If you’re a Christian, chances are you don’t keep Commandment Number 4; ‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy’ (Ex 20:8). The reason I say this is because the Sabbath is Saturday. Yet based on passages such as Col 2:16 and Rom 14:5, the early Christians chose the first day of the week (Sunday) to meet together (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2).
However, just because Christians are no longer under the OT Law (Gal 3:25; Col 2:17) does not mean we should not follow God’s guidelines for rest. Jesus didn’t criticise the Sabbath. He criticised its use as a religious ‘work’, rather than its intended use: rest. According to Jesus, ‘the Sabbath was made for man’ (Mark 2:27); i.e. that he should rest. However, for Jesus, Sabbath rest didn’t mean sitting on the couch all day; he spent most Sabbaths at the Synagogue (Mark 3:1-5).
Sadly, too many Christians see Sunday worship as optional. This means they’re missing out on the ultimate form of rest; meeting with God’s people to worship God. If you want to feel truly rested on Monday; make sure you enjoy worship on Sunday.
Yet even sadder is many Christians use Sunday to catch up on work. This shows a decided lack of trust in God’s provision. This is not too dissimilar to God’s test in Ex 16:26-27. God wanted to know if the Israelites would trust God to provide for them regarding the Sabbath. Some of them failed that test.
May we not fail our Sabbath test, but use the Sabbath for its intended use. God wants us to trust him that he will give us the grace to get through our work during the week. And God wants us to trust him that the best kind of Sabbath rest there is, is corporate worship.
Brendan McLaughlin
