<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter Snyder Q: I'm having a difficult time understanding the Sabbath. My husband's a Seventh Day Adventist and I grew up Catholic. He's basing the Sabbath to be as God commanded in the Old Testament. How can I show him that Jesus took away the responsibility of the Sabbath? A: Be cautious as you seek to "show" your husband. Take care not to further bind his conscience with rules and regulations. Gentle words and your own commitment to Scripture will probably accomplish much more. The Sabbath is, of course, the day of rest that corresponds to the rest after Creation: "God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:3)" We find no Biblical evidence for a regular Sabbath observance until the Exodus, when Israel received a double-portion of manna on the sixth day so as to rest on the seventh (Exodus 16:22 30; Deuteronomy 5:12 15). God gave Israel certain Sabbath laws, including cessation of labor and increased offerings. The Lord wanted this to be a reminder of Creation (Exodus 20: 8, 11) and of their delivery from Egypt (Deut. 5:15). The New Testament has no divinely appointed day of worship or rest. The Sabbath commands are not renewed by Christ in the New Testament and most Christians regard these as laws specific to the Sinai Covenant with Israel. In Mark 2, Jesus defended his disciples over the "work" of picking grain to eat on a Sabbath. He reminded the Pharisees that David even took consecrated bread, ate it, and shared it with his men. He concluded that "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath. (Vv.27-28)" This follows his comment in verse twenty-two: "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins." The "new wine" of the Gospel and Christ's New Testament cannot be contained in the regulations of the Old Covenant. Indeed, "Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)" Christ not only fulfills the Sabbath; he has become our Sabbath rest. Jewish Christians maintained seventh day (Saturday) Sabbath worship for a time, but the first day (Sunday) soon became the day of choice among Christians because of the Resurrection and Pentecost being "first day" events. This also ties to Creation: God began it on the first day; Jesus remade Creation by rising from the dead on the first day; the Holy Spirit ordained the Apostles and sent them into the world to proclaim the New Creation on the first day. Since no new commands are given, nor the old renewed, we are free to choose our days of worship and rest. The symbolism of the first day and of the seventh are both powerful reminders of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ Jesus. Likewise, annual observation of the festivals involving Jesus life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection is beneficial. But we are not ultimately bound to any day or date. This is why Lutherans (and others) have resisted either church- or government-imposed restrictions on either Saturday or Sunday activities. Still, to ignore the rest God provides--whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual--is not wise. We grow tired, and since we are creatures of habit, it is good to make a habit of seeking rest for the whole person. Of course, this doesn't mean going to church (Saturday, Sunday, or any other time) and sleeping through the sermon. The Lord commands attention to his Word and gives rich blessing to those who hear and believe his promises. We don't avoid the public assembly, and are "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25)" Yet the day and time of rest are optional. What is not optional is seeking our ultimate rest in Jesus himself: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt. 11:28-30)" Sinning against the Sabbath commands no longer involves the day. Martin Luther addressed this issue in the Small Catechism: "We should fear and love God that we may not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it." This is in line with what Christ says of the proclamation by his apostles and pastors: "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. (Luke 10:16)" Coming together in Christian freedom at a mutually agreeable time brings us to what Paul describes in Colossians 3:16. Then, in the divine service,"the word of Christ" will "dwell in you richly." There we may "teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness" to God. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1998 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.