7 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
- Exodus 20:8, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House) 1984.
"The Third Commandment"
Dear Friends in Christ,
Is the Law of God as summarized in the Ten Commandments a burden to us, or a blessing? Well, that depends.
If we are tempted to adopt the attitude that keeping God’s commandments is going to cost us a lot in time and effort (as if God was like a celestial government taxing us through the Ten Commandments), then we will see them as a burden; something we must do (even against our will) as opposed to something we want to do. And many people see it this way.
But the reality is this: God’s commandments are a blessing. They are a blessing first of all because they point out our shortcomings, inadequacies and sinfulness before God. At first that may seem like an odd definition of the word "blessing," but we have to know we’re sick before we look for a remedy. When we consider that God demands we keep these Commandments not just "the best we can" but perfectly and then examine ourselves in the mirror of God’s Law, we come to this inescapable conclusion: if we are going to get ourselves right with God now and forever, we need help. And that help comes in the person of Jesus Christ and the Gospel message.
Once the Law has led us to the Gospel, it then performs another blessing for us. Far from restricting our happiness, the Ten Commandments show us how to live a fulfilling life as Children of God. And the Third Commandment in particular clearly illustrates how graciously God blesses us when we keep His commandments, because it is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith, equips us for life, and fills our hearts with the joy of salvation...
When we keep this commandment, we are truly blessed. On the other hand, if we do not keep it or become lax with it, we cut ourselves off from our source of power and do ourselves great spiritual harm. Continuing in our summer series, let us today consider
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
Before we look at this commandment, we need to have a handle on some important background information...
When God gave the Law to Moses and the Israelites on Mount Sinai, He actually gave them three different kinds. We call them the civil, the ceremonial and the moral law. Whereas the moral law is intended for all people of all times, the civil and ceremonial law regulated Israel’s political and religious life, and were intended for Israel only. Among other things, these laws set the nation of Israel apart from all others – which was exactly the point, because it was through this nation that, humanly speaking, God chose to bring the Savior into the world. However, once the Savior came, these laws were no longer binding or necessary for God’s people, since they had served their purpose.
The Sabbath law was a part of the ceremonial law that came to an end with the coming of Christ. That’s why we are not bound to worship on one particular day anymore (Sabbath = Saturday). Already in New Testament times the church used its Christian liberty in this area and began to worship on Sunday (the chief reason being this was the day of Jesus’ resurrection). Nevertheless, the moral element contained in the Third Commandment does remain binding – namely, to worship God.
So, to summarize: God’s commandment to His Old Testament people was to worship Him on the 7th day. God’s commandment to His New Testament people (us) is simply to worship Him – and we can pick the time. The thrust of the rest of this sermon will be on the importance of worshiping and spending time with God, because that is what this commandment is all about.
Once again we’ll use Martin Luther’s explanation of this commandment as an outline for our thoughts. "We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it." Let’s first turn our attention to how this commandment is violated, or despised, especially in regard to church and public worship. Scripture would suggest a number of ways in which this is done...
First of all, by not going to church – either regularly or at all. Obviously, this is not the case with those present. You are here because you know the importance of hearing God’s Word and offering Him your worship, and for that you are to be commended. But the rather self-evident initial point to be made in the Third Commandment is that God does not consider public worship as something that is optional.
Consequently, the idea that "you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian" and a host of other excuses does not carry much weight with God. In fact, it is precisely such thinking that the writer to the Hebrews addressed already in the First Century, when the Holy Spirit caused him to write: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching." In addition, the very fact that God specifically set aside one day for worship also speaks to His wish for consistency in this area.
Another way in which this command is violated is by going to church – but not listening. The story is told of a man who faithfully went to church every Sunday for 40 years but, by his own admission, never heard a sermon. He confessed that when the minister started to preach, he would go over last week’s business and then plan for the coming one...
Which suggests another issue. True or false: Listening takes effort. That’s very true, isn’t it? It’s quite easy to let our minds wander... and when it comes to church no one has to tell you that preachers don’t bat 1000. Some sermons are better than others either in delivery or content or both. But regardless of the form, every sermon revolves around God’s truth – and it is that truth we must train ourselves to first hear, then apply...
And that brings us to a final way of violating this commandment. Certainly we must seek, listen and believe the Word, but all that is meaningless without the next step. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it." In other words, hearing the Word is to be more than just an exercise we sit through. We are to put what we hear into practice.
Maybe you’ve heard about the woman who had to leave the church service early one morning and found a man waiting to pick up his family. "Is the sermon over?" he asked. She answered: "No, it’s only half over. It’s been preached; now it has to be lived."
The Apostle Paul echoed that same sentiment in his second letter to the Corinthians. He was responding to the idea put forth by some of his critics that he ought to have a letter of recommendation before he engaged in further mission work. His answer: "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Cor 3:2,3). All Christians are to be "living letters from Christ" to a watching world. But this can only be done if what is heard is practiced...
Let’s move on to how this commandment is obeyed. We repeat the catechism’s explanation: "Regard it (preaching and the Word) as holy and gladly hear and learn it."
The most evident way we fulfill this commandment is by regularly attending worship, listening to the Word, believing the truth and then putting it into practice. Recall the words of our Gospel lesson, where Jesus spoke to Mary and Martha. Martha was busy preparing a meal while Mary was sitting at the Master’s feet listening to Him. Jesus told the sisters that what Martha was doing wasn’t bad, but that what Mary was doing was better. While Martha’s life at that moment revolved around the temporarily urgent, Mary focused on the spiritually important – and she drew the praise of Jesus.
We furthermore fulfill this commandment by cultivating a daily devotional life of prayer and Bible reading. If you’ve ever looked at the side panel of a breakfast cereal box you know that the manufacturer has listed there all the ingredients and vitamins supposedly contained therein. Often it will say that a bowl of their cereal fulfills the minimum daily requirements of such or such vitamin...
Using the same terminology, we could say that public worship meets the minimum weekly requirement for a healthy faith. Essential to deep spiritual growth, however, is developing a daily devotional life. In our first lesson for today from the Book of Acts we were introduced to a group of believers from the Greek city of Berea. They are described as being of "noble character." Why? Because they were well versed in the Word. We could do no better than to be described as "Berean" in our personal, spiritual lives.
In the last few minutes, let’s consider why we obey this command, as well as the great benefits that follow our obedience to the Third Commandment.
As to why we obey this and every other command, the reason is simple: The God-who-rescued-us-from-hell asks us to. The fundamental reason for obedience to any command of God is to actively express our love to God by doing what He asks us to do. And when we do what God asks of us, the result is always a great spiritual blessing.
In the case of the Third Commandment the great spiritual blessing is a closer walk and deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father. One formally uneducated but wise Christian explained spiritual growth in this way: "I ain’t what I ought to be and I ain’t what I want to be, but thank God I ain’t what I used to be." The point he makes is that spiritual growth is a continual process, a quest. And the only means for such growth is contact with Word and Sacrament.
We live in a goal-oriented society. Question: What are our personal goals as individuals who have been called to be Christians? Certainly the long-term goal is heaven. And thankfully, of this we are assured. Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to make heaven our home. But what about our immediate goal? What is our goal for that period between birth and death that we call "life?"
Is it not to be ever increasingly Christ-like? Is it not to be salt and light on this earth, as our Savior asks us to be? Is it not to take seriously these words of Paul in Romans (12:1,2): "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will."
How is it that our minds can be transformed and made new? How is it that we can know God’s will? This is how: Stay close to the Word. This is how: "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy."
And the blessed result of doing this is that life is better no matter what we may face, because we are in a stronger relationship with God. Someone once said, "The eagle that soars in the upper air does not worry itself as to how it crosses rivers." Meaning: When we soar in the upper air of God’s Word and a close relationship with God, the trials and difficulties that inevitably come into everyone’s life become manageable and surmountable, because we are properly equipped...
So, how are we doing when it comes to the Third Commandment? Where we have failed to keep this command, let us repent – knowing that God in His grace has forgiven us for Jesus’ sake...
Then let us respond in love and gratitude as weekly and daily we "hold God’s Word as holy and gladly hear and learn it." Amen.
"Respect the Sabbath of the Lord!
Do not despise My holy Word,
But hold it sacred, precious, true,
And hear that truth preached to you."
Have mercy Lord! (CW 285 v 4)