Breathing on the Lord’s Day

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”  ~Exodus 20:8

The word Sabbath means “cease” or “rest.” So, the fourth commandment is: “Remember to set apart the rest day.” What does that mean? Isaiah 58 gives us a clue: “Take back your foot from the Sabbath.” (In ancient times, when one king defeated another, the defeated king would lay on the ground and the victorious king would put his foot on his neck, symbolizing dominion. God tells us to take our foot off the neck of the Sabbath – let it breathe!) It goes on, “…from doing your hefetz [desired priority] on my holy day. Call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable. Honor it, not going your own ways or seeking your own pleasure or talking idly.” In other words, take a break from yourself and the humdrum and demands of your life in order to prioritize God.

The fourth commandment is appetizing! A day to set everything else aside in order to enjoy God and savor His people – sign me up! And yet some Christians ignore the fourth commandment as if it is not one of the ten. Indeed, it seems that Christians who strive to set apart the Sabbath are suspected of being pharisaic. So, in a land where few keep the Sabbath, why should I? Let me give five brief reasons.

First, because God kept the Sabbath. He worked six days and on the seventh He “rested and was refreshed” (Ex. 31:17). If our infinitely wise God thought it was important to have a rest day, shouldn’t we? Second, because God commands us to keep the Sabbath. Like the sixth commandment (“Do not murder”) or any of the ten, the fourth commandment is a command, not a suggestion. Third, because it enables us to savor God. God knew we needed to devote a day to Him because otherwise we’d fill our weeks to the brim with work, study, social engagements, etc. We’d neglect the means of grace. We’d frazzle ourselves to death. We’d be submerged in the here and now and lose eternal perspective. In short, we’d crowd God out. So God says, “Take a rest. Be still and know that I am God. Withdraw from the demands, deadlines, and daily burdens, and breathe Me in. Rest. Reset. See Me, your Creator and Redeemer" (Ex. 20:11, Deut. 5:15).

A fourth reason to honor the Sabbath is because it is good for us! Satan deceived Adam and Eve into thinking God’s Law was harsh, restrictive, and holding them back. If only they could break His Law, life would be so much better! Some people make the same mistake with the fourth commandment: “It’s harsh and restrictive – God is holding me back!” We know, of course, that is a lie. The Sabbath is freedom! In fact, Isaiah 58 says, “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath . . . then you shall take delight in the Lord and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth.” This is the day we lean into God’s presence, God speaks to us, and we have our priorities recalibrated, our affections reorientated, our earthly concerns put into perspective, our souls comforted, our resolves strengthened, our sins forgiven, and our blessings pronounced. It is good for us. Euan Murray played rugby for the Scotland national team, yet he refused to play on Sundays. One day he visited our church in Wales, and someone asked him, “Is it difficult not to check the score or think about the match on the days you’d otherwise be playing for Scotland?” Murray said the fourth commandment wasn’t just a duty but a delight, because he valued meeting with Christ more than playing professional sports, and he knew it was for his good.

Fifth, honoring the Sabbath is a profound testimony to God. It says to God, “You are my God; I belong to You.” It is our signal to God that we are His. (For more on this concept, see Exodus 31:12-18.) Keeping the Sabbath is not only a witness to God, but to the world. David Strain said, “For a few people today, an hour or two on Sunday mornings is occupied with public worship, but for most people, the idea that Sunday is an entire day set apart for worship, rest, and ministry—is entirely novel. And yet, in an age of frenetic and unrelenting busyness, when technology allows us to stay plugged into the world 24/7, when entertainment becomes the de facto purpose of so many lives, nothing could be more countercultural, nor bear more eloquent testimony to a Christian’s citizenship in another world, than a well-spent Lord’s Day.”

As we approach another rest day, let’s honor it. Why? Because God did, because He commands us to, because it enables us to savor Him, because it’s good for us, and because it’s a tremendous testimony to Him and the world.

Rev. Rob Dykes, Pastor of Preaching & Congregational Care