Exodus: Rest and Independence

Have you ever noticed that when you share important information with people we all tend to repeat ourselves. It even happens in the movies. For instance, our hero is about to head out on a mission and he gets called back…don’t forget, come back to me when its all over.

You know in movies when we get important informaiton…they tend to make it clear.

OR the love interest has to take care of a difficult task, and just as she leaves, he calls her back, looks her deep in the eyes and says...I love you.

For instance, our hero is about to head out on a mission and they get called back…don’t forget, I love you.

One guy gets shot and before his partner runs out to get help or kill all the bad guys, hey, remember…take care of your self.

Don’t forget...

Like you tell a high school graduate....go ....but don’t forget…to have fun…be careful...

Here we find ourselves getting to the end of Moses’ 40 days on top of Mt Sinai. He’s been getting instructions as to what to tell the Israelites about living as God’s holy nation…his kingdom of priests.

Along the while, the people have been waiting. They are wandering what’s going on for sure. Moses I’m sure is excited to get down and get to work. But before he does, God has a very important reminder for him.

That’s where we are today, God telling Moses....now, go get to work…but don’t forget.

God gives him a gift in this moment. A gift that can accomplish something supernatural in his life and in our lives.

You see we have this thing at work in our world called inertia. It’s invisible, but it’s a very powerful reality.

Michelle and I went over to the Air and Space museum last weekend with our daughter and her new boyfriend. I tried to lose him, but he kept up with us pretty good. That’s partly what inertia is all about. Inertia is the tendency of things to stay as they are. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion…objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

Get to work…but don’t forget

Michelle and I went over to the Air and Space museum last weekend with our daughter and her boyfriend. I tried to lose him, but he kept up with us pretty good. That’s partly what inertia is all about. Inertia is the tendency of things to stay as they are. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion…objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

This happens in our lives too. We get to working and it’s hard to stop. God who created us, knows us better than we do and he knows that if we aren’t intentional about stopping from time to time, we will never reflect on why we are moving in the first place.

Inertia

My man Forrest Gump discovered this when he started running....he just kept running and running for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours....not thinking of why. Until he stopped and then he discovered that he didn’t want to run any more.

that’s what our lives look like sometimes. We just keep on going, one day blends into another, one week into the next, one month, one year into another. It’s easier ot keep running than it is to stop. At least that’s how it seems. But that’s just inertia, we can stop running, but we have to chose to.

God tells us to stop from time to time, break the inertia of life…and REMEMBER.

God tells Moses, you are going to get back and want to get to work on this Tabernacle…but remember.

Exodus 31:12–17 NIV84

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. “ ‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.’ ”

God says, Remember that you are my people and I dwell with you. Remember I’m your God and I have chosen to dwell with you.

They are building this tabernacle because God has chosen them…They depend on him. Don’t lose track of that. they way that don’t lose track of that is by observing the sabbath…stopping regularly to remember that we were in a covenant relationship with the creator.

Obedience to sabbath rest is a declaration of dependence

Getting ready for the 4th

Grill…BBQ…Fishing

Exodus 20:8-

But the sabbath isn’t about escaping.

God never calls us to escape, he calls us to be faithful in difficulty

The Sabbath is a covenant sign

Sabbath is a covenant sign

Keeping the sabbath will be a reminder to you and a witness to the nations around you. Remind them that they aren’t doing this work so that I’ll come and live with you. They are doing this work because I’m coming to live with you. God reminds Moses to tell them that the Tabernacle is not about you. Its about ME.

They are building this tabernacle because God has chosen them… They way that don’t lose track of that is by observing the sabbath…stopping regularly to remember that we were in a covenant relationship with the creator.

This is the third covenant sign GOd had given.

The first was the covenant of the Rainbow is a covenant sign so the people would remember that God would never destroy his creation again.

The second was the covenant of Circumcision a covenant sign that would remind the people that God would multiply his people and build a nation.

These covenant signs are about reminding us…that we might remember, but they also show the the surrounding nations their devotion to God.

Exodus 20:8–12 NIV84

“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 manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 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. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Exodus 20:8–11 NIV84

Sabbath is about remembering:

OT Remembering

Covenant sign = Reminder = Remember

In the OT Remembering was about a lot more than just thinking about the past. Remembering was about putting them selves back there. So sabbath observance was putting ourselves back where we gathered the manna double on teh day before the sabbath and rested from gathering. Sabbath rest was about obedience, and our obedience is a declaration of our dependence on God.

Think about it. Everyone takes a day off one day a week. What do you think that would say to the Israelites? What about the nations around them? Sabbath keeping was a powerful statement to all that God Guides, God decides, and God provides

Sabbath, resting you see Obedience is a declaration of our dependence on God. It’s taking a moment to remember…put ourselves back…in dependence on God.

You see Obedience to sabbath rest is a declaration of dependence

That we want to be reminded…that we seek to remember…it’s about doing what God commands, so we never forget to do what God commands.

Grill…BBQ…Fishing

Sabbath keeping reminds us God guides

God was leading them through the desert, he had been leading them all along, so when they rested from their work, they were reminding themselves that they were following Him…no matter how it seemed.

Psalm 23 NIV84

A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Sure God is leading us when things are going well. But what about when they aren’t. The psalmist trusted that even though things seemed dark, God was there. It wasn’t a time to escape, it was a time to see God.

Psalm 23:1–3 NIV84

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

That’s what a lot people do for their sabbath, they get away. Some have been looking forward to the week off for the 4th so they can go on vacation, but the sabbath isn’t about escaping. Am I saying its wrong to go on vacation? NO. I’m just saying that vacations weren’t what the sabbath was about. The sabbath is about connecting with God and in that connection, seeing that God is guiding our lives, we are most alive…who needs an escape when you have God guiding your life?

When we take time now and again to STOP. We allow our spirits to catch up and we are reminded that God is guiding our lives…he has a plan and a purpose for us that is far greater than anything that you or I can come up with.

a chance to get away…escape.

And where God Guides us, God provides for us.

Jesus take the wheel

a chance to get away…escape.

But the sabbath isn’t about escaping.

we don’t need an escape from God’s leading us

Sabbath keeping reminds us God provides

That’s where the Israelites saw the application of the Sabbath in real time, as they were in the desert God provided Manna for 6 days a week. There was none to gather on the Sabbath, yet they had all they needed.

The Sabbath was a reminder that 6 days would be all they needed.

The problem is that we want more and so instead of working 6 days and resting one, we seek to work 5 days and play 2 and wonder why we are worn out.

So, in the same way, we have this strange relationship with rest – we desire it, need it, and feel guilty taking it.

In God’s economy. Work is good, and rest is good.

God has designed us our lives to fit a particular rhythm that includes sabbath rest. When we trust that he will provide as we live into his design…not deciding that we know better.

In God’s economy. Work is good, and rest is good.

All we have is from him

Romans 8:28 NIV84

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I can’t speak for all of us, but a few of you need to hear this. Work is good. Rest is good. Both are gifts from God. So feeling guilty if we are not working hard enough, or resentful if we think we are working too hard is actually rebellion to God’s plan to bless us.

But so it is for many of us to rest, as we desire it, need it, and feel guilty taking it.

So, in the same way, we have this strange relationship with rest – we desire it, need it, and feel guilty taking it.

In God’s economy Work is good, and rest is good because all we have is from Him, and he provides all our needs.

Sabbath keeping reminds us God decides

Sabbath keeping is a declaration of dependence, and as we experience we are reminded that God guides our lives, god provides our needs, and we are reminded that God decides for our lives.

King Solomon put it this way:

He has ultimate authority over what we have, not us

Proverbs 16:9 NIV84

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

He was saying that we can make all the plans we want, but God determines what happens along the way.

I’ve heard it put this way, we can limp into our future, or we can run into God’s.

How we are to worship him.

He has ultimate authority over what we have, not us

Stopping to take a sabbath reminds us that this world is about Him. A sabbath breaks the inertia of thinking this is all about us.

This blindly going along is plaguing our culture…no one stops to think…should I say this? Should I continue this? Should I eat this? Should I be attracted to her…or to him?

That’s the reason Sabbath is a problem is that we don’t want to be dependent upon him…we like our independence. We want to decide, we want to provide what we want, we want to guide our own careers.

Obedience to sabbath rest is a declaration of dependence

Like being without a cell phone for a day…it’s stressful at first, but after a while, we realize that it’s not that bad.

Sabbath is a means of grace…it’s a way that I encounter God and my neighbors encounter God through me.

so what does a taking a sabbath look like?

The Israelites had a very specific picture of what a Sabbath was and wasn’t. Jesus had a less specific but much more clear way of describing it.

Mark 2:27 NIV84

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mark 2:27

So a sabbath is about being refreshed and restored from our work. What do you find refreshing?

1. As a Christian, our souls are fed when we gather to sing praises and fellowship with other believers. SO yes corporate worship should be a part of every believer’s sabbath. But our bodies benefit from Sabbath as much as our souls. So we should rest…and not feel guilty.

2. Christians have debated this over the centuries, but I believe that since the Sabbath is for us and our relationship with God, physical activity, exercise should be a part of it, especially if your vocation is not physical.

3. I would say that we should stay away from work

4. Start small

Colossians 3:1–3 NIV84

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Col 3:1-

Colossians 3:5–10 NIV84

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

COl 3:5-

Colossians 3:15–17 NIV84

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

col 3:15-

In Sabbath rest we connect to God's grace

Other signs are means of grace as well.

Baptism

Holy Communion

Exodus 20:8–11 NIV84

What does the Sabbath say about your Dependence?

Jesus, I come before you today and confess my seeking to be independent. I have gotten caught up in the inertia of work and reward and forgotten your call to rest and reset.

I surrender today to your leading. Thank you for forgiving me of my sin and giving me a new life. I give it to you, use me in your work here and now. I’m not saved to sit, I have been redeemed to reach out. Thank you Lord!

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RESPONSE TO THE WORD

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic* church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

CONCERNS AND PRAYERS

Or a litany of intercession and petition may be prayed. Or a pastoral prayer may be prayed.

INVITATION

Pastor stands behind the Lord's table.

Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

CONFESSION AND PARDON

Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All pray in silence.

Leader to people: Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God's love toward us.In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God's love toward us.In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

People to leader: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Leader and people: Glory to God. Amen.

THE PEACE

Let us offer one another signs of reconciliation and love.

All, including the pastor, exchange signs and words of God's peace.

OFFERING

As forgiven and reconciled people, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.

and breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

your love remained steadfast.You delivered us from captivity,

You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through the prophets.And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

made covenant to be our sovereign God,

and spoke to us through the prophets.And so, with your people on earth

and all the company of heaven

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The pastor may lower hands.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

The pastor may raise hands.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.

Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives

to proclaim release to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come

when you would save your people.

He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

you gave birth to your Church,

delivered us from slavery to sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant

by water and the Spirit.

When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.

he promised to be with us always,

in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread,

gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup.

"The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup.

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."The pastor may raise hands.

this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many

for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it,

in remembrance of me."The pastor may raise hands.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, we proclaim the mystery of faith.

in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ's offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

that we may be for the world the body of Christ,

redeemed by his blood.

The pastor may raise hands.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world,until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

one with each other,

and one in ministry to all the world,until Christ comes in final victory

and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ,with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father,now and forever.

Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

The pastor's hands may be extended in open invitation.

And now, with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

The pastor may raise hands.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

BREAKING THE BREAD

The pastor, still standing behind the Lord's table facing the people, breaks the bread in silence, or while saying:

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

The pastor lifts the cup in silence, or while saying:

The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

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Rest and Independence

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

OPEN

Read .

REFLECT

In 30:11-30, God commands a special scent to be blended for use only in the tabernacle. Why do you think He does so? What other senses does the tabernacle appeal to?

Look at 31:3 again. This is the first time in the Bible anyone is described as being “filled” with the Spirit of God. What other attributes does God give to the artisans? Which, if any, are unexpected?

Look again at 31:12-18. What does this section say is the purpose of observing the Sabbath? Taking a day off work would require faith and trust that God would give them seven days worth of production in six days time. When their surrounding enemies were working on the Sabbath, Israel would be resting. What virtues would observing the Sabbath help the Jews to develop?

APPLY

Should worship in the modern church engage the five senses to the degree that the tabernacle did? What are the risks and benefits of involving our senses in corporate worship?

Read . With regard to the spiritual concept of Sabbath, what kinds of works does the person of faith rest from? How is trying to earn rest through works different from working as one who has already entered the rest of God through faith?

CLOSE

What attribute of God did you see in this week’s passage that particularly struck you? How should it change the way you pray, think, speak or act this week?

IDEAS FOR FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP

TIME

Set aside a time this week for your family to read and discuss these questions.

What sticks out to you in these verses? Why do you think the Lord takes Sabbath rest so seriously?

On a scale of 1 – 10, where does your family rate at keeping the Sabbath?

Is Sabbath rest the same as doing nothing? Why not?

What are some ways you can practice Sabbath as a family this week?

Related Media

Related Sermons

Exodus: Rest and Independence

Rest and Independence

The Sabbath is a covenant sign

Sabbath is a covenant sign

Covenant sign = Reminder = Remember

Sabbath keeping reminds us God guides

Sabbath keeping reminds us God provides

Sabbath keeping reminds us God decides

Sabbath keeping reminds us God decides

Obedience to sabbath rest is a declaration of dependence

In Sabbath rest we connect to God's grace

In Sabbath rest we connect to God's grace

What does the Sabbath say about your Dependence?

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RESPONSE TO THE WORD

CONCERNS AND PRAYERS

INVITATION

CONFESSION AND PARDON

THE PEACE

OFFERING

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

THE LORD'S PRAYER

BREAKING THE BREAD

Rest and Independence

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

OPEN

REFLECT

APPLY

CLOSE

TIME