Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day (Part 2)
WhoHow Our attitude When
The Fourth Commandment: “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.
The Historical Foundation of the Sabbath day Genesis 2:2-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
The Historical Foundation of the Sabbath day 1.It is holy by nature. a.Man does not make it holy, b.nor can man “unholy” it. 2.It has a holy purpose. 3.It has a holy permanence.
What Has Changed? John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Revelation 19 & 21: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
A New Day for the Church: 1.A new practice 2.A new name 3.A new hope
What Hasn’t Changed? “Remember the Lord’s Day to keep it holy. Remember the day To keep it holy
What may/should be done on this Day? “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. - Works of necessity - Works of mercy - Works of ministry
What Should Not Change. “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.
The Creation Mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28)
The curse on work makes the curse of work: “Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread,” (Gen. 3:17-19)
You cannot serve God and money. (Mt. 6:24)
Ps. 147:10-11 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.