KEEP THE SABBATH DOOR OPEN
Isaiah 58:6-14
God asks a seventh of our time as an acknowledgment that it’s all his. Giving him the seventh of our time weekly helps bring us into that touch of life where he can flood his best into all the days. If we reckon the day as his, in grateful acknowledgment of all he’s given us, he will help us steer a wise course between the Sabbath looseness so common, and the old straight-laced rigor that made the day a burden.
LIVING MUSICALLY
Luke 13:10-17
When you’ve learned the real Sabbath song, everything is changed by it. It is the rest song, the rest that comes out of victory. Jesus’ victory gives rest of heart. Then we’re keeping Sabbath day in our hearts every day. The music of it makes the wheels of life go easier. There’s an eagerness to get the Sabbath spirit—the rest spirit—into everybody else, casing pain of body and circumstance and heart for them.
HOW GOOD GOD IS!
Luke 4:16-22
“Worship” grows out of “worth.” It really means thinking deep down in your heart how worthy God is; how full of power in making the world so beautiful, and in sustaining life so constantly, even in those who leave him out; how full of love in giving his only Son to die; how patient, and gentle, and winsome, and motherly. It’s blessed to do it in the church service. It’s yet more blessed to do it in between times.
THE ZEST OF VICTORY
Mark 2:23-28; Mark 3:1-5
The old Sabbath was a rest day. It came at the end of the week’s work. Its observance was a recognition of the love that gave us life and time, strength to work, and enjoyment in rest. The new Sabbath is more—a victory day. It tells of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. It comes at the beginning of the week’s work. So we start the week with a song that lasts till Saturday night.
THE GREATEST THING—A PURE HEART!
1John 1:1-10
It’s a great thing to be forgiven—to be back in the old seat by the hearth-fire, the old score wiped off the slate, the heavy heart lightened, the Father smiling gently into your eyes. But there’s something more and yet better—to be cleaned up inside; the bad taken out, washed out, and burned out, and a new clean inside put in you. Jesus does both, though it cost him his life to do it.
