Blessed Are They

TODAY’S VERSE: “Blessed are they who keep the commandments of God, that they might have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city.” Revelation 22: 14

 It is very early this Sabbath morning. There is so much to learn, so much that we as mere humans will never understand. But thankfully, we have a loving and merciful God and He gave us the Scriptures that we might have a light to follow in this world of darkness.

 There is nothing in the Bible that God meant for us not to understand. There are things in the Bible that no longer pertain to us because Christ died on the cross. Those things that “were a shadow of that which was to come” are no longer observed such as the sacrificing of animals. The ceremonial laws, or the Mosaic laws are no longer observed. These laws were fulfilled when Jesus came and rose again! However, as Christians we all agree that the Ten Commandments are important. Have you heard about the Ten Commandments Day being celegrated for the first time this year on May 7?

 When you visit their website, the first words you notice are, “Finally, a day in which we can come together and celebrate God’s eternal moral law.” Notice that they said, “God’s eternal moral law.” Does this mean that ALL of the Ten Commandments are still binding? I believe that as Christians we have spent hundreds of years following the commandments of men, when we should really be following the commandments of God. Have you ever wondered why you go to church, not on the Sabbath day, but on the day of the sun? If God’s law is eternal - why do the founders of the Ten Commandments Day not keep the fourth commandment?

 I didn’t think about it for many years. I was certainly not raised keeping the Biblical Sabbath. Yet, 8 years ago God allowed me to meet a Sabbath keeper and begin to question my own belief system. Can you imagine my shock when I began to study the Bible and realized that Jesus never even hinted that the Sabbath was not to be kept after He died? I thought, “This is amazing!” How could I have been so blind to the Scriptures for so many years? But in all honesty, I had never even thought to question it until it was put in front of me. Afterall, everyone I knew was going to church on the first day of the week.

So, I want to challenge you this morning to go to the Bible and see what it says about going to church. Find out what it says about “The Lord’s Day.” And find out what it really says about the Sabbath.

 Some may think I am being stodgy in my thinking that we need to obey God’s Word. Other’s have honestly never given it a thought. But it is such a major subject that is rarely ever discussed among Christians today.

 Let’s see if we can answer a few questions together and then perhaps you can get out your trusty concordance later this afternoon and do a word search on “Sabbath” and another on the first day of the week (which incidently is only spoken of 8 times in the Bible.) If in doubt - follow the Bible. Man’s word is not reliable. But the Bible tell us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Timothy 3: 16

 
When was the Sabbath made?

 “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.” Exodus 20: 11

 What is the Lord’s day?

 “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.” Exodus 20: 11

“For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” Matthew 12: 8

How should we keep the sabbath?

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates…” Exodus 20: 8- 10

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates…” Exodus 20: 8- 10 “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the LORD in everything you do, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. If you do this, the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and give you your full share of the inheritance I promised to Jacob, your ancestor. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Isaiah 58: 13-14 (NLT)

What is to be a sign between us and the Creator?

“Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:12 Did Jesus come to change the law?

“Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:12 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5: 18

What does the Bible say about following man’s teachings?

“Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings.” Matthew 15:9 (NLT) Who changed the day of worship to Sunday?

“Ques. –Which is the Sabbath day?
“Ans. –Saturday is the Sabbath day.

“Ques. –Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
“Ans. –We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” –Peter Geiermann, The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 1957 edition, p. 50 [Geiermann (1870-1929) received the “apostolic blessing” of pope Pius X on this book, January 26, 1910].

Is not every Christian obliged to sanctify Sunday and to abstain on that day from unnecessary servile work? Is not the observance of this law among the most prominent of our sacred duties? But you may search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”–James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers, 92nd ed., rev., p. 89 [Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921) was archbishop of Baltimore. This book was the most famous Catholic book in America a hundred years ago].

“Ques. –How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
“Ans. –By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of [by observing it]; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.”–Priest Henry Tuberville, An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine, p. 58 [In 1833, Tuberville received a papal approbation–a special Vatican approval–on this book].

“If you follow the Bible alone there can be no question that you are obliged to keep Saturday holy, since that is the day especially prescribed by Almighty God to be kept holy to the Lord.”–Priest F.G. Lentz, The Question Box, 1900, p. 98 [Lentz (d. 1917) was a Catholic priest and writer, based in the Illinois area].

Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. I believe in the Bible and the Bible alone. As Martin Luther proclaimed, “Solo Scriptura!” (The Bible Alone!)

For more information visit: www.SabbathTruth.com