138 00:27:04.575 --> 00:27:08.895 Alright, what's up? Hope we good. good. Hey, 139 00:27:08.955 --> 00:27:12.535 I'm glad you're here. Hey, my name is Ben. I'm a friend from out in Colorado. 140 00:27:13.055 --> 00:27:14.095 Um, I'm always very, 141 00:27:14.096 --> 00:27:18.255 very excited when I get to spend a weekend with you here in North Carolina. 142 00:27:18.395 --> 00:27:23.175 So thanks for having me back. Oh, thank you. Cool. Um, 143 00:27:23.234 --> 00:27:27.215 hey and welcome back to this series that we've called the Jesus Way. Okay? 144 00:27:27.234 --> 00:27:30.015 In case you've missed a few or you need, need a reminder or whatever, 145 00:27:30.115 --> 00:27:31.575 here's what the series is all about. 146 00:27:31.645 --> 00:27:35.535 It's all about the fact that you and I are not gonna grow spiritually on 147 00:27:35.895 --> 00:27:38.095 accident. Okay? That, that's like never gonna happen. 148 00:27:38.096 --> 00:27:40.895 That's what this series is about. Uh, don't, don't get me wrong. 149 00:27:40.915 --> 00:27:44.215 If you've placed your faith in Jesus, you're going to heaven when you die, 150 00:27:44.216 --> 00:27:47.415 you don't have to worry about that. You're rescued, you've been saved. 151 00:27:47.915 --> 00:27:52.135 But if you want to enjoy the abundant life in the here and now, 152 00:27:52.136 --> 00:27:56.655 that Jesus is always promising us, well that is gonna take work, right? 153 00:27:56.656 --> 00:28:00.015 That takes what we call spiritual discipline. It's practices, 154 00:28:00.016 --> 00:28:05.015 things that you can go do that lead to a more vibrant life and faith. 155 00:28:05.475 --> 00:28:07.175 I'm excited about what we're talking about today. 156 00:28:07.375 --> 00:28:11.455 'cause I think it's super applicable to all of us living in 2024. 157 00:28:11.456 --> 00:28:16.015 That's because we're gonna talk about a promise that Jesus made us that I don't 158 00:28:16.016 --> 00:28:19.055 think we really see very often in our day-to-day lives. 159 00:28:20.335 --> 00:28:23.415 This promises in Matthew chapter 11, Jesus says this, he says, 160 00:28:23.445 --> 00:28:27.935 come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you 161 00:28:28.285 --> 00:28:30.335 rest. Okay? Weary burden. 162 00:28:30.385 --> 00:28:34.175 Those aren't words that we use to describe ourselves very often weary just means 163 00:28:34.185 --> 00:28:36.055 tired burden in this context. 164 00:28:36.234 --> 00:28:39.855 It means like the feeling that you've got so much to do in so little time to do 165 00:28:39.856 --> 00:28:43.895 it in. So that means busy. And so Jesus just promised us, he says, 166 00:28:44.175 --> 00:28:48.495 come to me all you who are busy and tired and I will give you rest. 167 00:28:48.795 --> 00:28:51.575 And of those three words, busy, tired, and rest, 168 00:28:51.745 --> 00:28:54.495 which words describe your life better, right? 169 00:28:54.615 --> 00:28:55.815 Because if you're anything like me, 170 00:28:56.045 --> 00:29:00.455 your life can be described as busy and tired, right? 171 00:29:00.715 --> 00:29:03.695 Low key exhaustion all of the time, right? 172 00:29:03.696 --> 00:29:07.735 Every now and then there's intense exhaustion because work or school at the day, 173 00:29:07.915 --> 00:29:11.575 the day at home with, with your spouse or with your kids was incredibly crazy. 174 00:29:11.755 --> 00:29:15.815 But even on a chill day, most of us feel low key exhaustion. 175 00:29:15.816 --> 00:29:19.415 We're always a little bit sleepy and a little bit drained and a little bit 176 00:29:19.565 --> 00:29:21.895 preoccupied with all the things that we have to get done. 177 00:29:22.025 --> 00:29:26.355 We're always a little bit busy and tired, right? And, 178 00:29:26.375 --> 00:29:28.715 and a result is a lot of us we're just like, 179 00:29:28.716 --> 00:29:32.675 we're barely making it through each day, right? Like for example, a lot of us, 180 00:29:32.695 --> 00:29:36.035 we just look forward to the next vacation, right? We're we're, 181 00:29:36.036 --> 00:29:39.675 we tell ourselves like, I just need to make it a a couple more weeks. You know? 182 00:29:39.676 --> 00:29:42.685 And then I'm getting on a plane and I'm flying to Mexico and everything's gonna 183 00:29:42.686 --> 00:29:45.045 be all right. Right? We tell, we tell ourselves like, 184 00:29:45.046 --> 00:29:49.845 this vacation's gonna refuel me for another few months of work and being 185 00:29:49.965 --> 00:29:52.605 a husband or being a wife or being a parent or whatever. 186 00:29:53.225 --> 00:29:57.045 So we clock out on that last day of work, we go into vacation, 187 00:29:57.315 --> 00:30:00.165 kind of like those people who finish Iron Man races. 188 00:30:00.525 --> 00:30:01.565 I don't know if you've ever seen this, 189 00:30:01.566 --> 00:30:03.805 but like their bodies literally give out on them. 190 00:30:03.865 --> 00:30:06.885 So that's us going into vacation. We're like, you know, it's like our, 191 00:30:06.886 --> 00:30:09.485 our legs quit and we've soiled ourselves, but we made it, 192 00:30:09.665 --> 00:30:13.245 we made it to vacation. You know? And then what happens, right? You, 193 00:30:13.246 --> 00:30:16.285 you get a week to yourself and then you go back home, 194 00:30:16.625 --> 00:30:20.805 you go back to the office and a week later you're busy and tired again, 195 00:30:21.715 --> 00:30:21.716 right? 196 00:30:21.716 --> 00:30:25.915 So you circle the next vacation on the calendar and you tell yourself that. 197 00:30:25.916 --> 00:30:26.955 You just gotta make it to that. 198 00:30:26.985 --> 00:30:30.315 It's like we we're constantly just trying to make it to these little finish 199 00:30:30.325 --> 00:30:33.995 lines that we set for ourselves. Just gotta make it to five o'clock. 200 00:30:34.235 --> 00:30:38.435 I just gotta make it to the weekend or to vacation or to graduation or to 201 00:30:38.445 --> 00:30:42.395 retirement. Like we're white knuckling every minute of our lives. 202 00:30:42.575 --> 00:30:46.835 But then Jesus said that he came to give us rest. It's just that we, 203 00:30:46.895 --> 00:30:50.075 we very rarely feel rested. So why is that? 204 00:30:50.095 --> 00:30:53.715 Why do so many of us feel so busy and tired all the time? 205 00:30:54.955 --> 00:30:58.005 Well, I think there's probably a million reasons for this, right? 206 00:30:58.245 --> 00:31:01.445 Like one of them is like you gotta eat to live and you gotta make money to eat. 207 00:31:01.605 --> 00:31:02.925 And so you've gotta work to make money. 208 00:31:02.945 --> 00:31:06.445 And a lot of times work is just very exhausting or you know, 209 00:31:06.446 --> 00:31:10.125 for a lot of us it's like we work at work, we also work when we're home, right? 210 00:31:10.285 --> 00:31:13.925 Because the house needs cleaned and the yard needs mode and your daughter has to 211 00:31:13.926 --> 00:31:17.405 get to volleyball practice and your son has his head stuck in the doggy door. 212 00:31:17.406 --> 00:31:19.725 It's like all the normal tasks that you gotta do. 213 00:31:20.065 --> 00:31:23.325 So work is exhausting and home is exhausting, right? 214 00:31:23.355 --> 00:31:28.205 Like normal life trends towards being busy and tiring to begin with. 215 00:31:28.505 --> 00:31:33.485 But then for the last 15 to 20 years, you and I get to enjoy a new, 216 00:31:33.486 --> 00:31:38.445 like a historically new cherry on the top when it comes to exhaustion. 217 00:31:38.745 --> 00:31:42.285 And the cherry on the top is our smartphones. Okay? 218 00:31:42.305 --> 00:31:47.125 Our smartphones are making us more busy and tired than we are to 219 00:31:47.126 --> 00:31:51.885 begin with, as if you're not already busy and tired enough to begin with. 220 00:31:52.465 --> 00:31:56.475 And it's mainly because these things are distracting, okay? 221 00:31:56.495 --> 00:32:00.755 You have the infinite world of the internet in your pocket all of the time, 222 00:32:01.285 --> 00:32:05.475 right? Endless entertainment and information and communication and, 223 00:32:05.795 --> 00:32:09.115 and so it's constantly down. There's constantly going like, hey come, you know, 224 00:32:09.116 --> 00:32:12.635 come on down, come into the endless world of the internet, right? 225 00:32:12.636 --> 00:32:14.155 When you're at work it's like, hey, 226 00:32:14.156 --> 00:32:17.795 just escape work for a little bit by scrolling through social media and then 227 00:32:18.025 --> 00:32:21.035 like a crazy person, I do this, I get home. And then it's like, hey, 228 00:32:21.265 --> 00:32:24.435 just escape home by getting a little bit of work done. You can do a few emails, 229 00:32:24.436 --> 00:32:24.905 right? 230 00:32:24.905 --> 00:32:29.195 It's constantly telling us to like just come escape into the endless world of 231 00:32:29.196 --> 00:32:31.085 the internet. In fact, 232 00:32:31.235 --> 00:32:35.085 some people are calling our historical era that we're living in right now. 233 00:32:35.275 --> 00:32:37.725 They're calling it the age of distraction. 234 00:32:38.065 --> 00:32:40.605 And I think that that's probably just accurate. 235 00:32:41.045 --> 00:32:45.445 'cause what I've seen in my own life is that this constant distraction actually 236 00:32:45.945 --> 00:32:50.485 erodes my ability to enjoy the kind of rest that Jesus promised me. 237 00:32:51.195 --> 00:32:55.255 And one of the millions of of reasons for that is because the creation of the 238 00:32:55.735 --> 00:33:00.655 cell phone actually created a new social expectation for 239 00:33:00.705 --> 00:33:01.855 every single one of us. 240 00:33:02.555 --> 00:33:07.295 And the new social expectation is that you are always available. 241 00:33:08.395 --> 00:33:12.135 You should be available at work, you should be available at at home. 242 00:33:12.455 --> 00:33:14.735 You available when you're eating dinner with your family. 243 00:33:14.835 --> 00:33:18.135 You should be available while you're driving your car or while you're laying in 244 00:33:18.136 --> 00:33:19.375 your bed and trying to go to sleep. 245 00:33:19.405 --> 00:33:23.095 Like you and I are now always literally on call. 246 00:33:24.015 --> 00:33:27.035 And this expectation that you're now always available, 247 00:33:27.295 --> 00:33:32.235 it really exploded with the advent of text messaging. Okay? I'll never forget, 248 00:33:32.625 --> 00:33:33.715 this is 20 years ago. 249 00:33:33.775 --> 00:33:38.075 I'm sitting in a Taco Bueno in Texas where I grew up with my friend Jackie. 250 00:33:38.495 --> 00:33:40.075 She had a Nokia brick phone. 251 00:33:40.175 --> 00:33:42.955 She was the first person I'd ever known to own one of them. 252 00:33:43.295 --> 00:33:46.195 And she was explaining SMS messaging to me. 253 00:33:46.196 --> 00:33:47.795 This is before we even called it texting. 254 00:33:48.175 --> 00:33:51.995 And she's explaining it to me and I'm laughing in her face the whole time. 255 00:33:52.315 --> 00:33:53.555 'cause it sounds like a joke. 256 00:33:53.905 --> 00:33:57.795 Like it to me it sounded like one of those word math problems that I always got 257 00:33:57.925 --> 00:34:01.035 wrong on tests. 'cause she was like, it's so great. 258 00:34:01.185 --> 00:34:05.155 Like all you have to do is hit the four twice and then you hit the three twice 259 00:34:05.215 --> 00:34:08.235 and then you hit the five three times twice in a row. 260 00:34:08.335 --> 00:34:10.475 And she like gives this complicated thing. And then she's like, 261 00:34:10.476 --> 00:34:12.875 and then you can send the word hello to each other. 262 00:34:13.735 --> 00:34:17.675 And I just like laughed in her face. So I'm like, this Jackie, that's stupid, 263 00:34:18.045 --> 00:34:18.955 right? Like I'm never, 264 00:34:19.094 --> 00:34:22.475 why would I ever write out a message to you when I could just call you? 265 00:34:23.315 --> 00:34:26.335 You fast forward 20 years, I've completely flip flopped on that issue, 266 00:34:26.435 --> 00:34:29.855 by the way. I'll text all the time and then when I get a phone call, I'm like, 267 00:34:30.035 --> 00:34:32.735 is this an emergency? What's going on? Something on fire? 268 00:34:33.035 --> 00:34:34.535 Why are you calling me? Um, 269 00:34:34.955 --> 00:34:38.495 our phones have just created the idea that you and everyone, you know, 270 00:34:38.555 --> 00:34:42.495 should be constantly available, right? I don't think twice. You don't either. 271 00:34:42.645 --> 00:34:45.655 When we send texts, I don't think to myself like, 272 00:34:45.656 --> 00:34:48.815 well they're at home and they're spending time with their family right now and 273 00:34:48.816 --> 00:34:51.295 this can wait till tomorrow. It's like, no, I just text them. 274 00:34:51.975 --> 00:34:54.015 It could be midnight, you know? And I'm like, 275 00:34:54.016 --> 00:34:57.735 I need to know if my sister has seen this exact episode of Shark Tank and I need 276 00:34:57.736 --> 00:34:59.935 to know right now. , you know, it's ridiculous. 277 00:35:00.135 --> 00:35:01.935 I would never drive to her house at midnight, 278 00:35:01.945 --> 00:35:04.895 knock on her door risk waking her family up to talk Shark Tank, 279 00:35:04.896 --> 00:35:08.335 but I'll send a text, right? So that, that's how we live our lives, 280 00:35:08.395 --> 00:35:10.295 our phones every 10 minutes. It's like 281 00:35:12.165 --> 00:35:15.775 another person who needs something from you or someone else that you gotta text 282 00:35:15.776 --> 00:35:17.015 back or email back. 283 00:35:17.165 --> 00:35:21.255 It's making us feel busier than we truly are to begin with. 284 00:35:22.205 --> 00:35:26.105 And then on top of that, the smartphones in the age of distraction, 285 00:35:26.106 --> 00:35:30.985 it's making us more tired than we need to feel. And that's because we, 286 00:35:30.986 --> 00:35:34.185 you know, we spend a long day at work or a long day at home or whatever. 287 00:35:34.185 --> 00:35:36.344 And when it's all done, we want to unwind. 288 00:35:36.565 --> 00:35:40.925 But the typical way that we unwind is through the same screen that has 289 00:35:41.285 --> 00:35:45.805 distracted us all day long. And screens make for terrible unwinds, 290 00:35:46.925 --> 00:35:49.525 okay? Just in terms of, of our brain chemistry. 291 00:35:49.526 --> 00:35:54.485 Like scientists and doctors are practically begging us to spend less time 292 00:35:54.585 --> 00:35:58.475 on screens 'cause it's too much. We get, we get home, 293 00:35:58.476 --> 00:36:01.955 we just decide we wanna scroll social media or watch some Netflix or play a 294 00:36:01.956 --> 00:36:03.675 video game or whatever. And it's like, 295 00:36:03.705 --> 00:36:07.715 it's creating a dopamine rush that our brains can't even keep up with. 296 00:36:07.775 --> 00:36:10.955 And so we're looking to unwind after a long day of work, 297 00:36:11.175 --> 00:36:14.035 but we're doing it in this way that's actually stimulating us. 298 00:36:14.135 --> 00:36:18.915 So you're not even winding down your winding up. In fact, 299 00:36:19.015 --> 00:36:23.995 the American Public Health Association is calling our use of screens a quote, 300 00:36:24.515 --> 00:36:25.755 growing public health concern. 301 00:36:26.355 --> 00:36:31.235 Their research found that the average American spends 5.4 hours on their phone 302 00:36:31.485 --> 00:36:32.318 every day. 303 00:36:32.875 --> 00:36:37.114 That doesn't include your computer screen at work or your TV or your tablet. 304 00:36:37.785 --> 00:36:42.235 They found that the average American checks their phone 86 times a day. 305 00:36:42.855 --> 00:36:46.955 The math there is that you check it every 11 minutes of your waking life. 306 00:36:47.535 --> 00:36:50.795 And then they also did research on what they call heavy phone users. 307 00:36:50.855 --> 00:36:54.155 And they found that 13% of millennials, that's my generation, 308 00:36:54.565 --> 00:36:59.035 spend over 12 hours on their phone every single day. In short, 309 00:36:59.405 --> 00:37:02.505 we're addicted. We're totally addicted. 310 00:37:02.506 --> 00:37:07.265 Like even if you just go with the average that's one third of our lives spent 311 00:37:07.266 --> 00:37:08.585 staring at a screen, 312 00:37:09.965 --> 00:37:13.145 you could pick anything else and we would call that addiction, 313 00:37:13.205 --> 00:37:15.225 but we reason it away with, with our phones. 314 00:37:15.735 --> 00:37:18.505 Pick anything you could pick milkshakes. Okay? 315 00:37:18.506 --> 00:37:22.945 If some lady at work every 11 minutes was like, I could go for a milkshake, 316 00:37:22.955 --> 00:37:26.344 you'd be like, Peggy, cool it , you're an addict, right? 317 00:37:26.515 --> 00:37:31.465 We're addicted and we're addicted to something that's making us more busy 318 00:37:31.685 --> 00:37:36.295 and making us more tired because our world says that rest is found 319 00:37:36.475 --> 00:37:38.155 in escape, right? 320 00:37:38.156 --> 00:37:43.114 Just escape into a good TV show or social media or the news cycle or Candy Crush 321 00:37:43.135 --> 00:37:44.195 or whatever just escape. 322 00:37:44.455 --> 00:37:49.114 Our culture is telling us that real rest is found in escape 323 00:37:49.935 --> 00:37:51.785 and it's not working right? 324 00:37:51.945 --> 00:37:55.505 Because in reality it's just turning us into addicts and we're addicted to 325 00:37:55.506 --> 00:37:58.225 things that are making us more busy and more tired. 326 00:37:58.245 --> 00:38:01.415 And so what do we do about this? Right? Like where can you, 327 00:38:01.435 --> 00:38:06.094 and if I find real rest real, like physical, emotional, spiritual, 328 00:38:06.445 --> 00:38:09.895 rest, as as we're living in the age of distraction, 329 00:38:09.896 --> 00:38:12.905 where are we supposed to find that? Well, 330 00:38:13.685 --> 00:38:18.545 one of the most ancient spiritual practices of God's people is 331 00:38:18.546 --> 00:38:22.945 something called Sabbath. Okay? Sabbath means a a weekly day of rest, 332 00:38:23.225 --> 00:38:26.665 A weekly day where there's no work and there's no distractions. 333 00:38:26.685 --> 00:38:31.625 And you just take a load off in order to enjoy God and enjoy his creation and 334 00:38:31.675 --> 00:38:33.905 enjoy the people that you love. Sabbath. 335 00:38:34.855 --> 00:38:38.375 We first see the concept of Sabbath at the very beginning of the Bible. 336 00:38:38.405 --> 00:38:40.335 This is Genesis chapter two. 337 00:38:40.364 --> 00:38:43.655 This is actually when humans are still living in the garden of Eden. 338 00:38:43.835 --> 00:38:46.975 And so even in a state of total perfection, 339 00:38:47.555 --> 00:38:51.455 God tells his people to take a Sabbath to take a load off, 340 00:38:51.456 --> 00:38:55.955 take a rest one day out of every single week after Genesis, 341 00:38:56.555 --> 00:39:00.715 humanity ends up living in the broken and sinful condition that you and I live 342 00:39:00.716 --> 00:39:03.114 in today. And when sin enters the world, 343 00:39:03.295 --> 00:39:06.875 God actually makes it now a literal commandment to his people. 344 00:39:07.015 --> 00:39:10.635 He commands that they rest one day out of every single week. 345 00:39:11.675 --> 00:39:15.695 You see this in Exodus chapter 20, okay? God is preparing his people, 346 00:39:15.935 --> 00:39:16.496 the Israelites, 347 00:39:16.496 --> 00:39:20.535 to enter the land that he promised to them by giving them 10 commandments. 348 00:39:20.535 --> 00:39:25.415 These 10 overarching rules for how the people of God are supposed to live the 349 00:39:25.416 --> 00:39:28.855 good life. And most of us have heard about the 10 Commandments. 350 00:39:28.965 --> 00:39:31.614 Some of us might even be familiar with some of them. 351 00:39:31.635 --> 00:39:33.295 But here's something interesting to me, 352 00:39:33.585 --> 00:39:36.335 which commandment gets the most explanation. 353 00:39:37.344 --> 00:39:41.725 Is it the commandment on not stealing or not lying or not murdering or not 354 00:39:41.726 --> 00:39:45.325 committing adultery? Like that one's really important, right? It's like, 355 00:39:45.355 --> 00:39:47.685 well no, interestingly, the, 356 00:39:47.686 --> 00:39:52.364 the commandment for Sabbath gets the most real estate in the 10 357 00:39:52.365 --> 00:39:55.085 Commandments. Look at this, we're just gonna read it together. 358 00:39:55.086 --> 00:39:57.645 It's the fourth commandment. God says this. He goes, 359 00:39:58.045 --> 00:40:00.085 remember the Sabbath day By keeping it holy, 360 00:40:00.515 --> 00:40:03.805 that means unique and special and set apart. He goes, 361 00:40:04.045 --> 00:40:06.605 six days you're gonna work, you're gonna labor, you'll do all your work. 362 00:40:06.606 --> 00:40:09.725 But then the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. 363 00:40:09.945 --> 00:40:11.485 And on the on the Sabbath, 364 00:40:11.486 --> 00:40:16.125 you shall not do any work neither you nor your son or daughter nor your 365 00:40:16.355 --> 00:40:20.405 mans servant or maid, servant nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 366 00:40:20.625 --> 00:40:22.525 Why would we ever do that? Well, four, 367 00:40:22.526 --> 00:40:27.245 because in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all 368 00:40:27.246 --> 00:40:30.364 that's in them. And even he rested on the seventh day. 369 00:40:31.225 --> 00:40:34.725 And therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and he made it holy. 370 00:40:34.864 --> 00:40:38.245 He set it apart, set it apart as unique and special. 371 00:40:39.715 --> 00:40:41.575 You and I are commanded. 372 00:40:41.675 --> 00:40:44.735 He doesn't ask us to kings don't ask kings command. 373 00:40:44.915 --> 00:40:49.135 And so he commands us to work really hard for six days a week and then rest 374 00:40:49.195 --> 00:40:53.535 really hard on the seventh day we're we're told that no one under our 375 00:40:53.635 --> 00:40:58.055 responsibility is to work on that day. So we're not supposed to work, we're, 376 00:40:58.056 --> 00:41:02.094 we're not supposed to let our kids work or our families or our employees or even 377 00:41:02.095 --> 00:41:06.175 our animals or the guests that we have over to our house for the weekend. 378 00:41:06.175 --> 00:41:07.575 Like no one is supposed to work. 379 00:41:07.875 --> 00:41:12.094 And we're told to do that because God says that resting one day out of every 380 00:41:12.095 --> 00:41:15.695 single week is a good, perfect and holy thing to do. 381 00:41:16.725 --> 00:41:21.145 And we get so much explanation around that commandment in the 10 Commandments. 382 00:41:21.146 --> 00:41:23.505 Like just for point of comparison, 383 00:41:23.725 --> 00:41:27.625 the commandment on murder is four words. He's like, 384 00:41:27.645 --> 00:41:31.985 you shall not murder god's. Like don't kill people. Good talk. 385 00:41:32.205 --> 00:41:34.165 Now let's talk about the Sabbath, right? 386 00:41:34.465 --> 00:41:38.805 And one of the reasons I think he gives us so much like context around the 387 00:41:38.806 --> 00:41:42.805 Sabbath is because I think God knew that this would be the commandment we would 388 00:41:42.806 --> 00:41:47.405 be most tempted to break all of the time, right? Like, 389 00:41:47.965 --> 00:41:50.885 okay, murder, stealing, adultery, lying. It's like, yeah, 390 00:41:50.905 --> 00:41:53.565 we know we shouldn't do those things. Whenever we break those things, 391 00:41:53.905 --> 00:41:58.325 we know we gotta do better. But at the same time, it's like a day of purposeful, 392 00:41:58.435 --> 00:42:03.315 intentional rest where we do nothing but enjoy God and 393 00:42:03.325 --> 00:42:07.015 enjoy each other. That's when we start saying to ourselves like, 394 00:42:07.155 --> 00:42:11.015 who can live a life like this? Right? We start telling ourselves like, 395 00:42:11.016 --> 00:42:15.055 who has time for this? There's things to do, right? There's, 396 00:42:15.056 --> 00:42:18.855 there's money to make and places to go and there's stuff to buy and shows to 397 00:42:18.856 --> 00:42:23.055 watch and emails to send. Like who has time for Sabbath? And the result is, 398 00:42:23.056 --> 00:42:28.015 it becomes the one commandment out of 10 that you and I break all of the time. 399 00:42:28.435 --> 00:42:32.855 We don't even feel bad about it. Like we don't even realize that we're doing it. 400 00:42:33.035 --> 00:42:37.995 We don't think twice. You fast forward from Exodus when, 401 00:42:37.996 --> 00:42:39.435 when God gives those 10 commandments, 402 00:42:39.436 --> 00:42:42.275 you fast forward to when Jesus is physically walking around this planet. 403 00:42:42.415 --> 00:42:43.835 2000 years ago, okay, 404 00:42:43.836 --> 00:42:48.395 by that time the Jewish people had taken the Sabbath and they turned it into a 405 00:42:48.396 --> 00:42:53.075 legalistic thing, right? They, they made long like laundry lists of, 406 00:42:53.415 --> 00:42:57.195 of rules and regulations for what you can and can't do on a Sabbath. 407 00:42:57.225 --> 00:43:01.635 There's actually like an literally an old rule for which kinds of bushes you can 408 00:43:01.655 --> 00:43:04.715 and cannot trim. like they created all these rules, 409 00:43:04.716 --> 00:43:05.755 they made it legalistic. 410 00:43:05.756 --> 00:43:10.594 And so Sabbath became less about a holy perfect day of 411 00:43:10.595 --> 00:43:11.055 rest. 412 00:43:11.055 --> 00:43:15.795 And it became more about a legalistic rule to follow so that you could earn your 413 00:43:15.796 --> 00:43:16.629 way into heaven. 414 00:43:17.255 --> 00:43:21.315 So now Jesus is walking around planet earth and he's making the Pharisees, 415 00:43:21.535 --> 00:43:24.435 the people who taught laws like the law of Sabbath. 416 00:43:24.945 --> 00:43:27.475 He's making these Pharisees mad all of the time. 417 00:43:27.755 --> 00:43:32.114 'cause he's constantly breaking their Sabbath rules. To be clear, 418 00:43:32.535 --> 00:43:36.875 he never breaks any of God's rules around Sabbath. Okay? He's not working, 419 00:43:37.305 --> 00:43:41.715 he's not out earning a paycheck. Instead on the Sabbath, he's healing people. 420 00:43:42.715 --> 00:43:47.614 And this makes the Pharisees mad 'cause he's doing these healing miracles and 421 00:43:47.915 --> 00:43:49.895 and they look at him, they're like, Jesus, that's work. 422 00:43:49.955 --> 00:43:53.455 And so how can you be the son of God like you claim to be if you break your own 423 00:43:53.456 --> 00:43:56.335 rules like they thought they caught him in a contradiction. 424 00:43:57.265 --> 00:44:01.765 But what I think is so cool is I think Jesus is trying to teach us something by 425 00:44:01.766 --> 00:44:04.885 the kinds of miracles that he performed on Sabbath. 426 00:44:05.515 --> 00:44:09.325 Because you go read all four of hi his biographies in the Bible, 427 00:44:09.665 --> 00:44:14.285 and Jesus performs seven miracles on a Sabbath and 428 00:44:14.625 --> 00:44:18.925 all seven of them are healings, okay? He's not walking on water, 429 00:44:19.594 --> 00:44:23.765 he's not multiplying loaves of bread and fishes. He's healing people. 430 00:44:23.864 --> 00:44:27.405 He heals a crippled man and a possessed man, Peter's mother-in-law, 431 00:44:27.645 --> 00:44:30.485 a man with a deformed hand, a blind man, a crippled woman, 432 00:44:30.625 --> 00:44:32.165 and a man with a chronic disease. 433 00:44:32.545 --> 00:44:36.844 100% of Jesus's Sabbath miracles are healings. 434 00:44:37.844 --> 00:44:40.625 And here's what I think he's trying to teach us through his actions. 435 00:44:41.375 --> 00:44:42.905 He's saying that the Sabbath, 436 00:44:43.305 --> 00:44:47.505 a weekly day of rest isn't about rule following or earning God's favor by 437 00:44:47.506 --> 00:44:51.505 jumping through hoops. Instead, Sabbath is about healing. 438 00:44:52.555 --> 00:44:53.065 Like the, 439 00:44:53.065 --> 00:44:57.965 the thing about Sabbath that is good and perfect and holy is that God somehow 440 00:44:58.395 --> 00:45:01.045 uses this one day a week to heal us, 441 00:45:02.114 --> 00:45:04.255 to heal us from the constant distraction, 442 00:45:05.035 --> 00:45:08.935 the constant demand of your time and your attention and your ability, 443 00:45:09.075 --> 00:45:13.614 the constant sense of hurry and busyness and all the exhaustion that comes with 444 00:45:13.615 --> 00:45:13.765 it. 445 00:45:13.765 --> 00:45:18.735 Like Sabbath is about healing from those things one day out of every single 446 00:45:18.765 --> 00:45:23.045 week. In fact, one time the Pharisees, they, 447 00:45:23.046 --> 00:45:25.405 they get mad at Jesus for healing someone on the Sabbath. 448 00:45:25.406 --> 00:45:29.645 And Jesus finally turns to him and he goes, guys, the Sabbath was made for you, 449 00:45:30.344 --> 00:45:33.515 not the other way around. He goes, listen, 450 00:45:34.015 --> 00:45:37.795 God didn't create you to see if you could, you know, keep Sabbath. 451 00:45:37.825 --> 00:45:40.755 It's not about rule following God made Sabbath for you. 452 00:45:40.825 --> 00:45:45.515 It's a gift for you to have one day out of every single week that's about 453 00:45:45.585 --> 00:45:49.315 healing because Sabbath is about healing. 454 00:45:50.844 --> 00:45:55.065 And so then the question becomes, for me at least, well how, okay, 455 00:45:55.285 --> 00:45:58.545 how might Sabbath be a healing thing in my life? 456 00:46:00.185 --> 00:46:03.315 Well, for us, living in the age of distraction, 457 00:46:03.335 --> 00:46:08.235 for those of us who always feel at least low key, busy and tired, 458 00:46:08.785 --> 00:46:12.395 Sabbath helps us to get our priorities back in order. 459 00:46:12.455 --> 00:46:17.205 And here's what I mean by that. Okay? The first question and answer, 460 00:46:17.385 --> 00:46:21.325 the very first question and answer in the Westminster shorter catechism, 461 00:46:21.765 --> 00:46:24.485 that's like a, it's like a handbook on all things theology. 462 00:46:24.945 --> 00:46:28.965 The first q and a I love it so much, goes like this question, 463 00:46:29.755 --> 00:46:33.285 what is the chief end of man? In other words, 464 00:46:33.395 --> 00:46:37.765 what is the ultimate purpose of being a human being? 465 00:46:38.745 --> 00:46:43.605 And the answer is to glorify God and to enjoy him 466 00:46:44.155 --> 00:46:48.495 forever. What is the chief end of man? 467 00:46:48.496 --> 00:46:52.375 What is the ultimate purpose of you being a human being? 468 00:46:53.275 --> 00:46:55.015 Is it to get a lot of work done? 469 00:46:56.655 --> 00:47:00.915 Is your purpose to become the most def like efficient and disciplined person? 470 00:47:00.975 --> 00:47:03.045 You know, I, 471 00:47:03.046 --> 00:47:06.405 i is is your job to make a name for yourself to, 472 00:47:06.505 --> 00:47:08.285 to go and earn the next paycheck and, 473 00:47:08.305 --> 00:47:11.925 and climb the next rung on the corporate ladder so that you can be a person 474 00:47:12.094 --> 00:47:17.025 who's important? Is your job to be respected by respectable people? 475 00:47:18.225 --> 00:47:20.745 Or you could go down the list. No, what, what is your job? 476 00:47:20.746 --> 00:47:23.425 What is the ultimate purpose of being a human being? 477 00:47:23.695 --> 00:47:26.945 It's to glorify God and to enjoy him. 478 00:47:28.015 --> 00:47:31.325 To enjoy him forever. And Sabbath, 479 00:47:31.525 --> 00:47:34.565 a weekly day of rest is all about enjoying God. 480 00:47:34.945 --> 00:47:36.844 By enjoying his creation. 481 00:47:38.015 --> 00:47:40.265 Sabbath is is like one day a week, 482 00:47:40.415 --> 00:47:43.425 once a week to just try to make the number one thing, 483 00:47:43.485 --> 00:47:44.825 the number one thing again. 484 00:47:44.895 --> 00:47:49.505 Because the number one thing is that you glorify God and 485 00:47:49.715 --> 00:47:53.614 enjoy him forever. There's that, 486 00:47:53.685 --> 00:47:58.415 that phrase for the love of God that's like in our cultural vocabulary, 487 00:47:59.065 --> 00:48:02.055 right? Almost always followed by something passive aggressive, right? 488 00:48:02.075 --> 00:48:04.415 For the love of God, would you do the dishes or something like that? 489 00:48:04.755 --> 00:48:06.535 And that's wrong and manipulative. I know that. 490 00:48:06.975 --> 00:48:11.295 I think it's totally theological to say for the love of God, 491 00:48:11.825 --> 00:48:12.658 enjoy your life. 492 00:48:13.844 --> 00:48:18.775 What I mean is enjoy your life and make your enjoyment of life 493 00:48:19.275 --> 00:48:24.125 one of the ways that you show love to and worship your God for 494 00:48:24.126 --> 00:48:28.525 the love of God, for the sake of loving God. Enjoy your life. 495 00:48:30.045 --> 00:48:30.864 Even if, 496 00:48:30.864 --> 00:48:35.855 especially if you would say that your life is nothing but busy and tiring 497 00:48:36.105 --> 00:48:38.465 right now. I mean Sabbath, 498 00:48:38.655 --> 00:48:42.505 it's about having one day out of every single week to enjoy what God has given 499 00:48:42.525 --> 00:48:47.105 you. It's about cultivating an attitude in your heart and your mind of 500 00:48:47.255 --> 00:48:51.985 gratitude towards God and what he's given you. He gave this to you as a gift. 501 00:48:52.405 --> 00:48:57.275 That's what Jesus said. This was made for you. Why? Because God's not dumb. 502 00:48:58.135 --> 00:49:01.395 And he knows that real life gets really hard and he knows that we would get 503 00:49:01.495 --> 00:49:03.475 burned out and we would spin out. 504 00:49:03.695 --> 00:49:07.355 And so at the very beginning of time in Genesis chapter two, 505 00:49:07.775 --> 00:49:12.235 the very first spiritual discipline that God gave us is Sabbath 506 00:49:13.375 --> 00:49:18.094 a weekly opportunity to do nothing but enjoy him by enjoying 507 00:49:18.355 --> 00:49:21.885 his creation. And so for the love of God, 508 00:49:22.655 --> 00:49:27.005 enjoy your life. What do I mean by that? For the love of God, 509 00:49:27.075 --> 00:49:30.575 once a week, stop. Stop it. 510 00:49:31.965 --> 00:49:36.445 Stop working. Stop the madness. Stop the craziness. 511 00:49:36.705 --> 00:49:40.325 Put away the to-do list. Don't check your email, don't coach the team. 512 00:49:40.614 --> 00:49:43.965 Don't play the sport. Don't do the laundry, don't do the dishes. 513 00:49:44.295 --> 00:49:48.285 Don't mow the yard. Those things can wait until tomorrow for the love of God, 514 00:49:48.385 --> 00:49:52.165 as a way of showing love to God. Once a week, take a break, stop 515 00:49:54.135 --> 00:49:59.065 for the love of God, go on a walk. You live in a beautiful place, 516 00:49:59.635 --> 00:50:00.045 right? 517 00:50:00.045 --> 00:50:04.185 And you'd be surprised how clearly you can hear from God when you're just alone 518 00:50:04.864 --> 00:50:08.905 surrounded by the towering trees of North Carolina. For the love of God, 519 00:50:08.906 --> 00:50:11.825 take a walk for the love of God. 520 00:50:11.826 --> 00:50:15.685 Have a really good laugh with your kids, right? Like, 521 00:50:16.255 --> 00:50:17.925 let's face it, when they, when they grow up, 522 00:50:17.926 --> 00:50:22.325 they're not going to measure us by how hard we worked or how much money we made 523 00:50:22.344 --> 00:50:24.565 or how respected we were by other people. 524 00:50:24.635 --> 00:50:28.045 They're just gonna measure us by how much time we spent with them. 525 00:50:29.315 --> 00:50:31.775 For the love of God, spend some good time with them. 526 00:50:33.165 --> 00:50:36.135 Even dumb little stuff for the love of God, eat a donut. 527 00:50:36.844 --> 00:50:40.094 They're delicious , that's like, 528 00:50:40.415 --> 00:50:44.094 I mean that like this is one of the ways you can love and worship your God. 529 00:50:44.114 --> 00:50:48.335 You eat a donut and then afterwards you say, God, thank you for Dunking Donuts. 530 00:50:48.336 --> 00:50:53.175 You're amazing, right? This, that's just sab, that's what Sabbath is. 531 00:50:54.235 --> 00:50:58.765 God wants you to enjoy your life. Why? Because he's good. 532 00:50:58.835 --> 00:51:02.995 He's a really, really good father. Oh, but Ben, I thought he, 533 00:51:03.135 --> 00:51:07.275 he wanted me to feel guilty and sorry all the time. Like, no, 534 00:51:08.655 --> 00:51:12.355 I don't know where we got that, but a lot of us got that. No, 535 00:51:12.356 --> 00:51:14.435 that's not at all the point of our life. 536 00:51:14.445 --> 00:51:18.515 Jesus buried your guilt and shame and you can go check that big book called the 537 00:51:18.516 --> 00:51:21.795 Bible. Not one verse in there asking you to dig that stuff back up. 538 00:51:23.425 --> 00:51:24.166 You go, oh, oh. 539 00:51:24.166 --> 00:51:28.325 But I thought he wanted me to change my life and obey him all the time. Yeah, 540 00:51:29.005 --> 00:51:30.405 , yeah, absolutely, 541 00:51:30.505 --> 00:51:35.045 but not because he is out to ruin your fun instead because he's good and he 542 00:51:35.046 --> 00:51:38.765 wants you to enjoy your life. He made your life. He knows how it works best. 543 00:51:39.025 --> 00:51:41.965 His rules and his laws and his commandments there, the map, 544 00:51:42.075 --> 00:51:46.525 they are the highway toward a better, more fulfilling, 545 00:51:46.795 --> 00:51:49.965 more abundant life. That's why he wants you to obey him. 546 00:51:51.375 --> 00:51:55.475 God wants you to glorify him by enjoying him. 547 00:51:56.705 --> 00:52:00.085 And Sabbath is a weekly chance to remember and prioritize that, 548 00:52:00.105 --> 00:52:04.965 to try to make the ultimate thing ultimate again. And so for the love of God, 549 00:52:05.535 --> 00:52:06.485 enjoy your life. 550 00:52:09.375 --> 00:52:14.235 Let me give you like a real practical outline for how you could go try this. 551 00:52:14.305 --> 00:52:18.155 Like starting this week, okay? And you're gonna have to tweak this for yourself. 552 00:52:18.295 --> 00:52:22.955 I'm gonna kind of give an outline based on the most typical work schedule for 553 00:52:22.956 --> 00:52:23.295 us. 554 00:52:23.295 --> 00:52:27.235 But you'll probably have to tweak it like maybe Sunday would be a bad Sabbath 555 00:52:27.255 --> 00:52:29.475 for you because you work on Sundays or something. 556 00:52:29.476 --> 00:52:31.355 You might have to make yours random like Wednesday. 557 00:52:31.415 --> 00:52:33.475 Or you might have to start canceling stuff, 558 00:52:33.545 --> 00:52:36.715 some stuff outta your schedule to make a Sabbath work. 559 00:52:36.745 --> 00:52:38.915 Like it's not one size fits all, 560 00:52:38.916 --> 00:52:43.195 but I think it gets us pretty close to figuring out how you and I can practice 561 00:52:43.344 --> 00:52:47.415 Sabbath. Here's what it looks like. So five days out of a week, 562 00:52:47.416 --> 00:52:50.775 let's say Monday through Friday, these are days of work, 563 00:52:51.635 --> 00:52:55.375 Monday through Friday, days of work, okay? If you have a job, 564 00:52:55.915 --> 00:52:57.695 you're working really hard, 565 00:52:58.195 --> 00:53:01.015 you're doing a really good job of your job, 566 00:53:01.114 --> 00:53:04.815 you're out there earning your paycheck. If you're a student, 567 00:53:04.835 --> 00:53:07.375 you're hitting the books, you're working really, really hard, 568 00:53:07.376 --> 00:53:11.094 you're out there earning your degree, or if you're a stay at home parent, 569 00:53:11.125 --> 00:53:15.215 like you're in full blown, stay at home mom or stay at home dad mode, right? 570 00:53:15.216 --> 00:53:15.536 You're, 571 00:53:15.536 --> 00:53:18.735 you're tackling and taking care of everything that needs taken care of around 572 00:53:18.736 --> 00:53:21.335 the house. Like these five days of work, 573 00:53:21.385 --> 00:53:25.485 these are the days where we join with God to make something great at this place, 574 00:53:26.145 --> 00:53:29.205 to do something great with what he's given us responsibility over. 575 00:53:30.185 --> 00:53:32.765 And so for five days a week, get to work. 576 00:53:33.645 --> 00:53:37.785 And then six days Saturday becomes a day of prep. 577 00:53:38.945 --> 00:53:39.236 Okay? 578 00:53:39.236 --> 00:53:43.955 This is actually based on something called the day of preparation that you see 579 00:53:44.094 --> 00:53:45.355 in the Bible. Uh, 580 00:53:45.356 --> 00:53:49.555 the Jewish people would have these like massive celebratory feasts and festivals 581 00:53:49.575 --> 00:53:52.715 all throughout the year. But the day before these feasts, 582 00:53:52.745 --> 00:53:56.675 they would have what they called the day of preparation on this day. 583 00:53:56.705 --> 00:54:00.885 They got everything ready, okay? They cooked all the food for tomorrow, 584 00:54:01.275 --> 00:54:05.325 they put up all the decorations. They worked not for a paycheck, 585 00:54:05.385 --> 00:54:06.364 but they worked really, 586 00:54:06.365 --> 00:54:10.685 really hard so that tomorrow they can do nothing but party. 587 00:54:11.905 --> 00:54:15.805 Here's what a day of prep might look like for some of us. Okay? 588 00:54:16.045 --> 00:54:19.125 Saturday day of prep, we're doing all the laundry, okay? 589 00:54:19.126 --> 00:54:22.085 And we're doing all the yard work and we're paying all the bills, 590 00:54:22.375 --> 00:54:23.325 we're cleaning the house, 591 00:54:23.375 --> 00:54:26.205 we're making the food for today and the food for tomorrow. 592 00:54:26.335 --> 00:54:29.925 We're cleaning all the dishes. You're getting another five items checked off. 593 00:54:30.245 --> 00:54:31.445 You're never ending to-do list. 594 00:54:31.545 --> 00:54:35.125 You're taking the kids to dance class or the sports tournament or whatever. 595 00:54:35.145 --> 00:54:36.565 You're not earning a paycheck, 596 00:54:36.585 --> 00:54:41.445 but you're working really hard so that tomorrow you have 597 00:54:41.446 --> 00:54:46.255 nothing to do but party. And then Sunday Sabbath, 598 00:54:47.505 --> 00:54:52.375 Sunday is your day of rest. This is, the house is clean, 599 00:54:53.105 --> 00:54:58.094 right? The yard is mowed, the bills are paid, your schedule is empty. 600 00:54:58.844 --> 00:55:03.495 What do you enjoy the most? For the love of God, go and enjoy it. 601 00:55:04.715 --> 00:55:06.175 If you're an introvert like me, 602 00:55:06.176 --> 00:55:09.815 this is your day to just like read a good book and spend time with your family. 603 00:55:10.635 --> 00:55:11.735 If you're an extrovert, 604 00:55:11.736 --> 00:55:15.295 this is your day to invite everyone to a party that you planned and prepped the 605 00:55:15.296 --> 00:55:18.895 day before. For the love of God, throw an awesome party, right? 606 00:55:18.995 --> 00:55:20.015 If you're on a diet, 607 00:55:20.165 --> 00:55:23.975 then and it won't risk derailing you like this is your off day, right? 608 00:55:24.035 --> 00:55:28.055 Go eat a hot and spicy cheezit. They're fantastic. You've earned it, okay? 609 00:55:28.075 --> 00:55:31.015 If you're a student, like if you took it seriously, 610 00:55:31.016 --> 00:55:32.975 then six days you've been working really hard, 611 00:55:32.976 --> 00:55:36.695 you're as studied up as you're ever gonna get. Get your nose out of the book, 612 00:55:37.594 --> 00:55:40.495 go do something fun. Go spend time with your friends. 613 00:55:40.605 --> 00:55:44.335 What do you enjoy the most? For the love of God? Go do it. 614 00:55:46.075 --> 00:55:49.614 My family, we uh, we just have, we have seasons like everyone else. 615 00:55:49.635 --> 00:55:53.495 We have seasons where we are really good and very intentional about Sabbath and 616 00:55:53.496 --> 00:55:55.135 then seasons where we're not good and we're like, 617 00:55:55.136 --> 00:55:58.495 we need to do that again when we're at our peak and doing our best. 618 00:55:58.715 --> 00:56:02.455 My family has three rules for Sabbath. They're very simple. The first one is, 619 00:56:03.094 --> 00:56:06.815 whatever we do, we must do it together. That's the first thing. 620 00:56:06.835 --> 00:56:11.094 So this isn't the day for, for my daughter Emory to go to a slumber party. 621 00:56:11.575 --> 00:56:15.455 Now she's, we gotta be together, right? The second rule is whatever we do, 622 00:56:15.475 --> 00:56:19.525 it must be restful and bring us joy, right? So this, 623 00:56:19.785 --> 00:56:23.005 if I remember something I forgot to do, I just write it on a notepad. I'll, 624 00:56:23.060 --> 00:56:24.525 I'll get to it tomorrow, but not today. 625 00:56:25.465 --> 00:56:28.125 And then the third rule is we put our phones down. 626 00:56:28.545 --> 00:56:32.405 Got enough of that in our lives. So one day a week, don't even touch 'em. 627 00:56:32.465 --> 00:56:35.525 I'm just not gonna reply to you. I'm sorry. We'll get back to you tomorrow. 628 00:56:36.785 --> 00:56:39.245 And those three Sabbath rules, they're pretty simple, 629 00:56:39.265 --> 00:56:43.645 but they've led to some pretty amazing days for me and my family. 630 00:56:44.705 --> 00:56:48.555 It's like not, it's not ever gonna go perfectly of course, but the goal, 631 00:56:49.015 --> 00:56:49.995 the goal is to, 632 00:56:50.015 --> 00:56:53.195 at the end of Sunday night or whatever your day of rest ends up being, 633 00:56:53.255 --> 00:56:56.795 the goal is that you get into bed and you pray and you go, God, 634 00:56:56.885 --> 00:56:58.475 thank you for a really good day. 635 00:56:59.645 --> 00:57:02.235 Thank you for what you've created for me. 636 00:57:02.236 --> 00:57:04.475 Thank you for the people that you've given me. 637 00:57:04.476 --> 00:57:06.955 Thank you for the blessings that you've given me. 638 00:57:06.956 --> 00:57:09.675 Thank you for being really good. What is that ? 639 00:57:09.676 --> 00:57:13.155 That's called glorifying God by enjoying him. 640 00:57:13.455 --> 00:57:17.755 And it just so happens to be the ultimate purpose of you existing. 641 00:57:19.425 --> 00:57:23.805 Yes, we're crazy busy and crazy tired and crazy distracted. 642 00:57:23.825 --> 00:57:28.085 And so is it possible that God had a good idea 643 00:57:28.875 --> 00:57:31.805 when he said once a week, stop it. 644 00:57:33.365 --> 00:57:38.055 Stop the craziness. Stop the madness. And for the love of me in joy, 645 00:57:38.645 --> 00:57:41.975 what I've created for you, enjoy what I've blessed you with. 646 00:57:43.335 --> 00:57:44.675 And if we took it seriously, 647 00:57:44.676 --> 00:57:49.275 like if we knew that that kind of Sabbath was coming every seven days, 648 00:57:49.645 --> 00:57:50.675 every single week, 649 00:57:50.725 --> 00:57:54.515 don't you think it would help temper some of the frustrations that we've got at 650 00:57:54.516 --> 00:57:55.055 work? 651 00:57:55.055 --> 00:57:59.955 Or give us an extra measure of grace and patience with our kids throughout 652 00:57:59.956 --> 00:58:00.255 the week? 653 00:58:00.255 --> 00:58:04.195 Or don't you think our friendships might grow deeper and our families might grow 654 00:58:04.196 --> 00:58:08.835 closer and our joy might go up and our stress might go down most, 655 00:58:08.905 --> 00:58:09.676 most importantly, 656 00:58:09.676 --> 00:58:12.955 if we knew that that kind of Sabbath was coming every single seven days, 657 00:58:13.045 --> 00:58:17.515 don't you think it would become more natural for our 658 00:58:17.725 --> 00:58:20.675 weary and burdened souls to find rest in him? 659 00:58:21.485 --> 00:58:26.165 Wouldn't it become more natural to glorify God by enjoying him 660 00:58:26.166 --> 00:58:28.085 forever? I think so. 661 00:58:29.495 --> 00:58:33.285 Jesus promised us rest for our weary souls. 662 00:58:33.745 --> 00:58:36.365 He gave it to us. It's called Sabbath. 663 00:58:37.565 --> 00:58:39.225 And so really the question is just, 664 00:58:39.245 --> 00:58:43.185 are you willing to try this just total gift from your father? 665 00:58:44.045 --> 00:58:45.265 Are you willing to try it? 666 00:58:45.445 --> 00:58:49.665 Are you willing to love your God by enjoying your life? 667 00:58:51.905 --> 00:58:54.745 Let me pray. God, 668 00:58:54.746 --> 00:58:57.625 thank you for this moment and thank you for these people. And then God, 669 00:58:57.626 --> 00:58:59.745 thank you just for who you are. Like the very, 670 00:59:00.055 --> 00:59:04.865 very first spiritual discipline you gave us while we were still living in a 671 00:59:04.866 --> 00:59:09.665 state of perfection was to spend one day out of every week doing nothing but 672 00:59:09.905 --> 00:59:14.825 enjoying you by enjoying what you've blessed us with and the creation that 673 00:59:14.826 --> 00:59:15.865 you've made all around us. 674 00:59:15.866 --> 00:59:19.025 Like that was the very first way that you looked at us and said, 675 00:59:19.285 --> 00:59:21.025 here's what it looks like to worship me. 676 00:59:22.105 --> 00:59:24.445 And then we are the ones who we get it all confused. 677 00:59:24.925 --> 00:59:26.285 We're we are the ones who are forgetful. 678 00:59:26.945 --> 00:59:30.085 We are the ones who think that what you want out of us is workhorses. 679 00:59:31.105 --> 00:59:33.925 We are the ones who think that we've just got to achieve and achieve and 680 00:59:33.926 --> 00:59:37.165 achieve. We are the ones who think that what you want from us is a checklist, 681 00:59:37.405 --> 00:59:40.405 a spiritual checklist of things that we just constantly have to be working 682 00:59:40.406 --> 00:59:42.005 better on. And there's a time, 683 00:59:42.006 --> 00:59:46.765 there's a right time and a right place for feeling convicted for looking at 684 00:59:46.766 --> 00:59:48.965 ourselves in the mirror and saying, I've gotta change some stuff. 685 00:59:49.145 --> 00:59:52.245 But there's one day a week every single week where you said, 686 00:59:52.246 --> 00:59:55.685 just stop and enjoy me by enjoying what I've given you. 687 00:59:56.785 --> 00:59:59.885 God that makes you just a really, really good dad. 688 01:00:00.985 --> 01:00:04.325 You say that this is how we glorify you. And like I'm a father. 689 01:00:04.435 --> 01:00:08.245 I've got three kids I love nothing more than one of one of my children at dinner 690 01:00:08.275 --> 01:00:10.205 says, I wanna sit by you tonight, dad. 691 01:00:10.206 --> 01:00:14.725 Like that's basically all you are asking of us one day out of every single week. 692 01:00:14.835 --> 01:00:15.845 Come and enjoy me, 693 01:00:16.655 --> 01:00:20.205 enjoy my presence by enjoying the blessings I've given you. God, 694 01:00:20.355 --> 01:00:22.125 help us to practice this. I don't, 695 01:00:22.185 --> 01:00:26.285 it blows my mind that I need challenged to practice this. 696 01:00:27.065 --> 01:00:27.766 But please God, 697 01:00:27.766 --> 01:00:31.365 help us to take you up on this gift that you made for us so that we can find 698 01:00:31.395 --> 01:00:34.445 rest for our weary and burden souls. I love you so much. 699 01:00:35.125 --> 01:00:37.165 I thank you for your truth. And what we've learned today, 700 01:00:37.425 --> 01:00:40.925 and I pray this in your son's holy name, Jesus Christ, amen.