Scripture Reference: Exodus 20:8-11
Preached at Mount Zion Baptist Church on March 1, 2020
Delivered by Rev. John Daniel Johnson
(Before we begin, look to your neighbor and tell them, “Take a day off.”)
Introduction:
I grew up in the age when video games were just starting to be made for the home. I spent many a quarters at the Arcades back when I was a child. Some of you maybe remember some of the earlier video games, because you either played them or bought them for your children. I grew up in the age of Atari and Nintendo. Those games were a far cry from the technology which the children play today. I didn’t come today to talk to you about games, but I wanted to share with you my favorite thing about playing video games as a child.
My favorite thing was if you messed up, you could press one little button and the game would start over. That button was called “The Reset Button.” No matter how bad you were doing in the game, you could just press a button, and miraculously the game would start over. All your past mistakes were wiped away. You may have been on your last life, playing Mario Brothers, but when the reset button was pressed, you were completed revived.
Can you imagine having a reset button in real life? Husbands, imagine your wife walking into the room and asking you if you like her new dress. You respond with some type of answer and she walks away crying. A reset button would be wonderful so you could try to get it right the next time.
I bet everyone in this room has done this at least once in their life. Imagine sitting in front of your computer, you’re playing around on Facebook, playing solitaire, browsing YouTube videos, or maybe you’re visiting the church website. Then all of a sudden, the computer just freezes up. Don’t you just hate that. I remember in college and seminary, I’d write tons of papers. Sometimes, right before I finished the paper, the computer would freeze. Unfortunately, for me, I rarely saved documents, so I knew bad news was coming. When your computer freezes up, we only have one choice. We have to press the reset button.
Transitional Sentence:
There is a fundamental, doctrinal belief that we as Christians have. I want to ask you to worship with me the character of God this morning. If you believe these statements, please affirm them to the LORD by stating, “Amen.” We believe in the Oneness of God. We know that there is only One True God. We know there is One God, but He has three natures of Himself. He is God the Father on the Throne, Jesus the Son in the flesh, and the Holy Spirit in the Spiritual Reality. Throughout the first chapter of Genesis, you’ll read multiple verses that say…
Then God said...
1. “Let there be light”
2. “Let there be a separation of waters.”
3. “Let there be dry land.”
4. “Let the earth bring forth vegetation.”
5. “Let the waters teem with life.”
6. “Let the earth bring forth creatures.”
In all those verses, the name “God” is the Hebrew name “Elohim.” That word is so vital to understanding the True God. The word name “Elohim” is a plural noun. A plural noun is a word that means “more than one thing or idea.” We know from this truth, that God the Father, Son and Spirit were all involved in the Creation.
Scripture even goes into greater detail to tell us that we are made in the very image of God.
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...”
(Genesis 1:26)
Just like God is composed of three parts, we are also composed of three parts. We are made in Him image, therefore He created us with His same characteristics.
As mankind, we are made of three parts: body, spirit, and a soul. This refers to the physical, mental and spiritual of our makeup. In each of these (physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual) the LORD has given us reset button. God has placed a reset button in this life for us that is meant to revive us, refresh us, transform us, and change our behavior.
This Sunday we’re going to learn how to reset our physical lives and mental lives to live this life to the fullest. Next Sunday we’re going to learn how to reset our spiritual lives to achieve more for God in this life.
Today’s Scripture Passage
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
(Exodus 20:8-11)
From Creation, God ordained a "reset" for our life. If we expect our physical, mental, and spiritual bodies to stay working right, we have to reset them at times. If we refuse to ever be reset, we become like that computer. We slow down, we crash, we act up, we lose things, we become infected with things, but God designed us to reset daily and weekly.
Not only did God establish a way to be recharged, but He set up the pattern to have us reset, and even commanded that we do it. In our body, God placed an internal clock, that requires us to stop. Every day of our life, that clock goes off and our lights go out. Nearly 1/3 of our life is spent resting. If you’re 60 years old, that means that you have slept for 20 years. It is during that period of rest, that we are rejuvenated.
Even though we have a daily reset, God has also commanded a whole day of rest to reset during the week. Some may chose Saturday as your day of rest, others Sunday. Maybe you’re like me and have to work on Sunday, so you chose another day during the week to be your day of rest.
Let me explain two quick things. First, worship is not rest. We are commanded to worship God 24/7. Most important is that the day of rest should not be confused with the day of worship. These are two totally different things. Worship to the Lord our God should actually be done on a daily basis. Each individual should strive to worship the Lord at every turn of the day.
Worship has no rest. What has rest is work. Worship and work have no connection. They are two co-existing things very separate from each other. The Sabbath day was meant to rest people from work not worship. The Sabbath can, however, still be used as both a day of worship, and as a day of rest.
Sabbath in Hebrew is Shabbot. It is not defined as a day of worship, but a day without labor.
What God established was a day of rest. I’ve heard multiple people throughout my preaching career tell me that the Sabbath day should be the day of rest, and Sunday is the day of worship. Let me correct these errors. First, every day Jesus is worthy of worship; not just Sunday. Sunday is the day we assemble our worship together with other believers to worship our Heavenly Father.
Secondly, the Sabbath or Saturday day of rest does not apply to Christians. Listen to what God’s Word says about this.
“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ."
(Colossians 2:16-17)
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
(Romans 14:5)
Explain How God Rested After the 6th Day
God didn't rest on the last day because He was tired (illustration: take a knee and pretend to be so tired because of all the work of creation)
God rested after the six days of creation, not because He needed rest. Literally, the word 'rest' means to 'cease work." Creation was completed. God saw that it was good, and stopped working. He did this not because He needed rest, but as an example for us to follow.
“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.”
(Exodus 23:12)
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11)
Meanings of Rest
1. A ceasing of labor
2. A ceasing of worries
3. A dependence on God
4. A foreshadow of a future rest
“The Lord has made everything for its own purpose.”
(Proverbs 16:4)
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
(Mark 2:27)
Reasons You Should Rest
1. Reason #1: GOD rested, He said rest is important, and commanded we follow His example.
2. Reason #2: Our body is weak and needs to recharge.
-- Jesus, being subjected to human limitations, got tired and took time to rest.
-- So take time to rest so that your body is ready for action and productivity.
3. Reason #3: We make poor decisions when we’re weary.
4. Reason #4: We can't successful minister when we’re drained.
5. Reason #5: Rest enables us to reset, realign and refocus on what is important.
The Jewish days are a little different from ours. Their day starts at 6 PM and goes until 6 PM the next day. It was on that Friday, that Christ was crucified. Remember, they were going to break the legs of those that were crucified, because the Sabbath day was fast approching. However, Christ had already cried out, "It is finished." He has ceased the work, and He rested all day on the Sabbath. On that Sunday, Christ was "revived" to start a new work.
If you want the powerpoints to this message, please email me at saved2follow@hotmail.com. I'll send the ASAP to you for free. View the sermons online at www.mountzionfamily.com.
