Time with Jesus - Friday, 15 March 2013
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| Phyllida in Haifa |
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| Phyllida in Rome |
Hi all,
Today’s meditation focuses on the Sabbath. Let’s start by looking at God’s
Sabbath commandment.
8 "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 You have six days each week for your
ordinary work, 10 but the seventh
day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one
in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters,
your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among
you. 11 For in six days the LORD
made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the
seventh day He rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it
apart as holy. Exodus 20:8-11 NLT
From the above, it is very clear that God specified the Sabbath as the
seventh day of the week. There is nothing in this commandment which suggests we have
any right to change the day to suit ourselves.
Today, only the Jews and Seventh Day Adventists celebrate the Sabbath Day
on Saturday. Men have changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday. We need
to know if this is acceptable to God. Let’s look at this briefly. The “church”
changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday.
The first Sunday Law in history, a legal enactment by
Constantine 1 (reigned 306-331): "On the Venerable Day of the Sun let the
magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be
closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and
lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is
not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the
proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost--Given
the 7th day of March, A.D. 321, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of
them for the second time."
How then do Christians deal with Sabbath requirements? Perhaps the best
comment we can read is the one Jesus made in Mark’s Gospel. 27 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man
for the Sabbath. Mar 2:27 ESV
My understanding of this is that God wanted us to take off one day in seven,
as a day of rest on which to relax and fellowship with God and with each other.
We can choose that day. The real issue is having a day of rest. We need it to
“rest from our labours”. It was God’s idea. He is never wrong. We need a day
off in seven. The old proverb, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”
seems to be more Godly than we realise.
Shalom,
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Friday, 15 March 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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The Lord of the Sabbath
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How do you see the
Sabbath? For the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA), it’s a Holy day. That’s the
day they assemble to worship God. We also have a day of rest. At least we’re
supposed to have one. The pressure of modern business has just about removed
the day from the weekly cycle. Those who can, take their Sabbath on Sundays.
Is this acceptable from God’s perspective? Should we go back to celebrating
the Sabbath on Saturday? After all, the Lord told the Children of Israel, 8
"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by
keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8 NLT.
It follows that observation of the Sabbath is a command, rather that a useful
suggestion. Indeed the Lord gave ten commandments, not ten recommendations.
So we should be asking the Lord which day we should have as our Sabbath?
Historically, the Sabbath
was the seventh day of the week. i.e. technically, from sunset on Friday
until sunset on Saturday. We know Jesus’ resurrection was on a Sunday, the
first day of the week. It’s possible that after the death of the apostles,
many formerly Gentile, Christians preferred to observe Sunday as their day of
rest rather than Saturday. What we do know is that on 7th day of March, A.D.
321, Constantine I issued a decree proclaiming Sunday the official Sabbath of
the Christian Church.
Is this change from
Saturday to Sunday acceptable to God? The SDA say No! That God commanded it
should be on the seventh day and that’s it’s cast in concrete. What to do
with this view is something I’m not in a position to deny or endorse. We all
must decide this for ourselves. The bottom line is whether or not men have
the authority to change the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday. It’s
interesting to note that agricultural workers were permitted, under Constantine’s
law, to change to another day if necessary. Was this human expediency? We
don’t know. In the 21st century we have many essential services
working 7/24. Electricity suppliers and hospitals can’t close for the
Sabbath. Plants and animals do not have a Sabbath. Dairy farmers must milk
their cows every day! Families would not be amused if they could not eat on
the Sabbath. A mother can’t tell an infant to wait 24 hours for the next
feed! These “excuses” are very real reasons for difficulties associated with
Sabbath Day observation.
In the 21st
century we have a different problem. In the West, life has become more and
more secularised. Most people don’t care what day we should have for our
Sabbath. The shops are open every day of the week. There is no official
celebration of the Sabbath. Rest, relax and go to church if you want to go.
If not, who cares? I confess I’ve fallen into this trap on many occasions. I
expect the shops to open seven days of the week, especially when I want to go
shopping. It’s not very God, or your neighbour honouring! But to go shopping
after a church service seems to be unchristian. Others must work so I can
shop!
In today’s meditation,
I’ve tried to take us all on a journey from where the heavens are declaring
His glory, to resting in Him and trusting Him. I’ve assumed that the Sabbath
Day was made for His people and not His people for the Sabbath. I’ve painted
the Sabbath as a day when we can rest, relax and enjoy fellowship with Him
and with each other. Sadly, in today’s world, few of us have time to observe
the Sabbath in the beautiful way He intended.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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11 For in six days GOD made
Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh
day. Therefore GOD blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.
Exodus 20:11 MSG
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 The heavens declare the glory of
God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Psalm 19:1 ESV
6 The heavens were made by
the word of the LORD and all the stars by the breath of his mouth. 7
He gathers the water in the sea like a dam and puts the oceans in his
storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all who live
in the world stand in awe of him. 9 He
spoke, and it came into being. He gave the order, and there it stood.
Psalm 33:6-9 GW
15 No, for all the nations of
the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on
the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.
Isaiah 40:15 NLT
3 We have faith. So we
understand that everything was made when God commanded it. That's why we
believe that what we see was not made out of what could be seen.
Heb. 11:3 NIrV
3 I think about the heavens.
I think about what your fingers have created. I think about the moon and
stars that you have set in place. 4 What is a human being that you think about him? What is a son of man
that you take care of him?
Psalm
8:3-4 NIrV
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The heavens declare God’s glory. The
stars come out at night,
To twinkle out their special song, in
bursts of glowing light.
Together in a symphony of praises to
the King,
Who spoke the Word and thereby, has
created everything.
How long did all this take Him? We’re
told it took six days.
He rested on the Sabbath; our God of
timeless ways!
We think of the rotation of our planet
here below.
But four and twenty hours? We really
do not know.
Could each “day” be an epoch, of many,
many years?
It really isn’t stated and so is not
too clear.
It’s also not important. Not from the
Lord’s high view.
A day is as a thousand years; and to
the Lord that’s true.
So was the time specific? Perhaps it
was that way?
But when was it the Lord defined the
length of just one day?
So please don’t let us argue. A day, a
month, a year,
What difference will it ever make,
when Jesus Christ is here?
And this we know for certain, God made
the Sabbath Day.
It wasn’t a suggestion, about a way to
pray.
A day of rest, He stated, was made for
everyone.
A day to take things easy. A day when
work is done.
A day for recreation; and Holy
fellowship,
With Jesus and His people. When He can
reequip;
His people for the battle which they
face every day.
To worship the Almighty, do it His
Sabbath way.
“Refresh yourself” He told me, in
nineteen eighty one.
“Drink deeply from My Spirit. Then you
may carry on”.
I can’t forget what happened. It’s
forged into my brain.
Each time I think about it, it settles
all the pain
Of working for a living, so I could
earn a wage;
To take care of my family, until
another stage,
When I could focus on Him and give to
Him my all.
Doing what He wanted and answering His
call.
In those past days of blessing, some
thirty years ago.
He told me that He loved me and wanted
me to know,
That He had made a Sabbath wherein I
could delight.
And in His Wholesome presence, could
learn to do things right.
Now when I think of Sabbath, I think
of taking time.
Of resting in the spirit with Jesus
Christ Divine.
So if you’re feeling jaded and cannot
stand the pace,
Here’s the one solution that you can
put in place!
Think of all the blessings of putting
all aside,
And spending time with Jesus as if you
are His bride.
Give Him your weekly Sabbath. Make Him
your all in all.
You won’t be disappointed. In fact
you’ll have a ball.
Include all of the family so all may
be at rest.
Relax and be with Jesus and see how
you’ll be blessed.
Jim Strickland – Written 15th March 2012
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