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Lesson 26: How To Keep The Sabbath
In our last lesson we saw that the Sabbath is the focal testing point in the final crisis between Christ and Satan. Those who are on God's side in the controversy keep the commandments of God including the seal of God which is the Sabbath. The Holy Spirit does the work of sealing God’s law in our hearts. Those who rebel against God will worship the beast and his image; which is the false Sabbath of the papacy, Sunday.
This leads to a very important question for the followers of God. How should the Sabbath be kept? What is and is not permissible? To understand this we simply go to the Scriptures and examine God's intention for the Sabbath. That way we can worship God in spirit and in truth.
Q1. Can you identify four things God did on the seventh day of the original creation week? Read Genesis 2:1-3.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
God finished His work, He rested from His work, He blessed the seventh day and He sanctified the seventh day. To sanctify means to pronounce something as holy and set it apart from ordinary use. This is a question that we can ask as we consider Sabbath-keeping. Are the things on television or the radio holy or common? Are the letters in the mailbox holy or common? The Sabbath is set apart for holy use.
Q2. How can we be sure that when God sanctified the seventh day in the beginning that it was not just that day, but every seventh day after that? Read Exodus 20:8-11.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
God said to remember His holy day. It was set up that way from the beginning. The reason that the Israelites were to keep the Sabbath holy was because it was a memorial of the creation. God said that we should not work or cause others to work on Sabbath.
Q3. What other reason is given in the Bible for keeping the Sabbath holy? Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The Sabbath is a memorial of creation and also redemption. When God made the world, He prepared everything first and gave it to Adam and Eve as a free gift. Adam and Eve did not earn it or work for it. In the same way, our salvation is a gift of God made possible through Jesus Christ. We didn't earn it or establish it. We receive it as a gift by faith. We rest on the Sabbath day rejoicing in creation and redemption as free gifts of God through Jesus Christ. Therefore as we became believers by faith, so also we keep the Sabbath holy by faith.
Q4. When does the Sabbath begin? Read Genesis 1:5 and Leviticus 23:32.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
According to the Bible, the Sabbath begins at sunset. So the Sabbath begins on Friday night at sundown and ends Saturday night at sundown. Our present reckoning of the day beginning at midnight does not come from the Bible but was adopted later in Roman times. An appropriate way to begin the Sabbath would be to bring the family together just before sundown for hymn-singing, prayer and praise.
Q5. What activity is specifically pointed out to be done on the Sabbath? Read Leviticus 23:3.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The Sabbath is a holy convocation. It is a required assembly called by the Lord. If you are sick or shut in or physically too far from a church or worship group, that is one thing, but we are not to choose whether to come to assembly as we choose whether or not to go shopping. It is a called assembly to meet with the Lord. Traditionally worshippers gather in what we call the morning hours of Saturday but that time for assembly is not prescribed in the Bible.
Q6. What general principle do we see regarding how we appear before the Lord? Read Exodus 23:15.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
There is a saying in our culture that we don't go to visit someone's house empty handed. That concept is true for our visit to the Lord's house. We should have an offering to bring and present that to the Lord.
Q7. When we come before the Lord in public worship, how should we appear? Read Exodus 19:10, 11; Isaiah 57:15; 3:16-23 and 1 Timothy 2:9, 10; 3:15. A.____________________________________________________________________________
We should sanctify ourselves heart and body when we come before the Lord on the Sabbath. The texts in Exodus listed above say we should wash before appearing before the Lord. We should not appear before Him filthy and unkempt. Thus there is a physical preparation for worship. The texts in Isaiah talk about being humble and not expressing pride in dress. 1 Timothy echoes that concept and states that dressing modestly is always proper behavior as part of God’s church. If that is true always, it is especially true when we come before Him in public worship. There should be no showy dress and the wearing of ornaments that would attract people's attention from God to ourselves. Visitors may come who do not know these requirements for believers. We should not reprimand them. By our example we should guide them to Jesus and God's word where they can learn the truth.
Q8. The Bible says that we should not work on Sabbath. However a person has to eat on that day as the other days. What should be done about that? Read Exodus 16:23-29.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The preparation day is Friday, the day before Sabbath. On that day we are to bake what we will bake and boil what needs to be boiled. We are to do the food preparation on Friday and lay the food up for the next day to be eaten. We need not eat cold food. We can take the meals prepared on Friday and warm them for the Sabbath. Since there is no heavy labor done on Sabbath, generally our meals can be lighter and simpler than on other days. This commandment of the Lord should give more freedom to women who generally do the food preparation. This enables them to spend more time in meditation and prayer with the Lord on Sabbath.
If it is forbidden for a Christian to bake and boil on Sabbath is it lawful to pay someone else to do it for you? Let us not cause our manservant or maidservant to work on Sabbath either, or we will be guilty as if we did the work ourselves.
Q9. What about going shopping on Sabbath? Is that forbidden? Read Nehemiah 10:31 and 13:15-21.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Shopping isn't work for the buyer, but it certainly isn't holy either. It is supporting the seller’s working on Sabbath. In this sense also it is forbidden. The Sabbath is set apart for holy use. Therefore shopping, reading secular magazines and books, amusements and other secular activities are not in harmony with the spirit of the Sabbath.
Q10. What were some people doing on the Sabbath that was displeasing to the Lord? Read Amos 8:4-6.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The people were longing for the Sabbath to be over so they could do their business, in this case, evil business. This goes to the heart of the matter. Sabbath-keeping is an issue of the heart. If you love God and desire to be obedient to His law, it will be a gladness for you to find out what He expects from us on the Sabbath. But if we look at Sabbath as a rule to be kept in order to be saved, reading these texts is torture. We need to set our minds on keeping the spirit of the law.
Q11. What admonition and blessing is given by Isaiah regarding the Sabbath day? Read Isaiah 58:13, 14.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The spirit of the law is to call the Sabbath a delight and enjoy God and family and God’s creation. If possible it would be good for the family to get out of doors into the country on Sabbath where they can observe and marvel at God's creation. When we enter into the spirit of the Sabbath we will not be doing common things or even talking about them on the Sabbath. Our thoughts will be on the Lord. There is a blessing in this. This blessing can only be realized by entering into God's rest by faith. God created us. He redeemed us through Christ. Let us enjoy being with Him on Sabbath with our family.
Q12. Is it appropriate to share our faith with others on the Sabbath? Read Luke 4:31, 32 and Matthew 12:1-8. A.____________________________________________________________________________
Certainly Jesus taught the gospel and this is in keeping with the Sabbath. Jesus' disciples were with Him in this work.
Consider this comment from the writings of Ellen White:
“If it was right for David to satisfy his hunger by eating of the bread that had been set apart to a holy use, then it was right for the disciples to supply their need by plucking the grain upon the sacred hours of the Sabbath. Again, the priests in the temple performed greater labor on the Sabbath than upon other days. The same labor in secular business would be sinful; but the work of the priests was in the service of God. They were performing those rites that pointed to the redeeming power of Christ, and their labor was in harmony with the object of the Sabbath. But now Christ Himself had come. The disciples, in doing the work of Christ, were engaged in God's service, and that which was necessary for the accomplishment of this work it was right to do on the Sabbath day.” Desire of Ages page 285.
Q13. Should we leave off taking care of the sick on the Sabbath? Read Matthew 12:9-13 and Luke 13:11-17.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Q14. Is it lawful to do anything on Sabbath so long as it is a good deed? Read Luke 23:52-24:1.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Human logic may think that anointing the body of the Lord Himself in death would be fit work for the Sabbath. But the gospel writer records that those who were closest to Jesus did not think this appropriate work for the Sabbath. Perhaps they did not see it as an act of mercy to relieve suffering because Jesus was already dead.
Some people think that it would be appropriate to hang the laundry of a shut-in or paint a poor person’s house on the Sabbath. While these are good things a Christian should do, they do not relieve suffering and can wait for another day. In Exodus 31 God gave the instructions for the building of the tabernacle. The people may have thought that since it was the tabernacle that it was right for them to work on the tabernacle on the Sabbath. God did not permit this but gave instruction immediately reminding the Israelites that the Sabbath was to be kept.
Q15. What about traveling on the Sabbath day? Read Matthew 24:20.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
When Jesus warned His disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, He told them to pray that they wouldn’t have to flee the city on the Sabbath day. Why would Jesus specifically mention the Sabbath? A hasty escape would fill the mind with anxiety and stress no matter what day of the week it was. But that stress and anxiety would certainly spoil the sanctity of the Sabbath. Should we travel for other reasons on the Sabbath? What about travel for work? Should we use the Sabbath hours to accomplish something for our personal or professional business by using it for travel? That certainly doesn’t seem in keeping with the spirit of the Sabbath. What about travel for vacation? Wouldn’t that be “finding your own pleasure” that we read previously in Isaiah 58:13? Travel often involves noisy, busy environments that distract our minds from sacred themes. Travel is often not a very restful enterprise but a tiring one. On the other hand sometimes it may be necessary to travel on Sabbath for the work of bringing salvation. In that case it is permissible. Travel to and from meeting is required. Travel for taking the family out in nature would be appropriate.
The Sabbath is a time for putting away all distractions of the world and focusing on our relationship with God and Jesus. The Sabbath is a reminder of both God's creation and redemption power. We rest in those gifts by faith. The Sabbath is an act of faith because we are trusting that God will meet our needs even though we are not serving ourselves on that day.
Shining Stars Series (Philippians 2:14-16)
"Oh Afife, I am so sorry!" Fatma looked as if she were about to cry. Mert and Gül just looked at each other wondering what was making their mother so sad as she spoke on the phone.
"Look, I will visit you when I get back, O.K.? It was probably just an knee-jerk reaction. It is still early. He will come around," said Fatma. "O.K., but I am really, really sorry Afife. We will pray for you both."
"What happened?" Gül asked when her mother got off the phone.
"Reşat tried to talk to his boss about the Sabbath and it went really badly. Reşat was so upset that he said he will no longer come to our group. Afife was just crying, poor thing. She even wonders if her marriage will survive it."
"What shall we do?" Mert said.
"Well, I don't think it would be good to try to intervene just yet. Tension is pretty high in their house. Let's let that cool down. I've got to get on the road, I want to get there before sundown."
Fatma was leaving her mother and the kids at home and was going to visit a friend in a city some two hours away from their home. She didn't tell them, but the friend was the customer who gave her the Fate Changer lessons. Her name was Sevim. Sevim invited Fatma to come to stay with her and her husband Martin for Sabbath.
It was a long two hour drive for Fatma, not because of the drive itself but because of Reşat and Afife. She just couldn't shake them from her mind. On a lot of issues Reşat seemed so knowledgeable and spiritual. It was just shocking to Fatma to think that he would just drop everything so quickly.
When Fatma arrived she was warmly greeted by Sevim and Martin. Martin spoke with a heavy accent and didn't say a whole lot but he seemed to understand well enough. They sat down and chatted for about fifteen minutes before having some sage tea together. Before they were even done with their tea though, Martin stood up and went to a small bookshelf and pulled out three books with spiral covers, all of the same type. When Martin handed Fatma one of the books she looked at the cover. Seventh-day Adventist Church Hymnal. She was still looking at the cover when Martin said, "Let's sing number thirty-two to open the Sabbath. ‘Don't Forget the Sabbath.’ "
Sevim and Martin began to sing but Fatma didn't know the tune at all so she just read the verses to herself. However by the third stanza she could follow along with the refrain.
Welcome, welcome, ever welcome, blessed Sabbath day
Welcome, welcome, ever welcome, blessed Sabbath day
Suddenly tears came to Fatma's eyes and she lifted her hand up to quickly wipe them away.
"Fatma, are you O.K.?" Sevim asked.
"Yes...yes I'm fine," Fatma said smiling through her tears. Fatma didn't really know why she was crying.
They sang some more songs and prayed together kneeling on the floor. After that, it was a little quiet. There was no television on, no radio, no computer. There was a silent peace.
Sevim broke the silence at last by asking Fatma about her spiritual walk with God and what was happening in her life. When Fatma explained about the group meeting in her home and how many people were coming and what they were learning, Sevim's and Martin's mouth hung open in awe. They praised the Lord together. Sevim was so excited about sharing the news with the group of believers who would gather to worship in the morning that she could hardly sit still.
The women stayed up late and Sevim related how she had met Martin while he was vacationing in Bodrum. They corresponded on the net for a long time and he would visit as much as his vacation time and money would allow. Martin was born and raised as an Adventist. He shared his faith with Sevim and she believed. It was tempting for them to settle in England where Martin worked as a teacher. Martin liked Turkey so much though, they decided to try living here. With his teaching degree he was able to find work as an English teacher at a private school.
In the morning they went to a business building and on the 5th floor was an office space that had a sign out front indicating that it was an association. Fatma was a little nervous about what she would find. She hadn't been in a "church" before. They went in and took off their shoes and put on slippers. A woman was there to welcome them. She smiled and invited Fatma to follow her to show her where everything was.
There was a kitchen and two rooms set aside for children. Fatma could hear their laughing and playing through the door. There was a bookshelf with Bibles and lots of other books, especially books by Ellen G. White. To one side there was another meeting area but it was empty at the time. In the main worship area there were a few people sitting and the people were preparing to sing hymns. Sevim and Martin and Fatma joined them. After they sang hymns and spiritual songs, they prayed and went to the meeting area that Fatma had seen empty before. More people began to trickle in and gather in that area. They all sat in a circle.
Soon they were opening a booklet that seemed to be a group discussion guide. They called these Sabbath Groups. One person led out in the discussion. The booklet was full of questions and information about the Bible. After a lively discussion of about 45 minutes, there was a break time for people to talk and socialize together. Everyone was happy to meet and talk with Fatma.
Then everyone returned to the main area to sing hymns and pray. Before they prayed people shared about what was happening in their lives and how God was blessing them. They also shared prayer needs. Sevim introduced Fatma to the group and asked Fatma to share what was happening in her home group. As Fatma shared the people were beside themselves with happiness to hear about her group. People were saying, "Praise the Lord!" and "Amen!" When Fatma sat down she was beaming.
They listened to some more music and singing from the children and then they heard a sermon preached by one of the elders. Afterward there was a lunch. Everyone had brought some dish to share with everyone else. They set up tables and talked together as they ate. Fatma was embarrassed that she didn't bring anything but Sevim reassured her, "I didn't tell you about it, don't worry. I cooked extra yesterday for you."
After church they went for a walk in a park by a river.
"Thank you so much for having me," Fatma said. "It is just like heaven to spend a day like this. I am so happy I can't tell you."
"Fatma, you will never know how much your visit filled our lives with joy today. Please come more often. Please, please bring your friends."
"I will, but I am expecting you to visit us as well. Please come. Everyone will want to meet you."
Q16. Would you like to have the peace of the Sabbath in your life?
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Call to commitment through prayer.
In our last lesson we saw that the Sabbath is the focal testing point in the final crisis between Christ and Satan. Those who are on God's side in the controversy keep the commandments of God including the seal of God which is the Sabbath. The Holy Spirit does the work of sealing God’s law in our hearts. Those who rebel against God will worship the beast and his image; which is the false Sabbath of the papacy, Sunday.
This leads to a very important question for the followers of God. How should the Sabbath be kept? What is and is not permissible? To understand this we simply go to the Scriptures and examine God's intention for the Sabbath. That way we can worship God in spirit and in truth.
Q1. Can you identify four things God did on the seventh day of the original creation week? Read Genesis 2:1-3.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
God finished His work, He rested from His work, He blessed the seventh day and He sanctified the seventh day. To sanctify means to pronounce something as holy and set it apart from ordinary use. This is a question that we can ask as we consider Sabbath-keeping. Are the things on television or the radio holy or common? Are the letters in the mailbox holy or common? The Sabbath is set apart for holy use.
Q2. How can we be sure that when God sanctified the seventh day in the beginning that it was not just that day, but every seventh day after that? Read Exodus 20:8-11.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
God said to remember His holy day. It was set up that way from the beginning. The reason that the Israelites were to keep the Sabbath holy was because it was a memorial of the creation. God said that we should not work or cause others to work on Sabbath.
Q3. What other reason is given in the Bible for keeping the Sabbath holy? Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The Sabbath is a memorial of creation and also redemption. When God made the world, He prepared everything first and gave it to Adam and Eve as a free gift. Adam and Eve did not earn it or work for it. In the same way, our salvation is a gift of God made possible through Jesus Christ. We didn't earn it or establish it. We receive it as a gift by faith. We rest on the Sabbath day rejoicing in creation and redemption as free gifts of God through Jesus Christ. Therefore as we became believers by faith, so also we keep the Sabbath holy by faith.
Q4. When does the Sabbath begin? Read Genesis 1:5 and Leviticus 23:32.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
According to the Bible, the Sabbath begins at sunset. So the Sabbath begins on Friday night at sundown and ends Saturday night at sundown. Our present reckoning of the day beginning at midnight does not come from the Bible but was adopted later in Roman times. An appropriate way to begin the Sabbath would be to bring the family together just before sundown for hymn-singing, prayer and praise.
Q5. What activity is specifically pointed out to be done on the Sabbath? Read Leviticus 23:3.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The Sabbath is a holy convocation. It is a required assembly called by the Lord. If you are sick or shut in or physically too far from a church or worship group, that is one thing, but we are not to choose whether to come to assembly as we choose whether or not to go shopping. It is a called assembly to meet with the Lord. Traditionally worshippers gather in what we call the morning hours of Saturday but that time for assembly is not prescribed in the Bible.
Q6. What general principle do we see regarding how we appear before the Lord? Read Exodus 23:15.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
There is a saying in our culture that we don't go to visit someone's house empty handed. That concept is true for our visit to the Lord's house. We should have an offering to bring and present that to the Lord.
Q7. When we come before the Lord in public worship, how should we appear? Read Exodus 19:10, 11; Isaiah 57:15; 3:16-23 and 1 Timothy 2:9, 10; 3:15. A.____________________________________________________________________________
We should sanctify ourselves heart and body when we come before the Lord on the Sabbath. The texts in Exodus listed above say we should wash before appearing before the Lord. We should not appear before Him filthy and unkempt. Thus there is a physical preparation for worship. The texts in Isaiah talk about being humble and not expressing pride in dress. 1 Timothy echoes that concept and states that dressing modestly is always proper behavior as part of God’s church. If that is true always, it is especially true when we come before Him in public worship. There should be no showy dress and the wearing of ornaments that would attract people's attention from God to ourselves. Visitors may come who do not know these requirements for believers. We should not reprimand them. By our example we should guide them to Jesus and God's word where they can learn the truth.
Q8. The Bible says that we should not work on Sabbath. However a person has to eat on that day as the other days. What should be done about that? Read Exodus 16:23-29.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The preparation day is Friday, the day before Sabbath. On that day we are to bake what we will bake and boil what needs to be boiled. We are to do the food preparation on Friday and lay the food up for the next day to be eaten. We need not eat cold food. We can take the meals prepared on Friday and warm them for the Sabbath. Since there is no heavy labor done on Sabbath, generally our meals can be lighter and simpler than on other days. This commandment of the Lord should give more freedom to women who generally do the food preparation. This enables them to spend more time in meditation and prayer with the Lord on Sabbath.
If it is forbidden for a Christian to bake and boil on Sabbath is it lawful to pay someone else to do it for you? Let us not cause our manservant or maidservant to work on Sabbath either, or we will be guilty as if we did the work ourselves.
Q9. What about going shopping on Sabbath? Is that forbidden? Read Nehemiah 10:31 and 13:15-21.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Shopping isn't work for the buyer, but it certainly isn't holy either. It is supporting the seller’s working on Sabbath. In this sense also it is forbidden. The Sabbath is set apart for holy use. Therefore shopping, reading secular magazines and books, amusements and other secular activities are not in harmony with the spirit of the Sabbath.
Q10. What were some people doing on the Sabbath that was displeasing to the Lord? Read Amos 8:4-6.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The people were longing for the Sabbath to be over so they could do their business, in this case, evil business. This goes to the heart of the matter. Sabbath-keeping is an issue of the heart. If you love God and desire to be obedient to His law, it will be a gladness for you to find out what He expects from us on the Sabbath. But if we look at Sabbath as a rule to be kept in order to be saved, reading these texts is torture. We need to set our minds on keeping the spirit of the law.
Q11. What admonition and blessing is given by Isaiah regarding the Sabbath day? Read Isaiah 58:13, 14.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
The spirit of the law is to call the Sabbath a delight and enjoy God and family and God’s creation. If possible it would be good for the family to get out of doors into the country on Sabbath where they can observe and marvel at God's creation. When we enter into the spirit of the Sabbath we will not be doing common things or even talking about them on the Sabbath. Our thoughts will be on the Lord. There is a blessing in this. This blessing can only be realized by entering into God's rest by faith. God created us. He redeemed us through Christ. Let us enjoy being with Him on Sabbath with our family.
Q12. Is it appropriate to share our faith with others on the Sabbath? Read Luke 4:31, 32 and Matthew 12:1-8. A.____________________________________________________________________________
Certainly Jesus taught the gospel and this is in keeping with the Sabbath. Jesus' disciples were with Him in this work.
Consider this comment from the writings of Ellen White:
“If it was right for David to satisfy his hunger by eating of the bread that had been set apart to a holy use, then it was right for the disciples to supply their need by plucking the grain upon the sacred hours of the Sabbath. Again, the priests in the temple performed greater labor on the Sabbath than upon other days. The same labor in secular business would be sinful; but the work of the priests was in the service of God. They were performing those rites that pointed to the redeeming power of Christ, and their labor was in harmony with the object of the Sabbath. But now Christ Himself had come. The disciples, in doing the work of Christ, were engaged in God's service, and that which was necessary for the accomplishment of this work it was right to do on the Sabbath day.” Desire of Ages page 285.
Q13. Should we leave off taking care of the sick on the Sabbath? Read Matthew 12:9-13 and Luke 13:11-17.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Q14. Is it lawful to do anything on Sabbath so long as it is a good deed? Read Luke 23:52-24:1.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Human logic may think that anointing the body of the Lord Himself in death would be fit work for the Sabbath. But the gospel writer records that those who were closest to Jesus did not think this appropriate work for the Sabbath. Perhaps they did not see it as an act of mercy to relieve suffering because Jesus was already dead.
Some people think that it would be appropriate to hang the laundry of a shut-in or paint a poor person’s house on the Sabbath. While these are good things a Christian should do, they do not relieve suffering and can wait for another day. In Exodus 31 God gave the instructions for the building of the tabernacle. The people may have thought that since it was the tabernacle that it was right for them to work on the tabernacle on the Sabbath. God did not permit this but gave instruction immediately reminding the Israelites that the Sabbath was to be kept.
Q15. What about traveling on the Sabbath day? Read Matthew 24:20.
A.____________________________________________________________________________
When Jesus warned His disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, He told them to pray that they wouldn’t have to flee the city on the Sabbath day. Why would Jesus specifically mention the Sabbath? A hasty escape would fill the mind with anxiety and stress no matter what day of the week it was. But that stress and anxiety would certainly spoil the sanctity of the Sabbath. Should we travel for other reasons on the Sabbath? What about travel for work? Should we use the Sabbath hours to accomplish something for our personal or professional business by using it for travel? That certainly doesn’t seem in keeping with the spirit of the Sabbath. What about travel for vacation? Wouldn’t that be “finding your own pleasure” that we read previously in Isaiah 58:13? Travel often involves noisy, busy environments that distract our minds from sacred themes. Travel is often not a very restful enterprise but a tiring one. On the other hand sometimes it may be necessary to travel on Sabbath for the work of bringing salvation. In that case it is permissible. Travel to and from meeting is required. Travel for taking the family out in nature would be appropriate.
The Sabbath is a time for putting away all distractions of the world and focusing on our relationship with God and Jesus. The Sabbath is a reminder of both God's creation and redemption power. We rest in those gifts by faith. The Sabbath is an act of faith because we are trusting that God will meet our needs even though we are not serving ourselves on that day.
Shining Stars Series (Philippians 2:14-16)
"Oh Afife, I am so sorry!" Fatma looked as if she were about to cry. Mert and Gül just looked at each other wondering what was making their mother so sad as she spoke on the phone.
"Look, I will visit you when I get back, O.K.? It was probably just an knee-jerk reaction. It is still early. He will come around," said Fatma. "O.K., but I am really, really sorry Afife. We will pray for you both."
"What happened?" Gül asked when her mother got off the phone.
"Reşat tried to talk to his boss about the Sabbath and it went really badly. Reşat was so upset that he said he will no longer come to our group. Afife was just crying, poor thing. She even wonders if her marriage will survive it."
"What shall we do?" Mert said.
"Well, I don't think it would be good to try to intervene just yet. Tension is pretty high in their house. Let's let that cool down. I've got to get on the road, I want to get there before sundown."
Fatma was leaving her mother and the kids at home and was going to visit a friend in a city some two hours away from their home. She didn't tell them, but the friend was the customer who gave her the Fate Changer lessons. Her name was Sevim. Sevim invited Fatma to come to stay with her and her husband Martin for Sabbath.
It was a long two hour drive for Fatma, not because of the drive itself but because of Reşat and Afife. She just couldn't shake them from her mind. On a lot of issues Reşat seemed so knowledgeable and spiritual. It was just shocking to Fatma to think that he would just drop everything so quickly.
When Fatma arrived she was warmly greeted by Sevim and Martin. Martin spoke with a heavy accent and didn't say a whole lot but he seemed to understand well enough. They sat down and chatted for about fifteen minutes before having some sage tea together. Before they were even done with their tea though, Martin stood up and went to a small bookshelf and pulled out three books with spiral covers, all of the same type. When Martin handed Fatma one of the books she looked at the cover. Seventh-day Adventist Church Hymnal. She was still looking at the cover when Martin said, "Let's sing number thirty-two to open the Sabbath. ‘Don't Forget the Sabbath.’ "
Sevim and Martin began to sing but Fatma didn't know the tune at all so she just read the verses to herself. However by the third stanza she could follow along with the refrain.
Welcome, welcome, ever welcome, blessed Sabbath day
Welcome, welcome, ever welcome, blessed Sabbath day
Suddenly tears came to Fatma's eyes and she lifted her hand up to quickly wipe them away.
"Fatma, are you O.K.?" Sevim asked.
"Yes...yes I'm fine," Fatma said smiling through her tears. Fatma didn't really know why she was crying.
They sang some more songs and prayed together kneeling on the floor. After that, it was a little quiet. There was no television on, no radio, no computer. There was a silent peace.
Sevim broke the silence at last by asking Fatma about her spiritual walk with God and what was happening in her life. When Fatma explained about the group meeting in her home and how many people were coming and what they were learning, Sevim's and Martin's mouth hung open in awe. They praised the Lord together. Sevim was so excited about sharing the news with the group of believers who would gather to worship in the morning that she could hardly sit still.
The women stayed up late and Sevim related how she had met Martin while he was vacationing in Bodrum. They corresponded on the net for a long time and he would visit as much as his vacation time and money would allow. Martin was born and raised as an Adventist. He shared his faith with Sevim and she believed. It was tempting for them to settle in England where Martin worked as a teacher. Martin liked Turkey so much though, they decided to try living here. With his teaching degree he was able to find work as an English teacher at a private school.
In the morning they went to a business building and on the 5th floor was an office space that had a sign out front indicating that it was an association. Fatma was a little nervous about what she would find. She hadn't been in a "church" before. They went in and took off their shoes and put on slippers. A woman was there to welcome them. She smiled and invited Fatma to follow her to show her where everything was.
There was a kitchen and two rooms set aside for children. Fatma could hear their laughing and playing through the door. There was a bookshelf with Bibles and lots of other books, especially books by Ellen G. White. To one side there was another meeting area but it was empty at the time. In the main worship area there were a few people sitting and the people were preparing to sing hymns. Sevim and Martin and Fatma joined them. After they sang hymns and spiritual songs, they prayed and went to the meeting area that Fatma had seen empty before. More people began to trickle in and gather in that area. They all sat in a circle.
Soon they were opening a booklet that seemed to be a group discussion guide. They called these Sabbath Groups. One person led out in the discussion. The booklet was full of questions and information about the Bible. After a lively discussion of about 45 minutes, there was a break time for people to talk and socialize together. Everyone was happy to meet and talk with Fatma.
Then everyone returned to the main area to sing hymns and pray. Before they prayed people shared about what was happening in their lives and how God was blessing them. They also shared prayer needs. Sevim introduced Fatma to the group and asked Fatma to share what was happening in her home group. As Fatma shared the people were beside themselves with happiness to hear about her group. People were saying, "Praise the Lord!" and "Amen!" When Fatma sat down she was beaming.
They listened to some more music and singing from the children and then they heard a sermon preached by one of the elders. Afterward there was a lunch. Everyone had brought some dish to share with everyone else. They set up tables and talked together as they ate. Fatma was embarrassed that she didn't bring anything but Sevim reassured her, "I didn't tell you about it, don't worry. I cooked extra yesterday for you."
After church they went for a walk in a park by a river.
"Thank you so much for having me," Fatma said. "It is just like heaven to spend a day like this. I am so happy I can't tell you."
"Fatma, you will never know how much your visit filled our lives with joy today. Please come more often. Please, please bring your friends."
"I will, but I am expecting you to visit us as well. Please come. Everyone will want to meet you."
Q16. Would you like to have the peace of the Sabbath in your life?
A.____________________________________________________________________________
Call to commitment through prayer.