Sabbath what is it, and when...

Here again I am going to ask that everyone please refrain from posting anything that is intended to insult another member. Many opinions and traditions abound on this topic, so lets all try to be considerate, before trying to win a debate.

The Sabbath...we are told to "Keep holy the Sabbath", we know it is a day of rest, and is considered also to be the 7th day of the week. God rested on the 7th day, after 6 days of creating heaven, earth, stars, life, and man, etc. In our modern world there are two distinct groups of Christian believers. One group holds that man is bound by Gods law, and we live under that law. The second group believes that man exists under Grace, gifted to us by Jesus when he died for our sins. Each of these two groups has divisions within over the Sabbath. Is it Saturday? or Sunday?

Historically it was Saturday. It was changed to Sunday (according to some), but the reason eludes me at this time, but I believe it has something to do with the new testament. I was raised in Presbyterian and Methodist Churches, but as an adult I find my beliefs are more in line with Baptist doctrines. One piece of common doctrine with these three, is that Sunday is the Sabbath. All three point to tradition and the Baptists go even further calling Sunday "Gods Day". While it is recognized that some are required to work on Sundays, but it is frowned on.

Consider also that businesses call Monday the first day of the week. Weekly pay periods start on Monday and end on Sunday (the seventh work day of our modern world). My previous employer recognized Sundays as being set apart from the rest of the week with a pay policy that paid double the hourly wage for any Sunday worked, even if that was the only day of the week someone worked. While on businesses, Chick-Fil-A does not open on Sundays. My hats off to them.

Wikipedia has two entries on Sabbath...

Biblical Sabbath is a weekly day of rest or time of worship. It is observed differently in Judaism and Christianity and informs a similar occasion in several other faiths. Though many viewpoints and definitions have arisen over the millennia, most originate in the same textual tradition.
Sabbath in the Bible (as the verb shavath) is first mentioned in the Genesis creation mythos, where the seventh day is set aside as a day of rest and made holy by God (Genesis 2:2-3). Observation and remembrance of Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments (the fourth in the original Jewish, the Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant traditions, the third in Roman Catholic and Lutheran traditions). Most people who observe Biblical Sabbath regard it as having been instituted as a perpetual covenant for the people of Israel (Exodus 31:13-17, Exodus 23:12, Deuteronomy 5:13-14), a rule which also applies to proselytes, and a sign respecting two events: the day during which God rested after having completed Creation in six days (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:8-11), and God's deliverance from the Egyptian seven-day workweek (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Isaiah extends the term later to include even corrupted rest-day traditions (Isaiah 1:13).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Sabbath

and...

Sabbath or a sabbath is generally a weekly day of rest or time of worship. It is observed differently in Abrahamic religions and informs a similar occasion in several other practices. Although many viewpoints and definitions have arisen over the millennia, most originate in the same textual tradition. The term has been used to describe a similar weekly observance in any of several other traditions; the new moon; any of seven annual festivals in Judaism and some Christian traditions; any of eight annual pagan festivals (usually "sabbat"); an annual secular holiday; and a year of rest in religious or secular usage, originally every seventh year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath

So what say you, when and what is the Sabbath to you??

I hold to the practice that the week starts on Monday in our culture, so Sunday is the Sabbath. I have a close friend who is a Jew, and he observes a triditional Friday evening to Saturday evening Shabbat (Sabbath). Whatever day it is observed (in my opinoin) the improtant thing is that a day is set aside for the Lord. The fist day of the week varies around the world in diffrent cultures, but even if you feel that Sunday is the first day of the week, and that is the day you set aside for God I still think it is good. some of the Pharisees and Sadducees complained about the way Jesus and the apostles acted on the Sabbath and Jesus replied in Mark 2:27 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:"

I work a 12hour rotating shift, and have to work every other Sunday, but Sundays on Sundays I am the only person at work. I use this time to study the Bible, watch preachers on youtube, and just sit back and relax. Sure I miss one service on the Sundays that I work, but God blessed me with this job, and I think him for it. If I refused to work on Sundays, that would cause someone else (who is possable unsaved) to have to work every Sunday. The way I see I am not breaking the Sabbath, I am just "turning the ox out to pasture" so to speak. When I am off on Sunday, in between church services and after dinner, I don't do any kind of work, unless it is work that I concider fun. The way I see it the sabbath is a day to rest and enjoy ourselves. I get a lot of enjoyment from several thing most people would call work, but to me that are just fun. So I don't count them as breaking the sabbath.

I guess it is kind of a, use your own judgement, thing in my view. As long as you feel that the day was set aside, use it how you feel is right. After all it was "made for man".

I also believe that a tithe is more than just a tenth of our money. I believe it is a tenth of our time. The is 16.8 hours a week. If you add up 3-2 hour church services in a week that leaves 10.6 hours that we owe the Lord outside of church. I find that Sunday is a good day to put some of these hours in. I like to visit with lost friends and family on Sunday. I like to talk with them and invite them to church. Sunday is a good day for this as most people are just lounging around anyway, and are more receptive to visitors.

There I go again rambling on, sorry about that. These are just my personal views, and I am guessing will be vastly diffrent from others. That is good we should all "work out our own salvation with fear and trimbling".

God bless,
Chad

we are not so far apart you and I, and feel free to ramble now and then

Chad, I agree with you on both the Sabbath and tithing. I no longer work outside of my home so I got to the point I was tithing homemade goodies such as breads etc. I also try to give of my time and talents, although I'm trying to figure out what those are now that I can no longer teach children's church.

Abraham gave a tithe of the spoils, That is a lot more than money, and isn't just the offering plate at church. I sometimes use the money I would have put in the offering plate to feed one of the many mission groups that come to this area to help the poor, and repair people's homes. There are many ways to give a tithe to the Lord. The heart in which it is given, is what counts.

It's nice to hear that giving your tithe to those in need is considered as still tithing when many churches will tell you it does not. I hear so many times how the churches want the money and do not consider your time/talents as your tithe.

Sonshine maybe you could be a behind the scenes resource for whomever takes over the children's ministry at your church. You have great ideas and experience with the ministry so offer yourself as a resource for when they can't come up with a program idea or lesson idea.

Patrice, I feel like God is moving me in a different direction, but not sure what yet. I'm praying for guidance. It may be that I'm suppose to devote more of my time to this forum. I also have had several elderly folks move close by and have been trying to help them with things. Of course, the neighborhood kids are being taught everytime they come over, but I'm doing an organized lesson plan, if you know what I mean. Right now I'm just praying the doctors and therapists can get me back to some semblance of mobility, then it'll be easier for me to get things done.

I know exactly what you mean Sonshine. I am so exhausted I can't get anything accomplished except napping, and I still feel horrible when I get up.

I'll be prying for you, that God shows you the next path He wants you to follow.

Sonshine wrote:Patrice, I feel like God is moving me in a different direction, but not sure what yet. I'm praying for guidance. It may be that I'm suppose to devote more of my time to this forum.

I don't know if that is where God is leading you, but I can say that I only found this forum yesterday, and it has already been a great blessing to me.

So thank you, and God bless you for all that you have already done.

Thanks Patrice. It's hard going from a very active lifestyle to being basically bed ridden, but I am really hoping this aqua therapy will help me get back some of my mobility. I'm itching to get out in the garden and working with my critters.

Chad, I can't take much credit. God gave me the idea and the means, then he sent me people who were much more tech and homesteading savvy than myself to ensure that it would bless others.

Sonshine wrote:Chad, I can't take much credit. God gave me the idea and the means, then he sent me people who were much more tech and homesteading savvy than myself to ensure that it would bless others.

Remember, Joshua is remembered as the one who walked around Jerico, not all the others that marched with him. It takes a lot to step out on faith and do something for the Lord. Sure other can and do help, but that is the easy part, steping out and being the first to say "I am going to do this for the Lord, no matter what the world thinks!" That is the greatest form of worship!

God bless,
Chad

I'm just glad that God gave it to us and pray that through it we can be a support system for each other.