Formosa is a cow that produces 1.5 gallons of milk per day. Every morning she climbs up a hill and, at milking time, refuses to come down. When she is forced to come down from the hill, she holds back the milk, but if she is gently and respectfully directed down, Formosa is generous; she allows herself to be milked liberally.
For some people the Sabbath day can resemble Formosa the cow; a hard, unpleasant and barren day or 24 hours of joy, well-being and blessings. Here is what we read in Isaiah 58:13, 14.
I. SABBATH IS A DAY TO LOVE
A. Plants grow during the night, but grow more during the day because of the sunlight. Similarly, Christians grow during the week, but on Sabbath, when they devote a period of 24 hours to God, they are more molded into God’s image and character.
Isn’t this the purpose of the Sabbath? In reality, if the fourth commandment was kept by everyone, there wouldn’t be evolutionists, for the fourth commandment unites all humanity to their Loving Creator. Ellen G. White states that, “The Sabbath and the family were alike instituted in Eden, and in God’s purpose they are indissolubly linked together. On this day more than on any other, it is possible for us to live the life of Eden” (Child Guidance, 535).
B. Let us repeat the fourth commandment (Ex 20:8-11).
On the first six days of creation, God created life. On the seventh day, He created love, a time to love, a day to love. The first five days were created as anticipation of the arrival of “God’s children”. They came on the sixth day. Thus, like how parents prepare a room for the arrival of their baby, so too God prepared an ideal place for the dwelling and growth of His children. Adam and Eve were the highest life forms God created on this planet.
To create the other living creatures, God spoke and they came into existence. But he did not do the same with Adam and Eve. In fact, when God molded His first son, it was with His own hands and in His own image and likeness. And He put His lips over those clay lips and breathed in living breath. When Adam opened His eyes, the first person He saw was His Creator. He did not look into the eyes of a monkey.
"All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable." Ellen G. White Child Guidance, p. 535
Eve, on the other hand, was not made directly from clay. God used a better substance to make the woman, so that she would have the same genetic code as man. Then, God instituted marriage. We can imagine God celebrating their union in the Garden of Eden. And at sunset on the sixth day, God had completed His work. No work was done after sunset.
Then, God created the Sabbath, starting at sunset on Friday evening. The seventh day is so important that it was the only one that received a name. It was made to benefit Adam and Eve. Read Mark 2:27, 28. The Sabbath was made for people—it is a special time in which we fill our lungs with God’s breath of spiritual life and renew our birth in Christ.
II. WHAT TO AVOID ON SABBATH
A. Sabbath does not exist to put limits to our liberty, but it is a fuel that boosts us to the top. Sabbath is a golden opportunity for us to meet God and to grow together with Him. To reach these blessings, we should pay attention to what not to do on Sabbath:
1. Our regular and daily work, in the supermarket, construction site, law firm, classroom (read Ex 34:21 - in plowing time and in harvest).
Any other physical or mental work for self benefit (read Jr 17:21, 22 – cleaning, fixing things around the house).
2. Business, selling or buying.
3. Studies—no activity related to school.
4. The benefits of turning off from the world—newspaper, internet, radio and TV.
How about emergencies? What if you need to buy medicine? If you need to take a cab or bus? What if there’s a fire or accident?—Jesus mentioned the ox or donkey in the well. Aren’t you going to get them?
III. WHAT TO DO ON SABBATH
A. Luke 4:16—Jesus went to church; Acts 16:13—and so did the apostles. The church provides several activities to make Sabbath more pleasant: Sabbath School, Divine Worship, Youth meetings, etc.
B. Luke 6:9, 10 – Is it licit to do good deeds on Sabbath? Share the benefits of visiting hospitals, jails, the sick, and teaching Bible truths.
C. Unite the family—during the week we go about our busy schedules, but on Sabbath we have the opportunity to go to church and spend time together as a family. Ellen G. White says, “Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children shall look forward to it, and have a welcome in their hearts for it” (The Review and Herald, May 30, 1871 par. 4).
D. The Sabbath’s reception. On Friday all are involved in the preparation for Sabbath. At sunset, all are free from daily cares.
CONCLUSION
May the Lord help us to take more advantage of the blessings He has reserved for us through the holy Sabbath.
This sermon has been reprinted, by permission, from the Portuguese Edition of Elder’s Digest, 2010.
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