Did you know there is a temple
of time where a loving God wants
00:00:01.98\00:00:04.45
to meet you for an intimate
relationship. Please join us.
00:00:04.49\00:00:10.49
Music playing.
00:00:10.52\00:00:33.78
Hi, I'm Shelley Quinn and
this is Issues and Answers
00:00:33.81\00:00:36.80
and we're so glad that you
joined us today because we have
00:00:36.84\00:00:40.60
a fascinating topic. Let me
share with you a scripture, it's
00:00:40.64\00:00:43.79
a beautiful scripture from
the Bible and this is the Lord
00:00:43.82\00:00:46.90
speaking in Jeremiah 31:3 and he
says, Yes I have loved you with
00:00:46.94\00:00:53.09
an everlasting love and,
therefore, with loving kindness
00:00:53.12\00:00:56.62
I have drawn you. And
God is trying to draw his
00:00:56.66\00:01:00.67
people into a more intimate
relationship with him and
00:01:00.70\00:01:05.60
because of that, because he
loves us and because he wants
00:01:05.64\00:01:10.63
to make sure that we never
forget about this great love,
00:01:10.66\00:01:15.58
he has given us the Sabbath
day and here to speak on this is
00:01:15.62\00:01:20.11
someone who I feel is quite
qualified. She's qualified not
00:01:20.15\00:01:24.87
just by education but by
experience. She's the author of
00:01:24.90\00:01:29.55
a book called From Sundown to
Sundown: How to Keep the Sabbath
00:01:29.58\00:01:34.40
and Enjoy It. Let me introduce
to you Dr. May-Ellen Colon.
00:01:34.43\00:01:39.18
Dr. May-Ellen, thank you so much
for being with us again today.
00:01:39.21\00:01:43.38
It's wonderful to be back.
00:01:43.41\00:01:44.76
You know, I'm going to just
briefly for those who don't know
00:01:44.79\00:01:48.07
you say that you are the
assistant director for the
00:01:48.11\00:01:51.53
Sabbath School and Personal
Ministries of the General
00:01:51.57\00:01:54.99
Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists. You are also a
00:01:55.03\00:01:58.83
pastor's wife, you were a
missionary and you did your
00:01:58.86\00:02:02.97
dissertation on the
Sabbath because of your personal
00:02:03.01\00:02:07.08
experience of the journey
the Lord was taking you through.
00:02:07.12\00:02:14.32
Now in the last program
right now we are setting up some
00:02:14.35\00:02:16.45
principles and we're going
to get into this quickly because
00:02:16.49\00:02:19.10
we've got a lot to cover in this
one. But in the last program
00:02:19.14\00:02:21.72
we talked about certain
principles you found in the
00:02:21.75\00:02:26.33
Bible how to celebrate the
Sabbath and principle #1 was
00:02:26.36\00:02:30.87
preparing, principle #2 was
resting, then there was renewing
00:02:30.91\00:02:36.05
healing and celebrating. But now
we're going to take it a step
00:02:36.08\00:02:41.13
further because you said this is
a vacation with God. We talked
00:02:41.17\00:02:46.18
about the vacation part; there
were five principles of all
00:02:46.22\00:02:50.07
things that we would do to go
on a vacation and think of this
00:02:50.10\00:02:54.14
Sabbath as a vacation. But we're
going to focus on the idea that
00:02:54.18\00:02:58.18
this is a vacation with God.
So let's talk about the sixth
00:02:58.22\00:03:02.71
principle that you cover in your
book and I believe that's the
00:03:02.74\00:03:07.20
principle of sanctifying.
00:03:07.24\00:03:09.71
Yes it says there that Sabbath-
keeping means to keep the
00:03:09.74\00:03:15.74
Sabbath day holy, setting it
apart. Now, holy and sanctified
00:03:15.77\00:03:21.64
are similar words and they mean
set apart for a purpose and also
00:03:21.67\00:03:27.51
for a relationship. So the
Sabbath hours are set apart
00:03:27.54\00:03:32.66
for a special focus on God,
his word and his agenda where I
00:03:32.70\00:03:37.74
put mine aside. But I'm not
losing anything, let me tell you
00:03:37.78\00:03:42.79
His agenda is to be all
those things that we just said.
00:03:42.82\00:03:46.97
His agenda is to bless me in
a way that in my busyness during
00:03:47.00\00:03:50.56
the week I didn't have a chance
for him to catch up with me and
00:03:50.60\00:03:54.12
to give this blessing even
though he has been with me all
00:03:54.16\00:03:57.75
week. It's just like dating.
When I dated my husband, yes,
00:03:57.79\00:04:01.32
we saw each other in our classes
during the week but in the midst
00:04:01.35\00:04:04.84
of all our busyness we couldn't
wait for Sabbath when we could
00:04:04.87\00:04:08.40
have a date with, well, with
each other and most importantly
00:04:08.44\00:04:11.57
with God. But now we just set
aside everything and focus on
00:04:11.60\00:04:14.70
each other. You
know, it's not must dating
00:04:14.73\00:04:17.59
but even in marriage. I know
that J.D. and I and you probably
00:04:17.63\00:04:21.16
experience this, I know you do,
because you're husband's a very
00:04:21.19\00:04:24.79
busy man, you're a very busy
woman, and throughout the week
00:04:24.82\00:04:28.25
sometimes you're almost
like ships passing in the night.
00:04:28.29\00:04:32.29
So if you didn't have a time
that you could come apart and
00:04:32.33\00:04:36.10
have that special time once a
week, you could lose touch very
00:04:36.13\00:04:39.86
easily. When we were dating, our
00:04:39.90\00:04:41.53
relationship wouldn't have gone
anywhere if we hadn't had our
00:04:41.56\00:04:45.23
special date times. I
had mentioned in the last
00:04:45.27\00:04:51.97
program that Exodus 31:13 was
my favorite scripture because it
00:04:52.00\00:04:57.10
says that the Sabbath, God says,
is a memorial to remind us that
00:04:57.14\00:05:02.07
he's the one that sanctifies
us. But May-Ellen has researched
00:05:02.10\00:05:06.06
this even deeper and I loved
what you shared. Please share
00:05:06.10\00:05:10.02
that with our audience.
00:05:10.06\00:05:13.18
Shelley, earlier in, I guess
it was another program, they all
00:05:13.22\00:05:17.27
run together here, it says there
in verse 13 of chapter 31 of
00:05:17.31\00:05:22.10
Exodus, You must observe my
Sabbaths. This will be a sign
00:05:22.13\00:05:26.62
between me and you for the
generations to come so that you
00:05:26.66\00:05:31.93
may know that I am the Lord who
makes you holy. Now that word
00:05:31.97\00:05:38.13
holy in Hebrew is kadesh and
in some versions it says I am
00:05:38.16\00:05:44.28
the Lord that sanctifies
you, but it's the same idea.
00:05:44.32\00:05:48.39
Kadesh is actually, according to
Dr. Jack Dukon, a Hebrew scholar
00:05:48.43\00:05:52.66
at the Adventist seminary,
says that this is a conjugal,
00:05:52.69\00:05:59.13
a marital term. So if we
were to think of it in that way,
00:05:59.17\00:06:05.54
we would read this verse this
way: This will be a sign between
00:06:05.57\00:06:10.21
me and you for the generations
to come so that you may know
00:06:10.25\00:06:14.85
that I am the Lord
who is married to you.
00:06:14.88\00:06:18.64
Right. Your
maker is your husband.
00:06:18.67\00:06:21.02
Yes, yes. And this time is set
apart for this marriage with our
00:06:21.05\00:06:28.50
lover. You know, he could have
just said, Well once a year we
00:06:28.53\00:06:34.05
will have this time. He couldn't
wait for that. Every seven days
00:06:34.09\00:06:39.58
he's given us this opportunity
to have a date with him and I
00:06:39.61\00:06:45.38
find that very exciting.
00:06:45.41\00:06:46.67
I do too. This idea of having
a vacation with God where we can
00:06:46.70\00:06:53.08
seek more intimate relationship
with him. I had a woman who told
00:06:53.11\00:06:58.52
me, quit using the word intimate
and I think that some people
00:06:58.55\00:07:05.55
equate the word intimacy with
a physical act but intimacy is
00:07:05.58\00:07:11.79
just a mental act even.
It's sharing a oneness with each
00:07:11.83\00:07:17.57
other as you and I become more
intimately acquainted it's when
00:07:17.61\00:07:22.29
can share your thoughts and
heart with me and I know that
00:07:22.33\00:07:26.94
on the Sabbath when some people
even sadly don't have much time
00:07:26.97\00:07:30.80
to spend in the Bible, but
sometimes on the Sabbath as they
00:07:30.83\00:07:34.12
get into their Bible, maybe
they're out in the woods and
00:07:34.15\00:07:37.53
opening the Word and reading
the Word, letting God speak to
00:07:37.56\00:07:41.23
them through the Word, they're
seeing how much he really loves
00:07:41.26\00:07:44.97
them. The more you understand
his love, the more you love him
00:07:45.00\00:07:48.67
back. Yes. But you have to
00:07:48.70\00:07:54.13
deliberately set aside time or
that won't happen. I know for me
00:07:54.16\00:07:58.29
it won't happen, it just won't.
Even in a marriage. Yes, and in
00:07:58.32\00:08:02.90
a marriage. You know, my husband
and I, of course, sometimes we
00:08:02.94\00:08:07.49
have to go in two different
places on Sabbath sometimes.
00:08:07.52\00:08:12.02
We try to be together but it's
been hard lately. But we have
00:08:12.05\00:08:15.88
somehow at least have that
attitude towards God even if we
00:08:15.92\00:08:19.14
are separated from each other
on that day and just Sabbath
00:08:19.18\00:08:22.37
with him.
Sabbath is also a verb.
00:08:22.40\00:08:24.77
You know, that's an interesting
idea; it is a verb meaning come
00:08:24.81\00:08:31.27
apart and rest. Yes,
Yes. Also my husband and I
00:08:31.30\00:08:35.50
try to have Tuesday night as our
date night. But again it's that
00:08:35.54\00:08:39.53
Sabbath idea; it's a time
set apart for a relationship.
00:08:39.56\00:08:44.79
Okay. So let's look
at the seventh principle.
00:08:44.83\00:08:49.02
Okay, the seventh principle
is remembering, remembering,
00:08:49.05\00:08:54.07
reflecting and rejoicing
about the creation of the world.
00:08:54.10\00:08:59.05
Of course, Exodus 20:11 talks
about that; redemption from sin,
00:08:59.08\00:09:03.91
Deuteronomy 5:15, the second
rendering of the law says you
00:09:03.94\00:09:07.89
were slaves and I redeemed you,
therefore, keep the Sabbath,
00:09:07.93\00:09:11.85
and so on. And then it
also points forward to Christ's
00:09:11.88\00:09:15.68
second coming and the
creation of the new earth.
00:09:15.71\00:09:19.29
In Isaiah 66:22-23, it talks
about in the new earth again we
00:09:19.33\00:09:23.17
are going to again
have Sabbath time with him.
00:09:23.21\00:09:26.31
You know, I not only look at
the Sabbath as a memorial day
00:09:26.34\00:09:30.07
of creation and remembering God
as my Creator, but remembering
00:09:30.10\00:09:34.30
him as the one who is recreating
me in the image of Jesus.
00:09:34.33\00:09:38.46
But something you said in your
book really caught my attention.
00:09:38.50\00:09:42.29
In your book From Sundown to
Sundown, you made the comment
00:09:42.32\00:09:46.46
and I'm probably misquoting you,
that each time we celebrate the
00:09:46.49\00:09:52.42
Sabbath we're practicing for the
return of Jesus Christ. We're
00:09:52.46\00:09:58.35
getting our hearts in a
preparation time and all.
00:09:58.39\00:10:01.11
It's like we're preparing and
practicing the second coming.
00:10:01.14\00:10:05.33
Where did you get
that idea? I love it.
00:10:05.37\00:10:07.27
It's a rehearsal for his coming.
I think I might have heard
00:10:07.31\00:10:11.23
Nancy Van Pelt say that or
something like that a few years
00:10:11.27\00:10:15.51
ago, several years ago. But just
that attitude! You know, when
00:10:15.54\00:10:19.10
Jesus comes we're going to say,
This is our God, we have waited
00:10:19.13\00:10:22.65
for him and he will save
us. If we can just say that when
00:10:22.69\00:10:26.36
Jesus comes to our home each
Sabbath: Here's my God, I've
00:10:26.39\00:10:30.16
been waiting all week for this
time with you and I'm going to
00:10:30.19\00:10:33.92
enjoy it. And it's
not that he's not with
00:10:33.96\00:10:36.70
us always. He said, I'll never
leave you or forsake you, but
00:10:36.73\00:10:40.31
he's coming in
as a special guest.
00:10:40.35\00:10:43.01
That's right; it's a different
mode, it's a guest mode, it's a
00:10:43.04\00:10:49.01
vacation mode. I don't want
to greet him when he comes to my
00:10:49.05\00:10:54.06
house for this special intimate
time, this set apart time where
00:10:54.09\00:10:59.06
I can bask in his presence.
When we're in the presence of
00:10:59.10\00:11:03.74
somebody after a while it starts
rubbing off on us if we're in
00:11:03.78\00:11:08.95
his presence enough. So this
holiness can become part of our
00:11:08.99\00:11:13.16
experience if we are in that
presence. But, if when he comes
00:11:13.19\00:11:17.76
to our house, what if I'm going
pant Happy Sabbath pant pant
00:11:17.80\00:11:22.34
Jesus. Whew, I just made it.
There has to be some preparation
00:11:22.37\00:11:26.45
ahead of time so we don't just
skid into it and feel out of
00:11:26.48\00:11:30.53
breath when he arrives.
00:11:30.56\00:11:31.89
And then there also has to be
some preparation as far as some
00:11:31.92\00:11:36.23
planning so that you know how
you're going to spend that time
00:11:36.26\00:11:39.28
with him. If I knew literally
that he was coming, his second
00:11:39.31\00:11:45.53
coming was going to be this
Saturday, I wouldn't be planning
00:11:45.56\00:11:51.09
on cooking on that Saturday.
I'd try to get as much done as
00:11:51.12\00:11:54.09
possible in advance that I could
just have things prepared for
00:11:54.12\00:11:58.95
him, if he was literally
going to be sitting at my table.
00:11:58.98\00:12:01.62
It would be a whole different
attitude. There is something
00:12:01.65\00:12:05.97
that I'm learning. I think that
you mentioned I believe the last
00:12:06.00\00:12:10.26
program when you were here
you mentioned that there are
00:12:10.29\00:12:13.39
different seasons. The first few
years of learning the Sabbath
00:12:13.42\00:12:19.84
truth nobody could have taught
me; the Lord had to take me
00:12:19.87\00:12:22.94
through the scripture and just
show me himself, but I was so
00:12:22.97\00:12:27.15
excited and my experience was
such that it was a new dimension
00:12:27.18\00:12:34.33
in my relationship with the Lord
There wasn't anything legalistic
00:12:34.36\00:12:37.07
about it and it was always so
special and I had this time for
00:12:37.10\00:12:41.57
special preparation. I don't
have all that time now but as
00:12:41.60\00:12:47.44
you said, there are seasons and
the simple things can make it
00:12:47.47\00:12:52.24
beautiful and special, too.
But the thought that this is a
00:12:52.27\00:12:56.30
vacation with God, the thought
that this is a rehearsal for his
00:12:56.33\00:13:00.02
second coming, just thinking
those two thoughts has some
00:13:00.05\00:13:03.84
how totally put me in a
different mode when I'm thinking
00:13:03.87\00:13:07.90
about Sabbath. And
when we're thinking about
00:13:07.93\00:13:10.01
this remembering principle, we
shouldn't only remember the day
00:13:10.04\00:13:14.05
we should remember the Lord of
the day and just try to include
00:13:14.08\00:13:19.08
him in our conversations and not
leave him out. Just kind of make
00:13:19.11\00:13:23.75
believe he's right with me when
I go out in nature or wherever
00:13:23.78\00:13:26.89
it is and when I'm with my
friends. Just don't leave him
00:13:26.92\00:13:29.09
out of the conversation.
Remember him, too, not just
00:13:29.12\00:13:31.92
remembering to have to go
to church. Sabbath doesn't stop
00:13:31.95\00:13:34.98
at the end of the church service
Remember him throughout the day
00:13:35.01\00:13:39.52
that he's your guest.
00:13:39.55\00:13:41.90
You know, I'm smiling. I wish we
had more time but in your book
00:13:41.93\00:13:45.18
From Sundown to Sundown
you mentioned some conversation
00:13:45.21\00:13:49.08
starters, What is God doing in
your life now and talk about the
00:13:49.11\00:13:53.52
various ways and that's
excellent so I wish we had time
00:13:53.55\00:13:56.85
to do this, but let's go
to guiding principle #8, which
00:13:56.88\00:14:00.84
is worshiping.
Worshiping: Sabbath keeping
00:14:00.87\00:14:04.30
means participating in corporate
focused worship of God with our
00:14:04.33\00:14:09.61
church family and it nurtures
both our vertical and our
00:14:09.64\00:14:14.12
horizontal relationships, those
with God and those with our
00:14:14.15\00:14:16.86
fellow human beings. See this
with-God part is the vertical
00:14:16.89\00:14:21.80
part of our Sabbath keeping.
But the corporate worship also
00:14:21.83\00:14:26.13
nurtures the horizontal part
because we're all there together
00:14:26.16\00:14:29.89
fellowshipping and focusing on
the one who is altogether lovely
00:14:29.92\00:14:34.01
You know, would you agree with
this: Some people come to church
00:14:34.04\00:14:38.57
and walk out without a blessing.
They will complain that the
00:14:38.60\00:14:42.32
sermon was too long or they
complain about certain things
00:14:42.35\00:14:47.97
and I have also fallen into that
trap once or twice, maybe more,
00:14:48.00\00:14:54.39
but the Lord has shown me that
when I come and I leave and that
00:14:54.42\00:14:59.92
is my experience, it's my heart
attitude. Because if I come
00:14:59.95\00:15:04.33
prepared to worship the Lord
it doesn't matter what else is
00:15:04.36\00:15:08.83
going on around me, I am blessed
and I am worshiping God and I
00:15:08.86\00:15:14.17
leave with that attitude. So the
whole idea of worshiping is not
00:15:14.20\00:15:20.81
just a matter of getting ready
to come to church and showing up
00:15:20.84\00:15:25.02
for church but having a heart
attitude that you're going there
00:15:25.05\00:15:29.22
to worship God. Amen?
00:15:29.25\00:15:32.01
It's all about you. Sometimes
I like to envision that at the
00:15:32.04\00:15:35.56
front of the church there's this
big throne there and all the
00:15:35.59\00:15:40.66
songs I'm singing to him, you
know. He's there, it's so real
00:15:40.69\00:15:46.25
and I just thank the Lord that
I've had this time that I don't
00:15:46.28\00:15:49.78
have to work so I can have this
experience of focused worship.
00:15:49.81\00:15:53.57
Yes, I have my worship in the
morning every day but there's
00:15:53.60\00:15:58.76
and end to it and you have to
get on with work and stuff, but
00:15:58.79\00:16:01.31
this I can focus and let these
other things be set aside and
00:16:01.34\00:16:08.89
really just love to be in his
presence and this is the gift
00:16:08.92\00:16:11.66
he's given us to be able
to do this, the time to do it.
00:16:11.69\00:16:14.89
I just want to remind everyone
that all of these principles
00:16:14.92\00:16:20.02
that May-Ellen is sharing with
us came from scripture and I'm
00:16:20.05\00:16:24.93
so sorry that we don't have time
to give you all the scripture
00:16:24.96\00:16:27.45
references because she
has a long list of scripture
00:16:27.48\00:16:30.28
references after each one
of these, but we wanted to give
00:16:30.31\00:16:34.71
you at least the mindset that
there could be a shift or an
00:16:34.74\00:16:39.33
altering of your mind set for
this. So, let's look at guiding
00:16:39.36\00:16:43.76
principle #9: Basking.
Okay. Basking: Since I'm an
00:16:43.79\00:16:51.65
outdoor person, this one really
appeals to me. Sabbath keeping
00:16:51.68\00:16:58.30
means enjoying, studying,
experiencing and basking in the
00:16:58.33\00:17:02.57
world that God made rather
than working at maintaining it.
00:17:02.60\00:17:07.42
This is a time to just...
You know when you and I make
00:17:07.45\00:17:20.32
something sometimes we just like
to stand back and look at it and
00:17:20.35\00:17:25.46
really enjoy it and that's what
God invites us to do. In fact,
00:17:25.49\00:17:29.59
he did that too. That's probably
what he did on the Sabbath which
00:17:29.62\00:17:33.45
is one of the things that he
created that week. He probably
00:17:33.48\00:17:35.69
just sat back and enjoyed it
and enjoyed the company of the
00:17:35.72\00:17:39.79
new beings that he just had made
and I imagine that was really
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.90
their honeymoon. It was sort
of a love triangle between the
00:17:42.93\00:17:46.98
three of them. I have so many
happy memories of basking on
00:17:47.01\00:17:55.02
Sabbath. I remember once
my family and I had a floating
00:17:55.05\00:17:59.97
church service. We were coming
back from the General Conference
00:18:00.00\00:18:03.71
session of 1995 and we decided
to stop in Norway because it was
00:18:03.74\00:18:07.12
in Holland that year, you may
remember. So on Sabbath we ended
00:18:07.15\00:18:11.92
up at a fjord, a gorgeous place.
So we got hold of a little small
00:18:11.95\00:18:19.94
boat and went out to the middle
of the fjord and said, Okay,
00:18:19.97\00:18:24.16
let's have church right here
with the sides of the fjord on
00:18:24.19\00:18:29.14
each side and the birds and
Oh my word. So we had a church
00:18:29.17\00:18:33.52
service. I remember my husband
preached a little sermonette to
00:18:33.55\00:18:36.78
the children. Anyway, it was
a wonderful experience and so I
00:18:36.81\00:18:41.84
call that basking. There
are so many more stories I could
00:18:41.87\00:18:46.76
tell you about. It's just some
thing about being out in nature.
00:18:46.79\00:18:50.06
The Sabbath has an
even deeper meaning.
00:18:50.09\00:18:53.03
You know, J.D. is kind of
picking up birding now so we'll
00:18:53.06\00:18:58.50
go out with the binoculars and
go look at the various birds and
00:18:58.53\00:19:02.45
we've seen some beautiful
species and just enjoy.
00:19:02.48\00:19:06.06
To me it's so amazing how God
has so much detail and beauty
00:19:06.09\00:19:14.45
for our eyes to see. So
that's something that's great.
00:19:14.48\00:19:18.02
Okay, not trying to rush you
on, but guiding principle #10:
00:19:18.05\00:19:21.25
Responding.
Responding: Let me find that one
00:19:21.28\00:19:26.70
here. Responding: Sabbath
keeping means that we have a
00:19:26.73\00:19:33.16
joyful human response to God's
grace in obedience to his loving
00:19:33.19\00:19:36.88
command to remember him and his
Sabbath gift. It's not meant to
00:19:36.91\00:19:42.55
be a means of earning our
salvation and Romans 3:20 makes
00:19:42.58\00:19:47.40
it very clear at nothing we
do can earn our salvation but we
00:19:47.43\00:19:51.24
respond to God's gift of
rest by working for him in his
00:19:51.27\00:19:55.71
strength and for his glory.
It's sort of interesting how
00:19:55.74\00:20:03.25
creation week worked. When
God worked, he rested after he
00:20:03.28\00:20:07.60
worked. Then when Adam and
Eve were created they actually
00:20:07.63\00:20:13.57
rested before they worked. God
worked and rested and then they
00:20:13.60\00:20:19.72
rested first and basked in his
presence and then they started
00:20:19.75\00:20:25.34
the work of dressing and keeping
the garden. That cycle has never
00:20:25.37\00:20:28.95
been broken since creation. We
rest in God as our first parents
00:20:28.98\00:20:35.46
rested then they worked
the following week and then the
00:20:35.49\00:20:38.16
whole cycle is still going. Our
works are a result of resting in
00:20:38.19\00:20:44.49
God. How can anyone
say that's legalistic?
00:20:44.52\00:20:47.65
Yes. It's so funny
because before I became one who
00:20:47.68\00:20:55.66
celebrated God's Sabbath,
before I understood the truth,
00:20:55.69\00:20:58.04
I thought anyone who kept the
Sabbath was legalistic and there
00:20:58.07\00:21:02.10
are some who keep the Sabbath
who do it in a very legalistic
00:21:02.13\00:21:05.69
manner and they give a bad name
to everybody else, but if you
00:21:05.72\00:21:11.11
truly understand the meaning and
the purpose of Sabbath there's
00:21:11.14\00:21:15.67
nothing legalistic about it.
It's just the extreme opposite
00:21:15.70\00:21:19.37
isn't it? Right. Amen. So
responding. You made a comment
00:21:19.40\00:21:25.65
once, I think you were quoting
someone who said that the Jews
00:21:25.68\00:21:31.55
didn't keep the Sabbath, the
Sabbath kept the Jews, is that
00:21:31.58\00:21:35.49
how it went? Yes. So that's from
week to week since creation week
00:21:35.52\00:21:40.37
and before the Jews. Of course,
this wasn't a Jewish day, this
00:21:40.40\00:21:44.94
was well before the Jews came
into being, but the Jews did
00:21:44.97\00:21:49.72
follow that and they had kept
that from week to week from the
00:21:49.75\00:21:53.98
beginning of their history of
their nation and that has kept
00:21:54.02\00:21:58.21
them as a special people.
00:21:58.24\00:21:59.50
That's right and it has kept
their families intact. It's an
00:21:59.53\00:22:04.91
exciting thought. I know
we need to go on the 11th one.
00:22:04.94\00:22:10.21
Number 11: The trusting.
This is all under the vertical
00:22:10.25\00:22:15.44
relationship with God, the with
God part of our Sabbath keeping.
00:22:15.48\00:22:18.25
And that one says: Sabbath
keeping means trusting God to
00:22:18.28\00:22:23.85
take care of what we leave
undone during the hours of the
00:22:23.88\00:22:29.61
Sabbath. It means learning
to depend on God rather than on
00:22:29.65\00:22:34.41
ourselves. Of course, the
manna story is a great example.
00:22:34.45\00:22:39.14
They left the collecting of the
manna undone on Sabbath and you
00:22:39.18\00:22:44.06
saw what he did to compensate.
The manna didn't spoil and, you
00:22:44.10\00:22:48.95
know the story; they
took a double amount and it...
00:22:48.99\00:22:52.33
Excuse me. I was going to say
was one of the stories that has
00:22:52.36\00:22:57.74
touched my heart the most was
we had a gentleman, a farmer,
00:22:57.77\00:23:02.78
who came to 3ABN, big farmer,
big time farmer, and he'd been
00:23:02.82\00:23:08.03
watching 3ABN for a number
of years and he then joined the
00:23:08.07\00:23:12.76
Adventist Church. He became
one who celebrated the Sabbath.
00:23:12.79\00:23:17.81
So he's got, I forget, but it
was thousands of acres that he
00:23:17.84\00:23:22.51
has planted and it came time and
the perfect time for harvesting
00:23:22.55\00:23:27.18
would have been on Sabbath and
here is a storm coming and he
00:23:27.22\00:23:34.12
is faced as a brand new
Christian who's keeping the
00:23:34.16\00:23:38.72
Sabbath: Am I going to go out
and is the ox in the ditch in
00:23:38.75\00:23:43.30
other words? Am I going to go
save all my crops or am I going
00:23:43.34\00:23:47.64
to trust God and not work on the
Sabbath and trust that God will
00:23:47.68\00:23:52.40
take care of me? And he decided
he was going to trust. You know
00:23:52.43\00:23:56.90
what? One either side of him,
the farms on either side of him,
00:23:56.93\00:24:01.76
got hailed out because it was a
violent storm that came, but he
00:24:01.80\00:24:06.59
lost nothing. It was like
the storm split and the area in
00:24:06.63\00:24:10.83
which he lived he lost nothing.
So I think the Lord really
00:24:10.86\00:24:15.02
honored his faith
there in that trusting.
00:24:15.06\00:24:17.51
God is faithful. All
his biddings are enablings.
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.68
You know, we can trust him and
we're missing so much when we
00:24:21.71\00:24:25.44
don't test that idea
out more in our lives.
00:24:25.47\00:24:28.14
Amen. Well let's kind of recap
this because we are learning how
00:24:28.18\00:24:32.77
to trust in the Lord with all of
our hearts and lean not on our
00:24:32.80\00:24:36.35
own understanding and that's
part of the Sabbath experience.
00:24:36.38\00:24:39.90
So let's look at these
principles that we have
00:24:39.93\00:24:43.12
looked at today that have to
do about... We talked about the
00:24:43.16\00:24:47.10
vacation last program but this
is the vacation with whom, with
00:24:47.14\00:24:51.05
God. So the principle #6
that is the Sabbath is a time of
00:24:51.09\00:24:56.24
sanctifying and looking at God
as our husband, as the one who
00:24:56.27\00:25:02.13
has set us apart. Principle #7
is remembering, reflecting and
00:25:02.17\00:25:06.94
rejoicing on what God has done
for us from the creation of the
00:25:06.98\00:25:12.49
world all the way to expecting
his return. Principle #8 is
00:25:12.52\00:25:18.00
worshipping in truth and in
spirit where we are nurturing
00:25:18.03\00:25:21.93
that vertical relationship
with the Lord. Principle #9 is
00:25:21.96\00:25:26.65
basking. Basking in the nature,
basking in God's creation
00:25:26.69\00:25:31.35
instead of working to
maintain it. Principle #10 is
00:25:31.38\00:25:35.32
responding to God's grace
with a joyful human response and
00:25:35.35\00:25:40.59
realize that we're not trying to
keep the Sabbath for salvation's
00:25:40.62\00:25:44.53
sake but we're just responding
to God's gift of rest.
00:25:44.57\00:25:48.32
Principle #11 is trusting in
the Lord to take care of what we
00:25:48.35\00:25:54.35
leave undone during the hours of
the Sabbath and depending on God
00:25:54.38\00:25:58.97
rather than on ourselves. You
know, one thing that has been
00:25:59.00\00:26:03.80
pointed out before, but May-
Ellen, you pointed it out in
00:26:03.84\00:26:09.41
your book From Sundown to
Sundown is that the word Sabbath
00:26:09.44\00:26:14.70
itself has a very special root,
if you will, something that's
00:26:14.73\00:26:19.32
inside of that word. So tell us,
What's in that word that's on
00:26:19.36\00:26:23.91
our screen right now, Sabbath?
00:26:23.95\00:26:26.59
ABBA, Abba. That's an endearing
Aramaic word that means daddy,
00:26:26.62\00:26:34.46
daddy or papa. And the Sabbath
just enfolds us in his presence,
00:26:34.50\00:26:42.30
in a warm, loving, intimate,
unhurried, focused relationship.
00:26:42.33\00:26:49.04
You know, and when you think
about how Jesus cried out to
00:26:49.07\00:26:55.63
his Father as Abba and how
the Bible says that he sends his
00:26:55.66\00:27:01.92
Spirit into our heart by whom
we cry out Abba, Father. God is
00:27:01.96\00:27:07.39
a perfect Father and he's called
us into this relationship, not
00:27:07.43\00:27:12.82
only as a perfect father,
an intimate relationship as a
00:27:12.86\00:27:16.57
father. It's not like he's
just up there saying, Well I've
00:27:16.61\00:27:20.26
adopted you, he's saying I want
to live with you, I want to have
00:27:20.29\00:27:24.73
this wonderful intimacy and
that's what the Sabbath is all
00:27:24.76\00:27:28.92
about isn't it? Yes
and I just praise him for
00:27:28.96\00:27:33.95
this gift. Why would the King of
the Universe want to spend time
00:27:33.99\00:27:37.81
with me. It's grace and there's
no kind of grace but amazing
00:27:37.85\00:27:41.64
grace and that's an example.
00:27:41.67\00:27:43.32
Amen. May-Ellen, thank you
so much. We are so glad you have
00:27:43.35\00:27:46.64
written this book, From Sundown
to Sundown: How to Keep the
00:27:46.67\00:27:50.13
Sabbath... and Enjoy It. What
we're going to do now is we've
00:27:50.16\00:27:53.64
already got to say goodbye. I
can't believe time flew so fast.
00:27:53.68\00:27:58.65
But we want you to think about
having this special relationship
00:27:58.69\00:28:03.63
with the Lord. Think about
changing the way you celebrate
00:28:03.67\00:28:09.11
the Sabbath. You'll be
blessed. Thank for joining us.
00:28:09.14\00:28:14.55