[Steve Myers] Did you know that Christianity
is the largest religion in the world? There are 2.2 billion people who claim to
be Christian. That’s over 3 out of 10 people all over
the world. All of them believe that Jesus is the Founder
of their church. Yet, you’ve probably wondered why there
are so many variations and very different teachings. Is there anything you can do to help wade
through the swamp of fact and fallacy, truth or mere tradition that makes up modern Christianity? Do most churches really follow Jesus? How can you know whether the variety of teachings
and customs faithfully represent the way Jesus taught and lived? Well here’s the key question: What did Jesus
really teach? On Beyond Today I’ll examine a shocking
teaching of Jesus that surprisingly, most Christians don’t understand. Stayed tuned to Beyond Today as we discuss
“Shocking Teachings of Jesus—The Sabbath”. [Announcer] Join our host Steve Myers and
his guests as they help you understand your future on Beyond Today! [Steve] There are so many different Christian
churches today. But rather than unity, harmony, and cooperation,
many are known for their disputes and divisions. Have you ever wondered why there are sometimes
four different churches on the same street? Even when churches appear to get along, they
divide into hundreds of different groups, churches, and denominations. Why can’t they agree on much of anything? Well here’s what it comes down to: many
claim to follow the religion of Christianity, and yet they possess only a weak understanding
of what Jesus actually taught. Well, is there a difference between what Christians
believe and what the Bible teaches? Thomas Jefferson, an American founding father,
the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third President said, “The
greatest enemies of Jesus are the doctrines and creeds of the church.” Could that be true? How can there be a difference between the
teachings of Jesus and Christianity? After all, is it possible to go to church
and not really be following Jesus? For that matter, is any church just as good
as another? Let me be clear: There is a difference between Jesus’ teachings
and the majority of Christianity. It is possible to go to church and not really
be following Jesus. And no, any church is not just as good as
another! So what’s the difference? Here’s the key: Jesus taught people they
must follow Him. He didn’t say it three or four times, but
over and over, in fact almost two dozen times the Bible records Him talking about people
following Him. Now it may be shocking to hear, but most churches
do not follow Jesus. Christ Himself said: “Not everyone who says
to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My
Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). So how can you be sure you don’t fall into
that category? We have to stop following selfish desires,
or our friends, or pop culture or even our family and do more. Even more than just saying the catchphrase:
“I’ve taken Jesus into my heart.” You see, to truly follow Christ, it means
He’s become everything to us. We learn exactly what He taught—and we do
it. In fact, to truly follow means we don’t
follow anything else. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “Whoever wants
to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” So, if we claim to be Christian, we imitate
Christ precisely, because there is no such thing as a halfway, part time disciple. Now that brings us back to the question: Am
I really following Christ? Do I truly follow what He taught? We’re going to examine a shocking teaching
of Jesus to help you analyze your own relationship with Him. Because if we claim to be Christian and we
are true followers of Jesus Christ, it also means we strive to be like Him. He always obeyed His Father, so that's what
we do. It means I’ve made Him my Master, the Boss,
the Lord of my life. So each and every thought and decision is
filtered through His Word and His way. I must do what He said, exactly what He taught. Now if we are going to do just that, we must
apply the instruction of 1 John 2. In verse 4 we’re told “If someone claims,
‘I know God,’ but [he] doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar
and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show
how completely they love him. That’s how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live
their lives as Jesus did” (1 John 2:4-6 NLT). You see, knowing and following what Jesus
really taught is crucial. No one wants to be identified as a liar. True followers of Christ are showing God they
completely love Him by walking as He walked—living in the same way as He lived. Now, when churches don’t follow His example
and teachings, what can we assume? Well, we’d have to conclude that they are
not following Jesus! So how can you avoid that frightful outcome? How can you live in the truth and know how
to follow Christ properly? The only way to truly know is to read your
Bible. Learn God’s Word and decide for yourself—and
do it. Don’t let anyone else tell you what to believe,
be sure you read it for yourself. You see, a person who calls themselves a Christian,
yet does not obey the Bible is not Christian at all. Now let me say that again: if someone says
they’re Christian and doesn’t obey the Word of God—they’re not really a Christian. The Bible—it is the textbook for students
of Christ. The apostle Paul was guided to tell us that
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error,
correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves
God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed (2 Timothy 3:16-17,
GNT). Clearly, the Word of God must govern our life
if we are truly His. With that in mind, let’s examine a shocking
teaching of Jesus. How well do we follow Christ when it comes
to worship? Did you know that you cannot find anywhere
in the Bible that Sunday is the day of worship? Search the Old and even the New Testament
and you’ll find the biblical Sabbath is not Sunday. History and Scripture show that the New Testament
Church worshiped on the true Sabbath—Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. Shocking as it may be, most are surprised
to realize there is no other day of worship mentioned from Genesis to Revelation. The Christian Sabbath, remembered from Friday
sunset to Saturday sunset, is what Jesus observed and taught. Now it may astonish some to realize that this
is exactly what He boldly said in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of
the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Now notice that other translations make it
completely clear: Disciples’ Literal New Testament says: “The
Sabbath was made for the sake of mankind.” The New Revised Standard Version says: “The
Sabbath was made for humankind.” Lexham English Bible says: “The Sabbath
was established for people.” Even the Good News Translation states: “The
Sabbath was made for the good of human beings.” Now can it be any more clear cut? It’s certain that Jesus taught that the
Sabbath was not made for the Jews. Jesus didn’t observe the Sabbath only because
He was a Jew. Instead, we find the irrefutable truth that
the Sabbath was created for everyone—all mankind—all peoples. It’s not an Old Covenant thing made just
for Moses and the Israelites—it’s actually a New Covenant thing—established at creation
and continuing as true worship in the New Testament Church. So please, be honest with yourself and read
your Bible. You’ll find the Sabbath is the seventh day
of the week. Not even once do you see Sunday, the first
day of the week, referred to as a Sabbath day of rest. The Bible doesn’t ever declare that Sunday
should be some kind of Sabbath. The Sabbath day is mentioned right from the
beginning of Genesis and then again in the Fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11). The Bible tells us that God set the seventh
day apart at creation. So Scripture consistently tells the same story
of true worship. Even after the crucifixion the apostles and
the New Testament Church continued to observe the seventh-day Sabbath from Friday sunset
to Saturday sunset as the day of true worship. Now here’s another shocker. If you were to read about this in the Catholic
Encyclopedia it will tell you that Jesus and His disciples always observed the seventh-day
Sabbath, but the Catholic Church had the right to change the Sabbath day from Saturday to
Sunday. Now some even brag about the reason Protestants
observe Sunday—is because they follow the Catholic tradition and not the Bible! So who do you follow? A church or Christ? Who should you follow? Jesus said, “...the reason I was born and
came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of [the] truth listens
to me” (John 18:37, NIV). Listen to the Savior. Choose to side with the truth. Determine to follow and live the truth. The fact is, religion doesn't always go along
with the Bible. It’s irrefutable. Scripture says that “in the last times some
in the church will turn away from Christ and become eager followers of teachers with devil-inspired
ideas” (1 Timothy 4:1-2, TLB). Nowhere in the Bible can you find the Sabbath
changed to some other day. Imagine if it were changed, there would have
been a huge discussion on it, and recorded for us—especially in the New Testament. But most people, including professing Christians,
are blinded to this shocking Bible truth. It may also be shocking to recognize the second
part of Jesus’ statement. Not only did He say that the Sabbath was a
day of worship created for all mankind—for each of us, He also stated in Mark 2:28: “Therefore
the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” Now think about that stunning statement! Jesus is not Lord of Sunday. He is Lord of the Sabbath. Now there are multitudes who have been told
and who honestly believe, that worshipping on the seventh-day Sabbath was abolished at
the cross. They believe that the Sabbath was somehow
changed so that now the first day of the week—the day we call Sunday somehow became the Lord’s
day. Well, can that be true? Should you observe the Sabbath—from Friday
sunset to Saturday sunset or worship on Sunday? Well consider what was taught by Jesus and
the New Testament Church. Remember that the teachings of Christ and
the Bible must support and guide everything we do. We follow Jesus. If the Word of God reveals that I am worshipping
on the wrong day, then shouldn’t I be perfectly willing to change? What would a true follower do? Now, there are, of course, some who say it
doesn’t make any difference which day you keep, so as long as you keep one day in seven. But wait, does it make a difference? Is any day acceptable to God? Well let’s look back to the Book, back to
the Bible and see what we discover. We already read Mark 2:28, but there’s more! Here is another crystal-clear statement by
Christ: “For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day” (Matthew 12:8). There are many more unmistakable passages
about the true day of worship. God spoke through the prophet Isaiah about
the Sabbath and plainly calls it “My holy day” and “The holy day of the Lord”
(Isaiah 58:13). And nowhere in Scripture does He designate
another other day as His. So, we see that the Lord has a day. And that day is the Sabbath—Friday sunset
to Saturday sunset. When asked if Sunday is the Lord’s day,
we’d have to say: “most certainly not!” Over what day is Jesus Lord? He said it Himself, Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. On what day do faithful followers of Jesus
observe and worship? At the very heart of the Ten Commandments
we are told, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”. What will you do about that shocking truth? The fact is: we can’t be true Christians
and not follow Jesus. To claim to be Christian means we must follow
Christ. It’s also important to realize that God
instructs all of us to examine, to test and to prove what we believe. It isn't good enough just to believe something
or even to reject a doctrine just because it has been taught. The apostle Paul tells us to “prove all
things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). You see, when we’re challenged by a teaching,
we should ask ourselves: “Do I practice 1 Thessalonians 5:21—proving all things?” You should prove Jesus’ Sabbath teaching. There is an example of doing just that recorded
in Acts 17. Paul was preaching the truth and it most likely
shocked the people of Berea. How did they handle that surprising message? Verse 11 says: “Now the Bereans were of
more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness
and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11
NIV). Now when their beliefs were challenged, they
reacted in a way that we can learn from. First of all, they “received the Word”—they
listened attentively. They wanted to know what he had to say and
make sure they clearly understood him before making any judgments. It would have been easy for them to listen
and then conclude, Paul’s crazy, and then dismiss what he said without much thought. But, that was not their approach. They understood that the Word of God should
be handled with respect and care, and not taken lightly or taken for granted. So they “examined the Scriptures every day
to see if what Paul said was true.” But also notice this: Not only did they open
their Bibles and study it for themselves, but we’re told they did so daily. They didn't just look up a few things—they
made a study of the Word of God as a part of their lives every day! They wanted to know whether or not the teaching
was truly accurate. Now if they could confirm the teachings from
Scripture, then they would have to accept it, change and follow. Put another way, it was important for them
to know what they believed, and it was just as important to know why they believed it! Their example is a wonderful lesson for us
all. Will you examine, and test and prove what
you believe? I hope that you’ll carefully examine these
things in the light of Scripture. Now don’t believe it just because I say
so. Don’t believe something just because you
grew up in this version of religion or in that church. If you do, you are at risk. Look to the Bible. God’s Word tells everyone that “Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). No wonder He inspired Hebrews 4:9 “There
remains, therefore, a Sabbath rest for the people of God to keep” (ISV). Now what will you do? God moved the apostle Paul to warn us all: He wrote: “But Eve’s mind was tricked
by the snake’s clever lies. And here’s what I’m afraid of. Your minds will also somehow be led astray. They will be led away from your true and pure
love for Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3, NIRV). Don’t be deceived. Be sure that you choose the right direction
and are never led away from truly following Christ. If it could happen then—it could happen
now. If it could happen to them—it could happen
to us! Up next, I’m going to discuss the shocking
teachings of Jesus with our Beyond Today panel, but first let’s recap what we’ve covered
today: Even though there are 2.2 billion people who
profess to be Christian, how many actually know and keep God’s Word and way? The fact is: we can’t be true Christians
and not follow Jesus. To claim to be Christian means we must follow
Christ. To follow Jesus means we must observe the
Sabbath! To discuss this surprising teaching of Christ
further fellow hosts, Darris McNeely and Gary Petty join me. Now here’s a question: Should we really
be surprised at Jesus’ teaching about the Sabbath? [Darris] Absolutely not, Steve. Christ was the creator. He is described as the one by whom all the
heavens are created. And in Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2 where
we find that creation account, He created man in His image and then the very next creative
act was the seventh-day Sabbath. And that comes before the giving of the law,
any of the covenants of Mt. Sinai and the other covenants of the New Testament. Sabbath has been in effect since creation. Christ gave the Sabbath when He said that
He was the Lord of the Sabbath. He was describing exactly what Genesis tells
us and what the entire Bible is about on that particular point. [Gary] Putting those two points together are
real important. I mean, here we have Paul says that God created
all things through Jesus Christ. So, we look in Genesis, the Creator there,
the one doing the creation is Jesus Christ. And it’s He who created the Sabbath and
rested on the Sabbath. Then we see Him come as a man and He says
the Sabbath is for all humanity, not just Jews, for all humanity. You put those two things together and it is
obvious the Sabbath was created for everyone, and it hasn’t been done away. [Darris] Every race, every ethnicity, not
just for the Jews or Israel, but for all mankind. [Steve] Yeah how critical to know that creation
is where that Sabbath began and even the fact that God Himself rested on the Sabbath and
set it apart, which is sometimes shocking for people to realize that very thing. One of the challenges we have then when we
hear things like this, what do we do when we recognize that this is something surprising
that, I’m not sure what to do now? How should we handle these kinds of things? [Darris] Well you come to a point in life
that you must recognize that either this Word is the Word of God or it isn’t. We believe that it is and if you believe that
it is, it tells you then what day is the Sabbath and it must be observed to have a true relationship,
in truth, with God. And so, you’re at a point in your life where
you have to either do what the Bible says and reap its blessings or reject its instruction
and its guidance on your life. There are consequences for that. [Gary] There is a God. He created us. He knows how life works. He wants us to be happy and productive and
to obey Him and follow Him. I mean, yes, we need to go in there and find
out what our God wants. And to worship our God. [Steve] And we put Him first, we do what He
says. We do what He says. And that can be a challenge because sometimes
we may find ourselves in a whole different place. So, how do we avoid the deception? How do we avoid that perspective in our life? [Darris] By obeying. You can only prove God, prove that He is the
God that He describes in the Bible by taking Him at His Word and then acting upon the instructions
that He says. God says, prove me now herewith on His law
and on the Sabbath then we can and should do that and by doing so, we enter into a relationship
with the God of creation, who then is working with us. Understand, if you’ve gotten this far already
in the program with us and on this topic, God has begun to lift the veil off your mind. And that then puts a decision upon you to
act. God may be already acting in your life and
you’ve got to begin to act your part. I think that’s where we’ve all found ourselves
and it’s the most important point on this topic. [Gary] I have been studying that Book since
I was a child and I am still constantly surprised by it. What God has for us, what God wants for us
is there. We should be surprised by it which means we
have to be humble. We have to at times, not trust ourselves,
but trust in God. [Steve] There’s so much that we can learn
when we actually do the things in the Bible. Always interesting to know that hearing is
one thing but doing puts it into practice and we can learn so much about God and develop
that relationship when we actually follow. There’s been a lot to consider regarding
Jesus’ true teachings on today’s program. The truth of the Bible, it certainly stands
in stark contrast to traditional religious concepts. Now throughout today’s program I’ve covered
some important differences between Jesus’ teachings and Christianity itself! It is hard to imagine that it’s actually
possible to go to church and not really be following Jesus! How can you discern the genuine teachings
of Jesus Christ from those that are false? Well, to help you do that, we have a free
Bible study aid: Jesus Christ: The Real Story. This valuable booklet will help you better
understand who Jesus Christ truly was and what He actually taught during His 3 and 1/2
year ministry. To request your free copy of Jesus Christ:
The Real Story, just call us toll free:1-888-886-8632. That’s 1-888-886-8632. Or you can go online at BeyondToday.tv or
write to us at the address shown on your screen [Beyond Today, PO Box 541027, Cincinnati,
OH 45254]. When you order the Bible study aid, we’ll
also send you a free subscription to Beyond Today magazine. Each issue of Beyond Today is filled with
practical articles to help strengthen you and your family and to assist you to make
sense of world news and events as well as help you better understand the Bible and what’s
ahead for our world. Again, to order your free study aid: Jesus
Christ: The Real Story and your free subscription to Beyond Today magazine call: 1-888-886-8632. Or go online to BeyondToday.tv to read or
download these informative publications. Would you like to learn even more about the
inspiring truths of the Bible? You can by joining my fellow Beyond Today
hosts and me every other Wednesday night for our live, online Bible studies at BeyondToday.tv. In these Bible studies, we’ll cover various
key biblical topics you’ll want to learn about. You can watch them live or find our earlier
study series archived on the website. Additionally, we want you to know that the
United Church of God has over 400 Sabbath-keeping congregations across the United States and
around the world. We welcome you to call or email one of our
pastors who would be happy to provide you information about the Church or simply answer
your questions about the Bible. Check it out on the web. And, when you visit BeyondToday.tv, I hope
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Beyond Today programs anytime on YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and other streaming-enabled
devices. It’s a fact: modern Christianity often opposes
the teachings of Christ. Jesus plainly said that many would listen
to false teachers and false Christs instead of Him. We must decide to follow Him on the right
path. So remember, we can’t claim to “believe
on Christ” without understanding and obeying what He taught. The only way to truly understand is to read
your Bible and learn His teachings. Pray for God’s inspiration and direction. Christ doesn’t want you to claim to be religious
and only possess a weak understanding of what He actually taught. If you are shocked by the teachings of Christ,
take that opportunity to act. Study those instructions and choose to change. Always rely on Jesus Christ to help you live
by every Word of God and strive to follow His example in all things. That’s the program for today. Don’t forget our free offers and be sure
to tell your family and friends about us. Tune in again for another edition of Beyond
Today and join me in praying, “Thy Kingdom come.” For Beyond Today I’m Steve Myers. Thanks for watching. [Announcer] For the free literature offered
on today’s program, go online to BeyondToday.tv. Please join us again next week on Beyond Today!
