The Sabbath That Remains

Q: What does the Bible say about Sabbath-keeping?

The Bible teaches that Sabbath-keeping is a sign of God’s grace and salvation in Christ. The Scriptures clarify that Sabbath-keeping is not a matter of indifference, but a clear command from God. According to Exodus 31:13, the Sabbaths are a sign between God and His people through generations, indicating that He is the one who sanctifies them. This notion positions the Sabbath as a type of grace, representing the rest found in Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, we are taught that the outward observances of the Old Testament have been fulfilled in Christ, leading to a new understanding of Sabbath that signifies spiritual rest in Him.

Q: How do we know the Sabbath is still important for Christians?

Though the ceremonial Sabbath laws have ceased, the spiritual rest in Christ remains essential for believers. While the New Testament reveals that the ceremonial observance of the Sabbath has come to an end with the fulfillment of the law in Christ, it introduces a deeper, spiritual significance. Hebrews 4 indicates that there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, one that is rooted in faith in Jesus. This 'sabbatism' is about entering into His rest—a continual state of faith, reliance, and relationship with Christ. Therefore, while we do not adhere to the Old Testament Sabbath laws, the concept of resting in Christ is profoundly significant for every believer’s relationship with God.

Q: Why is spiritual rest in Christ important for Christians?

Spiritual rest in Christ signifies our complete reliance on Him for salvation and righteousness. The concept of spiritual rest is vital in the life of a believer as it encapsulates the understanding that all our efforts to earn God’s favor are futile. Hebrews 4 assures us that upon entering God's rest, we cease from our works as God did from His. This rest symbolizes a faith-based trust in the finished work of Christ, acknowledging that He has perfected us forever through His sacrifice. Engaging in this spiritual rest provides believers with assurance of salvation, perfect reconciliation, and the peace that comes from knowing Christ's work is complete. Thus, this rest is fundamental to living a life reflective of grace.

Q: How did Jesus fulfill the Sabbath?

Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath by providing believers with eternal rest through His completed work on the cross. The fulfillment of the Sabbath in Jesus Christ can be traced through the transition from the Old Testament laws to the New Testament's revelation of grace. As detailed in Matthew 28 and Hebrews 4, Jesus' death and resurrection represented the end of the Old Covenant's ceremonial practices, ushering in a new era of spiritual rest. By fulfilling the law, Christ provided a perpetual Sabbath for believers, allowing them to find rest in Him. The ongoing significance of this rest emphasizes that true peace and reconciliation with God come through faith in Christ rather than through adherence to Old Testament Sabbath laws.

Sabbath-keeping is not a matter of indifference, as are many things about our lives in this world. Lindsay, this past Lord's Day, dealt plainly in Romans 14 as to how we are to deal with one another with regard to things that are indifferent, matters of meat and drink and so on.

The kingdom of God is not in those things, but in righteousness, peace, and in joy in the Holy Ghost. And therefore, we must never, we must never attempt to govern one another's lives and rule one another's lives with our own prejudices and our own thoughts about what's right and what's wrong. We simply submit to the Word of God and leave God's people to walk before Christ in uprightness and faith according to His Word. We do not make, we dare not make, it is not our right, we ought not want to make rules and regulations for folks to live by beyond the plain statements of Holy Scripture.

But with regard to this matter of Sabbath-keeping, It is not at all a matter of indifference. It's not one of those areas about which the Scriptures give no specific, plain instruction. In fact, the instructions given in the Word of God about Sabbath-keeping are so plain, so specific, so clear, that it is impossible to find any justifiable reason for misunderstanding the teachings of Scripture in this regard. like circumcision, the Passover, and all other aspects of the legal ceremonial worship of the Old Testament, the legal Sabbath day was established by our God to be a sign, a picture, a type of grace and salvation in Christ.

Now I want you to turn to Exodus 31 and see that. The legal Sabbath day was designed, it was established, it was given by God to be a sign, a picture, a type of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ. And this is not a matter of speculation, this is exactly what God says in Exodus 31 and verse 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths you shall keep. Look at it now, for it is a sign. It is a sign. I don't see how language could be much plainer than that, do you? It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations. And here's the purpose of the sign.

The reason the Sabbath was given so that when you understand the Sabbath and you understand the meaning of the sign, then you may know that I am the Lord which doth sanctify you. I am the Lord your God. I am the one who makes you righteous. I am the one who makes you holy. I am the one who has separated you unto myself and will bring you to myself.

That's what the Sabbath is a sign of. Now, because the Sabbath, the Sabbath keeping was a legal type of our salvation in Christ during the age of ceremonial ordinances, like the Passover, like circumcision, once Christ Jesus came and fulfilled the outward sign, then the outward ordinance ceased forever.

Let me show you again in the scriptures. In the New Testament, We are strictly forbidden, directly prohibited from keeping any of those carnal ordinances that were set forth in the Old Testament to be a sign and a picture and a type of salvation and grace in Jesus Christ. We are plainly told that those who attempt to worship God on the grounds of legal ordinances, on the grounds of outward carnal ceremonies, are yet under the curse of God's law and understand nothing of the gospel of God's grace. Now, we won't turn there, but I urge you to jot these scripture references down, and I want to get to our subject in just a little bit, but number one, circumcision is absolutely forbidden as an ordinance of God. You can read it in Galatians chapter 5, just as plain as it can be. Whosoever of you are justified by the law, you've fallen from grace. If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

Circumcision was that Old Testament ceremony by which the infants of God's covenant people, Israel, were brought into the covenant of God's grace with an outward token, the cutting away of the foreskin of the flesh. Now that circumcision was a representation, a type, a picture of the regenerating work and grace and power of God the Holy Spirit in that circumcision made without hands in the hearts of chosen sinners. But there are many who today would continue to try to practice circumcision. They call it baptism. They bring their babies to their fault or to the priest or to a preacher and they would have some water sprinkled on the baby's face and thereby seal that baby into the covenant of grace, into the church and kingdom of God, into the family of God by an outward visible sign that they say has replaced circumcision. Nothing could be further from the truth. By sprinkling water on that baby's face and declaring that that child is now sealed into the covenant of grace, that that child is now a child of promise and a child of grace.

The act of the sprinkling denies in totality the gospel of God's free grace in Jesus Christ. The Passover, there are many who suggest that we still keep the Passover when we come together at the Lord's table. Others say this is keeping the Passover. This is celebrating a fresh crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Those who continue to offer up in the bread and wine of the Lord's table or in any other manner, who continue to offer up sacrifices to God by which they hope to make atonement for their sins. by which they hope to do penance, by which they hope to gain God's favor or to ward off God's wrath. In doing that, they declare that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Passover, who is sacrificed for us, is null and void. His blood was shed for nothing. His obedience means nothing. He accomplished nothing in his death.

If there's anything needs to be added to it by me or you. You understand that? Now, look at this matter of the Sabbath day. Turn to Colossians chapter 2. In exactly the same way, those who attempt to sanctify themselves by keeping a carnal Sabbath deny that Jesus Christ is enough to give us perfect, everlasting acceptance with God. Now, Paul puts it this way in verse 23. to make an outward show of spirituality and wisdom in the keeping of the Sabbath is all just will worship, a pretense of humility and nothing but the satisfying of the flesh. Not only that, but the whole matter of Sabbath keeping is strictly forbidden up in verse 16. Now the Holy Spirit here tells us plainly that since Jesus Christ the Lord, in his death for our sins, as our substitute at Calvary, has taken the handwriting of the ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has nailed it to his cross, Since He has fulfilled every requirement of the law, every jot and piddle of the law, every ordinance required of God, and every demand of God's justice, then Jesus Christ has finished it, and we have nothing else to do with it.

Look at verse 16. Let no man therefore... On the basis of what? On the basis of the fact that Christ has nailed the handwriting of ordinances to His cross. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.

I've said all that because I want you to understand that all carnal sabbath keeping, any form of it, is strictly forbidden. forbidden on the basis of the fact that Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law and we are no longer under the law and must no longer worship God according to the carnal ordinances of the Old Testament law. Yet the New Testament does speak of a Sabbath that remains. I want you to turn to Hebrews chapter 4 and let's stay there for the remaining part of the message. The title of my message this evening is The Sabbath That Remains. The Sabbath That Remains.

The children of Israel perished in the wilderness. You remember, God brought them out, about 4 million Jews at one time out of Egypt. And He calls them to walk through the desert. To them it was wandering, but God was leading them in a direct path to accomplish His purpose. And in those 40 years of wandering, The children of Israel perished, just one after the other, sometimes thousands at a time, under the judgment of God. You know how many people went into the land of promise, who came out of Egypt, who were more than 20 years old? Just two, just two. All the rest of them perished in the wilderness because they didn't believe the word of God. They didn't believe what God said.

Now look what we're told here in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 1. Let us, therefore, fear. Let's not be too cock-sure about stuff. Let us, therefore, fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest. Notice the words, his rest. His rest. Any of you should seem to come short of it.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them. But the word preached did not profit them. Some of you sitting here thus far, the word preached has never profited you. How come? Same reason it didn't then. Not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Verse 3.

For we which have believed do enter into rest. As he said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, God did rest the seventh day from all his works, Versailles. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest. Now stop just a second.

Though the unbelieving generation perished in the wilderness, perished in unbelief, the purpose of God was not nullified. The purpose of God was in no way hindered. The purpose of God was not in any way thwarted or halted because those folks did not believe. But rather, there was an exact purpose of God that these should enter into his rest who actually did enter into it.

There is an elect multitude who must and shall enter into his rest. Look at verse 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must Some must. He didn't say some might, he said some must. He didn't say some will if they pretty please want to. He said some must. Some must enter therein.

And they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief. Now, yet that typical rest which was given by Joshua to the children of Israel when he brought them into the land of Canaan. Moses could never bring them into that land. He could never bring them into the land of rest because Moses represented law and curse, curse upon our best works. And Moses perished because Moses could not bring the children into rest. But Joshua, whose name is Jesus, that's what the New Testament equivalent of Joshua is. Joshua typifies the Lord Jesus Christ.

He brings the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, and there they possess the rest, which typifies our salvation. And that's exactly what Paul is talking about here in Hebrews 4. Look at verse 7. Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, today, after so long a time, As it is said today, if you will hear his voice, pardon not your hearts. For if Jesus, that is Joshua, had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. In other words, Joshua himself said, now I'm talking to you about another day.

And then in verse nine, we read this. There remaineth therefore a rest unto the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us therefore labor to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Now, notice the word rest. How many times is it used? Seven or eight times in those verses we've read. If you include chapter three, it's used more than a dozen times. And the word rest that's used is over and over and over again used to speak of a repose.

It means to repose backward. It means to be at home. It means to be at peace. It means to cease from work. But there is one word, the word found in verse 9 that is translated rest, is altogether different. It's altogether a totally different word. The word there means sabbatism. It means a keeping of the Sabbath. And it's not put in there by accident, it's put in there by inspiration.

What the Holy Spirit is telling us is this, to enter into His rest, to repose, be at peace, and be at home in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by faith, is to keep the Sabbath day. That's what it is. It is this remaining Sabbath rest that I want to try to explain to you this evening, if God will enable me. First, I want you to see that the Lord Jesus Christ has himself entered into his rest.

And his rest is glorious because he has finished his work. Turn to Isaiah chapter 11. Let's start there. Isaiah chapter 11 and verse 10. This is a prophecy concerning the Son of God. I think I mentioned it Sunday evening or Sunday morning one. Isaiah 11 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people. To it, to the Lord Jesus Christ, our banner, shall the Gentiles seek.

Now look at the last sentence. And his rest shall be glorious. If you have a marginal translation, the marginal translation reads like this. His rest shall be glory. Our Savior's rest, then, is his glory. His ceasing from his work is his glory. As God the Father rested on the seventh day from all His work, because all His work of creation was finished, so God the Son, our Redeemer, the God-Man, entered into His rest in the seventh day of time, in this the last time. He entered into His rest because He has finished all the work of making the new creation for His people as we stand before God in perfection of righteousness and holiness.

Look in Romans chapter 8. Let me show you. Romans chapter 8. I want you to look at three scriptures in this regard. Verse 34. The Apostle Paul raises this bold challenge of faith, looking to Jesus Christ alone as the Lord, our righteousness, trusting his blood and his righteousness alone for our acceptance with God.

He says, who is he that condemneth? Now, here I stand before you, a man full of sin. A man by nature guilty, as guilty as you are of any crime. A man by nature who has no ability to do anything but sin, just like you. And yet I stand before God himself and say, who is he that condemneth? On what basis can you dare say such a thing? Look at what he says. It is Christ that died. That's how I would say it. Christ died for me. Yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Look at Hebrews 10. The writer here in Hebrews 10 explains it in a little greater detail. He's giving an illustration of the Old Testament priesthood. And he's constantly throughout the book of Hebrews telling us how much greater Christ is than those of the Old Testament. He's greater than Moses. He's greater than the angels. He's greater than Aaron. He's greater than Melchizedek. He's greater than all the priests of the Old Testament. And look what he says in verse 11.

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. A friend of mine who was a missionary for years in Italy, told me of a Roman Catholic priest who was unlike most Roman Catholic priests in that he did a good bit of preaching. And one day he was standing at one of their holy days, you know, unholy, but holy days, they call it. And they were celebrating a great mass right outside of the Vatican. And this man was reading from this passage of scripture.

And this very popular preaching Roman priest dropped his bread and dropped his wine and fled off this platform. He was convinced immediately of the guilt of his crime as acting as a priest. Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sin. To pretend to do so was utter blasphemy.

But now read the next line. But this man, Here's another man. This is the man of whom all those Old Testament priests spoke. This is that man of whom Aaron was just a type. This is that man of whom Melchizedek was the picture. This man, the Lord Jesus Christ, after he had offered, get it now, one sacrifice for all the sins of all his people forever, sat down. How come he sat down?

Because he didn't have anything else to do. Nothing else to do. There was never any article of furniture in the Holy of Holies except the Ark of the Covenant. No seat for a priest to sit down because that priest must go in and offer and come out and go in and offer and come out.

But now Christ with his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Look what he says, verse 14, for by one offering, He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

Now, let's look back at Matthew chapter 28. Brother Larry, in his last message to you folks, preached on Sunday evening, I believe it was, and was referring to this passage. I listened to it driving down the road, and as soon as he read this passage, my heart just began to jump up and down. And I've had it on my mind ever since. Look what it says. I wish that every one of you could read this in the original language.

The women have come to the tomb now. We read in verse 28 in the end of the Sabbath. Matthew 28, verse one, I'm sorry. Matthew 28, one. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.

The verse quite literally reads this way. I hope you've got room to write it out somewhere. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the Sabbath. You fellows who've got a concordance, go and look it up. Check me out. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the Sabbath. What's that mean? What on earth does that mean? This is exactly what it means. When the Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary and rose from the dead, that was the end of the Sabbath, ceremonially, epically, and legally.

And it had begun now to dawn in the beginning of the Sabbath. A whole new Sabbath has begun. It's called the Sabbath of rest. The Sabbath of faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. Our Lord Jesus Christ finished his work and he entered into his rest. He put an end to the Old Testament Sabbath and he brought in an everlasting spiritual Sabbath by finishing his work. Now here's the second thing. Look in Hebrews 4 verse 3. I want you to see from the Scriptures that every sinner who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ keeps the Sabbath by faith, by entering into rest. For we which have believed do enter into rest. Isn't that a remarkable word? We which have believed do enter into rest. As he said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest.

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Now that last sentence makes it obvious. He's not just talking about the carnal Old Testament legal Sabbath. He's talking about something else. Works being finished before the foundation of the world upon the basis of which we now enter into rest experimentally. Look in verse 9.

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-keeping to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. How do we keep the Sabbath of faith? How do we keep a spiritual Sabbath? Not a carnal one. Now understand, I'm not talking about, I'm not talking about worshiping one day in Sabbath. No, no, no. I'm talking about a lifelong rest. We enter this rest by believing on the Son of God. And this believing on the Son of God is a perpetual, lifelong Sabbath keeping.

Now, none of us has perfectly entered into the rest. None of us. Because our best faith is full of unbelief. And our best faith, looked at by itself, must be concluded as unbelief. And we could cry like the Apostle Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. But our best faith is unbelief. We don't keep the Sabbath perfectly. We don't believe Christ perfectly.

But sincerely looking to Christ alone, ever coming to Christ alone, for all our acceptance with God, that's what it is to rest. That's what it is to keep the Sabbath. Our Lord Jesus said, in the passage we looked at last week, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. The hymn writer said, I heard the voice of Jesus say, come unto me and rest. Lay down, thou weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast. I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad.

I found in him a resting place, and he has made me Oh, would to God you might now come to him and rest. The Lord Jesus Christ has given and continually gives to this sinner the rest of complete pardon. He put away all my sins forever. And there's no rest in the universe like that. He has given and continually gives to this sinner the rest of perfect reconciliation.

I used to think to myself, Don, what a blessing it would be if you could just start over. If you could just wipe the slate clean. Oh, my. I ruined my life and tried to ruin everybody else's. And it brought me nothing but misery. And I thought, If I could just, oh, I'd give anything. I'd give anything if I could just wipe the slate clean and start over. And one day I found out that the son of God, my substitute, had wiped the slate clean. And I get to start all over.

If any man be in Christ, what does the book say? He's a new creature. All things are passed away and behold, all things are become new. That's what it is. The rest of perfect reconciliation and the rest of absolute security. Reckon it's going to last? Sure it will. Because it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And I'll give you something else. He gives us perpetually. the blessed rest of his sweet special providence.

We learn to know. We just learn to know. Every believer does. Paul says we know, and we certainly do, but we're learning to know. We're just, we're kind of, like David said, he said, my soul is as a weaned child. Well, I can say my soul is as a weaning child. When Paul says, I know, I can honestly say I'm learning to know that all things, all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Pastor, how could I have that best? How can I obtain this blessed Sabbath rest? Rest. Just rest. Quit trying to do anything. Would to God I could get everybody to hear my voice. Quit trying to make up with God. You can't do it. You can't do it. Quit trying to offer sacrifices to God. He won't take them. Quit trying to turn over a new leaf and be better. It won't do your soul any good. Won't do you any good. Now, once you come to rest, you'll rest in Him and work your heart out for Him. But you gotta rest in Him. Look here. This is what I mean. Just rest. Just rest. Come unto me, all ye that labor a heavy labor, and I will give you rest. Amen.

The Sabbath That Remains

What does the Bible say about Sabbath-keeping?

How do we know the Sabbath is still important for Christians?

Why is spiritual rest in Christ important for Christians?

How did Jesus fulfill the Sabbath?

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The Sabbath That Remains

What does the Bible say about Sabbath-keeping?

How do we know the Sabbath is still important for Christians?

Why is spiritual rest in Christ important for Christians?

How did Jesus fulfill the Sabbath?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

Comments

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