Mercy or work (sabbath)

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Weston Stoler

Puritan Board Sophomore
Last year I worked at a camp called "Sambica" (Home) and at sambica we have to work on Sundays. After church (I go to Mark Driscolls church because it is the only semi-calvinist one around) we get a little rest time then at around 2 we go to a meeting, we break, the leadership tells us what we are going to be doing, gives us our schedules, we meet the parents and the kid's, and then clean up to get ready for camp that starts the next day. The cook's have to cook food for all of us.

My question is, is this mercy or work, because I think because I am doing this to reach kid's with the gospel all this "work" is part of the exception for mercy work on Sundays. Would you agree?
 
Chapter XXI
Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day

....

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]

You are to be commended for seeking to keep the fourth commandment.

The Christian camp needs to become more conscious of the sabbath, and be aware of its profession. This is an opportunity to engage that to the end of the glory of God.

Meetings, scheduling and cleanup likely can be done at another time. Remember, its not personal convenience that determines "necessity" from the standpoint of a "necessity" exception established as part of the fourth commandment. Unless there was an emergency, with good planning, meetings and scheduling can be done at another time. Most cleanup can be minimized and deferred, and deliberately so.

The cooks making food is a bit more difficult because God does not call us to fast all day on the Lord's Day. Yet, we are not to force people to work for our convenience (including restaurants) nor carelessly plan so there is not undue time for food preparation and undue focus on food.

The cooking day could probably be re-done, it sounds like from what you describe.

A simple breakfast, prepare a hot lunch in advance and no food service Sunday evening (self help light meal). This would minimize this, but this is a suggestion without all the facts of the situation you describe.

But being aware of the Lord's Day, advance preparation, abstain from work and recreation so that the worship of God is prioritized all the day is key.
 
Didn't Jesus make it clear that mercy work on the Sabbath was not a sin? And that the priests "profaned the Sabbath" by working and yet are blameless?

I would say that ministry-linked work on Sunday for those who hold to the Sabbath application on Sunday would be along those lines.
 
I don't see any of this ministry work that you described on the Sabbath as wrong. You're not there to make money or improve your physical estate. You're not there for your own entertainment. I think it's all in keeping with the principle of the 4th commandment.
 
And that the priests "profaned the Sabbath" by working and yet are blameless?
Will you give me a reference for this? If the priests were "profaning" the sabbath day, then it wouldn't be according to the things pertaining to their calling, which would be required in keeping the 4th Commandment, since their commanded things for that day would include priestly duties, etc.

Matthew 12:5. What they did with regard to service in the tabernacle (later the temple) was work, and based upon what is inferred from Jesus' words, would be considered a violation if anybody else were to do the same.

---------- Post added at 10:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 AM ----------

Is anyone here still certain that milking a cow is sinful on Sunday?

Milking a cow would be sinful any time for me; I'd end up getting a hoof in my chest!

(I know somebody this happened to. Wasn't fun)

BTW, I would also suggest Matthew 12:11-12 and Luke 13:10-17 as well.
 
That's correct, but not because the priests' work, in and of itself, was sinful, but because for others, it wouldn't be in accordance with their callings.
Correct.

It's also important to remember that by the time of Christ the Pharisees had turned the Sabbath into an unbearable burden, turning nearly every single activity into work, and that should serve as a warning to the modern church about turning the Sabbath into a legalistic burden (I know I've said this before here, but I grew up with this, so I can tell you it wasn't fun).
 
Well I have been to this camp before and enjoyed it immensely. The children, the workers, the leadership (for the most part), and the teaching. I didn't want to go somewhere else if I didn't have to.

I'd also like to bump this because I got a quite mixed message, a few saying it is okay and a few saying it is not.
 
The camp should take responsibility and work to make the sabbath a day of rest for the workers and for the children there. I would imagine mercy works as more of the lines of: Your driving home from church and an old man is sitting on the side of the road dying for a ride, or helping somebody catch their loose dog, or helping a homeless person construct a makeshift home as a thunder storm creeps in.
 
Weston said:
we get a little rest time then at around 2 we go to a meeting, we break, the leadership tells us what we are going to be doing, gives us our schedules, we meet the parents and the kid's, and then clean up to get ready for camp that starts the next day. The cook's have to cook food for all of us.

I still don't see how any of this violates the 4th commandment. I don't know if I would consider it acts of mercy, but surely it's work of ministry. Also, it's not taking away from corporate worship, since he said it starts after church.
 
Weston said:
we get a little rest time then at around 2 we go to a meeting, we break, the leadership tells us what we are going to be doing, gives us our schedules, we meet the parents and the kid's, and then clean up to get ready for camp that starts the next day. The cook's have to cook food for all of us.





I still don't see how any of this violates the 4th commandment. I don't know if I would consider it acts of mercy, but surely it's work of ministry. Also, it's not taking away from corporate worship, since he said it starts after church.

While it is hard to know exactly what is being done from the limited description, it would appear to be a violation because the work itself is not corporate worship (like a teaching elder teaching the Word), and the work itself is not necessary to be done at that time, which is what would constitute the "necessity" exception.

Remember, the day is to be made "holy" from the common use of the other six days- having planning meetings, setting schedules, etc. So that the worship of God is prioritized all Day- not just going to church, but also free for Bible class, family Bible study, personal Bible study, dedicated prayer time, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

"Mercy" might include hospital or nursing home visitation, having a needy person over for a home meal as well as helping out in an emergency that one comes across.

That goes for everyone- believer, nonbeliever, whether "in ministry" or not.
 
I believe denying anyone service on the Sabbath would be worse than making sure you don't profane it by not helping. As you have said, your giving the gospel to children. I couldn't imagine a time when giving the gospel would be wrong. Giving the good news of salvation to people who are stepping into hell is the biggest act of mercy there is. I believe the best thing to do is read Matthew 12 prayerfully and seek the Lord.
 
Weston said:
we get a little rest time then at around 2 we go to a meeting, we break, the leadership tells us what we are going to be doing, gives us our schedules, we meet the parents and the kid's, and then clean up to get ready for camp that starts the next day. The cook's have to cook food for all of us.

I still don't see how any of this violates the 4th commandment. I don't know if I would consider it acts of mercy, but surely it's work of ministry. Also, it's not taking away from corporate worship, since he said it starts after church.

While it is hard to know exactly what is being done from the limited description, it would appear to be a violation because the work itself is not corporate worship (like a teaching elder teaching the Word), and the work itself is not necessary to be done at that time, which is what would constitute the "necessity" exception.

Remember, the day is to be made "holy" from the common use of the other six days- having planning meetings, setting schedules, etc. So that the worship of God is prioritized all Day- not just going to church, but also free for Bible class, family Bible study, personal Bible study, dedicated prayer time, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

"Mercy" might include hospital or nursing home visitation, having a needy person over for a home meal as well as helping out in an emergency that one comes across.

That goes for everyone- believer, nonbeliever, whether "in ministry" or not.

OK, fair enough explanation Scott, thank you for the response. What I consider common use is probably a little different than you.

I would not chop my winter firewood on the Sabbath, I would not chop someone elses for money on the Sabbath, but I would chop firewood for an invalid on the Sabbath (as long as it was for free). The confession talks about resting from "our" own works, wordly emploments and recreations. I don't have an issue with the things he's describing, because I think they are not wordly affairs due to their purpose of ministering to others. Even if they could be done another day, I think the Sabbbath principle is being upheld in the purpose of the work he is doing.

Now if it was planning meetings or schedules for work or recreation, or if it was being done in place of corporate worship, then I understand. Maybe I'll think differently down the road.
 
Weston, if you're still interested in camp ministries, you could look into working at Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters. It's much closer to you, and you're not required to work on the Lord's Day.

I need to point out that there is a 2nd Commandment violation on the statement of faith page of this website. You might be exchanging a 4th commandment violation for a 2nd commandment violation.
 
I don't have an issue with the things he's describing, because I think they are not wordly affairs due to their purpose of ministering to others. Even if they could be done another day, I think the Sabbbath principle is being upheld in the purpose of the work he is doing.

It is hard to tell from the information presented whether the work is necessary to be done at that time. Planning meetings for the coming week, even for ministry, unnecessary cleanup or work details would violate the fourth commandment.

Remember, the person is commanded to work the other six too, as part of the fourth commandment. That is the other half of the commandment. Also, he is commanded to prioritize worship of God all day- so if he is at planning meetings that purpose is being hindered.

Some view an exception of "piety" which is probably the same thing as "necessity"- the teaching and preaching of the Word on the Lord's Day and things incident to it that cannot reasonably done at another time are examples of that.

But even those who are engaging in "necessary" work on the sabbath still are commanded to worship God- they don't just get an exemption. Nor do they get an exemption from working and getting their playing done the rest of the week.

We are much too prone to invent excuse to disobey.
 
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