personal Savior, 50:29 you can be part of God's covenant people. 50:33 And as part of God's covenant people, 50:35 we have the gift. 50:36 The sign of the Sabbath is not just for the Jews, 50:40 it is for God's people today. 50:43 So the Sabbath is a sign of sanctification. 50:45 The Sabbath is a sign of the perpetual covenant 50:47 that God made with His people. 50:49 The Sabbath is also a sign of creation, where... 50:51 Let's go back to Exodus 31:17, 50:56 we read the first half of the verse before. 50:58 Let's go back and read the whole verse. 51:00 Exodus 31:17. 51:01 "It is a sign between Me 51:02 and the children of Israel forever, 51:05 for in six days 51:06 the Lord made heavens and earth, 51:08 and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed." 51:12 The Sabbath is a sign 51:13 that God made the world in six literal days, 51:16 there was not eons of time. 51:18 Some people believe that 51:20 one day of creation lasted for an eternity, 51:22 well, not literally, but a long time. 51:25 And the next day, no, 51:26 God made this world in six literal days, 51:30 evenings and mornings. 51:32 And then He rested on the seventh day. 51:35 The Sabbath is not only a sign every week, 51:37 it's a reminder that God created us 51:39 that He created this world and everything in it, 51:42 as Pastor Ryan talked about that we can enjoy. 51:45 But it's also a sign 51:46 that God can recreate in you and I 51:49 the image of Jesus. 51:51 And that brings us to sign number four, 51:53 the Sabbath is a sign of redemption. 51:57 Pastor John read this passage in Deuteronomy 5. 51:59 But let's look at one verse there. 52:00 Deuteronomy 5:15, 52:02 is the sign that Jesus delivered us 52:05 from our own Egyptian bondage. 52:08 And that's just means that we lived in the land of sin. 52:11 And Jesus, He set us free. 52:13 Deuteronomy 5:15. 52:16 And remember that you were a slave 52:19 in the land of Egypt. 52:20 And we might be reading this and saying, 52:22 well, the Jewish people were slaves in Egypt, 52:23 and clearly they were slaves in Egypt. 52:27 But how many times have you felt enslaved in sin, 52:31 enslaved in addiction, 52:34 enslaved in your own lusts 52:35 and passions and desires and said, 52:37 "God, I want to be set free." 52:40 Jesus came to redeem us 52:42 and pull us out of the land of Egypt as it were. 52:46 That just means bondage. 52:47 That just means the land of sin. 52:49 Remember, you were a slave in the land of Egypt, 52:52 and the Lord your God brought you out from there 52:55 by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, 52:59 therefore the Lord your God commanded you 53:01 to keep the Sabbath day. 53:02 I love that verse because we see the connection 53:05 between redemption, 53:07 between deliverance from Egypt, 53:09 deliverance from bondage, 53:11 and the keeping of the seventh day, 53:14 the keeping of the Sabbath. 53:16 We were redeemed from the land of the enemy. 53:18 The Sabbath is a sign every week 53:20 that God bought you back from the land of the enemy. 53:24 I love that. 53:26 Let's look at sign number five. 53:28 The Sabbath is the sign of loyalty. 53:31 Turn with me to Revelation. 53:33 Revelation 12:17, 53:37 "And the dragon was enraged with a woman," 53:40 now this would be Satan was angry with the church, 53:44 "and went to make war 53:45 with the rest of her offspring." 53:47 And who are those offspring? 53:49 Who keep the commandments of God 53:52 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 53:55 The Sabbath is a sign 53:57 of God's covenant keeping people. 54:00 It is a mark of distinction 54:03 between those who serve God 54:05 and those who serve Him not. 54:07 I want to be very clear here. 54:08 I believe God has people 54:10 who will be saved in every single denomination. 54:12 There are people who worship on Sunday 54:14 who will be in heaven. 54:15 I believe that from the bottom of my heart, 54:18 but at the end of time, 54:21 the Sabbath will be made a special point of test, 54:25 it will be brought to the forefront 54:27 before the entire world. 54:29 And at that time, 54:30 people will need to make a decision, 54:32 will I choose to follow God, 54:34 will I choose to make Him Lord of my life 54:36 and if I do that, 54:38 I will choose to honor God's Sabbath. 54:42 So every Sabbath, 54:43 you and I have the privilege 54:45 of remembering that God is our Creator. 54:47 God is our Redeemer. 54:49 God is our Sanctifier. 54:51 He wants to keep everlasting covenant 54:53 with us as His people 54:55 and we show our loyalty to Him 54:58 by celebrating the Sabbath. 54:59 Amen. Amen. 55:01 Wonderful. Glory. 55:03 Well, it seems that 55:04 we began a moment ago and we're, time is over. 55:07 Let's take a moment now 55:08 for you to summarize something you would like to say. 55:11 The Sabbath, the Sabbath is a sign of our desire 55:14 to follow truth. 55:15 John 17:17, 55:17 "Sanctify them by your truth, your Word is truth." 55:20 And when the Word of God was put forth from His mouth, 55:23 from His heart, from His character, 55:25 He said, "Remember." 55:27 As a Christian, don't forget 55:29 what the Lord your God said to remember. 55:33 The way you "keep the Sabbath," 55:36 will affect the stranger in your gate. 55:39 And what I want to suggest to you 55:41 is celebrate the Sabbath. 55:43 It is no more legalistic 55:46 to celebrate the Sabbath 55:47 than it would be to say that it's legalistic not to murder. 55:51 The Ten Commandments are a single unit. 55:54 James says, break one, break them all. 55:56 That's right. Amen. 55:57 It's interesting to note, 55:59 Jill, you were talking about the sign. 56:00 Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12 and 20:20. 56:03 That word sign there in the original Hebrew 56:05 is the Hebrew word Oth, O- T-H. 56:08 And it literally also means mark, 56:11 because the Sabbath is a sign, 56:12 it's a mark of God's authority. 56:15 And when we receive that in our life, 56:17 we are receiving the sign of God's authority, 56:19 and therefore He knows that we are His. 56:22 Amen. 56:24 To me, the Sabbath is just a tremendous gift 56:26 and blessing 56:27 and it comes from Jesus Himself. 56:30 What a privilege to know that we can be His children, 56:34 to know that He loves us so much 56:37 that He set aside 24 hours, 56:40 just that He could spend with us as His children. 56:43 What a privilege. 56:44 I want to invite you to open up your heart 56:47 to receive the gift of the Sabbath. 56:50 Amen. 56:51 Amen. Amen. 56:52 We thank Pastor John Lomacang, Sister Shelley Quinn, 56:55 Pastor Ryan Day, and Sister Jill Morikone. 56:58 It's a... It's been a wonderful study. 57:00 And I hope you have been blessed. 57:01 We encourage you to join us again on Sabbath School Panel. 57:05 Before we do that, I'd like to read to you 57:07 once again from Isaiah Chapter 58. 57:10 And notice what it says in verse 13 and 14 again, 57:12 "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath 57:14 from doing your pleasure on My holy day 57:17 and call the Sabbath, a delight, 57:20 the Holy Day of the Lord, honorable and shall honor him, 57:24 not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure 57:26 nor speaking your own words, 57:27 then you shall delight yourself in the Lord 57:31 and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth 57:35 and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, 57:37 the mouth of the Lord has spoken." 57:40 This is true still today. 57:42 And if you have never tasted 57:44 the goodness of enjoying the Sabbath day, 57:47 I encourage you to this week, 57:49 try following God's commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. 57:54 Amen. 57:56 You will taste and see that it is a blessing. 57:58 Next week study is Longing For More, 58:01 and we hope that 58:03 you will join us on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. |
Revised 2021-09-13