Embracing the Gift of Sabbath Rest
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we delve into the spiritual discipline of Sabbath, a practice that many in the church struggle with. The concept of Sabbath originates from God Himself, as seen in Genesis 2:2-3, where God rested on the seventh day after creation. This rest wasn't due to fatigue but was a divine pause to appreciate His creation. The Sabbath is a day set apart, made holy, and blessed by God. It’s a day for ceasing from work, reflecting on God's goodness, and celebrating His creation.
In Exodus 16, we see the first detailed mention of Sabbath, where God commands the Israelites to gather manna for six days and rest on the seventh. This command was not just a rule but an invitation to rest and restore their relationship with God and each other. The Sabbath was codified into law in Exodus 20:8-11, emphasizing its importance. It’s one of the Ten Commandments, highlighting its significance in our relationship with God and others.
Jesus also observed the Sabbath, as seen in Luke 4:16, and He taught that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). Jesus emphasized that the Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. It’s a day for doing good, healing, and restoring dignity to people. Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath, such as healing the crippled woman in Luke 13:10-17, show that the Sabbath is a time for renewal and liberation.
We often resist the Sabbath because of our obsession with busyness. We wear our busyness as a badge of honor, forgetting that God doesn’t need us to run the world. Observing the Sabbath is crucial for our spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s a time to disconnect from the noise and reconnect with God and others. Jesus is our ultimate rest, and through Him, we find true Sabbath rest.
To practice Sabbath, we must guard our time, engage in life-giving activities, worship, reflect, and trust God with our work and time. The Sabbath is not about legalism but about enjoying the gift of rest that God has given us. It’s a tool for growing in our relationship with God and others. As we take communion today, let’s find our rest in Jesus and commit to incorporating Sabbath into our lives.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Origin and Purpose of Sabbath: The Sabbath originates from God, who rested on the seventh day to appreciate His creation. This rest is not about fatigue but about ceasing from work to reflect on God's goodness and celebrate His creation. The Sabbath is a day set apart, made holy, and blessed by God. It’s an invitation to rest and restore our relationship with God and each other. [02:59]
2. Sabbath as a Command and a Gift: In Exodus 16 and 20, God commands the Israelites to observe the Sabbath, emphasizing its importance. The Sabbath is not just a rule but a gift from God, inviting us into rest and restoration. It’s a time to cease from work, reflect on God's goodness, and celebrate His provision. Observing the Sabbath helps us reconnect with God and others. [06:34]
3. Jesus’ Teaching on the Sabbath: Jesus observed the Sabbath and taught that it was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. He emphasized that the Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. It’s a day for doing good, healing, and restoring dignity to people. Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath, such as healing the crippled woman, show that the Sabbath is a time for renewal and liberation. [17:32]
4. The Importance of Observing the Sabbath: We often resist the Sabbath because of our obsession with busyness. Observing the Sabbath is crucial for our spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s a time to disconnect from the noise and reconnect with God and others. The Sabbath helps us find rest, restoration, and renewal in God’s presence. [24:53]
5. Practical Steps to Observe the Sabbath: To practice Sabbath, we must guard our time, engage in life-giving activities, worship, reflect, and trust God with our work and time. The Sabbath is not about legalism but about enjoying the gift of rest that God has given us. It’s a tool for growing in our relationship with God and others. Jesus is our ultimate rest, and through Him, we find true Sabbath rest. [33:02]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:35] - Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines
[02:59] - The Origin of Sabbath
[04:46] - God's Rest and Its Significance
[06:34] - Sabbath in Exodus 16
[09:32] - God's Compassion in Sabbath
[11:01] - Sabbath Codified in Exodus 20
[12:49] - The Bridge Commandment
[14:25] - The Debate on Keeping the Law
[16:09] - Jesus Observing the Sabbath
[17:32] - Jesus Teaching on the Sabbath
[19:20] - Healing on the Sabbath
[21:04] - Restoring Dignity on the Sabbath
[23:03] - The Importance of Sabbath
[24:53] - The Problem of Busyness
[26:49] - The Benefits of Sabbath
[28:32] - Physical and Mental Health
[30:06] - Spiritual Well-being
[31:38] - Practical Steps to Observe Sabbath
[33:02] - Guarding Your Time
[34:39] - Engaging in Life-Giving Practices
[36:05] - Recreation and Enjoyment
[37:37] - Trusting God with Your Time
[39:47] - Starting the Week with Sabbath
[41:40] - Communion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Spiritual Discipline of Sabbath
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 2:2-3: "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."
2. Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
3. Mark 2:27-28: "And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What did God do on the seventh day after creation according to Genesis 2:2-3?
2. In Exodus 20:8-11, who is commanded to observe the Sabbath and what activities are they to refrain from?
3. According to Mark 2:27-28, what did Jesus teach about the purpose of the Sabbath? [17:32]
4. How did Jesus demonstrate the true purpose of the Sabbath through His actions, such as healing the crippled woman in Luke 13:10-17? [19:20]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God rested on the seventh day if He does not grow tired? What does this tell us about the nature of Sabbath rest? [02:59]
2. How does the command to observe the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8-11 reflect God's compassion and care for His people? [09:32]
3. What does Jesus' statement that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" imply about the intended benefits of observing the Sabbath? [17:32]
4. How can Jesus' actions on the Sabbath, such as healing and doing good, reshape our understanding of what it means to keep the Sabbath holy? [19:20]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current weekly schedule. Are there specific activities or commitments that prevent you from observing a Sabbath rest? How can you adjust your schedule to make room for a Sabbath? [24:53]
2. The sermon mentioned that we often wear busyness as a badge of honor. Do you find yourself doing this? How can you shift your mindset to value rest and Sabbath as God intended? [24:53]
3. Jesus used the Sabbath to do good and restore dignity to people. How can you incorporate acts of kindness and service into your Sabbath practice? [19:20]
4. The sermon emphasized the importance of disconnecting from digital devices to reconnect with God and others. What specific steps can you take to minimize digital distractions during your Sabbath? [28:32]
5. Consider the idea that Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. How can you change your perspective to see Sabbath as an opportunity for renewal and joy rather than an obligation? [09:32]
6. The sermon suggested engaging in life-giving activities during the Sabbath. What activities bring you joy and rest? How can you incorporate these into your Sabbath practice? [33:02]
7. Jesus is described as our ultimate rest. How can you deepen your relationship with Jesus to experience the true rest that He offers? [30:06]
This guide aims to help your small group delve deeper into the spiritual discipline of Sabbath, encouraging meaningful discussion and practical application in their lives.
Devotional
Day 1: The Divine Pause of Sabbath
The Sabbath originates from God, who rested on the seventh day to appreciate His creation. This rest is not about fatigue but about ceasing from work to reflect on God's goodness and celebrate His creation. The Sabbath is a day set apart, made holy, and blessed by God. It’s an invitation to rest and restore our relationship with God and each other. Observing the Sabbath helps us to disconnect from our daily grind and reconnect with the divine, appreciating the beauty and goodness of God's work in our lives and the world around us. [02:59]
Genesis 2:2-3 (ESV): "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."
Reflection: How can you create a "divine pause" in your week to reflect on God's goodness and celebrate His creation?
Day 2: Sabbath as a Command and a Gift
In Exodus 16 and 20, God commands the Israelites to observe the Sabbath, emphasizing its importance. The Sabbath is not just a rule but a gift from God, inviting us into rest and restoration. It’s a time to cease from work, reflect on God's goodness, and celebrate His provision. Observing the Sabbath helps us reconnect with God and others, providing a rhythm of rest that is essential for our well-being. This command is a divine invitation to experience God's grace and provision in a tangible way. [06:34]
Exodus 16:29-30 (ESV): "See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."
Reflection: What steps can you take to view the Sabbath not as a burden but as a gift from God? How can you plan your week to honor this day of rest?
Day 3: Jesus’ Teaching on the Sabbath
Jesus observed the Sabbath and taught that it was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. He emphasized that the Sabbath is a gift, not a burden. It’s a day for doing good, healing, and restoring dignity to people. Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath, such as healing the crippled woman, show that the Sabbath is a time for renewal and liberation. This perspective shifts our understanding of the Sabbath from a legalistic requirement to a life-giving practice that brings freedom and restoration. [17:32]
Luke 13:10-13 (ESV): "Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, 'Woman, you are freed from your disability.' And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God."
Reflection: How can you use your Sabbath to do good and bring healing to those around you? What specific actions can you take this week to restore dignity to someone in need?
Day 4: The Importance of Observing the Sabbath
We often resist the Sabbath because of our obsession with busyness. Observing the Sabbath is crucial for our spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s a time to disconnect from the noise and reconnect with God and others. The Sabbath helps us find rest, restoration, and renewal in God’s presence. By setting aside this time, we acknowledge that our worth is not tied to our productivity but to our identity as beloved children of God. [24:53]
Isaiah 58:13-14 (ESV): "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Reflection: What are the distractions and busyness in your life that prevent you from observing the Sabbath? How can you intentionally disconnect from these to reconnect with God?
Day 5: Practical Steps to Observe the Sabbath
To practice Sabbath, we must guard our time, engage in life-giving activities, worship, reflect, and trust God with our work and time. The Sabbath is not about legalism but about enjoying the gift of rest that God has given us. It’s a tool for growing in our relationship with God and others. Jesus is our ultimate rest, and through Him, we find true Sabbath rest. By intentionally setting aside this time, we create space for God to work in our lives and deepen our relationships with Him and others. [33:02]
Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV): "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take this week to guard your Sabbath time? How can you incorporate life-giving activities and worship into your day of rest?
Quotes
1. "So I've got a deal for you. This is what we're going to talk about today. As I said last week, we're walking through spiritual disciplines. We're walking through what it is to really be Jesus followers. We're walking through what it is to be Jesus followers. We're walking through to follow after him and not just give lip service to him. And today we're talking about I think the one that a lot of people in the church wrestle with and it's Sabbath. We're going to talk about remembering and keeping the Sabbath holy." [01:35] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So what we have is we have God having created for six days and on the seventh day it says that he rested. That word rested is from the same root as Shabbat, which is the word Sabbath, which means to cease, to stop, to die, to bring to completion. So there's a finality idea in this word Sabbath. And so it says that God after creating for six days stopped and he ceased. But here's my question. Does God grow tired? The answer is no. God does not grow weary. God does not grow tired. And so if God didn't grow tired, why did he need to rest? What was the purpose of stopping? And ceasing?" [04:46] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God is inviting them into Sabbath. Yes, it is a command, but it's a gift. It's an invitation into this rest. God's saying, I know how you work. So I'm giving you a day off, but I'm giving you a day off, not just to have a day off, but I'm giving you a day off to be restored back into relationship with me and to be restored in relationship with one another, because God's intent was to restore them back to the people that he originally created them to be, which was to be in relationship with him and one another." [09:32] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Now what's interesting to me is there's a huge debate going on around social and throughout social media about whether or not we have to keep the commandments, whether or not we have to keep the law because we are under the new covenant of Jesus. And Jesus said, I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. Jesus has fulfilled the law. Therefore, we don't have to. I don't think anyone, if they're pressed on that and carry it through to its logical end, really believes that. Because what that means is then you don't have to not murder people. You can murder people. You can take their wives. You can covet everything that they have. But that Sabbath thing, you see, God puts the law in place to give us guardrails, to give us parameters to live with them because it's within those parameters that we have life and have it abundantly." [14:25] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The Sabbath was not created to be a weight and to be a burden. The Sabbath was an invitation by God to be at rest with God. And if that meant that you were hungry, then you take care of the creation that you are with God. You see, the Sabbath was an invitation to participate with God in life. It wasn't that you had to find the weight of the Sabbath and fit yourself under the Sabbath. No, you got to live into the Sabbath. And then he says that he is the Lord of the Sabbath, which means that he gets to reinterpret and dictate what that means." [17:32] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Do you, do you anticipate getting to the Sabbath going, God, what are you going to do? What are you going to do on this day that I put apart for you? What are you going to do on this day that I, that I set apart as holy? What are you going to do, God? How are you going to show up? And then we see another passage. And it's found in Mark one. We're not going to go to it, but Jesus heals a demoniac, cast out a demon in the synagogue. I know it's hard to believe that there was someone with the demon at church, but back then it was, and he cast the demon out. Do you know what's supposed to happen on the Sabbath? People are supposed to be set free. People are supposed to be renewed. People are supposed to be revived." [21:04] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We need to keep the Sabbath because we're worn out. We're tired. They say one in three people live with a sleep deficit. One in three people. Now, that's seven hours or less, just to let you know what that's considered. We got people walking around in zombie states because they're not getting enough sleep. We got people driving in zombie states because they're not getting enough sleep. And then one of the research things that I read said 80% of the people said they wish they had more time to rest. 80%. Guess what? Sabbath. I got the answer. Because we set aside 24 hours, and then for the other six days of the week, we have the life and the energy. We've been revitalized. We've been restored." [26:49] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Jesus is our ultimate rest. I want to make that absolutely clear. Jesus is the one who gives us rest. Jesus is the one who gives us rest into the Sabbath. Jesus talks about this over in Matthew 11. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest. For your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. It is being connected to Jesus and then saying, I'm setting apart 24 hours to be with you, Father. And then, God, what do you want to do? How do you want to restore? How do you want to revive? How do you want to reset? How do you want to deliver? How do you want to set free? How do you want to use me in this 24 hours?" [30:06] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You set it apart. You blessed it. You called it holy. So I'm setting it apart for you. And if you do that, I know that God will show you whether something is life-giving or not life-giving and remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy. And the last thing is this. Actually, I've got two more. Recreation enjoyment. Just enjoy. Just have fun. Somebody goes, can I kayak? Can I go? I'm like, yes, go. Yeah, but it's work. No. Enjoy God's creation. That's what God did. He stopped. He sat back and he goes, this is awesome. And the last one is trust God with your work and your time. Trust him. Trust him that you're going to take 24 hours out of your week he's going to give you that time back." [36:05] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "I spoke to someone recently, and they were talking about just the difficulty, the resting. And in not being able to rest, there were a multitude of things that were running through their mind and their heart. And it was frustrating to them. And you may be that person. You may be sitting here going, man, I just, I can't stop my mind. I can't stop my thoughts. And my thoughts go in a direction that I don't want it to be. And it's not good for me. And it's not good for my relationships. And I just, I want to tell you with absolute certainty, Jesus is your ultimate rest. And as you are in him, you will find rest. the second thing is, as you grow in these spiritual practices or disciplines, especially with Sabbath, I promise you, you will find rest." [39:47] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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