August 28, 2022; Sunday School

Order of Service

• Sunday School Lesson — The Christian Sabbath: Design and Application
• Prayer

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Sermon Title: Keeping the Christian Sabbath — Design and Application

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9

I. The Shift from the Seventh Day to the First Day of the Week

A. The resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week marks a turning point in sabbath observance

B. New Testament evidence for believers gathering on the first day of the week

1. John 20:1, 19, 26 — disciples gathering on the first day of the week immediately after the resurrection
2. Acts 20:7 — gathering on the first day to break bread
3. 1 Corinthians 16:1 — offerings gathered on the first day of every week
4. Revelation 1:10 — John in the Spirit on the Lord's Day

C. The first day of the week becomes the Lord's Day — the Christian Sabbath

II. The Two Principles of Design for the Sabbath

A. Charles Hodge's framework from his Systematic Theology: two rules govern sabbath observance

1. The design of the commandment — what is consistent with it is lawful; what is inconsistent is unlawful
2. The precepts and example of Christ and his apostles

B. The two design purposes Hodge identifies

1. To secure rest from worldly cares and employments, allowing higher interests to occupy the mind
2. That God should be properly worshipped, his Word studied and taught, and the soul brought under the influence of things unseen and eternal

III. The Westminster Standards on Sabbath Observance

A. Westminster Confession of Faith 21.8 — the sabbath is kept holy by

1. Holy rest all the day from one's own works, words, and thoughts about worldly employments and recreations
2. Being taken up the whole time in public and private exercises of worship, and in duties of necessity and mercy

B. Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 117 — how the Lord's Day is to be sanctified

1. Holy resting not only from sinful works but from worldly employments and recreations that are lawful on other days
2. Making it our delight to spend the whole time in worship, except for works of necessity and mercy
3. Preparing hearts beforehand and ordering worldly business so as to be more free and fit for the duties of the day

C. Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 119 — sins forbidden in the fourth commandment

1. Omission of required duties
2. Careless, negligent, and unprofitable performance of those duties
3. Being weary of the duties of the day
4. Profaning the day by idleness, by sinful works, and by needless works, words, and thoughts about worldly employments and recreations

IV. Application of the Two Design Principles

A. Purposeful Rest

1. The sabbath acknowledges human finitude — physical and mental limits are real and God-given
2. Motivates diligent work the other six days so that one day of rest is truly possible
3. Practical examples: avoiding work email, setting aside the phone, students refraining from homework on Sundays
4. Rest is purposeful, not idle — idleness is forbidden; the day calls us to say no to good things in order to say yes to greater things

B. Purposeful Worship

1. Worship is not limited to the hour of gathered corporate worship — public and private exercises of worship together fill the day
2. Works of necessity and mercy are permitted — the example of Christ and his disciples in the grain fields (Mark 2) illustrates proper understanding of necessity and mercy
3. The sabbath is meant to be a delight, not a burden — a foretaste of the culminating rest to come (Hebrews 4:9)