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Let Jesus Out of the Sabbath Box
By Watchman | August 27, 2008
“And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: and you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:6,7.
“And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ. But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done: and there is no respect of persons.”
1 Thessalonians 3: 17, 23-25
A Christian man of my acquaintance once described to me a work situation that he had engineered which though not illegal was of questionable morality or ethics. I ventured to suggest that he might find a way of dealing with the situation in a manner more in keeping with his Christian ethos, whereat he looked at me in vague surprise and said, “This isn’t about Christ. This is business.” Needless to say, I was somewhat shocked until I realized how many people seem to keep Jesus in a little Sunday box to be taken out and worshipped once a week with true diligence, then replaced to await the next Sunday or high holy day. This begs the question–can Jesus be Lord of our Sabbaths if He is not Lord of our daily lives?
Beloved, it’s time to let Jesus out of the Sunday box! Our lives have so many facets to them: work, school, recreation; relationships with parents, family, friends, co-workers, spouses, etc.; political affiliations and personal likes or dislikes. Jesus desires to be Lord over all these areas of our lives! He wants to be active in each, including those we might prefer He ignore or those we hope we are hiding properly from Him. Although I’m leaving one or two of these subjects for another day, I’d like you to think about the following questions:
Do you run your business or conduct yourself at work as He instructs? God said to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Do you treat your employees or those in positions under yours as you would like to be treated if the positions were reversed, and do you offer up that business as a sacrifice and glory to the Lord who gave it to you? If you are an employee, do you do your work as though you were doing it for God? Are your marriage vows and your standards of decency the same at work as they are when you enter into a pew on Sunday morning or get on your knees to pray with your family?
If you are in school, can you still serve the Lord? In a time such as this, when schools seem to be more interested in social experimentation and teaching the politically correct global world view, it can be almost overwhelming for young people to speak up for the cause of Christ. Yet high school and college students every day across our nation are doing just that. Pray for guidance and discernment as you enter classes designed to dissociate you from the Word of the Lord in the name of “tolerance”. Be ready in and out of season to defend your beliefs calmly and thoroughly. If you allow Jesus to be enthroned in your heart every day, the Holy Spirit will give you strength and wisdom.
Sometimes people have little problem with their Christian walk at work, but cannot seem to live it out in the privacy of their own homes! Resentment or anger against a parent, child or spouse can turn what should be a loving home into a private hell of bitterness and strife. (Understand, some parents are abusive and mean; some husbands or wives are dishonest, unfaithful, cruel or violent. I will deal with the issue of these in a later post.) Jesus is Lord of your home! He should be invited to take His place at your table, so to speak. He needs to be a part of each household decision, of each TV program watched, of each conversation that takes place. Do you realize that even your sexual activity is known to the Lord? He is not like a good British gentleman’s gentleman who, once the door is shut and the lights out ignores what’s taking place behind those closed doors. Sex is a gift. It is neither ungodly nor was it ever written in the Scriptures that it was only for procreation (a statement I’ve heard many times but is simply untrue.) Sex is a gift to us, but like most of God’s gifts, it can be abused or perverted. God makes clear many times in His Word that sexual relations are to be between a man and a woman within the boundaries of the covenant of marriage. I grew up in a generation that prided itself on throwing off the shackles of sexual restraint. Like many of us, I didn’t understand until years later that God’s laws in this applied to me as to everyone who claims to be His follower, and that He put those restraints into place for my protection. Are you engaging in one night stands or living with someone to whom you are not married? It’s not too late. I am not suggesting you have no way out! Turn to Jesus, ask His forgiveness, and live as the Father commanded. “He who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved!”
Some people who keep Jesus in His Sabbath box may indeed have salvation–I do not completely know the mind of God, and only God knows the heart and spirit of individuals. I do know that if you let Jesus out of that box and into your entire life, you will never want to squeeze Him back into a tiny space again. With Jesus coming to reside in every area of your being comes freedom to be the best you can be and a joy that all the problems of the world cannot shake. He brings with Him power in His Name, strength to endure all hardships, and the peace that passes all understanding. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find that if Jesus wasn’t Lord of all your life, He may not have been your Lord at all. Maranatha!
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