Keys for Kids Devotional: The Ten CommandmentsНамуна

The Sabbath Day

Charlotte’s family had just finished Sunday dinner at Grandma’s. “Charlotte, would you help me with the dishes, please?” asked Grandma, handing Charlotte a dish towel. “I’ll wash, you dry! Now, what did you learn in Sunday school today?”

“We’ve been learning about the Ten Commandments, and today was about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Some kids started arguing about what you should or shouldn’t do on a Sunday. Heather said her family doesn’t do any work or chores around the house, but Jason said his dad takes Sunday to do odd jobs he hasn’t had time to do during the week. I was a little confused about it all. What do you think, Grandma?”

Grandma thought for a moment. “That can be a touchy subject for believers. In fact, people were disagreeing about the Sabbath in Jesus’s day. One Sabbath day, Jesus and His disciples were picking some heads of grain because they were hungry. The Pharisees, who had set up strict rules about what you could and couldn’t do on the Sabbath, accused Him of breaking the law because He was doing work by picking grain. Another time those same Pharisees were upset that Jesus healed a crippled man on the Sabbath.”

“You mean Jesus got in trouble?” Charlotte asked in surprise.

“With the Pharisees, yes! They were more focused on following rules than following Jesus.” Grandma rinsed a soapy dish and handed it to Charlotte. “I think God intended the Sabbath to be a time of rest and refreshment from our daily work and routines,” Grandma said. “It refreshes us to remember what Jesus did to save us and to worship Him with other Christians. But the Sabbath can look different for different people. Our family likes to spend time doing things together. Some people enjoy hobbies on Sunday, while others just like to take a nap!”

“Like Grandpa!” Charlotte laughed. “A couple of Sundays ago, Dad helped our neighbor fix his flat tire. Do you think that was okay?”

“That sounds like Jesus! The Bible tells us Jesus healed people on the Sabbath. He was more concerned about loving others than following the list of rules made by the religious leaders of the day. I think your dad showed Jesus’s love to your neighbor and that was his way of keeping the Sabbath holy.”

—Kendra Angle

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does your family take a break from the normal routine of work and school on Sundays? Keeping the Sabbath day holy means taking time to honor Jesus by going to church, relaxing with your family, and even helping others. We can rest because we don’t have to do anything to earn God’s favor—Jesus earned it for us! God made the Sabbath day for our benefit, and each family has a different way of keeping it special.

TODAY’S KEY VERSE:
Then [Jesus] said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27