# Advice on Sabbath Keeping



## Zach (Dec 11, 2011)

I was wondering if you all have any advice on Sabbath keeping in an environment that is not keeping the Sabbath. I live with 5 other guys from my Campus Ministry and they do not practice Sabbath keeping. When we get home from Church, football is turned on downstairs and homework is started upstairs. Wherever I go in the house there is something distracting (be it TV or roommates wanting to talk). I don't know where else to go because sitting in a Coffee shop or the library would be in violation of the Commandment as others have to be working for me to be there. How should I approach this situation? I've shared this conviction of Sabbath keeping with them before, but it does not register with them that on the Sabbath I don't talk about football, work, etc. It really is hard to study, pray, and devote myself wholly to the Lord and his Day when surrounded by distraction and I would appreciate your advice.


----------



## Dearly Bought (Dec 11, 2011)

Tell the OPC pastor about your situation and ask if there is a family or two who would be willing to host you on the Lord's Day. The best way to observe the Sabbath is with others. Perhaps this would be a great discipleship opportunity for you if you can find an older man in the congregation to mentor you!


----------



## Scott1 (Dec 11, 2011)

> Westminster Confession of Faith
> Chapter XXI.
> 
> Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
> ...



The summary of "sabbath keeping" might be

1) advance preparations
2) abstain from work
3) abstain from recreation

So that the whole day is "holy" (set apart) from the ordinary activities of the rest of the week, and prioritizes the worship of God (individual, family and corporate), all day.

Exceptions for "mercy" and "necessity" are established as part of the command.

Learning to "go it alone" is one of the great disciplines (and rewards) of the Christian life, and you are to be commended for seeking it.

There is no one exact format. While the day is regulated, it is not ritual.

Here's one possible outline:

7a Read Bible, pray and meditate (quietly) 25 minutes
8a Simple breakfast
9a Occasional prayer
9:45a Sunday School
11a Corporate worship
12:30n sabbath meal (you made in advance), invite someone or seek to fellowship with another believer over lunch
2p Quiet time/nap
4:30p Bible reading (systematic)
5:45p simple evening meal (pre-made)
6:30p Evening corporate worship or sing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs on own
8:30p Read a Christian book
9:30p pray, calm mind before bed


----------



## Filipe Luiz C. Machado (Dec 11, 2011)

Zach said:


> I was wondering if you all have any advice on Sabbath keeping in an environment that is not keeping the Sabbath. I live with 5 other guys from my Campus Ministry and they do not practice Sabbath keeping. When we get home from Church, football is turned on downstairs and homework is started upstairs. Wherever I go in the house there is something distracting (be it TV or roommates wanting to talk). I don't know where else to go because sitting in a Coffee shop or the library would be in violation of the Commandment as others have to be working for me to be there. How should I approach this situation? I've shared this conviction of Sabbath keeping with them before, but it does not register with them that on the Sabbath I don't talk about football, work, etc. It really is hard to study, pray, and devote myself wholly to the Lord and his Day when surrounded by distraction and I would appreciate your advice.



Your Campus Ministry is reformed? If yes, I believe that the other guys must me disciplined and taught about this wonderful day.


----------



## Scott1 (Dec 11, 2011)

Zach,
This can be a difficult because you are in a temporary, transient circumstance in which much is not under your control.

If you were "under your own roof," you can, and ought lead in keeping the fourth commandment and setting the tone for that.

Here, you under more a spotlight, and God can use that greatly as a witness.

So, practically establish as much of a godly pattern of rest and quiet on the Lord's Day. This will mean closing the door sometimes and doing the best you can to maintain an atmosphere of rest and worship.

You can't change or control the others, but you will influence them, trusting God for the results.

I would seek out another person who is trying to keep the sabbath also and have a meal with them occasionally after church (home made, this can greatly improve cooking skills too).

As has been suggested, look to your local church for support, ask someone spiritually mature in your congregation.

It's okay to need encouragement in a situation like this.

---------- Post added at 08:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 PM ----------

While some may find this a hard thing,
Ordinarily, you want to try and stay away from watching television, sports and conversation directed toward it on the Lord's Day.

Many who live unregulated, disorderly lives almost "panic" to entertain, recreate and amuse themselves on Sunday because they have some unscheduled time. Instead of rest, they strive to seek fulfillment in the emptiness of amusement.

You will see this contrast more and more, and be grateful to the Lord you are learning to have the sabbath as a delight.

It is!


----------



## Zach (Dec 11, 2011)

Filipe Luiz C. Machado said:


> Zach said:
> 
> 
> > I was wondering if you all have any advice on Sabbath keeping in an environment that is not keeping the Sabbath. I live with 5 other guys from my Campus Ministry and they do not practice Sabbath keeping. When we get home from Church, football is turned on downstairs and homework is started upstairs. Wherever I go in the house there is something distracting (be it TV or roommates wanting to talk). I don't know where else to go because sitting in a Coffee shop or the library would be in violation of the Commandment as others have to be working for me to be there. How should I approach this situation? I've shared this conviction of Sabbath keeping with them before, but it does not register with them that on the Sabbath I don't talk about football, work, etc. It really is hard to study, pray, and devote myself wholly to the Lord and his Day when surrounded by distraction and I would appreciate your advice.
> ...



My Campus Fellowship is more broadly evangelical and "Young Restless Reformed" than historically Reformed. I have been attempting to share my convictions about the Lord's Day but most view it as a unique way I spend my day of rest and see no problem with resting by watching football.


Scott1 said:


> Zach,
> This can be a difficult because you are in a temporary, transient circumstance in which much is not under your control.
> 
> If you were "under your own roof," you can, and ought lead in keeping the fourth commandment and setting the tone for that.
> ...



Thanks, Scott. I am truly finding the Sabbath day to be a delight. What is hard is that we do not have a dining room in our house. We use the living room full of coffee tables to eat. By the time a meal is prepared they are well under way into a football game. Even inviting someone over from church to eat with wouldn't help this and I often find when I try to eat I often catch myself watching the game.

I have been able to use it as an opportunity to teach about the Lord's Day, but as I shared above it's been largely unsuccessful. Fortunately, the room we currently use as storage will be getting cleaned before Christmas break and myself and one other roommate of mine have lobbied to have it set apart as a "Devotions Room". I would appreciate your prayers about this happening as it really is quite a mess and some roommates may not want to take the time to turn it into a devotion room. It really is necessary though as nowhere in our house is quiet and all of us have to go somewhere else to get our quiet times.

I will be asking the Pastor of my Church about this and seeing what his advice is on the subject when we meet next. But, I appreciate all of your encouragement as it has been difficult.


----------



## Scott1 (Dec 11, 2011)

Zach said:


> What is hard is that we do not have a dining room in our house. We use the living room full of coffee tables to eat. By the time a meal is prepared they are well under way into a football game. Even inviting someone over from church to eat with wouldn't help this and I often find when I try to eat I often catch myself watching the game.



Perhaps you can get a microwave for your room and somehow prepare your food the night before (Saturday night) so all you have to do is heat it up in your room. You could also invite another believer to join you quietly in your room for that meal.

Or, arrange to join someone else for a meal in their home after church on the Lord's Day.

Finally, if it is noisy in your room when you are seeking quiet time, ear plugs. Really.

Remember also the mercy aspects of the sabbath- you can visit the sick and needy that day, go out and do that. 

Praying for you, right now.


----------



## Pergamum (Dec 11, 2011)

When I was in college, sometimes I would just stay over at the church building and read between morning and evening services (with a break for lunch)...


----------



## Romans922 (Dec 11, 2011)

Dearly Bought said:


> Tell the OPC pastor about your situation and ask if there is a family or two who would be willing to host you on the Lord's Day. The best way to observe the Sabbath is with others. Perhaps this would be a great discipleship opportunity for you if you can find an older man in the congregation to mentor you!



This seems to be the best advice, though as a 2 office guy I would say talk to your session.


----------



## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Dec 11, 2011)

Scott1 said:


> Zach said:
> 
> 
> > What is hard is that we do not have a dining room in our house. We use the living room full of coffee tables to eat. By the time a meal is prepared they are well under way into a football game. Even inviting someone over from church to eat with wouldn't help this and I often find when I try to eat I often catch myself watching the game.
> ...



If you can afford it, can find it cheap, or can borrow a pair, those headphone shaped (I dunno what they're called) devices that are used for hunting works wonders. 

They're designed to make a .22 sound like a little pop, so you'll be deafened to almost everything your roommates could throw at you.


----------



## Weston Stoler (Dec 12, 2011)

Being the topic is "advice on sabbath keeping" I will take this opportunity to ask if napping in the middle of the day appropriate when you know people are going to be doing things that are not exactly lawful to do on the sabbath? I did that today and then spent the day listening to sermons, reading the bible, and reading the Westminster confession.


----------



## Beoga (Dec 12, 2011)

Dearly Bought said:


> Tell the OPC pastor about your situation and ask if there is a family or two who would be willing to host you on the Lord's Day. The best way to observe the Sabbath is with others. Perhaps this would be a great discipleship opportunity for you if you can find an older man in the congregation to mentor you!



I also second this.

I have found it to be a tremendous blessing to spend the day after church with various families within my congregation (though usually it is the same family as they are very hospitable and been too kind to me). This has brought about two very obvious blessings to me:

1. A better environment to help and encourage me to better keep the day

2. Getting to know and love the families in my church.


----------



## Scott1 (Dec 12, 2011)

Weston Stoler said:


> Being the topic is "advice on sabbath keeping" I will take this opportunity to ask if napping in the middle of the day appropriate when you know people are going to be doing things that are not exactly lawful to do on the sabbath? I did that today and then spent the day listening to sermons, reading the bible, and reading the Westminster confession.



This has been discussed historically in terms of "profaning the sabbath with idleness,"
here is one thread where that was discussed:
http://www.puritanboard.com/f30/profaning-day-idleness-20090/


----------



## J. Dean (Dec 12, 2011)

I guess I'm a little lost as to how watching TV breaks the Sabbath, since there's no work involved in watching TV.


----------



## Zach (Dec 12, 2011)

Dearly Bought said:


> Tell the OPC pastor about your situation and ask if there is a family or two who would be willing to host you on the Lord's Day. The best way to observe the Sabbath is with others. Perhaps this would be a great discipleship opportunity for you if you can find an older man in the congregation to mentor you!




Thanks for the advice, Bryan and Joshua. I think this is the course of action I will take when I see my Pastor either next Lord's Day or at the very latest, when we meet next week. The fellowship aspect of this would be very valuable. I often feel like the Lord's Day can be lonely and it certainly was not created to feel like that. Unfortunately, the weather has finally taken its cold dip and so we're unlikely to have any days nice enough for a while to follow your picnic table advice. Come spring I will certainly give it a try if need be. I appreciate the advice though.


----------



## Scott1 (Dec 12, 2011)

J. Dean said:


> I guess I'm a little lost as to how watching TV breaks the Sabbath, since there's no work involved in watching TV.


.


> VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe *an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their wordly employments and recreations,*[38] but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.[39]





> Westminster Larger Catechism
> 
> Question 119: What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
> 
> Answer: The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all *profaning the day by idleness*, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and by all *needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations*.


----------

