GroshLink

“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.” (Matt. 11:28 MSG)

On Sunday, the Disciples Fellowship Group at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ discussed Chapter 3, Part 2, of Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity (Keri Wyatt Kent. Zondervan. 2009).* Building upon "Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity" Discussion: Intro/Chapter 1, "Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity" Discussion: Chapter 2, and "Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity" Discussion: Chapter 3, Part 1, Theresa prepared the below material to facilitate the conversation (Note: study also in PDF). You'll note how our fellowship group's consideration of Rest has themes similar to what is found in Theresa's God at Work Testimony (6/19/2011).  Feel free to share your thoughts with us by comments, email, personal conversation ...

Rest

By Keri Wyatt Kent

Disciples Fellowship Group   Summer 2011

Chapter 3: Reconnecting: A Rescue from Isolation

Part 2

The command to keep the Sabbath is given in Exodus, where God’s people are told to “remember” the Sabbath, and in Deuteronomy, where they are told to “observe” the Sabbath.

Remember: Our culture places a higher value on the newest and latest versions.  But “by discarding tradition, we cut ourselves off from meaning and significance.  By ignoring history, we are exposed to the danger of repeating its mistakes.” (p. 70)

Remember what??  “Remember the Sabbath”  Remember the purpose and meaning.  Purpose and meaning bring joy.  Sabbath is a gift, a source of joy, not a day of empty ritual.  Remembering means to remember the significance.  For Christians we are to remember that we have been set free from sin.  In the Jewish tradition the loaves of bread are a reminder of the manna God provided.  God’s people were instructed to gather “enough” each day.  Sabbath reminds us to cease our striving, affirming our belief in God’s providence, defying the gods of consumerism. (p. 71)

Do you have an example of how God provided for you on the Sabbath?

“If we forget the significance of Sabbath, it’s easy to let it slide or to let the day morph into something else—a day just to chill out or to focus on ourselves.  Sabbath is a day to rest and refresh ourselves, but it is so much more.  It is a day to remember.  Our remembering creation, deliverance, and salvation points us toward remembering the deep love God has for us.” (p. 73)

Observe:  what is permitted or not permitted on Sabbath?  Jews were to refrain from work, specifically melachah which is work that is creative or that exercises control or dominion over your environment.  Which is why they didn’t light a fire (or the modern equivalent of turning on a light).  This has led to all kinds of interpretations and reactions, from no Sabbath observance to strict legalistic rules. (p. 73-74)

Do you practice Sabbath differently than your parents?  Has that been a conscious choice or did you just sort of drift there?

Does the church you attend support you in the practice of Sabbath?  Does it provide a framework for Sabbath rest?

“Ideally, Sabbath is a day when we can focus exclusively on what Jesus said are the most important commandments: to love God and to love others.” (p. 76)

“In a 24/7 world, stopping is countercultural…Keeping Sabbath is not only about ceasing but also about celebrating.” (p. 79)  Enjoy all the things that you work so hard to provide. 

Sabbath “is not a reward for finishing…It’s not a bonus for work well done.  It’s sheer gift…It’s the rest we take smack dab in the middle of our obligations, without apology, without guilt, and for no better reason than that God told us we could.” (p. 80)

What do you think of the above statement?

This chapter includes a lengthy explanation of the history of what day of the week Sabbath was/is observed.  The point is that calendars and traditions evolve.  The author tells us that “the first step in a Sabbath Simplicity journey is to choose one day a week, to commit to practicing Sabbath on that day, and to be mindful about your practice rather than just letting things slide.” (p. 86)

“Find a way to make community part of your Sabbath practice.” (p. 86)

Do you try to make community part of your Sabbath?  Would you like to?

“In practicing Sabbath, we rest because God rested.  We imitate God and, in so doing, realize we are not God.  But also we rest from accumulating, from striving after greater prosperity.  In so doing, we cultivate contentment…In resting we are reminded that God provides for us.  Even if we work hard, the ability to do so is a gift.  Taking a day off affirms the generosity of God, because we notice that he provides enough for a day when we are not working or consuming.” (p. 87)

Observe and Remember:  “For the three days prior to the Sabbath, Jews would observe the Sabbath by preparing and anticipating.  For the three days after, they would remember the beauty and rest of the day, and then the cycle would begin again.” (p. 89)

Do you look forward with anticipation to your Sabbath or dread it?

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*Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity (Keri Wyatt Kent. Zondervan. 2009) explores what it means to live in “Sabbath simplicity” by focusing on 6 aspects of Sabbath as spiritual practice: resting, reconnecting, revising, pausing, playing, & praying. Readers learn to slow down and find joy and meaning in the midst of their hectic lives. ...