A Final Thought
Richard L. George
vs
A Sabbath Test
Dear Friends,
As God's Church continues to grapple with the issue of dining out on the Sabbath, we at Blow the Trumpet would like to offer a final thought for you to ponder. It comes from a lesson conveyed by the Messiah when speaking to a prominent religious thinker of His day. This man was a lawyer and he would ultimately present a very interesting question to Jesus. The story is recorded in the gospel of Luke.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Lk. 10:25)
Jesus responds to this query by asking a question of His own. Knowing the scribe’s affinity for the law, the Messiah offers him an opportunity to share his wisdom.
He (Jesus) said unto him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it? (Lk. 10:26)
In essence Jesus was saying, “You’re the lawyer, what does the law say?” The scribe may have seen this question as no challenge at all, for his answer revealed a keen understanding of the scriptures and was filled with confidence and self-assurance.
And he (the scribe) answering said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” (Lk. 10:27)
Jesus responded by acknowledging the accuracy of the scribe’s answer, but left him with an unsettling admonition.
And He (Jesus) said unto him, “You have answered right: this do, and you shall live.” (Lk. 10: 28)
What would happen next carries a lesson that all of God's people today should carefully consider. Notice what Luke records.
But he, WILLING TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF, said unto Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Lk. 10:29)
We at Blow the Trumpet are absolutely convinced that this same mindset is at work in those who argue that restaurant personnel are not their servants. Because they desire to justify dining out on the Sabbath, they have made as issue out of what constitutes "your servant" as conveyed in the fourth commandment. The thinking being advanced is that because the command says I may not compel "my servant" from laboring on my behalf on the Sabbath, I must be able to compel someone else's servant to labor on my behalf.
But how would Jesus weigh in on this point? What would the Savior of the world say if asked: Who is my servant? Based on His definition of the word "neighbor" in the parable of The Good Samaritan, we believe the answer is obvious. Just as the Messiah instructed the lawyer (and by extension us) to be a brother to all who are in need, the fourth commandment tells us that we should also be considerate of all who serve. That consideration requires that we should not give an order to labor on our behalf on this day--whether it be to one totally under our control or not.
While some may argue that the term "servant" has a narrow precise meaning that does not apply to their situation, we believe God sees it quite differently. "Your servant" is one who labors for your benefit. The only way restaurant personnel are not performing that role, at least in part, is if you are not benefiting from the work they perform. There is only one way that could happen. You would have to be somewhere else.
The point Jesus, as the God of the Old Testament, was making when giving the fourth commandment was that labor profaned the seventh day. Therefore, it was not to be done by God's people or for God's people, unless specifically directed by God Himself, as in the case of Levites.
Whether one wishes to believe it or not, those who work in restaurants on the Sabbath are engaged in profane labor for the customers they serve. The question for God's people today is: Will we allow it to be done for us? The authors of A Sabbath Test answer this question one way, Richard George answers it another.
Finally, we at Blow the Trumpet firmly believe that this issue can be resolved by sincerely seeking God's will in this matter. Furthermore, we are absolutely convinced that the authors of A Sabbath Test did just that.
In closing, we offer words from this remarkable book. They proclaim a powerful truth about a wonderful day God set apart at the very beginning. That day is holy and deserves the unqualified respect of God's people.
"The Sabbath is also a sign. A sign gives people important information. It directs individuals to something or some place. The Sabbath is a sign from God directing man toward Him and His Kingdom (Heb. 4:4-9).
However, the Sabbath points both ways. While it is a sign to us identifying who the Creator is, it is also a sign to God that identifies who His people are. Through it, the Great Creator of heaven and earth not only sees WHO keeps His Sabbath, He sees the WAY in which it is kept. Our conduct on the Sabbath is a sign to Him. It reveals the degree of our love and dedication to His way. To see it as anything else is a great mistake.
The Sabbath is a sign, a test, if you will. It is God’s indicator of whether we will walk under His authority or not (Ex. 16:4). The way we honor the Sabbath is our declaration to God that we yield to that authority. The Sabbath is a GREAT TEST." (A Sabbath Test pp 63-64)
WILL YOU PASS IT?
Respectfully,
Blow the Trumpet