Did you know that
the Sabbath is both
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about vertical relationships
and horizontal relationships?
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The vertical is with God
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and the horizontal
is with His family?
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Join us today, and
we're gonna tell you
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some wonderful ways to
celebrate God's special day.
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Hi, I'm Shelley Quinn, and
this is "Issues & Answers."
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And the issue
we're talking about
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today is the Sabbath
and the fellowship part.
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How we are having a vacation
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not only with God,
but with God's family?
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And joining us again
today is Dr. May-Ellen Colon.
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Dr. Colon, we're so
glad that you're back.
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And we are
talking about your book
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"From Sundown To
Sundown". How to enjoy?
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How to keep the
Sabbath and enjoy it?
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Thank you, so
much for being here.
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It's a privilege.
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Now you are the
assistant director,
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and always this is a mouthful.
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Assistant
director of Sabbath School
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and personal ministries
for the General Conference
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of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And you've wrote
this wonderful book
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"From Sundown to
Sundown to Sundown"
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as kind of an extension
of your personal experience,
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your dissertation when you were,
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the studies that you did,
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as you're
getting your doctorate.
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And now you've put this
into a very charming book,
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a book that is not at all like
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most books about the Sabbath.
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This is all about how
to enjoy God's Sabbath.
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And she had shared with
us so far 11 principles.
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Now, I'm going to recap and then
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we're going to talk
about fellowshipping.
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Let's look at
the principles that
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Dr. Colon has
gotten from the Bible,
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I mean, these are
scriptural principles.
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And first the guiding principle
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for Sabbath is
preparing, then resting,
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then we have
renewing, healing, celebrating,
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and sanctifying,
remembering, worshipping,
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basking,
responding, and trusting in God.
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Now, if you missed any of those
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and I just
suggest that you watch
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and try to see these
program that came previously,
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but today is gonna be a fun day.
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We're gonna be
talking about fellowshipping.
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Please, let's start with that
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principle number
12, which is all about.
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The vacation with God's family
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and it's starts
with fellowshipping.
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And that
includes our own family.
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Amen, yes, amen.
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Nurturing Sabbath keeping means,
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nurturing our relationships
with family and friends.
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And Jesus
modeled this, you know,
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went up to synagogue one
Sabbath to Simon's house,
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and you know, he
modeled this idea.
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And then God provides
time to focus fellowship
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with the whole family,
even the family animals.
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So that's in Exodus 20
talks about, not working.
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So we can have this fellowship
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including the animals. Yeah.
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And the strangers
when they get and so forth.
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And then Sabbath
and family go together.
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I was really
intrigued when I was at
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Andrews at the
seminary, I, Dr. Jack Deacon,
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one of my
favorite Hebrews scholars.
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He told me about there's
two Sabbath stories in Genesis.
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In Genesis 1 and Genesis 2,
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the two creation
stories I should say.
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And in Genesis 1,
it has course of lists
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all the seven days
and then it says that,
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you know, then
he made the Sabbath.
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And it's divided
into seven parts,
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you know, the seven days.
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And then the
second creation story,
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it picks up in the
beginning of Genesis 2.
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And again it talks
about how God made,
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you know, Adam
and Eve and so forth.
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And Dr. Deacon says that story
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is also broken
up into seven parts.
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And they're actually
parallel the first story,
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I don't have time to go into it,
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and that one
ends with the family.
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You know, when
the God, you know,
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the God is, you
know, there's husband shall
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leave his father and
mother include and his wife
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and so forth, that's
the end of that story.
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And he said, Dr. Deacon
said that in Hebrew thinking.
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We have this parallelism.
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And when there is a
parallelism like that,
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that means they're
related to each other.
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So the Sabbath was not only
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a time to come apart and rest,
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and spend that time with
God, but also with the family.
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Right and they go together.
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Even the
literary structure, amen,
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of those two creations
stories points that out.
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That's beautiful.
Yeah, it's exciting.
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And I love, again
I'm going back to our
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Jewish friends
have been the custodians
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of the Sabbath for many, many
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thousands of years. And they do.
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Well, the Sabbath
has kept the Jews.
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They haven't
only kept the Sabbath
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and Sabbath has kept the Jews.
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And one other
favorite fellowship activities,
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when the Sabbath
comes in, epitomized this
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idea of
fellowship with the family
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and how the Sabbath
and the family go together.
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And they called this ceremony,
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and I think we mentioned
it on a previous program,
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"the Kabbalah of Shabbat." Yes.
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And I wish we have time
to reenact this whole thing.
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I have a lot of fun doing
that when I have more time,
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but the wife, the mother of the
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family calls
when Sabbath begins.
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And they have, they
have the table all set
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and they have two candles there,
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at least, two candles,
and when shortly before
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sundown probably
about 40 minutes or so,
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the wife lights
the Sabbath candles
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and says a special prayer.
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And I like it. That is before
the Sabbath actually begins.
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It's kind of a hard
preparation for the Sabbath.
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Yes, they just
kind of ease into it.
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It's not, okay, sundown,
stop everything, pull the plug.
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No, they're
kind of ease into it.
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And then they have after that
they have a blessing on the,
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they usually have two rolls of
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Challah bread as
they call it, and.
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Can you spell that?
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C-H-A-L-L-A-H in English,
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now don't ask me
to spell it in Hebrew.
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It's not, I wish, I knew Hebrew,
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but they usually have two,
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one represents one table below
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and the other one
the other and you notice
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how it's waited
and it kind of denotes,
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not working, you know.
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Like the folding over the arms.
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Yeah, yes sort of, at least,
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that's one meaning I can get--
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And it can also
be the intertwining
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of the family
and in other word--
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Yes, oh! You can
get a lot of mileage
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out this that idea. Yeah.
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And then they also
have a blessing on the--
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Grape juice. On
the grape juice, yeah.
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And they called
that the Kaddish.
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And it's a very,
it's sort of a forerunner
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of our communion
service. You know, I think
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Jesus probably had a Sabbath
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opening traditions
something like this.
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It's quite possible.
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Yeah, and so it
kind of brings the,
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you like to closer to me,
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what Jesus family
might have look like
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on Friday evening
at the set of sun.
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And then after
they, after they do this,
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the father blesses the children.
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And to knows, I wonder
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how good are we at
blessing our children?
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And do they feel
our blessing and our
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Do they feel in a regular?
If they haven't all week,
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at least, if we
can do it on Sabbath.
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And we just use this opportunity
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for this fellowship at a
deeper level with our family.
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And then after they have
the blessings of the children,
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the father will take each
one and say, special blessings
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for the children
then he blesses his wife.
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And when my
husband and I do this,
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we reenact the
whole thing I actually
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take luddites
and I bless him too.
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So that everybody is included.
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He deserves the lot blessings
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'cause I appreciate him so much.
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But it's an
intentional way, you know, yes,
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they know you loves
them, but we need to
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say it more and the Sabbath
affords that opportunity.
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I had a friend,
who is missionary.
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Who married a man who
calls himself a messianic Jew,
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he was Jewish
descent. And when they married,
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they began to open up
the Sabbath like this.
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It's very special.
We don't want people
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to feel that we're saying that
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these are things
that must be done,
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it's just something that
you can do for your family,
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but one thing that
we have try to stress
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over-and-over is that, even
simple things can be special.
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So one thing I do know
about the Jewish culture
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is that they really
believe that preparation
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for the Sabbath
was a hard preparation.
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That's right. And it
wasn't just with God,
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but kind of, it's with
the family too, wasn't it?
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Yes, the fellowship
dimension is broadly
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and I remember one Sabbath,
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when sundown came there was
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one item of
preparation that I hadn't
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taken care with my husband.
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I had said something unkind
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and judgmental during the week,
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and I never really
apologized and made it right.
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And so when we sat
down to welcome our guests
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into our home as a couple,
our children are blessed,
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left the nest, I told
them, I apologize for being
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judgmental couple of days ago
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and I'm really
sorry and so forth.
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And then when that
happens Sabbath feast
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to send it up on our home. Amen.
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And we need to set
up, that's part of our
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Sabbath
preparation and it involves the
00:09:57.50\00:10:00.91
horizontal
relationships with our families,
00:10:00.92\00:10:03.81
so I'm bringing it in here too.
00:10:03.82\00:10:05.78
You know, you just
showed me something
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that I hadn't really, I mean,
00:10:07.46\00:10:08.81
I'm seeing it
more clearly is that,
00:10:08.82\00:10:10.54
Sabbath is not only restoration
00:10:10.55\00:10:13.44
and renewal in a celebration of
00:10:13.45\00:10:15.98
a relationship with the Lord,
00:10:15.99\00:10:18.01
but there is a renewal of our
relationship with our family.
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That's right,
and this is the time,
00:10:22.10\00:10:23.45
you know, my
children were all left,
00:10:23.46\00:10:25.53
so we connect with each
other on Sabbath, I called them,
00:10:25.54\00:10:29.42
they know they're
gonna get a call from me.
00:10:29.43\00:10:31.55
One in California and one
in Oakland, they just know it.
00:10:31.56\00:10:35.05
And this is our
reconnecting time.
00:10:35.06\00:10:38.39
And you know,
when our fellowship,
00:10:38.40\00:10:39.72
yes, a horizontal
fellowship is still though
00:10:39.73\00:10:42.82
needs to be determined
and control by the vertical.
00:10:42.83\00:10:47.75
So our fellowship
needs to be in a holy manner,
00:10:47.76\00:10:51.97
but there is a lot of room
for rebuilding our connection
00:10:51.98\00:10:55.76
with our family
in the Sabbath hours.
00:10:55.77\00:10:57.34
And that kind of text you
write to your next principle
00:10:57.35\00:11:00.07
which was all about
affirming the family members.
00:11:00.08\00:11:04.09
Yes, affirming Sabbath keeping,
00:11:04.10\00:11:09.06
means, rightly
representing the atmosphere
00:11:09.07\00:11:12.10
of the Sabbath by a
spirit of acceptance, love,
00:11:12.11\00:11:16.44
and affirmation rather than
00:11:16.45\00:11:19.40
a spirit of
judgment and criticism.
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.41
Jesus said after
one of His miracles,
00:11:22.42\00:11:25.24
so healing on Sabbath
stop to the Pharisees,
00:11:25.25\00:11:28.60
stop making being critical,
00:11:28.61\00:11:31.58
stop being judgmental, you know.
00:11:31.59\00:11:34.19
Amen. And make
the right judgments.
00:11:34.20\00:11:37.50
And so Jesus was about affirming
00:11:37.51\00:11:40.72
and making people
feel like they're valuable.
00:11:40.73\00:11:44.74
So once again now and
all of these principles
00:11:44.75\00:11:47.14
that you have written are a
reflection of the principles
00:11:47.15\00:11:51.35
or the reflection of
the character of God.
00:11:51.36\00:11:53.53
Yes. The person of God.
00:11:53.54\00:11:55.27
And then we'll bring
them into the principles
00:11:55.28\00:11:57.23
and then we put these
principles into practice.
00:11:57.24\00:11:59.04
So how might
someone put these principle
00:11:59.05\00:12:02.65
of affirmation or
being firming into practice
00:12:02.66\00:12:06.13
in since of the
not only the family,
00:12:06.14\00:12:09.64
but maybe even
the family of God.
00:12:09.65\00:12:11.32
Well, first of
all we have to have
00:12:11.33\00:12:12.88
the right, the right mindset.
00:12:12.89\00:12:16.35
We need to live
with Sabbath as a gift of
00:12:16.36\00:12:18.80
grace not merely
as a piece of a law.
00:12:18.81\00:12:22.26
Yes, there is a
place for the law.
00:12:22.27\00:12:24.05
But we have to marry
it with the grace idea
00:12:24.06\00:12:27.70
and that involves affirming
00:12:27.71\00:12:30.63
and being gracious
to those around us.
00:12:30.64\00:12:35.22
And there was one
family that made a rule,
00:12:36.72\00:12:41.11
you know, we have
something negative
00:12:41.12\00:12:43.09
say in our family
during the Sabbath,
00:12:43.10\00:12:46.72
we feel, if that comes
to mind during the Sabbath,
00:12:46.73\00:12:48.89
if they can
wake, we're gonna wake
00:12:48.90\00:12:50.30
till after the Sabbath is over.
00:12:50.31\00:12:51.98
We're gonna try to make Sabbath
00:12:51.99\00:12:53.62
on the day of
affirmation and of,
00:12:53.63\00:12:56.30
and observe in
a positive feeling
00:12:56.31\00:12:58.85
a relationship
in a positive way.
00:12:58.86\00:13:00.72
And also another thing about
this affirmation principle,
00:13:02.62\00:13:07.86
don't have your
pre-children for dinner.
00:13:07.87\00:13:09.71
In other words,
you know, what I mean?
00:13:09.72\00:13:11.73
Eating and
alive, eating or alive.
00:13:12.79\00:13:15.32
That doesn't means,
that's physically beating.
00:13:15.33\00:13:17.00
And that you could be
having him for dinner.
00:13:17.01\00:13:18.43
Yes, yes, yes. Yes,
so keeping, you know.
00:13:18.44\00:13:22.07
So this affirmation in
positive framing of things.
00:13:22.08\00:13:28.14
You know, in Isaiah
15:13, the Lord does say
00:13:28.15\00:13:31.05
that we're not supposed
to be talk in our own words.
00:13:31.06\00:13:33.21
And I think that's
he is trying to show us
00:13:33.22\00:13:35.37
put a guard at the
door oppose to our lips
00:13:35.38\00:13:38.27
and not to be
talking about business,
00:13:38.28\00:13:41.43
If there is one
area that I would say
00:13:41.44\00:13:43.49
many people are lax and
it's Sabbath conversation.
00:13:43.50\00:13:46.63
It's not always the most
affirming and the most holy.
00:13:46.64\00:13:51.26
And by holy we're
not talking about that,
00:13:51.27\00:13:53.82
you know, it's
got to be some pierce
00:13:53.83\00:13:55.86
holy within thou
type conversation,
00:13:55.87\00:13:58.69
but that it should be a
conservation that set apart
00:13:58.70\00:14:01.82
for the purpose of the day to
00:14:01.83\00:14:03.55
talk about God in His blessings,
00:14:03.56\00:14:05.82
to talk about
His love and our love
00:14:05.83\00:14:07.86
for our family and our friends.
00:14:07.87\00:14:09.74
And to reflect the
attitude of Jesus to His people,
00:14:09.75\00:14:13.48
you know, Jesus in
the Ministry of Healing,
00:14:13.49\00:14:16.71
it says, it was heaven
to be in Jesus presence,
00:14:16.72\00:14:19.57
you know, the dear
Lord, the down to others.
00:14:19.58\00:14:22.76
He just have this affirmation,
00:14:22.77\00:14:24.99
this oozing was just,
it was the way he was.
00:14:25.00\00:14:29.87
And so if we're
gonna reflect that
00:14:29.88\00:14:31.41
characteristic of our God,
00:14:31.42\00:14:33.38
of our Lord affirmation
will be one of our principles
00:14:33.39\00:14:37.54
that we live like and
what better day to do it
00:14:37.55\00:14:40.47
then on the
Sabbath, which is the time
00:14:40.48\00:14:43.59
for fellowship being and
renewing our relationships.
00:14:43.60\00:14:47.81
And when you think about
how many things are tugging
00:14:47.82\00:14:51.29
at the youth today, you know,
00:14:51.30\00:14:54.16
and there are so many
families who are saying,
00:14:54.17\00:14:56.35
you know, I feel like my
kids are being lost to me
00:14:56.36\00:14:59.21
and they're just going in
so many different directions.
00:14:59.22\00:15:02.07
When family takes
time during Sabbath to sit
00:15:02.08\00:15:07.57
and talk and
affirm, this would make it,
00:15:07.58\00:15:10.16
I mean, that makes
family time very special
00:15:10.17\00:15:13.73
and that's something that kids
00:15:13.74\00:15:15.41
would want to participate in.
00:15:15.42\00:15:17.18
And the associate the
Sabbath and time with God
00:15:17.19\00:15:20.58
in a positive
comforting lies, you know...
00:15:20.59\00:15:24.87
That's a wonderful.
00:15:24.88\00:15:25.89
And the Jew, our
Jewish friends again,
00:15:25.90\00:15:29.49
they have, they have this
little practice they follow.
00:15:29.50\00:15:35.58
They have a container,
00:15:35.59\00:15:37.04
it's usually
more ornate anymore,
00:15:37.05\00:15:39.53
probably some
got, everybody curbing,
00:15:39.54\00:15:41.69
and you know,
medal or something,
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.31
but this is a little
container that has bases
00:15:43.32\00:15:45.93
and things, they
call it a Bausman.
00:15:45.94\00:15:48.18
And at the end of the Sabbath
they pass it around and say,
00:15:48.19\00:15:53.80
may the fragrance of
the Sabbath remain with you
00:15:53.81\00:15:56.87
throughout the
coming week and I wish you
00:15:56.88\00:15:59.31
a wonderful week.
00:15:59.32\00:16:00.29
It's another way of affirming.
00:16:00.30\00:16:02.05
And I love, I
can smell the clothes
00:16:02.06\00:16:04.05
from hearing this
cinnamon, that's beautiful idea.
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.79
And so to them
the Sabbath blessing
00:16:07.80\00:16:11.45
and what this represented
is just that you're affirming
00:16:11.46\00:16:15.36
the Sabbath blessing
on the rest of the week.
00:16:15.37\00:16:18.10
You know, on the person.
00:16:18.11\00:16:19.08
And on that person, yes,
00:16:19.09\00:16:20.66
you know that-you've
got to value so much,
00:16:20.67\00:16:23.32
and I wish you have
this wonderful blessing
00:16:23.33\00:16:26.56
that we've will
enjoyed together.
00:16:26.57\00:16:28.37
And they the Havdalah
ceremony, they call it.
00:16:28.38\00:16:32.69
At the end of the Sabbath,
they have their beginning
00:16:32.70\00:16:34.78
when they hold up a
candle and usually a young man
00:16:34.79\00:16:38.97
with the wicks all
tangled and many, many wicks
00:16:38.98\00:16:41.51
all wrapped up in one.
00:16:41.52\00:16:43.39
And there is basically
means because of the Sabbath
00:16:43.40\00:16:47.52
our family, our
fellowship, our family has been
00:16:47.53\00:16:50.64
brought together again
closely when we've been
00:16:50.65\00:16:54.24
entertain with each other, and--
00:16:54.25\00:16:57.13
And you know these
are very simple things
00:16:57.14\00:16:58.76
that people could do
and or start some kind of
00:16:58.77\00:17:01.62
tradition of their own, yeah,
to make Sabbath special, yes.
00:17:01.63\00:17:06.69
I know, a few people my
age who grew up in the Church,
00:17:06.70\00:17:11.96
who have such a
wonderful attitude about Sabbath
00:17:11.97\00:17:15.30
and it's because
their parents made Sabbath
00:17:15.31\00:17:18.85
so special for them
that they couldn't wait
00:17:18.86\00:17:21.64
from week-to-week till
the Sabbath came around.
00:17:21.65\00:17:24.45
And these are my ideas
that you've kind of been
00:17:24.46\00:17:26.50
introducing and that
you've talked about in your book
00:17:26.51\00:17:28.88
"From Sundown To Sundown"
00:17:28.89\00:17:30.74
that the Sabbath, you know,
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.02
we've got 52 days a year,
00:17:33.03\00:17:36.03
a vacation time with God
and to look at the Sabbath
00:17:36.04\00:17:39.30
as a time of
vacation, as a preparation
00:17:39.31\00:17:42.12
for a rehearsal, if you
will for His second coming.
00:17:42.13\00:17:45.97
It's thinks that really,
00:17:45.98\00:17:47.47
I hope people will
hear and put into practice.
00:17:47.48\00:17:50.56
And we're not only
exalting the Sabbath
00:17:50.57\00:17:52.68
by these intentional practices,
00:17:52.69\00:17:56.18
but the Lord of the Sabbath.
00:17:56.19\00:17:57.70
That's right. You
know, it's all about Him.
00:17:57.71\00:18:00.21
If there is one thing
you remember listeners
00:18:00.22\00:18:04.82
from that what
we've been talking about
00:18:04.83\00:18:06.73
is that Sabbath
is all about Him.
00:18:06.74\00:18:09.39
Amen. And not about us.
00:18:09.40\00:18:11.72
And we'll be blessed
the us part will take care
00:18:11.73\00:18:14.27
of itself when we focus on Him,
00:18:14.28\00:18:16.13
it'll be blessed and we knew.
00:18:16.14\00:18:17.78
He'll take care of us. Yes.
00:18:17.79\00:18:19.73
All right, so
guiding principle number 14
00:18:19.74\00:18:24.45
and that's serving.
00:18:24.46\00:18:26.10
The Sabbath keeping
means serving other people
00:18:26.11\00:18:30.18
and love and
witnessing lovingly for our God.
00:18:30.19\00:18:34.11
And of course,
Isaiah 58 is often we go
00:18:34.12\00:18:38.67
to the very end of
Isaiah 58 and make it part
00:18:38.68\00:18:41.48
of our Sabbath Bible study.
00:18:41.49\00:18:43.15
And yes, we should use
it, in spite, of our Sabbath,
00:18:43.16\00:18:45.90
but it's really helpful
and enlightening to look
00:18:45.91\00:18:49.29
at the context of Isaiah 58,
00:18:49.30\00:18:53.71
and you oh! What's a lovely,
00:18:53.72\00:18:56.37
it's a wonderful
sermon I don't have time
00:18:56.38\00:18:58.91
to get into it, but
you'll see that Isaiah 58
00:18:58.92\00:19:02.13
there one of the main
points is the idea of service.
00:19:02.14\00:19:05.95
Still serving the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted soul.
00:19:07.17\00:19:11.35
Yes, and the
Sabbath actually epitomizes,
00:19:11.36\00:19:15.90
so there is in fact, there
is the Seventh-day Sabbath,
00:19:15.91\00:19:19.35
of course, there
are other Sabbaths
00:19:19.36\00:19:20.63
in the Hebrew history,
00:19:20.64\00:19:24.64
we don't have
time to go into them.
00:19:24.65\00:19:26.13
Those are the special.
00:19:26.14\00:19:27.19
Yes, special
Sabbath, but I looked at them
00:19:27.20\00:19:30.10
and many of them refer
to some things for the,
00:19:30.11\00:19:33.13
you know, the
poor mention often like
00:19:33.14\00:19:35.47
when the land has its Sabbath,
00:19:35.48\00:19:37.40
but sure you'll leave
something for the poor,
00:19:37.41\00:19:39.06
so they can go during that time
00:19:39.07\00:19:40.79
and pick food for their needs.
00:19:40.80\00:19:43.80
And the poorer and
caring and serving,
00:19:43.81\00:19:47.95
it is part of
the Sabbath attitude
00:19:47.96\00:19:49.72
and again the
Seventh-day Sabbath
00:19:49.73\00:19:51.30
in this Chapter is
showing the same idea.
00:19:51.31\00:19:54.16
Yeah, and all of
those, of course,
00:19:54.17\00:19:56.28
those types found their
fulfillment in Jesus Christ,
00:19:56.29\00:19:59.78
so special types,
those special Sabbaths,
00:19:59.79\00:20:02.50
but it's the idea that
they did find their fulfillment
00:20:02.51\00:20:05.86
in Jesus that we
then are to be fulfilling,
00:20:05.87\00:20:09.47
I mean, He fulfill
them all and we are to be
00:20:09.48\00:20:11.66
reflecting His service,
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.34
His love to the poor,
His love to--That's right.
00:20:13.35\00:20:16.29
You know, if you done
it to one of the least of
00:20:16.30\00:20:18.44
these you've
done it onto me, so--
00:20:18.45\00:20:20.00
Right, and this feast, you know,
00:20:20.01\00:20:22.17
they were called
Sabbaths, they pointed forward
00:20:22.18\00:20:25.20
to the messiah,
like you mentioned.
00:20:25.21\00:20:27.81
But of course the
Seventh-day Sabbath is
00:20:27.82\00:20:30.52
set aside because that
points back to creation.
00:20:30.53\00:20:35.61
And so it's in the different--
00:20:35.62\00:20:36.65
From the beginning.
00:20:36.66\00:20:37.63
Yes, from the beginning
before there was over a Jew.
00:20:37.64\00:20:40.11
Amen, so some of the
ideas of service that
00:20:40.12\00:20:43.31
people might have on Sabbath.
00:20:43.32\00:20:46.25
Oh, my I still
remember the years ago
00:20:46.26\00:20:50.34
and do sunshine
bands and of course,
00:20:50.35\00:20:52.34
visiting to sake and I remember,
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.94
I remember Joan
lady who is my friend use
00:20:54.95\00:20:57.18
to take her
children to the nursing home
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.10
and I wrote in my
book what she used to say
00:20:59.11\00:21:02.72
before the
children sing their songs,
00:21:02.73\00:21:05.50
when they are
little, and so beautiful
00:21:05.51\00:21:06.85
I am just glad
to read it to you.
00:21:06.86\00:21:07.98
This is what she said to
the nursing home residents.
00:21:07.99\00:21:11.36
We are Seventh-day Adventists.
00:21:11.37\00:21:12.76
We wish we could
sing to you everyday,
00:21:12.77\00:21:15.27
but don't have time
because we're working,
00:21:15.28\00:21:18.22
but today we don't have to work
00:21:18.23\00:21:19.85
so we came to share some
of our Sabbath joy with you.
00:21:19.86\00:21:24.55
How precious? She is
a precious loyal. Yes.
00:21:24.56\00:21:27.49
She is here for our
Ten Commandments weekend.
00:21:27.50\00:21:29.27
Oh, yes.
00:21:29.28\00:21:30.25
And they've a
wonderful sermon on the Sabbath.
00:21:30.26\00:21:33.28
And we really enjoyed her.
00:21:33.29\00:21:34.66
But the idea of
that's part of the,
00:21:34.67\00:21:37.47
that's what the
Sabbath, you know,
00:21:37.48\00:21:39.42
we have time set aside.
00:21:39.43\00:21:41.76
Now we have there
is a lots of issues.
00:21:41.77\00:21:44.13
Sometimes we can get
so involved in service
00:21:44.14\00:21:47.75
that we end up more
tired then when we start,
00:21:47.76\00:21:50.30
you know, we talked about that.
00:21:50.31\00:21:52.01
We have to keep
things in perspective
00:21:52.02\00:21:53.70
and imbalance and then of course
00:21:53.71\00:21:55.01
the issue of some
people will do though and,
00:21:55.02\00:22:00.36
you know, do manual
labor and Sabbath building
00:22:00.37\00:22:03.78
and cleaning people's yards,
that's another discussion.
00:22:03.79\00:22:09.60
But we have to
see all the principles
00:22:09.61\00:22:13.50
we've to getting a
synergy with each other. Yes.
00:22:13.51\00:22:16.75
And yes, we're
suppose to do service,
00:22:16.76\00:22:19.51
but the Lord also
says we need to rest
00:22:19.52\00:22:21.60
and set aside and
set the day apart,
00:22:21.61\00:22:24.41
so it's not
like every other day.
00:22:24.42\00:22:25.83
So we have to be
careful that our principles
00:22:25.84\00:22:29.19
don't kind of
clash with each other.
00:22:29.20\00:22:32.42
We've to keep
them all in a synergy.
00:22:32.43\00:22:35.01
So that's another discussion,
00:22:35.02\00:22:37.04
but service is
part of the Sabbath,
00:22:37.05\00:22:40.12
but all of our service doesn't
only need to be on Sabbath.
00:22:40.13\00:22:43.86
Amen and you know,
lot of people who present
00:22:43.87\00:22:46.14
this mystery on Sabbath,
00:22:46.15\00:22:48.19
but there are many, many ways.
00:22:48.20\00:22:51.24
And serving can be for
one another as well. Yes.
00:22:51.25\00:22:55.24
That means this is
the time I don't know,
00:22:55.25\00:22:58.37
why this is coming to my mind,
00:22:58.38\00:22:59.69
but I do know that
there are sometimes
00:22:59.70\00:23:01.87
that families
feel that you know,
00:23:01.88\00:23:04.96
kids feel like the
parents really don't listen
00:23:04.97\00:23:07.58
to them or parents are too busy.
00:23:07.59\00:23:10.08
Sometimes, it may be
that service you could even
00:23:10.09\00:23:13.06
look at is you're serving
your family by giving them
00:23:13.07\00:23:16.24
your undivided
attention that you're giving
00:23:16.25\00:23:19.02
that your teenager
time to really talk to you,
00:23:19.03\00:23:23.89
I don't know
there is a lot of things
00:23:23.90\00:23:25.51
that fall into this principle.
00:23:25.52\00:23:27.09
So that is the attitude.
00:23:27.10\00:23:28.07
The Sabbath
attitude is one of serving
00:23:28.08\00:23:31.44
and setting our gender aside,
00:23:31.45\00:23:35.07
so that we can live
with Lord's character.
00:23:35.08\00:23:38.47
And you also had
mentioned in our program,
00:23:38.48\00:23:40.56
a previous program that
when you're making Sabbath plans
00:23:40.57\00:23:44.68
you did not only
a plan for the day.
00:23:44.69\00:23:46.74
but a monthly
plans, so maybe one Sabbath
00:23:46.75\00:23:49.39
would be a Sabbath of service,
00:23:49.40\00:23:51.14
one Sabbath
would be a Sabbath of
00:23:51.15\00:23:52.92
just come apart and rest.
00:23:52.93\00:23:54.77
And so that you're
not exhausting yourself
00:23:54.78\00:23:58.12
and trying to fulfill every
single principle on each one.
00:23:58.13\00:24:02.69
Okay, so let's look at guiding
principle number 15 caring.
00:24:02.70\00:24:08.90
Caring for necessary needs.
00:24:08.91\00:24:13.75
Sabbath keeping means caring
for necessary physical needs
00:24:13.76\00:24:16.76
on Sabbath and
no creature, animal,
00:24:16.77\00:24:19.80
or human should be
allowed to suffer on this day.
00:24:19.81\00:24:24.73
And the Lord talks
about in Exodus 23:12 about,
00:24:24.74\00:24:29.89
you know, we even
have your animals be
00:24:29.90\00:24:31.99
refreshed on
Sabbath, so that they're not
00:24:32.00\00:24:34.34
overworked and not to suffering,
00:24:34.35\00:24:36.87
you know, and it some--
00:24:36.88\00:24:38.96
And the situation
ox in a ditch or sheep
00:24:38.97\00:24:41.08
in the ditch you're gonna to
take it out and not let this.
00:24:41.09\00:24:43.33
Yeah, in Mathew 12,
of course when Jesus was
00:24:43.34\00:24:46.10
and His disciples are
going through the cornfield
00:24:46.11\00:24:48.65
or the wheat field depending
on what translations you read.
00:24:48.66\00:24:51.72
Yeah, again they
were taking care of
00:24:51.73\00:24:53.99
unnecessary
physical need apparently
00:24:54.00\00:24:55.87
they were hungry
and he just do not
00:24:55.88\00:24:58.84
contaminant for that, yeah.
00:24:58.85\00:25:01.71
So the caring, now
let's go through now
00:25:01.72\00:25:05.06
because we've had you
now for four programs,
00:25:05.07\00:25:08.25
let's take all
of these principles
00:25:08.26\00:25:10.24
and we're just gonna run
them through real quickly
00:25:10.25\00:25:13.21
all principles of how to
make the Sabbath a delight.
00:25:13.22\00:25:19.25
And the first
principle is preparing.
00:25:19.26\00:25:23.53
And you get in
that preparation done
00:25:23.54\00:25:25.78
you're gonna have a
much happier Sabbath.
00:25:25.79\00:25:28.43
Resting is
important, so that you know that
00:25:28.44\00:25:31.31
you're coming apart and
getting some physical rest
00:25:31.32\00:25:34.34
and emotional spiritual rest.
00:25:34.35\00:25:36.42
Renewing, a Sabbath
principle is healing.
00:25:36.43\00:25:40.29
Jesus spend a lot of His
time there were seven miracles
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.80
that He did on the Sabbath day.
00:25:43.81\00:25:45.88
Celebrating,
celebrating is something
00:25:45.89\00:25:48.23
I feel it's very
important then we have
00:25:48.24\00:25:51.71
a sanctifying that
the Sabbath is a time,
00:25:51.72\00:25:55.00
a principle of
sanctifying and just realize
00:25:55.01\00:25:57.58
it's an intimate
time with the Lord.
00:25:57.59\00:25:59.77
Remembering,
remembering God is creator,
00:25:59.78\00:26:02.15
remembering all
that He has done for us
00:26:02.16\00:26:04.31
and we're
worshipping Him and truth
00:26:04.32\00:26:06.08
and spirit going to
church with that attitude
00:26:06.09\00:26:08.77
that we are gonna worshiping
00:26:08.78\00:26:10.25
and realizing it doesn't
end at the end of church.
00:26:10.26\00:26:12.96
Basking in God's wonderful
creation going out into nature
00:26:12.97\00:26:17.25
and just sing what
God has done for us
00:26:17.26\00:26:20.11
and the gifts He has given us.
00:26:20.12\00:26:21.74
Responding to
Him and to His love.
00:26:21.75\00:26:24.80
Trusting in Him not leaning
on our own understanding.
00:26:24.81\00:26:28.31
And then principle
number 12 is fellowshipping,
00:26:28.32\00:26:31.57
that's what we've
been talking about today.
00:26:31.58\00:26:33.27
How to restore that
time with the family
00:26:33.28\00:26:35.94
and renew family relationships?
00:26:35.95\00:26:39.10
Affirming, being positive.
00:26:39.11\00:26:41.24
And serving others
and then finally always
00:26:41.25\00:26:44.72
having that caring attitude.
00:26:44.73\00:26:46.82
When you would look
at this in your book
00:26:46.83\00:26:50.02
"From Sundown To Sundown"
00:26:50.03\00:26:51.36
how to keep the
Sabbath and enjoy it?
00:26:51.37\00:26:53.54
May Ellen taking
these practices and looking
00:26:53.55\00:26:56.99
at this when your a
little boy looked at you one day
00:26:57.00\00:27:00.30
when he was four years
old and you're singing happy,
00:27:00.31\00:27:02.79
"Sabbath is a
happy day" and he said,
00:27:02.80\00:27:04.60
no it's not momma.
00:27:04.61\00:27:06.27
When from that
time forward to today
00:27:06.28\00:27:09.86
God is really changed your life,
00:27:09.87\00:27:12.16
not just in the way
you celebrate the Sabbath,
00:27:12.17\00:27:14.65
but He has changed
that really that personal
00:27:14.66\00:27:17.63
vertical relationships
with Him, hasn't He?
00:27:17.64\00:27:19.75
Yes, He has.
00:27:19.76\00:27:21.36
And He used the Sabbath as a way
00:27:21.37\00:27:23.81
for me to just
stop and reevaluate
00:27:23.82\00:27:26.57
my relationship with Him. Amen.
00:27:26.58\00:27:30.21
And the way I
enjoying keep the Sabbath is
00:27:30.22\00:27:33.22
a reflection of the
stay with that relationship.
00:27:33.23\00:27:36.35
I agree with that a
100% and we're so thankful
00:27:36.36\00:27:39.02
that you've come and May Ellen
00:27:39.03\00:27:40.33
for these last four programs.
00:27:40.34\00:27:42.25
We're thankful for
the book and just thankful
00:27:42.26\00:27:45.54
that you're
sharing the experiences
00:27:45.55\00:27:48.11
that God has let you through.
00:27:48.12\00:27:50.17
Now for those of you at home,
00:27:50.18\00:27:52.35
I hope somehow as it has
for me that this has kind of,
00:27:52.36\00:27:57.52
maybe picked your
interest in doing something
00:27:57.53\00:28:01.20
a little more
special for each Sabbath.
00:28:01.21\00:28:04.39
May the love of the Father,
the grace of our Lord Jesus
00:28:04.40\00:28:08.35
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:28:08.36\00:28:10.10
be with you today and everyday?
00:28:10.11\00:28:12.88