Author Jefferson Bethke encourages students to properly observe the Sabbath

Many would not correlate the Sabbath with war, but that’s exactly what author Jefferson Bethke did when he spoke at Convocation Nov. 2.

Bethke reminded students how to observe the Sabbath properly in the modern day. While most see the Sabbath as nothing more than resting, Bethke claimed it is an “act of war” against our culture. 

He began by giving the example of an awkward 1982 protest in Poland. The Polish people wanted the Communist Party to know they were wrong, so they boycotted the nightly news that came on at 7:30 p.m. 

The people went on a walk with their television sets so that the government would know they were standing up. 

It was something small and somewhat weird, but Bethke said this is the type of war Christians usually wage.

In his eyes, the art of practicing the Sabbath is a lost art. He said most of the Western world sees the Sabbath as a time to rest and watch TV or a practice of old that has no value to them.   

“It’s a subversive act of resistance against the culture you find yourself in: of hustle, of hurry, of busy and of putting your identity in your work production,” Bethke said.

Bethke introduced students to a new idea of Sabbath. He sees it as a chance to tell the world that Christians will keep their identity in Christ rather than the things that they do. 

Bethke said the Sabbath is a time that should spiritually fulfill people, and it should do so every day of the week.

“That one day a week, you are actually setting up a structure to dwell in the Almighty, delight in him and allow him to fill that day. Not as the only day of blessing, but as a signpost of the day where every day will be blessing,” Bethke said. “It is actually a future storytelling device. That’s what Sabbath is.” 

He said it is less about physically resting and more about resting in Jesus, whether that is through prayer, reading Scripture or another means. 

He also mentioned that unlike most universities, Liberty has a lot of people here who at least know about Jesus. He challenged them by asking whether they live it out. Do they strive to follow God and become more like him? It can be easy to talk the talk in life, but Christians should walk and run the race that God has laid out.  

To conclude, he pointed out that growth can take some time and that students should enjoy the journey of walking with Christ rather than rushing to grow. Christians should understand that God will do things in his timing, and they should learn to walk at his speed rather than try and run ahead. 

Austin is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion