The Sabbath

Intro

Twenty-first century life is filled with new inventions and cutting-edge technology. But life doesn’t seem to be getting easier. On the contrary, many of us feel weighed down by the busyness and stress of life.

Question: What impact do you think this is having on our lives?

Exploring the Scriptures

Genesis 1:31-2:3 | What did God do on the seventh day of creation?

Isaiah 40:28 | Why might God have rested on the seventh day? 

Exodus 3:1-6 | What might it mean for the seventh day to be made holy?

Exodus 20:8-11 | What can we learn about the Sabbath from the Sabbath commandment?

Why might the Sabbath be included in God’s law of love?

Luke 4:16; Matthew 12:9-14 | Jesus and the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a day for enjoying rest and for giving rest.

Luke 23:52-24:3; Mark 1:32 (Mark 1:21) | When is the seventh day today?

Matthew 6:31-33 | The Sabbath is a day of faith.

The Gift of Jesus

It’s amazing that our God is someone who wants to give us rest. In our fast-paced world it’s easy to get so busy that we neglect the most important things, especially our relationships with God and those around us. But the Sabbath invites us to pause, to reflect, to connect, and to love. It reminds us to keep the most important things at the front and centre of our lives. It’s a day that God has blessed and one that continues to be a blessing to all who embrace it. What a wonderful gift Jesus has given us in the Sabbath.

Living It

Discuss: What appeals to you most about the idea of Sabbath?

Discuss: What do you find most challenging?

Decide: Would you like to put God first in your life by embracing his weekly Sabbath?