OBEDIENT SACRIFICE OR SINCERE IN DISOBEDIENCE

One Thusday, two co-workers were leaving work together and planned to get together on the weekend for lunch. The first (Bob) suggested Friday after work. "That's the Sabbath", the second (Jim) replied.

Jim: "Can we meet on Sunday?"

Bob: "That's my sabbath"

These two co-workers had known each other for a couple years, but never really explored the basis of each other's faith.

Jim asked: "Do you love the Lord?"

Bob: "Of course I do!"

Jim: "Do you believe that the scriptures are God's inspired word?"

Bob: "Without a Doubt!"

Jim: "Then let the Holy Spirit teach you through His word"

Jim pulled out a bible that he always carried with him and silently offered a pray to God for boldness, guidance and wisdom as he opened the scriptures to his co-worker.

Jim opened the scriptures so Bob could follow along and read from Exodus 20:8-11, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."


Then he turned to Genesis 1:1 which read, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," and read until Chapter 2:1-3, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made", where the Sabbath was first instituted. He emphasized that it was the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, not the Sabbath of the Israelites, not my Sabbath and not your Sabbath.


Jim took him to Mark 2:27 to show him who the Lord's Sabbath was made for.

Jim: "Why did the Lord say, "Remember the Sabbath" " in Exodus 20?

Noticing the puzzled look on Bob's face, Jim went back to Exodus 16: 11-31 where the Lord proved (tested) the children of Israel in regard to the Sabbath.

Seeing the excitement and interest on Bob's face, Jim forged on in faith to Exodus 31:16-18, then to Revelation 14:6,7. He then turned to Matthew 24:14-20 in the New Testiment and closed out with Isaiah 66:22,23 and 58:13,14 in the Old Testiment.

Praise God!!! Bob cried out, his voice trembling with excitement and emotion.

There was silence for a moment, before Bob continued, "Sunday still open?"

Jim replied with a smile, "Always has been"

As they got up to leave, Jim asked if he could offer a word of prayer for Bob, then two friends left work together.


Psalm 117:;1,2 - The truth of the Lord endureth for ever