What's Considered Work on the Sabbath?

[Netbug009]

I hope I'm puttint this in the right place.

I have a problem: I don't follow the sabbath well. In fact, I'm pretty darn bad at it.

So, I started trying not to do work on the sabbth, and instead doing my hobbies and stuff, but then I started to hear that the sabbath is about resting from creating things.

I'm an artist. Pretty much everything I do for fun involves creating things, so apprently I'm STILL not following the sabbath well.

So, what does somebody like me do on the Sabbth? Can you read? Play video games? I'm trying to figure out something I can do on Sundays because I don't feel like I'm really keeping the sabbath with my actitities right now. What kinds of stuff can you and can't you do?

 

[mont974x4]

The keeping of the Sabbath is never re-commanded to us in the NT as the other 9 commandments are. The Sabbath was created for us not us for the Sabbath. God made us to need rest not go 100 mph all day everyday. Our mond and bodies need rest and we need fellwoship with Him and with brothers and sisters.

So, let me ask a few questions to give you something to pray about and meditate on as you read His Word:

1. Do you worship Him? If so, when, where how often? With brothers and sisters?
2. Do you have a set time to spend in quiet prayer and study of His Word? When? How often?
3. If God has placed it on your heart to dedicate a whole day, then it is best to be obedient.


Don't get hung up on the Sunday sabbath thing rather make the effort (if you're not already) to do the two things I mentioned above.

Sunday happens to be a great day for me. I get to lead a SS class, help with the audio/visual stuff for the main service and the afternoon is spent eating/playing games/discussing Scripture and general fellowship with brothers and sisters. However, I also get up before my kids to pray and read His Word and my wife and I attend a Bible study Friday night. We also invite people to our Sunday lunches for fellowship and camp with various other families to fellowship in the mountains.

That's just my approach, I understand not everyone likes to camp.

 

[Psalms34]

Ummm… are you saying that from Friday evening after sunset to Saturday evening at sunset you try to hold the Sabbath laws as delivered by Moses to the Jewish believers of the old covenant? You are a Christian, right?

 

[Netbug009]

Ummm… are you saying that from Friday evening after sunset to Saturday evening at sunset you try to hold the Sabbath laws as delivered by Moses to the Jewish believers of the old covenant? You are a Christian, right?

? Huh?

 

[Psalms34]

? Huh?

That’s when the Sabbath starts, it starts Friday night and lasts to Saturday night, it‘s the law for the Sabbath. If you keep part of the law (i.e. not working), you must keep all the law. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=55&chapter=5&version=9

 

[Jeremiah8]

The sabbath rest in the Lord is as different now compared to old testament times as worship is different now, if you understand what I'm saying! The rest that the Lord wants for you is to be found everyday in Him, otherwise you might as well go and get yourself circumcised and so not have need for Jesus !!

 

[Solidlyhere]

The Sabbath laws.

Jesus routinely "broke" the Sabbath during His ministry.

The way I see Sunday is:
1) Do something Spiritual, and
2) Don't do anything disgusting, then
3) Have a Fun day.

 

[JTLauder]

Jesus routinely "broke" the Sabbath during His ministry.

Jesus never broke any of God's Laws. To do so is considered a sin, and Jesus never sinned.

What actually happened was that Jesus broke the Pharisee's interpretations of the Law, or namely the Sabbath.

The Law says that you should rest on the Sabbath--that's it.

The Jewish religious leaders redefined that with their strict and rigid rules of what they considered "work". They legalized the interpretation of the Law with so many detailed restrictions that it made it impossible for people to follow the Law.

Netbug009, the thread has already and very likely turn into a debate on whether or not Christians are to adhere to the Law. Just to clarify, the NT specificially states that Christians are no longer under the Law. But if you find it in your heart to want to follow the Law, that's your choice. Just don't sweat over it so much that you're more concerned with following the letter of the Law rather than the Spirit of the Law, which is what the Pharisees did and Jesus criticized them for it.

As to how this applies to the Sabbath, as said, it's a day God set apart so that we may rest ourselves from our work. It's meant to be a way to restore and nourish our body for another week of work, otherwise we'd burn out. We give thanks and praise to God for this provision. Now, what you do and how you relax to rejunvenate yourself is totally up to you. Just don't worry so much over it because, that worry is not restful and as such, could even be considered breaking the Sabbath. If you have someone else telling you what you are suppose to do or not do on the Sabbath, then you are making more of an effort to follow someone else's expectations and not resting either. Just relax, and enjoy the day God has given you to rest your soul and body, however you choose to do that.

 

[MaidforHim]

I really struggled with Sabbath issues for a while until Bustedflat shared this message with me:

"4th Demandment : Take A Break"
Exod 20:8-11
http://www.calvaryftl.org/AWMedia/MediaDesk.cfm?fn=T1235
Description:
It's imperative to remember the sabbath (for life). It was established before the law by God's example. It's not a particular day, it's an experience of a day. Keep it holy by resting and adoring God. He will be our delight.

It's an awesome message and I was really blessed by it.

 

[sebastian]

The way I see Sunday is:
1) Do something Spiritual, and
2) Don't do anything disgusting, then
3) Have a Fun day.

I think that's an everyday thing!

 

[Galefamily4Christ]

See if this helps..

12 Biblical concepts
1. The Sabbath is a day to cease our creating, working with the creation, and appreciate what God has done in the world and is doing in us. Genesis 2​

2. Elaborate food preparation is to be done on the day before the Sabbath so that there is no baking or heavy cooking on the Sabbath. Exodus 16​

3. The Sabbath is a time to lay our burdens down and rest. We should not do any servile work on the Sabbath. This includes our entire family, even our servants and beasts of burden and strangers who live among us. Jeremiah 17; Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5​

4. The Sabbath is an holy convocation. We should meet and worship with others. Leviticus 23​

5. We should be reverent and show God that we love, honor, and respect His authority. Psalm 89:7, Habakkuk 2:20​

6. The Sabbath should be a day of delight and rejoicing, a day which we forsake our thoughts and words for God's thoughts and words. Isaiah 56, 58​

7. The Sabbath is a time of healing. Matthew 12, Mark 1, 3, Luke 13, 14​

8. We are not to buy or sell on the Sabbath. Nehemiah 13​

9. The Sabbath is a time to do good and visit and comfort the sick. We should do spiritual work on the Sabbath, serving others. John 5​

10. The Sabbath is a time of prayer. Acts 16:13​

11. The Sabbath is a time to reason with others about spiritual principles, and for ministers to teach the word of God. Acts 17:2, 18:4, 11​

12. The Sabbath is a time for Singing. Ephesians 5:19-20, Colossians 3:16, Psalms 92 is called the "Sabbath Psalm"​

 

[JeffTheLearner]

I practice the Sabbath on Friday sun down, to sun up Saturday.
I have the electric on. I will nuke some food if I want. I try not to buy or sell. But if I'm running the electric I am.
We are asked to make the day HOLY, yet even if I motivate myself to try, I never do.
I say in my heart,
"God I will praise you all day, and consider the day a joy."
Yet, I lie in my heart, and look at the clock, so I know the exact moment I could go out and eat.

My point is Bro, that I "TRY" to keep the Sabbath, but in reality I don’t.
I try to be Holy, but I covet, commit adultery in my heart (Giving the right circumstance it wouldn’t just be in my heart), I lie, and more.

I'm just saying,
You know what, don’t let the world lie to you. Jesus did not come to only forgive sin, but to destroy the works on the devil. He will make you new, and able to sin no more. Worry in the same way I worry, "I NEED TO PUT THE WORD IN MY HEART!"
It is by the Power of the Gospel that a man is TRULY saved.

Anyway, practice righteousness, but don’t think your any better with God because of it. It is of The Living Word of Whom The Father said "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED."
Put the Word in you, and then you will be loved of the Father.

 

[beatachevy289]

Thanks for all the great posts! This has been bothering me for a while. I see the Sabbath as being on Sundays specifically no more than a modern/post-modern tradition. Fellowship with Christians is important and the base of a Sabbath, of course, but if you're going to a Bible study-type setting once a week, then another Christian activity, and a church service on Sunday, I don't see an issue if you miss one here and there. As long as you have a personal, spiritual fulfillment and are not hindering anyone else I think all is well. -Drew <><

 

[Solidlyhere]

Chevy said: "I see the Sabbath as being on Sundays specifically no more than a modern/post-modern tradition."
The Sunday celebration of the Sabbath has been around since the Early Church.

"Fellowship with Christians is important and the base of a Sabbath."
I do not agree that fellowship is the base of the Sabbath.
Jesus spoke about the Sabbath; I tend to agree with Him.
The Sabbath is a different kind of day.

"If you're going to a Bible study-type setting once a week, then another Christian activity, and a church service on Sunday, I don't see an issue if you miss one here and there."
Ha ha. What's this one about?
I would say even if you don't have 3 events scheduled for each Sunday, that you can easily "miss one here and there."

 

[JTLauder]

Chevy said: "I see the Sabbath as being on Sundays specifically no more than a modern/post-modern tradition."
The Sunday celebration of the Sabbath has been around since the Early Church.

The problem I've always had with the Sabbath absolutely being on Sunday only is that then all the preachers, priests, teachers and other ministry workers would be considered breaking the Sabbath since they are essentially working on Sunday. So that can't be right. I see the Sabbath more of a day of the week rather than on a specific day.

 

[janetjewel2000]

The sabbath in the new covenant is Jesus. He is the one that gives true rest. The day was a shadow that pointed to Him, but He is the reality. We are free to keep a day to Him, if we choose to, though. It does not matter what day, or we can see all days as holy time. That is how I view it...He has sanctified us, and sanctification makes our time holy.

Even while we are at work, He is busy working through us, just by helping us to be that example of what His character would portray.."love"..."meekness", "kindness", etc...(the other fruits of His spirit).

The sabbath "law" was given to israel, the sabbath, reality/Jesus was given to new covenant christians....

in christian love,

janet

 

[TheLivingWater]

I hope I'm puttint this in the right place.

I have a problem: I don't follow the sabbath well. In fact, I'm pretty darn bad at it.

So, I started trying not to do work on the sabbth, and instead doing my hobbies and stuff, but then I started to hear that the sabbath is about resting from creating things.

I'm an artist. Pretty much everything I do for fun involves creating things, so apprently I'm STILL not following the sabbath well.

So, what does somebody like me do on the Sabbth? Can you read? Play video games? I'm trying to figure out something I can do on Sundays because I don't feel like I'm really keeping the sabbath with my actitities right now. What kinds of stuff can you and can't you do?

Rom 14:23 But, the one doubting, if he eats, he has been condemned, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin.