The Adventure of Sabbath
What is “The Sabbath”?
Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship set apart by God. The word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means “to cease” or “to rest.” At the beginning of time, our Creator rested. And before the 10 Commandments were given God gave instructions about the Sabbath. It wasn’t easy at first but the people of Israel made the sabbath part of their rhythms of life. Every week the whole community (the nation of Israel) used the space created by not working to turn itself toward God. ...They lived out their belief that somehow the work they could accomplish in six days would be enough and God could be trusted with running the world while they rested. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Hayley Barton. Because of God’s great love for us, he gave the sabbath as a gift of rest.
Jesus and the Sabbath:
Jesus warns against living for gain at the detriment to our souls, the very essence of who we are. “For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul.” Jesus set an example for us as he often got away for some time of rest and solitude - resting from a life of ministry and reconnecting to God. He targeted the misunderstanding of a legalistic observance of the Sabbath in Matthew 12:1-14 when he was criticized by the Pharisees. He called himself the Lord of the Sabbath making clear that he is the one who reigns over our day set aside to worship and rest – not a set of rules and regulations. He made his point clear to them that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27
Why Do We Practice the Sabbath?
“In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between action and rest.” Author Wayne Muller. The point of the Sabbath is to honor our need for a sane rhythm of work and rest. We admit to God and ourselves that we have limits. Rick Warren says: “We are human beings, not human doings.” We practice the Sabbath to restore our soul.
Ways to Practice the Sabbath:
Pick one day to Sabbath this week.
Pick one half-day to Sabbath this week.
Pick a two-hour Sabbath this week.
Things to consider giving up during Sabbath:
Work – whatever that means for you. Avoid things that trigger your activism. If we abstain from consumerism one day a week we can focus more on God’s gifts.
Worry – Sabbath is an invitation to rest emotionally and mentally from things that cause worry and stress.
Things to consider doing during Sabbath:
Relationships - pursue time with God and others.
Activities of Delight - do things you enjoy, recognizing these come from God: take a nap, read a book, get outside, play sports, linger over a meal, etc.
Resources About the Sabbath:
Isaiah 53:13-14
Books:
“Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, from Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again” by Ruth Haley Barton
“Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now” by Walter Brueggemann
Podcast:
The Next Right Thing Podcast, Episode 251: “Why Sabbath is for Everyone” with Ruth Haley Barton
Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship set apart by God. The word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means “to cease” or “to rest.” At the beginning of time, our Creator rested. And before the 10 Commandments were given God gave instructions about the Sabbath. It wasn’t easy at first but the people of Israel made the sabbath part of their rhythms of life. Every week the whole community (the nation of Israel) used the space created by not working to turn itself toward God. ...They lived out their belief that somehow the work they could accomplish in six days would be enough and God could be trusted with running the world while they rested. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Hayley Barton. Because of God’s great love for us, he gave the sabbath as a gift of rest.
Jesus and the Sabbath:
Jesus warns against living for gain at the detriment to our souls, the very essence of who we are. “For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul.” Jesus set an example for us as he often got away for some time of rest and solitude - resting from a life of ministry and reconnecting to God. He targeted the misunderstanding of a legalistic observance of the Sabbath in Matthew 12:1-14 when he was criticized by the Pharisees. He called himself the Lord of the Sabbath making clear that he is the one who reigns over our day set aside to worship and rest – not a set of rules and regulations. He made his point clear to them that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27
Why Do We Practice the Sabbath?
“In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between action and rest.” Author Wayne Muller. The point of the Sabbath is to honor our need for a sane rhythm of work and rest. We admit to God and ourselves that we have limits. Rick Warren says: “We are human beings, not human doings.” We practice the Sabbath to restore our soul.
Ways to Practice the Sabbath:
Pick one day to Sabbath this week.
Pick one half-day to Sabbath this week.
Pick a two-hour Sabbath this week.
Things to consider giving up during Sabbath:
Work – whatever that means for you. Avoid things that trigger your activism. If we abstain from consumerism one day a week we can focus more on God’s gifts.
Worry – Sabbath is an invitation to rest emotionally and mentally from things that cause worry and stress.
Things to consider doing during Sabbath:
Relationships - pursue time with God and others.
Activities of Delight - do things you enjoy, recognizing these come from God: take a nap, read a book, get outside, play sports, linger over a meal, etc.
Resources About the Sabbath:
Isaiah 53:13-14
Books:
“Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, from Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again” by Ruth Haley Barton
“Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now” by Walter Brueggemann
Podcast:
The Next Right Thing Podcast, Episode 251: “Why Sabbath is for Everyone” with Ruth Haley Barton