The Encouragement That Sabbath Brings!

Needing Encouragement? I’ve been thinking lately about the struggles that my family and I faced when we started keeping Sabbath and the struggles we continue to face now.  It’s one thing to know how to claim God’s Sabbath blessings and another thing to put it into practice every week.  Don’t think for one minute that my Sabbath runs perfect just because I wrote a book about it! I know there are people out there with the same struggles and it has been on my heart to share some encouragement. Encouragement for the Heart The best place I know to find encouragement is in God’s Word!  I have to be sure that I am listening to His truths at all times so I won’t be tempted to fall into the trap of discouragement and begin to miss His Sabbath blessings.
“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12
There are crazy, mixed up messages among people concerning Sabbath.  It can cause major confusion!  I have found many who shout their message or even flaunt their message.  It’s hard to miss them.  But to hear from God, I need to get still and quiet.  It is then that I can receive His clear direction.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14

I can struggle with wanting to fit in and not stand out as odd.  But it’s ok to look different because I keep Sabbath.  Actually, it’s better than ok.  Jesus said that when I follow His ways it brings life.

“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: Then shalt thou delight thyself in The Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:13-14
I struggle with wanting to put myself first and with missing out on earthly pleasures.  But God promises me that, when I put Him first and keep HIS Sabbath, I will delight myself in Him!  There is no greater blessing than to be in the center of God’s will!
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.” Psalms 71:1-3
When keeping Sabbath, hard situations with work, family, friends, etc. may come.  It is in these times that God is my refuge and strength!  He will guide me through whatever trouble I face.
“And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:5
I struggle sometimes with staying on top of my prior preparations for Sabbath.  I can get lazy or unfocused and lose sight of why I am preparing.  But I can be sure that when I prepare as God asks, my distractions are fewer and my time with God is sweeter! Whatever Sabbath struggles you come across, know that God has encouragement for you! Until next time, Lisa G.

What Is The Point of Keeping Sabbath?

The Intended Blessing God established Sabbath.  It is a day to be kept holy and set apart from all other days.  It is a time for resting in God.  It is a time to know God better and to reflect Him to others.  No matter what I choose to do with the day, this is what God intended. The day is beautiful, rewarding, fulfilling and full of blessings!  How is it, then, that I can miss the point of Sabbath at times? Trap #1 During my first six months of Sabbath keeping, I struggled with Sabbath rules.   My focus was on HOW to keep Sabbath.  I had a lot of questions.  Should I follow any rules?  If so, which ones?  What happened if I didn’t follow any Sabbath rules? Ex-Sabbath keepers would write me and tell me how their whole Sabbath keeping experience was built upon following rules. They found it legalistic, burdensome, and suffocating.  They felt like they were condemned to Hell for not doing it correctly.  I thought, “This is not the point of Sabbath!” I was reminded that Jesus already paid the penalty of death for me.  I don’t have to worry about messing up Sabbath.  My focus shouldn’t be about what punishment awaits me when I fall short of perfect, but rather what blessings I gain from spending time with God. Kept in balance, the rules have a purpose.  They actually help me succeed.  The closer I choose to follow God’s guidelines for Sabbath, the more blessings I receive. Trap #2 After reading some books and articles about Sabbath, I saw a reoccurring theme of making Sabbath about me.  Suggestions of keeping Sabbath on whatever day was most convenient, filling the hours with things that made me happy, with the intent that I would be refreshed and ready to face work again. It is tempting to make Sabbath about me.  I certainly enjoy having a day off to relax and do whatever I please.  It only becomes a problem when the day belongs to God.  God wants me to spend Sabbath with Him.  HE wants to be the center of my attention. He wants me to enjoy the time I share with Him and with others who are learning about Him. The Sabbath day was created for my benefit, to bring me joy and blessings.  It is a delight.  It’s just that the delight should be centered in God and not myself. The Point When my focus is on my own condemnation or my own pleasure, I miss out on the point of Sabbath.  The point is the true joy of spending the holy day with my Creator! May your time with the Creator be blessed! Until next time, Lisa G.

List Of 33 Sabbath Activities

Prayer: 
  1. Ask for forgiveness of sins.
  2. Just listen to God.
  3. Learn to hear God’s voice in the quiet times.
  4. Pray about pressing matters, family & friends, church, country, etc.
Bible:
  1. Memorize scripture as a family (make note cards to look at during the week).
  2. Meditate on scripture about the Sabbath (or whatever God lays on your heart).
  3. Study God’s Word with others.
  4. Share your favorite Bible verses and what they mean to you.
Study:
  1. Listen to or watch sermons.
  2. Read out of Character Building Books.
  3. Go to church.
  4. Study God’s creation.
Rest:
  1. Take a nap!
  2. Listen to worshipful music.

Family:
  1. Share stories of faith from family members.
  2. Worship God through experiencing His creation/nature (picnic, walk, etc.).
  3. Have a special meal/dessert (use candles, china, special tablecloth, music, etc.).

Helping Others:

  1. Nursing Home Ministry.
  2. Pray with people in the hospital.
  3. Help at a Food Bank/Kitchen.
  4. Witness to others.
  5. Unselfish acts to help someone who is hurting.

For Children:

  1. Read their children’s Bible.
  2. Read Bible-related books.
  3. Listen to worshipful children’s cd’s
  4. Listen to children’s Bible radio programs.

Play Bible games:
  1. trivia,
  2. matching game
  3. board game

God-related arts & crafts projects:

  1. draw/color pictures, print out activity sheets, build or sculpt, etc.
  2. Have a Scripture Scavenger Hunt or any type of hunt that helps them discover things about God (requires preparation before Sabbath starts).
  3. Praise Pail-write things you are thankful for during the week and drop it in the pail, then take turns reading them on Sabbath.
  4. Bring out “Sabbath” toys that are stored away during the week.

Friday Preparations For Children:

  1. Have them help you prepare the meals on Friday for Sabbath (make food that is from an area you are learning about that week). They can help put out Sabbath decorations/dishes on Friday.

Do I Really Need Prior Preparation? – By Lisa Gleaves

When my husband and I started out keeping Sabbath, we tried many times to have a good Sabbath with zero to minimal preparation. I’m here to tell you that just doesn’t work. I’m generally an organized person. But at this stage in my life, with two preschoolers and a four month old, I don’t always FEEL like taking extra time for preparation. When I prepare for Sabbath, though, I have the opportunity to experience it as God intended. What Is Prior Preparation? I’m going to bring you into my world for a minute to illustrate the idea of preparation. When a woman is in her last trimester of pregnancy (like I was recently), she tends to experience something called nesting. It is an urgent desire and pressing to have everything done BEFORE the baby arrives. There are a hundred little things to take care of when a new baby joins your family and it makes life so much smoother to get them done beforehand. Once the baby arrives, you will want to spend all your time getting to know him/her. Here is another illustration from God’s Word. Think about Mary and Martha preparing for Jesus’ visit to their home (Luke 10:38-42). Martha had invited Jesus to come. She wanted to be a good hostess and was driven maybe by a sense of perfection, accomplishment or just to please. She was so absorbed in her tasks that she didn’t even think about taking the special opportunity to sit down and get to know Jesus better. Jesus points out to Martha that Mary sat down with Him as soon as He came through the door. She didn’t want to waste one minute on doing something that was of less value than knowing her Savior. That is the true reason for prior preparation for Sabbath! Don’t Waste Your Precious God Time I shouldn’t waste one minute of my time doing anything I could have taken care of beforehand. And I shouldn’t try to take care of things during Sabbath that can wait until Sabbath is over. My desire and anticipation to know God better should be my motivation to get my work done before God “arrives” for Sabbath. He wants me to be standing at the door welcoming Him into my home and then spending the rest of the time at His feet. The Alternative I have had many Sabbath’s where I was driven to be a Martha. As I look back at those times, I am sad for the opportunities I wasted. My sense of accomplishment for getting my “tasks” done must have fallen far short of the closeness I could have gained with God. Be a Mary I am so glad that I have a choice to follow Mary’s example each Sabbath. But I have to begin my work early and stay on task so I can have it done BEFORE Sabbath begins.

Sabbath Scripture for New To Sabbath – By Lisa Gleaves

Sabbath Scripture for New To Sabbath
Please begin this course by familiarizing yourself with scriptures concerning Sabbath.  We ask that you pray before you begin and allow God to show you what He wants to reveal to you.  Please read ALL scripture, considering the full context, background, and how it fits in with the Bible as a whole.  Each scripture is listed below in the King James Version, but you will need your Bible as you go along so that you can get a deeper insight. Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 16:21-30, 20:8-11, 23:12, 31:12-17, 34:21, 35:2-3; Leviticus 16:31, 19:3, 19:30, 23:3, 26:2; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Nehemiah 10:31, 13:15-22; Isaiah 56:2-6, 58:13-14; Jeremiah 17:21-27; Ezekiel 20:12-24; Amos 8:4-7; Matthew 12:1-12; Mark 1:21, 2:23-28, 3:1-5, 6:2, 16:1; Luke 4:16, 4:30-31, 6:1-10, 13:10-17, 14; John 5:1-19, 7:21-24, 9, 19:31; Acts 13:14, 13:42-44, 15:21, 16:13, 17:2, 18:4.
Genesis 2:1-3
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Exodus 16:21-30
And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord : bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord : to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exodus 23:12
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Exodus 31:12-17
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord : whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Exodus 34:21
Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
Exodus 35:2-3
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord : whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Leviticus 16:31
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:30
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 23:3
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 26:2
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
Nehemiah 10:31
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
Nehemiah 13:15-22
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Isaiah 56:2-6
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant.
Isaiah 58:13-14
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: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Jeremiah 17:21-27
Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the Lord. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Ezekiel 20:12-24
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.
Amos 8:4-7
Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
Matthew 12:1-12
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Mark 1:21
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mark 2:23-28
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Mark 3:1-5
And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Mark 6:2
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Mark 16:1
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Luke 4:16
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luke 4:30-31
But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Luke 6:1-10
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Luke 13:10-17
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
Luke 14
And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
John 5:1-19
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 7:21-24
Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 9
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
John 19:31
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Acts 13:42-44
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Acts 15:21
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Acts 16:13
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
Acts 17:2

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
Acts 18:4
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

How To Answer Family, Friends And Other Church Members – By Lisa Gleaves

Do you have people ask you to explain Sabbath? Most people that I know are unfamiliar with the term or meaning.  When they stop to give it some thought, they usually respond that Sunday is the modern Sabbath after Jesus’ death.  They assure me that Sabbath is outdated and was done away with on the cross.  Many are sure that keeping the Sabbath now would be acting against God and trying to keep laws to get into Heaven. How would you respond? I am not an expert in answering this question, but God has given me the words when I have had opportunity to talk with others.  The method of answering that I love the best is my personal example. When I share what God spoke and revealed to my family and the difference it has made for us, it makes it harder to offend the listener.  It is not accusing and they can simply chose to believe me or not. I share that God encouraged my husband and I to read the entire Bible completely, with fresh eyes, and see how it all ties together (like a circle that connects together in every way).  When we did this, we saw that God never did away with keeping Sabbath.  It is a day of blessing He established from the beginning of our world and it will continue forever.  Since choosing to keep the Sabbath, my family has received the blessing of rest in our lives as we had never known it before. What about the details? We started with the Bible and let God lead from there.  It can be easy to look at a list of “do’s and don’ts” and get hung up on achieving a goal or looking like others who keep the Sabbath.  When that happened to me in the beginning, I totally missed the point of Sabbath.  I eventually learned that when I prepare for the special day, look forward to it, and treat it as a blessing, everything else just falls into place. My family begins Sabbath at sundown on Friday evening and ends it at sundown on Saturday.  We concentrate on spending time with God (so many ways to do that!) and resting our bodies.  If a need or opportunity comes along to show God’s love to others on Sabbath, Jesus made it clear that we should take that opportunity. What is the purpose? I celebrate Sabbath because it is a command from God.  I trust that He knows what is best for me and He proves this through the rest and blessing He provides through Sabbath.  Keeping Sabbath doesn’t get me into Heaven.  That is not the purpose.  But it is a command that should be kept to honor and obey God. Will you take the time to share about Sabbath? I encourage everyone to take the opportunities that God puts in front of you to share about Sabbath with others.  There is a strong veil over most peoples’ eyes and few will have that veil lifted. Sharing a positive Sabbath experience with someone might make a difference in their life and encourage them to start asking questions that will lead them closer to God.