Sunday is Still a Holy Day!
Exodus 20:8-11
Introduction
George Hatch raised a large family of seven boys and five girls in the sand hills of Nebraska. One Sunday morning a neighbor rushed over to help the Hatches get the new mown hay into the barn; clouds were rolling in from the West and it was quite apparent that a rainstorm was imminent.
“Let’s get your hay up before the storm hits!” Exclaimed the neighbor.
“Thank you for your kind offer,” said Mr. Hatch, “but this is Sunday, and I am going to take my family to church.”
“But you’ll lose your hay,” pleaded the neighbor.
Yet the Hatches went to church, and the rainstorm did spoil the hay.
“See, I told you that you would lose your hay,” said the neighbor.
“Yes,” replied Mr. Hatch, “I lost my hay, but I saved my family.”
It is doubtful that the neighbor fully understood what just took place. George Hatch did save his family. Today, down into the third and fourth generations, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are workers in the kingdom.
Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).
I had the notion for awhile that Sunday was the only day people had left to enjoy themselves. Therefore, it was okay to take Sunday and do all the things on that day that there hadn’t been tie to do during the week. It was okay to forego church and do as one pleased, mow the lawn, take a short trip, visit relatives, sleep late, wash the car, etc. However, when God saved me, He also changed my perception of Sunday. It became the Lord’s Day, a special day set apart for His glory and His worship. Today, we are going to look in the 4th Commandment and see why just why “Sunday is Still a Holy Day!”
Let’s read Exodus 20:8-11
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but 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, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 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.”
Of the Ten Commandments given to mankind, only this one is not repeated in the New Testament. Therefore, many have that since we are no longer under the restrictions of the Sabbath attitude, we are also under no obligation to respect the Lord’s Day. It is a day when God’s people are supposed to dedicate themselves and that day to Him and to His worship. There are three aspects of this 4th Commandment that I feel are relevant to us today. Let’s notice these things as we think on the thought; Sunday is Still a Holy Day!
I. Sunday is a Day of Rest
a. Man’s Labor is Crucial (verse 9)
• Contrary to popular belief, work is not part of the curse from Adam and Eve eating the apple!
• Before man sinned, he was given work to do.
• Sweat during labor is part of the curse.
• God’s intention is that man should work to earn his livelihood.
• This intention is clearly stated in 1 Thessalonians. 3:10-12.
• Man is call upon to get to work and to be busy!
• Work and the ability to work, are blessings from the hand of the Heavenly Father!
b. Man’s Lull is Commanded (verse 10)
• Just as man is expected to work, man is also expected to rest!
• Our bodies were never designed to work constantly, but we were made to have a time of rest.
• The purpose in God’s command is to allow man time to refresh his body for the 6 days of work that are ahead.
• T. Dewitt Talmadge stated, “Our bodies are seven day clocks and they need to be wound up, and if they are not wound up, they will run down into the grave.”
• God didn’t give this commandment to interfere with our pleasure, but to insure our health!
• What is permitted on Sunday you ask?
• Anything that refreshes and rests the body for the upcoming work week.
• What is forbidden you ask?
• Anything that does not allow one to be rested and refreshed.
c. Today, we are not under the bondage of the Law, but under the liberty of grace!
• However, God still expects us to maintain that one day of Sabbath rest for His glory and your health.
II. Sunday is a Day of Reflection
a. Reflection on God’s Pattern (verses 8 and 11)
• “Remember” The Israelites are challenged to “bring to mind” the pattern God Himself set forth for them regarding the rest of the Sabbath.
• When God finished His great work in creation, he paused to rest and reflect upon all that He had done.
• We know He didn’t need the rest, yet He knows we do!
• Therefore He Himself set the pattern that we are to follow.
b. Reflection of God’s Provisions
• Sunday is a great day for us to step back from life and look at all the blessings we have enjoyed over the last 6 days.
• This practice will keep us current in our praise and in our thanksgiving.
c. Reflection of God’s Promises
• As we contemplate the coming work week, we need to call to mind God’s promises for our lives.
• Remembering that regardless of where we go, he will be with us.
• That no matter what we face, he will constantly be meeting our needs.
• That in every task, He will continually strengthen us for the job.
• Sunday is an excellent day to begin preparing our spirit, heart, and mind for the week ahead!
III. Sunday is a Day of Renewal
a. Renewal of Commitment (verses 8 and 11)
• God has declared this day to be a holy day.
• He expected man to keep this day holy.
• God hasn’t changed His mind!
• He still expects man to keep one out of seven for His glory and honor!
• The Jews took this Commandment very seriously.
• Dr. Ken Trivette shares the following insights on the Jewish mindset – “The observance of the Sabbath was strictly observed and strictly enforced.
• Whereas, they took God’s command to rest on the Sabbath seriously, as the years passed they added their own rules and regulations about the Sabbath.
• There were approximately 1,521 things that were not permissible on the Sabbath.
• For example: you could not rescue a drowning person on the Sabbath.
• Untying knots that needed only one hand was permissible, but if two hands were required, it was forbidden.
• If a man’s ox fell into the ditch, he could pull it out, but if the man fell in, he had to stay there.
• One could take a sup of vinegar for food, but if he took a sup in order to help his aching toothache, he had broken the Sabbath.
• If a man was bitten by a flea on the Sabbath, he had to allow the flea to keep on biting.
• If he tried to stop the flea from biting or killed it, he was guilty of hunting on the Sabbath.”
• Through the years, there have been those who observed the Sabbath (or Sunday) in a very strict manner.
• Some people would not sweep or dust the house, make the beds, or allow any food to be cooked on the Lord’s Day.
• Some of the restrictions that have been observed and enforced on the Lord’s Day are somewhat humorous.
• In Scotland in the 17th century, one poor fellow was hailed into court for smiling on the Sabbath.
• In the history of our own country, men once held a high regard for the Lord’s Day
• When the Mayflower reached Plymouth Harbor it was Saturday afternoon.
• How eager the Pilgrims must have been to set foot on solid land after exile in Holland, thirteen weeks of tossing on a rough Atlantic, homesickness, seasickness, and weariness.
• Despite their longing to go ashore and make a new home, they spent Saturday afternoon in preparation for Sunday, and then all day Sunday in worship.
• On Monday morning, when they disembarked, they had been here forty-two hours.
• The Lord’s Day is a wonderful time for God’s people to renew their commitment to follow Him and to follow His commandments.
• Are you keeping His day holy?
• Voltaire said, “I can never hope to destroy Christianity until I first destroy the Christian Sabbath.”
• Gladstone said, “Tell me what the young men of England are doing on Sunday, and I will tell you what the future of England will be.”
• Too man in our day are not interested in keeping the Lord’s Day holy, but only in getting in their recreation, bed rest, visiting, shopping, and work finished.
• Our great-grandfathers called it the holy Sabbath; our grandfathers called it the Sabbath; our fathers called it Sunday; but today we call it the weekend.
• Folks, I love Sunday!
• Imagine a week without it!
• Henry Ward Beecher said, “A world without a Sabbath would be like a man without a smile, like a summer without flowers, and like a homestead without a garden. It is a joyous day of the week.”
b. Renewal of Conscience
• Allen week, the world, the flesh and the devil battle against the spirit.
• Sunday affords us the privilege of coming apart and refreshing our lives through:
1. Worship
• Sunday became the primary meeting day of the early church.
• Acts 20:7 find the early church gathering together for worship on Sunday.
• The practice began to commemorate Christ resurrection from the dead.
• Some may try to criticize us for not worshipping on Saturday, but we are right in maintaining Sunday worship.
• Man needs this time of refreshment and worship
• Once when mules were used in great numbers in the coal mines, a visitor passing through the coal mining area of Pennsylvania noticed that there were great numbers of these animals in pastures along the way, and asked the reason for this.
• He was told, “To keep them from going blind. If they are not brought up form underground at least one day in the week they will eventually lose their eyesight. So they are brought up each Sunday to keep them from going blind.”
• Man is commanded to observe this time of worship in Hebrews 10:25
• Many seem to have “Morbus Sabbaticus”
• The symptoms may vary, but there is never a loss of appetite.
• The illness lasts no more than 24 hours, and a physician is never called.
• While it always strikes on Sunday morning, its onset is never felt on Saturday night.
• The patient sleeps well and wakes the next day feeling in the best of condition.
• He’ll eat a hearty breakfast, but about church time an attack comes on which keeps him from attending the service.
• By 12:30 they are greatly relieved and are able to enjoy their lunch.
• In the afternoon they are so much better that they take a walk or go for a long ride.
• Returning, they read the Sunday newspaper and have a great supper.
• Just before the evening service, however, they are hit with another attack, and they think it best to stay home.
• Surprisingly, on Monday morning they are refreshed and ready to go to work, and none of the symptoms reoccur until the following Sunday.
• Many only miss occasionally, however, do you break the other nine “Occasionally?”
• Do you murder “occasionally?”
• Do you steal “occasionally?
• Remember the ox in the ditch syndrome.
• Jesus spoke about the ox in the ditch on the Sabbath.
• But if your ox gets in the ditch every Sabbath, you should either get rid of the ox or fill up the ditch.
2. Fellowship
• Sunday is time for believers to come together as they have for 2,000 years.
• It is a time of ADORATION for a Risen Lord.
• It is a time of CELEBRATION of the returning Lord.
• It is a time of EXAMINATION of a rebellious heart.
• There is something special about getting together with the saints and attending worship.
• King David knew this according to Psalm 122:1
• My personal view is that “Anyone who doesn’t like the company of God’s children must not like the company of God himself.”
Closing
Are you keeping His day as a day holy unto the Lord? Does this poem reflect your heart?
The Lord’s Day
Whatever else I ponder
And wherever I may plod,
I must remember in my heart
This day belongs to God.
This day is meant to honor
Him who understands my cares,
And who is not too occupies
To listen to my prayers.
And so I try to live my life
According to His way,
Because I know that Sunday
Is His very special day.
These four and twenty hours
Are the least that I can give,
To say my thanks because
He has enabled me to live.
And that is why when Sunday comes,
I set the day apart
And offer God the gratitude
That fills my humble heart.
Does that poem reflect your heart? If not, then perhaps it is time for a renewal of your commitment to the Lord. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Sunday is Still a Holy Day!
Prayer
God we come to you in prayer asking you to search our hearts. I pray that we would not suffer from the “Morbus Sabbaticus” and neglect the Lord’s Day. Let us stop being neglectful and start holding the Sabbath Day as Holy and set aside for you and our refreshing in you. Amen.
Invitation
As we prepare for our time of invitation, I ask you all to examine your hearts and be honest with yourselves. Are you keeping the Sabbath Day Holy? As you ponder that question, I pray that you would give God what is God’s. The altar is open for anyone that needs to come and recommitment their life to Christ. The altar is open for those that are seeking only the peace that God can give, today could be the day you receive that peace. Myself and the rest of the church staff are here to help you. Maybe there are some that have not been keeping the Sabbath Day holy and you have no church to call home. Maybe today God is telling you that he wants you to come and be apart of this church family. If that is true, then please come to the altar and let us share in that decision. This is God’s invitation time for you.
