Friday: Further Study: Christ and the Sabbath
Further Study: From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has been Satan’s purpose to overthrow the law of God. It was to accomplish this that he entered upon his rebellion against the Creator, and though he was cast out of heaven he has continued the same warfare upon the earth. To deceive men, and thus lead them to transgress God’s law, is the object which he has steadfastly pursued. Whether this be accomplished by casting aside the law altogether, or by rejecting one of its precepts, the result will be ultimately the same. He that offends in one point, manifests contempt for the whole law; his influence and example are on the side of transgression; he becomes guilty of all. James 2:10.-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 582.
Discussion Questions:
- Look at the Ellen G. White statement in Friday’s study, a fuller rendition of the reference used in the introduction to this quarter. How does the Sabbath and what has happened to the Sabbath in Christendom help us to understand Satan’s attack on the law of God?
- In the following texts (Mark 3:2, Luke 13:14, John 5:18, John 9:16) Jesus is charged with breaking the Sabbath. Review Exodus 20:8-11 and evaluate the merit of this charge. What do you say to those who claim that these passages provide evidence that Jesus broke the Sabbath?
- In class go over your answer to the final question at the end of Tuesday’s lesson. That is, what are some things that the Sabbath frees you up to do that on other days of the week you might not be able to do because of worldly obligations?
- Review your own Sabbath experience. Is the Sabbath for you a day of liberation, rest, and freedom or a day of foreboding, bondage, and stress? How can you learn to enjoy the Sabbath, to make it a delight, as we are told to do in this verse: If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words (Isa. 58:13)?
Christ the center of the whole law is eager to help us to keep it arcoding to his way. But he searcheth for willing heartrs. We are given the whole freedom which was given to Lucifer to decide whether to obey Christ or not. Him as the owner of the sabbath day never break or despised it he kept it holy the whole time he lived on earth. Who are you and me to despise or
Every six days of the week we labor around trying to earn to pay the bills but on the seventh day will suppose to come say thank you for all He has done, and moreover we need to go out and show christ’s love to others thereby attract them to follow and worship likewise. We are resting from all our bill paying works and praising, worshiping, learning about God and modeling practical christianity (love, care, compassion, forgiveness and grace) to others. We also “gas” up (refill) our christian life vehicles on the Sabbath day to smoothly run the next six business days, despite the fact that we ought to praise and worship Him every day.
the law helps man to stay connected to God
Hello Brother Julius. I prefer to say that Christ is the one that keeps us connected to God for Christ *is* God–God in human flesh.