The story of Sabbath is at the heart of the Bible. It’s in the Creation story. It’s in the Ten Commandments. It has repetitive images in the Old Testament. And it is in the practice and the discussion of Jesus. 

By the time of Jesus’ of ministry, he had some harsh words to say about the manner of Sabbath observance. Apparently there were over 1500 things a person could not do on the Sabbath. For example, if you had a toothache you could not gargle with vinegar, but you could put a little vinegar on a brush and treat your toothache that way. Everything was observed with meticulous detail. If you go to Israel today and stay in a hotel, they always have what they call a “Sabbath elevator.” It stops at every floor so that you do not have to violate the Sabbath by pushing the button. 

Puritan culture in early America reflected some of that detail. There was to be no laughter or levity. Sunday was to be a “day without play.” Joy Davidson, the late wife of C. S. Lewis, once said that we ought to recast the 4^th commandment to read, “Thou shalt not enjoy life on Sunday.” 

Many of us have mixed tapes running in our heads about all of this. I was not allowed to go to movies or ball games on Sunday when I was a child. Even if I go today, I look to see how many people will notice that I’m there! I was not allowed to cut grass on Sunday, even though that was the way I earned money in the summers while I was in high school. A few years ago when I still had a yard to cut, I wore dark glasses and a wide-brimmed hat when I had to cut the grass on Sunday. 

What do we do with Sabbath in a modern or what some call a “post-modern” culture? Do we throw up our hands in despair? Do we capitulate to the culture? Who can afford a day of rest anyway? 

What does Sabbath mean in our day? Do we know? Or is it a fundamental mystery? I am told the philosopher Hegel was asked by a student to explain a paragraph in one of Hegel’s books. Hegel looked at the paragraph for a few moments, sat back in his chair, looked up at the student and said, “When that passage was written, there were two who knew its meaning—God and myself. Now, alas, there is but one, and that one is God.” Do we have a way to bring the mystery of Sabbath into contemporary life?” 

Look at the text for today. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was made for us, not the other way around. The implication of that text for me is that the Sabbath is a gift of God to life. Sabbath is not a list of do’s and don’ts; rather it is a gift toward the fullest and most complete life available. 

We have lost the image and meaning of Sabbath. Life for us today is full throttle. We maintain several homes and maybe several cars. Technology has myriads of ways of staying in touch. You can have a laptop, or a PDA, or a cell phone—all of them with “blue tooth” connections. Our schedules are full of sports and rehearsals and ballet lessons and appointments. 

Sabbath says that part of life is “down time.” Down time is something of which we have less and less. Rabbi Abraham Heschel said we all need sanctuary time. We need to experience the holiness of life moment by moment.” Another writer says, “If we pay close attention, we might actually feel the rhythm that exists in creation.” 

In the community of Ridgeway, New Jersey in 2002, the city fathers developed a plan. They were deeply concerned about the pace of life and the lack of family time. A committee of 18 people worked for 7 months to give a city a night off. On that night there was to be no housework, no practices, no clarinet lessons, no math league. There were to be no social functions, no SAT rehearsals, no swim meets, no Scout meetings. As good as all that is, think about what happened. It took 18 people 7 months to plan one night! It may be a worthy goal, but something is definitely wrong. 

In Hebrew the word “Sabbath” means “to quit, to stop, to take a break.” Actually it’s not even a religious word at its root. It says whatever you are doing, stop it. Whatever you are saying, shut up. Sit down, take a look around, don’t say anything. Listen to your heart. Take a deep breath. 

Sabbath is a gospel word to us. It’s meant to be good news. Can it be good news again? 

I believe we have to rediscover and re-do Sabbath for our time. The Sabbaths of a few decades ago are gone. The blue laws are no more. We have fewer and fewer real vacations. Some of us get 2 or 3 days maximum. How do you practice Sabbath in an individualistic, global, free market society? How do you practice Sabbath in an economy that is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? How do you practice Sabbath in a time when profits are king, and are demanded by stockholders? How do you practice Sabbath when many households must be dual income—or perhaps even triple income? We must find a new way to see the good news, the gracious good news of Sabbath. 

Remember the Sabbath was made for humankind. 

ONE DAY EACH WEEK? 

Sometimes Sabbath can still be one day each week. Many of you are probably familiar with the Chick-Fil-A franchise that has opened down here on Route 19 just below the church. Chick-Fil-A has made Sunday a Sabbath for their workers. It has also become one of my favorite places for a chicken sandwich. Chick-Fil-A was founded in 1946 in Atlanta, Georgia—60 years ago. From the beginning their mission was to “glorify God and serve a good chicken sandwich.” 

And from the beginning they have been closed on Sunday. The current CEO says, “It’s a little habit that has served us well.” For a few of us, the one day a week Sabbath works. 

It is not always Sunday. Sunday is not a Sabbath for me, obviously. Most Sundays I’m somewhere between wired and wrung out. On Sunday afternoons I look in the Bible for a text that says, “Always take a Sabbath nap!” As soon as I find that text, I’m going to follow it closely. I’m going to take it literally. 

However, 15 or 20 years ago I found an alternative 24-hour period. My Sabbath is from Friday noon to Saturday noon. And I have found that it works. Not 100% of the time, but most of the time. I walk out of the office about noon on Friday. I return sometime Saturday afternoon. That particular schedule allows me space for an occasional wedding and the 6:00 worship service on Saturday evening. 

I try to encourage the staff to take a 24-hour Sabbath each week. I do not insist, but I do encourage. And I try to model that Sabbath however imperfectly for them. 

SOMETIMES THE 24-HOUR SABBATH DOESN’T WORK 

Sometimes 24 hours works; sometimes it doesn’t work. And when it doesn’t work, that happens for a whole host of reasons. You know some of them. 

What about one day each month? Could that be a Sabbath? What about a weekend, once a quarter? A weekend that is planned and marked and taken. What about a weekend for Habitat for Humanity? What about a few days of service in a disaster zone? 

Always remember that Sabbath is a gift of God to your life. It is not a legalistic requirement for discipleship. 

PART OF A DAY 

What about some part of a day? What about Sabbath moments?

What about 5 minutes after rising in the morning, or right after lunch? Could you have a chair or small table somewhere? On that table are a Bible, a devotional book, and perhaps a journal. I like to keep a book by Oswald Chambers and one by Charles Haddon Spurgeon and one by John Baillie on my table. They were written for another generation, but I still learn from them. And the journal is to jot down some clarifying thoughts. 

Whether it’s 5 or 15 or 50 minutes, build some Sabbath into your day, or into your week. I actually know someone who uses the traffic light as a sign to pray. When the light turns red, he begins to pray and waits it out. I know someone else who actually looks for the longest check-out line in the grocery store. He uses those moments to pray. Punctuate your day with Sabbath moments. 

Our spiritual ancestors seemed to agree. Without silence and stillness, there is no spirituality, no God-attentiveness, no God-responsive life. 

WHAT ABOUT SABBATH WORSHIP? 

What does all this have to say about Sabbath worship, or Sunday worship? The commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Mostly that means remembering God, remembering the One to whom we belong, remembering the One to whom we shall return one day. God is saying to us, “Remember your spiritual relationship with me, and remember the dignity and purpose of your life.” 

But regular worship has become difficult for many persons. Our lives are so crammed that we have to give up something. Some sturdy believers are giving up worship. 

Twice now I have read about studies over the past 10-15 years. The studies say that in most periods of history there have been 3 groups of worshipers in the Christian church. First, there are those who worship regularly. Second, there are those who worship occasionally. And thirdly, there are those who worship only rarely. The studies say that what is happening is that group 1 is decreasing, and group 2 is increasing.  

Alongside all of this we observed some attendance patterns in this congregation in 2005. I think the study that I have just cited may be exactly what’s happening here. People are not dropping out of church, but they are dropping in frequency of attendance. A small but growing number of you were here less than 50% of the time in 2005. Formerly you were here 2 or 3 or 4 times a month. Now you’re here one or two times a month. It appears to us not to be a large number of people, but it is a growing number of people. 

Life has become so full that we even think we are regular, even when we are not. It’s like the Gallup pollster who went to a door to check on church membership and worship attendance. He asked the man if he was a member of the church. “Yes I am,” the man replied. “How often do you go to church?”  

“Oh, I go almost every Sunday.” 

“Were you in church last Sunday?” 

“Well, no, but I meant to be there, so put me down as a ‘yes.’” 

We have added services here to assist you in your connection with God. Beyond Sunday morning we also have Saturday night, and we have Sunday night, and we have the once a month Taizé service on Wednesday night. I actually had a member say to me this past week, “My life is so busy; maybe we could have worship on Thursday night for a while.” 

Part of Sabbath is about remembering. When you sing the hymns or you hear the anthems or you listen to the Scriptures, you remember the great tradition. You are also in community with those for whom God is special. 

You are probably aware of those studies that show that regular worship produces better health. Some studies through Duke University and other places show that regular worship produces a stronger immune system. There is a direct positive effect between health and worship attendance. 

A friend of mine, whom many of you will meet next month in the Leadership Training Weekend, added this comment:

No study has yet indicated how many services you have to attend to stay healthy, but some preachers are claiming now that in order to remain healthy, to really remain healthy, you can’t miss a weekend in church. And if you’re looking for the ideal health zone, there is a new study that indicates those who pledge and never miss the passing of the plate in service, will add another ten years or so to their lives. There is some question about the authenticity of that latter poll, but one never knows until such a prediction has been tested.[i] 

This is not about checkmarks for perfect worship attendance. It’s about a partnership, a relationship with God. That relationship is incomplete without worship. 

What is the bottom line for this message today? I am inviting you into a Sabbath year in 2006. I am inviting you to make 2006 a Sabbath year. In the Old Testament, Sabbath had 7-year cycles for the land. Every 7 years the land was left fallow so it could rejuvenate itself. Could 2006 become a Sabbath year for you and for me? What could you do in 2006 to allow the good news of Sabbath to permeate your life more fully?

• Could you declare a 24-hour Sabbath for yourself? Not doing so rigidly, but naming the day?
• Could you carve out a day or 2 days each month?
• Could you build some Sabbath moments into your days?
• Could you give yourself the benefits of more frequent worship?

Remember the Sabbath was made for you. Receive it. Let it guide the pace of your life. God is good. And God will be known in the process.