It is with sadness that I report what many of you already know that Dr. Samuel Bachiocchi has died. Dr. Bacchiocchi was an interesting scholar, his writings were not confined to the libraries of the academically gifted, but was taken to common people. Certainly his writings were not "dumbed-down," but they were accessible to many.

I have the four volumes on the Sabbath in my library and refer to them often. Reading his book Divine Rest for Human Restlessness was the beginning of my thinking of the Sabbath along these theological lines. His book Advent hope for Human Restlessness and the book on Hal Lindsey's prophecies helped me to think about the end times in terms of more than just end time speculation and waiting for doomsday. I can't say that I always agreed with him, but I can say that I was always challenged by him to think Biblically and more deeply about the subject. My MP3 player right now has all of his available MP3s. I love to listen to his energy and enthusiasm.

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When one finds oneself in the depths of a temptation that is almost overpowering. And the enemy assails you, you ask Jesus for help. However when you ask Jesus for help you do it with a few things firmly in mind. First you ask for help knowing that Jesus Understands the plight of your soul for Jesus decided to place himself in the depths of human woe. It would have been an infinite humiliation for Jesus to come as Adam in the garden, but Jesus decided to take on the seed of Abraham so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest. (Hebrews 2:16-17).

Second you ask for help knowing that Jesus can help you in the problem you are dealing with. But more than taking on the seed of Abraham, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We can say with all assurance that Jesus Understand not just by omniscience, but by experience the depths of temptation for he was tempted and therefore he can be merciful and faithful (Hebrews 2:18).

So when temptation assails us, we can go to Jesus and call out to him. And when we call on Jesus, we can know we have a faithful and merciful High Priest listening. And that High Priest knows exactly how much strength is needed to overcome the temptation. That High Priest knows exactly how much grace we need. And thus we can boldy come to the throne of grace to obtain the mercy (Hebrews 4:16) that our brother (Jesus is not ashamed to call us Brethren Hebrews 2:11) will give us. And then after God gives us the grace that is needed to overcome, then Jesus puts on a little more extra grace for where sin abounds, grace much more abounds (Romans 5:20). And then we can sing the song with James Cleveland "Victory Shall be Mine."

I was reading Dr. Bacchiocchi's book The Sabbath in the New Testament: answers to questions. In the first chapter Dr. Bacchiochi presents three understandings of the Sabbath's relation to the New Testament which serves as a backdrop for this whole presentation.

Abrogation View

Certainly we as Sabbatarians have heard this view. The understanding is that the Sabbath of the Old Testament was removed at the cross of Jesus Christ. The view rests on the belief that there is a "radical discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments."

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So it is written in 2 Samuel 12:7. Nathan, the Prophet, had to inform King David that he was guilty of that very thing that incensed him when others did it. The other day I heard about a man who was obviously in the wrong and yet he accused his accusers of treating him incorrectly. While it is certainly possible that he was treated incorrectly on some level, it is amazing the ability of us human beings to notice slight wrong done by others and magnify that wrong, while at the same time minimize our own issues and problems.

Why Do We Hold Others to a Higher Standard?

What is it about us that makes many hold others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves? Part of it may be that we can rationalize our misdeeds because we know the full story. We know of our need for the money so we understand our taking it. We know we deserve the job for we cut corners to obtain it. We know we deserve the promotion so we do whatever it takes to get it including undermining others who we deem deserve it less...And yet at the same time, we don't use any such criteria to judge others.

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The website 1888 Most Precious Message has posted an article by E. J. Waggoner titled "The Object of the Sabbath." In it Dr. Waggoner makes the following statement:

The Sabbath is the memorial of creation, but redemption is creation. David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart." Psalm 51:1. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation," (Romans 1:16), and the power of God is seen only in the things that he has made. Verse 29. So the power of the gospel is the power that created the worlds. Therefore, the Sabbath, in commemoration of creation, makes known to man the power of God to save from sin. As it calls to remembrance the power of God as shown in the works of his hands, it reminds us of the words of the apostle: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

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A while ago I ran a poll asking what size church did you prefer. The majority chose a church between 1 and 350.

Interestingly the Adventist Review has a discussion of very small "house" churches. Many leaders see this as more in line with the Biblical idea of church than what the church is doing today.

Celebrating Consumption

Brad Cecil argues that many churches today are "celebrating the idea that people show up and consume their sermons, songs, and ministries." Cecil argues that consumption is not transformative. In contrast the smaller churches change people by building relationships.

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Exodus 16:21-26

To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD

It is sometimes argued that the Sabbath was instituted at Sinai, but here is unequivocal Biblical evidence that the Sabbath was instituted before the commandments were given. As we have noted, it was instituted at creation itself.

God rained a regular portion of bread from heaven on 5 days. The children of Israel were to gather it to eat, but on the 6th day they were to gather a double portion to experience on the 6th day and the 7th day. They were then to prepare for the 7th day. This was a day that they did not have to gather but simply enjoy the bread that was gathered and prepared on the 6th day.

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May God send you help from the sanctuary...Psalm 20:2

Psalm 20 is a prayer for God to help someone else. The writer states many petitions for the hearer like: May God answer you in your trouble, May God protect you, May God remember all of your offerings, and here, may God help you from the sanctuary. As I think about this the startling conclusion comes that the sanctuary is not normally thought of much at all,and when it is through of, it is not seen in the context of Help coming from there.

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On the Sabbath we are free to live in the coming Kingdom rather than being constrained by the current one. On that day we lay aside all that will stand in the way of living in the Kingdom of God. This will require knowledge of what the Kingdom of God truly is. To live in this day correctly one must contemplate God's intention for humanity and the world.

Genesis 2:1-3

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

The first chapter of Genesis provides a fitting backdrop for the institution of the Sabbath day. Here the scripture tells us that the containers were finished (heavens and the earth) and the inhabitants of the containers were finished (host of them). It is then that the Sabbath is created.

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