Thursday: A Time for Community
Jesus modeled for His disciples the practice of weekly attendance at the synagogue. After His resurrection they continued this pattern, as did other followers of Jesus. The synagogue became one of the main venues for the apostles to raise questions relating to the Resurrection, and the Sabbath provided a key opportunity for the community to gather together and learn. After all, Jesus was the Hebrew Messiah, the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament, which was read in the synagogue each Sabbath. What better place, then, did the believers have for promoting Jesus than in the synagogue, especially when they were witnessing to Jews and to others “who fear God” (Acts 13:16, Acts 13:26, NKJV)?
Look at the following texts. What do they tell us about how Jesus’ followers witnessed in public arenas? As you read these texts, think about where they were speaking, to whom they were speaking, what was said, and what were the results: Acts 13:14-45; Acts 16.13-14; Acts 17:1-5; Acts 18:4.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
The apostles’ testimony was both personal and scriptural. Paul elaborated on the history of Israel, starting with “our fathers” (Acts 13:17) in Egypt, and followed their history from the settlement to the judges, the kings, to David, from whom he had a perfect transition to Jesus.
Paul and others also showed how their personal experience and understanding made sense within the context of the Scriptures. They presented information, and they debated and discussed. The combination of personal testimony and Scripture delivered through preaching, teaching, and discussion was very powerful. As the Bible passages show, some of the religious leaders were envious of the authority of the apostles and the resulting power they had over the people, both Jews and Gentiles.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a strong history, too, of encouraging testimony and scriptural exposition through both preaching and teaching/sharing. The combination of Sabbath School with the divine (preaching) service and other Sabbath meetings (youth meetings, for example) gives a strong formal educational base to Seventh-day Adventist worship. While this needs to be complemented by other learning experiences, it is essential to the educational experience of the Sabbath.
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So often our discussion of Sabbath is centred around self-justification - we got it right and everyone else didn't! Or, we engage is a discussion of whether a certain activity is "Kosher" on Sabbath. While admitting the need for both, if we limit our discussions here we are probably missing the deeper issues of Sabbath-keeping. I mentioned on Tuesday the danger of thinking of Sabbath-keeping simply as a day-shifted liturgy.
I think the title of today's lesson captures a deeper meaning - the idea of community. For many of us, the only time we see others of our faith is on Sabbath. To put that in perspective: for most of my life, I have worked in Adventist institutions and have seen other Adventists every day. But I recognise that is rather a special case. For the rest of us, Sabbath is often the only time we see one another. Often a fair bit of that time is taken up in listing to others and there is not all that much time left over to interact with one another. 2-3 hours a week is a very short time to build a faith community that shares and cares for one another. Is it a fair question to ask whether we need to think about the rest of Sabbath and how we can make that a meaningful community time?
One possible advantage of this is that we may have activities that we feel comfortable to invite our secular friends. Or are we afraid that the conversation may be too secular?
I think that in order to answer those questions, we need to think carefully about what worship is, what is meant by "resting on Sabbath". Perhaps we can come up with a more wholistic view of Sabbath worship and rest, that is more than simply justifying the name of our church.
[By the way, I am back home again. Yesterday I travelled 1000km from Queensland to NSW. We are currently experiencing heavy rain and we passed through some areas that were badly flooded. Fortunately, the main highway has recently been upgraded and is above the floodplains now, so we were not held up by them. Driving through the heavy rain was very tiring though. Good to be home.]
welcome back home Sir Maurice, studied yesterdays lesson and was waiting to read your comment till evening updating my ssnet but was a bit disappointed. I'm glad you are back.
indeed we sometimes miss the line and it is subtly dragging us to legalism. First and foremost know Jesus personally and have a relationship with Him. Secondly, strife to follow His way and do His will.
Going to the synagogue every Sabbath is not the issue but how is your standing with Jesus? You cannot miss church for a Sabbath yet you are a gossip, dictator, adulterer, fornicator, addict, etc?
I think we need to look into the sabbath issue and not attribute it to worshipping in churches alone BUT having a relationship with God and His created, worshipping Him in the best way you can anywhere (church, home, open field, small groups, mountains, etc), anytime. But still do not forsake the gathering of believers according to Apostle Paul.
Thank you for your diligent vigil of sharing your knowledge, and experience with us here on this forum.
We come from opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to earning a living. I have been self employed most of my life, always being just a few months away from bankruptcy if things didn’t go well. So my life’s prospective is quite different than most.
Your posts gives me an insight to the challenges, and the prospective of a life time salaried employee. Somehow I think I need that.
Blessings
Cliff- thanks for sharing. I might not fully understood what it meant to be only self employed in uncertain times because I never walked in your shoes but keep trusting in Jesus, he never failed us. Things might look hard and difficult and the sabbath might be a day someone call to do that business deal. Believe me, trust in Jesus and he will make a way out. Ps 37:25. He never saw the righteous hungry or his seed beg for bread. Trust in his promised. Jesus never fails.
That is why I gave my personal testimonies to encourage others along this Christian pathway.
Thank you Lyn,
There were many times big money jobs were offered to me that required me working on the Sabbath. I turned them down with an explanation why I couldn’t accept the contract. Most of the time they changed the contract to accommodate the Sabbath. One time there was miscommunication and a client got real mad because I wouldn’t work on Saturday. When Monday rolled around he said he couldn’t have used me anyway because they had problems. The Lord watches over his loyal followers.
Lyn,
I woke up this morning realizing I may have given the wrong impression. I lived comfortably while being self employed (small business), and my work was my passion. If we were to take a look at a bigger picture, 80% of small businesses are living just months, if not weeks from bankruptcy. This is normal. There are a few other aspects of small business owners that might surprise the average person, but this is not the venue for that discussion.
Blessings on you Lyn.
You were missed!
I think your question is very much on point. We are 'afraid' of 'breaking the Sabbath ' by being too secular in word and in deed. A few years ago I created a survey for my SS class on Sabbath keeping and unity. It was supposed to be fun. We knew the results would be 'different' but we were surprised and some shocked at the differences. Do we all agree that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath of the Lord and should be kept? All said, 'Yes'. The survey asked if about 20 items were appropriate for Sabbath keeping. The results actually surprised the class. Although we were united on which day to keep, our unity went to shambles when the 'how' we keep it was revealed. For example, On Sabbath is it 'OK' to... Talk to non SDAs about something other than religion? Count/touch money? Go shopping? Take a boat ride? Collect and read our mail? Cook food? Perform manual missionary work? Pathfinders? Play? etc. The 'how' is a very touchy subject in some places. Can this issue be solved to provide total unity? I don't think so. Perhaps we should love one another and cling to that which promotes unity.
What a blessing that our community of faith encourages each one to study the Bible for themselves not just being told what to believe. It is wonderful that most groups use the Sabbath time to discuss, ask questions, share insights, to grow and mature in the knowledge of the LORD like we do here on this blog.
We are encouraged to study the Word for ourselves but we are also counselled to submit any new light to experienced brethren.
Sabbath has been a blessing for us. The 3 aspects of Jesus’ ministries were: teaching, preaching and healing. As a church, we have done the first 2 and ignored the last one. COVID-19 has been a golden opportunity to not only share the word but also heal many people in our community who are burdened.
Sometimes, instead of being a blessing to the community, we are a burden to them. Living in Brooklyn, NY, some community members aren’t happy on sabbath. Why? Because we take their parking spot, block their driveway or argue with them. When we have a revival, they complain to the police station that we are too loud and We stayed past 9 PM. We do church for us and not for our community. No wonder, we are failing to influence the mass.
Usually, we meet on sabbath and have a great time fellowship together. What about our community? Ellen White stated:
if you need to reflect God’s image in our community, we need to help heal it instead of doing church to fit our needs. Let us pray and ask God to help us be a blessing to the community where our churches reside. Let us provide counseling, food and shelter to them. Show an active church and I will show a church that meets the needs of its community. Have a blessed day.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death
John 8:51
A Time for Community
A community is any group of people joint together outside of our homes.
Truly speaking, looking and studying the work of Jesus is what the Pastors and Evangelists were called to do. A full time job in the community similar to Jesus. Jesus worked from Sunday to Sunday in the streets of his home town and neighboring city and villages. On Sabbath he went to the temple for service then he and the disciples went out to the communities.
As he completed his work which was a full time ministry without pay, he said to his Father, I have finished the work you sent me to do. John 17:4.
The disciples were call to settle a problem the Grecians widows were facing in the church. They responded- Acts 6:2. After Jesus went back to his Father, the disciples took on his role at serving the communities and extended their boundaries. The church is compared to the body. Several different parts doing different things, yet the work in unison with each other.
I and others who have full time jobs cant go out every day during the week doing full time ministry, but we can do other things else on the sabbath. e.g we can prepare food for others, take meals to the 'shut in', call others not in church that day to let them know we miss them from church, discussing with them the lesson study or the sermon for the day etc.
On the Sabbath Jesus preach, taught, healed the sick, released infirmities. etc. Sometimes we take care of the 99 in the flock, forgetting the 1 outside who needs guidance back home.
Musing over the loss of community recently experienced by some as temporary and others as a permanent loss. For many of our seniors, Sabbath was THE day to look forward to. Rising early on Sabbath morning and taking City Senior transport if not a church members hospitality, they arrive for Early Morning Prayer meeting. This is only the first excitement for the day. Other members are there and one would witness a shaking of hands, hugs and general murmurings between the services and a loved part of the Main service. Warmed by the choir, the organ, the congregational singing,sitting next to a friend, etc. the member is thrilled by the feeling of being in the presence of God. The Main service is followed by dinner, either potluck or provided and perhaps if there is still energy left before the transportation leaves, a short concert or seminar. One senior shared with me her reality. 'I will probably never return to church after Cov19!' She is in the high risk category. Being over 90 years old is a blessing, but it has it's limitations. For some, there really is no replacement for community. She is praising the Lord for the members that reach out to her, however. Cheerfully she looks forward to a celestial community.
Sabbath is a time to learn and unlearn. It is a time to share with others, to strengthen and encourage each other. A time to testify for Christ. However, it is important to note that in order to benefit from the Sabbath, we must have a daily continuous relationship with our God, it this relationship that prepares us and ushers us into the Sabbath.
Often because we have not planned well there is no time for community on Sabbath.Too often I have seen members cooking in the kitchen at church during the sermon , members of the hospitality team cooking late on Friday night. I have gently suggested that rather than doing such ask members to bring sandwiches and drink. I visited a church in Tennessee where members brought cooked food and put it in warmers and thus didn’t miss any of the sermon. On rare occasion when we had to travel on Sabbath we had our lunch with us and if not invited for lunch we found a park in which to eat.This often led to conversations with nonSDAs in the park. I have been criticized for insisting that visitors to our home must recognize that certain activities may not be done on Sabbath. “. Nor the stranger within my gates” should work on God’s sabbath. May We all see Sabbath as a time of rest from daily tasks but a time for praising God and telling of His wonderful saving love for man.
Horace- thanks for your imput. I also noticed many people want to cook for the members on sabbath with an excuse. My church goes like this; the same people who bring/cook part of the meal, have to warm up the meals before church ends, almost when the service ends have to return to set up the meals on the table. Not forgetting have to serve others at times. After eating, the same people have to clean up the area as they found it. After doing all of this, do you think those members can go out in the community after standing on their feet so long? Some of the members miss many announcements and service. While there are those who come, eat, pick up there pocket book/purse/bag and leave.
There is a certain spirit that prevails in our church no matter where you go. Some do everything while some do nothing.
I agree with Jude – “Show an active church and I will show a church that meets the needs of its community.” Priscilla mentions, being with each other on Sabbath means to many to be in the “presence of God” which is very much missed at this time of restrictions due to Covid.
(Oxford Languages) The definition of 'community' is:
1. A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
2. A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.
Particular attitudes, interests and goals Christians have in common are: they diligently study the Word of God, treat each other with loving kindness and respond with compassion to needs of others; there is also the unique aspect of the Holy Spirit indwelling the community of born-again, repentant believers and, in our fellowship, the observance of the 'Lord’s Day of Rest' to gather for communal worship time.
Peter told those gathered at Pentecost: Acts2:38KJV - “... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
All these characteristics and aspects are part and parcel of the living Faith of the community of the Children of God.
Therefore, my understanding of ‘A time for Community’ is that the community of believers of like faith live the aspects of their faith at all times, so honoring and indirectly worshiping God with their lives, as well as gathering for a special prayer, study and worship time of our God on His Holy Sabbath Day.
This *coming together* might be considered by some to be a formal ‘attendance’ of an organized event, and by others a heart-felt, spiritually refreshing, edifying, uplifting gathering of believers for communal worship of the LORD of the Sabbath.
In our world, communal gatherings of Christian fellowship have been and will continue to be made difficult if not impossible due to diverse circumstances; though it is my prayer, hope and consolation that Christians will remain bound together in the power of God’s Holy Spirit and steadfastly continue to honor and worship Him with our lives directed by the Faith of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
As was His custom, Jesus visited the synagogue on the Sabbath, as a witness of and for the Truth, at times to the anger of those presiding over the service. Christ was ever doing the will of His Father, and doing His works among the people. After Jesus returned to His Father in glory, the apostles also would attend the synagogue wherever they were, to promote the Gospel of a risen Savior, and this faithfulness would bring them also into the disfavor of the leaders. Why do we gather with others on Sabbath? What does our conversation while there reveal?