“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”
Exodus 20:8-11
Remembering the Sabbath day and keeping it holy is not just about taking a day off—it's about resisting the relentless demands of our culture and rediscovering our true identity in God. By intentionally ceasing our work, we're declaring trust in God's provision and pushing back against the 'hustle culture' that threatens to consume us. In this week’s Sunday message in Manhattan, Pastor Ryan Schlachter outlines how Sabbath allows God to restore our souls and usher us into a holy rest.
What is the context?
- Israel has spent the last 400 years in brutal slavery, with relenting demands for production, no identity as a people and a deep hopelessness for the future.
- God is establishing here that he is not an authority figure that demands relentless production and work, but rather a God that desires a life that works and rests in ways that glorify him.
Why does Sabbath matter for us now?
Sabbath makes us Resist
- The demands of the world reflect that of Pharaoh in Egypt that says: rest is the enemy of production and production is the most important thing in life.
- “Sabbath is an act of resistance because it is a visible insistence that our lives are not defined by the production and consumption of commodity goods.” - Walter Brueggeman
- Our inability to take a break does not indicate that we are successful, it indicates that we are slaves.
- Approaching Sabbath means to delight, not to produce.
- Sabbath rest does indicate to our hearts and others that there’s a different master we serve, one whose yoke is easy and burden is light.
Sabbath empowers our Identity
- Partaking in rest is part of being made in the image of God.
- When I have to rest intentionally in God, it makes me wrestle with the fact that even though I am not producing something, I still have value in God.
- The world and my world keeps functioning even when I’m not doing things—I am not the source of my provision, God is.
- The Sabbath is not just meant for rest, but for restoration. God wants our rest to give us a break for our bodies and reformation of our souls.
Sabbath develops our Trust
- One of the simplest acts of faith we demonstrate is rest.
- One of the greatest deceptions in the heart of the Christian is thinking that God is in control while we unknowingly try to control everything happening circumstantially.
- When Jesus fulfilled the law, it lets us know that there will be ultimate rest for his people. The Sabbath we practice now indicates what eternity will be like.
Additional Resources:
Dinner Party Questions:
- Sabbath is meant for delight, not just for recharging to be more productive. How might this change your approach to rest?
- Is it challenging for you to separate your identity from your work? What makes this difficult in our culture?
- How does the concept of Sabbath as "practicing eternity" impact your view of rest? How might it change your weekly rhythms?
Put It Into Practice:
- Identify one way you can incorporate more intentional rest into your weekly routine. This could be putting your phone away for a set period, setting work boundaries, or scheduling time for activities that bring you delight in God.
- Choose a 24-hour period this week to practice Sabbath. Plan how you'll rest, worship, and delight in God during this time.
