And we do welcome
each and every one of you.
00:00:47.81\00:00:50.90
We were just doing
a poll of the audience
00:00:51.10\00:00:52.88
to see who came the furthest.
00:00:52.91\00:00:55.08
And we have a couple
here from Australia...
00:00:55.38\00:00:57.34
so they won hands down.
00:00:57.54\00:00:58.74
But we also want to welcome
all of you who are watching
00:00:59.04\00:01:02.10
by television or by Internet.
00:01:02.30\00:01:03.98
This is the 2011 Pillars
of Our Faith Camp Meeting
00:01:04.28\00:01:07.48
at 3ABN, and it's
been a good one, hasn't it?
00:01:07.68\00:01:10.76
Amen. We're getting
rich spiritual food.
00:01:11.06\00:01:14.68
Well, you won't be
disappointed this hour either
00:01:14.98\00:01:17.74
because we have a
special guest with us.
00:01:17.94\00:01:19.81
His name is Dr. Calvin Rock.
00:01:20.02\00:01:22.00
And Dr. Rock can preach
the wallpaper off the wall.
00:01:22.30\00:01:26.12
You know, he has been
in the service of the Lord
00:01:26.42\00:01:31.17
for over 50 years as
a pastor, evangelist,
00:01:31.38\00:01:34.73
world-wide administrator.
00:01:34.94\00:01:36.91
He was for 14 years the
president of Oakwood University.
00:01:37.11\00:01:41.17
For 16 years he
was the vice president
00:01:41.47\00:01:44.31
of the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventists.
00:01:44.52\00:01:47.73
And he's recently
retired. He is now the pastor
00:01:48.03\00:01:51.32
of the Abundant Life church -
Seventh-day Adventist church -
00:01:51.52\00:01:55.78
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
00:01:55.98\00:01:57.61
And he is going to be
speaking to us on the change
00:01:57.81\00:02:01.33
of the Sabbath.
But before he comes
00:02:01.53\00:02:04.21
we're going to have a
musical number by our pastor
00:02:04.42\00:02:08.32
John Lomacang,
who... I always tell John
00:02:08.52\00:02:11.37
he is a true
minister of music. Amen?
00:02:11.57\00:02:15.85
And accompanying him on
the piano is Tim Parton.
00:02:16.15\00:02:20.52
Going to be singing
Pass Me Not. Thank you, John.
00:02:20.83\00:02:23.53
Pass me not, O gentle
00:02:59.65\00:03:03.39
Savior...
00:03:03.49\00:03:06.13
Hear my humble cry!
00:03:06.88\00:03:12.87
While on others
00:03:14.11\00:03:16.83
Thou art calling,
00:03:17.13\00:03:20.69
Do not pass me by.
00:03:21.10\00:03:26.72
Savior,
00:03:28.29\00:03:31.76
Savior,
00:03:32.16\00:03:35.12
Hear my humble cry!
00:03:35.76\00:03:41.28
While on others
00:03:42.92\00:03:45.84
Thou art calling,
00:03:46.24\00:03:49.72
Do not pass me by.
00:03:50.02\00:03:55.94
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
00:04:01.60\00:04:07.57
Find a sweet
00:04:08.73\00:04:11.41
release
00:04:11.71\00:04:15.62
Kneeling there in deep
00:04:16.02\00:04:19.55
contrition...
00:04:19.85\00:04:22.35
Lord, help my unbelief.
00:04:22.85\00:04:28.85
But trusting only in
00:04:29.79\00:04:33.80
Thy merit,
00:04:34.10\00:04:36.97
Would I seek
00:04:37.37\00:04:40.30
Thy face;
00:04:40.50\00:04:44.61
Heal my wounded, broken
00:04:45.01\00:04:48.46
spirit
00:04:48.66\00:04:51.25
and then save me by
00:04:51.35\00:04:54.66
Thy grace.
00:04:54.86\00:04:57.67
For I'm crying Savior,
00:04:57.97\00:05:02.31
oh my Savior,
00:05:02.51\00:05:06.11
Hear my humble cry!
00:05:06.96\00:05:12.67
Lord, while on others
00:05:13.12\00:05:16.75
Thou art calling,
00:05:16.95\00:05:20.30
Just do not...
00:05:20.89\00:05:22.85
Do not pass me by.
00:05:23.05\00:05:28.38
You're the spring of all
00:05:32.78\00:05:35.39
my comfort;
00:05:35.59\00:05:37.57
And you are more than life
00:05:38.36\00:05:42.36
to me!
00:05:42.56\00:05:46.37
Whom have I on earth
00:05:47.11\00:05:50.17
beside Thee?
00:05:50.47\00:05:53.33
And whom in heav'n but Thee?
00:05:53.53\00:05:59.49
So I'm crying Savior,
00:05:59.79\00:06:04.22
oh my Savior,
00:06:04.42\00:06:07.66
Just hear my humble cry!
00:06:07.86\00:06:13.82
Lord, while on others
00:06:14.63\00:06:18.53
You are calling,
00:06:18.83\00:06:22.15
Just do not...
00:06:22.45\00:06:25.04
Do not pass me by.
00:06:25.34\00:06:28.80
Yes, I'm crying Savior,
00:06:28.90\00:06:33.59
my Savior,
00:06:33.79\00:06:37.02
Hear my humble cry!
00:06:37.62\00:06:43.55
Lord, while on others
00:06:43.58\00:06:47.71
Thou art calling,
00:06:48.01\00:06:51.65
Do not pass me
00:06:52.05\00:06:56.13
by.
00:06:56.54\00:07:02.52
Oh, oh, oh oh...
00:07:03.69\00:07:09.65
Do not pass
00:07:10.32\00:07:14.33
me
00:07:14.53\00:07:16.91
by.
00:07:17.41\00:07:23.33
Thank you again.
00:07:37.93\00:07:39.54
We are blessed with not
only powerful sermons here
00:07:40.04\00:07:44.96
at this Camp Meeting but
the music has been grand.
00:07:45.16\00:07:48.20
Amen! Are you glad you're here?
00:07:48.50\00:07:50.90
Amen! I'm glad I'm here
and I bring you greetings
00:07:51.20\00:07:54.37
from Las Vegas, Nevada,
00:07:54.57\00:07:56.85
where I happen to live.
00:07:57.05\00:07:58.97
Some of my friends ask me:
"What is an ex-vice president
00:07:59.28\00:08:03.35
of the General Conference
doing retiring in Las Vegas? "
00:08:03.55\00:08:06.93
Then they catch me
behind a building and say:
00:08:09.41\00:08:11.58
"May I come and visit you? "
00:08:11.78\00:08:13.33
But you know what the Word
says: "Where sin doth abound
00:08:15.05\00:08:18.30
grace that much
more aboundeth. "
00:08:18.90\00:08:22.23
And I bring you greetings
from the church that I pastor.
00:08:22.53\00:08:24.65
A wonderful group of
people there in Las Vegas:
00:08:24.85\00:08:27.43
the Abundant Life
Seventh-day Adventist Church...
00:08:27.64\00:08:30.45
which is just one of
thirteen congregations that meet
00:08:30.75\00:08:34.63
every Sabbath
in that city. Amen.
00:08:34.83\00:08:38.05
I've been asked to
deal with the topic
00:08:38.91\00:08:40.94
The Change of the Sabbath.
00:08:41.14\00:08:43.10
And we shall do that now,
but first of all let us pray.
00:08:43.50\00:08:47.45
Our Father in heaven,
00:08:47.86\00:08:49.36
thank you for
these moments of study,
00:08:50.58\00:08:53.70
this time of
inspiration and growth.
00:08:53.90\00:08:57.88
And as we open
Thy Word once again
00:08:58.28\00:09:01.82
and deal with
the topic before us
00:09:02.22\00:09:04.91
please, Lord,
may Your Holy Spirit
00:09:05.21\00:09:07.71
give utterance, understanding,
and a will to obey.
00:09:07.91\00:09:11.28
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:09:11.48\00:09:14.11
Given that the creation account
00:09:19.48\00:09:23.40
of Genesis 1 and 2
00:09:23.80\00:09:26.57
plainly teaches that
it was on the seventh day
00:09:26.87\00:09:30.97
that God completed
His work and rested
00:09:31.17\00:09:34.77
and that He blessed
and sanctified that day
00:09:35.07\00:09:38.98
and...
00:09:40.30\00:09:42.47
having carefully
explained its origins
00:09:42.50\00:09:46.66
placed its command
right there in the middle
00:09:46.96\00:09:51.94
of the holy law.
00:09:52.14\00:09:53.95
The question then
is: "What happened? "
00:09:55.57\00:09:59.39
How did Sunday come to take its
place in the minds of so many?
00:10:00.76\00:10:06.45
Obviously, somebody somewhere
00:10:06.95\00:10:11.74
at some time
succeeded in influencing
00:10:12.04\00:10:15.90
the vast majority of
Christians to regard Sunday,
00:10:16.10\00:10:20.19
the first day of the week,
as the right day to worship.
00:10:20.59\00:10:25.95
The question we shall pursue is:
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.21
"Who did it? "
00:10:29.41\00:10:31.09
One thing we know as we
begin our search for answers
00:10:31.49\00:10:35.90
is that Jesus didn't do it.
00:10:36.20\00:10:38.46
We know that because
of a number of scriptures
00:10:38.76\00:10:43.05
that tell us so.
00:10:43.25\00:10:44.44
Among them Luke 4:16 that states
00:10:44.74\00:10:48.03
that when He was here on
earth it was His custom or habit
00:10:48.33\00:10:52.27
to worship on the Sabbath Day.
00:10:52.57\00:10:55.61
Matthew 5:17-18
00:10:55.91\00:10:59.87
where He Himself informs us
00:11:00.17\00:11:03.21
that He came not
to destroy the law
00:11:03.31\00:11:06.38
or to change the dotting of
an "i" or the crossing of a "t"
00:11:06.68\00:11:11.10
but rather to fulfill or live
up to all of its obligations.
00:11:11.30\00:11:16.78
Mark 15:42 to Mark 16:1
00:11:18.05\00:11:22.39
that states He was crucified
on the Preparation Day,
00:11:22.69\00:11:25.90
the sixth day of the
week - which is Friday,
00:11:26.10\00:11:28.70
and rose on Sunday,
the first day of the week,
00:11:29.00\00:11:31.62
but rested in the grave all
during the intervening hours
00:11:31.82\00:11:36.24
of the Sabbath.
00:11:36.44\00:11:37.54
So that He not only
rested when He made the world
00:11:37.84\00:11:41.09
but also when He
came to redeem it.
00:11:41.29\00:11:44.26
Then, of course,
there is Matthew 24:20
00:11:45.73\00:11:50.58
where He admonishes
His followers to pray
00:11:50.88\00:11:54.47
that their flight at the time
of the destruction of Jerusalem:
00:11:54.67\00:11:57.84
an event that would occur in
70 AD... some 40 years beyond
00:11:58.15\00:12:04.05
His resurrection and ascension
00:12:04.26\00:12:06.10
be not in the winter -
00:12:06.30\00:12:08.05
in the difficult
time of the winter -
00:12:08.25\00:12:10.34
or on a Sabbath Day.
00:12:10.54\00:12:13.22
"But wait... " I
hear someone saying.
00:12:13.62\00:12:16.77
"What about John
20:19 which states that
00:12:17.07\00:12:19.65
after the resurrection
Jesus met with His disciples
00:12:19.85\00:12:22.93
on the first day of the week
00:12:23.13\00:12:24.72
where they were
assembled behind closed doors?
00:12:25.02\00:12:27.87
Doesn't this verse
indicate they were together
00:12:28.27\00:12:31.64
observing Sunday? "
00:12:31.84\00:12:33.60
That is indeed the
interpretation of some
00:12:34.93\00:12:38.52
but the text reads that
they were gathered behind closed
00:12:38.83\00:12:42.41
doors for fear of the Jews.
00:12:42.61\00:12:44.58
And that in no way
recognizes a new Sabbath day.
00:12:47.07\00:12:51.45
Well, if Jesus didn't do it,
what about the Father Himself?
00:12:52.98\00:12:57.26
Did He somehow during
or after Christ's ministry
00:12:57.56\00:13:01.00
here speak to someone
or in some way override
00:13:01.20\00:13:04.38
His Son's position regarding
the seventh-day Sabbath?
00:13:04.58\00:13:06.94
Again, the answer is "no. "
00:13:07.24\00:13:10.80
Logic tells us
that the ethical Father
00:13:11.20\00:13:14.62
who was well pleased
with His Son - Matthew 3:17-
00:13:14.92\00:13:18.84
could not be guilty.
00:13:18.94\00:13:20.72
More significantly,
Jesus Himself made it clear
00:13:21.02\00:13:24.99
that the work that
He was doing on earth
00:13:25.29\00:13:28.16
was actually the will of
the Father who sent Him -
00:13:28.36\00:13:32.32
John 12:49-
00:13:32.62\00:13:34.49
and that He and His
Father always functioned as One:
00:13:34.79\00:13:39.42
John 10:30.
00:13:39.72\00:13:42.41
So obviously, the
Father didn't do it.
00:13:42.71\00:13:45.88
Well, if neither the Father
nor the Son made the change,
00:13:47.09\00:13:51.12
what about the Holy Spirit?
00:13:51.32\00:13:52.91
Did He, the Comforter, sent to
replace the crucified and risen
00:13:53.31\00:13:57.66
Lord change the day?
00:13:57.86\00:13:59.10
Again, the answer
is emphatically "no. "
00:13:59.50\00:14:04.88
As promised by
Jesus in John 16:13-16
00:14:05.18\00:14:09.85
the Holy Spirit's role was and
is that of glorifying Christ.
00:14:10.05\00:14:15.16
Of reflecting and extending
the mission and message
00:14:15.46\00:14:19.30
that Jesus left behind and
not starting something new.
00:14:19.50\00:14:23.58
And that, as the record shows,
00:14:24.08\00:14:27.10
He has faithfully done -
the Holy Spirit - and is doing.
00:14:27.40\00:14:31.58
Clearly, it
isn't the Holy Spirit
00:14:31.88\00:14:35.43
who made the change.
00:14:35.63\00:14:36.70
If then Jesus didn't do it
00:14:37.00\00:14:40.43
and the Father didn't do it
00:14:40.63\00:14:42.84
and the Holy Spirit didn't do it
00:14:43.14\00:14:45.48
who did it?
00:14:45.78\00:14:47.67
Well, perhaps it was one
of the apostles who did it.
00:14:47.97\00:14:53.33
They were all mighty men of God
00:14:53.64\00:14:55.98
with a mission to go into all
the world and teach all things,
00:14:56.18\00:14:59.64
meaning the full gospel
00:14:59.85\00:15:01.82
which necessarily
includes the Sabbath:
00:15:02.02\00:15:04.65
Matthew 28:18-20.
00:15:04.95\00:15:07.11
Perhaps one of
them changed the day?
00:15:07.31\00:15:09.87
Let's examine first the
writings of the apostle Paul.
00:15:10.07\00:15:14.35
After all, he had more to
say about Christian doctrine
00:15:14.65\00:15:17.56
than any other Bible
author having written more
00:15:17.76\00:15:20.30
of the New Testament
books than anybody else.
00:15:20.40\00:15:22.56
He should know. Did Paul do it?
00:15:22.86\00:15:25.22
The answer to that
question is summarized simply
00:15:26.14\00:15:29.12
in Hebrews 4:4 which states:
00:15:29.32\00:15:31.24
"For he spake in a
certain place on this wise:
00:15:31.44\00:15:34.55
'And God did rest the seventh
day from all His works. ' "
00:15:34.75\00:15:38.23
And again in verse 8:
00:15:38.43\00:15:40.81
"For if Jesus had given
them rest, then would He not
00:15:41.02\00:15:45.20
have spoken of another day? "
00:15:45.40\00:15:48.24
And Paul demonstrated
his understanding of Sabbath
00:15:48.84\00:15:52.39
validity all during his
long and productive ministry.
00:15:52.59\00:15:56.19
It is seen in his Sabbath
worship at Antioch - Acts 13:14,
00:15:56.39\00:16:01.14
and verses 42-44.
00:16:01.44\00:16:03.90
At Philippi - Acts 16:13.
00:16:04.20\00:16:06.93
At Thessalonica - Acts 17:1-4.
00:16:07.24\00:16:10.38
At Corinth - Acts 18:1-4.
00:16:10.68\00:16:13.53
And in his rhetorical inquiry
00:16:13.83\00:16:17.19
in Romans 3:31 where he asks
00:16:17.39\00:16:20.10
"Do we then make
void the law by faith?
00:16:20.40\00:16:23.35
God forbid! Yea, we
establish the law. "
00:16:23.75\00:16:28.25
There are those
who point to Acts 27
00:16:29.79\00:16:32.83
where Paul actually
preached to a group of believers
00:16:33.03\00:16:35.75
gathered to break bread
on the first day of the week
00:16:35.95\00:16:37.97
as evidence of
Sunday observance.
00:16:38.27\00:16:40.55
But that reasoning is
nullified by the fact that
00:16:40.85\00:16:44.88
according to Acts 2:46
00:16:45.08\00:16:46.93
the New Testament believers
gathered to break bread
00:16:47.13\00:16:50.29
or study the Word of
God daily in the temple
00:16:50.39\00:16:53.16
and from house to house
with gladness and singleness
00:16:53.46\00:16:57.40
of heart. Having a
prayer meeting or Bible study
00:16:57.60\00:17:01.04
on a weekday
doesn't make it a holy day.
00:17:01.24\00:17:04.76
"All right, " some say.
00:17:06.33\00:17:08.27
"But what about
I Corinthians 16:2
00:17:08.57\00:17:10.93
where he told the church members
to have their offerings ready
00:17:11.13\00:17:14.53
on the first day of the week?
00:17:14.74\00:17:15.92
Isn't that a sign
of Sunday emphasis? "
00:17:16.22\00:17:18.49
The answer again is "no. "
00:17:18.79\00:17:22.92
Paul saying to the Corinthian
believers "I'm coming your way
00:17:23.02\00:17:26.59
soon. In fact, I don't exactly
know when I'll... but the ship
00:17:26.79\00:17:30.13
will dock there
sometime on Sunday
00:17:30.33\00:17:32.06
so please have whatever
offerings you plan to give
00:17:32.26\00:17:35.78
to assist the
believers in Palestine ready
00:17:35.88\00:17:38.15
when I arrive so that
we won't have to waste time
00:17:38.35\00:17:41.47
collecting it"
00:17:41.57\00:17:43.08
in no way
suggests Sunday sanctity.
00:17:44.25\00:17:49.09
"I understand, "
I hear someone say,
00:17:50.05\00:17:52.21
"but what about
Colossians 2:14-17
00:17:52.41\00:17:56.07
where Paul states
that when Jesus died
00:17:56.31\00:17:58.81
He nailed the law with
all its ordinances of meats
00:17:59.01\00:18:02.29
and drinks and
Sabbath days to the cross?
00:18:02.49\00:18:04.47
What about that one? "
00:18:04.67\00:18:05.79
Answer: that was not the
moral law, the 10 Commandment
00:18:06.29\00:18:12.28
document, that God
wrote with His own fingers -
00:18:12.48\00:18:15.37
Exodus 31:18-
00:18:15.57\00:18:17.62
and gave to Moses and
the people for them to give
00:18:17.82\00:18:20.31
to the world that
Jesus nailed to the cross.
00:18:20.51\00:18:22.66
It was, as the language
of the scripture indicates,
00:18:23.06\00:18:27.14
the vast system of
laws that Moses wrote
00:18:27.44\00:18:30.89
for the governance of the
social - and in this case -
00:18:31.09\00:18:34.38
the religious activities
of the Israelite nation.
00:18:34.58\00:18:39.14
Those laws included
numerous feast days...
00:18:39.44\00:18:43.31
all of which were known
as Sabbaths or rest days.
00:18:43.61\00:18:46.53
These fell on dates of the year
not on a particular, hallowed
00:18:46.83\00:18:51.05
day of the week.
00:18:51.25\00:18:52.57
Paul is simply saying here
00:18:52.97\00:18:55.50
that since the true
Lamb of God had died
00:18:55.70\00:18:58.90
those feasts and
their ceremonial Sabbaths
00:18:59.30\00:19:02.94
and lamb sacrifices and
all that were now invalid...
00:19:03.14\00:19:08.01
no longer
meaningful or necessary...
00:19:08.31\00:19:11.36
nailed to the cross.
00:19:11.56\00:19:13.57
Now, Paul did all this
in other places such as
00:19:14.07\00:19:19.74
Romans 5 and Philippians 2
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.35
remind us that it is not
law keeping that saves us
00:19:22.55\00:19:26.57
but rather the
righteousness of Christ.
00:19:26.77\00:19:29.79
But in no place did he
question the 10 Commandment law
00:19:30.03\00:19:33.92
as God's standard
00:19:34.12\00:19:35.43
for the Christian's relationship
to God is outlined in
00:19:35.63\00:19:38.86
the first four... one of which
has to do with the Sabbath...
00:19:39.06\00:19:42.40
or to one another
as in the last six.
00:19:42.70\00:19:46.10
It was baptism that he
recognized as the memorial
00:19:46.41\00:19:50.93
of Christ's resurrection,
not a new Sabbath day -
00:19:51.13\00:19:54.13
Roman 6:3-12.
00:19:54.43\00:19:56.61
Meaning that just as Jesus
died and went into the ground
00:19:56.91\00:20:01.60
and came up, so
we are to die to sin
00:20:01.81\00:20:06.25
and come from...
rise from the waters
00:20:06.45\00:20:10.48
to walk in newness of life.
00:20:10.68\00:20:12.82
And the apostle James who
as seen evident in Acts 15
00:20:15.57\00:20:20.12
was recognized as the
leader of the apostolic church
00:20:20.32\00:20:23.58
also speaks glowingly with
respect to the enduring nature
00:20:23.78\00:20:28.34
of the entire moral
law including the Sabbath.
00:20:28.54\00:20:31.80
His highly-confirming
observation in James 2:8-12
00:20:32.11\00:20:36.27
is that the 10
Commandment law is royal
00:20:36.47\00:20:39.88
and that anyone
who breaks one...
00:20:40.08\00:20:42.76
and to James that
would include the fourth...
00:20:42.96\00:20:45.74
breaks them all.
00:20:45.94\00:20:47.74
And then there are the
two books that Peter wrote,
00:20:49.03\00:20:51.67
examining the apostles,
neither of which mentions
00:20:51.97\00:20:55.69
Sabbath change. Peter talked
about our change of direction
00:20:55.89\00:21:00.07
from a corruptible
life or vain conversation
00:21:00.27\00:21:02.70
to one of holiness as the
result of being born again
00:21:02.90\00:21:05.96
by the Word of
God - I Peter 1:18-23.
00:21:06.16\00:21:10.99
He also talked about
our change of residence
00:21:11.29\00:21:14.55
as a result of the
world being purified by fire
00:21:14.75\00:21:18.23
and our being introduced
one day to new heavens
00:21:18.43\00:21:22.22
above our heads and a
new earth beneath our feet...
00:21:22.43\00:21:25.63
but he never speaks of a
change of God's holy day.
00:21:26.97\00:21:31.75
And what about
John the Revelator,
00:21:33.09\00:21:35.91
the seer of Patmos,
00:21:36.21\00:21:37.97
who our latter day prophet
was shown opened his heart
00:21:38.27\00:21:41.87
widest to the
beams of Christ's love?
00:21:42.08\00:21:44.60
Does he, the beloved
disciple, the youngest,
00:21:44.90\00:21:48.65
the last of the twelve to die,
00:21:48.85\00:21:51.23
the last of those used by
God to instruct us by His Word,
00:21:51.53\00:21:55.09
provide any
evidence of a change?
00:21:55.39\00:21:57.73
"Yes! " some say...
quoting Revelation 1:10
00:21:58.03\00:22:02.98
where he speaks of being "in
the spirit on the Lord's day. "
00:22:03.28\00:22:06.44
But they do so not realizing
00:22:07.90\00:22:11.12
that in both
Isaiah 58:13 and Mark 12:8
00:22:11.22\00:22:15.39
the seventh day is
identified as the Lord's day
00:22:15.69\00:22:19.60
and not the first day as
tradition later named it.
00:22:19.81\00:22:24.50
And speaking of
Isaiah's Sabbath reflections
00:22:26.37\00:22:29.31
his statement in Isaiah 66:22-23
00:22:29.61\00:22:32.63
promising that from
one new moon to another
00:22:32.73\00:22:35.54
and from one Sabbath to another
00:22:35.74\00:22:37.79
all flesh shall come
to worship before the Lord
00:22:37.99\00:22:40.48
is irrefutable
evidence that not only did God
00:22:40.68\00:22:44.79
not order Sabbath
change here on earth
00:22:44.99\00:22:47.69
but that He plans no change
even in the world to come. Amen.
00:22:47.89\00:22:52.84
So it is from
Genesis to Revelation,
00:22:53.07\00:22:56.57
from father Adam
to brother John...
00:22:56.77\00:22:59.65
From it was "good, " "good,
" "good, " "good, " "good"
00:22:59.95\00:23:05.56
and then it was "very good"
00:23:05.76\00:23:07.64
to "come ye blessed,
inherit the kingdom. "
00:23:07.84\00:23:10.11
In other words,
from beginning to end,
00:23:10.41\00:23:12.46
from the Garden of
Eden to the earth made new,
00:23:12.66\00:23:15.34
from grace to glory,
00:23:15.54\00:23:17.92
from creation to eternity,
00:23:18.12\00:23:20.10
the Sabbath remains
unchanged by its Maker.
00:23:20.30\00:23:23.59
Amen.
00:23:23.89\00:23:24.92
And yet most
people either ignore it
00:23:25.22\00:23:29.34
or deny it or dispute it
00:23:29.55\00:23:33.08
or disparage it and
for other various reasons
00:23:33.38\00:23:37.02
do not keep it.
00:23:37.23\00:23:38.49
And the question remains:
"How did it come to this?
00:23:38.79\00:23:42.36
Who altered the
day of worship? "
00:23:42.66\00:23:45.66
The answer is that the
change came about slowly -
00:23:48.56\00:23:52.64
very slowly -
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.26
during the first 3 centuries
after the Bible was completed
00:23:56.56\00:24:01.78
and was popularized in
the minds of most Christians -
00:24:01.98\00:24:06.31
not all - by two
dramatic proclamations:
00:24:06.61\00:24:10.65
one by state authority
and the other by the church.
00:24:10.95\00:24:15.08
The state law was issued
by the Roman ruler Constantine
00:24:15.38\00:24:20.36
in 321 AD
00:24:20.56\00:24:21.90
requiring that all
except farmers rest on Sunday,
00:24:22.10\00:24:26.60
the first day of the week.
00:24:28.11\00:24:29.51
The church law issued
shortly afterward by the
00:24:30.01\00:24:33.80
Council of Laodicea in 364 AD
00:24:34.00\00:24:37.09
went further... requiring
that Christians not only
00:24:37.39\00:24:41.23
rest on the
first day of the week
00:24:41.43\00:24:43.88
but no longer
rest on the Sabbath.
00:24:44.08\00:24:47.74
There were four factors
that led to rather wide-spread
00:24:49.89\00:24:54.80
acceptance of these rulings
among the Christian population.
00:24:54.90\00:24:58.96
The first was the
desire of Gentile Christians
00:24:59.26\00:25:03.31
to distance themselves
from the Jewish practices
00:25:03.51\00:25:07.87
and protocols.
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.60
Because of frequent rioting
of militant Jews against the
00:25:09.90\00:25:13.90
Roman government, they
suffered severe persecution
00:25:14.00\00:25:18.19
and Christians who associated
with them suffered with them.
00:25:18.40\00:25:22.84
For this reason, many
early Christians developed
00:25:24.06\00:25:27.41
an anti-Judaic posture
00:25:27.61\00:25:30.72
that made it easy for
them to reject such unpopular
00:25:31.02\00:25:36.79
rituals as circumcision
and even celebrated activities
00:25:36.99\00:25:41.19
as the Passover and
00:25:41.39\00:25:43.70
the day on which the
Jews worshiped as well.
00:25:43.90\00:25:49.06
A second factor in
the gradual departure of
00:25:51.06\00:25:54.67
early Christians from
the seventh-day Sabbath
00:25:54.87\00:25:57.27
was the brutality of
the more numerous Jews
00:25:57.47\00:26:01.63
toward the small though
growing Christian community.
00:26:01.83\00:26:05.02
The distancing
of early believers
00:26:05.32\00:26:09.00
from their Jewish counterparts
with whom they had originally
00:26:09.20\00:26:12.59
held close communication
angered the larger Jewish
00:26:12.79\00:26:16.63
community who accused them
of being traitors and consorting
00:26:16.83\00:26:20.80
with their Roman enemies
00:26:20.90\00:26:22.98
and they attacked the
early Christians bitterly.
00:26:23.18\00:26:27.36
Third factor that
history outlines as critical
00:26:28.93\00:26:33.73
to the drifting from
Sabbath observance by the early
00:26:33.93\00:26:38.52
Christian community was
the influence of sun worship
00:26:38.72\00:26:42.81
practiced in the
early Roman society.
00:26:43.11\00:26:46.35
The first day of the week
- the day of the sun... SUN -
00:26:46.65\00:26:50.80
was commonly
regarded in Rome as a holiday
00:26:51.10\00:26:54.68
or as much a
holiday as a day of worship.
00:26:54.88\00:26:58.88
As the early Christians
surrounded by sun worshipers
00:26:59.18\00:27:03.80
withdrew from the
society of the Jews
00:27:04.00\00:27:07.54
and longed for
favor with the Romans,
00:27:07.64\00:27:10.27
they more and more rationalized
that there was no harm
00:27:10.47\00:27:14.75
in celebrating the day
of the sun with their fellow
00:27:14.95\00:27:17.41
Roman citizens. At
first they vehemently denied
00:27:17.61\00:27:21.20
that by worshiping on Sunday
00:27:21.40\00:27:23.01
they were - as
their pagan counterparts -
00:27:23.21\00:27:25.42
actually worshiping the
sun. Rather, they reasoned
00:27:25.62\00:27:30.02
they were honoring Jesus...
the light of the world...
00:27:30.22\00:27:33.51
on the day that
He made the light.
00:27:33.91\00:27:36.96
They were in fact, they said,
by fellowshipping on the day
00:27:38.65\00:27:42.51
of the sun, commemorating
creation's beginning,
00:27:42.61\00:27:46.35
not just its
ending, as they were told
00:27:46.55\00:27:51.37
by their detractors their
seventh-day worship implied.
00:27:51.52\00:27:56.00
A fourth factor in
this insidious move
00:27:58.66\00:28:03.51
in the early Christian years...
00:28:05.27\00:28:07.44
A fourth but very sure
factor in this development
00:28:08.62\00:28:14.41
is what one writer -
Samuele Bacchiocchi -
00:28:14.61\00:28:17.92
in his book From
Sabbath to Sunday
00:28:18.12\00:28:20.67
calls resurrection theology
00:28:20.87\00:28:24.91
that was used by early
church fathers to guide
00:28:25.51\00:28:31.29
Christians into
first-day worship
00:28:31.49\00:28:35.80
and which helped lead
them to abandon the seventh
00:28:36.00\00:28:41.14
and endorse the first
as the day of worship.
00:28:41.34\00:28:44.55
In the early
stages of this process,
00:28:45.05\00:28:48.07
the leaders encouraged
the people to keep both days:
00:28:48.27\00:28:52.49
the Sabbath on
account of creation
00:28:52.79\00:28:55.74
and Sunday in honor
of the resurrection.
00:28:55.95\00:28:58.96
But since Sabbath
worship included fasting
00:29:00.69\00:29:04.51
and Sunday worship feasting,
00:29:04.81\00:29:07.26
and since Sabbath
observance was sorrowful
00:29:07.56\00:29:11.13
or made so by many
00:29:11.33\00:29:14.65
with the emphasis on Christ's
death and silence in the grave
00:29:14.85\00:29:18.78
and Sunday made joyful
with emphasis on the gladness
00:29:18.88\00:29:22.77
of His exit from death,
and since the seventh day was
00:29:22.97\00:29:26.04
thought of as the end
of the first or material
00:29:26.24\00:29:31.71
creation and Sunday the
beginning of the so-called
00:29:31.81\00:29:35.01
second or spiritual creation
00:29:35.11\00:29:37.38
it is easy to see how over time
00:29:37.58\00:29:40.67
preference for the
new day of worship grew
00:29:40.87\00:29:43.73
and regard for the
true Sabbath waned.
00:29:43.93\00:29:46.74
So it was that by the time
of Constantine's rule in 321 AD
00:29:48.01\00:29:53.57
and that of the
Council of Laodicea in 326 AD
00:29:53.87\00:29:57.27
the social and
theological groundwork
00:29:57.58\00:30:00.30
that Satan on one hand had used
to drive Christians away from
00:30:02.18\00:30:07.62
seventh-day worship and on
the other to pull them over
00:30:07.82\00:30:12.18
toward first-day worship
was having tremendous success.
00:30:12.21\00:30:17.51
There are two other important
developments that should be
00:30:19.21\00:30:21.90
noted. First is that while
the change was for all practical
00:30:22.00\00:30:26.72
purposes completed
during the time of pagan Rome -
00:30:26.82\00:30:32.22
the military empire of
Rome before it was Christianized
00:30:33.69\00:30:38.43
by Constantine -
it was papal Rome,
00:30:38.63\00:30:42.10
the religious power
that grew out of pagan Rome,
00:30:42.30\00:30:46.04
that
popularized and promoted it.
00:30:46.24\00:30:48.89
It should be further
noted that it is papal Rome
00:30:50.09\00:30:55.61
identified in Daniel 7:25
as the force that would "think
00:30:55.91\00:31:00.52
to change times and laws. "
00:31:00.72\00:31:03.37
And in Revelation 13:5-7
00:31:03.68\00:31:06.12
as the power
"speaking great things"
00:31:06.32\00:31:08.92
that now occupies the Vatican.
00:31:11.62\00:31:17.01
And its current occupants,
00:31:20.07\00:31:23.96
as did their predecessors,
00:31:24.26\00:31:26.99
do not deny in the least bit
00:31:27.29\00:31:30.69
that the change was
produced in their camp.
00:31:33.67\00:31:39.67
In fact, they
very proudly own up
00:31:40.95\00:31:45.36
to the change.
00:31:45.86\00:31:48.09
Let me read you a quote or two
00:31:48.40\00:31:52.13
from the Douay
Catechism page 59.
00:31:52.43\00:31:54.79
Question: How prove
you that the church -
00:31:54.99\00:31:58.53
the church of
Rome... the Catholic church -
00:31:58.84\00:32:01.73
How prove you that the
church has power to command
00:32:02.03\00:32:06.64
feasts and holy days?
00:32:06.84\00:32:08.32
Answer: By the very
act of changing the Sabbath
00:32:08.52\00:32:12.64
into Sunday...
which Protestants allow us
00:32:12.84\00:32:15.32
and therefore they
fondly contradict themselves
00:32:15.52\00:32:18.88
by keeping Sunday strictly
and breaking most other feasts
00:32:19.08\00:32:22.80
commanded by the same church.
00:32:23.00\00:32:25.15
Question: How prove you that?
00:32:26.40\00:32:29.80
Answer: Because by keeping
Sunday they - Protestants -
00:32:30.10\00:32:35.39
acknowledge the
church's power to ordain feasts
00:32:35.59\00:32:39.43
and command them on the same.
00:32:39.63\00:32:42.87
Second quotation taken from
the Catholic Doctrinal Catechism
00:32:43.17\00:32:48.28
page 174.
00:32:48.48\00:32:49.91
Question: Have you any
other way of proving that the
00:32:50.21\00:32:54.59
church has power to institute
festivals and precepts?
00:32:54.73\00:32:58.91
Answer: Had she not such power
00:32:59.67\00:33:02.86
she could not have substituted
the observance of Sunday
00:33:03.16\00:33:07.32
the first day of the week
for Saturday the seventh day...
00:33:07.52\00:33:11.05
a change for which there
is no scriptural authority.
00:33:11.25\00:33:15.67
And a final statement.
00:33:19.41\00:33:21.03
These are the
words of H. F. Thomas,
00:33:21.27\00:33:23.81
Chancellor of the
late Father Gibbons.
00:33:24.11\00:33:28.93
"Of course the Catholic
church claims that the change
00:33:29.23\00:33:33.09
was her act. And
the act is a mark
00:33:33.29\00:33:37.74
of her ecclesiastical
authority in religious things. "
00:33:37.94\00:33:41.89
"But, does it
really matter? " some ask.
00:33:44.18\00:33:48.41
"Does it really make
a difference with God
00:33:48.71\00:33:51.25
which day we keep
or who changed it? "
00:33:51.45\00:33:55.25
"Why be concerned
about a special day
00:33:55.55\00:33:58.69
if in fact it is the principle
of Sabbath rest that counts? "
00:33:58.89\00:34:03.97
"Is God really that
particular about a day? "
00:34:04.27\00:34:08.76
Yes, God is that particular.
00:34:09.06\00:34:13.77
As demonstrated in scripture,
He means exactly what He says.
00:34:14.07\00:34:18.40
He is so particular that the
well-meaning but non-priestly
00:34:18.80\00:34:24.71
Uzzah was stricken for
touching the stumbling ark.
00:34:24.91\00:34:30.14
He is so particular
that He denied Moses entrance
00:34:30.55\00:34:34.72
into Canaan
because he struck the rock
00:34:34.92\00:34:36.91
instead of speaking
to it as instructed.
00:34:37.11\00:34:40.87
He is so particular that He
did not fell Jericho's walls
00:34:41.18\00:34:45.65
until His wondering army had
marched around it seven times
00:34:45.86\00:34:50.25
seven days and seven
times on the seventh day.
00:34:50.45\00:34:54.59
He is so particular
that He banished Adam and Eve
00:34:54.89\00:34:58.97
from the garden because
of one act of disobedience.
00:34:59.17\00:35:02.64
One act. So particular
that He could not wink at sin.
00:35:02.94\00:35:07.28
And because He could
not ignore or excuse sin's
00:35:07.48\00:35:11.13
consequences, sent
His only begotten Son
00:35:11.33\00:35:14.01
to accept its penalty.
00:35:14.21\00:35:15.78
To take our blows...
to absorb our punishment.
00:35:16.08\00:35:19.88
He is so particular that
somebody had to pay the debt.
00:35:20.29\00:35:24.97
And because we
couldn't Jesus did.
00:35:25.17\00:35:29.52
He paid a debt He did not owe
00:35:29.82\00:35:33.96
because we owed a
debt we could not pay.
00:35:34.26\00:35:38.00
Satan... when He had
been dragged from the cross...
00:35:39.82\00:35:42.44
thought and sought and fought
00:35:42.74\00:35:46.13
to keep Him in the grave.
00:35:46.33\00:35:47.83
He wanted to
invalidate the payment.
00:35:48.13\00:35:51.17
If he could just keep Him down
00:35:51.37\00:35:54.20
the check would return to glory
marked "insufficient funds. "
00:35:54.40\00:35:59.31
But he could not hold Him there.
00:35:59.61\00:36:02.26
Flesh that had not
sinned would not sour.
00:36:02.56\00:36:05.93
The body that had been
perfect would not putrefy.
00:36:06.23\00:36:10.58
The humanity that had
resisted would not rot.
00:36:10.88\00:36:15.09
He rose, and what Satan thought
would be his summary violence
00:36:15.40\00:36:20.27
became Christ's signal victory.
00:36:20.47\00:36:23.66
By abiding death in
accepting our penalty
00:36:23.96\00:36:28.53
He abolished death.
00:36:28.73\00:36:30.30
By bowing to
death He banished death.
00:36:30.60\00:36:33.62
By courting death
He captured death.
00:36:35.27\00:36:37.66
By daring death
He devastated death.
00:36:37.96\00:36:41.24
By entering death
He embarrassed death.
00:36:41.54\00:36:44.98
By falling in
death He fatalized death.
00:36:45.38\00:36:48.96
By granting death
He grounded death.
00:36:49.26\00:36:52.35
By harboring
death He haunted death.
00:36:52.65\00:36:55.19
By inviting death
He invalidated death.
00:36:55.49\00:36:57.97
His death on the
cross paid the penalty
00:36:58.27\00:37:02.25
that the particular
Father had to collect
00:37:02.45\00:37:05.33
and now in the bank of glory
00:37:05.53\00:37:08.11
our account is
marked "PAID IN FULL! "
00:37:08.31\00:37:12.19
Amen. Paid in full.
00:37:12.49\00:37:13.89
Thus, while the cross is the
highest evidence of God's mercy,
00:37:14.19\00:37:19.08
it is also the ultimate
expression of His particularity,
00:37:19.38\00:37:25.37
proof of His
strict accountability,
00:37:25.57\00:37:27.82
and that we are wise to
heed the counsel of His trusting
00:37:28.02\00:37:32.27
mother who at the Cana wedding
crisis counseled the servants:
00:37:32.37\00:37:37.55
"Whatsoever He
says, do it. " John 2:5.
00:37:37.86\00:37:43.36
It is encouraging
in this vein to note
00:37:43.79\00:37:46.99
that against all odds
there have always been those
00:37:47.19\00:37:52.34
who have done as God commanded.
00:37:52.54\00:37:56.61
They have remembered.
00:37:56.91\00:37:58.44
Against early
Jewish animosities,
00:37:58.64\00:38:01.61
against centuries of persecution
00:38:02.01\00:38:05.36
from first pagan
and then papal Rome,
00:38:05.66\00:38:09.14
against the stifling pressures
imposed by popes and prelates
00:38:09.44\00:38:13.90
all during the Dark Ages,
00:38:14.10\00:38:16.00
against cruelties of
opinions and attitudes
00:38:16.31\00:38:21.69
and often the accusation
of there being cultious
00:38:21.89\00:38:26.63
or cultish suffered by
those who are present-day
00:38:26.73\00:38:30.79
Sabbath keepers by
many first-day Protestants
00:38:30.99\00:38:33.94
there has through
time remained a remnant
00:38:34.14\00:38:38.17
that has rightly
preserved and proclaimed
00:38:39.48\00:38:42.77
the Sabbath truth.
00:38:42.97\00:38:44.04
I am happy to be one of
them. How about you? Amen.
00:38:44.34\00:38:48.25
The greater question
for us today, however,
00:38:48.55\00:38:51.24
those of us who
claim that posture,
00:38:51.44\00:38:53.65
is not "who
changed the Sabbath? "
00:38:53.85\00:38:57.49
Or given the
inability of any individual
00:38:57.69\00:39:02.52
or institution to truly alter
00:39:02.72\00:39:05.82
what the great God of
the universe has decreed
00:39:06.02\00:39:09.04
"who attempted
to change the day? "
00:39:09.34\00:39:12.63
The greater question for us is:
00:39:13.03\00:39:15.65
"how well are we who
claim its remembrance
00:39:15.85\00:39:19.92
living up to its standards
00:39:20.12\00:39:22.12
and enjoying its
promised benefits? "
00:39:22.43\00:39:25.56
The Lord of the
Sabbath would be pleased
00:39:25.86\00:39:29.73
if we left this
encampment not just further
00:39:29.93\00:39:33.62
instructed and
inspired regarding its history
00:39:33.82\00:39:37.21
and validity but with renewed
determination to be faithful
00:39:37.31\00:39:42.49
to its tenets and to
tell as many others about it
00:39:42.69\00:39:45.04
as we can.
00:39:45.24\00:39:46.26
And then in the light
of a coming better day
00:39:46.56\00:39:50.54
hold concourse
with Him and one another
00:39:50.74\00:39:54.64
where Sabbath shall never end.
00:39:54.84\00:39:57.94
Do you join me
in that dedication?
00:39:58.24\00:40:01.16
If so, may I see your hands?
00:40:01.46\00:40:03.73
Let us pray.
00:40:04.03\00:40:06.34
Our Father in heaven,
00:40:06.54\00:40:07.99
we are awed
00:40:09.87\00:40:12.06
by the facts of
creation and redemption.
00:40:14.17\00:40:19.13
And we are made more
thankful than tongue can tell
00:40:20.80\00:40:24.63
for the gift of the holy Sabbath
00:40:27.39\00:40:30.77
and for the Lord of the Sabbath
00:40:31.07\00:40:33.74
by whose sacrifices
our sins have been forgiven
00:40:33.75\00:40:38.11
and by whose
strength we receive power
00:40:39.87\00:40:44.78
to keep holy the day
that He has instituted.
00:40:45.08\00:40:50.11
We pray that as a
result of this day's emphasis
00:40:51.90\00:40:57.62
on the Sabbath heard
already earlier today
00:40:57.82\00:41:01.83
and now by the review of
facts that tell us how things
00:41:02.13\00:41:07.03
have gotten where
they are and how we
00:41:07.23\00:41:09.81
can improve in
our own performance
00:41:10.51\00:41:16.29
and how we must by
Your grace be faithful.
00:41:16.39\00:41:18.67
We pray Lord for acceptance,
00:41:19.18\00:41:23.14
for forgiveness, for strength,
00:41:23.34\00:41:26.58
and for power to
hold on, to be true,
00:41:26.88\00:41:31.39
to be faithful,
and then someday soon
00:41:31.59\00:41:35.67
to see Him in
whose person and visage
00:41:35.97\00:41:41.76
there will be the
marks of the sacrifice
00:41:41.96\00:41:45.22
whereby our penalty was
paid and our redemption assured.
00:41:46.05\00:41:50.64
It is in His name that we give
thanks and pray this blessing.
00:41:50.87\00:41:55.71
Let all the
people join me in saying
00:41:56.01\00:41:59.21
Amen.
00:41:59.41\00:42:01.78
Thank you so much.
00:42:05.38\00:42:07.12
You know, I just wanted to
take a moment to share something
00:42:07.42\00:42:10.41
with you. I don't
know how many of you have
00:42:10.61\00:42:12.84
heard my testimony,
00:42:13.05\00:42:15.28
but I was in a
Sunday-keeping church.
00:42:15.58\00:42:19.40
Grew up in a
Sunday-keeping church.
00:42:19.60\00:42:21.23
And when the Lord
called me to full-time ministry
00:42:21.53\00:42:24.45
one of the things... My husband
had been brought up as an
00:42:24.75\00:42:27.70
Adventist. One of the
things that he asked me
00:42:27.90\00:42:31.26
was what are you going to
say to my Seventh-day Adventist
00:42:31.46\00:42:35.46
friends about the Sabbath?
00:42:35.56\00:42:37.43
And I said: "Oh, that's easy! "
00:42:37.73\00:42:39.15
I thought I had the
answers on the Sabbath.
00:42:39.45\00:42:42.06
So what happened was God led me
00:42:42.36\00:42:45.82
in a study of the sanctuary.
00:42:46.02\00:42:48.19
And next hour I'm going
to be speaking on grace.
00:42:48.59\00:42:52.21
What He proved to me was
the sanctuary in the wilderness
00:42:52.32\00:42:56.42
was a sanctuary of grace.
00:42:56.62\00:42:58.83
And as I studied
about the sanctuary
00:42:59.13\00:43:03.01
what I saw was
that the book of Moses -
00:43:03.31\00:43:07.35
which is also called
the book of the covenant,
00:43:07.55\00:43:09.59
that special covenant that
He made with the Israelites
00:43:09.72\00:43:13.02
where He had the civil and
ceremonial and religious laws
00:43:13.23\00:43:16.88
in there - God told
Moses to put that where?
00:43:17.08\00:43:20.60
On a side pocket.
00:43:21.30\00:43:23.75
But what was inside the ark?
00:43:24.05\00:43:26.66
The Ten Commandments.
The only words that we have
00:43:26.96\00:43:32.01
recorded by the
very finger of God.
00:43:32.11\00:43:35.92
I knew that that was
something incredibly important.
00:43:36.22\00:43:40.57
And so as I
studied out the sanctuary
00:43:40.77\00:43:45.15
and then the
Sabbath... Here's a scripture.
00:43:45.35\00:43:48.06
And I want to give this to you.
00:43:48.36\00:43:49.94
Exodus 31:13.
00:43:50.24\00:43:52.61
And in this scripture I think
it's one of the most beautiful
00:43:52.91\00:43:56.19
promises. First of all, did you
know that the Ten Commandments
00:43:56.29\00:44:00.39
if you look at
this in the Hebrew
00:44:00.59\00:44:03.01
these are actually
ten promises of God.
00:44:03.21\00:44:07.58
He is saying: "I am the Lord
your God who brought you out
00:44:07.89\00:44:12.73
of bondage. If you
recognize My love for you,
00:44:12.83\00:44:16.18
then I promise you, you'll
have no other gods before Me.
00:44:16.48\00:44:20.94
You won't take My name in vain.
00:44:21.24\00:44:23.42
You will enjoy My Sabbath. "
00:44:23.72\00:44:28.54
Now, here's what He
says in Exodus 31:13.
00:44:28.84\00:44:32.41
He says: "Speak also to
the children of Israel saying:
00:44:32.91\00:44:37.69
"Surely My
Sabbaths you shall keep
00:44:37.89\00:44:40.76
for it is a sign
between Me and you
00:44:41.06\00:44:44.98
throughout your generations
00:44:45.18\00:44:47.22
that you may know I am
the Lord who sanctifies you. "
00:44:47.42\00:44:52.64
God set up the
Sabbath so that every week
00:44:53.79\00:44:59.22
we would remember.
00:44:59.42\00:45:00.94
Who is in the
sanctifying business?
00:45:01.14\00:45:02.11
Who is in the
business of salvation?
00:45:04.37\00:45:06.45
It's God!
00:45:06.75\00:45:08.13
God is the One who is going to
do this work of sanctification
00:45:08.43\00:45:12.84
in us as we surrender to Him.
00:45:13.04\00:45:15.99
And it's just... I
remember the first Sabbath
00:45:16.19\00:45:19.64
that I ever celebrated.
May I use that word celebrated?
00:45:19.74\00:45:23.42
The first Sabbath
that I ever celebrated
00:45:23.82\00:45:26.47
was such a special day because
00:45:26.67\00:45:29.56
I grew up trying to save myself.
00:45:29.77\00:45:33.58
I thought
that... I mean, I did...
00:45:34.79\00:45:36.84
I just constantly
had a guilty conscience
00:45:37.24\00:45:39.69
before the Lord which kept me
at arm's length from the Lord.
00:45:39.89\00:45:43.34
Then I stepped off a little
bit too far on the other side
00:45:43.64\00:45:46.75
of grace. And it wasn't
satisfying when I had a bad
00:45:46.95\00:45:50.93
teaching on grace.
So what happened was
00:45:51.03\00:45:53.31
when got it all
right, oh, I was so excited.
00:45:53.42\00:45:55.90
And J.D. was out of town.
00:45:56.10\00:45:57.67
And I spent that day with
the Lord: four hours in prayer.
00:45:57.97\00:46:00.93
I didn't know about...
really much about Adventists
00:46:01.13\00:46:03.66
but I spent
four hours in prayer.
00:46:03.86\00:46:05.50
Spent the rest of
the time in the Word.
00:46:05.80\00:46:07.65
And I even remember
after I'd had my breakfast
00:46:07.85\00:46:09.76
I looked over and I thought:
"Hmm, I don't even have to
00:46:09.96\00:46:11.80
do the dishes today. "
00:46:12.00\00:46:13.30
You know? All right!
00:46:13.70\00:46:15.22
But the point is this:
00:46:15.52\00:46:17.43
I called J.D. to let him know.
00:46:17.73\00:46:20.50
Think he had mixed
emotions at first because here I
00:46:20.80\00:46:23.17
convinced him the
first day was the right day.
00:46:23.37\00:46:25.43
And then I called
one of his friends
00:46:25.63\00:46:28.44
who had been an
Adventist pastor.
00:46:28.64\00:46:30.80
And I told him:
"Guess what I did yesterday?
00:46:31.10\00:46:34.33
I celebrated my first Sabbath. "
00:46:34.63\00:46:36.90
And you know what he said to me?
00:46:37.10\00:46:38.38
He said: "Do you
remember that seven-page letter
00:46:38.68\00:46:42.18
that you wrote me why you
don't have to keep the Sabbath
00:46:42.38\00:46:45.13
on Saturday? "
00:46:45.33\00:46:46.64
And I said: "I
forgot all about that. "
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.36
But you know what happened?
00:46:49.66\00:46:51.13
I asked him: "You knew I
was a seeker of the truth.
00:46:51.43\00:46:55.13
Why didn't you show me?
00:46:55.43\00:46:57.12
Why didn't you tell me
about the joy of the Sabbath?
00:46:57.42\00:47:02.70
That from week to week God
set up this memorial in time
00:47:02.90\00:47:08.00
that I might remember
that I am resting in Christ
00:47:08.20\00:47:13.85
and that it's God
whose work is salvation. "
00:47:14.05\00:47:16.96
And you know what he said to me?
00:47:17.26\00:47:19.44
He said: "Well,
Shelley, the reason I didn't
00:47:19.75\00:47:23.43
share this with you is
because you almost convinced me,
00:47:23.63\00:47:27.75
I was almost
persuaded by your letter. "
00:47:27.95\00:47:31.60
And I said: "Then you
don't understand grace. "
00:47:31.80\00:47:35.65
Amen. Grace - and we're going
to talk about this in the next
00:47:35.95\00:47:40.54
hour... Grace is more
than just justification...
00:47:40.74\00:47:46.22
it's sanctification.
00:47:46.42\00:47:47.70
And God set
aside this special day
00:47:48.00\00:47:51.43
so that... He knew our
tendency as human beings.
00:47:51.63\00:47:55.85
He knew how we would
get our priorities misplaced
00:47:56.05\00:48:01.56
and how sometimes
we'd either begin to
00:48:01.76\00:48:05.10
drift away from Him or else
maybe we would begin to think
00:48:05.30\00:48:08.97
"I've got to work harder for
the Lord so I can be saved. "
00:48:09.17\00:48:12.20
And He knew that we
needed this special time
00:48:12.50\00:48:15.26
to come apart and be with Him
00:48:15.56\00:48:18.36
and have that
time for our family.
00:48:18.66\00:48:21.74
Have that time to share
the Lord's joy in the Sabbath.
00:48:21.94\00:48:26.61
And I hope for each one of you
00:48:27.02\00:48:28.98
that the Sabbath will
become what Exodus 31:13 says.
00:48:29.38\00:48:35.35
That the Sabbath will be
this memorial - this time
00:48:35.65\00:48:41.30
that God... temple in
time that God has set aside -
00:48:41.50\00:48:44.43
that each Sabbath
as it begins to roll in
00:48:44.63\00:48:48.72
on Friday evening
that you can just go
00:48:48.92\00:48:50.97
Aah... thank you, Lord.
00:48:52.09\00:48:53.71
Let me just inhale You
and exhale all of the stresses
00:48:53.91\00:48:58.52
of the world. All of
the things that I begin to
00:48:58.72\00:49:02.48
get a little crazy,
and let me draw near to You
00:49:02.68\00:49:06.72
that You may draw nearer to me.
00:49:07.02\00:49:08.88
Because, indeed, the Sabbath
is one of the greatest blessings
00:49:09.18\00:49:14.11
that God has
ever given to mankind.
00:49:14.31\00:49:17.28
And He established it where?
00:49:17.58\00:49:20.25
In the Garden of Eden
before there was an Israelite.
00:49:20.55\00:49:24.41
He established
it for all mankind.
00:49:24.61\00:49:27.75
And I hope and I pray
00:49:28.05\00:49:29.77
that yours won't be a
stop-and-go Sabbath...
00:49:29.98\00:49:32.19
one where you rush
right up to the Sabbath hour
00:49:32.49\00:49:35.40
and then stop
00:49:35.60\00:49:37.25
and then sit and drum your
fingers and think "how long? "
00:49:37.55\00:49:41.15
Teach your children,
teach your grandchildren
00:49:41.45\00:49:45.71
about the beauty of the
day and make it a day of joy.
00:49:45.91\00:49:51.06
Amen? Well, we're going
to have Pastor C.A. Murray
00:49:51.36\00:49:55.52
who's going to come and sing
a special number for us now.
00:49:55.72\00:49:59.30
And C.A., which direction
are you? There you are!
00:49:59.60\00:50:02.58
I forgot to ask you: what
is it that you're singing?
00:50:02.88\00:50:05.69
Go Free. Go Free.
Go free in the Sabbath.
00:50:05.99\00:50:09.43
Troubled soul
00:50:24.83\00:50:28.25
why are you sad and un-hearted?
00:50:28.55\00:50:33.31
Don't you know
00:50:33.61\00:50:36.82
He doesn't care
where you started?
00:50:37.12\00:50:42.96
Yesterday can't change tomorrow
00:50:43.26\00:50:48.73
so leave behind
00:50:49.03\00:50:52.12
all your sorrow.
00:50:52.42\00:50:54.21
Go free; go free.
00:50:54.51\00:50:59.51
In the name of Jesus, go free.
00:50:59.81\00:51:05.27
Child of God;
00:51:05.57\00:51:08.28
child of joy...
00:51:08.58\00:51:11.82
come to the Lord and go free.
00:51:12.22\00:51:18.18
Trembling soul
00:51:25.81\00:51:29.10
I know you're
so tired of aching.
00:51:29.40\00:51:34.12
Don't you know?
00:51:34.42\00:51:38.10
Jesus has cures for the taking.
00:51:38.43\00:51:43.83
His hand of mercy and healing
00:51:44.23\00:51:49.41
can untie the hurt
that you're feeling.
00:51:49.71\00:51:54.91
Go free; go free.
00:51:55.21\00:52:00.50
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:52:00.80\00:52:06.25
Child of God,
00:52:06.45\00:52:09.13
child of joy...
00:52:09.43\00:52:12.82
come to the Lord and go free.
00:52:12.92\00:52:18.83
Tempted soul
00:52:26.79\00:52:30.14
I know you're so
tired of fighting.
00:52:30.44\00:52:35.18
Don't you know?
00:52:35.49\00:52:38.94
He sees the wound
you've been hiding.
00:52:39.24\00:52:44.77
The battle that's
raging is so strong
00:52:45.27\00:52:50.41
but you've been a
captive for too long.
00:52:50.71\00:52:56.71
Go free; oh, ya gotta' go free.
00:52:57.11\00:53:02.73
In the name of Jesus go free.
00:53:03.03\00:53:08.85
Child of God,
00:53:09.15\00:53:11.47
child of joy...
00:53:11.77\00:53:15.43
come to the Lord
00:53:15.73\00:53:20.18
and go free.
00:53:20.38\00:53:23.05
In the name of Jesus
00:53:23.45\00:53:26.58
go free. Child of God,
00:53:26.88\00:53:31.76
child of joy...
00:53:32.06\00:53:35.75
come to the Lord
00:53:36.05\00:53:40.60
and go free.
00:53:40.90\00:53:43.12
Go free...
00:53:43.42\00:53:46.49
go free.
00:53:46.79\00:53:49.93
Now go free.
00:53:50.23\00:53:56.18
When I was a child
00:54:01.66\00:54:05.71
we lived next door to
some very strange people.
00:54:06.01\00:54:08.85
Their children
would play with us
00:54:09.25\00:54:11.88
one, two, three, four,
five, six days of the week.
00:54:12.18\00:54:16.11
And then on Saturday
morning they would get dressed,
00:54:16.51\00:54:21.09
get in their car, and disappear.
00:54:21.30\00:54:24.62
And they'd be gone all day.
00:54:26.25\00:54:28.36
And it was strange behavior.
They never said too much to us.
00:54:28.66\00:54:31.89
Sometimes they would
come home in the afternoon
00:54:32.19\00:54:33.66
and they had a gate around
the house, and the children
00:54:33.86\00:54:36.18
had on nice clothes.
They couldn't come outside
00:54:36.39\00:54:38.35
of the gate and we
couldn't go inside.
00:54:38.55\00:54:40.65
They never explained
that strange behavior,
00:54:40.76\00:54:43.89
but we thought it
was very, very weird.
00:54:44.19\00:54:46.95
Then we moved to
another part of the city.
00:54:47.35\00:54:50.26
And wouldn't you know, we
moved right across the street
00:54:50.57\00:54:54.54
from some people with
that strange behavior.
00:54:54.74\00:54:59.23
That same oddball
behavior. On Saturday morning
00:54:59.54\00:55:03.81
they would get dressed,
pile in the station wagon,
00:55:04.01\00:55:06.93
and disappear.
00:55:07.13\00:55:08.76
And so after about a
year of this we became friends
00:55:10.24\00:55:13.62
with them, of course.
And I asked them: "Next week
00:55:13.82\00:55:16.82
when you disappear
00:55:17.02\00:55:19.72
I want to disappear with you. "
00:55:19.92\00:55:21.95
And so at age 9 I stepped foot
into the Seventh-day Adventist
00:55:24.54\00:55:27.92
church for the first time
00:55:28.12\00:55:29.85
and immediately fell in love
because we had a Sabbath School
00:55:30.25\00:55:34.10
teacher named Mildred Gill.
00:55:34.20\00:55:36.98
And she was young and pretty
00:55:37.28\00:55:39.43
and when you answered
your question right she would
00:55:39.63\00:55:41.69
touch you on the
cheek and call you "dear. "
00:55:41.89\00:55:43.77
And all of the young guys
wanted to answer the question
00:55:48.17\00:55:51.51
because she would
say: "that is so sweet;
00:55:51.71\00:55:52.96
that's the right answer, dear. "
00:55:53.16\00:55:54.21
And she would just
brush your cheek so nicely.
00:55:54.41\00:55:56.51
And we would study our
Sabbath School lessons,
00:55:56.81\00:55:58.60
I mean, into the night
just so we could get touched
00:55:58.70\00:56:00.59
and be called "dear. "
00:56:00.79\00:56:02.34
And I said: "This
Sabbath thing is great! "
00:56:02.74\00:56:06.46
And so I went every
Sabbath. Made sure I got my...
00:56:08.29\00:56:10.32
You remember the Little Friend?
00:56:10.52\00:56:12.19
Got my Little Friend and studied
it and got called "dear. "
00:56:12.59\00:56:17.14
And then you know a fellow
by the name of Conrad Gill
00:56:17.44\00:56:20.23
married Mildred and took
her away, and we hated him.
00:56:20.43\00:56:24.31
Took our Sabbath
School teacher away.
00:56:27.40\00:56:29.06
And I saw him years later when
he was at Andrews University
00:56:29.16\00:56:31.59
on faculty. He's a pastor.
00:56:31.79\00:56:33.63
And I said: "We used to hate you
00:56:33.83\00:56:35.79
because you took our
Sabbath School teacher away. "
00:56:36.09\00:56:39.03
But I envied Adventists
so very much as a child
00:56:39.33\00:56:41.72
because my
parents were sports fans.
00:56:41.92\00:56:44.37
And I would come home in
the fall and my dad watching
00:56:44.57\00:56:46.69
football in the living room
and my mother watching football
00:56:46.79\00:56:49.24
in the dining room. My
sister watching football
00:56:49.35\00:56:51.18
in the bedroom, and I'm
trying to keep the Sabbath.
00:56:51.38\00:56:53.44
And I'd have to go to my
room basically and hibernate
00:56:53.48\00:56:55.51
for the rest of the
Sabbath. I envied those families
00:56:55.71\00:56:58.23
that could watch... that
could come home and have nice
00:56:58.54\00:57:01.94
Sabbath dinners and you
know that kind of thing.
00:57:02.04\00:57:04.12
I thought it was just the most
wonderful thing in the world.
00:57:04.32\00:57:06.25
And I joined the
church at age 10.
00:57:06.55\00:57:09.42
Got baptized at age
10. I told you this morning
00:57:10.56\00:57:12.30
I had my little wilderness time,
00:57:12.50\00:57:14.12
but God kept me
through those times.
00:57:14.32\00:57:16.53