Lent Midweek 1 February 24, 2021
The Third Commandment
Sunday vs. Holiday
Exodus 20:1-2, 7 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
LSC Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
Dear friends in Christ, this evening we come to the third and final commandment of the first table of the Law—that which deals with our relationship with God. This commandment is greatly abused among and by Christians. It instructs us not merely in the external—that is, in coming to church—but also in the heart—how we treat God’s Word.
Indeed, when we hear the word “holiday” what do we think? We think of time off from work—a time to finally do what we want to do—maybe rest—maybe play. The Sabbath was a day of rest—pointing ahead to the Messiah who is our rest—Jesus Christ. God ordained that one day a week His people should rest from labour. But it is not the cessation of work that honours this commandment. It is the aspect of holiness. For the Sabbath was a true “holy day” from which we get the word, holiday. It was a day not only to rest, but more importantly, to hear and learn God’s Word. For the act of rest does not make one holy, but rather the Word of God that breathes faith and life, makes God’s people holy saints before Him.
So, when meditating upon this commandment it is good to ask ourselves whether or not we have despised the Word of God by neglecting it altogether (failing to attend worship—even before the pandemic, study the Scriptures, or devote our lives to reading, learning, and inwardly digesting it); or, by paying as little attention to the Word when it is read or preached. So, this commandment is broken not only by those who forego coming to the Lord’s house to hear His Word and receive His sacraments due to sporting events like hockey; or sleeping in at home; or out on the lake at the cabin; or enjoying God’s creation in the woods. It is also broken by those who regularly come to the Divine Service, but who pay no attention to God’s Word. They go away at the end of the year, knowing as little about God’s Word as at the beginning. We are to listen seriously and carefully to what God has to tell us. For in His Word is doctrine and life.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We have so much other “stuff” going on in our busy lives and hectic schedules and work commitments that we fail to take the time to truly rest. We fail to look to Jesus and His Word as our true rest. We work so hard that we want to play just as hard at our hobbies and clubs, but these things pull us away from that which is best for us—the Word. For God’s Word is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries. It is there that He comes to you to proclaim His love and forgiveness for you—to wash and cleanse you in the redeeming blood of Jesus outpoured on the cross for you.
But we’d rather be playing hockey, watching tv, sleeping in bed, or better yet, relaxing wherever the sun is shining and the sand is warm and the water is cool and refreshing. Satan loves to lead us away from God’s divine service to us. He loves to distract us and tempt us to prevent us from making worship a regular habit by using our favourite things and interests against us—making them into false gods so that we worship our recreational activities more than the true God. It is so easy to miss a Sunday service...and then another...and then another...and another. Pretty soon, we find we don’t even want to come to church anymore, or even hear God’s Word. That is the road to hell and damnation.
Beloved in Christ, God demands that we humbly hear His Word and learn it—that we look upon preaching as a sacred thing—meaning we should gladly hear it, learn it, and meditate on it. So much so, in fact, that we even use our God-given time, talents, and treasures to support and promote the Word of God—and to spread it abroad in all that we say and do. And I know, dear friends, I know with absolute certainty, that if you are anything like me—and I know you are—that you do not do this. There are times when we’d much rather be doing something else, anything else, than sitting on a hard wooden pew (or even our comfortable couch from home) and listening to pastor drone on and on about something that seems rather irrelevant and unimportant.
Thanks be to God that our eternal rest is not dependent upon our keeping of this commandment. For we would all be damned to hell, and justly so. Yet God, in Christ has had mercy on us. Our rest is not found in the cessation of our labour, but in Christ’s. For He dedicated His life to serving God and humanity perfectly. He combated the devil’s temptations and drove him away. He worshiped God rightly morning, noon, and night. He laboured valiantly on the cross to suffer and pay for our sin. And after He died—after His work of atonement was completed—He rested in the tomb for three days. All for our disobedience—our blasphemy against God and His Word.
This is why Jesus is your Sabbath rest. This is why we now tend to worship on Sundays (though we as Christians are not bound to any specific day of worship) because Christ Jesus rose from the dead in victory and triumph over all our great enemies on that day. His rest in the tomb has become our rest—for by faith His death is our death—and His new life is also ours.
We do not make the Sabbath holy by our labour or lack thereof on the Sabbath—it has been made holy—sanctified—by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross and in His holy rest in the tomb. In Baptism all that is His became yours. Each time you receive the Sacrament of the Supper, His body and blood that lived, rested, and rose again revive you—refreshing you like nothing else in the sure and certain forgiveness of all of your sins. Jesus’ blood makes you righteous and holy in the sight of God and nothing else.
Through the Word the Lord God instils faith into your hearts, producing a pure heart and thoughts. For the Word of God is not lazy or dead, but is creative, living, and active—always bearing fruit as Isaiah says in chapter 55. The Word is effective and powerful, accomplishing what God promises and purposes.
It is by the work of God alone that this day is made holy as you are made holy by His Word and Sacraments. For the Word speaks and gives you Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose again for you. The Word of the Gospel proclaims that you are completely forgiven and restored to a right relationship with the heavenly Father. The Word tells you, in no uncertain terms, that you are holy because Jesus has made you holy by His suffering, death, and resurrection. It is His Word that bespeaks you righteous and brings you to the fullness of eternal life and salvation.
And you can’t hear about this glorious good news while sitting in your boat fishing with your pals. You can’t hear of Christ’s forgiveness while cheering for your children/grandchildren at the arena. You can’t hear the Word of Christ proclaim you absolved from all your sin, while still snoozing in bed. It is this Word—this forgiveness—that grants you true rest and life. For the weight and burden of your guilt and sin has been removed from you and borne by Christ on the cross so that you may be saved.
This is why our loving God leads us to church—leads us to worship—so that here in this place He may serve and feed us with that which we need most—His Word of Life, which makes every Sunday—or any other day we Christians gather in worship—a true “holiday.” Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The Third Commandment
Sunday vs. Holiday
Exodus 20:1-2, 7 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
LSC Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
Dear friends in Christ, this evening we come to the third and final commandment of the first table of the Law—that which deals with our relationship with God. This commandment is greatly abused among and by Christians. It instructs us not merely in the external—that is, in coming to church—but also in the heart—how we treat God’s Word.
Indeed, when we hear the word “holiday” what do we think? We think of time off from work—a time to finally do what we want to do—maybe rest—maybe play. The Sabbath was a day of rest—pointing ahead to the Messiah who is our rest—Jesus Christ. God ordained that one day a week His people should rest from labour. But it is not the cessation of work that honours this commandment. It is the aspect of holiness. For the Sabbath was a true “holy day” from which we get the word, holiday. It was a day not only to rest, but more importantly, to hear and learn God’s Word. For the act of rest does not make one holy, but rather the Word of God that breathes faith and life, makes God’s people holy saints before Him.
So, when meditating upon this commandment it is good to ask ourselves whether or not we have despised the Word of God by neglecting it altogether (failing to attend worship—even before the pandemic, study the Scriptures, or devote our lives to reading, learning, and inwardly digesting it); or, by paying as little attention to the Word when it is read or preached. So, this commandment is broken not only by those who forego coming to the Lord’s house to hear His Word and receive His sacraments due to sporting events like hockey; or sleeping in at home; or out on the lake at the cabin; or enjoying God’s creation in the woods. It is also broken by those who regularly come to the Divine Service, but who pay no attention to God’s Word. They go away at the end of the year, knowing as little about God’s Word as at the beginning. We are to listen seriously and carefully to what God has to tell us. For in His Word is doctrine and life.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We have so much other “stuff” going on in our busy lives and hectic schedules and work commitments that we fail to take the time to truly rest. We fail to look to Jesus and His Word as our true rest. We work so hard that we want to play just as hard at our hobbies and clubs, but these things pull us away from that which is best for us—the Word. For God’s Word is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries. It is there that He comes to you to proclaim His love and forgiveness for you—to wash and cleanse you in the redeeming blood of Jesus outpoured on the cross for you.
But we’d rather be playing hockey, watching tv, sleeping in bed, or better yet, relaxing wherever the sun is shining and the sand is warm and the water is cool and refreshing. Satan loves to lead us away from God’s divine service to us. He loves to distract us and tempt us to prevent us from making worship a regular habit by using our favourite things and interests against us—making them into false gods so that we worship our recreational activities more than the true God. It is so easy to miss a Sunday service...and then another...and then another...and another. Pretty soon, we find we don’t even want to come to church anymore, or even hear God’s Word. That is the road to hell and damnation.
Beloved in Christ, God demands that we humbly hear His Word and learn it—that we look upon preaching as a sacred thing—meaning we should gladly hear it, learn it, and meditate on it. So much so, in fact, that we even use our God-given time, talents, and treasures to support and promote the Word of God—and to spread it abroad in all that we say and do. And I know, dear friends, I know with absolute certainty, that if you are anything like me—and I know you are—that you do not do this. There are times when we’d much rather be doing something else, anything else, than sitting on a hard wooden pew (or even our comfortable couch from home) and listening to pastor drone on and on about something that seems rather irrelevant and unimportant.
Thanks be to God that our eternal rest is not dependent upon our keeping of this commandment. For we would all be damned to hell, and justly so. Yet God, in Christ has had mercy on us. Our rest is not found in the cessation of our labour, but in Christ’s. For He dedicated His life to serving God and humanity perfectly. He combated the devil’s temptations and drove him away. He worshiped God rightly morning, noon, and night. He laboured valiantly on the cross to suffer and pay for our sin. And after He died—after His work of atonement was completed—He rested in the tomb for three days. All for our disobedience—our blasphemy against God and His Word.
This is why Jesus is your Sabbath rest. This is why we now tend to worship on Sundays (though we as Christians are not bound to any specific day of worship) because Christ Jesus rose from the dead in victory and triumph over all our great enemies on that day. His rest in the tomb has become our rest—for by faith His death is our death—and His new life is also ours.
We do not make the Sabbath holy by our labour or lack thereof on the Sabbath—it has been made holy—sanctified—by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross and in His holy rest in the tomb. In Baptism all that is His became yours. Each time you receive the Sacrament of the Supper, His body and blood that lived, rested, and rose again revive you—refreshing you like nothing else in the sure and certain forgiveness of all of your sins. Jesus’ blood makes you righteous and holy in the sight of God and nothing else.
Through the Word the Lord God instils faith into your hearts, producing a pure heart and thoughts. For the Word of God is not lazy or dead, but is creative, living, and active—always bearing fruit as Isaiah says in chapter 55. The Word is effective and powerful, accomplishing what God promises and purposes.
It is by the work of God alone that this day is made holy as you are made holy by His Word and Sacraments. For the Word speaks and gives you Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose again for you. The Word of the Gospel proclaims that you are completely forgiven and restored to a right relationship with the heavenly Father. The Word tells you, in no uncertain terms, that you are holy because Jesus has made you holy by His suffering, death, and resurrection. It is His Word that bespeaks you righteous and brings you to the fullness of eternal life and salvation.
And you can’t hear about this glorious good news while sitting in your boat fishing with your pals. You can’t hear of Christ’s forgiveness while cheering for your children/grandchildren at the arena. You can’t hear the Word of Christ proclaim you absolved from all your sin, while still snoozing in bed. It is this Word—this forgiveness—that grants you true rest and life. For the weight and burden of your guilt and sin has been removed from you and borne by Christ on the cross so that you may be saved.
This is why our loving God leads us to church—leads us to worship—so that here in this place He may serve and feed us with that which we need most—His Word of Life, which makes every Sunday—or any other day we Christians gather in worship—a true “holiday.” Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.