His work which He had done” (Genesis 2:3). The Sabbath is meant to be an opportunity to rest from our normal day-to-day pursuits; however, it is not intended to be simply a “day off.” It should look strikingly different from the other six days. The world in which we now live values production and hesitates to stop working, but God set the example of His taking a step back to enjoy the fruits of His labor. We can learn to do the same, using the Sabbath to delight in God and His world, celebrate life, rest, and worship. Perhaps it is even a day to take a rest from any technology other than that which gives us the opportunity to connect with family and friends we may have not been able to fully enjoy during our days of work and other obligations.

The fourth commandment is “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Both Jesus and the apostles made a habit of going to the synagogue or worshipping together on Sabbath. Worship allows us to learn more of Him through the study of His Word and to encourage one another. It is a rhythm of grace established at Creation, and we should consider it a gift from God to be able to worship together as a community on the Sabbath, and to fully enjoy the benefit of fellowship with our Creator and Faith family of believers on the seventh day.

At Faith Church we continually seek ways to follow God’s example of Sabbath observance. The main example is that on the first Sunday of each month, there are no classes, meetings, or rehearsals scheduled between our two worship services. This allows our entire congregation to participate in “worship and fellowship for all,” with different groups in the church rotating to provide refreshments. On other Sundays, we offer opportunities to corporately demonstrate how we experience the joy of restoration and the peace we have in Christ through missions projects that emphasize Christ's healing, and Bible study that deepens our understanding of God's care of us.