We saw yesterday how God rested, and set out a rhythm for work and rest. Here we see God giving some of the reasons why it’s important for us to rest, and how it’s still God’s gift for all creation even though many years have passed.
“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. (Deuteronomy 5:12-15 ESV)
He wants the Israelites to practice it, and to share it with those in their employ. Even their animals are included. But it’s more than that. It has to do with showing who their God is. God reminds them they were once slaves. The day of rest, the Sabbath, is a weekly emancipation from slavery.
They were being reminded by God, weekly, that they were created human beings, not pyramid building resources. Sabbath was part of their freedom – they belong to God, not pharaoh.
This is so important today. We can live in self-imposed slavery to career, money. Or fear. Or a form of slavery to work can be imposed by an exploitative company, a sex trafficker, a manipulative boss, etc.
Sabbath is a way for people who spend all week working to announce they are not just money making machines, they are God’s beloved children, and so they are free.
Yes, this is a limitation on work – it limits profits and production. And it wasn’t just weekly, the idea of Sabbath rest also applies to every seven years – when no fields could be worked. Imagine the statement of a nation that planned ahead like that, and took a year of rest to focus on other kinds of work. It would be very risky, but it was a way to show their trust in God, not themselves or their own risk management efforts. They may have been less productive, but they were free.
Question: How do you break free from the sense you are a slave to work? How can you show colleagues that there are more dimensions to your life than work?
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CloseRyan Sim - May 14, 2014
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Spirit
What was the meaning of all this about Jesus’ followers speaking different languages or “tongues”? It was a sign that the impossible mission they’d been sent to accomplish was actually possible. I love to rock climb, and I used to pride myself on never needing chalk. I considered myself a good climber with just my hands, and sweat never seemed to make me slip off holds. One day, as I struggled on what felt like an impossible climb, a friend insisted I put some chalk on my fingers. I immediately realize what I’d been missing – I could actually do what seemed impossible if I put down my pride and got a little extra help from some chalk. If Jesus’ followers try to spread the good news on their own, they will flail about like me on a difficult climb. They simply don’t have the skills, the numbers, the power to reach the entire world with this message. Think of the number of languages spoken, the various cultural norms to learn, the geography to consider. But with the Spirit of Jesus living in them, speaking through them, acting through them, they could and they did. There are 2 billion people in the world now claiming to be Christians. One web site offers a film about Jesus in 1200 languages. This was all evident in how the disciples began to speak in other languages, they never even knew. People remarked that this was unlikely, since they were Galileans – not considered refined and educated people - with an accent that made it difficult to speak other languages. One of those big barriers, language, was already being dismantled by the Spirit of God speaking through them. In a world with lots of barriers, how refreshing is it to see the Spirit of God taking some down? His good news about Jesus is for everyone, who speaks every language, from every nation. Christianity is not meant to divide people, but rather it’s good news God uses to transform each and every culture, each and every nation, each and every individual. Question: Luke never says what the people were saying as they spoke these other languages – what do you think the Holy Spirit would have said through them?
Related Topics: Ascension, Early Church, Jesus, Pioneer | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Pioneer Story"
We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.
More Messages From Ryan Sim...
Thursday - Act On It - Disappointment | April 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Disappointment | April 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Disappointment | April 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Disappointment | April 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Death | April 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Death | April 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Death | April 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Death | April 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Death | March 31, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Society | March 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Society | March 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Society | March 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Society | March 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Society | March 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Nature | March 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Nature | March 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Nature | March 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Nature | March 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Nature | March 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Compassion | March 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Compassion | March 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Compassion | March 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Compassion | March 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Compassion | March 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Family | March 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Family | March 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Family | March 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Family | March 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Sex and Marriage | February 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 24, 2014 | Sex Is | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Reset Body and Food | February 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Body and Food | February 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Body and Food | February 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Body and Food | February 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Body and Food | February 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Work | February 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Work | February 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Work | February 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Work | February 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Work | February 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Money | February 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Family | February 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Money | February 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset: Money | February 5, 2014 | O'Leary | Watch | Listen | |
Tuesday - Study It - Reset: Money | February 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset: Money | February 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Time | January 31, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Time | January 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Time | January 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Time | January 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Time | January 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Goals | January 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Goals | January 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset: Goals | January 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset: Goals | January 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset: Goals | January 20, 2014 | TED Talk | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Reset | January 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset | January 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset | January 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset | January 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset | January 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Best of 2013 | January 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Best of 2013 | January 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Best of 2013 | January 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Best of 2013 | January 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - Best of 2013 | January 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed The Wise | January 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Wise | January 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Wise | January 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Wise | December 31, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Wise | December 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed You | December 27, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed You | December 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed You | December 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed You | December 24, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed You | December 23, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 20, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 17, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 16, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 10, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 9, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed the Religious | December 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 3, 2013 | TED Talk | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 2, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Generosity in Resources | November 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Generosity in Resources | November 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Generosity in Resources | November 27, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Generosity - in Resources | November 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Generosity - in Resources | November 25, 2013 | Extra | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Grace in Lifestyle | November 22, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 21, 2013 | 10 Comms | Watch | Listen | |
Wednesday - Change It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 20, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - God in Worship | November 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - God in Worship | November 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - God in Worship | November 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - God in Worship | November 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - God in Worship | November 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Groups in Community | November 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Groups - in Community | November 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Groups - in Community | November 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Groups - in Community | November 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Groups - in Community | November 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Growth in Discipleship | November 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 31, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Growth - in Discipleship | October 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Becoming Like Family | October 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen |