Inman First Baptist Church received Sabbath as a biblical practice through a three-stage project. The project is adapted from James Brian Smith’s components for spiritual transformation. A control group received the first stage through narrative teaching in a Sabbath Study. An experimental group received the first stage, along with second (Sabbath practices) and third stages (Sabbath discussion). The thesis stated, “Members who received all three stages of the experiment would have a higher appreciation of Sabbath for Spiritual Formation.” The study measured appreciation of Sabbath through a Sabbath Survey. The evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the experimental group’s rise of Sabbath appreciation was greater than the control group’s.
Overwhelmed? Need a day off... a break? Maybe it's time to learn the truth about the Sabbath. Everyone, it seems, lives his or her life at a breakneck pace, constantly rushing here and there to get everything done. Technological advances that once promised more leisure time now seem only to push us further behind, making it ever more difficult to catch up. So we frantically scramble. We feel out of touch—out of touch with our spouse, out of touch with our families, out of touch with the world around us and, perhaps most of all, out of touch with God. Is there a way to get back in touch? In the Bible, God gives us a solution written within the Ten Commandments. It's a commandment that gives us time for a welcome, refreshing rest from our weekly labors, a time during which we must no longer be absorbed in our ordinary daily cares and concerns—a time for spiritual rejuvenation. Inside the ebook, "Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest", you will read why God commanded a day of rest and the purpose for it. You will discover the answers to which day is the Sabbath, why the Sabbath is relevant for all of us today and why this day of rest makes sense in today's world. Join us for a journey through the Bible to discover the importance of God's Sabbath rest. Chapters in this ebook: -- The Sabbath: In the Beginning -- When Is the Sabbath Day to Be Kept? -- Which Day Is the Sabbath? -- Names for Saturday in Many Languages Prove Which Day Is the True Sabbath -- Jesus Christ and the Sabbath -- Just What is Legalism? -- Was the Sabbath Changed in the New Testament? -- Was Sunday the New Testament Day of Worship? -- Was God's Law Abolished in the New Testament? -- Why is the Sabbath Commandment Not Repeated in the New Testament? -- Surprising Admissions About the Sabbath and Sunday -- "There Remains a Sabbath-Rest for the People of God" -- A Sign of God's People -- God's Sabbath in Today's World -- The Sabbath in the Age to Come -- What is True Worship? -- Our Appointment With God -- A Test for You? Inside this Bible Study Aid ebook: "God, Creator of the Sabbath, determines when the day begins and ends, and it was observed from sunset to sunset throughout the Bible. His Sabbath begins Friday evening at sunset and ends Saturday evening at sunset." "Jesus Himself clearly denied that He intended to change or abolish the Sabbath or any part of God’s law. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets,” He said. “I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17)." "Many who argue that the Sabbath was abolished in the New Testament point to the apostle Paul’s writings to justify their view. But is this opinion correct? They commonly cite three passages to support that claim—Romans 14:5-6, Colossians 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:9-10." "Here we see God’s true intent for the Sabbath: It is part of a proper, loving relationship with Him. It is a matter of honoring God."
In this eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study by Lynne M. Baab will help you to learn more about what sabbath is and how to practice it. More people of all ages are finding the sabbath to be a gift from God that brings a renewed awareness of who God is and who we are as God's beloved children. Come and discover God's gift of rest.
A Short Study of the Sabbath from Creation to Consummation When it comes to the Sabbath, Christians have different ideas on what it means and how to observe it. For many people, it is a day to go to church and have fellowship with other believers. What they often miss, though, is that the Sabbath is intricately tied to rest and worship—both of which ultimately point to the Lord as our creator and redeemer. In this addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series, Guy Prentiss Waters offers an introductory study of the Sabbath from the creation of the world to the consummation of all things when Jesus returns. He shows how the Sabbath is observed through the major themes and genres of the Bible—creation, law, prophets, Jesus, and the apostles—and how that applies to our lives today. Waters teaches us about the Sabbath's full restoration in the new heavens and the new earth and its continual reminder of the covenant that God has made with his people. Written for New Believers and Seasoned Saints Alike: Perfect for laypersons, pastors, college and seminary students, and academics Practical: Examines how the Sabbath is relevant to the church now as well as how it will be restored in the new heavens and the new earth Short Studies in Biblical Theology: Part of a series designed to give readers accessible volumes on God's word
Perspectives on the Sabbath presents in point-counterpoint form the four most common views of the Sabbath commandment that have arisen throughout church history, representing the major positions held among Christians today. Skip MacCarty (Andrews University) defends the Seventh-day view which argues the fourth commandment is a moral law of God requiring us to keep the seventh day (Saturday) holy. It must therefore remain the day of rest and worship for Christians. Jospeh A Pipa (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) backs the Christian Sabbath view which reasons that ever since the resurrection of Christ, the one day in seven to be kept holy is the first day of the week. Craig L. Blomberg (Denver Seminary) supports the Fulfillment view which says that since Christ has brought the true Sabbath rest into the present, the Sabbath commands of the Old Testament are no longer binding on believers. Charles P. Arand (Concordia Seminary) upholds the Lutheran view that the Sabbath commandment was given to Jews alone and does not concern Christians. Rest and worship are still required but not tied to a particular day.
