Dear fellow laborers,

 

When the children of Israel journeyed in the wilderness, God led them from one place to another.   The place which God led them was an oasis in the desert where there were resources for living--running water and food.  It was a place where they could set up camp and be refreshed.

In a sense you and I wander in the spiritual wilderness of the world all week long.  There are so few that know the truth of God. The Bible is like a spiritual canteen we must draw from and drink out of to survive and thrive in this spiritually barren world.   

The weekly Sabbath services are like a spiritual oasis. We can talk and communicate with one another through fellowship and hear the word of God expounded, refreshing us on the Sabbath day.

It important for us not to take for granted the weekly Sabbath services, making sure we take full advantage of coming together each week and on the holy Days.  Jesus Christ clearly left His own personal example for all His disciples to follow.  A disciple is someone who walks in the footsteps of their mentor:

"So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."  (Lk 4:16)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians saying, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."

The word imitate means to copy or duplicate, and to copy is to make a fairly exact imitation of an original creation.  Paul's practice was to enter into the synagogue just as Jesus did.  He did so in Thessalonica, and he preached for three Sabbaths to some who were Greek gentiles. 

Acts 17:1-2   "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures..."

Paul followed the example of Jesus Christ, and as God's people today, we are careful to attend the assembling of the church on the Sabbath.  We should be able to say "as our custom is" we enter church services on the Sabbath, since it is our regular practice.  We need the interaction and the spiritual sustenance which comes by fellowshipping and being taught on the Sabbath--it is an oasis in the desert.

Some of our brethren are unable to attend regularly due to illness and can hook up to our weekly webcast.  Through the marvels of science they can have this wonderful life line to help them survive spiritually.  It is important also for the local church to keep in touch with those who are unable to attend because of physical limitations.  They need the contact of fellowship as well.

Let me encourage all of us to make full use of services and fellowship to talk with one another.  Strive to talk about spiritual things, and a good way to do that is discuss the sermon with each other.

Be reminded of what it admonishes us in Malachi 3:16-18: 

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.  17 "They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him." 18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him."

 

There is no better time and place than the Sabbath to do what Malachi says God's people would be doing.  All of us need a spiritual refreshing on a regular basis at a spiritual oasis!

Please have a wonderful Sabbath!

Your brother in Christ,

 

Jim Tuck