Dear People Who Love Jesus,

As I was preparing my service before the feast in March, I was thinking about the wonder of how God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and how Jesus has done something similar, but far greater, for us.  “For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.  He purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14, NLT)  To think about what God has delivered us from, as well as what we have been transferred to, is absolutely amazing!.

This great deliverance is something God does not want us to forget, which is why He called for the Passover feast to be kept throughout our generations.  There are two verses that state this: “For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.  You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.” (Exodus 13:9-10)  Also, “You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day, I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt.  Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.” (Exodus 12:17) ESV

While I was thinking about the feast being a celebration of deliverance I ran into a verse from Deuteronomy that really caught me by surprise, because I was not expecting what came after the “Therefore.” “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (5:15, ESV).

Wow!  That is an important reason to keep the Sabbath!  Not only is the Sabbath a time of rest and communion with God, but it is a time to recall how God has delivered us from bondage.  Whether we experienced serious bondage or were kept from getting into it, God deserves our love and praise.  Perhaps this Sabbath is a good time to share with our children or friends the great deliverance Jesus has given us.

“How did Jesus transfer you from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of His dear Son?”  Share your answers with your family and friends!

Have a happy and glorious Sabbath.