Mark Finley

HopeLives365

History Records the Moment The Sabbath Changed

There is a question that refuses to go away.

What day did the earliest Christians actually keep holy?

Few questions stir more passion and more confusion than the Sabbath.

Now the Old Testament is particularly clear.

The seventh day of the week is the Bible Sabbath, given at creation, kept through the whole Old Testament.

What did Jesus teach regarding the Sabbath?

And what does early Christian history actually teach us?

And when you look at the first, second, and third centuries, is there evidence there that early believers kept the Bible Sabbath?

We're gonna look at those original sources and we're also gonna look at some original Catholic sources on the Catholic Church's acknowledgement that they changed the Sabbath and the challenge that the Catholic Church gives to Protestantism.

This may surprise you, but all of this was predicted in the Bible, in the prophecies of Daniel, particularly Daniel, the seventh chapter.

Now we're not going to rely on human opinion, we're not going to rely on tradition.

We will let the original sources speak for themselves.

You'll see evidence, plain, direct, undeniable, that the Sabbath was observed by Christians for centuries after Christ.

And then we'll ask the unavoidable question, If the Sabbath was changed, when did it happen?

First, the New Testament evidence by Jesus himself.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus speaks of end time events.

He talks about wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, floods, strife.

He talks about lawlessness in our society, the gospel going to the end of the world.

And in Matthew chapter 24, Jesus blends to events the destruction of Jerusalem that's coming as a type of the destruction of the end of the world.

The disciples, sitting on the Mount of Olives, looking across the Kidron Valley at that beautiful temple with its massive blocks and stones that build the temple, ask Jesus, when shall these things be and what shall be the site of your coming and the end of the world?

In other words, when will Jerusalem be destroyed?

And Jesus, using the destruction of Jerusalem as this example of the end of the world, eventually says to his disciples, talking about their flight from Jerusalem as the Roman army's approach, pray that your flight, that is your flight from Jerusalem as the Roman armies approach, be not in the winter or on the Sabbath day.

Now Jesus was talking to his disciples just before his crucifixion in 31 AD, But the question becomes, why would he tell his disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem be not in the winter on the Sabbath, if indeed the disciples would not be keeping the Sabbath, because the destruction of Jerusalem didn't come until 70 AD.

Jesus made that statement precisely because if the Roman armies came and indeed the disciples were in the temple, they would easily be destroyed.

If the Roman armies came and they could find all the believers worshiping in 1 place, it would easily be possible for them to attack them and kill every 1 of them.

So Jesus was clear that the disciples would be keeping the Sabbath even 40 years after the cross.

What about the evidence in the New Testament?

Well, we see, for example, in the book of Acts, a number of instances where the disciples kept the Bible Sabbath.

Here in Acts chapter 13, the apostle Paul is preaching in the synagogue.

And somebody says, well, he did this for evangelistic purposes.

You know, he just went into the synagogue to preach to the Jews.

But we'll see something quite fascinating here.

But when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

Now notice, the Jews are in the synagogue.

The Gentiles leave the synagogue, and they say, preach to us the next Sabbath.

Does he say, you come back on Sunday and I'll preach to you?

Verse 43, now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

So they continued in God's grace, which led them to obey God's law and keep the Bible Sabbath.

So grace and law and Sabbath are not distinct or separate.

That's why Jesus said, if you love me, John 14, verse 15, keep my commandments.

But notice verse 44, the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the Word of God.

So the whole city comes to hear the Word on the Sabbath.

So it's obvious from Acts 13, verse 44, that the New Testament Christian believers are not worshiping on the first day of the week, they're worshiping on the Bible Sabbath.

When you come to Acts chapter 17, verse 1 and 2, you see that just like Jesus had a custom, you remember back in Luke chapter 4, verse 16, it says about Jesus as his custom was, he went into the synagogue to worship on the Sabbath.

When Acts 17, we find the apostle Paul had a custom, verse 1 and 2.

Now when they had passed through Amphibolus and Apollonina, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And Paul, as his custom was, went into them for 3 Sabbaths and reasoned with them concerning the Scriptures.

So this was not merely an evangelistic strategy that Paul had.

In Romans 3, verse 31, we read, Do we then make void the law through faith?

So from the Old Testament, from the days of Genesis, 2, 300 years before the Jewish race, down through the 10 Commandment law, down through the faithfulness of God's people in the Old Testament, through the New Testament period, the believers, the faithful men and women of God, kept the Bible Sabbath.

Do we have extra biblical evidence, evidence outside the Bible, that in those early centuries, say the first century, the second, the third, believers were keeping the Bible Sabbath.

Josephus, the early Jewish historian, puts it this way.

He writes that there was no city, I'm quoting, where the seventh day Sabbath had not spread.

So here you have Josephus writing, there's no city in the first century where the seventh day Sabbath has not spread.

Then you have Philo, a Jewish philosopher, contemporary with some of the apostles in the first century.

He calls the Sabbath, and again I quote, a festival belonging not to 1 nation, but to the entire world.

And then you have an amazing description of what indeed is going on here, and that description reveals that God indeed has a Sabbath down through the centuries.

Let's look at the second to fourth century, for example.

He records almost all churches throughout the world, celebrate the Sabbath in its mysteries every week, yet the Christians of Rome and Alexandria do not.

Why do the Christians at Rome and Alexandria not observe the Sabbath?

Because in Rome you have the Roman Empire falling apart, and you have the attempt to disassociate from Judaism, and so church and state unite, as we'll show you a little later in the video, and as they do, Constantine passes the Sunday Law in 321 AD to close the workshops on the venerable day of the sun.

Now that wasn't a worship decree, it was a social decree, but by the time you come to the Council of Laodicea in 364, you come to a point where church and state unite, Sunday worship is introduced now into the Empire.

That's why here Socrates Scholasticus says, almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath every week, but the Christians of Rome, because they have begun to compromise, and Alexandria, where you have a very high influence there of Christianity and sun worship.

Sunday observance was the exception, not the rule.

Now, additional historical sources affirm that Gentile Christians observed the Sabbath, that the Sabbath united believers with the life and teachings of Jesus, that Christians followed not only Christ's example, but Christ's command.

For over 400 years, the historical record is consistent.

So that leads to a very serious question.

He says, if you love me keep my commandments.

The disciples couldn't do it because they didn't have the authority.

In fact, it was Peter in Acts 5, verse 29, it says we ought to obey God rather than men.

And God certainly wouldn't do it because in the book of Malachi, God himself says, I am the Lord and I do what?

Well, in Daniel 7 verse 25, the Bible talks about the change of God's law.

It talks about a power arising out of Rome that would claim the authority to change God's law.

Many Will Use the Name of Jesus and Still Be Lost

You know, names are very powerful things.

Names can give you entrance into places where you never could get entrance otherwise.

Names can get you into a physician's office much more quickly than if you didn't know the physician.

Let me tell you an experience that I had.

So when we were at home, He examined my back and he said, Dad, I need to do some work on your back.

You have a few spots that we need to care for.

I don't think they're malignant, but I need to cut them out.

So come by the office at 11 o'clock on such and such a day and I'll fit you in.

Now what you need to know about my son is this, we have the same name.

So as I came to the office, the receptionist said, sir, can I have your name?

No, I don't want the name of the provider, sir.

She said, sir, not the name of the person that's treating you, your name.

No, sir, I could see she's getting a little bit agitated.

The name of Jesus is an incredibly powerful name.

The name of Jesus gives us entrance to the Heavenly Father and all the treasures of heaven.

The name of Jesus brings all the strength of the Father into our lives.

I remember reading this story on 1 occasion of E.P.

Scott was a missionary to India, and he was sharing the gospel in a very incredibly remote village.

And as he did that, the villagers became very hostile.

They raised their knives, they brought their spears, and they surrounded him.

And he had a violin, he was a very good violinist, and E.

And this is what he played, All hail the power of Jesus' name.

Let angels' prostate fall, Bring forth the royal diadrem, and crown him Lord of all.

Scott tells the story, the villagers dropped their spears.

Some had tears in their eyes when they heard the song played.

A mighty revival took place in that village, and there were many, many conversions.

What is it about that name that causes devils to tremble?

What is it about that name that causes the hosts of hell to flee?

Why did Jesus instruct us to pray in the name of Jesus.

You see, the name of Jesus speaks of the person of Jesus, the presence of Jesus, and the power of Jesus.

When we really understand what that name means, it makes an amazing difference in our lives.

When we grasp its life-changing power, we'll live lives of victory rather than frustrated defeat.

When we really grasp the name of Jesus and what it means in our prayers, we live lives of joy rather than despair.

We live lives of hope rather than discouragement.

When we let the name of Jesus be the very foundation of all of our prayers, a new peace floods into our hearts, a new joy floods into our minds.

Understanding the power of the name of Jesus will make all the difference.

So this morning I want to study with you 7 aspects of the name of Jesus.

And once we incorporate these aspects into our lives, our whole prayer life is changed, our Christian life is transformed, and we live those lives of joy and happiness and peace and power.

The first eternal truth about Jesus' name is this.

John chapter 13, the scripture reading for the morning, but I want to go back to it.

John chapter 13, or John chapter 14 rather, verse 13 and 14.

You're taking your Bible and we're looking at a couple passages in the book of John.

John chapter 14, looking there at verse 13 and verse 14.

The scripture says, whatever you ask in next 2 words, what are they?

My name, whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the father may be glorified in the son.

If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

When our requests glorify God, did you notice what our text said?

Whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

When our requests glorify God, and we ask in Jesus name, we can have the absolute assurance that our prayers will be answered.

To ask in Jesus name is to ask according to His will.

It's His will to give us power over the enemy.

It is His will to give us victory over the temptations of the evil 1.

It is his will to give us wisdom and strength in witnessing because all that glorifies his name.

So when you pray in Jesus' name, we can know that our sins are forgiven.

When we pray in Jesus' name, we can know that victory over temptation is ours.

When we pray in Jesus' name, we can know that the wisdom that comes from heaven is indeed ours.

Jesus says, John 16, and in that day you will ask me nothing.

Why does Jesus say to his disciples, in that day you'll ask me nothing.

They will see him no more, but they are to approach the father in his name.

Verse 23, I say to you, whatever you ask the father again, in my name, he will give it to you.

Until now, you have asked nothing in my name.

Because they've come directly to him, but he's about ready to ascend into heaven.

Ask and you'll receive that your joy may be full.

To ask in Jesus' name is to ask according to his will.

To ask in Jesus' name is to ask with the absolute assurance that he's the God that listens.

There's a quite amazing statement in the book Desire of Ages, page 667.

Notice this statement as Ellen White makes it.

As yet the disciples were unacquainted with the Savior's unlimited resources and power.

The Sabbath vs. Sunday: The Coming Global Conflict

What if the next major crisis isn't economic or military, but religious?

Most people don't see it unfolding, but it's taking place right before their eyes.

In this presentation, we're going to probe what's really going on behind the scenes and how the stage is being set for the greatest religious crisis in history.

Reveal to us through your word divine truths, enable us to understand the events, the overwhelming events that are now taking place to prepare for earth's final crisis.

Let's suppose that you have tickets to the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, and the concert is just absolutely amazing.

The orchestra is world-class, the music is breathtaking, And then somebody jumps up in the middle of the concert, as you've been sitting back enjoying that beautiful music, somebody jumps up and says, fire, fire, fire.

First, the guy is crazy, an absolute lunatic.

Secondly, it's a terrorist who wants people to jump up out of their seats so he can mow them down with his AK-47.

But thirdly, that there is a real fire that's taking place.

Now if the person is a crazy man, you want the police to carry him out.

If the person's a terrorist, you want the police to take him down.

If the person is genuinely calling out fire, and there is a fire, you want to call him a hero.

You see, warnings are only valid if the situation, if the crisis is real.

In the book of Revelation, God gives to us the final warning in Earth's history and this warning is real.

It's not something that is mythical, some pipe dream.

It's a very real, authentic warning given by God in love for his people in the last days of Earth's history.

And the reason God outlines events in history is because he wants us to be prepared for those events.

You know in John chapter 14, you remember it was John the Revelator that wrote the book of Revelation.

But notice what we read in John chapter 14 in here and verse 29.

Jesus says, now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it does come to pass, you might believe.

So Jesus says, I've told you things before they come to pass so that as they come to pass, your faith will be strengthened and you will believe.

In 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, the Lord, again, through the apostle Paul, tells us that we need not be sleeping on the knife edge of eternity but that God will reveal to us the events that are taking place so that we can prepare for them.

We're looking there at chapter 5 and verses 1 to 5.

But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you for you yourselves know perfectly the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night when they say peace and safety sudden destruction comes upon them but You don't need to be in darkness so that the day would overcome you as a thief.

You're sons of the light, sons of the day.

Now listen, therefore let us not sleep as others, but as watch and be sober.

So there are Events that are coming upon our world that are overwhelming.

Soon a crisis is going to break that is unimaginable.

God has warned us of these things in his word.

He longs for us not to sleep, but to watch, to be alert, and to be awake.

With that background, let's delve right into the Book of Revelation.

What are these events that are coming upon our world?

The great theme of the Book of Revelation is worship.

Satan desires to have the worship that belongs only to God.

God longs for us to come and worship Him.

Jesus longs for us to come with our hearts open in worship.

Satan desires to usurp the throne of God and command worship.

This conflict of worship that is the heart of the great controversy between good and evil, the heart of this conflict between Christ and Satan, is clearly outlined in Revelation chapter 14.

So we jump there to Revelation the 14th chapter.

We're going to look at the conflict that's coming, the events that lead up to that conflict, and notice what's really going on behind the scenes.

Revelation chapter 14, we start with verse 6.

I saw another angel flying in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell upon the earth.

God's last day message is an urgent message, the angel flies.

It's an eternal message, the everlasting gospel.

And it's a universal message, it goes to the ends of the earth.

Then it says, fear God, respect God, take God seriously, Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven earth sea and the fountains of waters.

Worship him in the light of the judgment, in the light of the second coming of Christ.

There is a call to take God seriously, to give him glory, and to worship the Creator.

The basis of all worship is the fact that God has created us.

Revelation 4.11 says, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power because you created all things.

So the worthiness of Christ to be Worshipped is the fact that he's the creator.

Has Jesus given to us an eternal sign of his creative authority?

Seventh day of the week, the Bible says God sanctified it.

So right there at creation, God set aside the seventh day Sabbath as a symbol of his creative authority.

And in Revelation 14, 7, where John says, worship the 1 that made heaven, earth, sea, and the fountains of water, he's quoting from the fourth commandment.

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