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?

Ryan Sim - April 23, 2013

Tuesday - Study It - Generosity

Matthew 6:1 says “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Jesus began with a general principle: Beware of practising your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. This is one of three examples Jesus uses to illustrate. Look at two others in the next two weeks involving prayer and self-denial. First example, however, is giving: 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Jesus acknowledges that his followers are not the only nice, generous people out there, giving is not an exclusively Christian activity. Says to his followers in v. 2 & 3 "when" you give to the needy – simply assumes you will give to help others. This would be a big part of Jewish society...a box at every synagogue where money for the poor could be placed. Another clue: do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do. Even the hypocrites...whose habit of acting religious Jesus is about to attack quite vigorously...are known to give to the poor. Clearly Jesus doesn’t have to bother commending giving itself, it’s fairly universal. Same today. Jesus’ followers don’t have a monopoly of giving, or niceness. Charitable giving by Canadians was $10.6B in 2010 Some Christian, some not. Giving is widespread. When Jesus talks about giving to the poor, then and today, he’s not claiming that Christians are the only givers, only kind people. What he does want, however, is for his followers to give for particular reasons. More concerned about motivations than money. Wants them to hide their giving from others, hide from self, show to God. Today, we look at hiding it from others He wants his followers to hide their giving from others. Drive a Prius because it’s eco friendly, not for looks. Wants his followers to give generously to others whether the collection is in a basket or a bag, whether by pre-authorized giving or in cash, whether recognized by the charity or not. Wants their motivation to be something other than being noticed by others. Question: How does Jesus expect his followers to give like others, and how does he expect their giving to be different?

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