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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 95 for our call to worship Psalm 95 I'll begin reading in verse 1 oh come let us sing to the Lord let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation let us come before his presence with Thanksgiving let us shout joyfully to him with Psalms for the Lord is the great God and the great King above all gods in his hand are the deep places of the earth the heights of the hills are his also the sea is his forty made it and his hands formed the dry land o come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the Sheep of his hand today if you will hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion as in the day of trial in the wilderness when your fathers tested me they tried me though they saw my work for 40 years I was grieved with that generation and said it is a people who go astray in their hearts and they do not know my ways so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest amen well please take your hem books and turn to 150 - number 152 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well let us pray a father in heaven it's a joy to gather in your house again on this Lord's Day evening we come to you and acknowledge that you are indeed a great God a great king the true and living God the one who is worthy to be praised and feared and glorified the one who has called us out of darkness into marvelous light and given us every spiritual blessing we rejoice in your loving-kindness we rejoice in your goodness we rejoice in the fact that you have not dealt with us according to our sin as far as the East is from the West so you have removed our transgression as we saw this morning you cast them into the depths of the sea in this we rejoice in your goodness as the Redeemer of your elect we praise you as well that you are sovereign in government that as the psalmist says you are in the heavens and you do whatever you please and we know that you govern all your creatures and all their actions according to your purpose into your decree as well our Father we thank you for creation we thank you for your handiwork displayed in the created order and for the fact that this all points us to a God who is full of power a God who is full of wisdom and might and a God who is indeed glorious and even now Lord Most High help us as we gather together to sing your praises to focus upon your word and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ our Lord we ask that you would forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions whenever we draw nigh to You Father we are mindful of the fact that you are indeed a holy God and that your eye is too pure to approve of any evil how we thank you that you've covered us in the blood of the Lord Jesus how we thank you that you've washed us and purify us and even now Lord God as we have not let our conduct be worthy of the gospel in a consistent manner we confess that transgression and pray to you for fresh cleansing in that precious blood of our Lord Jesus we thank you that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so God as we are forgiven as we contemplate your gospel and your grace may you indeed be glorified in our minds and in our arts and as we gather together this night for Lord's Day worship we ask that you would look with favor upon this congregation we thank you for your many mercies to us we thank you for our brother dawn and the fact that you sustained him in this past week and we just commit him to you into the word of your grace we also thank you for Deanna Hutchings and the the grace that you have given to her the fact that physically she is doing well doing better we pray father that she would continue to grow in her understanding of your gospel and that she would indeed bring glory to you we continue to remember mrs. Boult we just commit our dear sister into your hand we pray father that you would comfort her heart and strengthen her with might in the inner man so that Christ may dwell richly in her heart through faith and father we just rejoice that you are a God not only over the spiritual but over the temporal as Jesus taught us to pray that you would give us this day our daily bread we know that that doesn't extend only to the things that we eat but to health and all the things associated with life in this world is creatures father thank you for your goodness to us and for your graciousness to us and God certainly as the psalmist said you load us daily with benefits so we want to bring glory and praise and adoration unto you and even now father not just the physical but may you increase all of us spiritually may cause each and everyone here to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for God we do want to shine as lights and this crooked and perverse generation we want to hold forth your word of truth we want to point sinners unto that one in whom there is forgiveness we ask that you bless the church in Surrey we thank you for that local body for the fact that you have established them we pray that you would be with Pastor Mike and help him as he ministers the word and doctrine we also pray for the work in Vernon God we ask that you would undertake on their behalf they do have great needs and yet we know that you are a greater God than any need we could ever have so we pray for them that you would grant them a man that would be able to plant that church that would be able to minister the word and truth to them and that father you would be glorified in that community and that there would be a beach at established for the calling of sinners unto the Lord Jesus Christ Father we pray for the persecuted church we know that there are many brothers and sisters throughout the world that suffer under oppression whether it be governmental whether it be religious we know father that you are with your people in the midst of the trial and deflection and God may they not forget these things and may they take great comfort in the reality that they're called to to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ it is a blessed thing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for that great name and Lord God we pray that you would be merciful to the civil government in this nation father we live in a day and age there is much lawlessness and much wickedness and our hearts go out with reference to abortion and euthanasia the targeting of innocent people the murder the the wretched and abominable practice of shedding innocent blood father we can only cry out to you that in your wrath you would remember mercy that you would put the fear of God in the hearts of men and women in high places that instead of seeking to regulate every jot and tittle of life they would enforce those things that are most necessary most needful with reference to life and and the things that you have given to your creatures God have mercy we pray and send forth your gospel throughout this nation conquering and to conquer may that blessed word be preached and may many come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour revive your church and awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins and be glorified in this we pray and we ask these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen well please turn with me again in your hymn books to number 446 446 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we could turn with me in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 22 for our scripture reading Genesis chapter 22 I'll begin reading in verse 1 now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham and said to him Abraham and he said Here I am then he said take now your son your only son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you so Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son and he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off and Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey the lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you so Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son and he took the fire in his hand and a knife and the two of them went together but Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said My father and he said Here I am my son then he said look the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering and Abraham said my son God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering so the two of them went together then they came to the place of which God had told him and Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son but the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said Abraham Abraham so he said Here I am and he said do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son your only son from me then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns so Abraham went and took the RAM and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son and Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide as it is to this day in the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said by myself I have sworn says the Lord because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son your only son blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice so Abraham returned to his young men and they rose and went together to Beersheba and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham saying indeed Milka also has borne children to your brother Nahor huz his firstborn buz his brother CEM ul the father of Aaron hesed has Oh pill - Judith and Beth ul and Beth ul begot Rebecca these eight Milka bore two Nahor Abraham's brother his concubine whose name was luma also bore Taiba gam sash and may occur amen well a couple of things to observe with reference to this passage it's a most difficult situation for Abraham remember that Abraham is not given verse 1 we are told at the outset that the Lord is testing Abraham Abraham did not get that information God didn't say I'm gonna test you and here's what it looks like as far as Abraham knows this is God's command for him to take his son his only son the son that he loves up to Mount Moriah and execute him interestingly as well Mount Moriah would be the site of the temple that's where Solomon's Temple will be built on Mount Moriah - place of sacrifice obviously and then that specific emphasis on Isaac his only son the son that you love that really does by the relationship that obtains between the father and the son in terms of God most high we see here that Abraham is dutiful he's obedient he takes his son up there he's about to engage in this sacrifice and then the angel of the Lord stops him prior to that Abraham is explained to Isaac that God will in fact provide a sacrifice God will in fact provide the one that will ultimately come to take away the sins of his people and interestingly we see that doctrine that idea of substitutionary atonement right in the passage in verse 13 after God or the angel of the Lord stops Abraham we see in verse 13 Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its thorns or horns so Abraham went and took the RAM and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son there's a lot of theology going on in this particular passage a lot of typical theology pointing forward to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ and again God confirms to him this land promised and seed promised that Abraham is going to inherit by God's grace well let us pray our Father we thank you for this word we thank you Father that when it came to pass you delivered up your own son for us all that he was ultimately crucified in order to affect salvation for all those whom the father had given to him how we thank you for this typical picture in the Old Testament pointing forward to what Christ would do as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world we thank you that he took our place that you offered him up instead of us and God may we find great comfort and encouragement with this doctor in a substitutionary atonement we thank you for all of the word the entirety of Scripture that it's given by inspiration of God and that its profitable to us in so many ways may it encourage our hearts and may it feed our souls and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your him books to number one be Psalm 1 B as in Bravo will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] amen 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 last time we looked at a brief exposition of the commandment and 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 father's 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 observed 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 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 neighbors 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 by through faith in Jesus Christ that in the language of the Prophet Jeremiah you have given us that forgiveness of sins you've written your law upon our hearts you've given us a desire by the spirits presence and power in our lives to do what your word says and God help us in this help us to understand this particular doctor and 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 that 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 were 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 in 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 the turn first to Matthew chapter five as we consider the Ministry of Jesus Christ I want to look at his view 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 the the Old Testament and he sets that out in Matthew chapter 5 at 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 fulfil for surely 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 of praat of 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 abided we see Christ 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 yet 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 count 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 tiddle along the way what God had called him to in terms of obedience to the he does that for us men and for our salvation as well the ceremonies the things that were prefigurement sin 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 word and in his doctrine or in his teach a 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 is par carved out a particular day in the wake so that his people can meet with them 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 liar 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 in 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 not a beautiful thing in terms of Christ's ministry and then a diabolical thing in terms of the response for 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 preset 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 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 love make it right in terms of its interpretation only to destroy it at his death I think that is a very fundamental in a very key point with reference to Christ 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 specifically a specific detail with reference to the Sabbath day now secondly we need to appreciate the resurrection of Christ our confession of faith link's Sunday Sabbath observance - 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 plate of 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 on all right 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 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 for 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 cursor 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 tax the main tax where it indicates first day Sabbath observance Paul at Troas and acts 20 the collection for the Saints and first Corinthians 16 and then John in the spirit on the Lord's Day in Revelation 1 we'll look at those tax 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 sign over his own house whose hope we uh 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 tavern or 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 sad today if you will hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion for who haven't heard rebelled indeed was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses now with whom was he angry 40 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 very pertinent information there that he that he said they would not enter into his rest remember last week when we looked at the Sabbath in 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 & 4 he wants the people of God to persevere verse 3 chapter 4 for he who hath are 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 2 3 4 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 is that those who are saved by grace through faith and price will one day enter into that rest with them 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 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 rats don't be like the wilderness on 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 tip illogical 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 best blessings and benefits of God Almighty but the argument is 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 on equivocally 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 and of Cana there's something that is heavenward and that's the emphasis but notice with reference to verse nine 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 don't 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 arrest for the people of God so the wilderness generation actually the second generation who did enter into Canaan who did Accu pi the Promised Land who did dis possess the land of the canaanites and they took up life in the land they had a rest but it was tip illogical of having 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 sabbatarian ISM but rather it is an argument for sabbatarian ISM 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 Apostles 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 visa vie the Sabbath day wherein we are encouraged wherein we aren't 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 GK bill 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 gonna ask kids on the way out tonight what's in ask out illogical now I'm not going to do that they're gonna run around me and not want to see me at all but but this idea of the 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 in the eternal state we are not in that consummated rest we haven't entered into the very presence of God most high so bill says if the eschatological reality of final Sabbath rest has not consummately come then it is unlikely that the type of logical sign pointing to that ultimate 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 is a long list of don'ts don't don'ts we look at Sabbath is this burden we look at Sabbath as a time where we can't do this and we can't go do that we need to look at Sabbath that's what it is God gave this gift for man God set it apart for sanctification and blessing not 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 bill 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 four nine 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 our verse 9 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 had been destroyed or just 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 who dressed as holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling he says therefore it cannot be gained sad it cannot be opposed that Hebrews 4 9 refers directly to the Christian Sabbath hence we solemnly and in ethically 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 downpayment enjoy the Sabbath that God gives but looking forward to that consummate that 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 in 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 sabbatarian izi 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 fact I take my pencil and I made those little H's into big ages not really big HS 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 Christians 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 where in all things are made 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 has passed away and all is new for him he says and God in Christ 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 where any rested so also it is right 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 actual act of the activity of obeying the Saturday Sabbath you you meet that some time there's these seven-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 every other bit of money it seemed to be a an inconsistency as far as I could tell but Saturday sabbatarian ISM is consistent in Old Covenant Sunday sabbatarian ISM is consistent in New Covenant because after all according 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 works as God the Father did from his it is a theological framework and we see up hell throughout Scripture the concepts of creation and redemption intertwine in the 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 2 3 God doesn't say ok every creature that I create from here on out must Sabbath they must rest know 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 suit 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 storey and was taken up debt 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 had taught 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 6 which we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and in five days join them at Troas where we stayed seven days so they were intro as seven days that means they were intro as 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 FF 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 first Corinthians chapter 16 first Corinthians chapter 16 hopefully looking at the theology of the day change in Hebrews chapter 4 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 in Hebrews chapter 4 telling us there is a Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God and lo and behold when we look at the practice in the example of the Apostolic Church they met on the first day first 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 approved 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 assigned that is indicative of the fact that they were meeting on the first day now notice in Revelation chapter 1 Revelation chapter 1 beginning in verse 9 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 Thea Tyra 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 first Corinthians chapter 11 first Corinthians chapter 11 the Greek word is coriaci its found in Revelation 1:10 and it's found in 1st Corinthians 11 verse 20 notice in 1st 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 1st Corinthians 11:20 you have the Lord's Supper curry ok that's the Greek word it's where our word Kirk comes from but the word curry ok 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 particularly gods there is the Lord's Supper and then there is the Lord's Day again the fact that this word is used twice in attachment 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 chapter 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 curry okay 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 four Hebrews chapter 4 so those are some New Testament passages I don't want to 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 their 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 Adams 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 Adams own heart as well the Sabbath is revealed by God in the Word of God there is clarity with God with reference to sabbatarian ISM 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 sabbatarian ISM and a command or a statement rather that there that 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 9:30 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 Adams probationary state god enact positive law and prohibits Adam from participating 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 looked so much different than temple worship temple worship had incense temple worship had instruments temple worship had had a 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 it's 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 and 7 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 one and two and his name commandment three but also for his worship and he specifies he carves out a day for that so the moral principle behind sabbatarian ISM 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 in Israel and it was according to Exodus 31 and Ezekiel chapter 20 it was in fact 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 where in 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 a 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 the reform that I know of that actually say that yeah sabbatarian ISM is for us today well to take it on a statement like Hebrews four nine 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 seven for a Sabbath to be capped holy unto God the Sabbath is perpetual as seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ II 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 and the New Covenant demonstrates new creation and redemption by Jesus Christ so Old Testament the book of Exodus keep the Sabbath because God created in six days and then Sabbath in the Mokka 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 sabbatarian ISM 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 buts or 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 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 that 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 Reformed faith it is most the katelyn 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 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 the you know a list of 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 it they thought they had him because he healed on the Sabbath and because his disciples pick 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 active 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 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 you