Pastor Loran Livingston Gets Heat for Saying There Is No Sabbath Day

How Jesus Fulfilled the Old Covenant and Became the Center of God’s Redemption Plan

At the heart of the Christian faith lies one extraordinary claim: that everything God established under the Old Covenant ultimately pointed to Jesus Christ.

That is the central message of this sermon.

Rather than presenting Christianity as another religious system built upon ceremonies and regulations, the preacher argues that Jesus fulfilled every requirement of the law, allowing believers to stand righteous before God through faith alone.

According to the message, salvation is not earned through human effort.

It is received by calling upon the name of Jesus, believing in Him, and faithfully following Him throughout life.

The preacher emphasizes that believers become righteous through Christ rather than through personal attempts to satisfy the demands of the law.

From that foundation, the sermon explores how nearly every major institution of the Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Jesus Himself.

The first example is the Sabbath.

According to the preacher, many Christians continue debating which day should be observed as the biblical Sabbath.

He argues that this question misunderstands the purpose of the Sabbath altogether.

Rather than being merely a weekly day of rest, the Sabbath ultimately points to Christ.

God originally established the Sabbath to teach His people about rest, but Jesus became the true fulfillment of that promise.

Through Him, believers rest from striving to establish their own righteousness and instead trust completely in His finished work.

The preacher explains that Christians traditionally gather for worship on the first day of the week because of Christ’s resurrection, not because that day functions as a new legal requirement.

In his view, worship is no longer tied to observing a particular day but to living in the spiritual rest found in Jesus Himself.

The sermon next turns to the temple.

Under the Old Covenant, the temple served as the designated place where God’s people met with Him.

According to the preacher, that reality changed completely through Christ.

He reminds listeners of the New Testament teaching that believers themselves have become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

God’s presence no longer dwells in a physical building alone but within His people.

This transformation means that God’s dwelling place now moves wherever His followers go.

The message then addresses another major change brought about through Christ—the priesthood.

The preacher recalls the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, pointing to the tearing of the temple veil as a powerful symbol that access to God had been permanently opened.

He argues that believers no longer require a human mediator to approach God.

Instead of depending upon an earthly priesthood, every Christian now has direct access to the throne of grace.

According to the sermon, every believer has been made part of a royal priesthood, able to come confidently before God in prayer without relying upon another person to stand between them and their Creator.

The discussion then expands to Israel’s religious festivals.

The preacher notes the significance of celebrations such as Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles.

Rather than encouraging Christians to continue observing those festivals as religious obligations, he argues that every one of them ultimately points to Jesus.

Christ is presented as the true Passover Lamb.

He embodies sanctification, resurrection, the gift of the Holy Spirit, God’s dwelling place among His people, and the hope of His future return.

Because Jesus fulfills what each feast anticipated, the preacher maintains that believers no longer depend upon the observance of those festivals for their relationship with God.

The same principle is applied to sacrifices.

Instead of offering animals upon an altar, Christians are called to present themselves as living sacrifices.

According to the sermon, the sacrifices that now please God include lives marked by worship, thanksgiving, generosity, and faithful service.

Praise becomes an offering.

Acts of kindness become an offering.

Daily obedience becomes an offering.

Every aspect of life becomes an act of worship dedicated to Christ.

Toward the latter portion of the message, the preacher broadens his focus beyond ceremonies and institutions to the Bible itself.

He argues that Scripture should never be read merely as a collection of inspiring historical stories.

Instead, every major narrative ultimately points toward Jesus Christ.

Joseph’s life is presented as more than the story of a young man overcoming hardship.

According to the preacher, Joseph foreshadows Christ—rejected by His own people before ultimately becoming the means of salvation for many.

Likewise, the familiar account of David and Goliath is described as something far greater than the triumph of an underdog.

Rather than simply celebrating courage or determination, the preacher explains that David’s victory points forward to Christ’s ultimate victory over humanity’s greatest enemies: sin and death.

Throughout the sermon, one consistent theme remains unmistakable.

Jesus is not simply one important figure within the Bible.

He is the central figure to whom everything else points.

The law anticipates Him.

The Sabbath anticipates Him.

The temple anticipates Him.

The priesthood anticipates Him.

The feasts anticipate Him.

Even the great stories of Israel ultimately find their deepest meaning in Him.

According to the preacher, failing to recognize Christ at the center of Scripture risks misunderstanding the purpose of the Bible itself.

Rather than encouraging believers to return to religious systems centered on rituals and ceremonies, the sermon repeatedly directs attention back to the sufficiency of Christ.

Faith rests not upon human achievement but upon His completed work.

The believer’s confidence is not found in keeping ceremonial laws, observing sacred days, or participating in ancient festivals.

It is found in Jesus alone.

Ultimately, the message presents Christianity as a relationship built upon grace rather than religious performance.

Because Christ fulfilled what the Old Covenant foreshadowed, believers are invited to live in freedom instead of fear, in rest instead of striving, and in confidence instead of uncertainty.

Every symbol has reached its fulfillment.

Every promise has found its answer.

And according to this sermon, every road in Scripture ultimately leads to one person—Jesus Christ.