Christ's Special Sign - SFC2212

SPEAKER A Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. SPEAKER B Would you like to better understand the Bible? How can you grow as a Christian and find personal peace? What happens at the second coming of Jesus? What is the relevance of Bible prophecy today? How do you identify a cult? What happens when you die? Here is your opportunity to find answers to these and many other questions by exploring 30 not only relevant, but life changing topics that await your discovery. Welcome to search for certainty. SPEAKER C I'm glad you could join us. I'm your host, Gayl Fong, and with me in the studio today is Hana Nakagawa. Welcome, Hana. SPEAKER D Thank you, Gayl. SPEAKER C So lovely to have you back from visiting your family in Japan. SPEAKER D Thank you. SPEAKER C Today our study is going to be Christ's special sign. The Book of Revelation presents God's final message for a world in deep trouble. It's a message especially designed for a people living during the final climatic hours of Earth's history. It is a universal message that leaps across geographical boundaries. It's a message for all nations, tribes, languages and peoples. It's an urgent, compelling message of good news. It's an urgent appeal for men and women everywhere to prepare for the soon return of Christ. As we have studied in our previous lessons, only in Christ are men and women capable of meeting the claims of God's law in Earth's final judgment hour. God's Last Day message is a message of surrender and commitment. So in this secular, materialistic age of humanistic thinking, many have dismissed the idea of a God who created the heavens and the earth. The theory of evolution has replaced the Bible teaching of creation. It's not surprising to find God's sounding a clarion call to worship Christ as our Creator in the Bible's last book, Revelation. So Hana, before we begin this exciting Bible study, would you open us with prayer? SPEAKER D Sure. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, lord, we want to thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity that we can open the Bible and learn from you. Father, we invite your Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and help us to understand this Christ special sign and we may draw close to you. We pray all these things in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER C Amen. Thank you, Hana. Well, who is Revelation 14, verses six and seven calling us to worship? Hana, you'd read that passage for us? SPEAKER D Sure. Revelation 14, six and seven. It says then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue and people saying with a loud voice fear God. And give glory to him for the hour of his judgment hath come and worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of water. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER D It says that worship Him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of water. So creator God. SPEAKER C Amen. Revelation's final appeal to humanity is a call to worship the one yes, Hana, who made heaven and earth and the fountains of waters. It's a call, as you have said, to worship our Maker, our Creator. Interesting. Well, what is the basis of all worship? Hana, go to Revelation, chapter four and verse eleven. SPEAKER D It says, you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created. It says that God is worthy. The reason is the word is to receive glory and honor and power, which means basically to be worshipped. And the reason is that you created all things. God created all things. SPEAKER C Amen. And I love the answer you're giving. Well, whom did God create all things by? If we go to Ephesians chapter three, verses eight and nine to begin. Whom did God create all things by? According to the Holy Scripture? SPEAKER D Yes. Ephesians three, verse eight and nine. It says to me, who less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which, from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. SPEAKER C That's very powerful. Through Christ. SPEAKER D Through Christ. SPEAKER C Hana, there's another verse there we should look at in Colossians, chapter one and verse 15. SPEAKER D Yes, Colossian 115 and 16. It says, he is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation, for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. SPEAKER C Wow. So absolutely everything yes. Been created anything on Earth by the Lord Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D Heaven. Yes, that's right. SPEAKER C That is very powerful. Well, how do we worship Christ as the Creator? How do we do this? Has he left a memorial of his creative activity? We need to turn to the Old Testament, to the book of Exodus. Exodus, chapter 20, verses eight through to eleven, which, by the way, as we looked at in our previous study, that is where God's Ten Commandments are found. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So right there, Hana, if you'd read in verses eight through to eleven, it. SPEAKER D Says, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gate. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested. The 7th day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day. SPEAKER C And hallowed it similar wording there. That's what you just read in Revelation. SPEAKER D The Lord who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in it. That sounds very familiar from the Revelation. SPEAKER C Yes. And there's a call to remember. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I guess where we're living, we're living thousands of years on from when this was given, and we have a tendency to forget. SPEAKER D That is right. It start with remember and it's telling. SPEAKER C Us to keep it holy. Sabbath rest. And it's the 7th day. Interesting. The one that God rested on wasn't the Sabbath given, Hana, only for the Jews, though, what did Jesus say in the Gospel of Mark? Mark, chapter two, verses 27 and 28? SPEAKER D Yes. It says and he said to them, the Sabbath was made for men and not men for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath. SPEAKER C Okay. So man representing mankind, so not the Jews alone. SPEAKER D That's right. It is for anyone. SPEAKER C It is for everyone, because we're all created by God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, what three things we need to go back to the Book of Beginnings. Genesis, chapter two, verses one through to three. What three things did God do to set aside and distinguish the 7th day from all other days of the week? SPEAKER D It says thus the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished. And on the 7th day, God ended his work which he had done, and he rested on the 7th day from all his work which he had done. Then God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it, because in it he rested from all his work which God has created and made. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER D So he rested on the 7th day? Yes, after he finished all of this. And then he blessed the 7th day and sanctified. SPEAKER C Amen. It's interesting, Hana, he did not bless or sanctify or rest after any other day that he had created. If you read the Book of Genesis. Now, Hana. Was he tired? SPEAKER D Why? SPEAKER C He rested? SPEAKER D I don't think so. I don't think he'll get tired. SPEAKER C He never gets tired. The Bible says he never grows weary. So it's just his work was complete. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so he ceases his work. SPEAKER D Wow. And it's amazing that humans were made in the 6th day. And as soon as that happened, as soon as he finished all of this and he saw everything is great, everything is beautiful, and then, firstly, he spent time with human as well. Amen. SPEAKER C He gave them the rest so they could know their Creator. I love that. Well, what is the Sabbath called in the Old Testament? We go to the ancient book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel, chapter 20, verses twelve and verse 20. SPEAKER D The Bible says, moreover, I also gave them my Sabbath to be a sign between them and Me that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. SPEAKER C Okay. So it's a sign between God and those who honor the Sabbath. What does it say in verse 20, Hana? SPEAKER D It says, hello, my Sabbath, and they will be assigned between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God. SPEAKER C So as we're learning to trust God, as we're learning to understand Him and all he is and what he has done for us, this desire to worship Him grows in us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Until we want to follow Him in every step. And here they're hallowing the Sabbath, resting on the Sabbath. What was Jesus practice or custom on the Sabbath, Hana? Luke, chapter four and verse 16. SPEAKER D Yes, Luke chapter four and verse 16 says, so he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogues on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. So it was his custom that he goes to synagogue, which is church. We call it church now, but on the Sabbath day he was coming to church and reading the Bible. SPEAKER C Amen. So it was a habit, something he did regularly? SPEAKER D That's right. It's not just like one off thing, it was regular thing. SPEAKER C It's interesting, if Jesus was going to establish another day, he would have done it while he was still alive. SPEAKER D That is true, but he left this. SPEAKER C Positive example, as we've been discussing, of Sabbath keeping in his life. Yes. Well, what counsel did Jesus give his disciples regarding the Sabbath? In Matthew 24 and verse 20 it. SPEAKER D Says and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. SPEAKER C So Hana, there Jesus is counseling them to pray that their flight may not be in the winter on the Sabbath. That's interesting because the Roman general Titus attacked Jerusalem and destroyed it in Ad 70. And Jesus here is urged his disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem during the Roman attack would not be in the winter or on the Sabbath day. And Jesus specifically gave the instructions, pray that your flight not be in winter. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Or on the Sabbath, because he knew his closest followers would be keeping the Sabbath 35 years after the crucifixion. SPEAKER D That's true. And that means we can say that even after disciples were keeping the Sabbath, and Jesus expected them to keep the Sabbath, and of course on Sabbath they would be worshipping God, coming to the synagogue or church. So, yeah, they wouldn't want to flee on the Sabbath day. SPEAKER C Correct. So there was absolutely no change after Jesus'death and resurrection. It was still a very special day. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C God's holy Sabbath day. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, as we look further into the New Testament, Hana, what groups did Paul preach to on the Bible Sabbath? Acts, chapter 13, verse 42 to 44. SPEAKER D It says, so when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the gentiles begged that this word might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now, when the congregation had broken up, many of Jews and devout proselytes followed paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God on the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. Wow. I love how it says that Gentiles begged these word might be preached. So there was Gentiles. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER D There was Jews. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER D And devout proselytes. SPEAKER C So they were Gentiles that had converted to Judaism. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C But not treated exactly the same as the Jews. Interesting. So Paul preached to the Jews on the Sabbath, convincing them that Jesus was the Messiah. He also preached to the Gentiles, Hana, as you have said, on the Sabbath, not Sunday. And eventually the whole city listened to Paul's Sabbath preaching. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C This is the New Testament Church growing. What day did the Apostle Paul meet with a small group of believers to worship? In Acts 16 and verse 13. SPEAKER D And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the city to the riverside where prayer was cottonly made, and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. It was on the Sabbath day. SPEAKER C Again, on the Sabbath day. Well, Hana, let's look in the New Testament a little. Now, what is the Lord's special day called in Revelation chapter one and verse ten? SPEAKER D Revelation, chapter one. SPEAKER C And this is John here. John the revelator. He's been exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith in Jesus, for actually being a Sabbath keeper and a Christian. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And what happened to John while he was on the island of Patmos? For his faith and his witness? In Revelation one, verse ten, it says. SPEAKER D I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And I heard behind me a loud voice as of the trumpet. SPEAKER C So John, he called the Lord's special day the Lord's day. The Lord's day, and he's receiving a vision on the Lord's day. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And he was there for his faith, a follower of Jesus. He kept the 7th day. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C We haven't found a change at all as yet, according to the following texts. What is another name for the Lord's day? Luke. We've actually got three different books to look up here in the Gospels luke, Matthew and Mark. But we'll go to Luke chapter six and verse five to begin. SPEAKER D Yes, it says, and he said to them, the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath. SPEAKER C Okay, so Luke is calling the Sabbath the Lord's day. What about Matthew in Matthew twelve and verse eight? SPEAKER D Yes, it says, for the Son of Men is Lord even of the Sabbath. SPEAKER C So Matthew and Luke are saying exactly the same thing. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C What about Mark? In the book of Mark, chapter two, verses 27 and 28, and he said. SPEAKER D To them, the Sabbath, but made for men and not men for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath. SPEAKER C Wow. So the Sabbath was made for man. It's a gift. Yes, a gift in time that God gave. As you said before, Hana, the very first creation of God, Adam and Eve, their very first day was the Sabbath they spent with their Creator. SPEAKER D It's beautiful. SPEAKER C Does the Bible actually reveal which day is the 7th day? What three days does the Bible mention in succession? It's interesting, Hana, because a lot of our calendars, they may start the week on a Monday and finish on a Sunday. When I was a little girl, it always started on a Sunday and finished on a Saturday. Yes. But the Bible never changes. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So let's have a look at Luke, chapter 23, verse 54 to 56. SPEAKER D It says, that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew near, and the woman who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils, and they rested on the Sabbath according to the Commandments. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER D So there's Preparation Day and then Sabbath drunia. SPEAKER C Excellent. If you continue reading in Luke, chapter 24 and verse one. SPEAKER D Now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. SPEAKER C Now, Hana, this is really powerful because we're just following the Bible and how Luke records it. Now. Preparation day for the Jews was always Friday. Friday. And the whole Christian world celebrates the Lord's death on Friday. Friday. We call it Good Friday. SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER C And that he died in the afternoon at 03:00 P.m., the time of the evening sacrifice, according to the Bible. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C I love how the Bible is so clear. Then he rested on the Sabbath day according to the Commandment. So which commandment must that be? SPEAKER D Yeah. Ten Commandment. The Fourth Commandment. SPEAKER C The Fourth Commandment. And then he rose very early on the first day of the week, which would have to be Sunday, which is known as Easter Sunday. SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER C So in between the Preparation Day and the first day of the week is the Sabbath, the 7th day. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C The day of rest. SPEAKER D Friday, Saturday, Sunday, saturday must be the 7th day. SPEAKER C Now, it's interesting, Hana, because you read a little verse when we began, where God rested, blessed it and sanctified the 7th day. But he rested because he'd finished his Creation week. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Now the Creator has finished his redemption wow. For the human race. So now he's resting as our Creator. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C And Redeemer. Redeemer. SPEAKER D And Jesus said, when he died, it is finished. Yes. SPEAKER C That's powerful, Hana. So he has finished his redemption. Paid the price. SPEAKER D Paid a price. Yes. SPEAKER C There is now the way open for salvation of bringing his loved ones home to Heaven. SPEAKER D He's our Creator and he's our Redeemer. SPEAKER C He has come to rescue us. That is very revealing. And it's something to meditate on. Well, what other ways can we tell which day is the 7th day is it only from the Scriptures. And it's interesting here that the 7th day, Saturday, the 7th day of the week is noted that way in Webster's New 20th Century Dictionary, Unabridged, second edition in 1973. So it's called there the 7th day, Saturday, the 7th day of the week. Then we have astronomy. We have an occasion to investigate the results of the work of specialists in chronology, and we have never found one of them that has had the slightest doubt about the continuity of the weekly cycle since long before the Christian era. Now, this statement is by James Robertson, director of the US. Naval Observatory. Quoted in letter to F D. Nicole, March 12, 1932. We may think, well, maybe the cycle has been interrupted, the weekly cycle, but according to astronomy, no. Now, Hana. This is interesting. If you would read for us about the language. SPEAKER D Sure. In more than 106 languages of the world, the 7th day on our calendar called Saturday, its interest is translated Sabbath. There is no word for Saturday in these languages. The 7th day is simply called Sabbath. SPEAKER C So I'm going to ask you, Hana, I don't know, what is it in? SPEAKER A Oh. SPEAKER D In Japanese it says ansokunichi yeah. If I'm wrong, maybe some of you can tell me, but I think Sabado or Sabbath, like in Spanish or Portuguese. Yeah, it's Saturday. Sounds really like Sabbath. SPEAKER C Yes. My husband is from Samoa and the Sabbath is known there as Sabati. SPEAKER D Sabati. SPEAKER A Oh, wow. SPEAKER C So it is interesting that that term is still used, as you read there, in over 106 different languages. SPEAKER D Six languages. That is a lot that it still. SPEAKER C Refers to the Sabbath. SPEAKER D Yes, that's true. SPEAKER C Very powerful. Well, what does God offer those who lovingly keep his Sabbath? In the book of Isaiah 56 and verse two, and Isaiah was known as the Gospel prophet. SPEAKER D Yes. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who laid Holden on it, who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and keeps his hand from doing any evil. SPEAKER C There's a blessing there. There's such peace and happiness yes. In following Jesus. SPEAKER D That is true. SPEAKER C Hana, what was your experience when you discovered the Sabbath? SPEAKER D Oh, so it was in Sydney when I was studying, firstly, when I came to Australia, I didn't really have a lot of friends before coming to church. And on the weekend I didn't really know what to do. But then I started to go to church and worshiping God. And in the afternoon, maybe like spending time with our friends, or going to the nature or singing hymns or I just started to love this day. I was like, wow, this is amazing. We can get to know God and get to know other people. And even, actually it was even before that I study the topic of Sabbath. I started to experience the blessing of Sabbath that weekly. I can receive this wonderful blessing. And when we have that rest. Actually, we can focus on the study even more on the next weeks. So yeah, that was amazing. And it has been such a blessing for my life to keep the Sabbath. SPEAKER C Amen. So your relationship with Jesus just grew and blossomed? SPEAKER D Yes. As we discussed, we forget as human, we always forget to even spend time with God. But because of this weekly reminder, we can actually reflect our relationship with God and pursue Him more and more. So we need this. SPEAKER C We truly do need it. And it's something that we prepare for all week. It's like looking forward to a special birthday party. But you are preparing so that when Sabbath comes, it's a true delight. SPEAKER D Yes, it's a celebration. SPEAKER C It is a celebration. I know when my girls were little that I still love to prepare the table on Friday night for Sabbath. I put candles on the table and just make something a little different than what we had during the week. And where we were living. We could see the sun setting as well, so we could actually watch the sunset. It's interesting. A biblical day begins at sunset from Even unto Even. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so we could welcome in the Sabbath as the sunset. And it was special time. Yeah, it was something that we look forward to and enjoyed and yes, worshipping God. It truly is a delight to spend time with God. Well. God offers those who obey him his richest blessings. The Sabbath is Christ's great sign of loyalty. It's a sign of his creative and redemptive power. On this day, in a special sense, Christians have an invitation to enter into a closer union with the Master. Well, Hana, what promise does God make regarding Sabbath worship in heaven? In the book of Isaiah, chapter 66, verse 22 and 23, it says, for. SPEAKER D As the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says the Lord, so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord. SPEAKER C So it's not an experience that's going to end on this earth? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Will continue for eternity. SPEAKER D Yes. As we looked at in the Genesis and Exodus, it was from the creation. And even after this earth, like in heaven, we'll be worshipping God. SPEAKER C So it's eternity, it's an eternal blessing. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Wow, that is an amazing promise. Through the ceaseless ages of eternity, all flesh, the entire creation, will worship God in harmony. Each Sabbath can't imagine what the choir and the music will be like in heaven. If we're going to worship Him through all eternity, why not start worshiping Him now on the Sabbath and experience that joy? Jesus invites us to love Him with all our hearts and follow truth regardless of what others do. The book of Revelation calls us to worship Him as our Creator. The Sabbath message is part of God's urgent effort to prepare a people for earth's last hour. Pray that Jesus will fill your heart with love. Follow his example in worshipping him on the Bible Sabbath. Hana, it's interesting, there may be questions that arise in our minds about this, because this is quite shocking. I know when my mum discovered this as a young woman, she was quite shocked about it because she had been a faithful Sunday keeper. And surely how could this be correct when not many people seem to know about it? That is true at that time. But it's interesting that if we turn to the Holy Bible, the Bible does mention a number of texts that talk about the first day of the week, and I thought we could just have a look at those. But as we've looked at, the Sabbath was given to the entire human race at creation. We've had a look at that in our study. And the nations of Israel did not exist until the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, 2300 years after creation. So more than 100,000 Sabbaths were kept by faithful believers before the existence of the Jewish people. Wow, that's something to note. The Ten Commandments were written by God's own finger on tables of stone. Hana, would you mind reading for us before we look at the text in the New Testament about the first day of the week? Would you mind reading Exodus chapter 31 and verse 18? Sure. SPEAKER D And when he had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone written with the finger of God. SPEAKER C So to change God's law, one must have authority equal to God himself because he wrote them with his own finger. That's right, because God is an unchangeable. SPEAKER D God and it's written in stone. Stone cannot be really changed easily. SPEAKER C Absolutely not. That's so interesting. Now, there's only eight passages. Would you believe in the New Testament that talk of the first day of the week? So we want to have a look at those verses. And the first one will go to Matthew chapter 28 and verse one, because we're going to discover, to our surprise, that not one of these verses actually comment on the first day of the week in a positive way as a change of the Sabbath. SPEAKER D Matthew 28, verse one. Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to draw Mary Magdalene and the other, Mary came to see the tomb. SPEAKER C So it's giving a historical count an account of what happened, because, Hana, as you read before, that they could not anoint the body of Jesus on the Friday afternoon finish the task because the sun was setting. So they'd actually left the work to come back early on Sunday to finish anointing the body of Jesus to keep holy the Sabbath day. If you'd read for us. Mark 16 and verse two. And then verse nine. SPEAKER D Verse two. It says, Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week they came to tomb when the sun had risen. So this is Sunday morning, the first day of the week. SPEAKER C And then verse nine. SPEAKER D Now, when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seven demons. SPEAKER C So, Hana, is there any call to change the day or to call it a holy day? SPEAKER D No, he rose on the first day of the week. That's what happened. But it doesn't say that they changed it or any change was made. SPEAKER C Yes, correct. We did read Luke 24, verse one before, but perhaps we could read it again in this context. Luke 24 and verse one. SPEAKER D Now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb drinking the spices which they had prepared. SPEAKER C They're coming back to finish their task anointing the body of Jesus. What about John, chapter 20, verses one and verse 19? SPEAKER D John 20, verse one and 19, verse one. Now, the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. And verse 19, it says, Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be with you. SPEAKER C Very interesting. So on the first day of the week it's giving the historical account again of what happened and whom Jesus appeared to first. SPEAKER D Mary, Mary, Mary. SPEAKER C And then we have the disciples, but they are assembling. Why are they assembling? Are they assembling because there's been a change of day of worship? SPEAKER D No. SPEAKER C Looks like they were fearful of the. SPEAKER D Jews for the fear of the. SPEAKER C Possibly. I don't think they have accepted that Jesus has actually risen. They're afraid of what may happen to them and so they're assembling together. So it's nothing to do about worshipping God here. That's true. Or a change of day. Now, Hana, we've looked at the first six first day texts that speak of the resurrection of Jesus in these passages. And they are not commands of worship. They simply record the event. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Now, there are a couple of other verses and we'll just look at those quickly in Acts chapter 20 and verse seven. SPEAKER D Acts 20, verse seven. It says, now, the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. SPEAKER C Now, if we read on, Hana, in that passage, what happens at midnight? What happens during the night? SPEAKER D Oh, during the. Night. There's a guy who fell from the third story and he almost died. But he was raised by him. SPEAKER C Yes. So Paul, he raises this young man back to life, but as you read there earlier, it's a farewell meeting. SPEAKER D That's right. He was departing to somewhere yes. SPEAKER C That Paul had with the believers. And it's interesting, in some modern translations, it will actually read Saturday night. SPEAKER D Saturday night, yeah. SPEAKER C Because the biblical day begins at Friday sunset and ends Sabbath. Sunset. So after the sunset on the Sabbath begins the first day of the week. SPEAKER D Yeah, we often do that as well. SPEAKER C Now, there's another verse and our final verse, which is recorded in Corinthians one, Corinthians chapter 16 and verse two, it. SPEAKER D Says, on the first day of the week, let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper that there be no collections when I come. SPEAKER C Yes. So Paul's giving this counsel ahead of time as he comes through, because the Jews didn't handle money on the Sabbath, and especially during worship. And Paul's counsel here is demonstrating that the early Gentile, enduring Christians worshiped together on the Sabbath. Now, he was making a collection because in Jerusalem there was a famine and so their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem were in great need. So he's asking them to get their gift ready early in the week. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So when he came through, there would be no problems. And all believers are encouraged to take account of their prophets at home on this Sunday morning so that they'll be ready when Paul comes through to see them. So it's not a change of the Sabbath, it's not a holy day, it's preparing for the Sabbath, which is the 7th day Sabbath. SPEAKER D Yeah. I used to think that in a New Testament, it would be disciples worshipping on Sunday, but clearly not. SPEAKER C Haven't really found a verse that supports that. SPEAKER D No. SPEAKER C And that's all the verses that mention the first day of the week in the New Testament, there's been no change. The symbol, actually, for the resurrection is baptism. Baptism by immersion, not worship on the first day of the week, as mentioned in Romans, chapter six. SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER C Verses one through to six. SPEAKER D Yeah. Some people, I have heard that they worship on Sunday because Jesus has resurrected on Sunday. Well, the Bible doesn't support that. The symbol of the resurrection, if we want to circulate the resurrection, it is the baptism. It is through baptism, symbol of his. SPEAKER C Death, resurrection and unto new life. Yes. And for us, it's that full surrender and commitment, a new life in Christ. Yes, new life begins. Well, Hana, since Jesus is my Savior, my Lord and Master, I lovingly choose to obey Him by keeping his Sabbath holy. And I pray that those listening, that that may be your desire as well, to begin this wonderful experience of knowing your God, your Creator, and your redeemer through spending time with Him in worship on the Holy Sabbath Day. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Let's close in prayer our gracious, loving Father in Heaven, as you reveal to us you are our Creator, you are our Redeemer. You have set aside this cathedral of time, holy time, on the 7th day. A day that has been forgotten, but a day that you ask us to remember. And as we have been studying it together today, perhaps we have heard this for the first time, or perhaps we've heard this before, but we have sort of not been making time. But Lord, today I pray through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds that you will guide us, that we may experience the joy of worshipping you again, of experiencing that joy, of knowing you and experiencing the Sabbath blessing. Because, Lord, there is a blessing that You've bestowed upon the Sabbath that you long to bestow upon each one of us, to bring us into blessing, to bring us into rest, and to bring us into knowing you so that we may be made in Your image. Heavenly Father, bless all our listeners and may we be guided today in Jesus name, amen. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, thank you so much for joining us today. And I've really enjoyed this Bible study. Hana and we pray, Lord, that our listeners, too, have been blessed. May God be with you and go in peace. SPEAKER A Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And a light unto my path. You're the light unto my path. SPEAKER E If you have questions or comments about any of the programs you've heard, you can call three 3ABN Australia Radio within Australia on 024-97-3456, or from outside of Australia on Country Code 612-497-3456. Our email address is [email protected] that is radio at the number 3abnaustralia.org.au Our postal address is 3ABN, Australia, Inc. PO. Box seven five two. Morisset, New South Wales 2264, Australia thank you for your prayers and financial support. SPEAKER A In just six days, God made the world. He created everything you see and on the 7th day he rested and blessed and made it holy. It's about time to come aside from the worries of the world it's Sabbath night. Time to take a breath and let it all. Sabbath night. He said remember the Sabbath day. I gave you six days to do your work. Won't you spend the 7th with me? It's that time to spend regarding friends and family it's time to come before our King and worship Him. It's Sabbath night. SA truly bless it's Sabbath now the Sabbath is a special gift from God to you if I will know can't you hear your Savior saying I love you sabbath night. Sam. SPEAKER C That was Carly Fletcher singing It's Sabbath Now. And coming up next, Marlena Fong will sing this day. SPEAKER A Is for Child. Soon it will end and once it has vanished, it will not come again. So I just love with a love to before this day when it slips away not all our money can buy back this day. Don't pray that we might be a friend before this day is it will pass by so before it too late to recapture the time let us share love, let us share God before this day is for this day close SA. SPEAKER F Hi, I'm Merilyn, the two tip lady who loves to help make your life more simple. Have you ever actually watched how a mushroom appears? Do you know there are telltale signs that a juicy mushroom is about to spring up out of the ground? I didn't until very recently. We often see them when walking on juicy, damp grass after rain. But I've never noticed a mushroom emerge in the hard, dry dirt until the other day. This happened right outside our caravan in the unappealing looking sunbaked dirt. I heard a voice calling me, someone who loves to eat mushrooms and watches for the telltale signs in the dirt that I'd never known to even watch for. Someone who wanted to share their delight with me. Well, he showed me. First, a bubble appears in the dirt. Then it looks like the dirt forms a small lid. And it looks like the dirt lid is a cover over something special underneath. SPEAKER C And it jolly well is. SPEAKER F A gentle prodding and scraping of the dirt reveals a fully formed mushroom underneath. Not a toad stool? No, a real dinky die mushroom. I can hardly believe how it happens. So why is this so surprising to me? I'd never really thought about it. Mushrooms just, well, just appear, don't they? But if I had thought about it, I guess I could have imagined that a tiny shoot would appear. Then it would develop into something bigger and finally grow above the surface, somehow looking like a mushroom. And my imagination would have been all wrong. But the fascinating thing to me is that these mushrooms are fully formed underneath the surface of the ground. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER F Have you ever actually wondered how a thought surfaces? Yes. Just a simple thought. A thought that actually grows into reality. Well, a good book says in Proverbs 23 seven, for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. I remember a young friend, oh, many years ago, writing in my old fashioned autograph book, your path lies before you like a path of untrodden snow. Be careful how you tread it, Marilyn, for every mark will show. Perhaps I could re paraphrase it today, and I could say, thoughts deep in your heart are like mushrooms ready to grow. So be careful what you think, Marilyn, for every thought will show. So my two tips today are simple and will simplify your life if you take action. Tip number one. Watch for telltale signs of a thought that's about to break through the surface. This is how David watched. He said, search me, O God, and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Be observant, because thoughts have a tendency to manifest themselves as a physical reality. I can vouch for that. Look carefully into your heart and see if your thoughts and then the outgrowth of those thoughts actually will bring delight to others. Listen for God's voice alerting you to signs that a thought has been growing and is about to spring up. So what was it? Tip number one watch for telltale signs of a thought that's about to break through. Tip number two be another word. Only two words. Be patient. James tells us in James Five seven, to be patient. Therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord, behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until he received the early and latter rain. When life places you in a hard and dry place, choose to be patient, because a thought that's been quietly tucked away deep in your mind may have been silently growing into maturity beneath the surface for a long time. And perhaps the dry, hard conditions of your life have been just what was needed to make those thoughts mature and spring into life. So watch for telltale signs of a. SPEAKER C Thought that's about to break through. SPEAKER F And be patient while you think and wait. That's it today from the two tip lady who loves to help make your life more simple. SPEAKER C You have been listening to a production of Three ABN Australia radio.