Paul Kept the Sabbath with the Galatians

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

Acts 13:13-15
“13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

Pisidian Antioch is in the region known as Galatia. While many of Paul’s letters were written to Christians in a single city, his letter to the Galatians addressed believers in a region. Acts chapter 13 shows us the practice of Paul while in the area.

In verses 13-15, we learn that Paul ministered on the Sabbath and was given the opportunity to speak. Notice the content of Paul’s preaching:

Acts 13:28-30
“28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed….30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.”

Paul preached about Jesus being the Messiah, suffering for the sins of mankind, and His subsequent resurrection from the dead. In his message, NOT ONCE did he mention it changing the day of rest away from the Sabbath. What was the response of the people after they heard the message?

Acts 13:42-45, 48
“⁴² So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. ⁴³ Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. ⁴⁴ The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. ⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.… ⁴⁸ As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (WEB).

In verse 42, we learn the reaction of the crowd. The Gentiles BEGGED Paul to preach to them… when? On the next Sabbath! This is clear evidence that Paul never preached that the Sabbath was changed.

In Acts 13:43, He taught them to continue in the grace of God. In verse 44, they met on the Sabbath with Jews AND Gentiles. He taught them about the grace of God and then they continued to honor the Sabbath. This is proof positive that grace and law are not contradictory ideals.

At any point in this visit, Paul could have announced that there was a new Sabbath or that it had been changed by the resurrection. He could have invited Gentiles to keep a “different Sabbath”, but he did not. The Sabbath always has been and always will be the seventh day of the week (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).

To learn more about his instruction to the Galatians to stay away from pagan celebrations, read our article on Galatians 4:8-11 (CLICK HERE TO READ).

The Sabbath was honored by the earliest believers, both Jew and Gentile. In fact, the majority of Christians honored the Sabbath for hundreds of years after Christ. Click this link to learn more: The Sabbath in the 300s and 400s AD.

Kelly McDonald, Jr. BSA President

You can follow Kelly on his website: www.kellymcdonaldjr.com

Sabbath Truth – Free Videos!

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http://www.sabbathtruth.com/free-resources/seventh-day-video-series/id/966/the-seventh-day-part-1

Sacred Rhythm

by Whaid Guscott Rose

“God is a Sabbath-keeper. On the seventh day of Creation week, He rested from His labors (Genesis 2:2, 3). God did not rest because He was tired. The work of creation caused Him little sweat; He simply spoke, and it was done. Rather, God kept Sabbath to highlight the weekly rhythm of work and rest.

Looking down through history, He saw a restless twenty-first century culture in desperate need of pause at the end of a busy week, so He rested as our example.

But more than just for physical benefits, God set the seventh day apart as a memorial of creation. The Sabbath says no to evolution and atheism. It reminds us that everything began with God and that out of love, not necessity, He created us. The Sabbath provides a weekly twenty-four hour time completely set aside to focus on our Creator…”

(This article is an excerpt from the Sept-Oct 2008 edition of The Sabbath Sentinel)

To read the rest of this article, which starts on page 5, click the link below:

http://biblesabbath.org/tss/533/tss_533.pdf

How I Learned About the Sabbath

By Sister Willis

The Lord stared dealing with me right after I was filled with His Spirit about the Sabbath. He also showed me about the pagan holidays.  Of course I went to my pastor and talked with him about it.  He said that I was falling into false doctrine and that I needed to forget about it.  I had been taught to obey those who have rule over you, so I tried to forget it. However, the Lord kept bringing it to my mind and I would study some more.  It was so plain; I could not see why they did not want to believe it.

Well, one day I prayed, “Lord, if this is really true, you show me a church that keeps the Sabbath, Baptism in Jesus Name, the Holiness Standards, and no Pagan Holidays and I will go.” Guess what?  He did on March 9^th l985.

Sister Patsy who went to the Peru, Indiana church with me asked if I would like to go meet her mother and family up by Knox. I said I would.  We went up to her family’s home and spent the day.  Late in the afternoon she asked me if I would like to go to the church where she was filled with the Holy Ghost.  Of course I did, so we went.

Sister Grace Irwin (the Pastor’s daughter) testified, and when she did, she mentioned the Sabbath. I do not know what she said about it only my ears shot up when she said, “Sabbath.”  I poked Sister Pasty and she grinned at me, for we had studied about the Sabbath together, she also had a good friend that used to go to church at Peru who believed in the Sabbath.  She had moved before I started going there.

After the service, we were in the car to go home when Pastor Cleda was coming down the steps. I pulled up and rolled down the window. “Sister Cleda, what do you believe about the Sabbath?”  “It’s Saturday; we keep it!” was her reply.

“Praise the Lord, what about the holidays?” I quickly asked. “They are pagan!” she replied. Well, I already knew they Baptized in Jesus Name and kept the Holiness Standards. I could not believe it! God had answered my prayer, now it was up to me to keep my word to Him, but it took me from March to September to go.

I went to Knox Indiana, in September 1985, and started attending the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, it was a Jesus Name, Holiness, Sabbath keeping Church. Sister Cleda Fahlgren was my Pastor; there are seven United Pentecostal Jesus Name Churches that came out of her church in that area. It was like going to Bible School; we would sit up all night talking about the Word of God.

The Lord had called me into the Ministry October 10th 1984. I had told Sis. Cleda about that, and she started letting me Preach and teach Bible Study, then July 8th 1990 Pastor Cleda Fahlgren and Pastor Jimmy Whitfield Ordained me. I Praise the Lord that my mother got to be there with me.

I do not take this lightly for I am a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and He has seen fit for me to be an Ordained Minister used of Him.

Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord God (is) upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to (them that are) bound;”

This testimony was given by Sis Willis of the Apostolic Revival Center in Peru, Indiana. It is an excerpt from a book that she is presently working on, but not yet published.

http://www.revivalcenterperu.com/

Sabbath Action Blast!

But the rest of us. . . well, we’ll be mentally high-fiving those creative people who’ve found ways to really celebrate God’s special day! In these pages are 101 of the best Sabbath activity ideas that Guide editors have ever seen ─ nearly 2 years’ worth of fun! Some of these activities are great for groups, while others are perfect for solo ventures. And whether you plan ahead or flip through on the spur of the moment, you’re sure to find something to make you smile, laugh, have fun, and learn about God!

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