Ten Words - Week 5: Remember!

Scripture: Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 11:28-30, Mark 2:27-28, Colossians 2:16-17, Romans 14:5, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Colossians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20:8. Is going to church what this commandment is about? Or is there something deeper than simple church attendance? Is this command requesting Compliance with an order without the Comprehension of who God is?

How do we “remember” the Sabbath Day? By worshiping and praising and acknowledging God as our Lord, King and Savior. However, some have a false understanding of worship. In the Old Testament they see worship as attending Saturday Synagogue and in the New Testament they see it as attending Sunday Church. 

The Sabbath is all about RESTING - let’s take a dig into what resting means and is. Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Stand at the crossroads and look: ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Rest for one’s soul is found in God, in His truth, in who He is, in what He has done. Jesus says the same things in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

True rest is not found in a building - it is found in Him - in a relationship with the Living God. 

Digging deeper into the command, “Remember the Sabbath Day.” The Resurrection of Jesus was on a Sunday. While many in Jesus’ day went daily to the temple to Praise God for what Jesus had accomplished in the resurrection, Sundays became their sabbath and each Sunday was a mini Resurrection Day celebration in honor of Christ’s victory of the grave. In Colossians 2:16-17 we read: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” This verse tells us it’s not about worshiping God on a specific day or way. This verse tells us that  Jesus is the genuine Sabbath!  Rest is found in Christ! He is rest. In Him is rest. 

Rest is a precious gift found in Christ. Mark 2:27-28 tells us, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”

Even though the New Testament day of worship became a Sunday for believers in Jesus, Romans 14:5 tells us that God does not command us to set aside one particular day - though we are free to do that - like we continue today to gather together on Sunday’s in memory of Jesus’ resurrection. But that doesn’t mean we all have to do that - in fact the New Testament doesn’t say to worship on any specific day of the week.  What we are told is to worship God ALL the time; worshiping Him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind and worshiping, praising and thanking Him in all situations 

Jesus tells us that He is the one who is rest and who brings rest. How do we practice the command to “remember,” how do we do what we are called by God to do? Here are some New Testament Essentials:

    ⁃    We are called to worship - worship is to be a life-style, it’s the way we live. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 Daily worship is the heart of our lives - relationship with Him brings forth worship.
    ⁃    We are to be in God’s Word - allowing it to transform us - to be made new in Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  We are to allow the Word of God to be part of our lives and to allow His Word to change our lives.
    ⁃    We are to practice godly Wisdom. Colossians 3:16 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”  We also worship God when we wisely take care of our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

God calls us to rest - Jesus is Rest - Resting in Him is something that is good for our souls, our hearts, our bodies and our minds.  We aren’t to go through the motions of rest one day a week - that’s RITUAL. We are to live in Him and for Him daily - as a RESPONSE to who He is: Our place of rest because He is our gift of salvation.

St. Augustine said it well: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.”

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