Convocation or Rest? 

Memory Verse: "Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings" (Leviticus 23:3).

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:19-25.

Introduction: If one takes literally the injunction to "work" six days and "rest" the seventh day, he will find many occasions when it will be most appealing to use the Sabbath for rest only.
  We have no reason to criticize the use of the Sabbath for rest only, to recuperate from illness or exhaustion. However, we recognize man's need to maintain a steady, near habitual approach to good practices. We are not suggesting a "mechanical" type of habit, but a practice so consistently repeated, that one's response to "what comes next?" on Sabbath morning is not a question, nor a time to choose whether to go to church or to loaf through the day.
  Rather, a person should be consistently and thoroughly established in his mind. Attendance at church is "the thing to do" on Sabbath. He should not have to make a decision each Sabbath morning as to whether to go, or not to go, except in cases which practically force one to consider the question.
  One of the best means available to men to insure a proper understanding of the Scriptures is to follow the examples of Christ, His disciples, and the injunctions of the Scriptures.
  It is interesting to note that the Greek word for "wont" is "enomidzeto," as used in Acts 16:13, "And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made." The word is built on the Greek word "nomos," their word meaning "law." The usage of the word implies a customary obligation because of legal requirement, rather than mere habit, or manner. In other words, these people resorted by the river in recognition of a spiritual obligation to God. Obviously, this was their "holy convocation" on the Sabbath.
  Isaiah's admonition to "turn away" from ". . . doing thy own pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: (Isaiah 58:13), would leave a great void if Christians did not meet for worship.

Lesson Questions:

1. What is the meaning of an "holy convocation" as referred to in Leviticus 23:3?

2. Does being "free from the law" imply a slackening in frequency of meetings with others in holy convocation? Hebrews 10:24,25.

3. Was the injunction for "every man to stay in his place on the seventh day," recognized as a permanent injunction? Compare Exodus 16:29 with Matthew 12:1. Where were Christ and the disciples headed as they went through the corn field? Verse 9. Did their destination have anything to do with Leviticus 23:3?

4. Is there ever a need to meet with others regarding the interpretation of God's word? Acts 18:24-28; 19:2; 2 Timothy 2:23-26; 3:7; 1 Timothy 4:13-16.

5. Is one's obligation toward his children discharged by sending or taking them to church? Deuteronomy 6:4-12; 11:18-21; Exodus 13:14.

6. Does the Bible show that Gentile Christians used the Sabbath for "holy convocations?" Acts 13:38-44.

7. What might have been the cause of the meeting mentioned in Acts 16:13, not having been in a synagogue or in the temple?

8. Discuss Psalms 78:1-8, in view of the admonition given by Paul in Hebrews 10:24,25; 2 Timothy 2:14-16.

9. What was the "custom" of Christ and His disciples? Luke 4:15,16; Acts 17:2; 9:20.

10. Is 1 Corinthians 11:1,2 significant to this study? Discuss "ordinances, as I delivered them unto you."