Understanding The Sabbath

Our society has had a sometimes confusing, often complicated relationship with the fourth commandment of the Ten: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Across the nation, there was a body of laws called “blue laws” that defined how Sunday was to be observed as a Sabbath day. These laws banned certain business and recreational activities, restricted retail sales, and put limits on travel, hunting, sports, theaters and more, all in an attempt to protect Sunday as a day for rest and worship. All in an attempt to legislate obedience to the fourth commandment, but the attempt failed! Most of the legislation was eventually overturned. And from experience, we should have learned that obedience to God’s Word cannot be mandated in state houses and supreme courts. Pastor Paul captured God’s design of the Ten Commandments well when, in his sermon two weeks ago, he reminded us that the commandments are directed at the human heart. They are designed to force us to ask hard questions rather than create hard lines of “dos and don’ts.” They are designed to cause us to pause and think.