A Sermon about the Sabbath
Key Text: Gen. 1:31-2:3
Introduction
- Ever heard of the golden stool of the Ashanti?
- They believe it came from heaven, falling into the lap of Osei Tutu I, founding king of the Ashanti Empire.
- This was at the centre of a great war between the Ashanti and the British in 1900.
- Fredrick Hodgson, a British governor demanded to have the stool rbought to him so he could sit upon it on 25 March 1900 in Kumasi.
- The golden stool is the very essence of the Ashanti Empire itself. For them, to lose it means the end of the empire itself.
- Yaa Asantewa I, the Queen Mother, mobilized for a war of resistance against the British, rallying the empire to protect the golden stool.
- God has his golden stool too, the Sabbath.
Discussion
- The Sabbath:
- Perpetual reminder of God’s creatorship (Gen. 1:31-2:3)
- Creatorship is the basis of worship (Jonah 1:8; Rev. 4:11; 14:7)
- Sign between God and His people (Ezek. 20:12; 20)
- Sign of redemption (John 19:28-30)
- Points future to recreation (Isa. 66:23)
- Remember the Sabbath day (Exod. 20:8-11)
- Many of societal problems could be solved
The Sabbath Delight
- The Sabbath is meant to be a blessing to all people, Jews and gentiles alike (Isaiah 56:1ff)
- Sabbath observance comes with a guarantee of God’s own blessing (Isaiah 58:13ff)
- The Sabbath is not a burden, but a delight which ushers us into the presence of our maker.
Appeal
- Do you accept that Sabbath as God’s special gift to all mankind?
- Is it your desire to join millions others in its keeping and observance?
- Do you desire to keep on gaining deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of the Sabbath?
- May you join the ranks of those who defend God’s golden stool so that it is never lost.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the blessing of the Sabbath. May I and my family receive all the blessings you have put into each Sabbath day. I seek to have a deepening understanding and appreciation of the Sabbath. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!