THE CHURCH – WHAT ABOUT SUNDAY?
Friday – September 29, 2017
I recently had a conversation with a good friend who brought up the topic of a grandchild who plays sports and the games are played on Sunday mornings. Not only was he torn about attendance which would mean forsaking God’s Sabbath commands and his Church obligations but his wife was especially torn as well. I am sure many if not all reading this can identify with this situation. Have you noticed someone missing from your congregation and when inquiring about them find that they are at a grandchild’s ballgame or a son or daughters ballgame? When did this become okay? Is it okay?
Sunday sports was not at all prevalent say one hundred years ago but with time has become prevalent and in the last twenty to thirty years not only common but the preferred day for common and major sporting events. Some Churches even alter their schedule to accommodate the Super Bowl. Last Friday I asked the question as to whether God has changed recently. Is He pretty much okay with this forsaking of the Sabbath in favor of sporting events and all sorts of other secular activities?
Hopefully we know that keeping the Sabbath holy was a serious matter under the Old blood Covenant. Is that all out the window with the New Blood Covenant? One might respond with: “I am not under the law but under grace.” Is that part of the “greasy” grace I have heard about? Let’s take a look at Jesus, the One who ratified the New Blood Covenant and demonstrated how to operate in the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 10:33-41 (KJV)
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
I realize the foregoing passage is lengthy however it all goes together and is well worth meditating upon, agreeing with, and changing accordingly. Your family will tear your heart out with big doe eyes, and crocodile tears but remember the source of the temptation to compromise. Let’s see a little more of what Jesus has to say.
Matthew 12:46-50 (KJV)
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Jesus did not rush outside, He continued to do the will of the Father, ministry to the people. We all have a ministry to other people and play a crucial part in the congregation to which God has called us.
Ephesians 4:16 (KJV)
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
If you or I are not in our place we cannot do our part to build up the body in which we are placed. So why do we so easily forsake our place? Let’s look in another place.
Mark 10:29-31 (KJV)
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
I just don’t see Jesus being easy breezy about blowing off our obligation to the congregation on the Sabbath, do you? There are many (according to Jesus) who have been in the Church a long time but have present day lives of failure and on Judgement Day they will be at the end of the line with little to no reward because others and other things were first in their lives. We must ask ourselves, are all of the things, and people listed in verse 29 secondary to Christ in our thinking? Let us consider the command of God, a God who changes not.
Exodus 20:8-10 (KJV)
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
What would Jesus do?
Luke 4:16 (KJV)
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Forget about that whole foolish argument that we are not under the law but under grace.
Romans 6:14 (KJV)
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJV)
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
When we submit ourselves under the mighty Hand of God, the Holy Spirit, the Grace of God, we like Jesus can be without sin. This was impossible for the people of the Old Covenant for they did not have the Helper. We don’t have to be in Church every time the doors swing open, but the will of God is for us to be in our place on the Sabbath.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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