About 3 minutes to read
Why It Matters
God set apart one whole day in seven as holy to himself. From the creation to the resurrection of Christ it was the last day of the week. Since the resurrection it has been the first day, the Lord’s Day, the Christian Sabbath (WCF 21.7, Acts 20:7, Revelation 1:10).
It is a gift before it is a duty. The sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27). A day kept for God is a day of rest from ordinary work and worry, and of meeting him with his people.
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isaiah 58:13 (KJV)
How to Keep It
The Shorter Catechism says the day is kept by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days, and by spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy (Q&A 60).
- Prepare on Saturday. Finish the shopping, the yard, and the chores. Get to bed in time to be awake in worship. The Larger Catechism calls for this kind of foresight (Q&A 117).
- Worship with your church. Be present for the public worship your congregation appoints for the day. If it meets morning and evening, the old Reformed counsel is to be at both. Public worship is the center of the day (Hebrews 10:25, WCF 21.6).
- Rest from your work. Leave the job, the business email, and the errands for Monday.
- Rest from your entertainments too. Not because they are wrong on other days, but because this day is set apart for better things.
- Fill the rest of the day. Read, pray, talk about the sermon at the table, sing psalms, visit the sick, show hospitality, and rest. See How to Lead Family Worship.
Works of Necessity and Mercy
Jesus healed on the Sabbath and defended his disciples for picking grain when they were hungry (Matthew 12:1-13). Some things must be done on any day, and some ought to be.
- Necessity. Feeding your family, caring for animals, essential work that cannot wait such as medicine, police, and fire.
- Mercy. Caring for the sick, helping someone in trouble, visiting the lonely.
If your job requires Sunday work that is not a work of necessity or mercy, talk with your elders about it, and look for ways to change it. Do not decide it alone.
With Children
Make the day a delight and not only a list of things they cannot do. Keep them in worship with you. Talk about the sermon on the way home. Save special books, walks, and meals for that day. Let them see that you love it.