Hello, it's good to be with you. 00:00:28.85\00:00:31.12 We're studying God's word together 00:00:31.13\00:00:34.02 and we're going to be looking 00:00:34.03\00:00:36.21 at another one of God's commandments. 00:00:36.22\00:00:39.92 But, let me introduce myself first. 00:00:39.93\00:00:42.86 My name is Dale Leamon, 00:00:42.87\00:00:44.38 I'm a pastor from Battle Creek Michigan 00:00:44.39\00:00:47.36 and I am really looking forward to opening 00:00:47.37\00:00:49.54 God's word with you. 00:00:49.55\00:00:50.63 Let's ask for his blessing before we do that. 00:00:50.64\00:00:54.93 Father in heaven, it is such a joy 00:00:54.94\00:00:57.09 just to take Your word as it reads, 00:00:57.10\00:00:59.95 to let You be our teacher and guide, 00:00:59.96\00:01:02.76 it's such a privilege to take the whole Bible 00:01:02.77\00:01:06.24 and let it be our truth 00:01:06.25\00:01:09.12 and our source of doctrine and light. 00:01:09.13\00:01:12.54 Father, please help me today 00:01:12.55\00:01:14.14 that I may teach in Your name and with Your Spirit's power, 00:01:14.15\00:01:18.65 in Jesus name we pray. Amen. 00:01:18.66\00:01:21.35 The Ten Commandments, God never intended for them 00:01:24.93\00:01:28.13 to be scary, that wasn't His plan at all. 00:01:28.14\00:01:31.59 He was so disappointed 00:01:31.60\00:01:32.66 that the Jews misunderstood their meaning. 00:01:32.67\00:01:35.33 They were so frightened after they heard 00:01:35.34\00:01:36.76 the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai 00:01:36.77\00:01:38.69 that they said, Moses, 00:01:38.70\00:01:39.77 we can't listen to God's voice anymore, 00:01:39.78\00:01:41.87 if we keep listening it'll kill us, 00:01:41.88\00:01:43.81 you go and talk to Him. 00:01:43.82\00:01:46.42 Well, Moses was privileged indeed 00:01:46.43\00:01:48.08 to go to the top of the mountain 00:01:48.09\00:01:49.30 and talk to God face to face. 00:01:49.31\00:01:51.85 But the Jewish nation could have enjoyed 00:01:51.86\00:01:55.19 that fellowship too, they just didn't get it. 00:01:55.20\00:01:57.25 They didn't understand that God's commandments 00:01:57.26\00:02:00.97 were meant to be promises of what 00:02:00.98\00:02:02.46 he was going to do for them, 00:02:02.47\00:02:04.65 by his own Spirit and by his own power. 00:02:04.66\00:02:08.16 They thought they had to promise Him 00:02:08.17\00:02:09.60 to keep the commandments and they even said 00:02:09.61\00:02:11.02 that "everything you say, we will do," 00:02:11.03\00:02:12.53 now please don't talk to us anymore. 00:02:12.54\00:02:15.53 God said well, I'm glad you want to do what I've said, 00:02:15.54\00:02:17.51 but he shook his head, if God shakes his head, 00:02:17.52\00:02:20.25 we can see it that way in our human sense. 00:02:20.26\00:02:23.68 And he said, oh, that they had a heart 00:02:23.69\00:02:27.59 to really keep my commandments. 00:02:27.60\00:02:28.66 But He knew they needed help, He knew we needed help, 00:02:28.67\00:02:31.11 He knew that in fact the commandments were never 00:02:31.12\00:02:34.17 intended to be something a road or a ladder to heaven, 00:02:34.18\00:02:41.03 that they're intended instead to be His promise to us, 00:02:41.04\00:02:45.07 of what He would do inside of us. 00:02:45.08\00:02:47.75 To bring us back into harmony with himself. 00:02:47.76\00:02:51.24 The Apostle Paul, one who we always 00:02:51.25\00:02:54.08 look to for theological explanations of things 00:02:54.09\00:02:58.02 has written some words to that effect, 00:02:58.03\00:03:00.48 in Romans Chapter 7. 00:03:00.49\00:03:02.79 Let's read verses 10 and 14, 00:03:02.80\00:03:07.60 first of all verse 10. 00:03:07.61\00:03:12.23 "And the commandment, which was to bring life, 00:03:12.24\00:03:16.34 I found to bring death." 00:03:16.35\00:03:20.31 What was God's purpose in that commandment, 00:03:22.36\00:03:25.20 not death, but life. 00:03:25.21\00:03:26.52 Verse 14 says, "For we know that the law is spiritual, 00:03:26.53\00:03:29.78 but I am carnal, sold under sin." 00:03:29.79\00:03:35.24 There it is, the great tragedy. 00:03:35.25\00:03:37.99 God never intended for his commandment 00:03:38.00\00:03:39.52 to be discouraging or to bring death. 00:03:39.53\00:03:41.82 It was still be looked at as a hopeful thing. 00:03:41.83\00:03:45.26 This is my covenant with you, 00:03:45.27\00:03:47.30 this is what I am going to do for you, 00:03:47.31\00:03:50.46 but the people instead chose to see it 00:03:50.47\00:03:52.71 in their humanness and God was merciful to them 00:03:52.72\00:03:56.64 as a regulation by obeying 00:03:56.65\00:04:01.83 which they hoped to gain God's favor. 00:04:01.84\00:04:04.92 Well, you know, we have God's favor 00:04:04.93\00:04:06.67 through Jesus Christ, don't we? 00:04:06.68\00:04:08.50 We already have it. 00:04:08.51\00:04:09.54 He is the ambassador for us 00:04:09.55\00:04:11.87 and he has reconciled us to God through his blood, 00:04:11.88\00:04:14.65 so we already have his favor. 00:04:14.66\00:04:16.96 We're not seeking His favor through obedience, 00:04:16.97\00:04:20.15 we're seeking obedience through his favor. 00:04:20.16\00:04:23.50 We want to be like Him 00:04:23.51\00:04:25.06 and because He already favors us, 00:04:25.07\00:04:26.50 He's also going to give us 00:04:26.51\00:04:28.63 His commandments in our hearts. 00:04:28.64\00:04:31.09 That was always God's intention 00:04:31.10\00:04:33.01 and some people did understand that from time to time, 00:04:33.02\00:04:35.85 we find great characters in the Old Testament 00:04:35.86\00:04:38.53 who even loved God's law 00:04:38.54\00:04:39.89 and didn't see it as a terrifying thing. 00:04:39.90\00:04:42.37 But most of them were frightened by Him. 00:04:42.38\00:04:45.54 You know, just by looking at the commandments 00:04:45.55\00:04:46.81 themselves we can see the gospel, that's right, 00:04:46.82\00:04:53.26 right in the middle of the commandments 00:04:53.27\00:04:55.48 is a commandments which shows us the gospel 00:04:55.49\00:04:58.37 and therefore takes away the fright of the commandments 00:04:58.38\00:05:01.97 and gives us peace. 00:05:01.98\00:05:04.33 Which commandment am I referring to? 00:05:04.34\00:05:06.50 The fourth commandment. Commandment that says, 00:05:06.51\00:05:09.70 "remember the Sabbath." Let's read that together, 00:05:09.71\00:05:14.02 you can find the fourth commandment 00:05:14.03\00:05:16.10 in Exodus, Chapter 20 00:05:16.11\00:05:20.20 verses 8 through 11. 00:05:22.29\00:05:24.86 This is the longest of all of the ten 00:05:24.87\00:05:28.76 and that ought to give us some thoughts, shouldn't it? 00:05:28.77\00:05:33.16 All right, let's read, Exodus 20:8-11. 00:05:33.17\00:05:36.80 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 00:05:36.81\00:05:40.35 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 00:05:40.36\00:05:44.37 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 00:05:44.38\00:05:47.24 In it you shall do no work, 00:05:47.25\00:05:48.90 you, nor your son, nor your daughter, 00:05:48.91\00:05:51.39 nor your male servant, nor your female servant, 00:05:51.40\00:05:54.00 nor your cattle, nor your stranger 00:05:54.01\00:05:56.05 who is within your gates. 00:05:56.06\00:05:57.84 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the Earth, 00:05:57.85\00:06:01.28 the sea, and all that is in them, 00:06:01.29\00:06:04.36 and rested the seventh day. 00:06:04.37\00:06:06.62 Therefore the Lord blessed 00:06:06.63\00:06:08.73 the Sabbath day and hallowed it." 00:06:08.74\00:06:14.22 Well, some people find 00:06:14.23\00:06:15.41 that to be the most difficult of all the commandments, 00:06:15.42\00:06:18.34 that one is the one they just can't comprehend, 00:06:18.35\00:06:21.32 how can that be important. 00:06:21.33\00:06:22.32 After all, aren't all days the same. 00:06:22.33\00:06:24.68 Well, it says right here that one day is special, 00:06:24.69\00:06:27.14 God made that day holy it says, he hallowed it. 00:06:27.15\00:06:30.54 And of course many find it objectionable 00:06:30.55\00:06:34.05 to have to change their habits 00:06:34.06\00:06:35.66 that they've gained in precious 00:06:35.67\00:06:37.24 Christian fellowship over many decades. 00:06:37.25\00:06:40.79 And to be different from family members 00:06:40.80\00:06:44.23 and so forth we fully understand that. 00:06:44.24\00:06:46.79 And yet instead of thinking 00:06:46.80\00:06:49.04 about all the objections to this commandment, 00:06:49.05\00:06:51.67 let's look at it in a different way, 00:06:51.68\00:06:53.89 let's look at it as we have been looking 00:06:53.90\00:06:56.31 at the others in these studies as a promise. 00:06:56.32\00:07:02.34 In fact, the promissory aspects 00:07:02.35\00:07:04.99 are almost right here on the surface 00:07:05.00\00:07:08.04 in this commandment because in this commandment we see, 00:07:08.05\00:07:12.44 first of all, an invitation to look at creation. 00:07:12.45\00:07:16.34 The Sabbath is about creation, 00:07:16.35\00:07:17.72 it's about celebrating a creation 00:07:17.73\00:07:20.01 which is already finished. 00:07:20.02\00:07:23.51 Wow, that's right, 00:07:23.52\00:07:26.42 he did finished it, didn't he? 00:07:26.43\00:07:27.60 On the sixth day, He looked 00:07:27.61\00:07:28.69 and He saw everything He'd made 00:07:28.70\00:07:30.18 and He said it's very good. 00:07:30.19\00:07:33.34 He made Adam and Eve and then He rested. 00:07:33.35\00:07:39.13 And so the Sabbath becomes 00:07:39.14\00:07:41.40 a celebration of the work already done. 00:07:41.41\00:07:47.99 You know, Jesus himself 00:07:48.00\00:07:49.89 who rested that Sabbath day because in the New Testament, 00:07:49.90\00:07:54.08 John the first Chapter, Colossians the first Chapter, 00:07:54.09\00:07:56.55 Hebrews the first Chapter they all tell us 00:07:56.56\00:07:58.37 that Jesus was the immediate agent of creation, 00:07:58.38\00:08:01.16 He was the one who formed 00:08:01.17\00:08:02.36 Adam out of the dust of the ground. 00:08:02.37\00:08:04.44 And so it was Jesus who rested that day 00:08:04.45\00:08:06.44 and it is Jesus who completed the creation 00:08:06.45\00:08:11.24 and then rested on the Sabbath. 00:08:11.25\00:08:15.15 And don't you see what that says about the gospel. 00:08:15.16\00:08:18.77 We're to be new creatures 00:08:18.78\00:08:21.44 and if He's already created everything 00:08:21.45\00:08:23.30 and made it so perfect 00:08:23.31\00:08:24.54 that he could stop and rest once, 00:08:24.55\00:08:27.28 he can do it again, can't he? 00:08:27.29\00:08:29.63 It gives us so much faith, 00:08:29.64\00:08:32.03 not that we're saved by works, 00:08:32.04\00:08:33.39 but by rest in his creative power, 00:08:33.40\00:08:38.11 what a magnificent lesson we learn from the Sabbath. 00:08:38.12\00:08:42.11 No wonder Mark 2:27 tells us 00:08:42.12\00:08:48.70 that the Sabbath, let's read it here. 00:08:48.71\00:08:50.63 "The Sabbath was made for man," 00:08:50.64\00:08:53.50 don't you love that? 00:08:53.51\00:08:55.14 He made it for us as an object of our study 00:08:55.15\00:08:58.93 so that we could discern his character 00:08:58.94\00:09:03.25 and the way of salvation through it. 00:09:03.26\00:09:05.62 Now, we see another lesson in the Sabbath promise 00:09:05.63\00:09:08.98 or Sabbath commandment, 00:09:08.99\00:09:10.85 here we see God's intention to give us rest 00:09:10.86\00:09:16.46 and relaxation, not strife and stress and fear. 00:09:16.47\00:09:21.85 For many, the Christian life is not restful, 00:09:21.86\00:09:25.09 it's--it's a terrible, terrible battle 00:09:25.10\00:09:27.19 and I would be the first to admit, 00:09:27.20\00:09:28.63 there are battles in our Christian life. 00:09:28.64\00:09:30.53 But there is also rest. 00:09:30.54\00:09:32.16 The battle is of course with self 00:09:32.17\00:09:34.01 and the strife is of course in surrender of self. 00:09:34.02\00:09:38.21 But oh, what glorious rest there is in letting go 00:09:38.22\00:09:44.70 and giving into God 00:09:44.71\00:09:47.25 and then we find peace of mind 00:09:47.26\00:09:49.69 and even peace in our physical bodies 00:09:49.70\00:09:51.51 as our stress level goes down 00:09:51.52\00:09:53.52 and our whole body relaxes and we feel so much better. 00:09:53.53\00:09:57.66 The Sabbath reveals that aspect of God's character, 00:09:57.67\00:10:02.27 that he wants to invite us into rest. 00:10:02.28\00:10:04.60 A very physical rest from our labors on the seventh day 00:10:04.61\00:10:07.64 but a spiritual rest everyday. 00:10:07.65\00:10:12.65 Thirdly, we are to remember every week 00:10:12.66\00:10:16.42 that human endeavor cannot add anything to God's work. 00:10:16.43\00:10:20.62 You see, the first thing God did with Adam and Eve 00:10:20.63\00:10:24.95 after creating them was to give them 00:10:24.96\00:10:30.74 a day of rest, spiritual lesson? 00:10:30.75\00:10:35.88 You can't help me with creation, 00:10:35.89\00:10:37.94 I already did it, it's done, it's perfect, 00:10:37.95\00:10:39.76 it's as good as it's gonna get, 00:10:39.77\00:10:41.33 you can't add anything to it, it's all finished. 00:10:41.34\00:10:45.94 And I love that because that is such 00:10:45.95\00:10:47.22 a beautiful gospel lesson. 00:10:47.23\00:10:48.43 Doesn't it teach me that I cannot do anything 00:10:48.44\00:10:51.68 about changing my thoughts, changing my feelings, 00:10:51.69\00:10:53.60 changing my attitudes, changing my character, 00:10:53.61\00:10:55.79 that's gonna have to be His creation, 00:10:55.80\00:10:57.72 I can't add to it, He will do it, 00:10:57.73\00:11:01.51 He has done it in Christ Jesus. 00:11:01.52\00:11:04.92 And so in the Sabbath we see the lesson 00:11:04.93\00:11:09.39 that we need to rest in his promise 00:11:09.40\00:11:11.94 instead of trying to do it ourselves. 00:11:11.95\00:11:14.89 The Sabbath is also a weekly reminder 00:11:14.90\00:11:18.02 that all of the ten Commandments 00:11:18.03\00:11:21.25 are really promises. 00:11:21.26\00:11:23.28 Because we can see that he who made 00:11:23.29\00:11:28.31 everything perfect can make everything perfect again. 00:11:28.32\00:11:35.15 And so all the commandments are meant 00:11:35.16\00:11:37.12 to be seen as glorious 00:11:37.13\00:11:41.41 promises of his grace. 00:11:41.42\00:11:45.52 And finally in the Sabbath, 00:11:45.53\00:11:48.56 the Old Testament experience looking forward to the time 00:11:48.57\00:11:52.71 when the promise will be fulfilled 00:11:52.72\00:11:54.77 that Christ would actually 00:11:54.78\00:11:57.41 create the human race over again. 00:11:57.42\00:12:02.15 The tragedy of the fall of Adam and Eve, 00:12:04.99\00:12:10.97 I believe was foreseen by God 00:12:10.98\00:12:15.69 and I believe the reason He gave that Sabbath to man, 00:12:15.70\00:12:19.32 doesn't say He gave to the angels 00:12:19.33\00:12:20.84 or to the people of other planets, 00:12:20.85\00:12:22.11 He says He gave it to man. 00:12:22.12\00:12:23.55 Maybe that-- maybe 00:12:23.56\00:12:24.57 he also gave it to the other people I don't know, 00:12:24.58\00:12:27.44 but He gave it to man, 00:12:27.45\00:12:28.68 knowing for well that man would fall, 00:12:28.69\00:12:31.03 knowing that in our sinful state 00:12:31.04\00:12:32.74 we would desperately need a promise. 00:12:32.75\00:12:36.71 And in every Sabbath day, 00:12:36.72\00:12:38.60 we find a promise of the perfect rest 00:12:38.61\00:12:43.75 that that we will enjoy with Him in the Earth 00:12:43.76\00:12:46.37 made new and the glorious, glorious promise of our hearts 00:12:46.38\00:12:50.23 being at rest through our Redeemer. 00:12:50.24\00:12:54.93 Did Jesus intend when he came to this Earth 00:12:54.94\00:12:58.87 to erase the commandments? 00:12:58.88\00:13:02.68 Many have suggested that it was his purpose 00:13:02.69\00:13:05.17 at least to do away with the Sabbath 00:13:05.18\00:13:09.12 and yet in Jesus own life and experience, 00:13:09.13\00:13:11.16 we find a tremendous reference for the Sabbath 00:13:11.17\00:13:14.42 but he kept it quite differently 00:13:14.43\00:13:15.79 from the Scribes and Pharisees, didn't he? 00:13:15.80\00:13:18.45 Well, Jesus own testimony 00:13:18.46\00:13:20.06 in Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 17 is very clear. 00:13:20.07\00:13:27.11 "Do not think that I came to destroy 00:13:27.12\00:13:30.13 the law or the Prophets. 00:13:30.14\00:13:32.05 I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." 00:13:32.06\00:13:35.97 And so Jesus must have fulfilled the Sabbath. 00:13:37.98\00:13:42.13 It must be in fact a promise 00:13:42.14\00:13:45.65 which we can find already ratified 00:13:45.66\00:13:48.75 in the life of Christ. 00:13:48.76\00:13:52.00 Specifically, we should expect to find 00:13:52.01\00:13:55.16 in Christ rest from our old sinful life. 00:13:55.17\00:14:01.59 We should expect to find in him 00:14:01.60\00:14:03.34 rest from the struggle with our current natures. 00:14:03.35\00:14:07.93 I truly love the Sabbath day, 00:14:07.94\00:14:09.34 my own testimony is that on the Sabbath Day 00:14:09.35\00:14:11.95 there is a special blessing, people who have not tried it, 00:14:11.96\00:14:15.51 not experienced it, probably 00:14:15.52\00:14:17.70 wouldn't be able to anticipate it, 00:14:17.71\00:14:20.52 but there is a tremendous leaving 00:14:20.53\00:14:23.59 behind of everything of this world, 00:14:23.60\00:14:27.65 it is just a time of peace, 00:14:27.66\00:14:29.95 you're still in the same place, 00:14:29.96\00:14:31.48 you live in the same house, 00:14:31.49\00:14:32.66 you still live among the same people. 00:14:32.67\00:14:35.33 But when you take seriously Jesus invitation 00:14:35.34\00:14:39.55 to lay aside earthly things, it is just precious. 00:14:39.56\00:14:44.51 How deep is the rest that comes into your soul 00:14:44.52\00:14:50.08 and that rest definitely says everything 00:14:50.09\00:14:53.91 about the gospel and about grace, 00:14:53.92\00:14:56.23 as it says you have been created 00:14:56.24\00:15:01.09 in Christ as a new creature. 00:15:01.10\00:15:04.71 In fact that's exactly what is explicitly promised, 00:15:04.72\00:15:07.98 isn't it, in the New Testament? 00:15:07.99\00:15:10.35 And the Apostle Paul again tells us 00:15:10.36\00:15:13.71 that this is already been done for us through Christ. 00:15:13.72\00:15:16.98 I like you to see this wonderful passage, 00:15:16.99\00:15:21.16 Ephesians Chapter 2, 00:15:21.17\00:15:24.21 we're gonna read verse 10, speaking of Jesus. 00:15:24.22\00:15:30.60 "For we are His workmanship, 00:15:30.61\00:15:35.66 created in Christ Jesus for good works, 00:15:35.67\00:15:40.47 which God prepared beforehand 00:15:40.48\00:15:41.88 that we should walk in them." 00:15:41.89\00:15:44.57 Okay, we've been created, 00:15:44.58\00:15:46.77 where were we created? 00:15:46.78\00:15:48.56 We've been created in Christ Jesus. 00:15:48.57\00:15:51.17 Well, that's an odd theological concept, isn't it? 00:15:51.18\00:15:54.49 How can you be created inside of somebody else? 00:15:54.50\00:15:57.05 Well, I don't claim to fully understand it, 00:15:57.06\00:16:00.20 but the words of the Bible indicate 00:16:00.21\00:16:02.26 that when Jesus lived on this Earth, 00:16:02.27\00:16:05.53 he took all of our flesh upon himself. 00:16:05.54\00:16:10.52 Bible says in the Old Testament, 00:16:10.53\00:16:11.96 "the iniquity of us all was laid on Him." 00:16:11.97\00:16:17.35 And we know, Christians have always 00:16:17.36\00:16:19.43 said that happened at the cross, 00:16:19.44\00:16:20.94 but I believe it happened all along, 00:16:20.95\00:16:24.16 that he was in fact somehow the new Adam. 00:16:24.17\00:16:27.35 Doesn't the Bible say that, 00:16:27.36\00:16:28.59 that somehow he had taken into himself the entire race, 00:16:28.60\00:16:32.90 just as Adam had the entire race 00:16:32.91\00:16:34.98 potentially within himself 00:16:34.99\00:16:37.96 and so Jesus had all of us in him. 00:16:37.97\00:16:40.62 Paul talks about this in several passages, 00:16:40.63\00:16:43.14 Second Corinthians where he suggests 00:16:43.15\00:16:45.07 that when one died, all died, 00:16:45.08\00:16:47.11 Romans 6 when he talks about 00:16:47.12\00:16:48.95 we are all crucified with Christ. 00:16:48.96\00:16:51.28 So we get this idea that we've all been somehow 00:16:51.29\00:16:54.30 contained in Christ and as Christ was overcoming 00:16:54.31\00:16:59.61 and battling with Satan 00:16:59.62\00:17:01.27 and gained the victory over temptation, 00:17:01.28\00:17:03.81 that he was doing it not only for us, 00:17:03.82\00:17:07.60 but he was somehow taking us 00:17:07.61\00:17:10.86 through the victory within his own life. 00:17:10.87\00:17:15.73 Can you comprehend that at all? 00:17:15.74\00:17:17.24 That's a challenging thought, 00:17:17.25\00:17:18.75 but again, read this verse. 00:17:18.76\00:17:20.39 "For we are His workmanship, 00:17:20.40\00:17:22.13 created in Christ Jesus for good works." 00:17:22.14\00:17:27.41 So as He was developing His character, 00:17:27.42\00:17:30.39 actually He was just reflecting 00:17:30.40\00:17:31.92 the character of the heavenly Father, 00:17:31.93\00:17:33.74 but He was-- was making 00:17:33.75\00:17:36.13 that character in flesh for us. 00:17:36.14\00:17:38.94 And as He was making that character in flesh for us, 00:17:38.95\00:17:41.48 He was making it for us and in us very much so. 00:17:41.49\00:17:45.45 So our salvation, folks, it's already so real, 00:17:45.46\00:17:47.76 it's already so real and so complete. 00:17:47.77\00:17:50.61 If you don't feel all at this moment, 00:17:50.62\00:17:52.24 it's only for a lack of faith 00:17:52.25\00:17:54.31 because it is so complete in Christ. 00:17:54.32\00:17:57.56 And this Sabbath rest then is a tremendous 00:17:57.57\00:18:02.02 time of claiming the grace of Christ. 00:18:02.03\00:18:06.26 It's a tremendous time of just saying, 00:18:06.27\00:18:08.03 yes, I am a new creature. 00:18:08.04\00:18:10.61 Yes, I am crucified with Christ. 00:18:10.62\00:18:12.79 Yes, I have new life 00:18:12.80\00:18:15.75 because Jesus has won the victory for me. 00:18:15.76\00:18:20.22 Well, let's just review this for a minute, 00:18:20.23\00:18:23.15 how the Sabbath becomes a promise 00:18:23.16\00:18:27.32 even of salvation and of redemption, 00:18:27.33\00:18:30.70 how the Sabbath not only looks back to the old creation 00:18:30.71\00:18:33.40 but it also looked-- looks back now 00:18:33.41\00:18:37.06 to the new creation in Christ. 00:18:37.07\00:18:41.46 Review the story in your minds, 00:18:41.47\00:18:44.91 we just said from the New Testament it's clear, 00:18:44.92\00:18:49.05 Jesus was the active agent in the creation. 00:18:49.06\00:18:52.92 So we see Jesus coming to this Earth and saying, 00:18:52.93\00:18:54.97 "let there be light." 00:18:54.98\00:18:56.53 We see Him forming the continents 00:18:56.54\00:18:58.35 and separating them from the waters. 00:18:58.36\00:19:00.43 We see Him putting the firmament, 00:19:00.44\00:19:02.61 we see Him calling for the light from the sun, 00:19:02.62\00:19:04.94 and the moon, and the stars. 00:19:04.95\00:19:07.26 We see him bringing fields of flowers to life. 00:19:07.27\00:19:14.27 He even did that before the sun and moon, didn't He? 00:19:14.28\00:19:17.77 I can just hear Him, can't you? 00:19:17.78\00:19:19.76 Let there be a meadow and there it is. 00:19:19.77\00:19:25.54 Just that easy, no sweat. 00:19:25.55\00:19:27.83 Let there be a pine covered mountain 00:19:27.84\00:19:33.30 and there it is, no sweat, just as easy as can be. 00:19:33.31\00:19:37.28 He speaks and it is. 00:19:37.29\00:19:39.73 Let there be a sky filled with birds 00:19:39.74\00:19:46.05 and then He names of all the birds, 00:19:46.06\00:19:48.51 let there be birds that have long feathers 00:19:48.52\00:19:50.26 and birds that have short feathers 00:19:50.27\00:19:51.45 and birds of many colors and birds of one color 00:19:51.46\00:19:54.01 and birds with long beaks and short beaks 00:19:54.02\00:19:55.98 and big feet and small feet 00:19:55.99\00:19:58.80 and He makes all these creatures 00:19:58.81\00:20:00.71 by his word, no sweat at all. 00:20:00.72\00:20:04.30 Finally, on the sixth day, 00:20:04.31\00:20:07.69 after He's made the other mammals, 00:20:07.70\00:20:10.05 land creatures, He takes some clay, 00:20:10.06\00:20:13.64 some soft clay from perhaps the side of a stream 00:20:13.65\00:20:20.05 and He shapes someone in His own image. 00:20:20.06\00:20:25.13 He makes them to look just like himself 00:20:25.14\00:20:30.97 and the image is so real, so perfect, so beautiful, 00:20:30.98\00:20:36.40 so flawless that it seems like it should be alive, 00:20:36.41\00:20:39.15 but it's not yet until Jesus bends down 00:20:39.16\00:20:44.49 and puts His lips to the man's nostrils, 00:20:44.50\00:20:49.97 the Bible says, and breathes into him the breath of life. 00:20:49.98\00:20:54.86 The man's eyes begin to blink and he looks up 00:20:54.87\00:20:57.98 and the first thing he sees is the face of his maker. 00:20:57.99\00:21:05.82 Well, after naming all the animals, 00:21:05.83\00:21:07.72 He makes a mate for him and the two of them, 00:21:07.73\00:21:10.69 Adam and Eve are perfect 00:21:10.70\00:21:14.68 and Jesus has not yet dropped a single drop of sweat 00:21:14.69\00:21:20.08 because it was all so easy for him 00:21:20.09\00:21:22.81 in his creative power. 00:21:22.82\00:21:26.04 So it wasn't that he rested because he was tired, 00:21:26.05\00:21:28.52 the Bible finally says, the reason 00:21:28.53\00:21:29.94 he rested was because he was done, 00:21:29.95\00:21:32.43 it was finished, and that was Friday afternoon 00:21:32.44\00:21:37.47 and the evening he quit all of his work 00:21:37.48\00:21:39.54 and he spends the Sabbath day showing 00:21:39.55\00:21:42.11 Adam and Eve all the beauties and joys of His creation. 00:21:42.12\00:21:47.15 Well, it wasn't nearly that easy 00:21:47.16\00:21:48.68 when Jesus came to create the world 00:21:48.69\00:21:50.68 and create humanity the second time. 00:21:50.69\00:21:53.90 Now humanity had fallen so low 00:21:53.91\00:21:57.27 we were barely still even recognize as God's image. 00:21:57.28\00:22:01.52 Now we had fallen so low that in order 00:22:01.53\00:22:03.55 to reach clear down to our depths 00:22:03.56\00:22:05.55 Jesus had to take on the terrible 00:22:05.56\00:22:10.45 weaknesses of flesh that was easily hungry, 00:22:10.46\00:22:15.60 easily tired, easily weak, easily sick, 00:22:15.61\00:22:19.15 easily exhausted and He took that on, 00:22:19.16\00:22:23.24 He became just like us. 00:22:23.25\00:22:26.02 Bible says, He was tempted in all points as we are. 00:22:26.03\00:22:29.44 When He was remaking the human race, 00:22:29.45\00:22:31.77 He came as a impoverished person 00:22:31.78\00:22:36.56 and He was born amongst the smells of goats and sheep, 00:22:36.57\00:22:44.01 and He walked barefoot so often 00:22:44.02\00:22:48.86 and He got dirty and He sweat 00:22:48.87\00:22:51.22 and He learned to be a carpenter. 00:22:51.23\00:22:52.97 And He suffered ridicule from his brothers 00:22:52.98\00:22:55.93 who thought that he was such a goody, goody 00:22:55.94\00:22:59.70 and even His parents didn't always understand Him 00:22:59.71\00:23:04.03 and He struggled. It wasn't like Eden anymore, 00:23:04.04\00:23:09.18 where it was all flowers, the perfume of blossoms, 00:23:09.19\00:23:12.89 and the beautiful songs of birds no, no, no, 00:23:12.90\00:23:16.04 this was hot days, 00:23:16.05\00:23:18.08 this was cuts to his feet and knees, 00:23:18.09\00:23:21.30 this was the pain of seeing loved ones die, 00:23:21.31\00:23:29.15 this was recreating the human race 00:23:29.16\00:23:33.41 from the mess it had fallen into. 00:23:33.42\00:23:35.76 Recreating childhood' by being a perfect child, 00:23:35.77\00:23:39.51 recreating teenager-hood by being a perfect teenager, 00:23:39.52\00:23:43.06 recreating young man-hood by being a perfect young man 00:23:43.07\00:23:45.98 in a world filled with sin 00:23:45.99\00:23:47.95 and every temptation was thrown at Him. 00:23:47.96\00:23:50.92 You can believe He had far more temptations 00:23:50.93\00:23:52.75 than any of us will ever have, 00:23:52.76\00:23:53.85 because Satan knew who he was 00:23:53.86\00:23:56.49 and singled Him out for every allurement, 00:23:56.50\00:24:00.89 but Jesus was recreating the human race 00:24:00.90\00:24:05.16 and He would not be deterred. 00:24:05.17\00:24:07.36 And so Jesus goes all the way to the last, doesn't He? 00:24:07.37\00:24:14.18 Faithful to the end. 00:24:14.19\00:24:16.70 He tells His disciples, you know, 00:24:16.71\00:24:18.31 I've got to be abused by the Scribes 00:24:18.32\00:24:23.66 and the Pharisees, is they're going to kill me. 00:24:23.67\00:24:27.61 His disciples could hardly believe what they heard, 00:24:27.62\00:24:29.75 they didn't want to believe, they refused to believe it. 00:24:29.76\00:24:32.04 But Jesus went on, 00:24:32.05\00:24:33.47 He set His face like a front, He went to Jerusalem 00:24:33.48\00:24:36.30 when He knew the political climate there. 00:24:36.31\00:24:38.61 And He took a place right there in public 00:24:38.62\00:24:41.10 and gave His last sermons, and He faced the cross. 00:24:41.11\00:24:46.79 Well, this time as He's rebuilding 00:24:46.80\00:24:48.77 the human race, He's building a race 00:24:48.78\00:24:50.51 which will stand firm, 00:24:50.52\00:24:51.53 He's building a race which will be faithful to the end, 00:24:51.54\00:24:53.39 He's building a race which cannot be deterred 00:24:53.40\00:24:55.76 by any inducement to reject God's will. 00:24:55.77\00:24:59.87 And so He Himself must follow through 00:24:59.88\00:25:01.62 and He goes through He goes all the extra miles. 00:25:01.63\00:25:06.22 And He takes the crown of thorns on his head, 00:25:06.23\00:25:12.54 and he takes the flogging on his back, 00:25:12.55\00:25:16.88 and he takes the purple robe, 00:25:16.89\00:25:20.15 and finally he takes the cross on his shoulders, 00:25:20.16\00:25:23.34 he's bleeding, miserable back, 00:25:23.35\00:25:28.34 and he stumbles and falls under it, so we can see. 00:25:28.35\00:25:33.27 He takes upon himself the sins of the whole human race 00:25:33.28\00:25:38.20 and He takes them down to hell on the cross. 00:25:38.21\00:25:42.53 And His suffering is like no man suffering 00:25:46.04\00:25:48.40 because he bares the separation from His father 00:25:50.47\00:25:53.39 that the sin of the entire race has caused. 00:25:53.40\00:25:57.80 And then-- oh, folks, 00:25:57.81\00:26:01.23 I love this part, then He cries out, 00:26:01.24\00:26:05.70 "it is finished," and you know what, 00:26:05.71\00:26:10.55 that was Friday afternoon, all Christians know that. 00:26:10.56\00:26:15.38 And the next day was the Sabbath 00:26:15.39\00:26:16.91 and that was the day he rested from his work 00:26:16.92\00:26:19.19 of recreating the human race 00:26:19.20\00:26:21.18 and the day after that was Sunday morning 00:26:21.19\00:26:23.02 when he got up again and started his work again 00:26:23.03\00:26:26.75 of sharing his victory with all of us. 00:26:26.76\00:26:30.03 We are new creatures in Christ Jesus 00:26:30.04\00:26:36.13 and the Sabbath day, this great commandment 00:26:36.14\00:26:39.82 which is also such a wonderful promise. 00:26:39.83\00:26:43.75 The Sabbath day is our celebration, 00:26:43.76\00:26:46.17 both of the first perfect creation 00:26:46.18\00:26:49.05 and of the second perfect creation. 00:26:49.06\00:26:53.19 When we rest with Jesus and we say by face, 00:26:53.20\00:26:56.67 I can't add anything to what you've done, 00:26:56.68\00:26:59.00 you have done it just right, I can only trust you, 00:26:59.01\00:27:05.45 I can only put my confidence in you, 00:27:05.46\00:27:08.55 you've already made me a new heart, 00:27:08.56\00:27:10.38 you've already made me a new mind, 00:27:10.39\00:27:12.17 you've already given me the victory over temptation. 00:27:12.18\00:27:14.93 You've already kept all the commandments 00:27:14.94\00:27:16.91 and now you're ready to put that obedience in my life. 00:27:16.92\00:27:22.07 On those precious Sabbath hours, 00:27:22.08\00:27:24.79 we rejoice in our Savior, 00:27:24.80\00:27:28.43 we rejoice, and we claim the faith 00:27:28.44\00:27:31.22 and we grow in faith 00:27:31.23\00:27:33.04 as we hang on to Jesus ever more tightly 00:27:33.05\00:27:36.45 in that precious 24 hours with him. 00:27:36.46\00:27:40.22 Jesus has kept the promise of the fourth commandment. 00:27:40.23\00:27:44.02 He has given us rest from our old natures. 00:27:44.03\00:27:49.20 He has given us salvation. 00:27:49.21\00:27:51.45 We have a new heart in Him. 00:27:51.46\00:27:53.50 Let's claim that by faith, 00:27:53.51\00:27:55.26 let's celebrate with Him the new creation. 00:27:55.27\00:27:58.85