Preaching the Sabbath to Non-Sabbatarians

[Angelo V.]

I'm presently in the midst of finding my own position on the Christian Sabbath but if I do end up holding to the standard Reformed view (that of the Westminster Standards as well as the Savoy) how ought I to preach this sensitively to a people who for the most part have been under the United Church of Christ? This is my present context in attempting to bring the Reformation to a people who have not had it for the greater part of a century. I'd love your suggestions and counsel. Thanks

 

[Rom]

Before you get to the specifics of the Sabbath Day, I think you have to gently start with the Law of God, the nature of the Covenants between God and Man, what is Redemption accomplishing, what is Holiness, how is Sanctification 'inseparably joined with Justification', etc. Do the people recognize their need for holiness? Do they recognize the Covenants God makes with Man? Do they understand the eternal nature of the Law of God? Do they even know the 10 Commandments? Do they know the Sum of the Commandments is to Love God and Love Neighbor, and the Ten Commandments should be interpreted in this light?

My own journey to holding the view of Westminster on the Sabbath Day, came largely with understanding the larger outworkings of the plan of Redemption, the Fall, the Law of God, the love of God's Law as it restores me into the image of Christ, etc.

Often times there's a lot of foundational work that has to occur before you can start speaking about specifics on the Sabbath Day. I've found that if you spend the time on the foundations, it becomes a lot easier to discuss the Lord's Day with folks. Otherwise, they have no real frame of reference.

Be patient and long suffering, even as the Lord is with us. Look back upon your own journey to this point.

 

[Romans922]

Angelo,

I think my 2 sermons on Genesis 2:1-3 may be helpful. I think they were pretty focused on the blessing of God in the Sabbath and not looking at what not to do but the benefits of looking at what we have the privilege of doing:

Resting in the Lord | SermonAudio.com
Keep the Sabbath Day Holy | SermonAudio.com


Oh, and what Rom said. They have to be understanding of the need to obey the 10 commandments. I think that may be easier to explain by showing the opening verses of Ex. 20 showing redemption happened and then God gave them a law to follow to obey Him. If you love Jesus, you will obey His commandments. It may also be good to show in Mt. 5, that Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it so that we might walk in His steps being holy as He is holy by His righteousness alone (not our own righteousness). Rambling over.

 

[Scott1]

Depending on what you discern is the need for the flock, perhaps a sermon series on the whole of the Ten Commandments, including an introduction about the Law of God. This would take a dozen or so sermons. But rather than particularizing one command (four) which involves two parts- work and rest, teach the applicability, usefulness and necessity of the Law to the believer.

The Law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, a rule of life for the believer.

 

[clark thompson]

Going against what they believe is not good and is better to go someone else that accepts your view, if you lead to preach this.

 

[Andres]

Pastor Valle,
I think before you can preach/teach to your congregation about the 4th commandment, you need to know what you believe yourself first. I know that these days the Puritan view of the Lord's Day is certainly a minority view, but I am fully convinced that the WCF Chapter 21 understanding of the Lord's Day is biblical and correct. I also can't express how true Isaiah 58:13,14 becomes when one commits to honoring the Lord's Day. Obviously none of us ever keep the Sabbath perfectly, but I hope you get my point. The Sabbath is a delight! Honoring the Lord's Day is a blessing! I'd recommend you study the following two sources:

This 23 part sermon series is hands-down the BEST treatment of the 4th commandment that I've come across. I can't recommend it enough.
The Sabbath Day by Mark Koller - Sermon Audio

The Lord's Day by Joseph Pipa is also very good study. Probably the best book I can think of on the subject.

 

[Angelo V.]

Gentlemen, thanks for your recommendations. I've come to affirm the Christian Sabbath.


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[jwithnell]

While I'd never deny the Sabbath's position in the commandments, I wonder if an escatological approach might be a better for those who haven't previously considered the topic? Since Christ's time we start each week with rest in him just as we look forward to our eternal rest with Him. Actually, this isn't too different from the texts where the commandments are given: starting with our redemption then affirming we shall have no other gods before Him ...

 

[nick]

I am a pew dweller, so take this as you want.

The Lord's Day by Joseph Pipa is also very good study. Probably the best book I can think of on the subject.

I second this book. It was given to me by my old pastor (Rev. John Canales in the PCA) along with Call The Sabbath a Delight by Walter J. Chantry. He preached a sermon on the Sabbath shortly after I arrived at that church which flipped my previous view upside down (sadly, it is no longer linked online (they got a new website and the older sermons are gone)). I asked a lot of questions of that man and he helped me come to a better understanding of the Lord's Day with the aide of these two books. I've been rereading the Pipa book recently now that my little ones are growing. He has a lot of good stuff in there about family dynamics and the Sabbath.

I didn't really understand the beauty of being in a community of believers who honor the Lord's Day until moving to my current church (you can see how God reformed me in my signature). Really is a blessing to be with these people for a good portion of every Sunday. Makes holding to the Sabbath a lot easier.

Take Rom's advice about being patient. I've heard and seen people come to this view, become very zealous for it, burden their family and others with it where no one was finding the Sabbath delightful. Some calmed down and worked through it, others created tension with non-Sabbatarians where there didn't need to be any, or rebelled against the command completely.

People will be eager to know what they can't do, but I like to focus on what we can do.

I loved this series (in the middle of a series on the 10 commandments) about the Sabbath from Bruce Ray at Juanita Community Church in Kirkland, Washington. I've listened to it many times.

• The Fourth Commandment
• The Sabbath: Old Testament Roots
• The Sabbath: New Testament Flower & Fruit
• Sabbath Wars
• Celebrate the Sabbath

I leave you with this quote from John Piper about why people find the Sabbath to be a burden:

The reason that so many people feel it as a burden is partly that we have so much leisure, we don’t feel the need for the sabbath rest; but more important, I think, is the fact that not many people really enjoy what God intended us to enjoy on the sabbath, namely, himself. Many professing Christians enjoy sports and television and secular books and magazines and recreation and hobbies and games far more than they enjoy direct interaction with God in his Word or in worship or in reading Christian books or in meditative strolls.

Therefore, inevitably people whose hearts are set more on the pleasures of the world than on the enjoyment of God will feel the sabbath command as a burden not a blessing. This is what John says in 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” The measure of your love for God is the measure of the joy you get in focusing on him on the day of rest. For most people the sabbath command is really a demand to repent. It invites us to enjoy what we don’t enjoy and therefore shows us the evil of hearts, and our need to repent and be changed.

I don't quote him much anymore, but I think it shines light on what you might be up against during the transition. That was preached in 1985 when his church was adding a Saturday night service. I'm not in agreement with that, just the quote.

Hope you find some of that helpful.

 

[C. M. Sheffield]

How ought I to preach this sensitively to a people who for the most part have been under the United Church of Christ? This is my present context in attempting to bring the Reformation to a people who have not had it for the greater part of a century.

You definitely have your work cut out for you. The UCC is an apostate denomination that completely rejects the authority of Scripture. I don't know the people you are wanting to teach but if their attitude toward the Bible is anything close to the UCC's, the Sabbath is the least of your worries. I would want to know what they believe about the Bible, about sin, about Christ (his virgin birth, his atoning sacrifice, his bodily resurrection), about justification and sanctification, among other things. If they are where they need to be on those issues, then addressing the issue of the Sabbath might be helpful; if not, I fear you'll only be wasting your time.

 

[Mushroom]

To quotes from Church yesterday:

1. During announcements - "The youth group will be meeting after service for a BBQ and then an innertube float down the river." (this to be followed by dinner at Subway)

2. In the sermon about Manasseh - "It is an easy thing to lead people into sin!"

Needless to say, I was somewhat perplexed...

 

[Andres]

1. During announcements - "The youth group will be meeting after service for a BBQ and then an innertube float down the river." (this to be followed by dinner at Subway)...

Have you spoken to your session about this?

 

[Mushroom]

1. During announcements - "The youth group will be meeting after service for a BBQ and then an innertube float down the river." (this to be followed by dinner at Subway)...

Have you spoken to your session about this?

Two Elders and the youth group leader.

Was asked by one Elder why I wasn't in an OPC Church. After informing him that all 4 of my children had been baptized in this Church, and that 18 years ago at a new members class I was handed a copy of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, and instructed that recreations were a violation of the 4th commandment, I asked him why he was at my Church? His reply was that the PCA allows exceptions to that portion of the Confession, to which I replied I thought exceptions were accepted, but not to be taught or practiced. But then I asked him if he knew of a confessional Church within driving distance. He disengaged.

The other Elder was sympathetic, having been in agreement with the Confession on the matter in the past, but had compromised to allow his children to be included in activities. He said he would mention it to the Session.

The youth group leader said they hadn't considered that anyone would object when they scheduled it, but would in the future. He then informed me that his position is that Jesus is his sabbath.

To all of them I made the point that, being a layman, I did not see it as my station to try to change anybody's convictions, and my motivation was only that my daughters were being excluded. I asked that since we accommodate all sorts of views in this Presbyterian Church, would it be possible to accommodate Presbyterians as well? We'll see. This is not new.

 

[Romans922]

had compromised

Lots of that happening in the Church today.

I replied I thought exceptions were accepted, but not to be taught or practiced.

BINGO!

 

[Rom]

To all of them I made the point that, being a layman, I did not see it as my station to try to change anybody's convictions, and my motivation was only that my daughters were being excluded. I asked that since we accommodate all sorts of views in this Presbyterian Church, would it be possible to accommodate Presbyterians as well? We'll see. This is not new.

Let me just say, Brad - having been in almost exactly that position at our last church, and the conversations sound eerily like the ones I had with my elders. I very much sympathize with everything you wrote. Though perhaps, I was not witty and/or cheeky enough to come up with the "would it be possible to accommodate Presbyterians as well?" bit

 

[Scott1]

You are to be commended for your faithfulness. Remember to pray for grace and graciousness. Pray much.

1. During announcements - "The youth group will be meeting after service for a BBQ and then an innertube float down the river." (this to be followed by dinner at Subway)...

Encouraging eating out on the sabbath is a violation of it. The recreation clause of the WCF is sometimes stated as a difference, which is up to the Session and Presbytery to allow. Some qualify there difference to only "light" recreation because "heavy" recreation is work. If they are spending money in relation to the activity, that's another aspect of violation.

Have you spoken to your session about this?

Two Elders and the youth group leader.

Was asked by one Elder why I wasn't in an OPC Church. After informing him that all 4 of my children had been baptized in this Church, and that 18 years ago at a new members class I was handed a copy of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, and instructed that recreations were a violation of the 4th commandment, I asked him why he was at my Church? His reply was that the PCA allows exceptions to that portion of the Confession, to which I replied I thought exceptions were accepted, but not to be taught or practiced.

Be clear, a Presbytery MIGHT allow an exception to the sabbath recreation clause, subject of course to General Assembly review. Causing one to do business, I don't think that it is an allowable difference anywhere.

But then I asked him if he knew of a confessional Church within driving distance. He disengaged.

The other Elder was sympathetic, having been in agreement with the Confession on the matter in the past, but had compromised to allow his children to be included in activities. He said he would mention it to the Session.

For your mutual edification, meet with this brother, pray and talk about this.

The youth group leader said they hadn't considered that anyone would object when they scheduled it, but would in the future. He then informed me that his position is that Jesus is his sabbath.

The youth leader sounds like he needs some education, which is a first part of discipline. Pursue that through the elders,, view him graciously. You will have many opportunities to see people grow in understanding of the sabbath if they are open or convicted.

To all of them I made the point that, being a layman, I did not see it as my station to try to change anybody's convictions, and my motivation was only that my daughters were being excluded. I asked that since we accommodate all sorts of views in this Presbyterian Church, would it be possible to accommodate Presbyterians as well? We'll see. This is not new.

Look at this as an opportunity to see what God will do. Bring this to the attention of the elders, and that way to the Youth Leader.

Don't have a preconceived idea of what God will do. Focus on being faithful.

 

[Mushroom]

So, in reading today in Matthew 24, I noted that the Lord, in speaking of future days from that one, said that the disciples should pray that the tribulations coming didn't happen in winter or on a Sabbath. Seeing as the times spoken of were certainly after His ascension, why would He encourage them to pray for that if He was going to be their Sabbath?

 

[Scott1]

So, in reading today in Matthew 24, I noted that the Lord, in speaking of future days from that one, said that the disciples should pray that the tribulations coming didn't happen in winter or on a Sabbath. Seeing as the times spoken of were certainly after His ascension, why would He encourage them to pray for that if He was going to be their Sabbath?

There are different understandings of Matthew 24 regarding whether the events in them happened at the destruction of Israel in 70 A.D. or are reserved for the Second Coming, or alternate between the two or have parallels one with the other.

Be that as it may, some parts seem very likely talking about the destruction of the Temple and the nation of Israel as a unique Old Testament theocracy.

One of those being fleeing on the Sabbath.

Possibly the oncoming Roman Legions.

While civil law given Israel and ceremonial law pre-figuring Christ made the Old Testament Sabbath look different, the moral law commandment continues (as it has from Creation).

Spiritualizing it away by inter tubing, engaging in commerce, etc. so the day looks the same as any other devalues the nature of the command, to keep holy "set apart'" the day, all of it.

My thought is, go easy on the lack of understanding.
The youth leader has already acknowledged a change in future consideration. It may be the first time he has ever heard these concepts. It ought not be if he is leading in a reformed church,
but go easy.

Many of God's people will get that with some spiritual persuasion and a good example.

 

[Mushroom]

I appreciate the sentiments, Scott, but none of this is new. I've been the weird, old, confessional curmudgeon for a long time. In fact, my eldest daughter now lives half a continent away partially due to the fact that she certainly wasn't going to find a confessional Presbyterian anywhere near here to marry, and I fear the same will be true for my other children. I was taught confessional sabbatarianism in this Church, but the slow erosion of faithfulness has brought these unforeseen sorrows upon me. Needless to say, my 'going easy' is not so... easy. My family has suffered at the hands of theologically shallow men in positions of authority in the Church for a looong time and on many occasions. I have no energy left to put towards changing them, much less patience to handle them with kid gloves. I can only hope for some level of accommodation so my children won't be further ostracized.

 

[C. M. Sheffield]

Brad, I am sorry to hear of your church's slow declension in this area. I am sorry to see this same thing in so many previously confessional Presbyterian and Baptist churches. As best I can tell, the majority of young men and women are happy to affirm the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath so long as it doesn't mean anything practically.

 

[nick]

Exceptions for elders seem odd. Sounds like there would be a lot of preventable tension between members of the session and different parts of the congregation.

I lived through it at my old PCA church. Created a lot of confusion for me as a new Presbyterian.

I love that you asked him to accommodate Presbyterians. Hilarious, but sad that you even have to say it.