Holy Habits: Sabbath

Exodus 20:8-11

Blessing of the Week & Announcements

VBS is June 9-12th

We want us to be a big part of helping because that is the next generation of Youth!

Especially the 5th graders that are going

You do not need to be there every day so it can be flexible

So if you are interested in helping, please let Ethan know if you haven’t already

Youth Sunday is also coming up

It will be on June 14th

There is a sign up sheet on the table so we can fill positions before Sunday

Then after these two events will be our First Annual Worden Red Carpet

On June 17th, we will introduce the 5th graders to Youth Group

And to make it special and fun, we will be having a Red carpet night!

So plan on being there, wear your fanciest and funniest costumes or clothes

We will have awards and themed games

And a Themed Lesson!

Lesson

Our habits are powerful. We form our habits, then our habits transform us. 

I’m sure you’ve seen that the quality of our lives directly rises and falls on the habits we develop — both big and small. 

This is why the Apostle Paul says, ”whatever a man sows, that will he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). 

Whenever the Bible deploys a farming metaphor, it's because the author wants to ensure the audience gets it. 

They understood agriculture. Their culture revolved around planting and harvesting seasons. 

Their quality of life was the direct result of their labor during the sowing season. 

If they wanted bread in December, they needed to plant wheat in March. 

If they wanted fresh olive oil, they needed to plant olive trees five years earlier. In our lives, like with farming, outcomes are gradual instead of immediate. 

Your success is the sum of your habits.

When you commit to consistent exercise, you see results over time. 

When you consistently journal, you will begin to crave it. 

When you consistently take breaks from your phone, you will see your stress levels decrease. 

When you consistently read scripture, pray, and meditate, you will experience renewed spiritual growth. 

Daily routines lead to long-term development. 

In this study, we are going to examine and evaluate some Holy Habits. 

Just like healthy habits are good for our bodies, holy habits are good for our minds, emotions, and soul. 

Take a look at how Jesus attached these practices to a promise

READ: Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Contextualizing this passage

When Jesus kicked off his ministry in Judea, He started with a powerful sermon on a mountainside, called the Sermon on the Mount. 

His voice echoed through the valley while he taught eager listeners about God's kingdom, the Ten Commandments, and hunger. 

In this sermon, Jesus is talking about spiritual hunger. He opened His message, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." 

The Greek word for “blessed” is “.”makarioi 

It literally translates as “to make happy.” 

Jesus is saying, "Happy are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness.”

I believe that Jesus intentionally used the language of hunger and thirst in this passage. 

Can you think of anything more habitual than eating and hydrating? 

It's one of the few things that every human does every day. He is saying that we should crave the pursuit of God like we crave food and water. 

Jesus uses this language because he wants you to habitually seek righteousness the same way you do water after a long run. 

You must make your spiritual health a habit. 

So what does it look like to routinely seek righteousness? 

That’s where Holy Habits come into play. 

You seek righteousness by committing to spiritual practices that recharge your soul. 

Over the next four sessions, we will discuss the habits of Bible study, meditation, fasting, and rest. 

Each of these is designed to strengthen your spiritual life and personal health. 

Let’s start with one of the most overlooked of all spiritual disciplines — Sabbath rest. 

Why is it overlooked?

It’s not active; it's passive. 

Sabbath derives from the Hebrew word Shabbat which means “day of rest.” 

Interestingly, this is where we get our English word for Saturday because Jewish believers reserve Saturday as their official day of rest. 

It’s not about a date circled on the calendar though, it’s about the state of your heart. 

Where do we get this idea of taking an entire day to rest? 

The principle is found within the Ten Commandments, the initial Law delivered by God to Israel. 

Moses presented two tablets with ten laws to His people in the book of Exodus.

READ: 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 the Sabbath Day of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work; you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servants, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. 

Contextualizing this Passage:  

When God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, He only used four words to condemn theft and five words to denounce adultery. 

Then, God used over eighty words to explain the importance of rest. 

That should show us the sheer significance God placed upon the Sabbath. 

Since He designed people, He knew what they needed to thrive. 

We all need the Holy Habit of Sabbath. 

I can sense you scratching your head remarking, "so, our first Holy Habit is the habit of doing nothing?" 

If it were only that simple. In the modern era, doing nothing is near impossible. 

Our schedules are packed. 

Expectations are high. 

Distractions are unavoidable. 

God invites you to adopt an alternative mindset. 

He's imploring, "stop doing so much! Take some time to rest." 

Application

Taking an intentional break is not lazy; it's holy. 

What makes it holy?

Intentionality. 

A Sabbath without intentionality is just a lazy day. 

However, when we invite God into this practice, we are transformed. 

John Mark Comer, in his brilliant book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, suggested that the purpose of  Sabbath pushes “your heart toward grateful recognition of God’s reality and goodness." 

Sabbaths are not just about the rest, it's about the recognition of God. 

When we slow down, we see God's goodness all around us. 

So, what should you do?

Nothing. Seriously. 

Just reserve a day to slow down, clear out your calendar, rest, and experience God. 

Biblical rest isn't just sitting down in a dark room listening to worship music. 

Find something that fills and fuels you for your Sabbath. 

When we take a Sabbath-day walk, we see God's majesty. 

When we turn off our phones once a week, we are far more likely to encounter God in our quiet time. 

When we rest, God rejuvenates and resets us. That's the strength of the Sabbath.  

There is tension though. Our culture looks down on the slow pace God expects of His people. 

Dr. Walter Bruggermen explains, "in our culture, Sabbath is resistance.” 

Looking at society's collective schedule, it's a rebellious act to rest. 

So how do we do it? Here are three simple steps towards incorporating the Holy Habit of Sabbath into your life. 

Take a Small Sabbath Once a Day

Think small. Start with just one hour. 

I get it. God didn’t say, “Remember a Sabbath hour and keep it holy,” but observing a Sabbath hour is in line with His intention for rest. 

Strangely enough, true intentional rest requires a lot of work. 

There are days you have to force yourself to do it. 

Why? Because Sabbath is good for you. Just like your muscles require recovery after a workout, your soul requires recovery after a stressful day. 

Take a Technology Sabbath 

Our constant connectivity has made Sabbath strikingly difficult. 

Our phones are getting in the way of healthy habits. 

So Turn off your device for a set amount of time daily or weekly. 

Let's be honest

It's both embarrassingly difficult and surprisingly rewarding. 

It proves an addiction to both connection and productivity, but it goes further than that. 

Our devices ensure our brains never go unstimulated. 

We use them for distraction, escape, and entertainment.

Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline asks, “How do you discern an addiction? Very simply, you watch for undisciplined compulsions.” 

So take a break from the phone or whatever distracts you daily

Take a Sabbath Day Seriously  

Think back to the first work week of world history. 

The first two chapters of Genesis describe God creating the universe in six days and resting on the seventh. 

He formed the cosmos, then molded the earth, then filled the oceans with water, then filled the same water with fish, then sculpted the first humans from a few atoms of dust, and then God took a well-deserved day off. 

Yes, even God took a break. 

What do you think that means for you?

Mirror His model. 

We must take Sabbath seriously because God does. 

He doesn't just expect it. He commands it. 

Put it on your schedule. 

Block off the whole day. 

Let people know you'll be hard to reach on your Sabbath day. 

We've said it dozens of times, but it bears repeating.

True rest requires intentionality. 

Have you noticed that most people push off their chores and expectations to the weekend? 

That’s the opposite of God's objective for you. 

Ask yourself what you can accomplish today to give you better rest over the weekend. 

Clean your room on Thursday night.

Do the dishes on Friday morning.

Finish your assignments early. 

You'll be doing your future self a big favor. 

Your intentionality in the little things is a big investment in your overall spiritual health. 

Conclusion

God wants you to be fulfilled and filled, not exhausted and empty.

Not only will regular rest rejuvenate your life, but it'll also refresh your entire routine. It won't ruin your productivity either. 

The Holy Habit of Sabbath helps you operate at your fullest potential.

It seems ironic, but when you commit to consistent rhythms of rest, you will become less busy and more productive. 

When you intentionally honor the Sabbath, you are setting yourself up for more success and less stress. 

Thankfully, it's all for your benefit.

God will do greater things through you in six days than you can do with seven on your own.