This is the third podcast/sermon in a series on the Ten Commandments. Today we are looking at the 3rd Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.  Sabbath is a pretty big deal in the Bible, so we’ll start with exploring what the Sabbath is and why God gives it to us. We’ll take a look at the Small Catechism, too. And then we’ll consider what Sabbath-keeping means for us today—including what COVID-19 is teaching us about work and sabbath rest. There will be some takeaways, and there is a FAITH5 handout as well as Small Catechism resources available at our website, www.faithshelton.org. 

Third Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11)

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Third Commandment (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, [as the Lord your God has commanded you]. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor [your ox, your donkey or] any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, [so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do]. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

The Third Commandment (Small Catechism)

Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

What does this mean?

We are to fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching or God’s word, but instead keep that word holy and gladly hear and learn it.

Bonus: I highly recommend a book entitled: Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives, by Wayne Muller (Bantam, 2000).