Series on formation Practicing our faith (almost liturgy) • Devotion • Community • Hospitality • Sabbath practice to develop muscle memory for the critical moments Exodus 20:1-2, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 1/ PRACTICING DELIGHT “REMEMBER THE SABBATH” Why does god rest after creation? He is satisfied He is delighting in the work He has done “Remember” the sabbath... remember God’s rest after Creation- his delight Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy 2/ PRACTICING RESISTANCE- “OBSERVE THE SABBATH” Deuteronomy Version: proclaim and protest that we are free people “Sabbath (in the life of Israel) emerges as a primal act of faith in exile. I understand the sabbath to be a quiet but uncompromising refusal to be defined by the production system of Babylon, so that life is regularly asnd with disciple enacted as a trusted gift and not a frantic achievement”. — Walter BRUEGGEMANN, cadence of home • Not meant just for yourself but for others as well. • Also an act of social justice • do not reduce the value of those around you to what they can produce for you • the value of all of us is in who God made us- not what we can produce or achieve PRACTICAL TIPS • Calendar it • Be realistic: goal is 24 hours but start with something • Shut down technology • Practice delight of God • Keep a Sabbath to the Lord- orient your rest and delight toward God, as an act of worship and gratitude 3 / PRACTICE TRUST • What are you afraid of? • What will likely happen? NOTHING • God is in his throne working, even when you’re not • The works will turn, the sun will rise and fall • And you will show your trust in His provision and Love for you “Hey son, you’ve been really helpful, thank you... but maybe you should take a break so that I (God) can finish this up)” But the problem with Sabbath is not practical, it’s spiritual.... We are trying to justify ourselves... meet our deep desires and needs BUT There is no amount of work and there is no amount of sabbath that will ultimately satisfy us. Sabbath must point us to foot of the cross, where we are justified in Christ’s death, where we we can sit satisfied, loved and in full recognition of our helplessness to add to our own worth and value. Only in His work, can we find all the we work for.