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We could turn with me in your 
Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 5. Deuteronomy chapter 5, working 
our way through the Ten Commandments. We're on the fourth commandment 
still. Last time we looked at a brief exposition of the commandment, 
and then we looked at the Sabbath in the Old Covenant. Tonight 
we'll look at the Sabbath in the New Covenant, but I do want 
to read the Decalogue prior to our Our study here, beginning 
in chapter 5 at verse 6, I am the Lord your God who brought 
you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make 
for yourself a carved image, any likeness of anything that 
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that 
is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them 
nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am 
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing 
mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. 
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for 
the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Observe 
the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded 
you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the 
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you 
shall do no work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your 
male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your 
donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within 
your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest 
as well as you. And remember that you were a 
slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you 
out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm. Therefore 
the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Honor 
your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded 
you, that your days may be long and that it may be well with 
you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. You shall 
not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, 
you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, you shall 
not covet your neighbor's wife, and you shall not desire your 
neighbor's house, his field, his male servant, his female 
servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. 
These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly in the mountain, 
from the midst of the fire, the cloud and the thick darkness 
with a loud voice. And he added no more. And he 
wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word, we thank You for these commandments, 
we thank You, Father, for the grace that You have given to 
us to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, that in the 
language of the prophet Jeremiah, You've given us that forgiveness 
of sins, You've written Your law upon our hearts, You've given 
us a desire by the Spirit's presence and power in our lives to do 
what Your Word says. And God, help us in this, help 
us to understand this particular doctrine, this fourth commandment, 
and help us, God, to seek by grace to keep the Sabbath day 
holy, to observe it, to remember it, and to find it to be a great 
delight in our Christian life. Help us, God, not to look at 
it as drudgery. Help us not to look at it as 
a burden, but help us to see it as the gift that it is. As 
Jesus says in Mark 2, the Sabbath was made for the man and not 
man for the Sabbath. And may we keep that perspective, 
and may we understand that this is a gift and a mercy and a grace 
from our gracious God. Do forgive us now for our sins 
and our transgressions, and fill us with your Spirit. And we ask 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, our focus 
tonight is on the fourth commandment, looking at the Sabbath, seeing 
that it is in fact perpetual in the new covenant, that it's 
binding upon the people of God today. It's not the case that 
we keep the Sabbath in order to be saved, but rather we're 
saved by grace through faith so that we can enjoy and delight 
in the good gift that our Father has given us. So as we look at 
the Sabbath and the New Covenant, I want to look at three things. 
First, the ministry of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the resurrection 
of Jesus Christ. And then thirdly, the teaching 
of the apostles of Jesus Christ. All with reference to this fourth 
commandment, this Sabbath. but turn first to Matthew chapter 
5, as we consider the ministry of Jesus Christ. I want to look 
at his view of the law in a broader and in a more general sense, 
and then we'll look at his view concerning the Sabbath, specifically 
here in Matthew's Gospel. But with reference to the ministry 
of Jesus Christ, we need to see that he affirms that he upheld, 
that he confirmed the word, the law of the living God. Remember 
that Jesus, by the time we get to Matthew 5, is popular. His fame is spreading. People 
are interested. People are curious into who he 
is and what he's about. And so the Sermon on the Mount, 
he not only addresses to his disciples, but he addresses to 
great multitudes. And certainly one of the things 
that everybody would be concerned about is what was Christ's relationship 
to the Old Testament? Or how did Jesus view the law 
and the prophets? How did he view the written word 
of God that was before them, the Old Testament? And he sets 
that out in Matthew 5, verse 17. Notice he says, do not think 
that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come 
to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, 
till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by 
no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. So just a surface 
reading of this particular passage indicates or shows us that Christ 
has great regard for and great esteem for the law and the prophets. That's most likely a reference 
to the Old Testament as a whole. We also see that he says that 
the law of God is abiding. Until such time as everything 
is consummated, we enter into the eternal state, the law of 
God is perpetual, it is abiding. We see Christ's respect for that 
law of God in His work. With reference to the work of 
Christ, He fulfills all that is written in the law and the 
prophets concerning Him. With reference to His own obedience 
of the law, we see that that's one of the fundamental factors 
by which we are saved. We need His death on the cross, 
we need that blood to cleanse us from our sin, but we also 
need a righteousness that avails with God And so Christ shows 
his esteem for the entirety of the law of God by always doing 
what pleases the Father. He always fulfills every jot 
and tittle along the way what God had called him to in terms 
of obedience to the law. He does that for us men and for 
our salvation. As well, the ceremonies, the 
things that were prefigurements in the Old Testament. he fulfills 
those as well in the sacrifice of himself. Spurgeon says, he 
is himself the fulfillment and substance of the types and prophecies 
and commands of the law. So in terms of Christ's work, 
his relationship to the law, he certainly affirms it. He doesn't 
abrogate it, he doesn't destroy it, he doesn't take it away. 
As well though in his teaching, Christ esteems the law. Christ 
upholds the law. And in fact, what's going to 
happen beginning in verse 21 in chapter 5 all the way to verse 
48 in chapter 5 is that Christ is going to expound the law. 
Christ is going to clear away the misinterpretation that scribes 
and Pharisees had inflicted upon the law of Moses. Christ is not 
anti-law. Christ is not antinomian, but 
rather Christ upholds the law in his work and in his doctrine 
or in his teaching. Spurgeon again says, our king 
honors his father's law. He took care to revise and reform 
the laws of men, but the law of God he established and confirmed. 
Our king has not come to abrogate the law, but to confirm and reassert 
it. So again, when we come to consider 
the Sabbath commandment, it is one of the Ten Commandments. 
It is one of those that are the reflection, or rather the revelation, 
of the perfection of God. We ask, what is God like? And 
the Ten Commandments describe Him for us. He is a God that 
is jealous for His own glory. He is a God that doesn't want 
us to misuse His name. He is a God that has carved out 
a particular day in the week so that His people can meet with 
Him. He is a God who wants us to be subordinate to governing 
authorities and to our parents. He's God who doesn't want us 
to murder, commit adultery, or lie, or steal, or covet. He is a God of order, and this 
law reveals Him. And when we look at Christ and 
His doctrine, He certainly confirms and affirms the Word of the Living 
God, Law and Prophets. Now, with reference to the Sabbath 
in particular, you can turn over to Matthew chapter 12. Matthew 
chapter 12, verses 1 to 14, is Christ and the Sabbath. And we 
see that Christ upholds the Sabbath in both of these instances. As 
well, when it comes to the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath, this 
first section indicates that works of necessity are authorized 
on the Sabbath day. Works of necessity are authorized 
on the Sabbath day. Specifically, in verses 1 to 
8, the disciples were hungry, so they picked grain in order 
to eat. Well, of course, the Pharisees 
and the scribes and the religious leaders were upset about that, 
but Jesus indicates that it's not at odds with the Sabbath 
to take care of those physical necessities. So works of necessity 
are permitted on the Sabbath day, and then in the second section 
from verses 9 to 14, we see that works of mercy are permitted 
and authorized on the Sabbath day. Look specifically at verse 
9 in chapter 12. Now when he had departed from 
there, he went into their synagogue, and behold, there was a man who 
had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is 
it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, that they might accuse him? Then 
he said to them, What man is there among you who has one sheep? 
And if it falls into the pit on the Sabbath, will not lay 
hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is 
a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do 
good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man, stretch 
out your hand, and he stretched it out, and it was restored as 
whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and 
plotted against him how they might destroy him." Isn't that 
a beautiful thing in terms of Christ's ministry, and then a 
diabolical thing in terms of the response to that ministry. 
Christ heals a man, and then the Pharisees, the religious 
leaders, they go out and plot how they might kill him. That's 
just an indicator of the depravity and the absolute wickedness of 
man. Christ comes to do great and glorious things, and the 
opponents want to destroy Him. They ultimately deliver Him up 
to be crucified. But in this section, we see that 
Christ upholds the Sabbath. Christ maintains that works of 
necessity are not a violation of the Sabbath, neither are works 
of mercy a violation of the Sabbath. But as I said, the underlying 
point is that the abiding Sabbath is obvious. A man by the name 
of Gilfillan, James Gilfillan, says Christ was careful to clear 
it, the Sabbath, from Jewish corruptions. And if there was 
any priest that more particularly vindicated by him and honored 
than another, it was that requiring the Sabbath day to be kept holy. 
I love what he says at this place. He says, it is not the practice 
of a wise man to repair a house which he is about to pull down. 
It's not the practice of a wise man to repair a house that he's 
about to pull down. If you're going to pull it down, 
you don't fix it first. If you fix it, you clear away 
the problems, the Pharisaic misinterpretation, it's so that it can stand and 
be solid and robust and respected in the right and correct way. 
He wouldn't make it right in terms of its interpretation only 
to destroy it at his death. I think that is a very fundamental 
and a very key point with reference to Christ's view of the Sabbath. 
So that's the ministry of Christ, the general respect for the entirety 
of God's holy law, but as well, specific detail with reference 
to the Sabbath day. Now secondly, we need to appreciate 
the resurrection of Christ. Our confession of faith links 
Sunday Sabbath observance to the resurrection of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and there's reasons For that, as we proceed, hopefully 
we'll be clear. But our confession says concerning 
the Sabbath, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection 
of Christ was the last day of the week. And from the resurrection 
of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which 
is called the Lord's Day. And it is to be continued to 
the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the 
last day of the week, being abolished. So there's no more Saturday Sabbath 
for the people of God, but there is a Sunday Sabbath. It is the 
Christian Sabbath or the Lord's Day, and that's what our confession 
of faith is highlighting in that place. Now turn specifically 
to John chapter 20. Each of the gospel records indicate 
that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. 
But I just want to focus on a few statements in John's gospel. 
John chapter 20 at verse 1. Now the first day of the week, 
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark 
and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. And 
we know why the stone had been taken away from the tomb, because 
Christ had been raised from the dead. That's the emphasis and 
it happens on the first day of the week. Now drop down to verse 
19, Jesus appears to his disciples on that first day of the week. 
Verse 19, Then the same day at evening, being the first day 
of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were 
assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst 
and said to them, Peace be with you. So again, he rose again 
on the first day, he appears to them on the first day, and 
then dropping down to verse 26, it says, and after eight days. Now, inclusively, this would 
bring us back to the next Sunday. If we counted the first Sunday, 
eight days from that would be the following Sunday. And verse 
26 indicates after eight days, his disciples were again inside 
and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut 
and stood in the midst and said, peace to you. So the resurrection 
of Christ from the dead is absolutely crucial with reference to the 
change of the day from Saturday to Sunday. And that brings us, 
thirdly, to the teaching of the apostles. You can turn to Hebrews 
chapter 4. Now I'm going to say something 
here at the outset. Hebrews 4, the reading that I'm 
going to give you, the interpretation I'm going to give you, I will 
admit it is not obvious when you just read through it in a 
cursory fashion. If you want more information 
about Hebrews 4 and the argument that I present tonight, please 
contact me. I can either A, send you my notes, 
Not that that will clear away any fog or confusion, but I can 
point you to good brothers who have written good treatments 
on Hebrews chapter 4, because this is the theological rationale 
for the change of the day. It used to be when I would present 
this material, I'd go to the main text. The main text where 
it indicates first day Sabbath observance. Paul at Troas in 
Acts 20, The Collection for the Saints in 1 Corinthians 16, and 
then John in the Spirit on the Lord's Day in Revelation 1. We'll 
look at those texts, but first we're going to do the theology 
of the change of the day. And I'm going to do a little 
bit different in terms of exposition, kind of just going to run through 
the passage and make appropriate comments as is necessary. Now notice in Hebrews chapter 
4, The context is one of the apostles' encouragement to the 
people of God to persevere. If you look back in chapter 3 
at verse 6, Christ is a son over his own house, whose house we 
are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope 
firm to the end. Now remember that this book was 
written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The sacrificial 
system was still in play. The temple was still standing. 
The persons that the apostle is writing to are Jewish Christians. And these Jewish Christians are 
having pressure exerted upon them for them to renounce Christ 
and go back to the temple, go back to Moses, go back to the 
Levitical sacrifices, go backward in redemptive history. So a recurring 
emphasis in the book of Hebrews is on perseverance. It is on 
going forward. It is on being faithful to the 
Lord Christ. And that's the context that we 
find here. Notice in verse 14 of chapter 
3. For we have become partakers 
of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to 
the end while it is said. So we have this exhortation to 
press on and to persevere. We have a negative example of 
the wilderness generation in Israel. If you look at verse 
15, while it is said, today, if you will hear his voice, do 
not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who, having 
heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came 
out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was he angry forty 
years? Was it not with those who sinned, 
whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that 
they would not enter his rest, but to those who did not obey? 
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 
It's very pertinent information there that he said they would 
not enter into his rest. Remember last week when we looked 
at the Sabbath and the Old Covenant, the first passage we looked at 
was Genesis chapter 2, verses 1 to 3. At the end of the week 
of creation, He made all things by the word of His power in the 
space of six days, and all very good. And that seventh day was 
a day of rest. God the Father enters into His 
rest, and that then serves as the focus, the goal, the ultimate 
terminus for all of His people. The goal for each and every one 
of us is to enter into that eternal Sabbath, that eternal rest with 
God. He's enthroned, he's there, he's 
resting in terms of complacency and approbation over his creation. 
And the goal of redemptive history is that the blood-bought children 
of God are moving forward to that rest. And that's the focus 
in chapter 4. Rest is paramount. Notice in verses 3 and 4, he 
wants the people of God to persevere. Verse 3, chapter 4, for we who 
have believed do enter that rest, as he has said, so I swore in 
my wrath they shall not enter my rest, although the works were 
finished from the foundation of the world. And then notice 
in verse 4, he appeals to Genesis 2, 1 to 3. For he, God, has spoken 
in a certain place of the seventh day in this way. And God rested 
on the seventh day from all his words. And again, in this place, 
they shall not enter my rest. So the argument is simply this. 
God at the creation enters into rest. The idea is that those 
who are saved by grace through faith in Christ will one day 
enter into that rest with Him. And so the author here in Hebrews 
4 is exhorting us to perseverance. Don't be like that wilderness 
generation who, because of unbelief and disobedience, did not enter 
that rest. However, you need to have faith. 
You need to press on. You need to go forward so that 
you may enter that rest. And then notice what he goes 
on to do. In verse 6, it says, "...since therefore it remains 
that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached 
did not enter because of disobedience." Again, he designates a certain 
day saying, "...and David, today, after such a long time as it 
has been said, today if you will hear his voice, do not harden 
your hearts." There is this continual reminder of the wilderness generation 
and their failure, because of unbelief, to enter into the rest. Don't be like the wilderness 
generation. Don't be riddled with unbelief, 
but rather with faith, press on and go forward to that eternal 
rest that you will enjoy in the presence of God Almighty. And 
then notice, in verse 8, It says, if Joshua, that is Joshua, the 
man that led the conquest, the book of Joshua is named after, 
for if Joshua had given them rest, then he would not afterward 
have spoken of another day. Now the land of Canaan, the promised 
land, that land that God gives to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 
that was typological. It was a blessing and a provision 
and a gift given by God where the people of Israel could rest, 
where the people of Israel could enjoy the blessings and benefits 
of God Almighty. But the argument is that it was 
in fact typical. That wasn't the end all. Canaan 
doesn't exhaust the promise of God, and that's the emphasis 
in verse 8. For if Joshua had given them 
rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. And then that brings us to a 
very important passage in the New Testament concerning Sabbath. 
Verse 9 tells us unequivocally, now you need to pay attention 
because again, we read through this stuff, we don't think through 
theology, we don't think in terms of the connections, the verse 
for reality that God the Father created and entered into His 
rest. The people of God, because of unbelief, didn't enter into 
that rest, and now the exhortation is upon us to faithfully persevere 
and to enter that rest. There's something beyond the 
land of Canaan. There's something that is heavenward, and that's 
the emphasis. But notice, with reference to 
verse 9, it says, there remains, therefore, a Sabbath for the 
people of God. Now, the New King James translates 
it rest, but it's literally Sabbath. You could call it Sabbath rest. In fact, I didn't have time to 
look at the ESV or the NIV. They may render it as Sabbath. 
But that is an intriguing choice of words for the author, because 
he's used the word rest over and over and over and over again, 
except in this instance, he uses the term Sabbath rest. And notice 
why. Verse 9 says, there remains therefore 
a rest for the people of God. So the wilderness generation, 
actually the second generation, who did enter into Canaan, who 
did occupy the promised land, who did dispossess the land of 
the Canaanites and they took up life in the land, they had 
a rest. But it was typological of heaven 
to come. And the weekly Sabbath pointed 
them forward to that heaven to come, to that eternal rest. And 
since the author says, therefore, there remains a Sabbath rest 
for the people of God, it indicates that since we haven't entered 
into that eternal rest, there is still a weekly Sabbath that 
functions in a way of preparation, in a way of encouragement, in 
a way of helping us along the way so that we will long for 
that eternal rest in which we will fully enjoy God. So it's 
not an argument against Sabbatarianism, but rather it is an argument 
for Sabbatarianism when he says, there remains therefore a Sabbath 
rest for the people of God. The use of rest and Sabbath rest 
is done with a specific theological purpose. As I said, the one word 
for rest that's used consistently in the passage changes at verse 
9. The author tells us, therefore, 
there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. The verbal 
form of this particular word is used in the Greek translation 
of the Old Testament to indicate Sabbath keeping. The Sabbath 
rest typifies the eternal rest that is to come. That's the apostle's 
point. There remains, therefore, a Sabbath 
rest for the people of God. Until we enter into that eternal 
rest, there are these weekly down payments vis-à-vis the Sabbath 
day wherein we are encouraged, wherein we are revitalized, wherein 
we are helped along the way so that we can persevere and not 
be riddled with unbelief, but go forward into that rest. G.K. Beal describes it this way, and 
I'm going to define the terms. He says, if the eschatological 
reality... Now, eschatology means the study 
of or the doctrine of last things. Eschatological reality, kids, 
simply means the blessings that God has for us in the future. 
The kids are saying, why didn't you just say the blessings that 
God has for us for the future? I did. It's called the eschatological 
reality. I'm going to ask kids on the 
way out tonight, what's an eschatological? No, I'm not going to do that. 
They're going to run around me and not want to see me at all. 
But this idea of if the eschatological reality of final Sabbath rest 
has not consummately come, and it hasn't, brethren, As good 
as communion with God is on this earth and in this church, we 
are not in the eternal state. We are not in that consummated 
rest. We haven't entered into the very 
presence of God Most High. So Beal says, if the eschatological 
reality of final Sabbath rest has not consummately come, then 
it is unlikely that the typological sign pointing to that ultimate 
rest has ceased. Let me just parse that out. If 
we have not yet entered in, and the sign, the Sabbath, pointed 
forward, since we have not entered in, then likely that means that 
this is still active, this is still abiding, this is still 
present. If this is the way God helped 
and encouraged the old covenant saints, this is the way God helps 
and encourages the new covenant saints. We often look at Sabbath 
as a long list of don'ts, don'ts, don'ts. We look at Sabbath as 
this burden. We look at Sabbath as a time 
where we can't go do this or we can't go do that. We need 
to look at Sabbath as what it is. God gave this gift for man. God set it apart for sanctification 
and blessing. God set it apart for communion 
with us. God set it apart as a means for 
our benefit so that when we taste these earthly Sabbath days, we 
have this longing for heaven. The very type that we engage 
in on a regular basis wets our whistle for that consummate reality 
that lay in our future. That's what Beal is saying. He 
goes on to say, that is, if the weekly Sabbath included the function 
of pointing forward to consummate rest, and that rest has not yet 
come, then that weekly Sabbath should continue. That's Paul's 
point in Hebrews 4.9. There are persons that will tell 
you, there's no Sabbath command in the New Testament. There is 
nothing in the New Testament that tells us there is this Christian 
Sabbath or there's this Lord's day. This is not what he says, 
verse four or verse nine says, there remains therefore a Sabbath 
rest for the people of God. Listen to AWP. He says, here 
then is a plain, positive, unequivocal declaration by the Spirit of 
God. There remaineth therefore a Sabbath keeping. He says nothing 
could be simpler, nothing less ambiguous. The striking thing 
is that this statement occurs in the very epistle whose theme 
is the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. If ever there was 
a time to stop Sabbatarianism, it would be in the book of Hebrews. 
All the author would have to do is say, well, Sabbath was 
attached to the civil polity. Now that they've been destroyed 
or cut off by God, then the Sabbath is cut off with them. No, that's 
not what happens. He says in the midst of this 
epistle, there remains, therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people 
of God. He goes on to say, written to those addressed as holy brethren, 
partakers of the heavenly calling. He says, therefore, it cannot 
be gainsaid, it cannot be opposed that Hebrews 4.9 refers directly 
to the Christian Sabbath. Hence, we solemnly and emphatically 
declare that any man who says there is no Christian Sabbath 
takes direct issue with the New Testament scriptures. So we have 
the statement that a Sabbath rest remains. We have a context 
where we are exhorted to not be like that wilderness generation, 
but by faith persevere, enjoy the weekly down payment, enjoy 
the Sabbath that God gives, but looking forward to that consummate, 
that eternal rest wherein we enter into the presence of God. 
Now, when we ask the question, what day do we do that? Verse 
10 answers. Now, perhaps we'd like verse 
10 to say, okay, for Christians, that means you worship on Sunday. 
It actually does say that, and I'm going to try and show you 
how it says that. The reference in verse 10 is 
the answer to the question, when is this Sabbath to be observed? Remember I said, when we looked 
at the Sabbath and the Old Covenant, in the book of Exodus, the reason 
for Sabbath-keeping is based on creation. In the book of Deuteronomy, 
the reason for Sabbath-keeping is based on redemption. Those 
twin themes come out in this particular section as well, which 
shows us the cohesiveness between the covenants concerning Sabbatarianism. Now notice in verse 10, it says, 
for he who has entered his rest has himself also seized from 
his works as God did from his. Now the typical interpretation 
takes that as an application to the believer. That's not what 
he's saying. The person in verse 10 is Jesus. In fact, I take my pencil and 
I made those little H's into big H's, not really big H's because 
I still want to be able to read it. It's Christ in verse 10. It's Jesus who has entered his 
rest. Notice in verse 4, for God has 
spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way. 
God rested on the seventh day from all his works. So Saturday, 
Sabbatarianism obtained in the Old Covenant. Jesus enters into 
His rest at the Resurrection. The first day of the week is 
the day that New Covenant believers gather together for worship. 
Now, if it's not obvious that verse 10 refers to Jesus, consider 
these few thoughts. First, the comparison in verse 
10. It's not the Christian's works 
and rest compared to God's, but it's Christ's works and rest 
compared to the Father. As well, the change of pronoun. 
All throughout the context, he's using a plural pronoun. We, us. Here it's singular, the one who 
has entered his rest. And then verse 11 is decisive. Verse 11 indicates that for you 
and I, there is still a rest that we need to persevere and 
obtain. Christ entered into his rest. on that first day. Having successfully completed 
the work of salvation, he is the author of new creation and 
redemption. So those twin concepts from Exodus 
and Deuteronomy justifying a Saturday Sabbatarianism based on the rest 
of God when he had finished his works and he ceased. Well, Jesus 
finished his works according to the scripture at the resurrection 
from the dead. And so now, instead of observing 
the Saturday Sabbath, we observe a Sunday Sabbath based on the 
work of Christ, the author of a new creation, the author of 
redemption. William Ames says, the reason 
for the change by the consent of all is the resurrection of 
Christ, which is itself a confirmation. On this day, the creation of 
a new world or of a world to come, wherein all things are 
made new, was completed. That's what Scripture says. Behold, 
I make all things new. If any man be in Christ Jesus, 
he is a new creature. All the old is passed away and 
all is new for him. He says, and God in Christ's 
rising from the dead ceased and rested from His greatest work. 
Just as in the beginning God rested from His work and blessed 
and hallowed the day wherein He rested, so also it is right 
that the very day wherein He rested, so also it is right that 
the very day wherein Christ rested from His labors should be hallowed. So verse 4 indicates the reason 
for Saturday Sabbatarianism in the Old Covenant, based on the 
Creator's rest And then verse 10 indicates the day upon which 
that Sabbath rest for the people of God continues. It is Sunday, 
and that is what we are commanded. The activity of obeying the Saturday 
Sabbath, you meet that sometime. There's these seventh-day Baptists. They're wrong. I'm sorry, Seventh-day 
Adventism. They say it's the mark of the 
beast to engage in Sunday worship. It's the mark of the beast to 
engage in Sunday worship. For those of you who do not know, 
we used to rent the Seventh-day Adventist facility. And I always 
was intrigued. As far as they were concerned, 
we engaged in the mark of the beast with reference to Sunday 
worship, but they had no problem taking our checks. whatsoever. That beastly money certainly 
spent just like every other bit of money. It seemed to be an 
inconsistency as far as I could tell. But Saturday Sabbatarianism 
is consistent in Old Covenant. Sunday Sabbatarianism is consistent 
in New Covenant. Because after all, according 
to the Apostle in verse 9, there remains therefore a Sabbath rest 
for the people of God. That Sabbath rest is to take 
place on the day given to us in verse 10. For Christ, who 
has entered his rest, has himself also ceased from his words, as 
God, the Father, did from his. It is a theological framework, 
and we see upheld throughout scripture the concepts of creation 
and redemption intertwined in the idea of Sabbath keeping. 
Now, based on that theology, turn to Acts chapter 20. just 
to see the apostolic practice, the apostolic precedence. When 
the apostles do something, even if it's devoid of a particular 
command, that is binding upon us. Just like in Genesis chapter 
2, 1 to 3, God doesn't say, okay, every creature that I create 
from here on out must Sabbath, they must rest. No, God's activity 
in the garden indicates what is normative for his people. 
here on earth. Now certainly later revelation 
tells us specifically to Sabbath, but we see in the New Testament 
more example and precedent and pattern on the part of the disciples. Notice in chapter 20 at verse 
7. Now on the first day of the week, 
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to 
depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message 
until midnight. There were many lamps in the 
upper room where they were gathered together, and in a window sat 
a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep." 
That's pretty encouraging for pastors on this side of Paul. 
People don't just sleep for us, they slept for Paul as well. 
But it was getting late into the night. So he was overcome 
by sleep, and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the 
third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell 
on him, and embracing him, said, Do not trouble yourselves, for 
his life is in him. Now when he had come up, had 
broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak 
he departed. and they brought the young man 
in alive, and they were not a little comforted. But verse seven is 
very, very indicative of what we've been saying. Now on the 
first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break 
bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and 
continued his message until midnight. Now notice in verse six, we sailed 
away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and 
in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. So they were in Troas seven days. That means they were in Troas 
on a Saturday, but that's not when they come together. When 
they come together to break bread, which most likely refers to the 
supper of the Lord, when they come together is the first day 
of the week. Why is that? Because that's the 
new covenant Sabbath, because it rehearses or reflects upon 
what Jesus does in terms of his life, death, and resurrection. F.F. Bruce says, the reference 
to the meeting for the breaking of bread on the first day of 
the week is the earliest text we have from which it may be 
inferred with reasonable certainty that Christians regularly came 
together for worship on that day. Now notice in 1 Corinthians 
chapter 16. 1 Corinthians chapter 16. Hopefully looking at the theology 
of the day change in Hebrews chapter four is helpful now to 
sort of process this information as to why they met on the first 
day. Well, Christ rose from the dead 
on that day. It was the day that he entered 
into his rest. Paul gives us the theology behind rest in Hebrews 
chapter four, telling us there is a Sabbath rest that remains 
for the people of God. And lo and behold, when we look 
at the practice and the example of the apostolic church, They 
met on the first day, 1 Corinthians 16, 1. Now concerning the collection 
for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, 
so you must do also. On the first day of the week, 
let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, 
that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, 
whomever you approve by your letters, I will send to bear 
your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go 
also, they will go with me." So notice that the apostle orders 
this. This isn't a suggestion. This 
isn't a recommendation. This is an order from the apostle 
Paul. Remember, one of the aspects 
of his apostolic ministry was to collect funds from Gentile 
churches to help the suffering saints in Judah. And that's the 
emphasis here. I want you to take this money 
on the first day of the week. I want you to set it aside. I 
want you to give it to the messengers. And I want it to be delivered 
where it's supposed to go. The order assumes a meeting on 
the first day of the week by those in Corinth. It's obvious. 
They are called that when they gather together on that first 
day, they are to bring their money. And then the order is 
not for the church in Corinth only, but for the churches of 
Galatia also. Notice in verse 1, as I have 
given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also. On the first day of the week, 
let each one of you lay something aside. That is indicative of 
the fact that they were meeting on the first day. Now notice 
in Revelation chapter 1, Revelation chapter one. Beginning in verse nine, I, John, 
both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom 
and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called 
Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 
I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a 
loud voice as of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, 
the first and the last, and what you see, write in a book and 
send it to the seven churches, which are in Asia, to Ephesus, 
to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and 
to Laodicea. Verse 10 is our focal point. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's 
day. Now, the form of the word that 
is utilized here is used only one other time in the New Testament. 
And I'd like you to turn there, 1 Corinthians 11. 1 Corinthians 
chapter 11. The Greek word is kouriaké. It's 
found in Revelation 1.10 and it's found in 1 Corinthians 11 
verse 20. Notice in 1 Corinthians 11 at 
verse 20, Therefore, when you come together in one place, it 
is not to eat. Notice the Lord's Supper. In Revelation 1.10, you have 
the Lord's Day, and in 1 Corinthians 11.20, you have the Lord's Supper. Kuriake, that's the Greek word. It's where our word kirk comes 
from. But the word kuriake means this. It is something that belongs 
to the Lord. It is the Lord's. So the argument 
is simple. God owns every supper that you 
ever eat. God owns any day that you ever 
breathe. But there is a supper and a day 
that are peculiarly God's. There is the Lord's Supper, and 
then there is the Lord's Day. Again, the fact that this word 
is used twice in the New Testament for the specific supper owned 
by God, given to His people for their encouragement and their 
benefit. And then the Lord's Day, the day owned by God, given 
by Him to His people for their well-being, for their encouragement, 
and for their overall health. It is a blessed reality that 
we have in this Lord's Day. Going back to Revelation 1 at 
verse 10, this is not the eschatological day of the Lord. John is not 
in the Spirit on the last day. John is not in the Spirit on 
that day of the Lord. It's not the case that this is 
the consummation of the age. It is rather the Lord's Day, 
Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. James Durham in his commentary 
on the book of Revelation, he says, as the Lord's Supper is 
for the remembrance of his death till he come again, so is this 
day for remembering the work of redemption and his resurrection 
till he come again. It's a beautiful thing that God 
has done, something that pertains or belongs specifically to Him, 
this idea of koreake, there is a supper that He owns and He 
gives it to His people for their encouragement and refreshment. 
Well, He owns the Lord's day as well and He gives it to His 
people for their encouragement and for their help and for their 
ability to persevere. the Lord's supper, the Lord's 
day. We see first day Sabbath observance on the part of the 
church based on the theology that we have there in Hebrews 
chapter four. So those are some New Testament 
passages. I don't wanna keep going. I think 
that's a lot of information. And I hope that you'll ponder 
these things. I hope that you'll reflect upon these things. And 
I hope that you'll feel the weight of Hebrews four, nine, because 
ultimately the case is founded upon that reality There remains 
therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Now I should 
tell you that most people try to take that and put it into 
the eschaton, but that's not what the context indicates. The 
context does not indicate there remains simply in terms of the 
future, but rather the fact that there are these weekly Sabbath 
observances. They help us to persevere to 
that eternal rest, to that eternal Sabbath, wherein we enter into 
the presence of God Almighty. So in conclusion, just a few 
thoughts with reference to our confession of faith. I think 
that's a great place to start in terms of Sabbatarianism. If 
you want a good overarching statement concerning the Christian Sabbath, 
Chapter 22, paragraph 7, is most helpful in our confession of 
faith. It teaches that the Sabbath is 
consistent with natural law. As we saw this morning, there's 
a lot of ways to define what natural law means. In the confession, 
at least in chapter 19, and then again in chapter 22, natural 
law is God's writing the law of God on Adam's heart. That's 
natural law. That self-same law is delivered 
to Israel at Sinai, codified in the Ten Commandments, but 
it's present within Adam's own heart. As well, the Sabbath is 
revealed by God in the Word of God. There is clarity with God 
with reference to Sabbatarianism. It's not the mysterious thought 
or the idea that some sort of speculate. There is definitive 
evidence in the New Covenant of the Christian Church worshiping 
on Sunday with a robust theology of Sabbatarianism and a command, 
or a statement rather, that there does remain a Sabbath rest for 
the people of God. Now, the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments 
is the one that has a mixture. There is elements of positive 
law and moral law. I wish everybody here would have 
been here at 930. You would save me about five minutes of explanation. Positive law is something that 
is temporary. Positive law is something that 
is conditioned by the covenant in which positive law is given. 
I'll give you an example of positive law. Genesis chapter 2. God forbids 
Adam from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and 
evil. That's not a moral law. It's not wicked, bad, wrong, 
or evil to eat fruit off of a tree. But rather, with reference to 
Adam's probationary state, God enacts positive law and prohibits 
Adam from participating in that tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil. Positive law is something like 
ceremonial law that you see in the Old Testament. The ceremonial 
law is fulfilled by Jesus Christ. There's no more ceremonial law 
for us. That's why our worship service 
looks so much different than temple worship. Temple worship 
had incense. Temple worship had instruments. 
Temple worship had sacrifice. Temple worship was in that particular 
vein. That's not the way we function. That is not the way that we conduct 
ourselves. That was positive law. Once Christ 
comes, once Christ dies, once Christ is risen from the dead, 
that ceremonial law no longer exists for the people of God. 
So it's a form of positive law. It's temporary, and it gets its 
sort of marching orders from the covenant that it finds itself 
in. So the positive element with reference to Sabbath is the particular 
day. In the old covenant, positive 
law dictated that the Sabbath was on Saturday. In the new covenant, 
positive law dictates that the Sabbath is on Sunday. But that's 
also moral law. And the moral law, the principle 
behind it is one day in seven is to be set apart by the creature 
for the worship of the creator. That is the moral principle that 
is embedded in the Fourth Commandment. God is concerned not only for 
His glory, Commandments 1 and 2, and His name, Commandment 
3, but also for His worship. And He specifies, He carves out 
a day for that. So the moral principle behind 
Sabbatarianism is one day out of the seven, devoted specifically 
to the worship of God, to rest in God, to sanctify the day, 
and to find that blessing that the prophet Isaiah tells us in 
Isaiah 58. So the Sabbath commandment has 
both positive and moral law, because sometimes you'll hear 
people rightly say, well, the Sabbath was a sign between God 
and Israel. And it was according to Exodus 
31 and Ezekiel chapter 20. It was in fact a sign between 
God and the people of Israel. But it was more than that. It 
functioned positively in that context as a sign between Yahweh 
and Israel. But there is the moral abiding 
validity of it wherein one day out of the seven is to be set 
apart so that we may worship and glorify God. Secondly, with 
reference to the Sabbath in the New Testament, the positive element 
is still seen. There's a change of the day. 
We'll deal with, God willing, those texts next week, where 
persons think that this is undoing the Sabbath. Romans 14, Galatians 
4, and Colossians 2. Those are the biggies where people 
try and say, well, there's no more Sabbath for the people of 
God. But that's not what Paul says in Hebrews 4. There remains, 
therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. You better 
have very good warrant to make the argument or very good case 
to make the argument that is absolutely contrary to Hebrews 
4.9. Imagine, many within the context of the professing church 
have no abiding sort of Sabbath in their lives. It's only the 
reformed, as far as I know, that give the nod to the fourth commandment. 
It's only the reformed that I know of that actually say that, yes, 
Sabbatarianism is for us today. Well, to take a statement like 
Hebrews 4 and 9 and say, well, that's not what it means. It 
means something exactly opposite is really a specious way to argue. But the positive element is present, 
and so is the moral element. One day in Sabbath, for a Sabbath 
to be kept holy unto God. The Sabbath is perpetual, as 
seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ. He upholds the Sabbath. 
He clears away sort of the misinterpretation regarding the Sabbath. His overarching 
concern with reference to the law of God is, do not think that 
I came to abolish the law and the prophets. I didn't come to 
abolish, but rather to fulfill. He came to do that which is most 
pleasing to His Father. As well, the Sabbath in the Old 
Covenant demonstrated creation and redemption. The Sabbath in 
the New Covenant demonstrates new creation and redemption by 
Jesus Christ. So, Old Testament, the book of 
Exodus, keep the Sabbath because God created us in six days and 
then Sabbath. In the book of Deuteronomy, keep 
the Sabbath because you were in bondage in Egypt and God redeemed 
you. So, those twin concepts still 
are operative in the New Covenant. It's the new creation in terms 
of Christ making all things new. and in terms of redemption by 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Now thirdly, there is some qualification 
that needs to be given. With reference to the actual 
practice of Sabbatarianism, God willing we'll get into that in 
some detail, but it won't be in exhaustive detail. Brethren, 
it's simply not the case that everybody has everything figured 
out with reference to the application of this command. I cannot be 
your guide on every jot and tittle of the Sabbath. We can lay out 
some principles, we can see some clear violations, we can see 
some things that we ought not to do and some things that we 
ought to do, but in terms of the practicality, we need to 
remember that the Lord Jesus does specify that works of necessity 
and mercy are authorized. In other words, the Sabbath, 
or man wasn't made for the Sabbath. It's not the case that God made 
man simply to obey Sabbath. Sabbath was made for the man. 
And if somebody needs to eat and pick grain on the Sabbath 
day, they are free and it's a legitimate exercise to do so. But so are 
works of mercy. Somebody that is in a position 
of caregiver or mercy given to someone, that is authorized, 
that is lawful, that is legit. A second qualification is that 
the believer must avoid the abuse of the legalist. Now, legalism 
is a broad term. It has many definitions. The 
basic definition is teaching salvation by law. I don't mean 
that. I mean being obnoxious as God's 
people. I mean being judgmental. I mean 
being insufferable. I mean setting yourself up as 
the paragon and paradigm of Sabbath-keeping. And if somebody doesn't do it 
the way you do, you're gonna let them know, brethren, that 
is not godly, it is not righteous, it is not holy. Now, obviously, 
if somebody is in flagrant violation of a particular command, we have 
a Christian duty and responsibility to try to correct that. But there 
are some differences in terms of application. And I would suggest 
that legalism with reference to the application of the Sabbath 
is one of the best arguments as to why people want nothing 
to do with the Sabbath. It is for us to display and to 
exemplify and to demonstrate the beauty of the day, the excellence 
of the day, the positivity involved in the day, and not be legalists. But as well, the believer must 
avoid the abuse of antinomianism. See, God's law always has two 
enemies. Legalism wants to sort of throw 
extra upon the law as if God himself couldn't get it right. And then antinomianism essentially 
wants to strip the law and say it has no abiding validity in 
the lives of God's people. I would suggest, again, outside 
of the reform faith, it is most often the case that there is 
an antinomianism, at least doctrinally, with reference to this idea of 
Sabbath. And then, in terms of another 
qualification, the believer must see the blessing involved in 
Sabbath-keeping. I quoted Voss two weeks ago. 
I'll quote him again. The Sabbath has faithfully accompanied 
the people of God on their march through the ages. It's a beautiful 
thing. It's not something we go, oh 
man, it's Sunday, oh, how terrible. And brethren, as parents, we 
need to make sure that we don't just yell at our kids with a 
list of don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. We 
get to read, we get to pray, we get to go to church, we get 
to worship the triune God, we get to participate in that blessed 
and wonderful privilege that the Lord has given to his creatures. 
And then the final thought before we close is that the Sabbath 
commandment is like the other nine. Yes, we're called to obey, 
but do we obey it perfectly? We don't. And so when we see 
that broken Sabbath in our own practice, we ought to be thankful 
for the chief Sabbatarian, for the one who never violated the 
Sabbath, who never broke the Sabbath. much to the chagrin 
of the Pharisees and the scribes, they thought they had him, didn't 
they? They thought they had him because he healed on the Sabbath 
and because his disciples picked grain on the Sabbath. Jesus knew 
the Sabbath much better than they did. Jesus always kept the 
Sabbath along with the other nine commandments, and we can 
praise God that that act of obedience of Jesus is imputed to us and 
received by faith alone. Now, that's not to say, therefore, 
go out and sin and break the Sabbath because you'll just get 
forgiven. No, but we ought to appreciate with any study, with 
reference to the law of God, how far short we come and how 
blessed and wonderful the Lord Jesus is for having rescued us, 
for having saved us, and for having secured a righteousness 
that avails with the Father and gives it unto us. That is a reason 
for great gratitude on the part of God's people. Well, let us 
pray. Our Father, we thank You for Your Word, we thank You for 
its clarity concerning the commandments of God, and I pray that You would 
help us to take these things to heart, help us to pray them 
in, and help us, by Your grace, to obey and to do those things 
that are pleasing in your sight. Thank you for the Sabbath. Thank 
you for this day of rest. Thank you that we get to come 
out of the world and we get to gather together, one with another, 
but ultimately one with our God. We give you praise and glory 
that you give us good gifts. And we pray now that you would 
go with us, that you would watch over us in this coming week. 
And we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.