10 Stupid Things We Do We Fail to Rest and Recharge Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Introduction More misunderstanding about this command than any other More doctrinal error over this command than all of the others combined I want to make some observations about this command

Unique This is the longest of the commands Deuteronomy 5:12-15 – 12 ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Unique The only one stated both positively and negatively The only one not repeated in the New Testament  Longest of all the commands

History - Background Creation – Genesis 2:2-3 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

History - Background Law of Moses added many restrictions Over 70 passages Real issue – Define “work” Selling, cutting wood, build fire, cook, carry a load

Importance Exodus 31:14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

In Jesus’ Time Scribes and Pharisees added many restrictions They turned a blessing into a burden Jesus refocused the purpose of the Sabbath

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Romans 14:5 - One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Colossians 2: So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Example Acts 20:7 - Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Example Revelation 2:10 - I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Example 1 Corinthians 16:2 - On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

Not Repeated in NT Sabbath observance is contradicted in: NT Teachings Example Sabbath observance was a matter of personal choice

Sabbath Principle 6 days of work is optimal Called the “Judeo-Christian work ethic” French tried a 10-day week – work 9 and off 1 Productivity fell and the idea was abandoned

Sabbath Principle Today many plans are used: 4 10-hour days per week = 40 hours 3 12-hour days per week = 36 hours 6 6-hour days per week = 36 hours None of these is as effective as God’s plan

We Need Rest Holidays, personal days, sick days, vacation Our rest pays rewards: Physical Emotional Spiritual

We Need Rest Another purpose – Worship Hebrews 10:25 - not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Conclusion: The day has changed The principle is the same We need to rest and recharge We can rest – Because Jesus worked! Is there an eternal rest in your future?