A Father's Work: Dedicated Rest

Introduction

When it comes to the Ten Commandments, it is difficult to think of a commandment more neglected than the Fourth: remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Those who have neglected it do not do so for the same reasons. For some it is simply a forgotten truth. For others the desires of the flesh have gradually led them into unfaithfulness in this area. But in the end, the Christian who neglects the Lord’s Day is missing out on one of God’s great gifts. He has given time to men to worship Him in everything they do, and yet man tends to use his time in his own service. But time used in that way will not satisfy because God has not designed it for that end. Time is given by Him to be used for His glory.  Therefore, the aim of this article is two-fold. First, to give a brief summary of the Reformed, biblical understanding of the Fourth Commandment. Second, to help fathers see that teaching their children to honor the Sabbath gives a wonderful reminder that time is a gift from God. The Sabbath is a weekly reminder of that truth.

The Sabbath in the Bible

There are competing interests and voices that urge men to take some well-deserved PTO and that the Fourth Commandment is part of a by-gone era. But what does the Bible teach about the Sabbath? Is it still significant?

The first step to finding an answer is to look at the foundation of the Sabbath. Genesis 1 describes God’s creation of the world. Then after this work is done, Genesis 2:1-3 records what God does next:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation (Gen 2:1-3, ESV). 

God makes holy, or sets apart, one day in seven. So, the foundation of Sabbath rest is in creation. The timeline is significant. The laws given to Moses at Sinai are not the foundation of Sabbath. They were given to Israel at least 2,700 years later. The Fourth Commandment grounds itself in creation: 

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11, ESV, emphasis mine).

The Law itself cites creation as the reason for the special status of Sabbath rest. When God institutes something, man must have divine warrant to change it. 

In Matthew 5:17-19 Jesus says He has come to fulfill the Law, but not to abolish it. In fact, He says that nothing will pass away from the Law until everything is accomplished. “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Christ fulfills all the Law and the prophets but forbids relaxing obedience to His commandments.  Sabbath rest is a biblical principle grounded in creation. That biblical principle has historically been accepted in the Church, though it has recognized a change of the day.

Good and Necessary Consequence

In Dr. A. A. Hodge’s article “Sabbath, The Day Changed: The Sabbath Preserved” he demonstrates that the Christian Sabbath was accepted, at least by some voices, from the very earliest of times in the Church. He does so by citing the writings of ancient church fathers. Just to give one example, he quotes from Ignatius of Antioch (AD 35-107), who said: “Those who have come to the possession of new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath (seventh day), but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, on which also our life has sprung up again, by him and by his death.” Ignatius shows that Sabbath rest continues, though it was now practiced on the first day of the week. Throughout the article Dr. Hodge gives other examples moving from the patristics through to the Reformation to show there is clear historical precedent of the practice of the Lord’s Day, or the Christian Sabbath, in the Church.

Since the commandments of God show how man is to glorify and enjoy Him, fathers should teach their children what it means to apply them evangelically. Obedience to the law is an expression of loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. The Fourth Commandment gives expression of that love in the use of time. It is an act of trust in God’s provision of daily bread. It is a statement that recognizes that time is a gift from God and should be stewarded for His glory. Rest from regular work to give attention to worship blesses the Christian. No one is blessed by a catalogue of things he can and cannot do. But to be taught that time belongs to the Lord and should be used for His glory directs its use in the way it was intended: for God’s glory. But how does the Fourth Commandment direct man to glorify God on this day?

There are three foundational principles to the Lord’s Day. First, there is the command not to work. Second, there is the command not to cause anyone else to work. These first two principles are based on God’s example at creation. The two imperatives have one reason for keeping them. To those two instructions the Bible adds a third that shows the heart governing obedience on the Lord’s Day.

If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken (Isaiah 58:13-14).

Beyond the prohibitions in the text of the Law itself, Isaiah calls for a day of forsaking personal pleasures and pursuits to delight in the Lord instead. Sabbath rest is a special gift from the Lord. It is a special day. That is the direction for the right use of time. There is a day set apart for worship, and all men should be given the opportunity to join in that worship from the heart that they would be blessed by glorifying their Creator and Redeemer.

But there are cases where mercy or necessity require work to be done. Far from denying the Sabbath, these are instances where the Lord’s Day is honored by on-going labors.

Works of Necessity. In Matthew, the Pharisees confront Jesus because His disciples are plucking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus’ response shows the principle of necessity: “Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?” (Matthew 12:5). The priests are guiltless because they are performing a work of necessity. God actually commands their work. This category exists for works of piety, but also for others who provide necessary service. Law enforcement, fire prevention, and in the modern world power supply perform a necessary function and are not breaking the Sabbath. Closely related to these are works of mercy.

Works of Mercy. The gospels also record how the Jews were offended by Jesus’ healings on the Sabbath, and at times waited to see whether Jesus would heal on that day. They thought it was a clear violation of the principle of rest. A ruler of a synagogue takes Jesus and His audience to task saying, “‘There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.’” (Luke 13:14b). Jesus responds by pointing out they have compassion for their animals, how much more for their fellow man. It is right to show mercy on the Sabbath, which translates into caring for the sick, elderly, and poor. These works do not violate the Sabbath, but keep it.

With those exceptions in mind, it should be the aim of fathers to model and teach their families that the Lord’s Day rest is a great blessing from God.

Implementing a Sabbath Rest at Home

If the Lord’s Day is a new concept for a family, a father should carefully disciple his children, especially if they are in the early teen years. For young children it is simpler. There can be a simple explanation that dad has been learning some things and that there are going to be some ways that the family is going to make Sunday a special day to worship the Lord. But older children may have questions that need to be answered patiently and carefully. Fathers should not rush through this stage, but make sure the biblical teaching on the Lord’s Day is understood. Once the basic, foundational principles are established, they can be applied in the family. Below are two common questions children may ask when trying to understand the Lord’s Day, followed by some suggested responses:

• Is activity “x” ok on Sunday? Explain that the goal is not to build a list, but to be faithful to the Lord by not working, not making anyone else work, and by delighting in Him. Teach them that the better approach is to ask, "Is what I am wanting to do helping me or hindering me in keeping this day holy?" And then talk about ways you are seeking to model that for them.

• Why can’t I (fill in the activity of your choice here)? All my friends at church are doing that! Guard your children against envy when these questions arise. They have not been given any father other than you, so direct them to your own family and your attempts to be faithful to the Lord. Explain that an appeal to Scripture is proper, not the behavior of others.

As in all other areas of instruction, when it comes to the Lord’s Day, parents must take responsibility to lead their families by addressing their children’s questions.

A Father’s Example on the Lord’s Day

Unless children see their father’s words reflected in his decisions, they are not likely to follow. Fathers must model the first principle learned from the Law: to have no other gods before the Lord. Evangelical obedience is not legalism, but flows from a heart that loves God because of Christ’s work of redemption. As Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do…If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The Christian loves the Lord by living according to His Law. There are several basic applications that must be kept.

Establish Sabbath Rest. The Christian father must make sure that he does not work on the Lord’s Day unnecessarily. If you are in the habit of working on the Sabbath, acknowledge that this choice was either sinful or made in ignorance, and work to change your schedule as soon as possible.

Maintain Consistent Attendance in Corporate Worship. There are many temptations to neglect corporate worship, sometimes from people who are well-intentioned. There may be family parties scheduled during worship services, or invitations to visit restaurants for a family meal. Fathers must demonstrate in action that God’s glory is most important by not compromising their principles.

Celebrate the Sabbath. Well-intentioned fathers have turned the Lord’s Day into a drudgery. If rules become the focus, children will not see any reason to delight. Rules are never the goal for Christian living, but are aids to allow people to show love for God. Love for God is the proper goal for honoring the Lord’s Day. So let everything you do be informed by a delight for the Lord.

Make Yourself Available to Your Family. Family walks, bike-rides, puzzles, and other activities are all great venues for the kind of family fellowship that falls in line both with the teaching described in Deuteronomy 6:7 and the habits of the apostolic church in Acts 2:42. Family activities are a great way to strengthen relationships and can lead to many fruitful conversations about the Lord. A father’s presence in leading his family in Lord’s Day worship is a gift to children.

Make the Lord’s Day Special. There are simple ways to make the Sabbath special. Prepare a special dessert for this day or serve a special breakfast. Read a special book together or practice hospitality. These small gestures can make children, especially the young ones, look forward to this day.

Participate in Works of Mercy. Visit an elderly couple in the church with one or two children. Minister to people in an old-age home. Children can be taught the blessing of serving others.

Is It All About Rest?

Thinking a little more broadly about this day, both work and rest are in view in the Fourth Commandment. Consider rest in relation to work, and allow the Fourth Commandment to give a healthy understanding of work too. Work is a gift for children, but they will probably not embrace it without help. Whether a child is naturally hard-working or not, they will all benefit from a few principles:

Teach Them to Help the Family. Family chores provide a great opportunity to develop a work ethic. Even very small children can clean up their toys. Through these very basic tasks they are learning to work. As children get older, find ways for them to help with more substantial things. It is good for them to invest in their family.

Teach Them a Balanced Perspective of Work. Children should be taught a proper perspective by insisting they rest one day in seven. What things would they think of as their “daily work?” What is associated with the other six days of the week in their minds? Show them how to order their week so the temptation to do those tasks on the Lord’s Day is removed. Give them the blessing of a day of rest set apart for the worship of God.

Conclusion

Obedience to the Law saves no one. However, the Law does act as a guide for thankful, joyful, loving living in worship to God for His completed work on the cross. And part of that thankful life is stewarding the time God has given. When fathers teach their children to delight in God’s precious gift of time, they learn to structure it around worship rather than making worship one of their weekly options. That is what fathers give when they rest on the Lord’s Day. They lead their children into a vision of time that could shape their whole lives.

Geoff Gleason has served as pastor of Cliffwood Presbyterian Church in Augusta, GA for the past 14 years. He and his wife Lisa have 11 children and 6 grandchildren. Geoff obtained his MDiv at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS and his ThM at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.