Sabbath

Sabbath

Tonight – last night of our Spiritual Disciplines series

- Something that’s been on my heart to share – Sabbath: God’s instruction/command to take time to rest our souls

- I’m hoping this comes at a good time for a lot of you – finish exams….

God has been impressing on me lately the importance of Sabbath…

- take on a ton of stuff – so exciting / great ideas for things

- life is going fine for a while – day planned out…

- before long – wheels start to come off – exhausted & burnt out

Actually believe there’s a great way to still get a ton done in life – get the most out of life

- maybe even MORE than the average person accomplishes in life

- has to do with Sabbath – ancient principle – as old as the earth itself

- God put it into place for the good of mankind

Story:

Two men had to clear a field of trees. The contract called for them to be paid per tree.

Bill wanted the day to be profitable, so he grunted and sweated, swinging his ax relentlessly. Ed, on the other hand, seemed to be working about half as fast. He even took a rest and sat off to the side for a few minutes. Bill kept chopping away until every muscle and tendon in his body was screaming.

At the end of the day, Bill was terribly sore, but Ed was smiling and telling jokes. What’s more, Ed had cut down more trees. Bill said, “I noticed you sitting while I worked without a break. How did you outwork me?”

“Did you notice I was sharpening my ax while I was sitting?” Ed said, smiling.

That really is what Sabbath is – sharpening the axe = getting the most out of life

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Our society = guy who keeps working & working

- society is busy, busy, busy – never sleeps

- many today work 60-70 hr work weeks

- homes – 2 working parents

- we love our “time saving” and “smart” devices - help us get more done in a day

o catch up on our texts / calls / emails / Facebook Messenger - all at once

o see the weather / news / latest gossip / latest viral video

o always have another task / more information to follow up with

o always available - never put it down

- we love to multi-task:

o ladies - we can put on make up while we drive a car

o guys – you can play video games while…

o we work out while we catch up on our favorite show

o we surf Facebook while watching TV

o we all eat while we drive… right?

- Sunday is no longer a day the world shuts down

o Does anyone remember when stores used to close on a Sunday?

o Many stores – open til late / if they close at all

But there’s something about all this that isn’t working…

- In the last 20 years work is up 15% and leisure is down 30%

- Our society is more stressed / overworked than ever

- Work related anxiety & depression are on the rise

o More & more people are prescribed meds to cope with day to day

o More stress-related heart attacks & mental break downs

- Even though we have time saving devices – we have “less time” than ever

o “There aren’t enough hours in the day”

- and we end up working with a really dull blade

o working harder / but have less to show for it – not really effective work

Question: Why do you think our world has gone from a 24/6 world to a 24/7 world?

- Greed / not content

- Proved themselves at work

- Convenience – want what we want when we want it

God set up the Sabbath for mankind’s benefit.

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Question: What do you think of when you think of the word Sabbath?

- How many knew about Sabbath growing up?

For me growing up – Sabbath meant

- Church on Sunday

- Went out to Swiss Chalet

- came home – parents napped – kids had to stay in our rooms (spanking)

- have a little food to eat

- go back to church for night church

o Sabbath = church day to me

As I got older – read through the Bible

- begin to have a better understanding of Sabbath – deeper meaning

This year at the beginning of the year – writing New Years resolutions

- really felt God wanted me to implement a “Sabbath” each week onto my calendar

- this was not something I was doing well at this point

- (Work for me is not just work here at the church – laundry/cooking/etc.)

- at the beginning of the week – finding a day in my day planner - writing SABBATH

o as a pastor who works at a church = NOT Sunday

o because I’m married to a shift worker - not always the same day of week

So I’ve started to do that – but in the last couple weeks I can tell God just wants me to have a better understanding of Sabbath

- a couple weeks ago asked God to direct me whatever wanted me to hear that day

o

§ 1st part what I read – used to be a life verse for me

11The lord will guide you continually,

giving you water when you are dry

and restoring your strength.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like an ever-flowing spring.

12Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.

Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls

and a restorer of homes.

§ next part – don’t think it’s a coincidence talks about Sabbath / rest

13“Keep the Sabbath day holy (set apart – different than the others)

Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,

but enjoy the Sabbath

and speak of it with delight as the lord’s holy day.

Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,

and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.

14Then the lord will be your delight.

I will give you great honor

and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.

I, the lord, have spoken!”

- How do we stay ‘hydrated’? How do we keep from going dry?

- How to we do great things for God? Rebuild a city?

o Keep the Sabbath day holy… don’t muck it up with your own agenda

Then:

- the Lord will be your delight - not the things of this world

o won’t find your worth/ delight in work / what others think of you / money

- I will honor you – actually have my blessing behind what you do

- I will satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to Jacob

o Abundant harvests of grain – provision

o Many nations would become his servants – honour amongst others

o All who curse you would be cursed / all who bless you would be blessed

o Given choice land

o All the families of the earth would be blessed through him

o Great influence

o God would always be with him – protecting him

What is the secret to all this success / blessing? To being a blessing to others?

- Sabbath: taking time to rest & spending time with God

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1. Sabbath is to REMEMBER

- - 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 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 male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

- Going back to creation – we see that God rested on the 7th day

o God didn’t have to rest – He is God

o Maybe He didn’t even work that hard – just speaking things out

o On the 7th day – He sat back & enjoyed the results of His work

§ He admired the sun & moon / trees & plants / animals / humans

- For us – “7th day” – is a day for us to step back & admire what we have done

o Some of us don’t take time to reflect back on the good of the week

o Feel thankful / proud / accomplished / celebrate

- but it shouldn’t end there

o really all about remembering God – all the way back to creation

o realizing that everything we have is because of God

§ if you built a house – it was God that provided the tree to make the wood – to make the house

§ if you studied for exams – God made tree – make paper in the books you read

§ if you learned of a computer – God who made the metal in the ground – make the computer

§ if you made a new friend – God who created that friend

§ if you made it through alive – God who gave you the breath

o all goes back to God… everything you have done – piggybacks on God

- There is even more to be grateful for than the air in our lungs

o eternal life- when no more air in lungs – still have life through salvation

o this is one of the reasons the church comes together on the Sabbath

- In Old Testament – Sabbath was on Saturday (Sunday = 1st day of the week)

- In New Testament – Sabbath was switched to Sunday

o Jesus was raised from the dead on a Sunday

o Early church moved their Sabbath to remember Jesus’ resurrection

§ Give thanks for His resurrection

- Which shows they got

o In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.

o Don’t get locked in on the day – get locked in on the principle

1st thing about the Sabbath is that it’s a day of remembering

- remembering that everything we’ve done / have – is because of God

o first days when he created everything

o cross – gave us our salvation

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2. REST

- but he rested on the seventh day

- even God rested on the seventh day – to enjoy what He made & as an example

- Rest is important

o run on sentence – commas & periods

o music – pauses between the notes

o we need sleep – nutrition studies tell us more & more about importance

- Sabbath = to cease

o On your Sabbath – cease/stop from your work & rest

- What is & isn’t allowed on your Sabbath?

o Lady after church – going to her storage locker

o Does if feel like work to you? If so – don’t do it

§ I picked a Sabbath – be away from work here / house work

· I don’t clean the house

· I don’t love grocery shopping

· I don’t respond to email

§ For you – might be a day

· Don’t study

· Allow yourself to sleep in

- Might mean you work a little bit hard the day before

o Israelites with manna – God gave them a double portion – work harder

o Maybe you push to…

§ Clean day before

§ Finish your emails

§ Get your study in

- There’s a bigger principle here… and it’s trust

o Trusting that if we don’t do / and we just be – we’ll be okay

o God will have our back

o Don’t have to impress people / work for people’s affections

- God created the world in 6 days

o When he started – the earth was without form – everything was a mess

o He separated day from night

o He separated land from water – land & water = swamp

o Order out of chaos

- on Sabbath – we’re saying - same God who created the world

o Is in control of my life

o Maybe - Bring order out of my chaos

- might be wondering - How can I get everything done?

o Like the guy with the axe - you will get more done

o Jesus – took time away to spend time with God – yet he accomplished more than anyone else in 3 years

- Human doings – to human beings

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3. REFUEL

- Everyone knows we do better if we have a little time to refuel

o in sports – intermission

o at work – 15 minute breaks / lunch hour

- Jewish people

o every 7 days – stop day

o every 7 years – sabbatical year

o let the fields go for a year – allow poor to glean / allow ground’s nutrients to replenish

o even the ground & the animals worked better when they had time to recoup

- Your Sabbath isn’t only for you – it’s for yourself & for others

- The 10 Commandments

o Sabbath commandment – is the longest commandment

o 4th commandment

o Before it - 3 commandments about how we are to be with God…

§ Thou shalt have no other gods before Me

§ Don’t make any idols

§ Don’t misuse God’s name

o After it - 6 commandments how we are to interact with one another

§ Honour your father & mother

§ Don’t murder

§ Don’t commit adultery

§ Don’t steal

§ Don’t lie

§ Don’t covet

o 4th commandment – connector

§ all about us & God – day set apart for God

§ also about us & others

· because whether we take our Sabbath or not will reflect how we interact with others

- what are some of the greatest ways to refuel?

o Unplug from devices

o Go out in nature

§ Being in nature – enjoying what He made of us

· Therapeutic / Healing

· Air is more clear – Heatlhy

o Sleep

o Read God’s word (life – putting into your soul / don’t be religious)

o Spend time with friends or family

o Spend time alone

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(NIV)

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day,

o set apart day

§ not just a day to play video games – something about it is for me

§ to remember

§ to rest

§ tor refuel

if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14 then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

How has your life been impacted by 24/7 culture?

Discuss what you now know about Sabbath. What are the 3 aspects? What else stood out to you?

Will you find Sabbath easy or hard to implement into your life? What will be the hardest part? What will be the easiest part?

What is something you’d like to do on your Sabbath that you haven’t done for a long time?

When will be your next Sabbath? Do you need to do anything to prepare for it?