"Sticking" to Principles

The Sabbath has preoccupied my thoughts greatly in recent months. The more I honor it, the more it becomes obvious to me that in doing so I am blessed, not burdened.

We do not consider it a burden to take time out for food each day.

We do not consider it a burden to take time out for sleep each night.

Why is it that so many people, even among the children of God, consider it too much a burden to obey the call to rest on the Sabbath?

There are a number of good ways to answer that question, and my (well-justified) fear here is that I won't do justice to any of them by attempting in a few words to address a topic that has, no doubt, filled entire books.

Suffice it to say that the American church does not realize
a) that the Sabbath is still one of our Ten Commandments, and that
b) as with all of God's commands, obedience in this matter ushers us more fully into the life God wants us to have.

Because the American church in large part does not recognize this, we are that much more the impoverished for it.

Do I indict the entire American church so quickly? Well...

Yes.

Of course amongst 300 million souls there are many churchgoers who have not forgotten the Sabbath commandment. No doubt this is so.

But consider this: my church, the church I attend now, just yesterday took part in a multi-church event yesterday. Probably about five to ten churches together engaged in an event called Carefest during which worship takes place together and then groups go out to... to... to work.

What kind of work? Landscaping. Yardwork. You name it. Work for various causes and needs.

Are we doing it for free? Yes.

Are we doing it to serve? Yes.

Are we doing it on Sunday? Yes.

Is this a good idea? No!

Here yours truly, a Pharisee in training, is on thin ice. I think it's a terrible idea, but what thin ice it is.

Jesus worked on the Sabbath. And he got really upset with the Pharisees who sought to limit his Sunday service. Am I on the wrong side of the debate?

So hard to say... Because here we are caught between the Scylla and the charybdis.

We're on the wrong side of Jesus if we prevent good works on Sunday.

But we're also on the wrong side of Jesus if we let our human scheduling preferences override the commandments of God.

Jesus got really upset with how the religious leaders of his day allowed the rules of men to supercede the rules of God. There is a difference between addressing needs as they hit you in the face, as Jesus did, and scheduling work for a Sabbath.

A dozen churches in this area of town, including my own, scheduled work for yesterday. They did it that way for one simple reason -- Thousands of busy suburban churchgoers have their Sundays set aside. What better a day to schedule a multi-church work day?

Except for the fact that God told us to rest on the Sabbath.

Scheduling a multi-church work day for Sunday is sooooooo not a good idea.

So our family took the day off from church.

And here is where this rambling post gets a bit interesting.

Among the many relaxing things I did yesterday was a quick jog with a soccer ball. Is jogging work? No... no I needed the exercise and it was wonderful to get out of the house. But I did ponder that thought. No, it's ok. A jog is a good thing.

My young son Luke joined me, so it was two boys with two soccer balls on a Sunday jaunt. On my way back from the park, I was still reflecting on what we were doing and why we were not "working" with the various churches. And feeling good about it. In good ways and bad ways I was feeling good about it.

On the way home, we picked up loose sticks on the ground to use for light our outdoor fire pit. I've been in the habit of doing that for a long time. All fun and easy....

Until a little voice in my head said, "Hey, Brian. Are you gathering firewood?"

Very funny, God. Very, very, funny.

Numbers 15:32-36
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Nice touch, God. Nice touch.

And so the thin ice gets thinner. And I am reminded that the definition of work can get awful complicated. No wonder that by the time Jesus arrived so many rules had sprung up around the notion of work. Absurd rules. The sort of rules that Jesus had a ball with. Oh yes, Jesus loved to point out the inconsistencies in all the Pharisees did and taught.

And here yours truly was caught in one of his own. Busy condemning the work others were doing, I was gathering firewood on the Sabbath. And dragging my son into the mess.

Of course this, for me, was not work. The fire pit is FUN! Ah, such thin ice.

Do I think the Sabbath is important? Yes!

Do I still think the American Church has lost sight of it? Yes!

Am I Sabbath Pharisee? Um...

Um...

Yes.

I need mercy, because I am at heart a Pharisee, and it shows up everywhere.