Why don't we take seriously God's command to rest?

Thoughts from my recent sermon on the Sabbath.

Learning to Rest: Why the Sabbath Still Matters

This past week, I shared a message at my church on the sabbath. You can find that message, my notes, referenced materials by clicking the button below.

Crossing the Road

Think about crossing the road. Before you even think about jaywalking, you need to know the rules. We teach kids to look both ways before you cross the street. We tell kids to never go into the street. Yet, we know that there are times when it is safe to go into the street, sometimes even without looking both ways. As you get older, we are able to interpret safe or unsafe conditions—you’ve got to learn the basics before you can break the mold.

Many of us skip right to justifying our own version of the Sabbath without really understanding God’s original design for it.

God commanded the people of Israel—his chosen people—to rest on the Sabbath.

Why do we disregard the Sabbath?

Jesus didn’t disregard the Sabbath, so why do we?

A study by Lifeway Research shows that only about half of Christians believe the Sabbath is still a biblical command.

Among different denominations, Assemblies of God/Pentecostals and Lutherans are more likely to disregard it compared to Baptists. In fact, 60% of Baptists and non-denominational churchgoers say the Sabbath still matters.

So few people actually practice a Sabbath today where we actually find rest.

At least in the evangelical world, few people know how to rest. Fewer are able to practice a rhythm of rest.

The Restlessness of Desire

John Mark Comer in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry nails it: “Desire is one of those things that is never, ever satisfied.”

We have this infinite desire but a finite soul, which leads to restlessness.

We disregard the Sabbath because we’re busy filling our lives with everything but God.

We seek work, hobbies, relationships, success, social advancement, and entertainment—all these things might seem restful, but they often mask deeper desires.

The Invitation to Stop

Sabbath is God’s invitation to stop, to rest instead of constantly seeking.

Without the Sabbath, we end up living on our own terms, in our own power, and our own wisdom.

We often blame politicians, unbelievers, and institutions for the moral decline around us. But let’s be honest, we’re partly to blame too.

We have become so busy that we have become unable to actually bless the world around us. We have tried to do so much that we are doing less things well.

Instead of more political activity, what if the church embraced intentional rest and sought the Holy Spirit more?

A Need for Godly Leaders

We need more spiritually healthy leaders today.

This starts with rest and seeking God.

DL Moody once said:

“You show me a nation that has given up the Sabbath and I will show you a nation that has got the seed of decay.”

It’s easy to point fingers, but we need to recognize our own fault in neglecting the Sabbath.

We are in desperate need of God’s rest to refill our lives.

The Women at the Tomb

Let’s talk about the women at the tomb of Jesus.

Here are a few thoughts that ought to encourage you to take steps toward practicing a pattern of rest and Sabbath.

Miraculous Timing

Their practice of the Sabbath gave them a miraculous timing.

In their darkest day, they turned to God and rested.

The women’s practice of the Sabbath led them to be the first to hear the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.

Had the women not waited and gone back home to rest during the Sabbath, they would not have been present at the tomb when the angel reveals the miracle of the risen Christ.

When we trust God and rest in him, he sets up his timing in our life as a response to our submission.

When you wait on Jesus, he shows up in ways more powerful than you can imagine.

Miraculous Experience

Beyond their timing, they actually experience the miracle of hearing the Good News of Jesus being resurrected.

When you trust God’s design for living, you will see the miraculous in your life.

Miraculous Launching

Right after their Sabbath rest, the women were launched into their calling to proclaim the Good News.

Many of us in the church lack the capacity to fulfill our calling because we’re running on empty.

The women were launched into God’s plan because they were obedient, rested, and ready.

We Need the Sabbath

We need the Sabbath, because we need God.

If the Sabbath offered hope to the women at the tomb, shouldn’t we follow their wisdom?

So, how can you create a rhythm of rest in your life?

Start small. Maybe it’s a few minutes one day a week.

Next month, it’s a few hours of digital detox.

Build a rhythm of Sabbath and find rest in God.

Make it a habit to stop and rest, to seek God intentionally.

In these dark times, we must re-establish the rhythm of Sabbath in our lives.

“Sabbath is how we fill our souls back up with life.” (John Mark Comer in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry)

Let’s embrace this divine invitation to rest and find God in the stillness.