We're at the
traditional Mount of Blessing.
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It's probably not the correct
site. But there is a beautiful
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view of the lake of Galilee and
also the ruins of the town of
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Capernaum on the sea shore.
Capernaum was called Jesus'
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own city because he spent so
much time there and performed
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so many miracles there. He
healed Peter's mother-in-law
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and the nobleman's son. He
cleansed the leper and restored
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the paralytic. We mustn't forget
to mention that he raised Jairus
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daughter from
the dead there, also.
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We're in Capernaum, which is
a very important city as far as
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the New Testament records
are concerned; because here,
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Jesus Christ made his
headquarters, spent a lot of
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his time, and
performed many miracles here.
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In particular, the biblical
record refers to him being in
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the synagogue, and casting
out a demon here, and preaching
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in the synagogue at Capernaum.
And this is the reconstruction
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of the synagogue. This pillar
has a Greek inscription on it,
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which says, Herod and his
son, Justos, and their children
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erected this pillar. And so
they wanted a little credit,
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you see. The pillar over here,
it has a Latin inscription.
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Which is a much later date
and it simply refers to the man
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who reconstructed the synagogue
here. On the western side
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of the synagogue, there is a
prayer hall, a long prayer hall.
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You can see that from the seats
that are along here. This is
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where the men used to sit while
the prayers were being recited.
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And so this was a
prayer hall along on this side.
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And over here on the eastern
side, there was a courtyard.
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And this is where people
met before or after the service,
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and had a little chat to each
other. And so this was over on
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the eastern side. Now here
is some of the original paving
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stones. And these are
very important; because
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The archeologists lifted
some of these stones and looked
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underneath them. Underneath
is a very solid layer of thick
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plaster. Its 10 centimeters
thick. Underneath the plaster
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they found - Guess
what? 30,000 coins.
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Now, that's very important
because from these coins,
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they are able to determine that
actually, the coins were of the
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3rd and 4th century, A.D.
That means that these paving
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stones have to be later than
that. So therefore, any question
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of this being the exact
synagogue which Jesus preached
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in is just not on. It means
that this particular part of the
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synagogue, called the Kwat-
synagogue was of a later period.
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3rd or 4th century A.D.
You'll notice on this western
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side of the synagogue,
there are a lot of black stones;
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because the synagogue itself
is made of white lime stones.
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Some of these blocks are 3 or
4 tons each. And they come from
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miles away. And that's why
it's called the White Synagogue.
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But down beneath the
White Synagogue are these black
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vassal stones. See all around
here is volcanic, black stone.
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And you will notice that these
black stones go in under the
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synagogue. Now the important
point about this is that
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these stones are
obviously of earlier vintage.
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And that has led some people
to the conclusion that although
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the White Synagogue was in a
later period, it is built on the
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site of an earlier synagogue,
which could go back to the
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first century A.D., which would
identify this, the synagogue
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that was used during the time
of Jesus. Behind the synagogue
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are some sticks. It is thought
that these sticks mounted up
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to an upper story. And if that
is so, well, that is probably
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where the women went. You,
know men and women were always
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separated. So the men went
downstairs, in the main body of
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the synagogue, and the women
would go to the upper floor
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to participate in the worship.
Just to the south of the
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synagogue. In other
words between the synagogue
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and the lake, there are some
houses or rooms that were here.
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You see the ruins of them. They
were made of black vassal stone
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and beyond these, there is
a very interesting building.
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Unfortunately it has just been
covered up with some plywood
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or something, so we can't see
it. Although, we have a photo
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of it. And this was once a
church. Now this church is a
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later Christian period, and
it is called, Peter's house.
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Because some graffiti were found
on the wall with Peter's name
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on it. That, of
course, is a much later period.
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Earlier there is some graffiti
with the name of Jesus on it.
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Certainly, this house
goes back to an earlier time.
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And there is evidence that
there was some sort of meetings
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going on here in the first
century A.D.; but whether the
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meetings were of a Christian
nature, or whether they were
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Jewish people
meeting there, we don't know.
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But anyway, this house
is called Peter's house.
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And it goes right back to an
earlier time. In fact, actually,
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the foundations of the house go
go back to the prechristian era.
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Well, Capernaum is an
interesting place, isn't it?
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And it was the scene of many of
Jesus' miracles, one of which,
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of course, was healing
the centurion's servant.
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And according to the record,
the centurion had built a
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synagogue for the
Jews in Capernaum.
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One of the interesting features
of the miracles of Jesus,
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is that so many of them,
have you noticed, were performed
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on the Sabbath Day? So what does
this mean? Does it mean that
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Jesus had abolished the Sabbath,
didn't keep it any longer?
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No, it doesn't mean that at all.
Notice for instance, the miracle
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where he healed a man with an
hand. It says, Behold there was
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a man with a withered
hand. This is in Matthew 12.
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And they asked him,
saying, Is it lawful to heal on
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the Sabbath? that they might
accuse him. And he said to them,
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What man is there
among you, who has one sheep?
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And if it is fallen into a pit
on the Sabbath, will you not lay
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hold on it and lift it
out? Of how much more value,
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then, is a man than a sheep?
Therefore, it is lawful to do
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good on the Sabbath. You
see these fellows wouldn't mind
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pulling a sheep out of pit
to save their pockets; but they
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weren't willing for Jesus to
heal a man on the Sabbath Day.
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So, what Jesus was saying,
is that it is lawful to do well
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on the Sabbath Day. Now
that means that farmers have to
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feed their cattle, and other
people have to do their cooking.
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Nurses have to do their
nursing work on the Sabbath.
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There are emergency operations
have to be performed. There are
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certain things that have to
be performed on the Sabbath day.
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Jesus is saying, It is lawful
to do well on the Sabbath. But
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by saying that, he's
not abolishing the Sabbath.
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On the contrary, it is quite
a apparent that he intended
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all of the 10 commandments to
be kept, because, a rich young
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ruler came to him on one
occasion and asked him, What
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he had to do to eternal life,
and he said, in Matthew 19: 17,
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Why do you call me good? No one
is good but one, that is God.
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But if you want to enter into
life, keep the commandments.
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And the young man said to
him, Well, which ones? Now Jesus
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didn't quote the whole ten.
But he quoted enough of them
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to show that he was quoting
from the 10 commandments.
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He said, You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
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You shall not steal. You
shall not bear false witness.
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So these are from
the ten commandments.
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It is quite apparent that Jesus
was teaching this young man
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You ought to keep the ten
commandments. And that of course
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includes the Sabbath Day.
But the interesting question is,
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Which is the Sabbath Day?
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This is an otherwise busy street
in Jerusalem on a Saturday
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morning. As you can see, it
is barricaded as are many of the
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other streets all over Israel,
shop are shut. Busses don't run
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and offices are closed. The
4th commandment says the 7th day
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is the Sabbath of the Lord our
God. And Saturday is the 7th day
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Jews all over the world have
celebrated the 7th day Sabbath
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for thousands of years. And
wherever there is a synagogue,
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you'll find them
worshiping on this day.
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Well, it is not only the
Jewish religion that recognizes
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Saturday as the
7th day of the week.
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Actually, the Christian religion
also recognizes Saturday
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as the 7th day.
Have you noticed that?
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Well, you all know what day of
the week Jesus was crucified on,
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don't you? Good Friday. Right?
Of course. There are very few
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Christians will deny that
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So Friday was the day on
which Jesus was crucified.
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Now, let us turn to the
book of Luke. And in chapter 23,
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and referring to the
crucifixion, it says this,
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That day was the preparation
and the Sabbath drew near.
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So the day before the Saturday
was the preparation day.
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And then the Sabbath came and
verse 56 says, They returned and
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prepared spices and fragrant
oils and they rested on the
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Sabbath according
to the commandment.
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Now apparently they had it
right, because it says here
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that they rested on the Sabbath
according to the commandment.
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They had the right day alright.
So the following day was the
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Sunday, the first day of the
week on which Jesus rose from
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the dead. So there you have
it. Saturday is the seventh day
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of the week. Now its quite
apparent that Jesus intended
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his disciples to keep the
7th day Sabbath; because when
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he was warning them that
Jerusalem was going to be
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destroyed and they'd
have to flee from the city.
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He said in Matthew 24 and verse
20, Pray that your flight may
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not be in the winter or on the
Sabbath. Now some people say,
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Well, that was simply because
the Jews were observing the
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Sabbath. But actually, if that
is the case, it would have been
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a lot easier for them to flee
from Jerusalem while all the
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Jews were worshiping in the
Synagogue than any other day
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of the week. So its
quite apparent that Jesus was
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expecting his disciples
to be observing the Sabbath.
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Well, what about the apostles?
Did they change it perhaps?
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It wouldn't seem so. For
instance we have the record in
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Acts, chapter 13, of
Paul and it says in verse 42,
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When the Jews went out of the
Synagogue, the Gentiles begged
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that these words
might be preached to them
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the next Sabbath. Now
these were Gentiles came to him.
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Now, Paul could have said
to them, Well, listen fellows,
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There's no need to
wait until a whole week.
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You come and listen tomorrow,
that's the Christian day of
00:11:07.77\00:11:10.52
worship. But no, it simply
says in verse 44, Next Sabbath
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almost the whole city
came together to hear to word
00:11:14.95\00:11:18.03
of God. So Paul and the Gentiles
apparently were involved
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in this and its quite
apparent that the apostles
00:11:22.36\00:11:26.12
were still observing the
7th day Sabbath. And so all the
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mounting evidence points in that
direction. Now there are some
00:11:31.21\00:11:35.55
people who say, Isn't
the Sunday the Lord's Day?
00:11:35.58\00:11:40.02
Well, it has that connotation
now, but is certainly didn't in
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the early days. This expression
is only found in Revelation
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chapter one and verse ten, where
John said, I was in the Spirit
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on the Lord's Day. It doesn't
say which day of the week
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it was - just in the
Spirit on the Lord's day.
00:11:57.31\00:11:59.12
But in other parts of the Bible,
You don't have any problem.
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For instance, it says, The 7th
day is the Sabbath of the Lord
00:12:02.76\00:12:06.39
thy God. That's the Lord's Day.
And when Jesus was on earth,
00:12:06.42\00:12:10.87
He spoke about the Sabbath.
Notice what he says in the book
00:12:10.90\00:12:15.09
the book of Matthew.
The book of Mark, is it?
00:12:15.12\00:12:17.28
Yes, Here we
are, in chapter two,
00:12:17.32\00:12:18.81
And he said to them, verse 27,
The Sabbath was made for man,
00:12:19.16\00:12:23.27
and not man for the Sabbath.
Therefore the Son of man is
00:12:23.30\00:12:25.74
also Lord of the Sabbath. So
Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath.
00:12:25.77\00:12:30.69
It was his day, his
special day. Its the Lord's day.
00:12:30.72\00:12:33.65
So according to the Bible,
the Lord's day is not Sunday,
00:12:33.68\00:12:36.76
the first day of the week.
The Lord's day, the 7th day,
00:12:36.79\00:12:39.50
that is the Sabbath. Now the
question is, What time of the
00:12:39.53\00:12:43.54
day does the Sabbath begin?
Leviticus 23, and verse 32,
00:12:43.57\00:12:48.48
tells us, It shall be to
you a Sabbath of solemn rest,
00:12:48.51\00:12:52.32
from evening to evening you
shall celebrate your Sabbath.
00:12:52.35\00:12:56.70
You see, God measures time
in days from sunset to sunset.
00:12:56.73\00:13:01.82
You might remember the book of
Genesis, creation week it says,
00:13:01.85\00:13:06.10
The evening and the
morning were the first day.
00:13:06.13\00:13:07.98
Evening and the
morning was the second day.
00:13:08.01\00:13:09.83
So days in the bible
are measured from sunset
00:13:09.86\00:13:13.39
to sunset. Well that would
mean that the 7th day Sabbath
00:13:13.42\00:13:17.06
is to be measured from sunset
Friday to sunset Saturday.
00:13:17.09\00:13:21.84
Okay, now what are some of the
things that we have to keep in
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mind during those Sabbath hours?
What does the bible say? Well,
00:13:24.94\00:13:28.53
of course the first thing
you find in the 10 commandments,
00:13:28.56\00:13:30.75
Remember? Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. In it
00:13:30.78\00:13:34.61
you shall not do any work.
Now that means any unnecessary
00:13:34.64\00:13:38.84
work. Any work that can be
done some other day, the bible
00:13:38.87\00:13:42.53
says, In it, you
shall not do any work.
00:13:42.56\00:13:46.67
Stop right there. Then
there's something else that we
00:13:46.70\00:13:50.02
need to keep in mind. In
the book of Isaiah, chapter 58,
00:13:50.05\00:13:57.12
it says, verse 13, If you turn
away your foot from the Sabbath
00:13:57.15\00:14:01.81
from doing your pleasure on my
holy day; and call the Sabbath
00:14:01.84\00:14:06.67
a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honorable, and shalt honor him,
00:14:06.70\00:14:10.07
not doing your own ways,
nor finding your own pleasure:
00:14:10.10\00:14:13.55
then you shall
delight yourself in the Lord,
00:14:13.58\00:14:16.97
because the Sabbath is a
really happy day if you keep it
00:14:17.00\00:14:19.16
the right way. But God says, Its
not a day for your own pleasure.
00:14:19.19\00:14:22.99
So you going to sport on the
Sabbath day?, Saturday, is that
00:14:23.02\00:14:26.89
your sport day? Well, remember
it says here, Don't find your
00:14:26.92\00:14:31.48
own pleasure on the
Sabbath day. Well, what about
00:14:31.51\00:14:36.70
our shopping activities. You
know there's something over here
00:14:36.73\00:14:40.14
that is relevant to that. In the
book of Nehemiah, chapter 13,
00:14:40.17\00:14:43.58
and in verse 16, it says,
Men of Tyre dwelt there also,
00:14:43.61\00:14:47.23
who brought in fish and all
kinds of goods, sold them on the
00:14:47.26\00:14:49.76
Sabbath to the children of
Judah. Then I contended with
00:14:49.79\00:14:53.42
the nobles of Judah, and said
to them, What evil thing is this
00:14:53.45\00:14:57.48
that you do by which
you profane the Sabbath day.
00:14:57.51\00:14:59.83
It was an evil thing to
buy or sell on the Sabbath day.
00:14:59.86\00:15:04.35
So, if Saturday is
your shopping day, stop.
00:15:04.38\00:15:08.47
Remember that God wants you
to have this day for your own
00:15:08.50\00:15:14.43
benefit, and don't go shopping.
Don't go buying or selling
00:15:14.46\00:15:18.48
on the Sabbath day. God wants
you to really enjoy the Sabbath
00:15:18.51\00:15:23.26
day. And so there is a verse
for you over here in the book of
00:15:23.29\00:15:27.10
Exodus, and in chapter 16,
and in verse 23. Then he said
00:15:27.13\00:15:33.34
to them, This is what the Lord
has said, Tomorrow is a Sabbath
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rest, a holy Sabbath of the Lord
Bake what you will bake today,
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and boil what you will
boil and lay up for yourselves
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until the morning. Keep it
until the morning. So the day
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before the Sabbath, Friday is
the day to do all the cooking.
00:15:48.84\00:15:52.35
Merilee Adams is
doing her preparation.
00:15:52.38\00:15:57.25
Merilee, what is this Sabbath
preparation involved with here?
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With me, Well, on Friday
I try and tidy the house up.
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And I vacuum the floor,
00:16:06.81\00:16:08.97
making sure the dusting's
done. Little things like that.
00:16:09.09\00:16:13.58
make it look tidy ready for
Sabbath. All I do on the Sabbath
00:16:13.62\00:16:18.06
as far as housework
I have been cooking,
00:16:18.10\00:16:21.55
I try and do
some cooking, mainly
00:16:21.58\00:16:26.59
make a soup or a stew
or something like that
00:16:26.62\00:16:28.79
on Friday, and on
Sabbath I'll heat it
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and we'll have that
for our lunch on Sabbath.
00:16:32.00\00:16:34.14
So, not much to do on Sabbath.
No, Sabbath is an easy day.
00:16:34.17\00:16:38.15
All this Sabbath preparation,
you know, on Fridays,
00:16:38.18\00:16:41.70
sounds like a lot of hard work.
Do you think it's worth it?
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I think so, yes. To get one day
when I can spend with my family
00:16:44.34\00:16:49.43
relaxing and taking them
to church. Well worth while.
00:16:49.47\00:16:52.98
So, if you're into cooking
on the Saturday, remember,
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God wants you to make the
Sabbath a day of complete rest
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and do your preparation work
on the day before, on a Friday.
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So much for what we
should not do on the Sabbath
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to get the most out
of this wonderful day.
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But what can we do? Well, the
obvious answer is, first of all,
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go to church. In Hebrews,
chapter 10, and in verse 24
00:17:18.79\00:17:23.77
it says, Let us consider
one another in order to stir up
00:17:23.80\00:17:27.62
love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling
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of ourselves together, and
so much more as you see the day
00:17:31.15\00:17:35.60
approaching. The nearer we come
to the second coming of Christ,
00:17:35.63\00:17:40.02
the more important it is that
we don't forsake the assembling
00:17:40.05\00:17:42.99
of ourselves together. And
church is a wonderful place to
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be when you can meet those
of like faith. Some people say,
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I don't get enough out of it.
They are overlooking the fact
00:17:49.72\00:17:53.35
that really what we ought
to be doing, going to churches,
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trying to help others.
See what you can put into it.
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Church is a wonderful place
when you look at it that way.
00:17:58.61\00:18:01.41
But there's other things
you can do. What better way of
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remembering your creator?
And that after all is what the
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Sabbath is all about. Then
going for a nice walk in the
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bush. Or if you're lucky enough
to live down near the beach,
00:18:11.99\00:18:15.27
walk along the seashore and pick
up some of those beautiful pink
00:18:15.30\00:18:18.86
shells that you find lying
around. It's also a very good
00:18:18.89\00:18:22.68
day for visiting the friends
that you have in the hospital.
00:18:22.71\00:18:26.44
What better thing you
can do than cheer somebody up
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on the Sabbath day. You know,
you didn't have time during the
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week. So go on a Sabbath
afternoon and bring a little
00:18:32.32\00:18:36.05
cheer into their lives. Its
also a good day for catching up
00:18:36.08\00:18:39.64
on your reading. So
many good books, you know.
00:18:39.67\00:18:42.46
Books about nature. Books about
exciting missionary adventures.
00:18:42.49\00:18:48.03
Or books about the bible.
Or there's lots of interesting
00:18:48.06\00:18:52.36
books you can read on the
Sabbath day that you don't have
00:18:52.39\00:18:55.12
time to do somewhere time else.
00:18:55.15\00:18:56.57
So get the most out of this
day, and make it the best day
00:18:56.60\00:19:02.06
of the week. Now just one
more question. Some people say,
00:19:02.09\00:19:07.51
But one day is as good as
another. What does it matter
00:19:07.54\00:19:11.63
whether we keep the 7th day
or the 1st day for that matter
00:19:11.66\00:19:14.18
any other day of the week.
Well I think it does matter.
00:19:14.21\00:19:17.23
And I'll tell you why.
In Genesis, chapter two,
00:19:17.26\00:19:20.89
and in verse three, when
it speaks about the 7 days of
00:19:20.92\00:19:25.16
creation, comes to the 7th day
and it says, Then God blessed
00:19:25.19\00:19:29.48
the 7th day and sanctified
it. Now, let me put it to you
00:19:29.51\00:19:34.48
this way. If God blesses
something, doesn't that make
00:19:34.51\00:19:38.24
that better than anything else?
And if it doesn't, we're really
00:19:38.27\00:19:42.34
saying that God's blessing isn't
worth anything. And so I think
00:19:42.37\00:19:45.95
that when God blessed the 7th
day, that really makes it better
00:19:45.98\00:19:49.92
than any other day of the week.
Wouldn't you agree with that?
00:19:49.95\00:19:52.66
I'll tell you something
else, too. In Luke, chapter 4,
00:19:52.69\00:19:57.26
and in verse 16, it says,
So he, Jesus, came to Nazareth
00:19:57.29\00:20:02.28
where he had been brought
up, and as his custom was,
00:20:02.31\00:20:06.10
he went into the
Synagogue on the Sabbath Day.
00:20:06.13\00:20:09.20
It was Jesus' custom to
go to the place of worship
00:20:09.23\00:20:13.32
on the 7th day, Sabbath.
And as we are Christians,
00:20:13.35\00:20:17.90
I think the right thing to
do, is to follow his example,
00:20:17.93\00:20:21.40
and go to the place of worship
on the same day as Jesus Christ
00:20:21.43\00:20:25.82
did, the 7th day of the week.
It's the best day of the week
00:20:25.85\00:20:29.25
and that's the way to
get the most out of it.
00:20:29.28\00:20:33.03
I was brought up to keep Sunday.
But I find that I have derived a
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.94
great delight and satisfaction
in keeping the 7th day
00:20:36.97\00:20:40.65
Sabbath that Jesus kept. In
our next program, we move on to
00:20:40.68\00:20:44.98
Rome, where we visit the
great cathedral of St. Peter's.
00:20:45.01\00:20:48.61
and discuss the
early Christian church.
00:20:48.65\00:20:51.14