3 Sabbath: A Day of Freedom – Discussion Starters

The main purpose for God’s creation of Sabbath. Is it hard for you to believe that the Sabbath came into being to celebrate the creation of a day of rest? Did mankind need a special time to mingle with one another in praise to God? Why? or why not? Sabbath is a time to celebrate freedom. Freedom from what? What effect does Sabbath observance have on those who take the Sabbath seriously? Or does being serious about the Sabbath make any difference in a Christian’s spiritual life? True or False: Knowing what we should or should not do on Sabbath is the most important aspect of Sabbath worship.
Manna prevents starvation. Imagine wandering through the wilderness with the Israelites with hardly any food to carry with you. Or none at all. How long would your journey last? What makes the “manna story” so precious in re-living those many years of wandering through the desert? Explain the rhythm of the gift of manna. What impact did the manna miracle have on the trip to the promised land? What impact would the extra manna provided on Friday have on God’s people? Why did God provide a double measure of manna every Friday? Imagine being an Israelite child. Would the repeated miracle have a special impact on you?
Two reasons for Sabbath. What are the two fundamental purposes of the Sabbath Day? Fill in the blanks: The first purpose (Exodus 16:16 -18) deals with the regular collection of manna for the Sabbath meal. What was the lesson learned by this purpose? The second purpose (Deuteronomy 5:12-15) underscores the holiness of the seventh day Sabbath. What do those two purposes have to do with how God relates to His people? Is the Sabbath a memorial to our rescue? What else does the Sabbath help us remember? What fundamental principles of Sabbath-keeping guide us to a life of eternity with Jesus?
A day of equality. Why do you think the fourth commandment contains more words and a more detailed description than the other commandments? In converse, why do you think most Christians, in general, pay less attention to the Sabbath commandment than to the other aspects of the Decalogue? Is it true that we can include the animals we care for in observing the Sabbath day? Do you agree with this statement from your lesson for this week: “If you are an employer during the week, you have no authority to make your employees work on Sabbath,” In what way(s) is this interpretation of the Sabbath commandment important today? Every now and then you may encounter someone who believes in the seventh day Sabbath, such as a member of the Church of God. What should be our attitude toward such Sabbath day worshipers?
A day of healing. If you believe that the Sabbath is a day to put work aside, what do you say about the pursuit of Jesus when He repeatedly performed miracles to heal people on the Sabbath? In your Christian experience, do you seek ways to minister to those who are sick or in pain on the Sabbath day? As Seventh-day Adventists, do you think we should spend more time and energy on the Sabbath seeking the sick and offering them comfort? How can we do that and keep the Sabbath commandment that does not allow for labor on that day? What are some ways we can follow Jesus’ example in ministering to the sick and afflicted on His holy day?