The Fourth Commandment
“And he said to them [the Pharisees], “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” ESV Mark 2:27
Jesus summed up the first four of the Ten Commandments in one short sentence found in Matthew chapter 22. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Oh for the strength to live each day by this simple principle! Wouldn’t it be great if all distractions were gone and we had only to sit at the feet of Jesus? Imagine what it would be like. Imagine yourself as a disciple walking and talking with Jesus each and every morning. Christians should harbor no higher desire.
Now let me stretch your thinking a bit. Christians should, in essence, be doing that every Sunday morning in corporate worship. Walking with Christ.
Let’s not split hairs over which day of the week the Sabbath falls on; Saturday or Sunday. And let us not quibble over whether it is a commandment that the New Testament changed or rendered void. In other words, lets don’t act like a bunch of Pharisees. Instead, let’s focus on its purpose and meaning to us today. What is the meaning and purpose of a Sabbath’s Day rest?
Christ left no doubt that the Sabbath, that is the fourth commandment, was established for the benefit of man. But how so? Well, if you’ll look back to Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15 you’ll find two super answers.
First, it was initiated by God. God rested. Think about it. God had no reason to rest because God doesn’t get tired! Instead, God rested as an example that man could follow. God set a pattern if you will of how man could refresh himself, his household, his land, and even his livestock. Could you use some refreshment?
Secondly, it is a way to bring to our recollection spiritual bondage and gracious redemption. The Hebrews were told to observe the Sabbath in order to remember the Egyptian captivity and God’s gracious deliverance and redemption. Now, fast forward with me. If you call yourself a Christian today, doesn’t that mean that you have been redeemed from the captivity of sin? Yes! Christians have been redeemed from the captivity of sin just as surely as the Hebrews were redeemed from Egyptian captivity. Celebrating the Christian Sabbath on Sunday morning should bring this afresh to our minds.
One final observation. Obedience to the spirit and intent of the fourth commandment has a way of focusing you and everyone in your house on God. In other words, it promotes worship of our wonderful Creator, Redeemer and LORD.
If you’re interested in studying how the Ten Commandments apply today, permit me to recommend a book to you. The title is Written in Stone: The Ten Commandments and Today’s Moral Crisis by Philip Graham Ryken.
Ken Askew
Jesus summed up the first four of the Ten Commandments in one short sentence found in Matthew chapter 22. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Oh for the strength to live each day by this simple principle! Wouldn’t it be great if all distractions were gone and we had only to sit at the feet of Jesus? Imagine what it would be like. Imagine yourself as a disciple walking and talking with Jesus each and every morning. Christians should harbor no higher desire.
Now let me stretch your thinking a bit. Christians should, in essence, be doing that every Sunday morning in corporate worship. Walking with Christ.
Let’s not split hairs over which day of the week the Sabbath falls on; Saturday or Sunday. And let us not quibble over whether it is a commandment that the New Testament changed or rendered void. In other words, lets don’t act like a bunch of Pharisees. Instead, let’s focus on its purpose and meaning to us today. What is the meaning and purpose of a Sabbath’s Day rest?
Christ left no doubt that the Sabbath, that is the fourth commandment, was established for the benefit of man. But how so? Well, if you’ll look back to Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15 you’ll find two super answers.
First, it was initiated by God. God rested. Think about it. God had no reason to rest because God doesn’t get tired! Instead, God rested as an example that man could follow. God set a pattern if you will of how man could refresh himself, his household, his land, and even his livestock. Could you use some refreshment?
Secondly, it is a way to bring to our recollection spiritual bondage and gracious redemption. The Hebrews were told to observe the Sabbath in order to remember the Egyptian captivity and God’s gracious deliverance and redemption. Now, fast forward with me. If you call yourself a Christian today, doesn’t that mean that you have been redeemed from the captivity of sin? Yes! Christians have been redeemed from the captivity of sin just as surely as the Hebrews were redeemed from Egyptian captivity. Celebrating the Christian Sabbath on Sunday morning should bring this afresh to our minds.
One final observation. Obedience to the spirit and intent of the fourth commandment has a way of focusing you and everyone in your house on God. In other words, it promotes worship of our wonderful Creator, Redeemer and LORD.
If you’re interested in studying how the Ten Commandments apply today, permit me to recommend a book to you. The title is Written in Stone: The Ten Commandments and Today’s Moral Crisis by Philip Graham Ryken.
Ken Askew
posted by TBC at
7/08/2009 08:49:00 PM
1 Comments:
That is great recommendation. Have you read "Call the Sabbath a Delight" by Walter Chantry? Very helpful in putting the meaning of the fourth commandment into perspective.
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