The Sabbath and the Christian

[0:00] There's no class for the kids this morning, sorry about that, but that's what it is today. I picked up the fam last night at LAX. It was after midnight when they got in, which was like 3 o'clock in the morning on their time, and then got home, and then they got a second wind, and then they crashed.

[0:24] I don't know if they're living or not, but they are here. And anyway, find in your Bible Exodus chapter 31. Exodus 31.

[0:45] We began this chapter last Sunday, where God instructs Moses about the man that he has chosen to construct the tabernacle and all of its furnishings, Bezaliel by name.

[1:00] And we studied that when God has something that he wants to be accomplished, he'd already put this information upon Moses of what he wants to see done, but I showed you that there's something that God will do on his part.

[1:13] And what he did, number one, was that he calls a man. And then he also equips that man for the task, and then he also gives him help. And there's several places of Scripture where this pattern is borne out. Right there it is in Exodus 31, something for us to study last week.

[1:31] Now, we're going through the book, so we're taking it as it comes. Whatever's in the Bible, whatever is the next passage, that's what the next message is going to be. And I'm not picking and choosing what topics I want to talk about. That's never the case with this study.

[1:46] This is just the Bible, the Bible, the Bible. What does God say? God put all of this information in this book, and I felt like he was leading me months and months ago to go through it. And what it's brought out is a load of different material, like a load of different messages and thoughts that apply to us out of Exodus.

[2:05] Who'd have thought? Now, here we are in chapter 31, and we're going to finish this chapter this morning. And this next portion is where God gives Moses some final instructions.

[2:17] And in these final instructions, he repeats one command, a command that he had already given in Exodus chapter 20 that was already written, a command about remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

[2:32] That has already been given, but before God ends, before he hands him over these two tables of stone that are written with the finger of God, he's going to go back over one command.

[2:44] Now, I'm not going to take this one command and put it up to the top as if it's the top. The Lord Jesus Christ already told us what the first and great commandment is. But there is a reason that God's going to go back over this thing.

[2:56] And so we're going to study it tonight, or this morning, and I think you can get something out of this. But this time when he talks about this fourth command of remembering the Sabbath day, this time he puts a little more of a warning to it, a charge to take it very seriously.

[3:13] And I want you to consider that this is the last words of God to Moses before sending him out. We've read from chapter, I think it was 25 on, of the Lord said unto Moses, and then he starts with building the sanctuary and goes through all the details and then to the priesthood and all the details.

[3:33] And it's been so much material. He's about to send him down the mount. But he has one more thing here he's going to drop on him, and that is, by the way, that fourth command about the Sabbath, remembering to keep it holy, six days shalt thou labor.

[3:48] He's going to warn him and charge him, this is so serious to me. So let's read this together and finish the chapter. Verse number 12 is where we'll begin. Exodus chapter 31, verse 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, and that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.

[4:16] Ye shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy unto you. Everyone that defileth it shall surely be put to death, and whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

[4:28] Six days may work be done, but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

[4:42] Wherefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.

[4:55] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. And he gave unto Moses, when he made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone written with the finger of God.

[5:12] So I hope you saw already that the second round of Sabbath instruction has a different tone to it. Now you want to flip back with me quickly to chapter 20, where the first time this was mentioned, in these ten commandments, Exodus chapter 20.

[5:30] And I want to read with you the four verses that are contained here, and just see how different the tone is. In verse number 8, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.

[5:44] In it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.

[5:55] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Now that's what he said in Exodus chapter 20.

[6:06] But what we just read in chapter 31, goes to a whole new level. He said several pointed, and very specific things, and very threatening things, to his people, about the Sabbath.

[6:20] Before you leave Moses, one more thing, I want you to know, I'm serious about the Sabbath. So let's consider that thought, because God takes time to reiterate this, and to articulate his expectations to Moses, about this specific day.

[6:37] So I want to study it again. We've already covered it back in chapter 20. We took a whole message about the Sabbath, and made several things, and connections to Jesus Christ over it. But I want to study it again today, and use this to show what God expects, and instituted for us today.

[6:53] You're going to notice a difference, and it's not what you think. But I believe that it's not until you clearly understand, what this Sabbath was, as God articulates in this passage, it's not until you understand this fully, until you can then understand, and appreciate, what we have in the Lord Jesus Christ today.

[7:13] Remember, the Jews are in the wilderness, Moses is on Mount Sinai, they do not have, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Savior. They don't know this name, it's never been spoken, they have Jehovah, the Lord, that has made a covenant with them, to be their God, to provide for them, to preserve them, and protect them, to guide them into a land, that he has promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their fathers.

[7:41] But they don't have the Savior. So, understand that now, nobody, nobody had this, until then. Or, I'm sorry, nobody had these rules, or this, until this comes up.

[7:54] And what God did was, gave them an offer. And Jesus Christ, was not part of that offer. So, let's understand that, we're going to go forward here.

[8:04] Number one, in this passage, we learn, that the Sabbath day, was a part of God's, intimate covenant, with Israel. Nothing more, and nothing less.

[8:17] It was part, of his, intimate covenant, with the children of Israel. Look back at chapter 24, I need to remind you, of some things, we've covered this, months ago.

[8:31] Chapter 24, Moses has given them, the ten commandments. He's spoken to them, he received them of the Lord. They have not been, written with the finger of God yet, but he wrote words in a book, and in chapter 24, it says that, verse, verse 4, Moses wrote all the words, the Lord rose up early in the morning, built an altar.

[8:58] A little bit later, it says in verse 7, he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people, and they said, all that the Lord hath said, will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, behold, the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you, concerning all these words.

[9:15] So this people, has been enjoined to God, that's the word the book of Hebrews says, they've been enjoined to God, in this covenant made by blood. They agreed to his words, and now he is going to be their God, and do all of his words, all of his blessings.

[9:33] Now, the seventh day Sabbath, six days labor, one day rest, do no work, or you're going to be put to death, nothing. It's a day of rest, it's hallowed, it's a holy day for you, it's a holy unto the Lord.

[9:46] This Sabbath day, was part of God's covenant, with that people, Israel. Nothing more than that. Look at verse number 16, of our text, in Exodus 31, in verse 16, he says, wherefore the children of Israel, shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath, throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

[10:11] It's part of God's covenant, with Israel. Some people say, no, no, no, no. God rested the seventh day, back in creation, and so the Sabbath day, was hallowed, and it's been set apart, for all of eternity.

[10:27] It precedes the people of Israel, it precedes Mount Sinai, and I say, is that true? Is it true, that God hallowed, the seventh day perpetually, from creation, all the way till now?

[10:41] Show me in the Bible, where that's true. Show me where, Noah, or Adam, kept the Sabbath day, where they kept it holy. Show me where God, commanded them, to keep the seventh day holy.

[10:55] The only thing, God told Adam to do, was not to eat of that tree, in the midst of the garden. He never told them anything, about the Sabbath day. Show me where Abraham, kept the Sabbath day.

[11:07] Where Isaac, where Jacob, where Joseph, where the Jews in Egypt, were observing, the Sabbath day. Did they tell Pharaoh, Pharaoh, we can work six days, but that seventh day, nope, that's a deal breaker.

[11:20] You don't tell us, what to do on the seventh day. Our God told us, he says, who is the Lord, when Moses came into him? I know not the Lord. I'll give a rip what you, you do what I tell you, or I'll whip your butts.

[11:33] And that he did. There's nobody, keeping the Sabbath day. Some say that it was, perpetually from the beginning. And yet, in 50 chapters of Exodus, there's not one reference, to any man, keeping or observing, the Sabbath day.

[11:50] Not one. God rested, one time, and one time only, after he had finished, the work that he had done, in creating. And the truth is, that God revealed, the Sabbath day, to Moses in the mount.

[12:04] And we're reading about it. And he explained why. Moses then, having given, truth, and given scripture, by inspiration of God, writes about, Genesis 1, 2, and 3.

[12:18] He's the one that wrote, that God hallowed that day, or that God rested, from the work that he did, in chapter 2 of Genesis. But Adam, didn't know this. God didn't have, there's no evidence, of God discussing, anything like that, with Adam.

[12:29] Adam was born, so to speak, created on the sixth day. He didn't work six days. He was created, on the sixth day, and then God rested the seventh. There's no, it's totally out of proportion, to believe, that man was keeping, the Sabbath.

[12:43] So people teach that, and I want you to understand, it's not biblical. Come to Matthew chapter 16, keep your place in Exodus, find Matthew 6, I'm sorry, 26, Matthew 26. We read how those, Hebrews in the wilderness, sacrificed animals, and, and put the blood, on the altar, and they were enjoined, to God, by a covenant, of blood.

[13:10] The Sabbath day, was part of that covenant. It was just one page, in the book, of that covenant. Matthew chapter 26, and this is the Lord Jesus, the night that he's crucified, before this all takes place, in verse 26.

[13:31] As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it, for this is my blood, of the New Testament.

[13:47] Now if you understand, what we read in Exodus 24, as we've already discussed this, that's, that's common knowledge, for any Jew, of how they're enjoined, to God, with a covenant of blood.

[13:59] But when Jesus says, to these 12, 11 men, in front of him, this is my blood, my blood, of a New Testament. They get it.

[14:10] They understand, at least, the reference. And so the Lord Jesus Christ, is a sacrifice, for a New Testament. Just like, something was sacrificed, in the First Testament.

[14:23] And we can be enjoined, to God, through the blood, of him, of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, that's us today, but let's look back. Part of the covenant, that God made with Israel, in Exodus, was the observation, of the seventh day, of a week, as a day of rest.

[14:40] It was not, the first commandment. It was the fourth, on the list. It is not, the most notable, or the most important, commandment, as I referenced, the Lord Jesus Christ, when he was asked, what's the great commandment?

[14:54] Love the Lord thy God, but it has nothing, to do with the Sabbath day. And when he said, and the second, is like unto this, remember the Sabbath day. No. He said, to love your neighbor, no reference, to the Sabbath day.

[15:06] So it's not, the most important commandment. It was one of many. And this, you must understand, that truth. The Sabbath day, connected to the covenant. It is part of the covenant.

[15:17] It is one law, that made up, the Old Testament. An important command, from this passage, even, from Jesus repeating it, but we cannot divorce, God's holy Sabbath, from, his holy people Israel, and that covenant, that they had.

[15:38] We cannot pull it out of there, and try to place it, anywhere else, ever. So understand, that part right there. The Sabbath, is being revealed, through Moses, to the people of God, the children of God, a perpetual covenant, for them, to observe.

[15:54] Number two, the penalty, for defiling the Sabbath, was death. Exodus 31, we read it two times, in verses 14 and 15.

[16:05] Everyone, everyone that defileth it, shall surely, be put to death. Verse 15 says, whosoever doeth, any work, in the Sabbath day, he shall surely, be put to death.

[16:20] That's a pretty strong statement, and a serious threat. And God, before he sends him down, by the way Moses, you hear how strong, this warning is, about this day.

[16:31] God's very serious, about it. Flip over to Numbers chapter 15, quickly. I just want to show you, a case in point, of how serious, God is, and was, about this. Numbers 15, and find verse 32.

[16:50] Because somebody, defiled, the Sabbath day. Numbers 32, I'm sorry, 15 verse 32. And when the children of Israel, were in the wilderness, they found a man, that gathered sticks, upon the Sabbath day.

[17:07] And they that found him, gathering sticks, brought him unto Moses, and Aaron, and unto all the congregations. So they knew, what he was doing, was wrong. And they put him in ward, they put him in jail, because it was not declared, what should be done, unto him.

[17:22] And the Lord said unto Moses, the man shall surely, be put to death, be surely put to death. All the congregation, shall stone him, with stones, without the camp. The congregation, brought him, without the camp, stoned him with stones.

[17:33] And he died, as the Lord commanded Moses. So there's God, backing it up, showing you how serious he was. Now I have to ask, based upon what's taught today, and what's confused today, by some, if the Sabbath day, the seventh day of rest, was established, and sanctified, and hallowed from the beginning, from mankind, then where are all the people, being put to death, that didn't observe it, until that moment?

[18:00] No reference to it, until you get the numbers 15, somebody being put to death, for not keeping the Sabbath. Secondly, why did they have to ask Moses, what to do? Why did they put the guy in jail, and have to say, well what are we going to do, about this guy?

[18:15] If it was established, all the way at the beginning, and Noah, and all of them, Abraham, Isaac, everybody knew about it, everybody was observing, everybody's keeping, this holy day. Something's off, with this thinking, and on top of that, if everybody's already keeping it, why is God making, such a big deal about it now, in the mount?

[18:35] The answer is, because nobody was observing it. It was not a thing to them, or anybody else, until now. Until now, God reveals to Moses, his holy Sabbath, and he tells him, I worked six days, and rested the seventh, you're going to do it too.

[18:55] And if you don't obey this one, you're dead. Now let me get a side note here, how this can make some application today, because there are those today, who love to apply this day of rest, to Sunday.

[19:10] They claim that, the church has a day of rest, a Sabbath, and it's our day of worship, they call it the Lord's day. So, I want you to think, I'm challenging you to think, you've heard this, I'm sure many of you heard this, in your lifetime, that the Jews had the seventh day, well we're in the New Testament, and our day of rest, or worship is Sunday, and therefore we, we don't work on Sundays, we don't like businesses, being open on Sundays, we blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[19:38] Let me ask you a question, and you think, and you answer this. If that's the case, and if we believe that, and we believe that, attending a local church on Sunday, is the will of God, and it's our obedience, and observance, of the Lord's day, should we start putting church members, to death, if they don't show up?

[20:02] Do you know why so many churches, have cemeteries, out in the back of their property? Okay, that's not why. But is that our attitude?

[20:13] Should we consider that? You didn't show, you defiled, the holy Sabbath day. Is it not said two times, in that passage, he's to be put to death.

[20:26] Did he not back it up, and say put him to death. He was picking up sticks, on the Sabbath day, put him to death. Then why aren't we taking it so serious? How is it that we just want to pretend, it's a day of rest, but not really follow through, with what God commands, on this day of rest, and keeping the day holy?

[20:47] Well, this passage clarifies, in Exodus 31, God's attitude about that day. He didn't say anything about it, back in chapter 20, but here he is really doubling down, and saying, I'm serious about this, it's part of the covenant, that God made with his people, they were subject to observing it, or else, so everybody says then today, well then, what do we have in the place, of the Sabbath day?

[21:14] I thought it was Sunday, don't we, aren't we supposed to worship the Lord, on the first day of the week, and isn't that our holy day, and isn't that, your thinking is skewed, you're off, and you're thinking on this, yes, we're to meet on the first day of the week, but not because it's our Sabbath day, we don't have a day of rest, in the New Testament, you know what we have, you know what replaces the Sabbath day, Jesus Christ, replaces the Sabbath day, he replaces the whole thing, but you've got in your mind, this attitude of, I have to do this, and I have to observe this, and I have to obey, and keep the law, right, or keep the commands, or something, what day do I have to keep, no day, you think, well why are we even here, we'll get to that, but there's no day commanded, to be kept holy, let me show you from the Bible, don't take my word, find it in the New Testament, Colossians chapter 2,

[22:15] I want to read a little bit, of this passage with you, Colossians chapter 2, and let the word of God speak, and clean up the thinking, that has been, it's been programmed, and propagated, throughout the church, for a long time, Colossians chapter 2, the goal with this, is for you to understand, what that Sabbath day was, back then, and then, when you do understand that, start to get a hold of, what we have in Jesus Christ today, we don't have a replacement, for a day, that's not the way this is, Colossians chapter 2, would you begin reading with me, in verse number 6, and we're going to read, a few verses here, as you have therefore, received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, in him, in him, so walk ye in the commandments, of Moses, no, you walk in him, the way you received him, by faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ, you didn't receive that, from Moses, so our walk, is going to be, in him, remember when he said, this is the blood, my blood, of the New Testament, which is shed for many, this is, doing away with, forgetting about, what was old, a New Testament, it's in him, verse 7, rooted, and build up, in him, and established, in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein, with thanksgiving, beware, lest any man, spoil you, through philosophy, and vain deceit, after the tradition, of man, after the rudiments, of the world, and not after Christ, for in him, dwelleth all the fullness, of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete, in him, which is the head, of all principality, and power, in whom, also, ye are circumcised, with the circumcision, made without hands, taking a shot, at Moses' law, we don't have to mess, with that, in putting off, the body, of the sins, of the flesh, by the circumcision, of Christ, buried with him, in baptism, not water, wherein, also, ye are risen, with him, through the faith, of the operation, of God, who hath raised him, from the dead, and you, being dead, in your sins, and the uncircumcision, of your flesh, hath he quickened, together, with him, having forgiven you, all trespasses, thank God, blotting out, the handwriting, of ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary, to us, and took it out, of the way, nailing it, to his cross, and having spoiled, principalities, and powers, he made a show, of them openly, triumphing, over them, in it, now, verse 16, is going to have, therefore, therefore, because of what,

[25:06] Jesus Christ, did on the cross, because what he took, out of the way, because we're complete, in him, because we've received, him by faith, we're walking, by faith, we're rooted, and grounded, in sound doctrine, let no man, therefore, judge you, in meat, or in drink, or in respect, of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow, of things to come, but, the bodies of Christ, Christ, Christ, in him, what do we have, that replaces the sabbath, the person, that we have, that accomplished, and replaced the law, we have him, we have Jesus Christ, our savior, we don't have a day, that we observe, a holy day, that we set aside, to observe, to keep holy, to be, so that God, isn't angry with us, it's not part, of the covenant, does that make sense, to you, we don't have, yearly feasts, we don't have, all the males, appear before the Lord, three times in a year, and not without, an offering, there's a lot of things, that we don't do, under the new testament, that were mandatory, under the old, we don't have a Passover, we don't keep the feast, of unleavened bread, we have instead, the Lord Jesus Christ, that accomplished, all of it for us, that, also Paul says,

[26:47] Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed, for us, we don't have, a Passover to keep, we have Christ, he's our Passover, so what we're looking, at here is, it's really, two different testaments, and understanding, understanding the first, helps us to shed light, and understand them, the second, they're not the same, and one doesn't carry over, into the other, and so those two things, we've studied so far, are very true, the Sabbath, is connected, it is part of that, intimate covenant, between God, and his people, that's what it was revealed, that's who it's for, and then secondly, God threatens to kill, anybody who does not, observe it, who defiles that day, I don't see anybody, taking that portion, of it, when they pretend, that they're still, having their own, holy Sabbath today, in the New Testament, so understanding, the difference, is going to help us, number three, come back in Exodus 31, the third thing, is that the Sabbath, was given as a sign, what is a sign, a sign, is indicative of something, it is pointing, to something else, the Sabbath is a sign, look at verse 13 again, speak thou also, unto the children of Israel, saying, verily my Sabbath, ye shall keep, for it, is a sign, between me and you, throughout your generations, that ye may know, that I am the Lord, that does sanctify you, verse 17, he says it again, it is a sign, between me, and the children of Israel, forever, and notice this, for in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day, he rested, and was refreshed, the Sabbath was given, as a sign, but I thought it was just about, taking a break, and having some physical rest, so you don't wear yourself out,

[28:50] I thought it was to give, the animals a break, and the fields a break, and all of those things, but it was a sign, those are, that's all part of it, that happens as a result of it, but it was a sign, a picture, it's declaring something, and there's two things, that it's declaring, number one, it's an outward sign, observing the seventh day, of rest, every single week, of their lives, a perpetual covenant, for their generations, forever, it points, to the original, work week, of God, in Genesis chapter one, it points, back to him, and all his six days, of work, and in the chapter two, the seventh day, he rested, it connected, this people, by outwardly, observing, this day of rest, it's like a visible, testimony, it connected them, to the creator, of heaven and earth, as he says, both in chapter 20, and here again, in chapter 31, when he talks about, this Sabbath day, and why they need to rest, it's a sign, now he tells them, it's pointing, to the creator, the gods, of the Ammonites, had a, they are not, the creator, the gods, of the Moabites, that they passed, but they do not, have the creator God, but the Lord Jesus, or I'm sorry, the Lord God Jehovah, that, in the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of fire, that led, and guided his people, and stopped at a place, they built that tabern, and they worked, and then they stopped, and they went into the land, they worked, and then they stopped, and they rested, and they rested, every single seventh day, of their lives, as the command was, that is telling the world, they are connected, to the great God Almighty, the Lord Jehovah, their God, is the God, the creator of heaven, and earth,

[30:42] Eve. Now we meet, on the first day of the week, don't we? Here you are. We meet, on the first day of the week, it's not the seventh day. Meeting, on the first day of the week, does not say, our God is the creator.

[30:58] Meeting, on the seventh, or the first day of the week, says something else. It's a different, sign, if you will. The seventh day, Adventist church, they believe, that meeting, on the first day of the week, is the mark of the beast.

[31:12] it's a very strange interpretation of the Bible like very very strange because some woman had a vision maybe it's very awkward that they can take something that is well I won't run it through but to teach that the Sabbath is the forever day to worship God and then they say the Catholic Church is the one that said you have to start worshiping on the first day but if you go back in the Bible they're meeting on the first day long before 300 or 325 and so it's an odd thing that they have adopted some doctrine and interpreted the Bible to say that meeting on the first day of the week is receiving the mark of the beast which is eternal damnation for all of us if that's the case it's a strange strange teaching shame on them we meet on the first day of the week because that's what the early believers did in the Bible they forsook Judaism for good reason they repented of their religion and they are now identifying with something different not with the creator and the God of Israel that led them out but now with the one that was resurrected on the first day of the week you run those references in the early book of Acts and that is what those apostles are bearing witness to is that Jesus Christ is alive he's resurrected from the dead and now they're all meeting on the first day of the week you say well Paul went to preach to the Jews in the synagogue on the Sabbath day well because the Jews are lost and they're still keeping the Old Testament and they're meeting in their synagogues on the Sabbath day and he shows up to preach to them because it's hard for Israel that they might be saved the gospel he said was to the Jew first and also to the Greek they're not going to meet on the first day of the week until they get saved and trust Jesus Christ and start wanting to identify with him so these forsook Judaism and met on the day that commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ they definitely weren't going to do it on the seventh day of the week no way they had to show a difference our meeting day today it's not a holy day but it's a day we meet it's a day that we worship the Lord Jesus Christ it's not a day of rest either but it's a day that points to our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ it doesn't point to the Creator although he is the Creator but it points to a risen Savior that has redeemed us and saved our souls it points to a Savior that has redeemed us and brought us nigh to God by the blood of his testimony a new and a living way and so there's a sign for the Sabbath number one it's given and instituted to point the world to the Creator and that their God is the true God the Almighty God but there's another thing and I won't get into this with you too much but the day of rest is a sign of a coming day the day of rest and of peace for those people it's a sign that this nation has some promises that were made to it that have not yet been fulfilled and are not going to be fulfilled in the land of Canaan but God has promised that he would come down to earth and reign over them that he himself

[34:40] God Almighty would come to earth and sit on a throne and rule this world and that the curse placed upon this world would be removed and it's a sign it's called the millennium is what we call it the kingdom a thousand years according to Revelation 20 where the Lord Jesus Christ will where Satan will be bound and he will reign in a kingdom of righteousness and peace and holiness where sinners will keep their mouth shut where they'll fear him and stay away where righteousness will just propagate across the planet it'll be beautiful the Sabbath day points to a rest a future rest where Christ will exercise his dominion over the earth there's six days of work and one day off and all of that for generations pointed to a future rest you can write down Hebrews chapter 4 if you want to get into that go read that carefully and you'll see the author there making a case saying that

[35:43] David said there remains a rest to the people of God and when Joshua brought him into the land that wasn't the rest if it was why did David say that there's another day of rest he's talking about a future day when Christ the Messiah comes and establishes his kingdom and so the Sabbath is a sign that that people is connected to the creator God the right one but it's also a sign and a picture of what he promised will happen things that he said to Abraham have not yet been fulfilled just by coming into that land and having a seed there's much more to be accomplished in that covenant so the Sabbath is revealed to Israel as part of a covenant that God made with them and that covenant that testament is done away in Christ violating that day in that covenant was punishable by death and yet why aren't we doing that today because we at least have the understanding it doesn't apply so make sure you understand the day doesn't apply it doesn't carry over and it was given as a sign it was pointing to their creator God and pointing to a promise of a new day now turn to one more passage and we're done

[36:58] Mark chapter 2 the gospel of Mark and chapter number 2 the strongest case I'm making today for you to receive is what we read in Colossians chapter 2 that the Lord Jesus Christ is what you've been given he replaced all of that system the entirety of it it is the Lord Jesus Christ that we worship that we walk in that we trust that we're in him and so now let me just conclude by enhancing that one more time with this Mark chapter 2 and verse 27 the Pharisees are accusing the disciples of Jesus of violating the Sabbath day I'll start in verse 24 the Pharisees said unto him behold why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful and so they accused him of something now verse 27 he said unto them the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath now you can imagine it doesn't give us any more on this but you can imagine they did not respond well to that statement they had put the Sabbath day above everybody and everything and they've even

[38:25] I mean they've really set it in stone and kind of concreted this in their traditions and in their culture of how highly observed the Sabbath was beyond all recognition from anything Moses said and so they're accusing them of plucking ears of corn and as they're going by as if they're not working they're not you know collecting baskets and taking it in and they're not working they're just grabbing a snack kind of like stopping by 7-11 and saying you've just broken the law no they haven't so Christ is trying to clarify they didn't there's no way that they received that from him but the statement we're getting from his mouth is that he is Lord of the Sabbath in verse 28 now we are in him we are I'm not going to say you're Lord of the Sabbath but I'll say that you're in the one that is Lord of the Sabbath and so the Sabbath does not apply to you in the sense that you're above it in Christ he's fulfilled it all and put it away and taken it out of the way the Bible said and therefore as believers in Jesus Christ we are above the Sabbath it's been fulfilled his blood enjoins us to God we have him instead of the Old Testament and instead of some rules or instead of some holy day that we have to observe we have him now to take this out the door don't say okay then I can

[40:01] I can work all seven days of the week you can do whatever you want but you'll you'll have an earlier grave than you should if you work too much God set that day a rest for it was good for everybody but the purpose of it we covered in addition to this do not despise the first day of the week because it's not a holy Sabbath of rest to us because it's not something God put on the church as this is you must observe this part of the covenant it's not part of any covenant but understand that God has given us a local church this is his institution for you and for me and because he's given us this institution we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and so when you do choose to do something instead of come together with your believers you're at the very least revealing how much love you have for Jesus Christ or how much submission you have to him and to his word so don't despise or forsake assembling on the first day of the week we meet here together on the what is it the third day of the week

[41:12] Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday we meet on the fourth evening of the week here as well does anybody feel this like obligation of if I don't show up God might kill me or I mean nobody in this world views Wednesday the midweek service as if it's the holy day can't work on Wednesday right because we come together for church see how you don't even think that way but you shouldn't think that way about Sunday either as if it's some day of rest for the church it's not it's not even called the Lord's Day in the Bible that's something else in Revelation chapter 1 a future time we meet together out of love and affection and loyalty for the one that redeemed us and delivered us from bondage and got us out of our Egypt and gave us promises of a new land we come together under that covenant and under that testament there are many similarities to the operation of the local church and to God's dealing with Israel there's many things that are similar but there are far more things that are different and so let us never confuse this Old Testament teaching and let somebody get in your ear at work or on TV or YouTube and try to start putting some doctrine on you because they try to pull some Bible out and they think that they've got something to give you let me tie it back in the last hour rightly divide the word of truth understand what commands are for you and when they apply and when they don't so let's be cautious with that

[42:49] I hope you've learned this I hope you see the Sabbath what it is in the Old Testament I hope now you see that Jesus the Lord Jesus Christ replaced all of that you say what am I supposed to do as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in the faith or established in the faith that you've been taught you might need to come together to get taught the faith you might need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and as you do you walk accordingly to what God feeds you let's be dismissed Father this morning a little different layout of the thoughts here but just covering every word and every teaching here from the Bible as we're studying I pray that it was helpful to some to see clearly how the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior and that we're complete in him Lord may nobody take liberty of their place and position in Christ as an occasion to the flesh may no one be deceived may Lord we humbly come to your word and seek to obey it in every aspect aspect that's given to us please give discernment please give understanding please give clarity to each individual here this morning and help us to know why we don't worship the way they did and help us to understand how to worship today

[44:15] I want to thank you for the Lord Jesus for taking in that law and those commandments those ordinances that were contrary to us the ones that showed me that I'm a guilty sinner the ones that showed me that I deserve hell thank you for taking them out of the way thank you for nailing it to your cross thank you for shedding your blood and for instituting something new a better way a way that I can get in and find forgiveness and atonement thank you for saving me from my sins and from being punished for them Lord if there's anybody here today that doesn't know they're saved if they don't know that Jesus Christ died for them I pray that you'll give them the courage to ask the question and to seek out the truth and not be satisfied until they find it from the word of God thank you for our liberty in Christ and it's in Jesus name I pray Amen