Remember the Sabbath
As we prepare our hearts, I want to turn to Exodus chapter 20, one of the greatest chapters in our Bibles. Here's the giving of the law to the nation of Israel, it's that law that Paul references in Romans 7. Remember how he describes it? It's a good law, a holy law, it's a law that the psalmist delights in. It's a law that the psalmist says, I love. And I'm going to read the fourth commandment, verses 8 through 11, it's the longest of all the commandments, which is interesting. It's a commandment that reminds us that God is sovereign over our time. He gives us a 7-day week, 6 days to work, and 1 day to rest.
Exodus 20:8-11,
You notice how the commandment starts, it starts with that word, remember. And that word remember, is used approximately 200… depending upon your English translation, 300 times, so that concept of remembrance is woven through our whole Bibles. And you could even say this, it's at the heart of the gospel from a divine perspective and from a human perspective. God promises not to remember our sins. Isaiah chapter 43, “I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake. I will not remember your sins.” That's part of the gospel, isn't it? Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful toward your iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” But when we come to the Lord's Table, we're also given that injunction, that duty to remember what Jesus did for us on that cross by way of His blood atonement. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
And the fourth commandment is shaped by the duty of remembrance. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” And I'm sure you know, perhaps no commandment has been fought over more than the fourth commandment. It is the most positive commandment, strange to say. Often, people see it more from a Moses perspective than from a gospel, or Jesus perspective. There is an Old Testament, Mosaic Sabbath but there's also a new covenant, a new covenant Sabbath day, a day to remember what Jesus accomplished. We have the Lord's Supper, same word, Lord's Supper to remember his death and the Lord's day, same word, to remember his resurrection.
So it goes back to the gospel. The day is given for us to remember what Jesus Christ accomplished by conquering death. But no question, God doesn't want us to forget what Jesus did by way of his death and resurrection. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson says,
Exodus 20:8-11,
“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 to 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 heaven and 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.”
You notice how the commandment starts, it starts with that word, remember. And that word remember, is used approximately 200… depending upon your English translation, 300 times, so that concept of remembrance is woven through our whole Bibles. And you could even say this, it's at the heart of the gospel from a divine perspective and from a human perspective. God promises not to remember our sins. Isaiah chapter 43, “I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake. I will not remember your sins.” That's part of the gospel, isn't it? Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful toward your iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” But when we come to the Lord's Table, we're also given that injunction, that duty to remember what Jesus did for us on that cross by way of His blood atonement. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
And the fourth commandment is shaped by the duty of remembrance. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” And I'm sure you know, perhaps no commandment has been fought over more than the fourth commandment. It is the most positive commandment, strange to say. Often, people see it more from a Moses perspective than from a gospel, or Jesus perspective. There is an Old Testament, Mosaic Sabbath but there's also a new covenant, a new covenant Sabbath day, a day to remember what Jesus accomplished. We have the Lord's Supper, same word, Lord's Supper to remember his death and the Lord's day, same word, to remember his resurrection.
So it goes back to the gospel. The day is given for us to remember what Jesus Christ accomplished by conquering death. But no question, God doesn't want us to forget what Jesus did by way of his death and resurrection. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson says,
"It's a day to reboot or recalibrate our thinking and why we're here on Earth, to enjoy and glorify Him, our Creator and our Savior."
But every Lord's Day we should remind ourselves of what He did for us, not only in terms of making us, but also in saving us. And so, as you go back to the past Lord's Day, this is what we often do, we try to remember. Remember what we heard, remember what was taught and remember what was preached. It also gives us opportunity to exercise the practice of thanksgiving. As Christians, we should be the most thankful people, and praising our God for all that He's done.
Posted in Pastor Devotional