Embracing Work and Rest: A Divine Rhythm

 

Summary

In our exploration of the fourth commandment, we delve into the profound struggle with time that many of us face. The commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy," is not merely a directive but a divine invitation to embrace both the dignity of work and the blessing of rest. Work, as outlined in the commandment, is not a necessary evil but a reflection of God's image in us. God, who introduced Himself as both a manual and executive worker, dignifies all forms of labor. Whether creating a home, drafting a document, or ensuring safety, our work mirrors God's creative nature. This understanding elevates our daily tasks, paid or unpaid, to acts of worship and expressions of divine purpose.

However, the relentless demands of modern life often leave us feeling overwhelmed, like carrying an overfilled plate. The fourth commandment offers a remedy by modeling a rhythm of work and rest. God created the world in six days, not because He needed the time, but to set a pattern for us. Dividing work into manageable portions allows us to complete tasks and savor the joy of finished work. This rhythm is crucial for maintaining balance and avoiding burnout.

Rest, as God exemplified on the seventh day, is the enjoyment of completed work. It is a gift, a blessing, and a reminder of our ultimate rest in God. The Sabbath is not about legalistic restrictions but about delight and renewal. It is a day set apart, a holy day, where we cease from our usual labors to focus on God and His goodness. This rest is not just for us but is to be shared with everyone within our influence, reflecting God's justice and compassion.

As Christians, we gather on the first day of the week, not to earn rest, but to celebrate the rest already given to us in Christ. Jesus, through His finished work on the cross, offers us rest for our souls. Our work, then, becomes an offering of love and gratitude, not a means to earn salvation. This perspective transforms our approach to work and rest, grounding us in the grace and rest that only Christ can provide.

Key Takeaways:

- The Dignity of Work: Work is a reflection of God's image in us, whether manual or executive. It is not merely a means to earn a living but a divine calling to create and contribute. Recognizing this transforms our daily tasks into acts of worship and expressions of God's character. [08:01]

- The Rhythm of Work and Rest: God's creation pattern teaches us to divide our work into manageable portions, allowing us to complete tasks and enjoy the satisfaction of finished work. This rhythm is essential for maintaining balance and avoiding burnout. [19:49]

- The Blessing of Rest: Rest is the enjoyment of completed work, a gift from God to be savored. The Sabbath is not about restrictions but about delight and renewal, a day set apart to focus on God and His goodness. [28:10]

- Sharing Rest with Others: The commandment calls us to ensure that everyone within our influence can enjoy rest, reflecting God's justice and compassion. This includes providing rest for those who may not have the means to afford it. [32:15]

- Rest in Christ: As Christians, we rest not because we have finished our work, but because Christ has finished His. Our work becomes an offering of love and gratitude, grounded in the grace and rest that only Jesus can provide. [37:32]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to the Fourth Commandment
- [01:32] - Struggle with Time
- [04:19] - The Need for God's Guidance
- [06:52] - The Dignity of Work
- [09:06] - Understanding Your Work
- [12:06] - Work Beyond Pay
- [15:09] - The Biblical View of Retirement
- [17:14] - Dignity in All Work
- [19:30] - Dividing Your Work
- [23:30] - The Pattern of Rest
- [27:56] - The Enjoyment of Rest
- [30:26] - The Significance of the Sabbath
- [33:02] - Sharing Rest with Others
- [35:25] - The First Day of the Week
- [37:32] - Rest in Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 20:8-11
- Ephesians 2:10

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Observation Questions:

1. What specific instructions does the fourth commandment give regarding work and rest? ([00:24])
2. How does the sermon describe the way God models a pattern of work and rest in creation? ([19:49])
3. What examples are given in the sermon to illustrate the dignity of different types of work? ([08:18])
4. How does the sermon explain the concept of rest as a gift from God? ([30:26])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that work is a reflection of God's image in us? How does this understanding change the way one might view their daily tasks? ([08:01])
2. How does the sermon interpret the rhythm of work and rest as a remedy for the overwhelming demands of modern life? ([19:49])
3. What does the sermon imply about the importance of sharing rest with others, and how does this reflect God's justice and compassion? ([32:15])
4. How does the sermon connect the concept of rest in Christ with the idea of not needing to earn salvation through work? ([37:32])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current work-life balance. Are there areas where you feel overwhelmed, and how might you apply the biblical rhythm of work and rest to find balance? ([03:30])
2. Consider the work you do, whether paid or unpaid. How can you view it as an expression of God's image and a form of worship? ([08:18])
3. Think about a time when you felt the joy of completed work. How can you incorporate moments of rest and reflection into your weekly routine to savor this joy? ([26:19])
4. How can you help ensure that those within your influence, such as family or coworkers, also experience rest? What practical steps can you take to support them? ([32:15])
5. Reflect on the idea of rest in Christ. How does this perspective change your approach to work and the pressures of daily life? ([37:32])
6. Identify one specific way you can make your Sabbath day different from the rest of the week to focus on God and His goodness. ([28:53])
7. How can you cultivate a sense of gratitude and love in your work, viewing it as an offering to God rather than a means to earn His favor? ([38:33])

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Reflection in Our Work
Work is not merely a means to earn a living; it is a reflection of God's image in us. Whether it is manual labor or executive tasks, every form of work holds dignity and purpose. God, who introduced Himself as both a manual and executive worker, dignifies all forms of labor. This understanding elevates our daily tasks, paid or unpaid, to acts of worship and expressions of divine purpose. Recognizing this transforms our daily tasks into acts of worship and expressions of God's character. By embracing this perspective, we can find deeper meaning and fulfillment in our work, seeing it as a divine calling to create and contribute. [08:01]

Genesis 2:15 (ESV): "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

Reflection: How can you view your current work, whether paid or unpaid, as an act of worship and a reflection of God's character today?


Day 2: Embracing the Rhythm of Work and Rest
The relentless demands of modern life often leave us feeling overwhelmed, like carrying an overfilled plate. The fourth commandment offers a remedy by modeling a rhythm of work and rest. God created the world in six days, not because He needed the time, but to set a pattern for us. Dividing work into manageable portions allows us to complete tasks and savor the joy of finished work. This rhythm is crucial for maintaining balance and avoiding burnout. By following this divine pattern, we can find balance and avoid the exhaustion that comes from constant labor. [19:49]

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to divide your work into manageable portions and incorporate intentional rest into your schedule?


Day 3: The Gift of Rest
Rest, as God exemplified on the seventh day, is the enjoyment of completed work. It is a gift, a blessing, and a reminder of our ultimate rest in God. The Sabbath is not about legalistic restrictions but about delight and renewal. It is a day set apart, a holy day, where we cease from our usual labors to focus on God and His goodness. This rest is not just for us but is to be shared with everyone within our influence, reflecting God's justice and compassion. Embracing this gift allows us to experience renewal and delight in God's presence. [28:10]

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: How can you intentionally set apart time this week to rest and focus on God's goodness, allowing yourself to experience His renewal and delight?


Day 4: Extending Rest to Others
The commandment calls us to ensure that everyone within our influence can enjoy rest, reflecting God's justice and compassion. This includes providing rest for those who may not have the means to afford it. By sharing the blessing of rest, we embody God's love and justice, creating a community where everyone can experience renewal and peace. This perspective challenges us to consider how we can extend rest and compassion to those around us, ensuring that they too can experience the blessing of rest. [32:15]

Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

Reflection: Who in your life might need the gift of rest and compassion? How can you practically extend this blessing to them this week?


Day 5: Resting in Christ's Finished Work
As Christians, we gather on the first day of the week, not to earn rest, but to celebrate the rest already given to us in Christ. Jesus, through His finished work on the cross, offers us rest for our souls. Our work, then, becomes an offering of love and gratitude, not a means to earn salvation. This perspective transforms our approach to work and rest, grounding us in the grace and rest that only Christ can provide. By resting in Christ's finished work, we find true peace and purpose in our daily lives. [37:32]

Matthew 11:28-29 (ESV): "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your mindset to view your work as an offering of love and gratitude, grounded in the rest and grace that Christ provides?

Quotes

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping 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, neither you nor your son or daughter, nor your man's servant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your Gates." [00:00:29]

"The Dignity of work is rooted in the very nature of God. Right at the beginning of the Bible, think about it, God introduces himself as a worker. God expresses himself by creating, and you and I are made in the image of God, and that means that we express ourselves by creating as well." [00:07:49]

"Work is not a necessary evil; it is a good gift from God. It has been spoiled and it's been frustrated and sometimes abused as a result of the fall, but work remains a good gift from God. Now one writer, and I found this rather helpful, never seen this comment before, but one writer I came across this week points out that in the Bible God introduces himself both as a manual worker and as an executive worker." [00:09:35]

"Now, if we reduce work to something that a person has to do to get a pay packet, one of the problems is that it leads us to a completely unbiblical view of retirement. Say a man earns his money, and then he retires, and he says to himself, hey, I don't need to earn any more money, that means there's no more work for me to do." [00:14:42]

"God has divided time for a reason. He has given us in the very order of creation a day, a week, a month, seasons of a year, and in the creation itself, God models a pattern of work that has rhythm to it, rhythms of rest and of work, and the very order of God's work and creation, of course, shows the importance of structure within our work." [00:20:32]

"Rest, if you want a simple definition, rest is simply the enjoyment of completed work. That's why we've spent so much time talking about work because you can't enjoy rest if you don't divide and therefore complete work. That's what God did on the seventh day; he finished his work of creation, which isn't, of course, all his work." [00:27:56]

"Notice the Commandment says we're to share our rest. We're to share this rest with everyone within our sphere of influence. Notice your son, your daughter, the folks who work for you, the alien, and even the animals. This is radically different from our world. See, we work on the assumption that rest is the privilege of those who can afford it." [00:32:12]

"God says to his people, I want you to be a community with a different set of values. I want you to make sure that everyone within your sphere of influence is able to enjoy this day of rest. Make sure that your lowest paid worker can get by on what he earns in six days and doesn't need to work for the seventh." [00:33:02]

"Come to me, and I will give you rest. I will give you rest. Think of that. When he died on the cross, he took on himself all my unfinished business before the law of God, and in his body as he bought it, he then cried out it is finished. My work is not finished, but his work is complete. That is my rest." [00:37:32]

"I'm not doing what I do in order to earn my salvation. I'm seeking to live a life for his glory out of gratitude because he's given me what I could never earn, and that makes your work, my work, an offering of love, a gift of gratitude, in regard to a debt that can never be." [00:38:59]

"God's pattern is that every day and every week, we who love him should savor the joy of completed work every day, every week, every season, every year. Now that's the Dignity of work. It's so much of our Lives, isn't it wonderful that God speaks to us so directly and practically in the Bible?" [00:27:16]

"God rested on the Seventh Day and therefore he blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Now rest, if you want a simple definition, rest is simply the enjoyment of completed work. That's why we've spent so much time talking about work because you can't enjoy rest if you don't divide and therefore complete work." [00:28:10]

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Transcript
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