Lord's Day 27

Devotion

Believe it or not, the fourth commandment is the one which most people struggle to keep. Everyone does their best to keep the other commandments (no other gods, don’t murder, don’t lie, etc…). However, when it comes to keeping the Sabbath, most Christians see this as an optional suggestion rather than a command of God.

As a pastor I hear more excuses as to why this commandment should not be kept; “The crop won’t wait ‘til Monday,” “I work all week and this is my only day to sleep in,” or my favorite, “I can worship God and keep the Sabbath just fine on my fishing boat.” If we were to treat the rest of the commandments so flippantly, could we really be called the people of God?

It is for good reason that God commands us to keep the Sabbath. First, God wants us to enjoy life, to find great pleasure in Him and in His creation, and we can’t do this if we are constantly occupied by our occupation. We are not strong enough to go without rest, it’s not how we were made; even God saw fit to rest after six days of creation. If we neglect our Sabbath day of rest and recreation, we are saying that we are stronger than God, and we miss the blessings God has given us. Instead, we become consumed by our work, and our earnings, our shelter, our work, become our god. Sabbath taking is a correction from the frantic workaholic tendencies we develop while trying to build our security somewhere outside of God.

This commandment also requires that we keep the Sabbath day holy, that is, set apart for God. It is a day when we are to corporately and individually, to pray for one another, and to serve one another. It is the Lord’s day, we are to live it for God.

Prayer

Almighty God, forgive us for treating the Sabbath as if it were just another day. May we learn to rest in you, and to trust in your care and provision. By your Spirit, enable us to keep this day holy for the sake of Christ our Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Question 57

Q. 57. Which is the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 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 man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

Scripture Proofs

Ex. 20:8-11.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Question 58

Q. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.

Scripture Proofs

Deut. 5:12-14.

“ ‘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 a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

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