Remember the Sabbath God said, a day of rest, and Jesus reminds us of this in the Gospel of Mark 2:23-28.

You may conclude it means someone telling you to get your rest this way: "I want to you to get up out of bed early on Sunday morning. I want you to go to church. While you are there, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down … that’s how Lutherans get their exercise!”

Doesn't sound like our idea of R&R, does it? And yet, the Lord commands us to remember the Sabbath day, worship and all; and He calls the Sabbath day a day of rest, worship and all.

Is worship about rest? Is the Sabbath day? Are we relaxed and rested when we leave church on Sunday morning? What is this third commandment about, anyway?

That commandment is, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." "Observe" it. On the seventh day, the last day of the week, the Israelites were to cease from their labors: no farming, no milling, no weaving, no work, period!

It wasn't just a rule for adults: it was for the children, for the servants, for all. The Sabbath was to be a day of rest and a day of worship. It is the Lord’s Day, not our day!

Why did God command them to rest like this? Some today say that this was God preventing his people from burnout; he was forcing them to put down their tools and do something else once a week, like praise God for the blessings He bestowed upon them. He was simply making sure that they didn't wear out their minds and bodies by overworking all the time.

He was building family time into the week by making sure that his people had one day a week to be together and focus on the King or Kings.

You can see, then, why the Sabbath would be the day for worship; as they remembered all that God had done, was doing, and would do, it was only appropriate to hear those promises in his saving Word, and to sing his praises.

The most obvious problem we have in society today is skipping worship, replacing it with something else on Sunday morning: an extra hour's sleep, more time at the office, a football game, kids’ soccer practice.

Whenever we replace the Sabbath day with something else that we deem more restful or more important, we are no longer treasuring it as we should. We are saying, "God is coming to church today with his Word and sacraments for me, but I have better things to do."

These other things are great temptations, because they can leave us feeling more refreshed in mind and body; they can trick us into believing that they did more for us than church would have. But those activities can't forgive sins, they can't give us rest for our souls.

In our towns here in Lake County, many are unchurched and need the rest that only the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding can bring.

That can come from not only attending church, but also supporting the church with your time, talents and treasures.

And that extends to your neighbor as well. Love for God, love for neighbor, all working together to let the hassles of life take a back seat for a change.

Join us at First Lutheran Church on Sunday, June 3rd to experience the rest that only worship, Word, Sacrament, fellowship and a hot lunch can bring.

Bible study begins at 9:30 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., Sunday School at 11:15 a.m. and lunch immediately following the service.

Chris DelCol is pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lucerne, Calif. The church is located at 3863 Country Club Drive, telephone 707-274-5572.