Introduction
Many people today are experiencing chronic fatigue, exhaustion, insomnia, burnout, anxiety, irritability, foolishness in decision making, cognitive decline, lack of passion, relational dryness, constant conflicts, sickness, prayerlessness, inattention during worship time or fellowship, joylessness, numbness, depression, etc. How can we overcome these? Extended vacation time or day off? God’s answer is the practice of a regular Sabbath.
Sabbath is the key to a healthier life – physically, emotionally and spiritually. More importantly, “Christ-centered Sabbath-keeping is key to holistic well-being.”
If we start incorporating the Sabbath into our weekly schedule as part of our training as disciples of Christ, we will experience its health benefits both to our bodies as well as to our souls.
Today we will answer Three Crucial Questions about the Sabbath.
Question 1: “Why practice the Sabbath? Isn't a vacation or day off not enough?”
Answer 1: Sabbath is part of our NATURE under God.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 1:31-2:3)
Wayne Muller on the Sabbath: “In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest. All life requires a rhythm of rest. There is a rhythm in our waking activity and the body's need for sleep. There is a rhythm in the way day dissolves into night and night into morning. If we do not allow for a rhythm of rest in our overly busy lives, illness becomes our Sabbath — our pneumonia, our cancer, our heart attack, our accidents create Sabbath for us.”
Question 2: “How can we practice the Sabbath if we are too busy or have challenging life situations?”
Answer 2: Sabbath is part of our DISCIPLESHIP in Christ.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
Ruth Haley Barton on the Sabbath: “The Sabbath is a weekly practice that reminds us that we are not in charge of the world—God is. Sabbath is the primary discipline by which we live out the truth that we are human beings, not human doings. Sabbath keeping is a concrete way of arranging our life to honor our limits and remember that we are not God.”
Question 3: “How do we now start practicing Sabbath by grace through faith?”
Answer 3: Sabbath is part of our SPIRITUAL BLESSING in Christ.
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ... (Titus 2:11-13)
13 …for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)
John Mark Comer on the Sabbath: “Sabbath is not a commandment we are bound to; it’s a GIFT we are invited to enjoy. The Sabbath is an invitation to slow down and live in the present, instead of constantly rushing toward the future. Sabbath is coming back to Eden, where we stop our labor and simply delight in the life God has given us. Sabbath is coming back to Eden, where we stop our labor and simply delight in the life God has given us.”
Next Steps:
Start with a mini-Sabbath. (e.g. sleep, Sabbath walk, statio)
Prepare before the Sabbath.
Pray, read, meditate in silence and solitude.
Pause from all work (paid and unpaid) and technology.
Play, relax and enjoy God’s goodness personally and with others.
Conclusion
“Christ-centered Sabbath-keeping is key to holistic well-being.”
How is your lack of Sabbath affecting your physical, emotional, and spiritual health?
Ask God for His wisdom and grace on how you can start making Sabbath a part of your healthy lifestyle.
Discussion
In what ways have you experienced the physical, emotional, or spiritual exhaustion described in the introduction? How do you think practicing a regular Sabbath might help address these issues?
Why do you think God included rest as part of His design for creation? How does the idea of Sabbath reflect God's nature and our identity as His creation?
When life gets overwhelmingly busy or challenging, how can we practically prioritize Sabbath? What changes might be necessary to make Sabbath a reality in our hectic schedules?
What does it mean to experience "rest for your soul" as Jesus promises in Matthew 11:28-30? How does this kind of rest differ from a typical vacation or a day off?
How can incorporating Sabbath-keeping into your life influence your relationship with God and others? What steps can you take to start practicing a Christ-centered Sabbath this week?