Who's got your copy of God's Word and turn to Exodus chapter 20.
This is part two of our consideration of Exodus chapter 20 verses 8 through 11.
! And so I want to get you there.
I want you to mark this place in your Bible
and let you know that we won't stay here much today.
We're taking a break from our careful study of the Sermon on the Mount
because we were brought to Matthew chapter 5 verses 17 through 20
where Matthew records Jesus saying the following.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
And this text has caused us to ask the question,
what is the relationship between the Old Testament law and the gospel of Jesus Christ?
And this is a highly contested question.
And so with much labor, we have answered that question with two answers.
Number one, the Old Testament law is meant to bring us to Jesus Christ.
It fixes for us the holy standard that God requires and exposes our failure to keep it.
It creates for us a problem and sends us looking for a solution,
a solution that is found in the person and work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Secondly, having been set free from the burden of it,
the Old Testament law continues to serve as a guide for how our lives might please God.
So having been accepted by God and the perfect righteousness of Jesus,
we are gratefully obedient to the moral commands of God for our good and for his glory.
So I want to take a moment to unpack this phrase or these two phrases that we tend to use a lot around here.
And as I thought about this, I realized just how often we say for our good and for his glory in our gatherings together.
And so just take a moment with me and think about what it is that we're trying to communicate in saying such phrases.
First, for our good.
I want to address the charge of legalism at this point.
It is absolutely astounding to me that in the modern church,
whenever the clear commands of God, the explicit commands of God are instructed,
there follows an accusation of legalism.
We find ourselves in a place and in a day where the great liberal experiment,
and I'm not talking about liberalism versus conservatism,
the American experiment itself was an experiment in liberty,
casting off all authority,
has led us to a place where no one likes authority at all.
We want to be the masters of our own universe.
We want to absolutely reign in all ways.
And beloved, this is not the way the world works.
We are created beings, and therefore we have a creator.
And we do well when we recognize that we are meant to be under his authority.
To be legalistic is to add to the commandments of God
and demand adherence to these extra-biblical commands,
or to believe and teach that the keeping of any commandment of God is salvific,
that we must keep the commands in order to be saved.
Keeping the command leads us to salvation versus us being saved,
and therefore we want to keep the commands.
I have never once been legalistic in my teaching of God's word.
I have made other errors in teaching, but I have never once been legalistic.
So be careful.
Lest in your effort to avoid legalism,
you become licentious.
Do not take lightly the commandments of God.
Because God's commands are good for us.
They are good for us.
They are a gift to us.
At the creation of the world,
God does not leave the man without his good word.
Genesis chapter 2, verse 15 and following.
The Lord God took the man and he put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,
You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.
For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.
God says to Adam, don't die.
And let me tell you how not to die.
This is a good word.
It's a good command given to Adam.
And you likely know the story well.
It doesn't take too long for Adam and Eve to be tested in their faithfulness to God's good command.
We read in Genesis chapter 3, verse 1 and following.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman,
Did God actually say,
You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
And the woman said to the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden.
But God said,
You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden.
Neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
But the serpent said to the woman,
You will not surely die.
For God knows that when you eat of it,
your eyes will be open and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.
The serpent, in essence,
said,
That legalist,
he is trying to deny you something that is good for you.
And the command to not eat of it was clearly the good command.
But the serpent says,
Do not listen to these kind of strict rules.
Verse 6, Genesis 3,
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate.
She also gave some to her husband who was with her,
and he ate.
In like fashion,
mankind has been rejecting God's good commands ever since.
And, beloved,
it is a great deception of the devil
for us to think,
having been saved by the personal work of Jesus Christ,
that God's commands have ceased being good.
The book you hold in your lap,
hope that you hold in your lap,
is full of rich,
loving,
joy-bringing instruction.
This is why I say each Lord's Day,
before I read our text for the morning,
Beloved,
this is God's word to us,
written for his glory
and our good.
We'd all do well to listen to it
in order to believe its promises
and obey
its commands.
I hope you will never grow tired
of hearing this,
and that you do believe the promises of the Bible,
and that you do keep the commands
of the Bible
in ever-increasing fashion.
Telling you what God requires of you
is not legalism.
It is loving.
And any pastor who withholds the truth,
as many in our day,
because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable,
is not fit to be a pastor.
So it's for your good
that we want to consider the commands of God.
But it is also,
and it's more importantly,
for God's glory.
For his glory.
So turn with me again,
keeping a mark in Exodus chapter 20
to Psalm 119
and verse 129.
Psalm 119, 129.
Psalm 119 is about
the commands of God.
And the psalmist writes,
Your testimonies are wonderful.
Therefore,
my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of your words gives light
and imparts understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant
because I long for your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
Keep steady my steps according to your promise
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
Redeem me from man's oppression
that I may keep your precepts.
Make your face shine upon your servant
and teach me your statutes.
My eyes shed streams of tears
because people do not keep your law.
I want to make three quick observations
from Psalm 119
verses 129 through 136.
First,
the psalmist loves the Lord.
A broader reading of Psalm 119
reveals this.
He loves the Lord
and therefore loves the commandments
of the Lord.
Verse 129,
and your testimonies are wonderful.
Therefore,
my soul,
my very being
keeps them.
Secondly,
Psalm 119 suggests
no tension between
the gospel of Jesus Christ
and the law.
The psalmist seeks
deliverance from sin
so that he might obey
the law.
He seeks first
to be saved from his sins
so that he can be obedient
to God's good command.
Psalm 119,
verse 134,
redeem me
from man's oppression
or the oppression of man
that I may keep
your precepts.
And thirdly,
for this joy
of keeping the law,
for all this joy
that the psalmist finds
in the Lord
and in the keeping
of his law,
all is not well.
Verse 136,
my eyes shed streams
of tears
because people
do not
keep your law.
The psalmist
has broken up
over the fact
that others
don't keep
this good
commandment.
So,
implicit
in the psalmist's words
words is
mission.
The need
for the glory
of the Lord
to be made known
amongst the peoples
of the world.
And we shouldn't
be unfamiliar
with this idea
at this point.
If you will recall
two weeks ago,
we spent considerable time
looking at the introduction
of God's giving
of the law to Israel
at Mount Sinai.
Do you remember this?
Exodus chapter 19,
verses 1 through 6.
Go there with me.
We are done
with Psalm 119.
Psalm 119.
Beginning in verse 1,
Exodus 19.
On the third new moon
after the people of Israel
had gone out
of the land of Egypt,
on that day
they came into
the wilderness of Sinai.
They set out
from Rephidim
and came into
the wilderness of Sinai
and they encamped
in the wilderness.
There Israel
encamped
before the mountain.
While Moses
went up to God,
the Lord God
called to him
out of the mountain
saying,
Thus you shall say
to the house of Jacob
and tell the people
of Israel,
You yourselves
have seen
what I did
to the Egyptians
and how I bore you
on eagles' wings
and brought you
to myself.
Right?
I made you my people.
Now therefore,
if you will indeed
obey my voice
and keep my covenant,
you shall be
my treasured possession
among all peoples
for all the earth
is mine.
You shall be to me
a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation.
These are the words
that you shall speak
to the people of Israel.
We spent some time
considering those titles
given
and came to understand
that God has a purpose
for Israel
and it is a missionary purpose
to display his glory
in the world
in holy living.
And this is still
God's purpose
for his people,
his purpose
for us.
We can know this
with absolute certainty
because the apostle Peter
borrows language
from the beginning
of Exodus chapter 19
to make the same point
in an expanded form.
This is 1 Peter chapter 2
and verse 9
where he says
to the church
you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people for his own possession
that you may proclaim
the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light.
And so we are meant
to be keepers
of the moral law
having been delivered
from the burden of it
in order
to proclaim
God's glory
amongst the peoples
and
for our good.
We are meant
to be a people
set apart
in this way.
So Exodus chapter 20
verses 8
through 11
you should be
really close to it
right now.
Beloved,
this is God's word
to us.
It was written
for his glory
and our good
and we would all
do well
to listen to it
in order to believe
its promises
and obey its commands.
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
through the Lord your God.
On it you shall not
do any work
you or your son
or your daughter,
your male servant
or your female servant
or your livestock
or the sojourner
who is within your gates.
For in six days
the Lord made
the heaven
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.
Now last week
we answered
two questions
in a series
of three questions.
I wish it were possible
to not talk about
those two
at this point
but I think we must.
I think we absolutely
must consider
even for those of you
who were here last week
who may even have it
very fresh on your mind
we need to think together again
to set ourselves up
well to answer
the third question.
And of course
for those of you
who weren't here
I want you to hear
these two in brief
but I also want to encourage you
to go back
and listen to that sermon.
You should be able
to find it
on our website.
The first question was
what does it mean
to keep
the fourth commandment?
And we discussed at length
how the Sabbath commandment
is sort of a ceremonial moral law
so there's a part of it
that has been fulfilled
in Christ, right?
Aiming us toward
the types of sacrifices
that were being made
showing us
the eternal rest
that can and is ours
by faith in Christ.
And that should find us
expecting some change
to the commandment
much the same way
that circumcision
is now baptism
of believers.
However
the moral component
should find us
expecting to
keep it.
I read to you a bit
from the London Baptist
Confession of 1689
as
it is the law of nature
that in
general
proportion of time
by God's appointment
he set apart
for the worship of God
so by his word
in a positive
moral
and perpetual
commandment
binding all men
in all ages
he hath particularly
appointed one day
in seven
for a Sabbath
to be kept holy unto him
which from the beginning
of the world
to the resurrection
of Christ
was the last day
of the week
and from the resurrection
of Christ
was changed
into the first day
of the week
which is called
the Lord's Day
and is to be continued
to the end of the world
as the Christian Sabbath
the observation
of the last day
of the week
being abolished.
So we talked a bit
about this
and why it is
that the early church
began to meet
rather
on Sunday
and there was
a transition period
many of the early church
continued to meet
on Saturday
and they didn't want
to burden people's
consciences
but largely
the church met
on Sunday
like looking to the hope
of a future
resurrection
celebrating the resurrection
of Christ
which happened
on the first day
of the week
Tertullian
the second century
theologian
wrote that for Christians
Sunday is a day
of joy
and that pagans
would not celebrate
anything on Sunday
for fear
that they might be
mistaken
for Christians
that day had been
so clearly
set apart
in people's minds
as a day
that the Christians
gathered
in order to celebrate
the resurrection
of Christ
last week
we looked at
Matthew chapter 12
verses 1-14
which I'm not going to read
for the sake of time
I want to encourage you
to go and look at this
yourself
where Matthew records
two separate accounts
of Jesus
dealing with the Pharisees
on the Sabbath
and we noted
three things
from this text
number one
that Jesus does not
abolish the Sabbath
in the text
number two
that Jesus allows
for work
of necessity
so we saw
the apostles
picking wheat
as they were walking
along the path
because they were
hungry
they needed food
and so they were
taking it
they would have
rolled it in their
hands
to give a quick
process of
shucking it
I'm not sure
that's probably
a corn term
not a wheat term
but so that they
could eat it
so they're walking
along doing this
and the Pharisees
were enraged
by it
so Jesus allows
for work
of necessity
and we talked
in brief
about how
this means
that military
and police
firemen
like those
we need
people
working around
the clock
through the week
these things
ER doctors
and nurses
pastors
this is
you might be
shocked
not really a day
that's restful
for me
many of my
Sundays are
16 hour
days
and don't hear me
complaining
I love
love my job
but it is not
restful
on this
day
and we don't
live in a society
that really has
any regard
any longer
for the
Lord's day
almost none
anymore
your
eight year old
child may have
to travel
and play baseball
if you're gonna
pursue
baseball
so I
think it's
appropriate
to extend
this allowance
beyond the
traditionally held
vocation
so you read
some of the
old
works
and what
ancient
theologians
would have
said
and who
they would
have said
could work
on the
Lord's day
and I think
we can extend
it a bit
beyond
so many
retail
locations
that are
open
and you
may not
be able
to find
a job
that doesn't
force
your hand
doesn't make
you work
on that
day
I certainly
would advise
you to look
for one
that doesn't
try to
gain some
status in
that company
so that you
no longer
have to
but could
see the
place where
in order
to provide
for yourself
you must
take the
job
that would
do that
for you
possibility
of being
a coach
and having
to work
on the
Lord's day
to be able
to feel
the team
and you're
making your
livelihood
by this
and of course
we could
think of
other
examples
as well
where you
may just
be
forced
in order
to make
a living
for your
family
to work
on Sunday
Jesus
allows
for work
of necessity
and he
also
allows
for acts
of and
even desires
acts of
mercy
so in that
text
Matthew
chapter 12
we see
Jesus
healing a
man with
a withered
hand
which is
certainly
not a
life
threatening
thing
could have
waited
until
the following
day
but Jesus
saw the
opportunity
and sees
the opportunity
to love
and to
serve
this
man
so
we
want
to be
aware
of
and
giving
of
our
time
to
and
for
others
if you
were on
your way
to worship
us
with us
this morning
and you
saw someone
stranded
on the side
of a road
who needed
help
changing
a tire
I would
suggest
you would
do well
to stop
and to
help
them
although
changing
a tire
on the side
of the road
is
work
it's not
fun
to do
you will
probably
sweatier
and dirtier
after
having
done
so
but
this
would
be
a
merciful
thing
to do
for
such
a
person
staying
home
from
gathering
with
the
church
with
a
sick
child
is
not
restful
it
is
work
keeping
our
little
ones
feeling
well
and
comforted
it
may
not
always
be
easy
to
discern
what
is
merciful
and
what
is
not
how
it
is
we're
given
some
space
in
this
way
I was
thinking
through
because
it's
summer
taking
vacations
and how
many of
us
take
family
vacations
because
we have
a
fairly
young
population
whether
that's
going
on
vacation
with
your
father
or
maybe
you're
now
young
married
and
your
parents
are
gracious
enough
to pay
for
things
for
you
so
you
can
go
on
vacation
and
some
of
you
have
unbelieving
parents
and
these
unbelieving
parents
may
expect
you
to
be
there
with
them
because
the
condo
rental
starts
on
Sunday
and
ends
on
Saturday
maybe
it'd be
merciful
to go
maybe
it'd be
a good
thing
for people
who just
would not
understand
your
abstinence
about
traveling
and being
with them
at the
beach
on a
Sunday
to do
that
and find
a way
to redeem
some time
in the
car
I could
see
some
space
in
here
for
things
like
this
we
should
desire
to
carefully
consider
a
circumstance
that may
find us
not
resting
on the
Lord's
day
to see
if it
fits
in
these
criteria
I
think
all
of us
would
find
if we
would
do
so
we
would
all
be
a
little
bit
tighter
a
little
bit
stricter
about
our
activity
on
Sunday
I think
if we
gave
it
a
good
and
serious
consideration
we
would
do
less
not
more
in fact
I think
that is
likely
through
the
ages
legalism
has slipped
into the
church
around
this
issue
because
church
leaders
did
not
want
to
just
throw
open
the
doors
for
flippancy
when it
comes
to the
commandments
that was
the
challenge
for me
in this
week
because
there's
things
I
wish
I
just
want
to
say
oh
this
far
and
no
further
the
Bible
doesn't
really
do
that
in
great
clarity
and so
I
don't
feel
like
I
can
either
why
because
that
could
very
readily
become
legalism
this
was
the
work
that
the
Pharisees
were
doing
I
imagine
that
it
was
a
work
that
started
out
with
the
very
good
intentions
let's
help
people
keep
the
fourth
commandment
and they
began
to stack
up
the
silliest
of
expectations
to that
end
my
prayer
is
that
in
dealing
with
your
heart
on
the
matter
of
the
!
the
!
commandment
you
will
begin
to
apply
grateful
obedience
and
wisdom
to
your
weekly
routines
so that's
the first
question
that we
answered
last
week
the
second
question
was
why
should
we
keep
the
fourth
commandment
and we
took
some time
to consider
the beginning
of the
fourth
commandment
the word
the single
word
at the beginning
of the
commandment
remember
I read
for you
from the
Westminster
larger
catechism
question
121
why
is the
word
remember
set
at the
beginning
of the
fourth
commandment
and I
gave
you
the
brief
answer
they
write
partly
because
of the
great
benefit
of
remembering
it
and
partly
because
we
are
very
ready
to
forget
it
we
are
such
slow
learners
and we
are so
quick
to
forget
we
are
to
remember
to
keep
the
fourth
commandment
to
remember
this
is a
day
set
apart
for the
worship
of God
to be
gathered
together
with the
church
to learn
and to be
reminded
that we
have
rest
in
Christ
this is a
day to
take time
for quiet
reflection
on the
promises
of God
to remember
for all of the
failings
of last week
that if we are
in Christ
we belong
to God
to look
to the next
week
to the power
that is
ours
in
Christ
beloved
we have
rest
so we
can
rest
the wicked
cannot
rest
Isaiah
57
20
but the
wicked
are like
the
tossing
sea
for it
cannot
be
quiet
and its
waters
toss
up
mire
and dirt
what an
opportunity
to be a
people set
apart
right
to be
the busiest
people in
the world
six days
a week
but on
a seventh
to rest
this is not
us
these wicked
Jesus says
in Matthew
11
verse 28
come to me
all who
labor
and are
heavy laden
and I
will give
you
rest
so
the third
question
how
shall we
keep the
fourth
commandment
how
shall we
keep
the
fourth
commandment
and to
look a little
further at
keeping the
fourth
commandment
turn with
me to
Deuteronomy
chapter
eight
Deuteronomy
is the
second
giving
of
the
law
Moses
is
preaching
essentially
here
a
sermon
or a
series
of
sermons
reminding
the people
of Israel
because
they've
sojourned
now for
40 years
in the
wilderness
and there's
a new
generation
that is
now going
to enter
the
promised
land
so he's
restating
he's
re-giving
the law
and we
can pick
up a lot
of wonderful
clarities
in his
now
understanding
of the
keeping
of it
I want
to show
you
from
Deuteronomy
eight
four
inner
disciplines
that must
take place
for any
outer
disciplines
to be of
any benefit
to us
on the
Lord's
day
God
is
always
concerned
about
the
status
of
our
hearts
and
right
actions
always
flow
from
right
hearts
we must
be careful
in our
keeping
of the
law
that we
do
not
do
as
the
Pharisees
did
and
many
in our
day
do
Jesus
is
always
correcting
this
kind
of
self
righteousness
Jesus
said
in
Matthew
23
verse
27
woe
to
you
scribes
and
Pharisees
hypocrites
for you
are like
whitewashed
tombs
which
outwardly
appear
beautiful
but within
are full
of dead
people's
bones
and all
uncleanliness
and so
there are
disciplines
that must
be at
place
in us
for the
outward
expressing
of keeping
the Lord's
day
to have
any meaning
at all
number
one
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is an
act
of
obedience
Deuteronomy
chapter 8
verse 11
Moses says
take care
lest you
forget the
Lord your
God
by not
keeping
his
commandments
and his
rules
and his
statutes
which I
command you
today
as I
stated at
length
previously
we have
a loving
God
who
intends
good
for us
so
whether we
understand
entirely
the good
intended
we should
remember
and believe
that God's
commands
our good
and
in keeping
God's
commandments
we will be
shown
his goodness
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is an
act
of obedience
it has been
commanded of us
let's
just do
it
secondly
a second
inner
discipline
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is an
act
of
liberation
it's an
act of
liberation
Deuteronomy
chapter 8
verse 14
there's a
warning here
then your
heart be
lifted up
this is
after the
building of
houses and
having
multiplying
wealth
and you
forget the
Lord your
God who
brought you
out of the
land of
Egypt
out of the
house
of slavery
Deuteronomy
! 5
verse 15
very careful
giving of
the ten
commandments
the moral
law
you shall
remember that
when you
were a
slave in
the land
of Egypt
and the
Lord your
God
brought you
out from
there with
a mighty
hand and
an outstretched
arm
therefore
the Lord
your God
commanded you
to keep
the Sabbath
day
it's meant
to serve
us
Israel
then
and us
now
in remembering
that we
have been
liberated
the entire
Exodus story
is meant to
prefigure
the liberation
that we
now have
in Christ
we have
spiritual
rest
the author
of Hebrews
wrote in
Hebrews 4
9 and
10
so then
there remains
a Sabbath
rest
for the
people
of God
for whoever
has entered
God's rest
has also
rested from
his works
as God
did
from his
we need
time
for reflection
on this
most
important
truth
just as the
Israelites
were liberated
from slavery
in Egypt
we have
been liberated
from the
condemnation
of the
law
have been
brought to
God
for joyful
obedience
to the
law
so
we can
rest
because we
have been
set free
from our
spiritual
labor
and remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
in that way
is an act
of liberation
third
inner
discipline
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is an
act of
faith
look at
verse 17
Deuteronomy
8 and
through the
first part
of verse
18
beware
lest you
say in
your heart
my power
and the
might of
my hand
have gotten
me
this wealth
you shall
remember the
Lord your
God
for it is
he who
gives you
power
to get
wealth
God is
our
great
provider
so we
can trust
that he
will provide
having ordered
a day of
rest we
can know
that he
will amply
provide all
that we
need in
our six
days
of working
to stop
on a day
to not
continue to
labor because
without that
labor how
will I
possibly
have
sin
but rather
to take a
day where
we say
God is my
provider
and to
reflect upon
this
to see
that it's
his good
order
he has
said work
six days
and stop
on the
seventh
I am
the creator
and the
sustainer
of everyone
and everything
Matthew chapter
six
verse 25
and following
Jesus says
therefore I
tell you
do not be
anxious about
your life
labor and
toil
seven days
what you
will eat
or what
you will
drink
nor
about
your
body
what
you
will
put
on
is that
life
more than
food
and the
body
more than
clothing
look at
the birds
of the air
they neither
sow nor reap
nor gather
into barns
and yet your
heavenly father
feeds
them
are you not
of more value
than they
which of you
by being anxious
can add a
single hour
to a span
of life
why are you
anxious about
clothing
consider
the lilies
of the field
how they
grow
they neither
toil nor
spin
yet I
tell you
even
Solomon
in all
his glory
was not
arrayed
like one
of these
but if
God so
clothes the
grass
of the
field
which
today
is
alive
and
tomorrow
is
thrown
into
the
oven
will
he
not
much
more
clothe
you
oh
you
of
little
faith
therefore
do not
be
anxious
saying
what
shall
we
eat
or
what
shall
we
drink
or
what
seek
after
these
things
and
your
heavenly
father
knows
that
you
need
them
all
but
seek
first
the
kingdom
of
God
and
his
righteousness
and
all
these
things
will
be
added
to
you
therefore
do
not
be
anxious
about
tomorrow
for
tomorrow
will be
anxious
for
itself
sufficient
for
the
day
is
its
own
trouble
so
we
can
rest
because
we
know
who
is
our
provider
so
remembering
and
believing
keeping
the
fourth
commandment
is
important
as an
act
of
faith
fourth
interdiscipline
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is an
act
of
identity
it's
an
act
of
identity
now
there
is a
precious
phrase
found
five
times
throughout
Deuteronomy
chapter
eight
verses
eleven
through
twenty
the
Lord
your
God
the
Lord
your
God
we
have
already
seen
its
occurrence
three
times
in
verses
eleven
verse
fourteen
verse
eighteen
but
it
also
occurs
in
verses
nineteen
and
twenty
the
Lord
your
God
beloved
we are
no longer
those
who need
to
tirelessly
work
to
find
our
identity
our
purpose
or our
place
in
the
world
we
do
not
need
to
be
defined
by
the
work
that
we
do
because
we
are
defined
by
the
work
that
Jesus
has
done
we
belong
to
God
because
we
have
been
redeemed
by
the
blood
of
Jesus
Christ
I
am
a
child
of
God
that
is
my
identity
and
then
I
go
do
some
work
there
is
some
work
to
be
done
in
obedience
to
that
my
identity
is
in
him
and
we
spend
so
much
time
we
spend
so
much
of
our
energy
identifying
by
things
that
are
fading
away
so
we
can
rest
because
we
know
who
we
are
or
more
precisely
whose
we
are
so
remembering
and believing
that keeping
the fourth
commandment
is important
as an
act
of
identity
it
declares
who
you
are
and
these
are
interdisciplines
these
are things
that we
have
to
work
at
right
leading
up to
and
during
a
day
such
as
this
and
if
we
will
exercise
these
things
properly
then
and
only
then
will
the
outer
disciplines
mean
much
of
anything
at
all
so
let
me
give
you
three
outer
disciplines
number
one
outer
discipline
preparing
if
we
are
to
keep
the
fourth
commandment
together
on
the
Lord's
day
then
you
will
need
to
prepare
to
do
so
on
your
bulletin
this
morning
from
the
Westminster
assembly
directory
for
public
worship
they
wrote
the
Lord's
day
ought
to
be
so
remembered
beforehand
as
that
all
worldly
business
of our
ordinary
callings
may
be
so
ordered
and
so
timely
and
seasonably
laid
aside
as
they
may
not
be
impediments
to
the
due
!
when
it
comes
beloved
we
ought
to
be
looking
forward
to
this
day
we
on
Monday
ought
to
be
eagerly
expecting
the
next
day
when
we
get
to
stop
from
our
labors
when
we
get
to
set
it
aside
we
should
be
considering
this
the
Westminster
assembly
directory
says
it ought
to
be
so
remembered
Sunday
should
not
rush
upon
us
and
we
find
ourselves
in
the
midst
of
it
in
a
fray
I
do
this
often
considering
the
fourth
commandment
has
given
me
much
room
for
repentance
and
consideration
about
how
I
even
could
find
more
rest
in
a
day
such
as
this
in
Exodus
chapter
20
verse
9
and
10
you
see
six
days
you
labor
and
do
all
your
work
but
the
seventh
day
is
a
Sabbath
to
the
Lord
your
God
and
then
God
gets
fairly
specific
here
and
gives
order
to
a
household
on
it
you
shall
not
do
any
work
you
are
your
son
or
your
daughter
your
male
servant
or your
female
servant
or your
livestock
or the
sojourner
who is
within
your
gates
no
one
should
be
laboring
on
this
day
and
it
would
seem
that
much
of
keeping
the
fourth
commandment
is
meant
to
be
ordered
in
the
home
where
so much
of
this
type
of
work
takes
place
so
we
should
be
preparing
we
should
be
preparing
by
doing
these
interdisciplines
that I've
mentioned
already
and
these
will
require
some
time
on
your
part
beloved
get up
early
on
the
Lord's
day
don't
let
Sunday
be a
day
for
sleeping
in
this
was
a
day
that
the
women
went
to
the
tomb
at
day
break
and
found
our
Lord
and
Savior
Jesus
Christ
risen
wake
up
and
spend
some
time
on
those
interdisciplines
why
is this
day
set
apart
as
a
day
of
rest
for
me
what
should
I
be
considering
and
reflecting
upon
some
of
you
I
can
tell
woke
up
15
minutes
before
you
stepped
into
this
building
at
1030
you've
got
ample
time
in the
morning
to
prepare
yourself
to
come
together
when
I
say
early
I
don't
mean
the
4
a.m.
I
typically
wake
up
on
Sunday
mornings
I
mean
like
8
a.m.
get
up
and
get
ready
right
this
is a
glorious
day
prepare
your
heart
that
we
might
come
together
rightly
and
that
you
might
spend
the
rest
of
your
day
in
restful
rejoicing
complete
your
work
for
the
week
set
aside
this
is
a
day
I
will
not
labor
make
the
time
the
truth
of
it
is
that
many
of
us
labor
a lot
of
time
but
we
don't
labor
very
efficiently
and
you
could
find
you
could
get
the
studying
done
before
Sunday
evening
you
could
get
it
in
on
Saturday
you
could
finish
it
so
you're
ready
for
the
test
on
Monday
morning
you
could
complete
the
bibliography
on
the
paper
that
you
wrote
in
advance
to
its
due
date
you
could
get
the
grass
cut
you
can
do
the
shopping
you
could
get
work
done
completed
so
that
you
can
rest
you
can
prep
food
in
advance
ladies
or
Sunday
lunch
gets
to be
leftover
time
or
it's
sandwich
day
sandwich
Sunday
you
can
make
t-shirts
and
make
it
fun
for
your
children
don't
burden
yourself
with
the
regular
work
that
you're
doing
make
it
a
joyful
time
lay
out
clothes
the
night
before
if
you
have
children
you
know
what
I'm
talking
about
you
can
never
find
their
shoes
when
you're
trying
to
get
out
the
door
lay
them
out
be
ready
prepare
yourself
this
is
a
glorious
day
get
ready
for
it
it's
astounding
how often
people can
get out
the door
and get
off
to
things
that
they
deem
!
fun
how
difficult
it can
be
to
come
to
things
that
they
may
not
and
that
says
a lot
about
our
hearts
young
people
particularly
don't
stay
up
too
late
on
Saturday
prepare
yourself
get
ready
to
wake
up
!
I
think
I
think
we
should
likely
stumble
into
Sunday
it's
probably
okay
that
we're
a bit
tired
on
Sunday
mornings
because
it's
a day
of rest
we
entered
into
it
as
humans
needing
rest
and so
it's
likely
that
we'll
feel
that
as we
come
into
Sunday
but
some
of
you
are
just
doing
it
to
yourselves
!
do
not
feel
bad
for
you
when
you
!
stay
up
!
unreasonable
hours
doing
nothing
of
any
value
go
to
sleep
that
you
might
wake
up
some
sense
of
restedness
so
that
we
can
rest
well
together
and
a
thought
I'm
just
going
to
put
this
out
there
as
a
thought
if
we
think
it
is
important
for
us
to
gather
on
the
Lord's
day
we
shouldn't
support
an
economic
system
that
requires
others
to
work
a
lot
of
you
are
going
to
go
eat
out
after
this
and
that
server
may
or
may
not
want
to
be
with
us
but
wouldn't
it
be
nice
to
be
able
to
invite
them
that
we
have
created
and
we
are
supporting
a
system
where
we
eat
out
we
do
grocery
shopping
we
buy
fuel
for
our
cars
we
participate
in
the
consumption
of
media
Sunday
football
be a
college
football
fan
don't
be
an
NFL
fan
just
don't
be
it's
not
nearly
as
good
anyway
they're
all too
afraid
of
ruining
their
careers
college
guys
don't
care
it's
such
better
football
and
I
just
told
you
everything
I
know
about
football
consider
how
you
can
leverage
your
dollars
to
make
a
change
and
maybe
if
all
of
God's
people
would
work
to
that
end
you
might
see
a
change
actually
happen
so
something
to
consider
I
think
I
think
about
making
a
law
about
it
we
ought
to
prepare
ourselves
in a
way
that
doesn't
require
others
to
work
so
prepare
so
that
you
can
rest
second
outer
discipline
worshiping
this
day
is a
feasting
day
it's
a
rejoicing
day
and we
should
worship
together
corporately
so we
should
gather
with
the
church
unless
a
matter
of
necessity
or
mercy
prevents
you
I
don't
want
you
to
hear
me
giving
you
space
for
laziness
there's
far
too
much
of
that
right
for
your
good
for
your
good
don't
put
off
gathering
with
the
church
it's
meant
to
serve
you
and
it
serves
us
when
you
join
with
us
participate
in
the
gathering
of
the
church
show
up
ready
aiming
to
love
and
serve
others
to
contribute
to
our
gathering
together
this is
not
meant
to
be
a
consumption
hour
this is
meant
to
be
the
people
of
God
coming
together
in
service
to
one
another
and
some
of
us
do
a bit
more
of
that
than
others
but
you
have
a
place
in
our
fellowship
you're
needed
so
come
ready
to
contribute
to
our
time
together
spend
time
with
the
church
beyond
our
corporate
gathering
expand
sandwich
sundae
to
others
in
our
fellowship
buy
an
extra
loaf
of
bread
and
a
little
more
peanut
butter
and
jelly
invite
others
to
come
and
join
you
and
talk
about
the
things
of
God
talk
about
the
sermon
and
how
hard
it
was
and
challenging
how
bad
it
was
on
some
Lord's
days
hold
others
accountable
to
keeping
the
fourth
commandment
and
expect
others
to do
the
same
for
you
in
loving
kindness
brother
sister
I
miss
you
it's
good
for
you
to
set
a
day
aside
right
must
you
work
on
this
day
must
you
burn
yourself
in
that
way
why
can
you
not
come
and
join
us
come
and
fellowship
with
us
it's
good
God
is
good
and
he
intends
good
for
us
in
this
way
also
worship
privately
throughout
the
day
consider
the
things
of
God
and
do
not
do
things
that
distract
you
distract
you
from
being
able
to
consider
the
things
of
God
I
would
venture
to
say
not
many
of
us
are
watching
much
that's
offered
on
television
these
God
to
us
in
Christ
they
probably
don't
tend
to
move
our
minds
in
that
direction
but
rather
away
from
that
so
do
things
that
are
uplifting
to
you
that
help
you
to
consider
God's
goodness
third
hour
discipline
balancing
hear me
out
there
ought to
be
coming
off
this
idea
of
private
worship
active
contemplation
make
plans
for
reading
for
taking
some
time
to
teach
your
children
to
talk
about
to
consider
the
things
of
God
but
you
don't
need
to
spend
all
day
doing
that
we
also
should
have
some
active
avocation
!
right?
Not
work
but maybe
hobbies
some
things
that we
really
enjoy
doing
so
maybe
there's
that
little
bit
of
flower
bed
out
front
of
your
house
that
you
really
enjoy
sprucing
up
if
you
don't
enjoy
it
if
it's
a
have
to
thing
don't
do
it
if
it's
a
get
to
thing
you
actually
like
getting
on
your
knees
and
pulling
the
weeds
out
of
the
flower
bed
that's
okay
right
if
it's
refreshing
to
you
to
be
able
to
do
such
a
thing
right
some
of
you
have
hobbies
like
that
builds
you
up
you
feel
all
energized
after
you
get
to
spend
some
time
tinkering
in
the
garage
this
is
okay
I
would
suggest
right
hobby
types
of
things
right
some
of
you
like
to
bake
maybe
bake
something
and
then
leave
the
dishes
till
Monday
I
don't
think
anybody
enjoys
doing
dishes
play
games
with
your
kids
go
for
a
walk
go
hang
!
out
at
the
park
for
a
these
things
that
can
be
refreshing
to
us
take
some
time
for
recreation
the
Puritans
talked
about
as
activities
of
recreation
for
us
do
the
get
to
things
and not
the
have
to
things
and
then
thirdly
in
balancing
do
active
inactivity
just
plan
for
it
plan
to
rest
recognize
your
humanity
and
rest
take
a
nap
sit
and
do
nothing
you'll
be
shocked
how
good
that
can
be
for
your
mind
and
your
soul
to
just
stop
and
think
and
relax
right
sip
tea
on the
front
porch
sit
and read
pick up
a good
book
and I have
to make
distinctions
between
books that
are work
books and
books that
are not
for me
that I
can
just
sit
and
really
enjoy
a
book
and
I'm
not
thinking
about
how
I'm
going to
turn
around
and teach
that
to
somebody
else
go to
bed
early
prep
yourself
and get
ready
and go
to bed
get the
kids
in bed
and go
to bed
get some
good
rest
because
beloved
a lot
of us
run like
we're
divine
and none
of us
are
we're
all
human
and we
need
our
rest
in
conclusion
it is
for joyful
obedience
that we
are to
keep
the
fourth
commandment
I hope
that you
will
join me
in working
through the
particulars
of the
commandment
for your
life
the season
you find
yourself in
your unique
responsibilities
and pressures
and that you
will join me
in keeping
the commandment
for your
good
and for the
glory of
God
let's pray
together