“Chapter 17: The Sabbath Day,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson (2023)
“Chapter 17,” Teachings: Russell M. Nelson
Chapter 17
The Sabbath Day
The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so.
From the Life of Russell M. Nelson
While Russell M. Nelson was working as a young surgeon, he found answers in the scriptures for his questions about how to keep the Sabbath day holy:
“How does a busy doctor handle the Sabbath? ‘This was not a theoretical question for a doctor,’ Dr. Nelson explained. ‘We were dedicated to healing and saving lives, and I wrestled to know how to handle this.’
“[Dr. Nelson] wanted to be in church with his family. … And yet, there were always operations to be performed, and sometimes there were lives at stake. …
“Then one day Dr. Nelson came across a passage in Exodus that triggered new spiritual understanding: ‘Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you’
“When he realized what he did on Sunday was a sign to the Lord about how he felt about Him, his dilemma was resolved. … (Exodus 31:13).
“‘Once I had the Sabbath day concept figured out,’ he explained, ‘and understood that what I did on Sunday was a sign of my love for God, I realized that just as it wouldn’t show my love for Him by operating on Sunday when it could wait until Monday, it also wouldn’t show love for God if I let someone die on Sunday who could have been saved. For a cardiovascular surgeon, that scripture was lifesaving for my conscience and for my heart.’”
Teachings of Russell M. Nelson
1
Our activities on the Sabbath are a personal sign of our commitment to the Lord
“The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, … my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you” [Exodus 31:12–13].
A similar message is in the book of Ezekiel:
“I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. …
“I am the Lord your God; … hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God” [Ezekiel 20:12, 19–20].
Pondering these scriptures has helped me to understand. My behavior on the Sabbath constitutes my sign to the Lord of my regard for him and for my covenants with him. If, on the one hand, my interests on the Sabbath day are turned to [worldly] activities … , the sign from me to him would clearly be that my devotions do not favor him. If, on the other hand, my Sabbath interests are focused on the Lord and his teachings, on the family, or on folks who are sick or poor or needy, that sign would likewise be evident to God. I have concluded that our activities on the Sabbath will be appropriate when we honestly consider them to be our personal sign of our commitment to the Lord.
How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.
Study Question
What sign are you giving to God through your conduct and attitude on the Sabbath day?
2
We are under covenant to hallow the Sabbath day
In Hebrew, the word Sabbath means “rest.” The purpose of the Sabbath dates back to the Creation of the world, when after six days of labor the Lord rested from the work of creation. When He later revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses, God commanded that we “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” [Exodus 20:8]. Later, the Sabbath was observed as a reminder of the deliverance of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. Perhaps most important, the Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant, a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people.
In addition, we now partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath day in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Again, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us His holy name.
The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so. …
Though the doctrine pertaining to the Sabbath day is of ancient origin, it has been renewed in these latter days as part of a new covenant with a promise. Listen to the power of this divine decree:
“That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High. …
“And on this day … let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, … that thy joy may be full. …
“And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, … the fulness of the earth is yours” [Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–10, 13, 15–16].
Imagine the scope of that statement! The fulness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath day holy. No wonder Isaiah called the Sabbath “a delight.”
The Lord’s commandment to hallow the Sabbath day and to keep it holy is a charge that we take very seriously and literally. If we can really do that, we will help our members to build faith in the Lord and deepen their conversion to Him and to His Church. …
We can strengthen our faith in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, by improving Sabbath day observance both at Church and at home. …As we learn better how to hallow the Sabbath day, faith will increase across the world.
Study Question
President Nelson taught that anciently, the Sabbath helped the Israelites remember God’s mighty works of creation and deliverance. What are some of the mighty works of God in your life that you can ponder or remember on the Sabbath? How does striving to keep the Sabbath day holy help keep you unspotted from the world?
3
Sacrament meeting is the highlight of our Sabbath day observance
We attend [sacrament meeting], as the Lord commanded, to receive the sacrament and renew our covenants.
He instituted the sacrament to remind us of His Atonement. As a final and specially prepared Passover supper was ending, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His Apostles, saying, “Take, eat” (Matthew 26:26). “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Then He took the cup, said a blessing of thanks, and passed it to those gathered about Him, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood” (Luke 22:20), “which is shed … for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). “This do … in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do [proclaim] the Lord’s death” (1 Corinthians 11:25–26). In this way, He linked the sacrament to His impending Crucifixion.
God had declared, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Then the Son of God voluntarily laid down His life to complete the will of His Father. Thus, immortality became a reality and eternal life a possibility for all who would ever live upon the earth.
We commemorate His Atonement in a very personal way. We bring a broken heart and a contrite spirit to our sacrament meeting. It is the highlight of our Sabbath-day observance [see Doctrine and Covenants 59:8–13].
The sacramental prayers have been revealed by the Lord. These prayers contain covenants and a promise [see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79]. We covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. We eat the broken bread in remembrance of His body. We drink the water in remembrance of His blood that was shed for us. And we witness that we will always remember Him. The promise: we will always have His Spirit to be with us. What a blessing! …
Each member of the Church bears responsibility for the spiritual enrichment that can come from a sacrament meeting. Each should sing with a grateful heart and respond with an audible “amen” at the conclusion of a prayer or a testimony. We personally ponder the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We reflect upon the significance of His suffering at Gethsemane and His Crucifixion on Calvary. At this time, each of us is to “examine himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28) and reflect upon personal covenants made with the Lord. At this time, we meditate upon the sacred things of God.
Gratefully, I thank the Lord for the sacrament meeting and all that it has meant in my life. It has repeatedly rekindled my faith and allowed me to renew my covenants from week to week.
Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that’s true, it’s much more than that. I’ve made a new covenant. You have made new covenants. … He makes the statement that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. What a blessing!
Study Question
What could you do before, during, and after sacrament meeting to more meaningfully worship Jesus Christ?
4
What activities can help to make the Sabbath a delight?
I invite you … to examine your feelings about, and your behavior on, the Sabbath day.
I am intrigued by the words of Isaiah, who called the Sabbath “a delight” [Isaiah 58:13]. Yet I wonder, is the Sabbath really a delight for you and for me?
How can you ensure that your behavior on the Sabbath will lead to joy and rejoicing? In addition to your going to church, partaking of the sacrament, and being diligent in your specific call to serve, what other activities would help to make the Sabbath a delight for you? What sign will you give to the Lord to show your love for Him?
The Sabbath provides a wonderful opportunity to strengthen family ties. After all, God wants each of us, as His children, to return to Him as endowed Saints, sealed in the temple as families, to our ancestors, and to our posterity.
We make the Sabbath a delight when we teach the gospel to our children. Our responsibility as parents is abundantly clear. The Lord said, “Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion … that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents” [Doctrine and Covenants 68:25; emphasis added]. …
… Study of the gospel makes the Sabbath a delight. This promise pertains regardless of family size, composition, or location.
In addition to time with family, you can experience true delight on the Sabbath from family history work. Searching for and finding family members who have preceded you on earth—those who did not have an opportunity to accept the gospel while here—can bring immense joy.
I have seen this firsthand. Several years ago, my dear wife Wendy determined to learn how to do family history research. Her progress at first was slow, but little by little she learned how easy it is to do this sacred work. And I have never seen her happier. You too need not travel to other countries or even to a family history center. At home, with the aid of a computer or mobile device, you can identify souls who are yearning for their ordinances. Make the Sabbath a delight by finding your ancestors and liberating them from spirit prison!
Make the Sabbath a delight by rendering service to others, especially those who are not feeling well or those who are lonely or in need. Lifting their spirits will lift yours as well.
When Isaiah described the Sabbath as “a delight,” he also taught us how to make it delightful. He said:
“If thou turn away … from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, … and shalt honour [the Lord], not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
“Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord” [Isaiah 58:13–14; emphasis added].
Not pursuing your “own pleasure” on the Sabbath requires self-discipline. You may have to deny yourself of something you might like. If you choose to delight yourself in the Lord, you will not permit yourself to treat it as any other day. Routine and recreational activities can be done some other time.
Think of this: In paying tithing, we return one-tenth of our increase to the Lord. In keeping the Sabbath holy, we reserve one day in seven as His. So it is our privilege to consecrate both money and time to Him who lends us life each day.
Faith in God engenders a love for the Sabbath; faith in the Sabbath engenders a love for God. A sacred Sabbath truly is a delight.
… We know that wherever we live we are to be examples of the believers among our families, neighbors, and friends. True believers keep the Sabbath day holy.
Home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.
Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ. Talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, feast upon the words of Christ, and press forward with steadfastness in Christ [see 2 Nephi 31:20]. Make your Sabbath a delight as you worship Him, partake of the sacrament, and keep His day holy.
Study Questions
Note the blessings President Nelson promises to those who keep the Sabbath day holy. How have these blessings been fulfilled in your life? What can you do to receive these blessing more fully in your life?
Invitations and Promises
The fulness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath holy
The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so. …
Though the doctrine pertaining to the Sabbath day is of ancient origin, it has been renewed in these latter days as part of a new covenant with a promise. Listen to the power of this divine decree:
“That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High. …
“And on this day … let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, … that thy joy may be full. …
“And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, … the fulness of the earth is yours” [Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–10, 13, 15–16].
Imagine the scope of that statement! The fulness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath day holy. No wonder Isaiah called the Sabbath “a delight.”
The sacrament prayers contain covenants and a promise
We bring a broken heart and a contrite spirit to our sacrament meeting. It is the highlight of our Sabbath-day observance [see Doctrine and Covenants 59:8–13].
The sacramental prayers have been revealed by the Lord. These prayers contain covenants and a promise [see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79]. We covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. We eat the broken bread in remembrance of His body. We drink the water in remembrance of His blood that was shed for us. And we witness that we will always remember Him. The promise: we will always have His Spirit to be with us. What a blessing!
Sacrament meeting rekindles our faith and allows us to renew our covenants
Each member of the Church bears responsibility for the spiritual enrichment that can come from a sacrament meeting. Each should sing with a grateful heart and respond with an audible “amen” at the conclusion of a prayer or a testimony. We personally ponder the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We reflect upon the significance of His suffering at Gethsemane and His Crucifixion on Calvary. At this time, each of us is to “examine himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28) and reflect upon personal covenants made with the Lord. At this time, we meditate upon the sacred things of God.
Gratefully, I thank the Lord for the sacrament meeting and all that it has meant in my life. It has repeatedly rekindled my faith and allowed me to renew my covenants from week to week.
Using home-centered, Church-supported curriculum can transform homes into sanctuaries of faith
Home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.
Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ
Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ. Talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, feast upon the words of Christ, and press forward with steadfastness in Christ [see 2 Nephi 31:20]. Make your Sabbath a delight as you worship Him, partake of the sacrament, and keep His day holy.
Videos
Related Talks
“The Sabbath Is a Delight” (April 2015 general conference)
“Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints” (October 2018 general conference)
“Make Time for the Lord” (October 2021 general conference)
“Worshiping at Sacrament Meeting” (Ensign, August 2004)
“Reflection and Resolution” (Brigham Young University devotional, January 7, 1990)