LIVE LIKE NOBODY ELSE
“Taking Time To Play”
Pastor David Cooke
Text: Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 12:28-30; Matthew 11:28-30
Icebreaker: What do you do on a regular basis for fun and relaxation?
Setting It Up
The Sabbath, derived from the Hebrew noun, shabbat, is the seventh day of the week, dedicated to the Lord for rest from labor. This pattern of work and rest was the model for Israelite life. It was established in Creation, “ And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done” (Genesis 2:2, ESV).
Read Exodus 20:8-11, 23:12
1. What is meant by keeping the Sabbath “holy”?
2. What benefits come from observing the Sabbath?
Read Mark 12:28-30
Jesus recites a creed central to Judaism, the Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. In both Hebrew and Greek, the primary meaning of “soul” is life. It refers to the totality of one’s being.
3. What does the Shema have to do with observing the Sabbath?
4. What does making time for rest have to do with faith?
5. How did Jesus model rest and renewal (see Matt 4:18, 14:23; Luke 6:12; Mark 10:32)?
Read Matthew 11:28-30
6. In light of “soul” being understood as life, what response does Jesus’ invitation in the Matthew 11 passage invoke?
7. What are common obstacles to rest in our societal context?
Putting it into Action
The result of rest is renewal and blessing. When God commanded the Sabbath, the direction was to remember and worship him. If we are constantly “doing,” we have no space to pause, reflect and remember. Resting is to love God most, trusting him with our time and energy.
8. In which of the four areas- body, mind, emotions, spirit- are you best prioritizing in your life? In which area do you most need to improve?
9. If rest is an act of faith, and play is an outcome of rest, in what will you trust God this week to better balance your work-to-rest ratio?
Resource
To take a survey and learn more about managing your energy, visit the following link: https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time.
