“For this reason He(Jesus) had chosen the Sabbath upon
which to perform the act of healing at Bethesda....Jesus stated to them
that the work of relieving the afflicted was in harmony with the Sabbath
law...And man also has a work to perform on this day. The necessities of
life must be attended to, the sick must be cared for, the wants of the
needy must be supplied. He will not be held guiltless who neglects to
relieve suffering on the Sabbath. God's holy rest day was made for man, and
acts of mercy are in perfect harmony with its intent. God does not desire
His creatures to suffer an hour's pain that may be relieved upon the
Sabbath or any other day. {DA 207.1}
"Practical work will have far more effect than mere sermonizing.
We are to give food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and shelter to
the homeless. And we are called to do more than this....our hearts will be
full of divine sympathy...{COL 417.4}
Chap. 71 - How Shall We keep the
Sabbath?
God is merciful. His
requirements are reasonable, in accordance with the goodness and
benevolence of His character. The object of the Sabbath was that all
mankind might be benefited. Man was not made to fit the Sabbath; for the
Sabbath was made after the creation of man, to meet his necessities. After
God had made the world in six days, He rested and sanctified and blessed
the day upon which He rested from all
583
His work which He had created and made. He set apart that special day
for man to rest from his labor, that, as he should look upon the earth
beneath and the heavens above, he might reflect that God made all these in
six days and rested upon the seventh; and that, as he should behold the
tangible proofs of God's infinite wisdom, his heart might be filled with
love and reverence for his Maker. {2T 582.3}
In order to keep the
Sabbath holy, it is not necessary that we enclose ourselves in walls, shut
away from the beautiful scenes of nature and from the free, invigorating air
of heaven. We should in no case allow burdens and business transactions to
divert our minds upon the Sabbath of the Lord, which He has sanctified. We
should not allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character
even. But the mind cannot be refreshed, enlivened, and elevated by being
confined nearly all the Sabbath hours within walls, listening to long
sermons and tedious, formal prayers. The Sabbath of the Lord is put to a
wrong use if thus celebrated. The object for which it was instituted is not
attained. The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him by calling
his mind from secular labor to contemplate the goodness and glory of God.
It is necessary that the people of God assemble to talk of Him, to
interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in His
word, and to devote a portion of time to appropriate prayer. But these
seasons, even upon the Sabbath, should not be made tedious by their length
and lack of interest. {2T 583.1}
During a portion of the
day, all should have an opportunity to be out of doors. How can children
receive a more correct knowledge of God, and their minds be better
impressed, than in spending a portion of their time out of doors, not in
play, but in company with their parents? Let their young minds be
associated with God in the beautiful scenery of nature, let their attention
be called to the tokens of His love to man in
584
His created works, and they will be attracted and interested. They
will not be in danger of associating the character of God with everything
that is stern and severe; but as they view the beautiful things which He
has created for the happiness of man, they will be led to regard Him as a
tender, loving Father. They will see that His prohibitions and injunctions
are not made merely to show His power and authority, but that He has the
happiness of His children in view. As the character of God puts on the
aspect of love, benevolence, beauty, and attraction, they are drawn to love
Him. You can direct their minds to the lovely birds making the air musical
with their happy songs, to the spires of grass, and the gloriously tinted
flowers in their perfection perfuming the air. All these proclaim the love
and skill of the heavenly Artist, and show forth the glory of God. {2T
583.2}
Parents, why not make use
of the precious lessons which God has given us in the book of nature, to
give our children a correct idea of His character? Those who sacrifice
simplicity to fashion, and shut themselves away from the beauties of
nature, cannot be spiritually minded. They cannot understand the skill and
power of God as revealed in His created works; therefore their hearts do
not quicken and throb with new love and interest, and they are not filled
with awe and reverence as they see God in nature. {2T 584.1}
All who love God should do
what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They
cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden
amusements. Yet they can do much to exalt the Sabbath in their families and
make it the most interesting day of the week. We should devote time to
interesting our children. A change will have a happy influence upon them.
We can walk out with them in the open air; we can sit with them in the
groves and in the bright sunshine, and give their restless minds
585
something to feed upon by conversing with them upon the works of God,
and can inspire them with love and reverence by calling their attention to
the beautiful objects in nature. {2T 584.2}
The Sabbath should be made
so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with
joy. In no better way can parents exalt and honor the Sabbath than by
devising means to impart proper instruction to their families and
interesting them in spiritual things, giving them correct views of the
character of God and what He requires of us in order to perfect Christian
characters and attain to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight,
that your children may look forward to it and have a welcome in their
hearts for it {2T 585.1}.
The Observance of the Sabbath
Great blessings are
enfolded in the observance of the Sabbath, and God desires that the Sabbath
day shall be to us a day of joy. There was joy at the institution of the
Sabbath. God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All
things that He had made He pronounced "very good." Genesis 1:31.
Heaven and earth were filled with rejoicing. "The morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7. Though
sin has entered the world to mar His perfect work, God still gives to us
the Sabbath as a witness that One omnipotent, infinite in goodness and
mercy, created all things. Our heavenly Father desires through the
observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He
desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and
living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace. {6T
349.1}
When the Lord delivered
His people Israel from Egypt and committed to them His law, He taught them
that by the observance of the Sabbath they were to be distinguished from
idolaters. It was this that made the distinction between those who
acknowledge the sovereignty of God and those who refuse to accept Him as
their Creator and King. "It is a sign between Me and the children of
Israel forever," the Lord said. "Wherefore the children of Israel
shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations,
for a perpetual covenant." Exodus 31:17, 16. {6T 349.2}
As the Sabbath was the
sign that distinguished Israel when they came out of Egypt to enter the
earthly Canaan, so it is the sign that now distinguishes God's people as
they come out from the world to enter the heavenly rest. The Sabbath is a
sign of the relationship existing
350
between God and His people, a sign that they honor His law. It
distinguishes between His loyal subjects and transgressors. {6T 349.3}
From the pillar of cloud
Christ declared concerning the Sabbath: "Verily My Sabbaths ye shall
keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that
ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." Exodus 31:13.
The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also
the sign of Him as the Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the
power that re-creates the soul in His own likeness. To those who keep holy
the Sabbath day it is the sign of sanctification. True sanctification is
harmony with God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through
obedience to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And
the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the
fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through
obedience. {6T 350.1}
To us as to Israel the
Sabbath is given "for a perpetual covenant." To those who
reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes them as
His chosen people. It is a pledge that He will fulfill to them His
covenant. Every soul who accepts the sign of God's government places
himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He fastens himself to the
golden chain of obedience, every link of which is a promise. {6T 350.2}
The fourth commandment
alone of all the ten contains the seal of the great Lawgiver, the Creator
of the heavens and the earth. Those who obey this commandment take upon
themselves His name, and all the blessings it involves are theirs.
"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his
sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying
unto them,
351
"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put My Name upon the children of Israel;
And I will bless them." Numbers 6:22-27. {6T 350.3}
Through Moses was given
also the promise: "The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto
Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of
the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall
see that thou art called by the name of the Lord. . . . And the Lord shall
make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and
thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of
the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do
them." Deuteronomy 28:9-13. {6T 351.1}
The psalmist, speaking by
the Holy Spirit, says:
"O, come, let us sing
unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful
noise to the Rock of our salvation. . . .
For the Lord is a great
God,
And a great King above
all gods.
In His hand are the deep
places of the earth:
The strength of the hills
is His also.
The sea is His, and He
made it:
And His hands formed the
dry land.
O come let us worship and
bow down:
Let us kneel before the
Lord our Maker.
For He is our God."
"It is He that hath
made us, and we are His;
We are His people, and
the sheep of His pasture."
Psalms 95:1-7; 100:3, R.V. {6T 351.2}
These promises given to
Israel are also for God's people today. They are the messages which the
Sabbath brings to us. {6T 351.3}
Reform in Sabbath
Observance
The Sabbath is a golden
clasp that unites God and His people. But the Sabbath command has been
broken. God's holy day has been desecrated. The Sabbath has
352
been torn from its place by the man of sin, and a common working day
has been exalted in its stead. A breach has been made in the law, and this
breach is to be repaired. The true Sabbath is to be exalted to its rightful
position as God's rest day. In the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah is
outlined the work which God's people are to do. They are to magnify the law
and make it honorable, to build up the old waste places, and to raise up
the foundations of many generations. To those who do this work God says:
"Thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of
paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing
thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of
the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou
delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high
places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father:
for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Verses 12-14. {6T 351.4}
The Sabbath question is to
be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a
part. Men have honored Satan's principles above the principles that rule in
the heavens. They have accepted the spurious sabbath, which Satan has
exalted as the sign of his authority. But God has set His seal upon His
royal requirement. Each sabbath institution bears the name of its author,
an ineffaceable mark that shows the authority of each. It is our work to
lead the people to understand this. We are to show them that it is of vital
consequence whether they bear the mark of God's kingdom or the mark of the
kingdom of rebellion, for they acknowledge themselves subjects of the
kingdom whose mark they bear. God has called us to uplift the standard of
His downtrodden Sabbath. How important, then,
353
that our example in Sabbathkeeping should be right. {6T 352.1}
In establishing new churches, ministers
should give careful instruction as to the proper observance of the Sabbath.
We must be guarded, lest the lax practices that prevail among Sundaykeepers
shall be followed by those who profess to observe God's holy rest day. The
line of demarcation is to be made clear and distinct between those who bear
the mark of God's kingdom and those who bear the sign of the kingdom of
rebellion. {6T 353.1}
Far more sacredness is
attached to the Sabbath than is given it by many professed Sabbathkeepers.
The Lord has been greatly dishonored by those who have not kept the Sabbath
according to the commandment, either in the letter or in the spirit. He
calls for a reform in the observance of the Sabbath. {6T 353.2}
Preparation for the
Sabbath
At the very beginning of
the fourth commandment the Lord said: "Remember." He knew that
amid the multitude of cares and perplexities man would be tempted to excuse
himself from meeting the full requirement of the law, or would forget its
sacred importance. Therefore He said: "Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy." Exodus 20:8. {6T 353.3}
All through the week we
are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it
according to the commandment. We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a
legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the
transactions of life. All who regard the Sabbath as a sign between them and
God, showing that He is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the
principles of His government. They will bring into daily practice the laws
of His kingdom. Daily it will be their prayer that the sanctification of
the Sabbath may rest upon them. Every day they will have
354
the companionship of Christ and will exemplify the perfection of His
character. Every day their light will shine forth to others in good works.
{6T 353.4}
In all that pertains to
the success of God's work, the very first victories are to be won in the
home life. Here the preparation for the Sabbath must begin. Throughout the
week let parents remember that their home is to be a school in which their
children shall be prepared for the courts above. Let their words be right
words. No words which their children should not hear are to escape their
lips. Let the spirit be kept free from irritation. Parents, during the week
live as in the sight of a holy God, who has given you children to train for
Him. Train for Him the little church in your home, that on the Sabbath all
may be prepared to worship in the Lord's sanctuary. Each morning and
evening present your children to God as His blood-bought heritage. Teach
them that it is their highest duty and privilege to love and serve God. {6T
354.1}
Parents should be
particular to make the worship of God an object lesson for their children.
Passages of Scripture should be more often on their lips, especially those
passages that prepare the heart for religious service. The precious words
might well be often repeated: "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for
my expectation is from Him." Psalm 62:5. {6T 354.2}
When the Sabbath is thus
remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the
spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the
Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal
labor that on the day when the Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be
too weary to engage in His service. {6T 354.3}
While preparation for the
Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special
preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of
355
Israel: "Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord:
bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and
that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the
morning." "And the people went about, and gathered it [the
manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in
pans, and made cakes of it." Exodus 16:23; Numbers 11:8. There was
something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of
Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the
preparation day. This was a test to them. God desired to see whether or not
they would keep the Sabbath holy. {6T 354.4}
This direction from the
lips of Jehovah is for our instruction. The Bible is a perfect guide, and
if its pages are prayerfully studied by hearts willing to understand, none
need err upon this question. {6T 355.1}
Many need instruction as
to how they should appear in the assembly for worship on the Sabbath. They
are not to enter the presence of God in the common clothing worn during the
week. All should have a special Sabbath suit, to be worn when attending
service in God's house. While we should not conform to worldly fashions, we
are not to be indifferent in regard to our outward appearance. We are to be
neat and trim, though without adornment. The children of God should be pure
within and without. {6T 355.2}
On Friday let the
preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in
readiness and that all the cooking is done. Let the boots be blacked and
the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If you make it a rule you
can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to
the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly
employment. Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid
aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents,
356
explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them
share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.
{6T 355.3}
We should jealously guard
the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy
time. Whenever it is possible, employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon until
the beginning of the Sabbath. Give them time for preparation, that they may
welcome the Lord's day with quietness of mind. By such a course you will
suffer no loss even in temporal things. {6T 356.1}
There is another work that
should receive attention on the preparation day. On this day all
differences between brethren, whether in the family or in the church,
should be put away. Let all bitterness and wrath and malice be expelled
from the soul. In a humble spirit, "confess your faults one to
another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." James 5:16.
{6T 356.2}
Before the Sabbath begins,
the mind as well as the body should be withdrawn from worldly business. God
has set His Sabbath at the end of the six working days, that men may stop
and consider what they have gained during the week in preparation for the
pure kingdom which admits no transgressor. We should each Sabbath reckon
with our souls to see whether the week that has ended has brought spiritual
gain or loss. {6T 356.3}
It means eternal salvation
to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord. God says: "Them that honor Me
I will honor." 1 Samuel 2:30. {6T 356.4}
The Sabbath in the
Home
Before the setting of the
sun let the members of the family assemble to read God's word, to sing and
pray. There is need of reform here, for many have been remiss. We need to
confess to God and to one another.
357
We should begin anew to make special arrangements that every member
of the family may be prepared to honor the day which God has blessed and
sanctified. {6T 356.5}
Let not the precious hours
of the Sabbath be wasted in bed. On Sabbath morning the family should be
astir early. If they rise late, there is confusion and bustle in preparing
for breakfast and Sabbath school. There is hurrying, jostling, and
impatience. Thus unholy feelings come into the home. The Sabbath, thus
desecrated, becomes a weariness, and its coming is dreaded rather than
loved. {6T 357.1}
We should not provide for
the Sabbath a more liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for
other days. Instead of this the food should be more simple, and less should
be eaten, in order that the mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend
spiritual things. Overeating befogs the brain. The most precious words may
be heard and not appreciated, because the mind is confused by an improper
diet. By overeating on the Sabbath, many have done more than they think to
dishonor God. {6T 357.2}
While cooking upon the
Sabbath should be avoided, it is not necessary to eat cold food. In cold
weather let the food prepared the day before be heated. And let the meals,
though simple, be palatable and attractive. Provide something that will be
regarded as a treat, something the family do not have every day. {6T 357.3}
At family worship let the
children take a part. Let all bring their Bibles and each read a verse or
two. Then let some familiar hymn be sung, followed by prayer. For this,
Christ has given a model. The Lord's Prayer was not intended to be repeated
merely as a form, but it is an illustration of what our prayers should
be--simple, earnest, and comprehensive. In a simple petition tell the Lord
your needs and express gratitude for His mercies. Thus you invite Jesus as
a welcome guest into your home
358
and heart. In the family long prayers concerning remote objects are
not in place. They make the hour of prayer a weariness, when it should be
regarded as a privilege and blessing. Make the season one of interest and
joy. {6T 357.4}
The Sabbath school and the
meeting for worship occupy only a part of the Sabbath. The portion
remaining to the family may be made the most sacred and precious season of
all the Sabbath hours. Much of this time parents should spend with their
children. In many families the younger children are left to themselves to
find entertainment as best they can. Left alone, the children soon be come
restless and begin to play or engage in some kind of mischief. Thus the
Sabbath has to them no sacred significance. {6T 358.1}
In pleasant weather let
parents walk with their children in the fields and groves. Amid the
beautiful things of nature tell them the reason for the institution of the
Sabbath. Describe to them God's great work of creation. Tell them that when
the earth came from His hand, it was holy and beautiful. Every flower,
every shrub, every tree, answered the purpose of its Creator. Everything
upon which the eye rested was lovely and filled the mind with thoughts of
the love of God. Every sound was music in harmony with the voice of God.
Show that it was sin which marred God's perfect work; that thorns and
thistles, sorrow and pain and death, are all the result of disobedience to
God. Bid them see how the earth, though marred with the curse of sin, still
reveals God's goodness. The green fields, the lofty trees, the glad
sunshine, the clouds, the dew, the solemn stillness of the night, the glory
of the starry heavens, and the moon in its beauty all bear witness of the
Creator. Not a drop of rain falls, not a ray of light is shed on our
unthankful world, but it testifies to the forbearance and love of God. {6T
358.2}
Tell them of the way of
salvation; how "God so loved
359
the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John
3:16. Let the sweet story of Bethlehem be repeated. Present before the children
Jesus, as a child obedient to His parents, as a youth faithful and
industrious, helping to support the family. Thus you can teach them that
the Saviour knows the trials, perplexities, and temptations, the hopes and
joys, of the young, and that He can give them sympathy and help. From time
to time read with them the interesting stories in Bible history. Question
as to what they have learned in the Sabbath school, and study with them the
next Sabbath's lesson. {6T 358.3}
As the sun goes down, let
the voice of prayer and the hymn of praise mark the close of the sacred
hours and invite God's presence through the cares of the week of labor. {6T
359.1}
Thus parents can make the
Sabbath, as it should be, the most joyful day of the week. They can lead
their children to regard it as a delight, the day of days, the holy of the
Lord, honorable. {6T 359.2}
I counsel you, my brethren
and sisters: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." If you
desire your children to observe the Sabbath according to the commandment,
you must teach them by both precept and example. The deep engraving of
truth in the heart is never wholly effaced. It may be obscured, but can
never be obliterated. The impressions made in early life will be seen in
afteryears. Circumstances may occur to separate the children from their
parents and their home, but as long as they live the instruction given in
childhood and youth will be a blessing. {6T 359.3}
Traveling on the
Sabbath
If we desire the blessing
promised to the obedient, we must observe the Sabbath more strictly. I fear
that we
360
often travel on this day when it might be avoided. In harmony with
the light which the Lord has given in regard to the observance of the
Sabbath, we should be more careful about traveling on the boats or cars on
this day. In these matters we should set a right example before our
children and youth. In order to reach the churches that need our help, and
to give them the message that God desires them to hear, it may be necessary
for us to travel on the Sabbath; but so far as possible we should secure
our tickets and make all necessary arrangements on some other day. When
starting on a journey we should make every possible effort to plan so as to
avoid reaching our destination on the Sabbath. {6T 359.4}
When compelled to travel
on the Sabbath we should try to avoid the company of those who would draw
our attention to worldly things. We should keep our minds stayed upon God
and commune with Him. Whenever there is opportunity we should speak to
others in regard to the truth. We should always be ready to relieve
suffering and to help those in need. In such cases God desires that the
knowledge and wisdom He has given us should be put to use. But we should
not talk about matters of business or engage in any common, worldly
conversation. At all times and in all places God requires us to prove our
loyalty to Him by honoring the Sabbath. {6T 360.1}
Sabbath Meetings
Christ has said:
"Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in
the midst of them." Matthew 18:20. Wherever there are as many as two
or three believers, let them meet together on the Sabbath to claim the
Lord's promise. {6T 360.2}
The little companies
assembled to worship God on His holy day have a right to claim the rich
blessing of Jehovah. They should believe that the Lord Jesus is
361
an honored guest in their assemblies. Every true worshiper who keeps
holy the Sabbath should claim the promise: "That ye may know that I am
the Lord that doth sanctify you." Exodus 31:13. {6T 360.3}
The preaching at our
Sabbath meetings should generally be short. Opportunity should be given for
those who love God to express their gratitude and adoration. {6T 361.1}
When the church is without
a minister, someone should be appointed as leader of the meeting. But it is
not necessary for him to preach a sermon or to occupy a large part of the
time of service. A short, interesting Bible reading will often be of
greater benefit than a sermon. And this can be followed by a meeting for
prayer and testimony. {6T 361.2}
Those who occupy a leading
position in the church should not exhaust their physical and mental
strength through the week so that on the Sabbath they are unable to bring
the vivifying influence of the gospel of Christ into the meeting. Do less
temporal, everyday labor, but do not rob God by giving Him, on the Sabbath,
service which He cannot accept. You should not be as men who have no
spiritual life. The people need your help on the Sabbath. Give them food
from the word. Bring your choicest gifts to God on His holy day. Let the
precious life of the soul be given to Him in consecrated service. {6T
361.3}
Let none come to the place
of worship to take a nap. There should be no sleeping in the house of God.
You do not fall asleep when engaged in your temporal business, because you
have an interest in your work. Shall we allow the service which involves
eternal interests to be placed on a lower level than the temporal affairs
of life? {6T 361.4}
When we do this we miss
the blessing which the Lord designs us to have. The Sabbath is not to be a
day of useless idleness. Both in the home and in the church
362
a spirit of service is to be manifested. He who gave us six days for
our temporal work has blessed and sanctified the seventh day and set it
apart for Himself. On this day He will in a special manner bless all who
consecrate themselves to His service. {6T 361.5}
All heaven is keeping the
Sabbath, but not in a listless, do-nothing way. On this day every energy of
the soul should be awake, for are we not to meet with God and with Christ
our Saviour? We may behold Him by faith. He is longing to refresh and bless
every soul. {6T 362.1}
Everyone should feel that
he has a part to act in making the Sabbath meetings interesting. You are
not to come together simply as a matter of form, but for the interchange of
thought, for the relation of your daily experiences, for the expression of
thanksgiving, for the utterance of your sincere desire for divine
enlightenment, that you may know God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.
Communing together in regard to Christ will strengthen the soul for life's
trials and conflicts. Never think that you can be Christians and yet
withdraw yourselves within yourselves. Each one is a part of the great web
of humanity, and the experience of each will be largely determined by the
experience of his associates. {6T 362.2}
We do not obtain a
hundredth part of the blessing we should obtain from assembling together to
worship God. Our perceptive faculties need sharpening. Fellowship with one
another should make us glad. With such a hope as we have, why are not our
hearts all aglow with the love of God? {6T 362.3}
We must carry to every
religious gathering a quickened spiritual consciousness that God and His
angels are there, co-operating with all true worshipers. As you enter the
place of worship, ask the Lord to remove all evil from your heart. Bring to
His house only that which He can bless. Kneel before God in His temple, and
consecrate to
363
Him His own, which He has purchased with the blood of Christ. Pray
for the speaker or the leader of the meeting. Pray that great blessing may
come through the one who is to hold forth the word of life. Strive
earnestly to lay hold of a blessing for yourself. {6T 362.4}
God will bless all who
thus prepare themselves for His service. They will understand what it means
to have the assurance of the Spirit because they have received Christ by
faith. {6T 363.1}
The place of worship may
be very humble, but it is no less acknowledged by God. To those who worship
God in spirit and in truth and in the beauty of holiness it will be as the
gate of heaven. The company of believers may be few in number, but in God's
sight they are very precious. By the cleaver of truth they have been taken
as rough stones from the quarry of the world and have been brought into the
workshop of God to be hewed and shaped. But even in the rough they are
precious in the sight of God. The ax, the hammer, and the chisel of trial
are in the hands of One who is skillful; they are used, not to destroy, but
to work out the perfection of every soul. As precious stones, polished
after the similitude of a palace, God designs us to find a place in the
heavenly temple. {6T 363.2}
God's appointments and
grants in our behalf are without limit. The throne of grace is itself the
highest attraction because occupied by One who permits us to call Him
Father. But God did not deem the principle of salvation complete while
invested only with His own love. By His appointment He has placed at His
altar an Advocate clothed with our nature. As our Intercessor, His office
work is to introduce us to God as His sons and daughters. Christ intercedes
in behalf of those who have received Him. To them He gives power, by virtue
of His own merits, to become members of the royal family,
364
children of the heavenly King. And the Father demonstrates His
infinite love for Christ, who paid our ransom with His blood, by receiving
and welcoming Christ's friends as His friends. He is satisfied with the
atonement made. He is glorified by the incarnation, the life, death, and
mediation of His Son. {6T 363.3}
No sooner does the child
of God approach the mercy seat than he becomes the client of the great
Advocate. At his first utterance of penitence and appeal for pardon Christ
espouses his case and makes it His own, presenting the supplication before
the Father as His own request. {6T 364.1}
As Christ intercedes in
our behalf, the Father lays open all the treasures of His grace for our
appropriation, to be enjoyed and to be communicated to others. "Ask in
My name," "Christ says; "I do not say that I will pray the
Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved Me. Make use of My
name. This will give your prayers efficiency, and the Father will give you
the riches of His grace; wherefore, 'ask, and ye shall receive, that your
joy may be full."' John 16:24. {6T 364.2}
God desires His obedient
children to claim His blessing and to come before Him with praise and
thanksgiving. God is the Fountain of life and power. He can make the
wilderness a fruitful field for the people that keep His commandments, for
this is for the glory of His name. He has done for His chosen people that
which should inspire every heart with thanksgiving, and it grieves Him that
so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression from
His people, showing that they know they have reason for joy and gladness.
{6T 364.3}
The dealings of God with
His people should be often repeated. How frequently were the waymarks set
up by the Lord in His dealings with ancient Israel! Lest they should forget
the history of the past, He commanded Moses to frame these events into
song, that parents might
365
teach them to their children. They were to gather up memorials and to
lay them up in sight. Special pains were taken to preserve them, that when
the children should inquire concerning these things, the whole story might
be repeated. Thus the providential dealings and the marked goodness and
mercy of God in His care and deliverance of His people were kept in mind.
We are exhorted to call to "remembrance the former days, in which,
after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions."
Hebrews 10:32. For His people in this generation the Lord has wrought as a
wonder-working God. The past history of the cause of God needs to be often
brought before the people, young and old. We need often to recount God's
goodness and to praise Him for His wonderful works. {6T 364.4}
While we are exhorted not
to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, these assemblies are not
to be merely for our own refreshing. We are to be inspired with greater
zeal to impart the consolation we have received. It is our duty to be very
jealous for the glory of God and to bring no evil report, even by the
sadness of the countenance or by ill-advised words, as if the requirements
of God were a restriction upon our liberty. Even in this world of sorrow,
disappointment, and sin the Lord desires us to be cheerful, and strong in
His strength. The whole person is privileged to bear a decided testimony in
every line. In features, in temper, in words, in character, we are to
witness that the service of God is good. Thus we proclaim that "the
law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Psalm 19:7. {6T
365.1}
The bright and cheerful
side of our religion will be represented by all who are daily consecrated
to God. We should not dishonor God by the mournful relation of trials that
appear grievous. All trials that are received as educators will produce
joy. The whole religious life will
366
be uplifting, elevating, ennobling, fragrant with good words and
works. The enemy is well pleased to have souls depressed, downcast,
mourning and groaning; he wants just such impressions made as to the effect
of our faith. But God designs that the mind shall take no low level. He
desires every soul to triumph in the keeping power of the Redeemer. The
psalmist says: "Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord
glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness." I will extol Thee, O Lord; for
Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O
Lord my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. . . . Sing unto
the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His
holiness." Psalms 29:1, 2; 30:1-4. {6T 365.2}
The church of God below is
one with the church of God above. Believers on the earth and the beings in
heaven who have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly
intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on earth
meet to worship God. In the inner court of heaven they listen to the
testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer court on earth, and the
praise and thanksgiving from the worshipers below is taken up in the
heavenly anthem, and praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts
because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam. While
angels drink from the fountainhead, the saints on earth drink of the pure
streams flowing from the throne, the streams that make glad the city of our
God. Oh, that we could all realize the nearness of heaven to earth! When
the earthborn children know it not, they have angels of light as their
companions. A silent witness guards every soul that lives, seeking to draw
that soul to Christ. As long as there is hope, until men resist the Holy
Spirit to
367
their eternal ruin, they are guarded by heavenly intelligences. Let
us all bear in mind that in every assembly of the saints below are angels
of God, listening to the testimonies, songs, and prayers. Let us remember
that our praises are supplemented by the choirs of the angelic host above.
{6T 366.1}
Then as you meet from
Sabbath to Sabbath, sing praises to Him who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light. "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from
our sins in His own blood" let the heart's adoration be given. Let the
love of Christ be the burden of the speaker's utterance. Let it be
expressed in simple language in every song of praise. Let the inspiration
of the Spirit of God dictate your prayers. As the word of life is spoken,
let your heartfelt response testify that you receive the message as from
heaven. This is very old-fashioned, I know; but it will be a thank offering
to God for the bread of life given to the hungry soul. This response to the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit will be a strength to your own soul and an
encouragement to others. It will give some evidence that there are in God's
building living stones that emit light. {6T 367.1}
While we review, not the
dark chapters in our experience, but the manifestations of God's great
mercy and unfailing love, we shall praise far more than complain. We shall
talk of the loving faithfulness of God as the true, tender, compassionate
shepherd of His flock, which He has declared that none shall pluck out of
His hand. The language of the heart will not be selfish murmuring and
repining. Praise, like clear-flowing streams, will come from God's truly
believing ones. "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Thou shalt
guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I
in heaven but Thee? and there
368
is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." Psalms 23:6;
73:24, 25. {6T 367.2}
Why not awake the voice of
our spiritual songs in the travels of our pilgrimage? Why not come back to
our simplicity and life of fervor? The reason why we are not more joyful is
that we have lost our first love. Let us then be zealous and repent, lest
the candlestick be moved out of its place. {6T 368.1}
The temple of God is
opened in heaven, and the threshold is flushed with the glory which is for
every church that will love God and keep His commandments. We need to
study, to meditate, and to pray. Then we shall have spiritual eyesight to
discern the inner courts of the celestial temple. We shall catch the themes
of song and thanksgiving of the heavenly choir round about the throne. When
Zion shall arise and shine, her light will be most penetrating, and
precious songs of praise and thanksgiving will be heard in the assemblies
of the saints. Murmuring and complaining over little disappointments and
difficulties will cease. As we apply the golden eyesalve we shall see the
glories beyond. Faith will cut through the heavy shadow of Satan, and we
shall see our Advocate offering up the incense of His own merits in our
behalf. When we see this as it is, as the Lord desires us to see it, we
shall be filled with a sense of the immensity and diversity of the love of
God. {6T 368.2}
God teaches that we should
assemble in His house to cultivate the attributes of perfect love. This
will fit the dwellers of earth for the mansions that Christ has gone to
prepare for all who love Him. There they will assemble in the sanctuary
from Sabbath to Sabbath, from one new moon to another, to unite in loftiest
strains of song, in praise and thanksgiving to Him who sits upon the
throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
|