Series: The New Humanity
Message: Sabbatarians
Preacher: Jessyka Dooley
Reflection: Tim Gillespie
Live Wonder: Verity Were
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Beyond: Moe Stiles
Live Purpose: Vanessa Rivera
Editor: Becky De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Exodus 20:8-11 in The Message (MSG). Note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: Have you ever tried to “keep” a new car clean? We all do it when we first purchase a new car. We tell our kids they can’t eat in it. We are even careful to only use the coffee cup with the really good seal on the lid! We just don’t want anything to make this beautiful new car dirty.

But we know that this won’t last too long. Pretty soon we will be eating french fries and the kids will be dropping their milkshakes on those new leather seats on that road trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. And because you have relaxed your desire to “keep” your car clean, the trip will be a great deal more fun and exciting for everyone. Rather than keeping the kids scared that they might drop something, you can sing songs and play games, knowing that you will be able to clean it all up later. You are literally “giving” the kids a better time because you are not so worried about “keeping” your car clean.

I wonder if we shouldn’t begin to look at the Sabbath this way. Most of our fights over Sabbath have been about the when and the how of Sabbatarianism, but rarely about the why! We fight over how it should be kept, but we forget about the why of the Sabbath. Scripture actually says, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. . .” (Exodus 20:8). It does not say “Keep the Sabbath day to keep it holy. . . .” Maybe this is something that we need to remember in a more profound way when we talk about the Sabbath.

You see, perhaps the Sabbath wasn’t for “keeping” but for giving.

Let’s ask this question first: Why the Sabbath?

1. It connotes a regime change. When we take the time to let Jesus be Lord of our lives, we recognize that time is a premium that He desires from us. In that time, we worship, we connect, we pray, and we fellowship with others who have made the regime of Jesus their priority.

2. It connotes a shift from scarcity to enough. We live in a world and an economy of scarcity, where there is never enough of anything—time, money, resources, etc. To observe Sabbath means that we adhere to the notion that everything God has done for us is enough to sustain us in every situation. Of course, we do the work that has been given to us, but we also know that God will provide, particularly in times of shortfall.

When we begin to look at the Sabbath as the answer to scarcity, the paradox that is Christianity becomes more and more pronounced in our lives. We rest when it feels like we should be working, but that rest allows God to work in more profound ways in our lives, through us and for us.

Recalibrate: Have you tried to keep the Sabbath and yet felt as if you had failed miserably? What is the problem that we have had trying to “keep” the Sabbath?

Respond: What are the things that are keeping you from giving the Sabbath as opposed to simply keeping it? Can you list those things that make the Sabbath legalistic in your life?

Research: I know I posted this yesterday, but I am serious, you need to read it! Worth a second look.

Remember: “So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11, ICB).

Dr. Timothy Gillespie is lead pastor of Crosswalk Church in Redlands, CA. He also teaches at several universities and consults on mission integration for Adventist Health.

If your little one is able to, get them to jump into your arms, or bounce on your knee or spin around. When you catch your child or stop bouncing or spinning, give them a big hug and enjoy the moment. Repeat. Sabbath is where we get to wrap ourselves in and rest in our Heavenly Father’s hug for a whole day.

We have been talking about how Sabbath is a rest. God rested after He made the world. When I was a child I never liked to rest. I always wanted to play. Are you the same? It took me a long time to learn that Sabbath is about resting in God’s world. Play falling into a bean bag or onto your bed. God is our safe place and we can rest in Him anytime.

Why do you think God created Sabbath? Do you think Sabbath is only for people to gather, sing songs, and eat all the food, or to not do this or do that? I shared yesterday some of my experiences growing up and practicing Sabbath. It was one of my favorite days, yet it also wasn’t one of my favorite days for so many reasons. I used to get into a bit of trouble as a youngster—mind you I get in trouble now for different reasons—but Sabbath was the day I got in a lot of trouble. I was always talking in church and it drove my parents crazy! The close of Sabbath was also a time I got lectured a lot. Now I get paid to talk! Isn’t that cool!

There’s something beautiful about this time that God set aside for us. Life can get pretty stressful, and one of the gifts that God has given us and our world is the gift of time. Time to celebrate, remember, gather, heal, bless . . . the list goes on. The time that God has set aside and says He made “holy” is holy because of Who God is and how He has created this time to bring goodness into our lives. Can you share your favorite Sabbath memories and activities to do on the Sabbath?

When I was in second grade, I memorized all of my classmates’ birthdays. All 22 of them. I was very proud of this achievement. So proud that I made it a point to inform the class I had done this. Whenever I noticed we were nearing someone’s birthday, I would inform my teacher that we were three days away from Kelsey’s birthday and almost a month away from Omar’s birthday. Birthdays are something that I always try to remember because I find them important. When my fiancé told me his birthday was November 3, my first response was, “That’s my friend Jason’s birthday, too!”

I’m obsessed.

When God declared the word “remember” in Verse 8, it was important. None of the other Ten Commandments start with the word “remember.” Some might wonder what is so important about keeping the Sabbath day. We’ll get there, but today we’re going to focus on that key word “remember.” Do you try to remember anything? Birthdays? Sports stats? The menu at your favorite restaurant? What we choose to remember is an indicator of what we value.

Verity Were is a registered nurse at the largest pediatric intensive care unit in Sydney, Australia. She attends Kellyville Adventist church with her husband and two toddlers.
Zan Long is GRC director for faith development for ages 0-17. She lives in Sydney, Australia, and serves at her local church in nearby Kellyville.
Moe Stiles is lead pastor at Oasis Church in Vancouver, WA. She is married to Adrian and is mother to Caleb and Johnny.
Vanessa Rivera is a therapist at a community mental health center in Denver, CO, and serves as the faith engagement pastor at Boulder Church.