Wedntgp,
In answer to your statement. I would like to state my position. I have no doubt going into innercity to take care of those who need the care is a noble thing to do and perhaps considered as a missionary endeaver. I think there is a time for it, though. If I am so busy by intention or otherwise during the week, and I can not or won't spend some time to do this missionary endeaver except on the Sabbath, I feel this is wrong. I am being too selfish making money and have no time for my fellow country men who are too poor to take care themselves. The Sabbath hour should be set aside to do His work. The poor are always with us, there are ample opportunities to help them on any day. To make a routine plan to render dental care or plumbing on the Sabbath afternoons makes me feel that I am too selfish or too busy doing my own thing during the week days, and only time I have for God is on Sabbath afternoon.I am not sure if this kind of thinking is acceptable to God who put the Sabbath aside for us to enjoy and to commemorate His creation. I have a hard time accepting the idea that doing the routine work no matter our motive or how beneficial to the recepients on Sabbath is a proper activity. I would like more of you out there feed me with more opinions. I might be wrong. My mind is open to any suggestion or idea.

Won

The situations that have been described keep sending my mind back to a story I heard several years ago about a lady who received a message that Christ would visit her on a certain day. Three "needy" people came to her door, and she turned them away because she was getting ready for
Christ. When Christ did not show up that day she asked Him why. He said he had come to her house three times that day in the form of the needy. What is the message of that story

My dad used to tell that story. It makes a wonderful point. "When I was hungry and you didn't feed me....". Christ is in every hungry soul that we meet every day. He is in every needy person that we walk past and look the other way. How many times have we turned Him away?

Wendy
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Maranatha!!!

Maybe we're missing the point of the healing.
Remember Jesus looked around to see the reaction to His question and was sorrowed by what He saw.
He was trying to make the point that all the restrictions the priesthood had put on sabbath were not right.
To meet the felt needs of an individual are never wrong.
If you see someone in need of food, feed them.. if you see someone in need of clothes, clothe him...
What He did on that sabbath was necessary, to make a point to all around.
They did not know the father and His love and the restrictiions put on them seemed to be overly rigurous, putting to much strain on them and causing them to ignore all requirements of human decency.
They believed that affliction was a judgement from God for their sinfulness.
By healing the man on sabbath, Jesus showed that God was interested in man and i ending his suffering.
With all the witnesses there He was able to spread the 'good news' that God wasn't the heartless destroyer that they had been led to believe He was.
My $.02

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Chose you this day whom you will serve,
as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:15

What is popular is not always right.
What is right is not always popular.

Wendy, I have thought about your question. I have been asked several times about it during my years as a pastor. People say that Police and Hospital work are essential. But isn't it also essential to have the electricity on, to drive the bus so that people can get to church, etc.

In my study of Jesus and the Spirit of Prophecy, I have found that they have very practical answers to such questions.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus showed that it was more important to be an "uplift" to humanity than to obey the law (Levites and Priests could not touch dead people). It seems that the Priests had put a hedge around the "dead" by meaning they couldn't go and help one who might be dead. They also placed a hedge around the Sabbath so that they couldn't do anything that might be useless work (like wearing false teeth--that's carrying something!)

In the middle ages some Protestants actually made it a sin to stare idly out of the window on the "Lord's Day."

These are extremes. What I do is first figure out if what I'm doing positively or negatively affects my relationship with Christ. The second thing I do is read Romans 14. I'm serving God--not the opinions of others. I also have to remember that fellow Christians are serving God--not me.

Another suggestion is to read Ellen White's practical ideas on how to spend the Sabbath hours. Much can be found in "The Adventist Home." Once a man from the Northwestern US came to her all concerned over what believers do about sunset times in Northern Finland and Norway (where the sun doesn't set for weeks). She said: "Let the people in Norway keep the Sabbath over there the way they do it, but [i]you[i/] keep it the way [i]you[i/] know you ought to in Oregon...

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Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Don't let yesterday's mistakes trouble you, nor tomorrow's fears spoil your day.

Pastor Andrew

Pastor Andrew

You make a good point. Going to extremes in this question of "appropriate sabbath activities," can be a real millstone. I once had a conversation with someone who was seriously asking if we should eat an egg that a chicken laid on the Sabbath?

My question to him was: "How could the Sabbath possibly be any holier, because you did, or did not, eat such an egg? Isn't the Sabbath already "holy" just the way God made it?"

David T Battler

[This message has been edited by KingDavid (edited February 17, 2001).]

Here is my take on this:

If I were a plumber and somebody's home was in immediate need of a plumber on the Sabbath, in a situation that couldn't wait for another day on account of water gushing out of a broken faucet or whatever, [Remember, I am not a plumber. ], then I would, if asked, meet the immediate need by stopping the water from gushing out and flooding the kitchen. I also wouldn't charge for the service. I wouldn't, however, do any plumbing service that could be done on a different day.

That is my take on it.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

quote:

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Originally posted by Won Bae:
Wedntgp,
If I am so busy by intention or otherwise during the week, and I can not or won't spend some time to do this missionary endeaver except on the Sabbath, I feel this is wrong. I am being too selfish making money and have no time for my fellow country men who are too poor to take care themselves. The Sabbath hour should be set aside to do His work. The poor are always with us, there are ample opportunities to help them on any day. To make a routine plan to render dental care or plumbing on the Sabbath afternoons makes me feel that I am too selfish or too busy doing my own thing during the week days, and only time I have for God is on Sabbath afternoon.
Won

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You have made a very good point, Won Bae. Most people in our society these days are far too busy, not just making money, but with social engagements, amusements, and their own personal projects. I know of one family in our church who is always on the go in the evenings, driving their 2 children to after-school or summer activities – band, track, softball, debate, Pathfinders, and I don’t know what all. To me this is ridiculous. Yet in the past I have also been guilty of allowing myself to be overwhelmed with unnecessary work and responsibilities that I had voluntarily taken on, only of a different kind. I spent too much time cooking and baking more time-consuming foods than my family really needed to have, got carried away with my own personal projects, and was doing too much church work that was totally unsuited to my talents and personality, simply because "somebody had to do it," and I felt that it was selfish to say "no," no matter how stressful and downright hateful it was to me. As a result, it was impossible for me to effectively carry out the work God wanted me to do, both for my own family and for my neighbors. In all of this, I was robbing God of my time that really belonged to Him.

I had to learn to simplify my life, and let God set my priorities. The things that previously occupied my time were all good things, and many were necessary things. But those good things were not all God’s things, and even the necessary things sometimes have to be put aside while more important things are given a higher priority. The closet that needs cleaning will not likely take any more time to clean if it is put off for a month or even a year than it will now. And how long have I put up with it being a mess, even though it bothers me to have it that way? I can put up with it a little longer, if something else is more important. And if there simply isn’t anyone at church with the correct skills for a certain task who is willing to do it, it likely isn’t a matter of life and death, or even of anyone’s salvation, for it to remain undone. What is far more important than any of these things is doing what God wants me, personally, to do.

I believe that most Adventists in North America need to learn to submit their priorities and their plans to God. Even if we are using our time doing "good works," if those good works are not the work that God really wants each of us to do, we are robbing Him of our service. That goes for every day of the week, not just the Sabbath.

And that goes for the plumber too. While I do object to anyone judging the plumber without more information about his specific situation, I would never encourage anyone to carry out a similar activity without a very clear call from God. Even though it is a good work that he is doing, and it seems to be bearing fruit in souls brought to the truth, if it is not God’s choice for him, then it is wrong, and will ultimately bring more harm than good. Let’s never forget that bringing large numbers of unconverted souls into the church is not really beneficial to the church, or to those new members. Only a genuine conversion can save anyone or edify others. We don’t know the whole story, so I am not trying to judge the plumber’s situation, only making the point that large numbers added to the church are not necessarily an indication of God’s leading or His blessing.

I believe it is very important for each of us to submit our plans and our wills to God, rather than choosing our own work or projects, whether those plans involve the Sabbath or not. Whatever work God Himself gives us to do for others is indeed God’s work, and is appropriate to do whenever He directs us to. But whatever we leave God out of is our own work, even if it is good, and He cannot bless it, no matter what day we do it.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

I reviewed the gospels and the reports of Jesus' activity on Sabbath, and in each and every occasion that is reported, He engaged in activity that was not emergency in nature. In otherwords, the "plumbing" was broken, but it had been broken for years. And there is no indication that it was not possible to have engaged in the activities on any day other than Sabbath. Surely the disciples and He could have planned for Sabbath dinner, and not had to pick the grain. Surely He could have arranged His schedule to heal those long time sick people on a day other than Sabbath. I do believe that SOP does give guidance, but it is also important to focus on the greater light. Can anyone show me an occasion that Christ did not help someone on Sabbath, suggesting that the help wait until another day?

Something that might be of interest would be for each of us to record for a month the activities engaged in on Sabbath, and determine how much of the day is spent in helping others. It would seem appropriate to exclude Church and SS time. And of course a fair share of the day is spent sleeping (even if you don't take a Sabbath afternoon nap). I would not ask that anyone share his or her discovery of the activities engaged in, but it might be interesting if you would. Maybe we will find we should be "working" for others!

Since this has become a slant upon medical work and the Sabbath, and I notice only two health care professionals listed it's time to try and give non health care professionals more information and with it a more balanced view of things.

In the midst of talking about should-s and should-nots lets refer to some delegated instructions with the reasons given.

parts 1-6 follow.

(1.)The observance of the Sabbath is the sign between God and His people. Let us not be ashamed to bear the sign that distinguishes us from the world. As I considered this matter in the night season recently, One of authority counseled us to study the instruction given the Israelites in regard to the Sabbath. "Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep," the Lord declared to them; "for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. . . . Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever." Exodus 31:13-17. {CH 235.1}

The Sabbath is ever the sign that distinguishes the obedient from the disobedient. With masterly power Satan has worked to make null and void the fourth commandment, that the sign of God may be lost sight of. The Christian world have trodden underfoot the Sabbath of the Lord and observe a sabbath instituted by the enemy. But God has a people who are loyal to Him. His work is to be carried forward in right lines. The people who bear His sign are to establish churches and institutions as memorials to Him. These memorials, however humble in appearance, will constantly bear witness against the false sabbath instituted by Satan, and in favor of the Sabbath instituted by the Lord in Eden, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. {CH 235.2}

A spirit of irreverence and carelessness in the observance of the Sabbath is liable to come into our sanitariums. Upon the men of responsibility in the medical missionary work rests the duty of giving instruction to physicians, nurses, and helpers in regard to the sanctity of God's holy day. Especially should every physician endeavor to set a right example. The nature of his duties naturally leads him to feel justified in doing on the Sabbath many things that he should refrain from doing. So far as possible, he should so plan his work that he can lay aside his ordinary duties. {CH 236.1}

The Suffering Never to Be Neglected

Often physicians and nurses are called upon during the Sabbath to minister to the sick, and sometimes it is impossible for them to take time for rest and for attending devotional services. The needs of suffering humanity are never to be neglected. The Saviour by His example has shown us that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. But unnecessary work, such as ordinary treatments and operations that can be postponed, should be deferred. Let the patients understand that physicians and helpers should have one day for rest. Let them understand that the workers fear God and desire to keep holy the day that He has set apart for His followers to observe as a sign between Him and them. {CH 236.2}

The educators and those being educated in our medical institutions should remember that to keep the Sabbath aright means much to them and to the patrons. In keeping the Sabbath, which God declares shall be kept holy, they give the sign of their order, showing plainly that they are on the Lord's side.
{CH 236.3}

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Edward F Sutton